Science Brew

Supernovas from Asheville!

In this episode of Science Brew, we sit down with Dr. Travis Court, UNC Asheville’s newest lecturer in Astronomy and a researcher specializing in Type Ia supernova remnants. Together, we explore what happens when stars explode, how these cosmic blasts help us measure distances across the universe, and why they revealed that the cosmos is expanding faster than expected. Dr. Travis also explains how supernovae forge the heavy elements that make life possible — including the atoms in our own bodies — and why Asheville is a great place to study the cosmos now that UNCA offers both Astronomy and Physics majors workinghand-in-hand.   Learn about the astronomy program at UNC Asheville: https://new.unca.edu/academics/programs/astronomy/ [https://new.unca.edu/academics/programs/astronomy/]   What is a supernova Type 1a? https://science.nasa.gov/mission/roman-space-telescope/type-ia-supernovae/ [https://science.nasa.gov/mission/roman-space-telescope/type-ia-supernovae/]   Follow the Physics & Astronomy Department at UNCA! https://www.instagram.com/uncaphysastro/ [https://www.instagram.com/uncaphysastro/] https://www.facebook.com/uncaphys/ [https://www.facebook.com/uncaphys/]    Follow the news about our local Lookout Observatory inAsheville: https://www.instagram.com/lookoutobservatory/ [https://www.instagram.com/lookoutobservatory/] https://www.facebook.com/LookoutObservatory/ [https://www.facebook.com/LookoutObservatory/]

Solution-based Ecology

In this episode of Science Brew on Asheville FM, we sit down with Professor Ashley Case, an award-winning educator from UNCA’s Environmental Science department, to explore how sustainability, social justice, and community resilience intersect here in Asheville. From reducing waste to hands-on student projects and local action through the City’s Sustainability Advisory Committee, Professor Case shows how science can guide us toward a greener future—one rooted in both hope and community. We also discussed the cultural and ecological importance of river cane, the power of interdisciplinary education, and how recent guidance from the International Court of Justice on states’ obligations in addressing climate change offers a hopeful path forward for environmental justice worldwide.   Riverlink non-profit organization: https://riverlink.org [https://riverlink.org]   International Court of Justice advisory document on the OBLIGATIONS OF STATES IN RESPECT OF CLIMATE CHANGE: https://www.icj-cij.org/sites/default/files/case-related/187/187-20250723-adv-01-00-en.pdf [https://www.icj-cij.org/sites/default/files/case-related/187/187-20250723-adv-01-00-en.pdf]

Restoring Nature

In this episode of Science Brew on Asheville FM, I sit down with the UNCA Professor Edward Schwartzman to explorehow restoring nature can help both here on Earth and maybe even one day on Mars. We dive into the role of native plants in Asheville, showing how their roots stabilize riverbanks and reduce flood damage, making ecosystems more resilient. Then we let our imagination wander a bit further — could hardy lichens or specially chosen plants be the pioneers of life on the Red Planet? From riverbanks to space frontiers, it’s all about how living things shape and protect their environments.

Naming the Universe

In this episode of Science Brew, Dr. Stephen Case, historian of science and director of the Honors Program at Olivet Nazarene University in Illinois, takes us on a journey through the astronomical and political drama of the 18th and 19th centuries. We explored the intense rivalry between England and France during a time when naming a planet wasn’t just a scientific act — it was a matter of national pride. The discovery of Uranus by William Herschel, a British astronomer, sparked a naming controversy that went far beyond astronomy, with suggestions ranging from “Georgium Sidus” (after King George III) to more neutral, mythological alternatives proposed by the French.   Dr. Case highlights how John Herschel, William’s son, played a masterful diplomatic and strategic role in shaping astronomical naming conventions. Rather than perpetuating the nationalistic disputes, he proposed using names from Greek mythology — a move that cleverly honored tradition while sidestepping geopolitical tension. His prestige in the scientific community, along with his deliberate efforts to popularize these names through scientific networks andpublications, helped solidify the naming pattern we still use today. The episode paints a vivid picture of how science, culture, and politics are often tightly intertwined — even when we're just talking about moons and planets. Want to know more about the how the moons got their names? https://aeon.co/essays/how-gods-beat-astronomers-in-the-solar-system-name-game [https://aeon.co/essays/how-gods-beat-astronomers-in-the-solar-system-name-game]

The Vera Rubin Telescope

The Vera Rubin Observatory has officially begun operations in Chile, and it's poised to transform our understanding of the universe. To explore what makes this observatory so groundbreaking, we sat down with Dr. Britt Lundgren, astronomer and professor at UNC Asheville. In this episode, we talk about Rubin’s ambitious goal: to photograph the entire southern sky every four nights using an ultra-powerful telescope and a record-breaking 3,200-megapixel camera. Named after pioneering astronomer Vera Rubin, the observatory will help track asteroids, monitor changing celestial objects like variable stars and supernovas, offering new clues about the universe’s structure and our cosmic origins. Want to know more about the Vera Rubin Observatory? https://www.lsst.org [https://www.lsst.org]   Technical paper from 1979 showing Vera Rubin and collaborators results about rotational curves in spiral galaxies and its consequences https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1978ApJ...225L.107R/abstract [https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1978ApJ...225L.107R/abstract]