Episode 34 - The cosmic web, the ancient Milky Way, and planets around small stars

Episode 39 – data-driven stellar population studies, multi-scale AGN feedback, and solar flare ribbons

In this episode, Payel and Nicole discuss machine learning methods to to transform composite galaxy spectra and determine key features of galaxy evolution. They also examine new observations of the Centarus cluster with JWST, closing the loop on AGN feedback across multiple radial scales. Finally, they discuss new solar observations that shed new light on the formation of solar flare ribbons. A novel data-driven approach to extract stellar population properties from galaxy spectra using absorption indices [https://arxiv.org/pdf/2606.13791] – Zahra Sharbaf et al. JWST reveals how black holes are fed: kiloparsec-scale multiphase filaments feed sub-kiloparsec circumnuclear disks [https://arxiv.org/pdf/2606.06620] - Julie Hlavacek-Larrondo et al. pop-cosmos: Disentangling galaxy properties from observables using data-driven approaches [https://arxiv.org/pdf/2606.11308] - Benedict Van den Bussche et al. Solar flare ribbons structured by uncombed chromospheric loops [https://arxiv.org/pdf/2606.10505] - Lakshmi Chitta et al.

Episode 38 - merging galaxies, exploding stars and the beauty of individual galaxies

In this episode, Michelle and Nicole discuss machine learning methods to classify merging galaxies and different classes of supernova. They also look into whether planetary engulfment can explain unsual chemical signatures in some binary systems, and dive deep into some beautiful MUSE data for a spiral galaxy at redshift 0.09. Check it out below, on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/7rDlEt8V1FN8bSKOZW9Siu?si=993097053ab54718], Apple podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/starxiv-a-podcast-discussing-the-latest-astronomy-papers/id1812680909], or wherever you get your podcasts! Check out the papers we featured below A Deep Study of the Spiral Galaxy W2246f [https://arxiv.org/abs/2605.29014] - Evelyn J. Johnston et al. Chemical paradox in a binary system: Exploring metal enrichment in HD 81809B [https://arxiv.org/abs/2605.31060] - Nuno Moedas et al. Vision-Language Model Ensembles Achieve Human-Expert Accuracy for Galaxy Merger Classification [https://arxiv.org/abs/2606.00415] - Marco Chiaberge et al. Photometry is all you need: supernova classification as a mixing problem [https://arxiv.org/abs/2605.28922] - Ana Sofía M. Uzsoy & V. Ashley Villar

Episode 37 - Lunar craters, primordial black holes & growing galaxies

In this episode, Michelle and Payel talk about the asymmetry in the number of craters across the moon, using microlensing to find primordial black holes, tracing the growth of disk galaxies since z~1, and using machine learning to detect group galaxies merging with massive clusters. Check out the papers we discussed below: Lunar ejecta as the missing piece to resolving lunar cratering asymmetry [https://arxiv.org/pdf/2605.09884#] - Hailiang Li et al. AMPM II. — A Lunar-Mass Primordial Black Hole Microlensing Candidate in the Milky Way Halo [https://arxiv.org/pdf/2605.19375] - Renee Key et al. Witnessing the rapid growth of disk galaxies over cosmic time using JWST and HST [https://arxiv.org/pdf/2605.15327] - Samane Raji et al. Identifying group galaxies merging with massive clusters using machine learning [https://arxiv.org/pdf/2605.14930] - Rhys Jordan et al.

Episode 36 - Dead Earths, magnetic fields and Galactic amnesia

In this episode, Michelle and Nicole discuss primordial magnetic fields, Galactic merger memory, the origin of Venus's carbon dioxide rich atmosphere and using Galactic stars to predict extragalactic abundances. Listen below, on Apple podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/starxiv-a-podcast-discussing-the-latest-astronomy-papers/id1812680909], Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/7rDlEt8V1FN8bSKOZW9Siu?si=167a7dfab9a545e5], or wherever you get your podcasts.

Episode 35 - More Milky Way mayhem, Fast Radio Bursts, and very cold disks

In this episode, Nicole and Payel discuss an accurate dating of the Gaia-Enceladus Sausage merger with the Milky Way, a new probe of matter clustering on small scales using Fast Radio Bursts, a new analysis of the retrograde stars in the Milky Way, and a simulation perspective on the very cold disks found at high redshift by ALMA. And check out the papers below: The Last Galactic Firework: Timing the last significant merger with stars, globular clusters and 𝜔 Centauri [https://arxiv.org/pdf/2604.14502] Chervin Laporte and Matthew Orkney Signatures of Suppressed Matter Clustering revealed by Fast Radio Bursts [https://arxiv.org/pdf/2604.17162] Kritti Sharma et al. Substructures of the Milky Way's Retrograde Halo: Evidence for Multiple Accretion Events [https://arxiv.org/pdf/2604.13482] Young Kwang Kin et al. Dynamically cold discs in high-redshift galaxies: comparison between ALMA observations and TNG50 [https://arxiv.org/abs/2604.19543] Yi He et al.