The Big Bang's inescapable comic glow
2 min
Last week, we learned about two scientists who discovered a kind of low intensity signal that permeates the entire universe called the cosmic microwave background. But what the heck is it?
About the show
A space-focused segment from NHPR hosted by Patrick McNameeKing. It's all about celebrating the night sky with a healthy dose of joy, curiosity and zero pretension. Each week we’ll cover topics ranging from the latest NASA missions, to events happening in the night sky, to space in pop culture. It’s science for everyone—whether you’re an amateur astronomer or someone who’s never held a telescope.
Newest episodes
Penzias and Wilson
2 min
In this week’s Cosmically Curious, Patrick McNameeKing talks with Nicole Gugliucci of Saint Anselm College about the cosmic microwave background—a faint glow that fills the sky and offers clues about the universe’s beginnings.
Weight vs. Mass
1 min
From Earth to the Moon, astronomer Nicole Gugliucci explains how gravity changes your weight while your mass stays the same—and why that could mean a lot more chocolate.
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All episodes
The Big Bang's inescapable comic glow
2 min
Last week, we learned about two scientists who discovered a kind of low intensity signal that permeates the entire universe called the cosmic microwave background. But what the heck is it?
Penzias and Wilson
2 min
In this week’s Cosmically Curious, Patrick McNameeKing talks with Nicole Gugliucci of Saint Anselm College about the cosmic microwave background—a faint glow that fills the sky and offers clues about the universe’s beginnings.
Weight vs. Mass
1 min
From Earth to the Moon, astronomer Nicole Gugliucci explains how gravity changes your weight while your mass stays the same—and why that could mean a lot more chocolate.
The Official List
2 min
In this episode of Cosmically Curious, St. Anselm's Nicole Gugliucci explains how astronomers settled on the official list of constellations, and what the choices reveal about whose stories are represented in the night sky.
Vastness of Space
2 min
In this conversation, astrophysicist Nicole Gugliucci explains how analogies help us make sense of the cosmic distances that otherwise overwhelm the imagination.
Extraterrestrial weather
2 min
In this episode of Cosmically Curious, Patrick McNamee King sits down with astronomer Nicole Gugliucci to explore the bizarre reality of extraterrestrial weather—from scorching sulfuric acid showers on Venus to helium raining through the interior of Saturn.
Does the universe remember
2 min
In this segment of Cosmically Curious, host Patrick McNamee speaks with astronomer John Gianforte from the University of New Hampshire about whether the cosmos preserves a record of everything that has ever happened—and what the physics of our own sun reveals about the vastness of that question.
New England Fall Astronomy Festival
2 min
The University of New Hampshire Department of Physics and Astronomy is holding the New England Fall Astronomy Festival, or NEFAF for short.
What Are Fundamental Constants?
2 min
In this episode of Cosmically Curious we explore the universal rules that define reality & physics.
Black Holes
2 min
In this episode of Cosmically Curious, host Patrick McNamee sits down with Saint Anselm College astronomer Nicole Gallucci to clear up common black hole myths, explain the bizarre physics of spaghettification, and reveal what would actually happen if our Sun suddenly turned into a black hole.
James Webb spots signs of potential life
2 min
A distant exoplanet 700 trillion miles away is captivating astronomers, and the latest findings from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) have reignited a major question: Are we alone in the universe?
What are Voyager probes observing 50 years later
2 min
NASA’s Voyager probes are 16 billion miles away in interstellar space. Learn what two instruments are still measuring and why it matters for deep space exploration.
Voyager Prode Part 1
2 min
Launched in the summer of 1977, NASA’s Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 spacecraft were originally authorized for a brief journey to visit Jupiter and Saturn. Nearly five decades later, both probes are still operating in deep space, pushing the boundaries of human exploration.
August 2026 Lunar Eclipse
2 min
In this segment of NHPR's Cosmically Curious, host Patrick McNameeKing sits down with UNH astronomer John Gianforte to discuss an exciting upcoming celestial event: a near-total lunar eclipse.
