SP3: Space, Sports, Spectroscopy

Things have been busy lately! JWST has launched and is making its way to L2 and I successfully presented and defended my qualifying exam to become a PhD candidate officially! Also, new records have been set in terms of amount of extractable energy from a fusion reaction. Let's talk about the materials and materials science need to achieve this goal. Image of the ITER fusion reactor in Europe from Nature.

Let's face it, Hubble won't be around forever. There needs to be another space observatory launched soon so that it can replace Hubble. The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) may be just the candidate. As it will mostly operate in the infrared region of light, JWST is set to look at extremely old objects and light from potentially the first stars and galaxies to form. Getting closer to the Big Bang and learning about the very early days may soon be in our grasp. Let's talk about JWST, where it's going to be, what it's going to look for, and how it will collect the data. Image of the JWST gold-coated beryllium mirror from NASA.

The New York Yankees mission statement every year. And that is to win the World Series. But to do that, you have to make the playoffs. It wasn't looking good back in July. But let's talk about what happened and how the Yankees clinched that second wild card spot. Plus. let's talk about the Wild Card game against Boston and what the Yankees could do to improve the team for next season. Image from Getty Images.

Are you a civilian? Would you like a chance to go to space? That might just be a reality for you in the not too distant future. The Inspiration 4 mission just completed and it was crewed by all civilians. The first all-civilian orbital spaceflight! No governmentally trained astronauts on this SpaceX spacecraft. Plus, this mission is really doing a great job fundraising for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Tennessee. Let's talk about the entire mission from the crew, to the spacecraft, to the science, to the cause they are raising money for. Image of the Inspiration 4 flight path from the US Space Force.

Are you concerned about contamination in your drinking water? I think everyone feels that their water should be clean and free of pollutants. One of the common pollutants is a class of compounds that simply do not break down. These are per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS compounds. Let's talk about PFAS compounds. Specifically, what they are, why are they trouble, and what is being done to address the contamination. Image of some PFAS contaminated sites from Northeastern University.

The International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released a report this month outlining how bad climate change is, how bad it will be, and what will happen if we don't make drastic changes in the way we address the crisis. But that doesn't mean we will not be able to come up with clever solutions to help prevent some of the most extreme and dire consequences of climate change. Let's talk about the what the IPCC report states and one potential solution we could utilize, metal organic frameworks (MOFs) and carbon capture. Plus a brief update on the FDA fully approving the Pfizer vaccine for those 16 and older. Image from NOAA.

We have sent so many rovers, landers, and orbiters to Mars over the past few decades, including the Perseverance rover. So surely we know just about everything we need to know about the red planet, right? Absolutely not! We don't even really know what underneath the surface of the crust or how Mars evolved to the point it's at now. It's thought that Mars once had conditions that were beneficial to life, instead of being the desolate wasteland it is today. Luckily, the InSight Mars lander is firmly planted on the surface finding out some critical information that can help scientists learn more about Mars and its evolution. Three new papers, just recently published in Science, shed some light on the composition of the interior of Mars. Let's talk about these pretty interesting results! Image from the journal Science.

Is the planet's most famous and arguably most successful telescope on the brink of total failure? Luckily, no. The Hubble Space Telescope is still working just fine and producing all kinds of stunning images and valuable data. But the latest problem with the telescope over the past month was not the first problem that Hubble has worked through to become one of the most successful missions NASA has ever launched. Let's talk about Hubble, some of the problems it has overcome, and just a small selection of some of the most important discoveries it has made. Image of the Hubble Space Telescope as seen from the Discovery space shuttle during the second servicing mission from NASA.

It's been tough to be a Yankees fan in 2021. The team was billed as being reloaded for another run at the World Series as recent failures against the Astros and Rays occurred. But things seem to not be going according to plan. Is it the hitting, the defense, the pitching, the manager, or the front office? Let's talk about these aspects and see why it might be a struggle for the Yankees to make the playoffs. Image from the New York Post.

