Order a "What the Fractal?" t-shirt now! Explore The Space Between Astronomy Podcast merch store:https://the-space-between-podcast.printify.me/---In this episode of The Space Between, we sit down with astrophotographer, filmmaker, and YouTuber Helena Cochrane to explore how art, science, and storytelling collide under the night sky. From her first steps into astrophotography to her journey as a film student, Helena has built a unique voice in science communication, blending cinematic visuals, personal perspective, and educational outreach.We talk about the challenges of imaging the heavens from the often-cloudy landscapes of Scotland, the creative crossover between film and astrophotography, and the ways YouTube has allowed her to connect with a global audience hungry for both beauty and knowledge. Along the way, we dig into the role of storytelling in science: how framing the cosmos through narrative makes astronomy more accessible, inspiring, and fun for people everywhere.Expect an engaging conversation full of insights on creativity, communication, and the joy of sharing the stars, where lenses, landscapes, and laughter all come together.---JOIN OUR LIVE SHOW ON EVERY FIRST SUNDAY OF THE MONTH AT THIS LINK!https://riverside.fm/studio/kolby-van-camps-studio-eMegKFollow us on Instagram! https://instagram.com/spacebetweenpodJoin our Discord!https://discord.gg/YkMtpMsytuOrder Kolby's new album! https://kolbyvancamp.hearnow.com/portraits-volume-ii---Helena's links:Subscribe to her YouTube channel!https://www.youtube.com/@HelenasAstrophotographyJoin her Discord!https://discord.com/invite/N3yaPxyH3gFollow her on Instagram and Facebook!https://www.instagram.com/helenas_astrohttps://www.facebook.com/HelenaAstrophotographyJoin her Patreon!https://www.patreon.com/helenasastro
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#33: Data centers in space (part 1)
Order a "What the Fractal?" t-shirt now! Explore The Space Between Astronomy Podcast merch store:https://the-space-between-podcast.printify.me/---In this episode of The Space Between, we explore a bold new frontier in digital infrastructure: data centers in space. As the world’s appetite for computing power skyrockets, fueled by AI, cloud services, and ever-expanding networks, traditional data centers are hitting limits on land, water, and energy. The solution some scientists and entrepreneurs propose? Lift the cloud above the clouds.We examine the technical promise and pitfalls of orbital data centers: abundant solar power and radiative cooling in the vacuum of space versus the harsh realities of radiation, latency, and orbital debris. From Europe’s ASCEND project to startups like Starcloud and Axiom Space’s station-based plans, we trace how quickly this idea is shifting from sci-fi concept to funded prototypes.But it’s not all efficiency and green promises. We dig into the environmental tradeoffs, the risk of “sky pollution” for astronomy, and the legal gray zones of data sovereignty beyond Earth. Alongside that, we unpack the week’s wilder headlines: alien embryos from meteorites in Panama and a fake comet hoax named C/2025 Q2 ZTF, and ask how to separate real innovation from viral distraction.Expect a conversation that blends cutting-edge tech, climate urgency, and cosmic perspective, where sustainability, skepticism, and the stars all intersect.Articles:ChatGPT Deep Research on orbital data centers:https://chatgpt.com/s/dr_68d0eeade4b881918f9b8cff86b79ce9Primary sources about the P/2025 Q2 (PANSTARRS) comet:https://www.cobs.si/comet/2657/https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/tools/sbdb_lookup.html#/?sstr=c%2F2025%20q2https://www.minorplanetcenter.net/mpec/K25/K25R67.htmlOfficial Starcloud website:https://www.starcloud.com/Starcloud whitepaper:https://starcloud.com/wp/---JOIN OUR LIVE SHOW ON EVERY FIRST SUNDAY OF THE MONTH AT THIS LINK!https://riverside.fm/studio/kolby-van-camps-studio-eMegKFollow us on Instagram! https://instagram.com/spacebetweenpodOrder Kolby's new album! https://kolbyvancamp.hearnow.com/portraits-volume-ii
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#32: The Web-Halo Model with Dr. Samuel Brieden
In this episode of The Space Between, we explore a breakthrough in cosmological modeling: the Web-Halo Model, developed by Dr. Sam Brieden and his team. For decades, cosmologists have relied on the halo model to describe how matter clumps together in the universe, but it struggled to capture the messy middle ground between isolated galaxies and vast cosmic structures.The Web-Halo Model goes further, folding in the sheets and filaments of the cosmic web itself. Instead of treating haloes as standalone dark matter “bubbles,” WHM describes them as substructures within filaments and sheets — a hierarchy that mirrors how the universe actually forms. The result is a parameter-free model that matches simulations with unprecedented precision, providing sharper tools for interpreting sky surveys like Euclid, Rubin, and DESI.We discuss why this matters for extracting information from weak gravitational lensing, what it means to move closer to first-principles cosmology, and how language and metaphor help bridge the gap between abstract theory and public understanding. Expect a conversation that blends astrophysics, philosophy, and the future of how we map the universe’s scaffolding.---Articles:Web-Halo Model (WHM): Accurate non-linear matter power spectrum predictions without free parametersFollow Dr. Brieden on X here!---JOIN OUR LIVE SHOW ON EVERY FIRST SUNDAY OF THE MONTH AT 9p CENTRAL TIME (GMT-5) AT THIS LINK!https://riverside.fm/studio/kolby-van-camps-studio-eMegKFollow us on Instagram! https://instagram.com/spacebetweenpodOrder Kolby's new album! https://kolbyvancamp.hearnow.com/portraits-volume-ii
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#31: Is science wrong about the age of the universe?
