Ep. 784: Pulsar-Powered Science

About this episode

This episode explores how pulsars can be used for various astronomical discoveries and tests.

Streamed live on Feb 16, 2026. Pulsars are dead stars and fascinating in their own right, but astronomers can use their predictable rotation for exploring the cosmos in a series of amazing ways. We can detect gravitational waves, navigate the solar system, test general relativity and find exoplanets. Pulsars are the time keepers of the sky, with their precise ticking allowing researchers to track gravitational waves, find exotic planets, and study weird relativistic effects. Come learn about how pulsars can be used to explore our universe. Image credit: NASA/CXC/ASU/J. Hester et al., HST/ASU/J. Hester et al. This show is supported through people like you on Patreon.com/AstronomyCast In this episode, we'd like to thank: Burry Gowen, Eric Lee, Jeanette Wink, Michael Purcell, Andrew Poelstra, David, David Rossetter, Ed, Gerhard Schwarzer, Jason Kwong, Joe McTee, Sergey Manouilov, Siggi Kemmler, Sergio Sancevero

People in this episode

Hosts: Fraser Cain, Dr. Pamela L. Gay

Topics covered

• pulsars
• gravitational waves
• exoplanets
• general relativity
• cosmic exploration

Keywords

• pulsars
• gravitational waves
• exoplanets
• general relativity
• cosmic navigation
• astronomy
• space exploration

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: NASA, CXC, ASU, HST

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