Why is carbon such an interesting element? It can take so many forms such as diamonds, coal, graphite, carbon black, carbon nanotubes, and buckyballs, just to name a few. But today, let's talk about graphene and why it could lead a revolution into the next technological age. Plus, let's discuss some interesting new research into graphene's superconducting properties and how it can be produced cheaply and efficiently using an ingenious new method. And all this falls under the umbrella of materials science so we have to understand where society has come from so we can understand how we move forward in terms of understanding and studying materials. Image of the structure of graphene from Caltech.

Do you enjoy visiting your nearest neighbors? For us, we haven't since 1994. That seems like a long time. So NASA has decided to change that by selecting 2 standalone Venus missions for development. DAVINCI+ and VERITAS have been chosen from NASA's Discovery Program and will be sent to Venus to study its atmosphere and surface features. Venus really is Earth's sister planet and it's similar yet so vastly different in so many ways. Let's talk about why Venus is such and interesting place to study and why it should not have taken this long to get some missions to focus on the planet. Plus, let's talk about the other 2 missions that were not selected that would have focused on 2 very interesting moons in our solar system, Jupiter's moon Io and Neptune's moon Triton. Image of Venus from NASA's Parker Solar Probe as it flew by Venus.

Happy birthday to the show! Thank you to all of you who have taken the time to listen to this show. I truly appreciate all of you! It's been about a year since the show was launched so why not take a look back at what we have talked about over the past year. It's been quite an exciting year across space, sports, spectroscopy, and chemistry so let's recap what we have talked about. And I can't leave you without any new research! Let's talk about the discovery of some fairly complex organic molecules in a cold, dark interstellar dust cloud. Image from NASA.

The NFL Draft is a time when teams can fill the needs that become apparent during the season. It's also a time where teams like the Jets get their next franchise player and hope that he leads them to a Superbowl. And that means the Zach Wilson era has officially begun for the Jets! Let's talk about the other surprises, trades, and players taken during the draft too because there were some massive moves being made. Image from Sports Illustrated.

History has been made! The first controlled, powered flight on another planet! And this was all done by the Ingenuity helicopter that hitched a ride on the Perseverance rover. A real Wright Brothers moment! Let's talk about what Ingenuity is attempting to demonstrate flying in the thin atmosphere on Mars and how it's accomplishing this. Also, let's talk about that historic first flight. Image of Ingenuity's shadow on the surface of Mars taken by Ingenuity during its historic first flight from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Do you watch courtroom dramas on TV? Have you tried one of those family genealogy tests? Have you ever been tested for COVID? If you answered yes to at least one of these, then you have been exposed to a PCR test. This is used to test for DNA or RNA in a sample acquired from the field. Whether that's a person or an environmental site. But how does it work and what are some of the common variations of the PCR test that are utilized today? Let's break it down so you know what happening after that swab is removed from your nose. Image from Time Magazine.

Chemistry is one of those subjects where getting your hands dirty and doing the research with the necessary chemicals and materials in the lab drives some of the biggest advances. And when you get in there, sometimes you find some unexpected. Something that can change commonly taught concepts, something that hasn't been seen before, or something that could change how we impact our environment. Even something new about one of the basic building blocks of all matter. Check out all of this interesting chemistry that can be very impactful and prepare to learn something new! Image of the einsteinium complex from Nature.

Will your favorite team have the same starting quarterback next season? Now that the Superbowl is over, this triggers the offseason for the NFL. And it seems like there was a memo going around requiring teams to change their starting quarterbacks. Lots of player movement had already taken place and a lot more seems to be in the works. MLB has been in offseason mode since the World Series ended but huge trades of their own took place around the same time as all of these NFL trades. Let's talk about some of the huge trades that have happened or will likely happen across the NFL and MLB. Plus, let's talk about some of the rule changes that MLB will be implementing during the 2021 season. Image from USA Today.

