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Slate
Astronomer, he writes of the Bad Astronomer blog for Slate; author of Death From the Skies!: The Science Behind the End of the World
PROFILE
Phil Plait
Guest
FROM Phil Plait
To the Point
SpaceX Launches and Lands Falcon 9 Rocket Last June, Elon Musk and Space X suffered a major loss when a Falcon 9 rocket exploded just after launch. Yesterday, it was a very different story. Workers at the Space X Factory in Southern California cheered as they watched something that NASA's never even attempted. After a Falcon 9 rocket was launched into space, the massive first stage was slowed down… its course was reversed, and it was landed vertically at the launch site in Florida. Phil Plait says his heart was pounding. He's an astronomer who writes the "Bad Astronomy" blog for Slate . Long-exposure photo of the launch, re-entry and landing burns of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket, December 21, 2015. Courtesy SpaceX
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Life on Mars? A big announcement from NASA today: liquid water has been discovered on the surface of Mars. How was this discovery made, and what ramifications does it have for science?
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
A Glimpse Into the Big Bang It might be one of the most important scientific discoveries in a generation: Astronomers at the South Pole say they’ve discovered the first direct evidence of how the universe rapidly expanded in a tiny fraction of a second after the Big Bang. Scientists say it’s a breakthrough in understanding how our world was born.
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Lab Rats: Space Jump Edition It’s been over a year since Felix Baumgartner filmed himself jumping out of a balloon 24 miles above the earth. New footage has been released by the camera company that supplied some of his equipment. But is the intersection of commerce and research good for the future of scientific discovery? Plus, we discuss the creationism vs evolution debate that’s expected to draw a million viewers tonight.
To the Point
Voyager Space Probe Reaches Interstellar Space Sounds transmitted by Voyager I have convinced NASA scientists it has reached interstellar space after 36 years and 12 billion miles -- an enormous achievement for human kind. But that doesn't mean it has left the solar system and the influence of the Sun. Phil Plait is an astronomer who writes the "Bad Astronomer" blog for Slate.com .
To the Point
Asteroid Comes Close to Earth The asteroid 2012 DA14 may not have a scary name but, if it were to strike planet Earth, the destruction could be colossal. An asteroid that struck the Earth is blamed for ending the age of the Dinosaurs. Others have caused enormous craters on several continents. About one million such rocks are orbiting in the solar system, but such a collision is very rare. Tomorrow, 2012 DA14 will come closer to Earth than stationary GPS satellites. Phil Plait, who writes the Bad Astronomer blog for Slate.com , has more on this reassuring news and on what astronomers hope to learn.
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To the Point
Will the Senate write a healthcare bill in secret? While Democrats and Republicans argue White House relations with Russia, another question is being decided behind closed doors: who gets help buying health insurance and who doesn't? We hear how the pros and cons are being shrouded in secrecy.
To the Point
Ex-FBI Director Comey tells his side of the story Today, former FBI Director James Comey came close to calling the President who fired him a liar. The White House denied the claim and called it insulting, but Republican Senators did not challenge Comey’s truthfulness. Many questions remain: did the President try to obstruct a federal investigation? Later, we’ll go behind the “velvet rope” for a look at 5-Star health care for the richest Americans.
To the Point
Who's to blame for the opioid crisis? Some of the lawyers who took on Big Tobacco are now going after Big Pharma. It’s all about the deadly epidemic of opioid use. Are the drug companies to blame? What about the users? Later, on today’s Talking Point: making sense of Britain’s upset election.
To the Point
The longest US war: Will Trump send more troops to Afghanistan? The Trump White House is divided over the Pentagon's request for more troops in Afghanistan—where the US has been fighting for the past 16 years. Is there a formula -- either for "victory" or a political settlement? Is there an end in sight for America's longest war?