Summary
NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO) program plays a crucial role in monitoring Earth's atmosphere, particularly focusing on carbon dioxide levels. The program, which includes OCO-2 and OCO-3, provides high-resolution data that allows scientists to map CO2 density with remarkable precision. This capability is vital for understanding the sources and sinks of atmospheric carbon and tracking seasonal changes in plant metabolism, which can help predict agricultural yields and assess environmental health.
Despite its successes, the OCO program faces potential budget cuts, with the White House proposing to eliminate funding for its operations. This decision could jeopardize the invaluable data collected over the years, which is essential for climate change modeling and agricultural forecasting. The ability to monitor carbon emissions and plant health could significantly impact food security and economic stability, particularly for rural communities reliant on agriculture.
The OCO satellites have demonstrated unexpected capabilities, such as measuring plant photosynthesis through solar-induced fluorescence, which provides insights into vegetation health and stress levels. This information is critical for predicting droughts and managing crop yields, making the continuation of the program not only beneficial for scientific research but also for global food security and economic resilience.
Show Notes
Remove your personal information from the web at https://joindeleteme.com/SPACETIME
One of the most important reasons we go to space is to know our own planet better. Today I'm going to tell you about an orbiting facility that literally watches Earth's biosphere breath and grow and die with incredible resolution. I'll talk about its profound existential and economic importance, and about why it's in danger of being lost.
PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to:http://to.pbs.org/DonateSPACE
Sign Up on Patreon to get access to the Space Time Discord! https://www.patreon.com/pbsspacetime
Check out the Space Time Merch Store https://www.pbsspacetime.com/shop
Sign up for the mailing list to get episode notifications and hear special announcements! https://mailchi.mp/1a6eb8f2717d/spacetime
Pale Blue Dot By Carl Sagan https://youtu.be/wupToqz1e2g?feature=shared&t=3
Search the Entire Space Time Library Here: https://search.pbsspacetime.com/
Hosted by Matt O'Dowd Written by Fernando Franco Félix & Matt O'Dowd Post Production by Leonardo Scholzer, Yago Ballarini & Stephanie Faria Directed by Andrew Kornhaber Associate Producer: Bahar Gholipour Executive Producer: Andrew Kornhaber Executive in Charge for PBS: Maribel Lopez Director of Programming for PBS: Gabrielle Ewing Assistant Director of Programming for PBS: John Campbell
Spacetime is a production of Kornhaber Brown for PBS Digital Studios. This program is produced by Kornhaber Brown, which is solely responsible for its content. © 2025 PBS. All rights reserved.
End Credits Music by J.R.S. Schattenberg: https://www.youtube.com/user/MultiDroideka
Space Time Was Made Possible In Part By:
Big Bang Tj Steyn Peter Barrett Alexander Tamas Morgan Hough Juan Benet Vinnie Falco Mark Rosenthal
Supernova Grace Biaelcki Glenn Sugden Ethan Cohen Stephen Wilcox Robert Ilardi Tristan Lucian Claudius Aurelius Tyacke Mark Heising
Hypernova Thomas Mouton Zachary Haberman Spencer Jones Dean Galvin Mike Purvis Michael Tidwell Stephen Saslow Stephen Spidle Massimiliano Pala Justin Lloyd David Giltinan Kenneth See Gregory Forfa Alex Kern Scott Gorlick Paul Stehr-Green Ben Delo Scott Gray Антон Кочков John R. Slavik Donal Botkin Chuck Zegar Cal Stephens Daniel Muzquiz