In this episode of The Space Between, we dive headfirst into one of the hottest debates in modern cosmology: the true age of the universe and what new data from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) means for our understanding of cosmic expansion. Headlines are screaming “crisis” and claiming the universe is expanding at two different speeds—so what’s fact, what’s speculation, and what’s just sensational storytelling?We explore the “Hubble Tension,” the discrepancy between early-universe and late-universe measurements of cosmic expansion, and why JWST’s confirmation of Hubble’s data is such a big deal. At the same time, we break down how the science gets spun in the media—why articles about “two universes” or “multiple speeds” of expansion may capture clicks, but miss the nuance of what astronomers are actually saying.Expect a blend of astrophysics, philosophy, and some critical media literacy as we ask: how should we talk about cosmic uncertainty without losing public trust in science?---Articles:The unthinkable confirmed - James Webb and Hubble prove that the universe is expanding at two different speeds, throwing cosmology into crisisNew measure of the universe's expansion suggests resolution of a conflictNASA's Webb, Hubble Telescopes Affirm Universe's Expansion Rate, Puzzle PersistsWebb telescope confirms the universe is expanding at an unexpected rate---JOIN OUR LIVE SHOW ON EVERY FIRST SUNDAY OF THE MONTH AT 9p CENTRAL TIME (GMT-5) AT THIS LINK!https://riverside.fm/studio/kolby-van-camps-studio-eMegKFollow us on Instagram! https://instagram.com/spacebetweenpodOrder Kolby's new album! https://kolbyvancamp.hearnow.com/portraits-volume-ii
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#30: Bernie Michaels and the chaos behind black holes
In this episode of The Space Between, Kolby, Dawson, and special guest Bernie Michaels dive into the hidden patterns of chaos and the strange gravitational dance of black holes. Bernie, a self-proclaimed chaos math savant, unpacks how tiny changes can lead to cosmic-scale consequences — from galaxies colliding to the unpredictable orbits that shape the universe.We explore whether black holes act like strange attractors, how fractals might be written into the very fabric of spacetime, and whether the universe’s most terrifying objects might also be the birthplace for all life as we know it. Along the way, we wrestle with questions of order versus disorder, philosophy versus physics, and whether humanity’s own chaotic minds mirror the cosmos.It’s a conversation that swings between hard science, big-picture wonder, and playful curiosity. Buckle up — the void is stranger (and more beautiful) than it seems.---JOIN OUR LIVE SHOW ON SEPTEMBER 7 AT 7p CENTRAL TIME (GMT-5) AT THIS LINK!https://riverside.fm/studio/kolby-van-camps-studio-eMegKFollow us on Instagram! https://instagram.com/spacebetweenpodOrder Kolby's new album! https://kolbyvancamp.hearnow.com/portraits-volume-ii
The Space Between is a leading astronomy and science communication podcast hosted by Kolby Van Camp and Dawson Wagner. Each week, we dive into the wonders of the universe, exploring astronomy, astrophysics, cosmology, and more, through curiosity-driven conversations with scientists, thinkers, explorers, and communicators.
Our mission is simple: make complex ideas about space accessible, engaging, and human. From Nobel Prize-winning physicists to rising voices in the astronomy community, The Space Between bridges cutting-edge science with everyday curiosity.
New Zealand