We did it! Absolutely incredible and awe inspiring! Teams around the world have successfully guided three completely different probes to Mars and they all arrived within the last week and a half. Hope from the United Arab Emirates, Tianwen-1 from China, and Perseverance from NASA are all set to begin their missions learning more about the Red Planet. Let's talk about what each probe/orbiter/rover will accomplish during their missions, including the Ingenuity helicopter. And let's not forget the seven minutes of terror that Perseverance endured to reach the surface safely. Also, let's talk about new chlorine chemistry discovered in the atmosphere of Mars and an update on the phosphine that may have been discovered in the atmosphere of Venus. Image of Mars from Hope just after reaching orbit.

This pandemic is still ongoing, but that doesn't mean we should sit on our laurels with the two vaccines that are approved. We need more safe and effective vaccines so that more people can get vaccinated quicker. Luckily we are getting closer to more vaccines being approved. But they utilize different technologies to reach the same endpoint. So let's talk about 3 new vaccines that are awaiting approval in the US. Who is making them? How do they work? And how effective are they at preventing you from getting sick with COVID?

We have two very safe and effective vaccines available to address the COVID-19 pandemic and the data currently shows this. Yet there is plenty of misinformation circulating around out there about the vaccines. What's the truth and what's a myth? Let's break it all down so we all have the most accurate information possible. Image from Time Magazine.

How do chemical reactions proceed so efficiently? The majority of products are not produced just by adding reactants together. Most processes require a catalyst to get things started. Let's talk about what catalysts are and how they change the reaction conditions to make it possible to complete. Also, since catalysts are so widely used, they are involved in many research studies looking into how we can be a more sustainable society. Let's talk about how carbon containing materials can be upcycled into useful products. Image of tris(bipyridine)ruthenium(II) chloride powder catalyst from Wikipedia.

The NFL playoffs are underway and started with the Wild Card weekend. A new playoff format with expanded teams is just one of the changes that these teams are dealing with. COIVD protocols with little to no fans. Injuries to key players. And one game being broadcast on Nickelodeon. Yes that's right, the network that airs SpongeBob all the time aired a professional NFL playoff game. They made it really fun though so I really enjoyed it. Let's talk about it all, plus all of the quality football that was played. Also, I give my prediction for the Superbowl matchup. Let me know if you agree or disagree. Image from ViacomCBS via the Daily Snark.

It's the first episode of 2021! New year, new topics to shed some light on. Coincidentally, we're talking about solar power in this episode. Why is solar power worth trying to harness and how does it compare with fossil fuels? Not surprisingly, it stacks up very favorably there. But it does have some setbacks. Mostly to do with the efficiency of converting solar energy into usable electrical energy. So let's talk about how they work, how they are produced, and the latest research into how the efficiencies are being pushed higher and higher. Image credit: Science

How can we defend ourselves from a potential asteroid impact? We want to know answers to this plus more about how our solar system formed and how life got started on Earth. And the way to do this is to send probes out there to do some solid science. But what would be better is if we can get some samples from those bodies, return them to Earth, and run the full gamut of experiments to determine some answers. Three probes are out there from China, Japan, and the US that are doing just that. Let's talk about how spacecraft from these countries are working to bring samples back from the moon and two different asteroids. Plus, the Great Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn is upon us! For the first time in 800 years! History in the making! Image from JAXA of untouched sample from asteroid Ryugu.

2020 has been quite a challenging year for us all. But there may be some light at the end of this long, dark tunnel. Let's discuss two of the major vaccine candidates that are awaiting Emergency Use Authorization from the FDA for use in the United States. Both of these are mRNA-based vaccines so let's also discuss how these work. Image from the CDC.

The 2020 New York Jets are lined up to be one of the worst teams of all time. Everything about them is terrible. The offense, defense, special teams, coaching, management, ownership. Literally everything. Just how bad is it for a Jets fan like myself? Well listen in and let's discuss how Adam Gase has no idea what he's doing while he destroys this franchise. Image from the New York Daily News.

On a dark desert highway, cool wind in my hair. Not only is that a famous lyric to Hotel California, but it could be a way to get reliable, renewable, and sustainable energy. Let's take a quick look at wind power. What does it entail, how will climate change impact wind forecasts, and what are the benefits of wind power? Plus, let's see how much it actually produces and costs. Because let's be honest, it's all about the bottom line. Image from National Geographic.

