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Discovering A New Star: Jocelyn Bell Burnell's Advice For Astronomers And Women In Science

Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell visits Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Photo: Brendan Byrne
Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell visits Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Photo: Brendan Byrne

Back in 1967, Dr. Jocelyn Bell Burnell observed a curious set of radio pulses from a new type of telescope. Her findings would lead to a new type of star -- a pulsar -- and begin a new chapter of astronomical discovery. The findings were groundbreaking and paved the way for a new type of observation -- radio astronomy.

We’ll chat with Burnell about the story of that discovery, where she sees the future of radio astronomy heading and her work to get more women and minorities involved in STEM.

Then, Space is huge, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have to keep it clean. As we continue to venture into our solar system with robotic explorers and human missions, there’s a greater need for good hygiene. On this week’s “I’d Like to Know” segment, we’ll chat with physicists  from the University of Central Florida about keeping our dirty Earth-germs off other planets and moons -- and why the search for life depends on it.

Brendan Byrne is Central Florida Public Media's Assistant News Director, managing the day-to-day operations of the newsroom, editing daily news stories, and managing the organization's internship program. Byrne also hosts Central Florida Public Media's weekly radio show and podcast "Are We There Yet?" which explores human space exploration, and the weekly news roundup podcast "The Wrap."