The Supermassive Podcast

Latest episodes

Showing 20 · updated from the feed

The Kuiper Belt...Revisited

#14 trending · Astronomy

Yes, it’s a welcome return for the giant doughnut at the edge of the solar system filled with lumpy space potatoes. Dr Becky and Izzie are joined by Meg Schwamb from Quee

Sep 3
46 min

Colanders and is space a stew?

How many colanders can you fit in a field? In, yet another, bonus episode Izzie Clarke, @DrBecky and producer Richard Hollingham share their experiences of the eclipse. P

Aug 20
28 min

Top Tips To See The Eclipse

There's an eclipse on Wednesday 12th August 2026. So where can you see it? And how do you do that safely? Izzie Clarke, Dr Becky Smethurst and Dr Robert Massey from have

Aug 7
25 min

Q&A: Could Dark Matter Be Space Vampires?

It's Q&A time! Izzie Clarke, Dr Becky Smethurst and the Royal Astronomical Society's Dr Robert Massey dive into The Supermassive Mailbox to answer your brilliant and ridi

Jul 24
49 min

Can Time Travel be sped up? What is the Bootes Void? And G'day to Australians

What is the Bootes Void? Why do we only see one side of the Moon? Can time travel be sped up? And what's the smallest amount of visible space debris? The Supermassive Pod

Jul 10
19 min

What the heck are neutrinos?

Is this the toughest subject we’ve ever tackled? Izzie certainly thinks so and it’s even making Dr Becky and Dr Robert's brains hurt. Helping them to make sense of these

Jun 23
54 min

Why Is There Motion in the Universe?

What happens if two diamond core stars collide? Will the Moon drift away from Earth? Why is there motion in the universe? And why we need a space AND time machine. Izzie,

Jun 12
18 min

How Do Space Telescopes Work?

Nancy Grace Roman. Ariel. The next generation of space telescopes are here. Astrophysicist Dr Becky Smethurst and science journalist Izzie Clarke explore how they work, w

May 28
1 h 03 min

Did Gravity Wipe Out The Dinosaurs?

How do we calculate a black hole's event horizon? Does Mercury's tail impact Earth? Can we name a planet Rupert? And did gravity wipe out the dinosaurs? Izzie Clarke & Dr

May 13
19 min

Into the Space Debris Swamp

Izzie & Dr Becky think that space needs a spring clean, so this episode is all about space debris. What is it? How big of a problem is it? And what is being done to remov

Apr 30
49 min

Our Artemis II Debrief

What. A. Mission. The Supermassive Team are in AWE of the Artemis II Crew and the people that helped them to loop around the Moon. From scientific aims to societal impact

Apr 15
33 min

When Space Goes Rogue....

The Supermassive Team are going rogue (more so that usual!) This time, it’s all about the non-conforming objects in space. Black holes, planets and the other rogue object

Apr 1
47 min

Black holes in the lab and meeting Ryan Gosling

It’s a massive bonus episode this month with both listener questions and an extended interview with the producer/directors of the new Ryan Gosling film: Project Hail Mary

Mar 18
38 min

What is the Hubble Tension?

There's a crisis in cosmology when it comes to understanding a little thing like the acceleration of our universe, aka The Hubble Tension. And in this episode, Izzie Clar

Feb 26
1 h 05 min

2026: The year in space... And at sea?!

What are the biggest space missions of 2026? And what are the best stargazing opportunities this year? The Supermassive Team - Izzie Clarke, Dr Becky Smethurst, Dr Robert

Feb 11
26 min

Q&A: Meteors, Artemis II, and Space Bathtubs

The Supermassive Podcast is back for 2026, and we've got a MEGA Q&A. What happens when two nebulae collide? Where did Neptune and Uranus form? What’s the procedure for

Jan 29
51 min

How to Time Travel

Fire up your flux capacitor and dematerialise your Tardis because The Supermassive Podcast is traveling in time. Is it possible? How does it work? And, crucially, which f

Dec 23 2025
54 min

Slingshots, Christmas Presents & Alien Communication

What would it be like to feel gravitational waves? How are satellites protected from extreme solar storms? How do gravity slingshots work? Are aliens potentially communic

Dec 15 2025
24 min

Protecting Our Dark Skies

What are the threats to our dark night skies? And what needs to be done to protect them? Izzie, Dr Becky and Robert explore this important topic and head outside (...and

Dec 1 2025
49 min

Supermassive Gone Rogue

Can JWST detect exomoons? How can black holes keep absorbing more mass? How big is our cosmic neighbourhood? And what is a rogue black hole?! Izzie, Dr Becky and Robert a

Nov 14 2025
22 min

Chart trend

Position in the Astronomy chart (US), last 90 days.

#1#6#11JunJulAugSep

all-time peak

325

days in the top 3 since Nov 2024

Chart positions

Where The Supermassive Podcast ranks today in each Apple Podcasts chart (US, Sep 14, 2026).

#6 — Astronomy US

#121 ▲ 2 Science US

What listeners say

A curated, balanced selection of Apple Podcasts reviews.

Currently binging this podcast every second I’m in my car (4+ hours/day) and no regrets so far. Every episode is so reminiscent of having a drink with friends and talking about how we would climb on top of the library, except they’re competent and are talking about science. You can tell they both love the subject so much and the guests they have are similarly thrilled to learn more about our universe. This show made me want to buy binoculars, like a nerd, and I think I’m going to. If you love astrophysics and friendly banter I suggest listening immediately. Long Live the Toenail Moon 🌙

Russell0614 · Jul 2026

A very entertaining friendly conversation of astronomy topics. No one talked over each other and it easy to listen to.

Tacllem · Jul 2026

I continue to enjoy listening to your podcast on my daily walks in Alexandria, VA, USA. As a very amateur/backyard stargazer, I really appreciate how you can impart some very technical topics in terms that even I can understand. So far I have found every podcast topic extremely interesting and informative. “Thanks “!

Greg L Law · Nov 2025

As a physics and astronomy major in college who has to drive a lot, I have been looking for a good podcast to listen to on my daily commute. Even with all the other ways I engage with astronomy at my university, this podcast never ceases to surprise me with something new. Each new episode makes me evermore fascinated with space, and that is all without mentioning just how much fun Becky, Izzie, and Robert are to listen to. Would recommend this podcast to anyone remotely interested in astronomy or space in general.

SkienceGuy · Jul 2024

We strive to present a balanced view by showing a diverse range of reviews from Apple Podcasts.