Is the moon made of cheese? No definitely not, but there could be more water on the lunar surface than what we think. Let's talk about the discovery of water on the sunlit surface of the moon and why and how it stays there. Also, what's a fast radio burst? Sounds kind of dangerous, especially since we just found one in our own Milky Way for the first time. And let's also pause to remember Alex Trebek. Image from ABC News.

Great strides have been taken by some pretty incredible people and they have been greatly acknowledged for their achievements with a Nobel Prize. Who are these people and why did they win a Nobel Prize? Let's talk about the history of the prize and what great accomplishments are being recognized. Also, what is superconductivity? And let's talk about how these exotic materials can greatly help society and potentially address climate change. Image from Scientific American.

The Yankees failed to win the World Series this year. They didn't even get back to the same point they were knocked out last year. How did this unique abbreviated season go when the roster was improved with the addition of Gerrit Cole? What went so terribly wrong in the playoffs when they couldn't advance through the ALDS? Let's talk about it all and reflect on a season that had such high hopes. Image from the New York Daily News.

Liquid water lakes on Mars have been postulated to be buried underneath the south polar ice cap. The data from the Mars Express orbiter strongly suggest it. So does this mean that we can go swimming when we visit Mars on a vacation? Not exactly. Let's talk about how these lakes are discovered and what they are likely composed of. Also, let's talk about mysterious dark matter, what it could be, and it's impact on how we see the universe, courtesy of Hubble. Image from NASA.

Huge news coming from the journal Nature Astronomy. A group from Cardiff University have announced that they have detected phosphine gas in the temperate zone of the atmosphere of Venus. The only way that this gas is produced on terrestrial worlds is from processes related to life. So does that mean we have discovered life on another planet? Let's talk about it on this special episode. Image from NASA.

Climate change is a big problem. We all know that. But it's not too big where we can't come up with innovative solutions that can help mitigate the effects. In this episode, let's talk about some of the basic data that shows how urgent the climate crisis is and some of the newest innovations that have the potential to truly make an impact. Also, let's see how a newly discovered protein can really help in recycling rare earth lanthanides. Image from Bloomberg.

Bayern Munich have been crowned champions of Europe! The Champions League Final was a pretty entertaining game between Bayern and PSG so let's talk about how it all happened. Plus, Messi wants out of Barcelona so let's keep an eye on any breaking developments to see where he ends up playing next season. And from football to more football. My opinions of how the New York Jets season will unfold and how they have a pretty low ceiling for this year. Image from The Independent.

NASA always has something to announce or some interesting topic to learn about. Today, let's discuss an eco-friendly and sustainable new propellant, the announcement of the first official commercial crewed mission, the discovery of 95 new brown dwarfs by citizen scientists, an evolving dent in the Earth's magnetic field, and the closest flyby of an asteroid on record. Image from NASA.

Sustainability is a goal that needs to be a priority. Several different industries would stand to benefit from pursuing sustainability goals. We all know that the pervasiveness of plastic is everywhere and plastic will not go away on its own if left to degrade in the environment. Let's talk about how plastic is so resilient and what that means for the environment. But what if there was a way that we could take all of the polyethylene, recycle it, and get a whole range of new uses out of it? That's where some cutting edge research steps in to potentially address the problem. Let's also talk about sustainability in the food and electronics industries as well as new technologies that can be applied there. In all of these cases, inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) plays a vital role in researching these issues. Image from The Wall Street Journal.

The 2020 MLB season is only 3 weeks old and already we have issues. The lack of enforcement of protocols early on by commissioner Rob Manfred has led multiple teams to have COVID related problems which leads to weeks where teams are not playing. Clearly, the way MLB has handled this season pales in comparison to how the NBA and the NHL bubbles are functioning in their respective restarts. Not to mention we have suspensions of players and several players opting out after already starting the season. And we can't forget the injuries! How will all of this affect your fantasy baseball team? My friends join me in discussing these issues plus we venture a bit into the NFL and talk about a big trade that happened involving the Jets. Image from Newsday.