The microwave mystery that baffled astronomers
1 min
How did a kitchen microwave fool astronomers? On Cosmically Curious, Dr. Nicole Gugliucci reveals the true source behind mysterious fast radio bursts.
Perseid Meteor Showers
1 min
Learn the best viewing times, why a new moon makes this year special, and why you only need a lawn chair to watch.
Supernova
2 min
In late 1572, long before the invention of the telescope, sky-watchers looking up at the night sky saw something impossible: a blazing new star where nothing had existed before.
What is "dark matter"?
1 min
Dark matter makes up 85% of all matter in the universe, but is only detected by the effect it has on visible matter.
Pulsars Cosmic Clocks
2 min
In a recent conversation, Patrick McNamee King sat down with Nicole Gallucci from Saint Anselm College to explore why these collapsed stellar remnants are far more than just deep-space anomalies—they are actually some of the most powerful scientific instruments available to us.
Cosmically Curious: Pulsars, the lighthouse of the universe
1 min
A pulsar is the collapsed, zombie-like core of a massive star that died in a supernova explosion.
Anti Matter
2 min
Today, we're answering a question from listener Tim Smith, who asks a deceptively simple question: Why does anything exist?
Filters & Photons
2 min
How do you capture a full-color image when your recording medium can only see in black and white?
Cosmica traffic jam
2 min
How many satellites can we actually fit around the Earth before it becomes a problem?
How stars are formed
2 min
We talk a lot about stars, but how they are formed is a process that is not completely understood.
Hydrogen & History
2 min
Construction is currently underway for the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), a massive radio telescope poised to revolutionize our understanding of the cosmos.
Warp Speed Ahead!
2 min
Physics professor Nicole Gugliucci explains the science of Star Trek’s warp drive, the Alcubierre concept, and why we're still far off from zipping through space.
Make your own rocket fuel
2 min
We need water to live, but what else does water on Mars mean for space exploration?
How do satellites navigate through space?
1 min
A listener question reveals a surprisingly accurate system.
Learn about the Starlight Challenge
2 min
The Starlight Challenge is a self-guided astronomy project for anyone interested in learning more about the night sky.
The search for extraterrestrial intelligence
2 min
What techniques do researchers use in searching for what we know as "intelligence."
Why Artemis II is more than just a victory lap
2 min
Last week, Artemis II lifted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida. If we already conquered the Moon decades ago, are we simply "doing laps" now?
Citizen Science & Space Weather
2 min
With April just around the corner, we here at Cosmically Curious are celebrating Citizen Science Month a little early. This week, we sit down with Nicole Gugliucci, an Associate Professor of Physics at Saint Anselm College, to discuss the Radio JOVE Project. This unique project empowers students and hobbyists alike to build their own radio telescopes, allowing them to "listen" to the invisible radio emissions streaming from Jupiter and our own sun.
Asteroids and Aminos
1 min
Last week, we turned our gaze toward the hidden oceans within our solar system. Today, we’re looking even closer to home—specifically at the rocky neighbors sharing our cosmic backyard.
The Long Game
2 min
Imagine strolling along a moonlit beach at night. As you listen to the gentle lull of churning waves, you look up and see not one moon, but dozens. This isn't science fiction—it’s a glimpse into the neighborhood of our solar system’s largest gas giant. Today, we’re exploring the efforts to understand the mysterious oceans hidden right in Earth’s cosmic backyard.
Wobbles and Shadows
2 min
Last November, a satellite named Mauve made history as the first private space telescope to reach orbit. It’s already hitting its stride, recently clocking its first star discovery. But Mauve isn't just star-gazing; it’s on a hunt for exoplanets.
Spring Lunar Eclipse
2 min
It’s been an exciting few days in the cosmos! On Sat., February 28, the evening sky hosted a rare parade of six planets: Mercury, Venus, Neptune, Saturn, Uranus, and Jupiter all appeared shortly after sunset. While four were visible to the unaided eye (weather permitting), people with telescopes or binoculars were lucky enough to spot Uranus and Neptune as well. The coming week promises to be equally thrilling, centered around a total lunar eclipse on Tuesday, March 3.
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