The European soccer season has resumed and completed their league schedules. How have these teams finished and what have they qualified for next year? But really, what does it matter? We are right in the middle of the Champions League! Let's talk predictions about who will be lifting the trophy later this month! Image from Yahoo Sports.

In case you missed it, we had a new visitor discovered in our solar system! Comet NEOWISE dazzled the night sky as it was visible in the Northern Hemisphere. Sadly, it is traveling away from Earth and won't be seen again for quite some time. But as NEOWISE flies away, 3 missions are on their way to Mars. Let's talk about this once in a lifetime comet and all 3 mission launches set to arrive at the Red Planet in February 2021. Image from The New York Times.

Versatility is key in many aspects of life and Raman spectroscopy is no exception. From medicine, to art, to energy, to conservation and sustainability, Raman contributes in all these areas and many more. Let's talk about how. Including the really interesting development of solar self charging zinc ion batteries that has the potential to help bring electricity to the most rural areas cheaply and responsibly. Image from Horiba.

It's summer and baseball is around the corner! Today some friends of mine join me on a panel discussion of some topics and burning questions that will play themselves out as this unique 60 game MLB season gets underway. Image from ABC7 New York.

Surely we can't be the only planets out there. There has to be other solar systems with exoplanets orbiting distant stars, right? The answer is a resounding yes and not everything out there is exactly how our quaint little solar system is. Let's talk about some recent exoplanet discoveries announced by NASA and what makes them unique. Also, with the Mars Perseverance scheduled to launch later this month, let's discuss what the mission for this rover is and what kind of technology is onboard to help complete it. Image from NASA.

Infrared light is just below the visible light region in the electromagnetic spectrum in terms of wavelength. Low in energy, but not low in applications. IR light has found its way into a number of applications across a wide range of fields. But today, let's discuss a very practical and reliable technique that can help identify the components and structures of various materials. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Image from Bruker.

Sports are beginning to restart their seasons around the world and this means that the English Premier League and Serie A are ready to get underway! Let's discuss how the title races are shaping up and what we can look forward to for the rest of the season. Image from The Wall Street Journal.

A new era of spaceflight has begun! Public/private partnerships of manned spaceflights look to be the new standard for space travel and the launch of the Crew Dragon on the SpaceX Demo-2 mission shows that it is quite possible. The Launch America event proved to be an exciting and inspiring reprieve from these uncertain times. Image from NASA.

On this episode, we focus on X-rays, how they are used, and what kind of analysis can be done with them. X-ray crystallography, X-ray absorbance spectroscopy (XAS), and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) are discussed. Research into rechargeable batteries and how they can be monitored for performance are highlighted. The Mars Curiosity rover and some of the research it has completed using X-rays are also discussed. Further reading regarding the research discussed in the episode: XAS of battery cathodes- Li, Qinghao, et al. “Quantitative Probe of the Transition Metal Redox in Battery Electrodes through Soft x-Ray Absorption Spectroscopy.” Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics, vol. 49, no. 41, 2016, p. 413003., doi:10.1088/0022-3727/49/41/413003 XRF of samples from surface of Mars- Berger, Jeff A., et al. “MSL-APXS Titanium Observation Tray Measurements: Laboratory Experiments and Results for the Rocknest Fines at The Curiosity Field Site in Gale Crater, Mars.” Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, vol. 119, no. 5, 2014, pp. 1046–1060., doi:10.1002/2013je004519 Follow the show on social media: Facebook or Instagram   Want to get in touch with the show? Please email spacesportsspectroscopy@gmail.com for any questions, episode ideas, or suggestions!

How will MLB reopen? What is the plan for the players? In this episode, these issues are discussed along with an outlook on the 2020 season. Follow the show on social media: Facebook or Instagram Want to get in touch with the show? Please email spacesportsspectroscopy@gmail.com for any questions, episode ideas, or suggestions!

It's a podcast about space, sports, and spectroscopy, SP3. Get it? Uniting science and sports fans!