Gamma Ray Burst Keith Pasko WILLIAM HAY III Brian Cook Reuben Brewer Marcelo Garcia Daron Woods Russell Moore Dori Lerner Michael Good Steven Giallourakis Ian Williams Łukasz Kuczera Ayden Miller Todd J Lerner Sound Reason Michael Clark Collin Dutrow Marion Lang Kurt Gottselig Bryan White Eric Raschke aaron pinto Kacper Cieśla Satwik Pani Param Saxena John De Witt Nathaniel Bennett Sandhya Devi Darrell Stewart Arko Provo Mukherjee Christopher Wade Daniel Donahue Robert DeChellis Tomaz Lovsin Anthony Leon Nick Hoffenstoffer III Lori Ferris Koen Wilde Nicolas Katsantonis Sean Owen Richard Steenbergen Chuck Lukaszewski Jerry Thomas John Anderson Bradley Ulis Craig Falls Kane Holbrook Steffen Bendel Ross Story Harsh Khandhadia Michael Lev Rad Antonov Terje Vold James Trimmier Jeremy Soller Paul Wood Kent Durham jim bartosh John H. Austin, Jr. Diana S Poljar Faraz Khan Almog Cohen Daniel Jennings Ben McIntosh David Johnston Michael Barton Isaac Suttell Mark Delagasse Mark Daniel Cohen Brandon Lattin Shane Calimlim Tybie Fitzhugh Eric Kiebler Craig Stonaha Frederic Simon Alex Gan Matthew Johnson Michael Purcell John Funai Adrien Molyneux Bradley Jenkins Vlad Shipulin Walter Flinn Thomas Dougherty Zac Sweers Dan Warren Joseph Salomone
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
More from PBS Space Time
Check out the NEW Space Time Merch Store: https://www.pbsspacetime.com/shop Use Code: PBS at Checkout for 15% off in December
PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateSPACE↓ More info below ↓Uploaded 09-03-21https://www.patreon.com/pbsspacetimeWe know that gravity exerts its pull on light, and we have an explanation for why. Actually, we have multiple explanations that all predict the same thing. And at first glance, these explanations seem to describe completely different causes. So what is the true connection between light and gravity, or is truth, in fact, entirely relative?Sabine Hossenfelder's episode "Do we travel through time at the speed of light?"https://youtu.be/iBTez-nTKesCheck out the Space Time Merch Storehttps://www.pbsspacetime.com/shopSign up for the mailing list to get episode notifications and hear special announcements!https://mailchi.mp/1a6eb8f2717d/spacetimeHosted by Matt O'DowdWritten by Matt O'Dowd Graphics by Leonardo Scholzer, Yago Ballarini, Pedro Osinski, Adriano Leal and Stephanie FariaGFX Visualizations: Katherine KorneiDirected by Andrew KornhaberAssistant Producer: Setare GholipourExecutive Producers: Eric Brown and Andrew Kornhaber"FREE GMC Motorhome reimagined low poly" (https://skfb.ly/6XxAN) by Karol Miklas is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). "Heavy Cannon Tower" (https://skfb.ly/6WQqP) by Kai Xiang is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). "Sentinelle - Matrix" (http://sskfb.ly/6sMKI) by niko300 is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (http://creativecommons.org/licensesby/4.0/) Spaceballs RV (http://sskfb.ly/6RBOs) by Warkarma is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (http://creativecommons.org/licensesby/4.0/)End Credits Music by J.R.S. Schattenberg: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRl6-nb4iOnsij-vnpAjp0QSpecial thanks to Our Patrons!Big Bang SponsorsRick DeWittSandy WuMatthew MillerBrodie RaoScott GrayAhmad JodehRadu NegulescuAlexander TamasMorgan HoughJuan BenetFabrice EapMark RosenthalDavid NicklasQuasar SponsorsHank SChristina OegrenMark HeisingHypernova Supporterswilliam bryanNick BerardPaul Stehr-GreenLeo EmersonmuOn MarketingRussell PopeBen DeloL. Wayne AusbrooksNicholas NewlinAdrian PosorMark Matthew BoskoАнтон КочковAlec S-LJohn R. SlavikMathewDanton SpiveyDonal BotkinJohn PollockEdmund FokschanerJoseph SalomoneMatthew O'Connorchuck zegarJordan Youngm0nkJohn HofmannTimothy McCullochGamma Ray Burst SupportersDouglas DraneBen CampbellLawrence Tholl, DVMFaraz KhanAlmog CohenAlex EdwardsNickÁdám KettingerSylvain LeducAnthony KahngMD3Endre PechDaniel JenningsCameron SampsonPratik MukherjeeGeoffrey ClarionNateDarren DuncanLily kawaiiRuss CreechJeremy ReedDerek DavisEric WebsterSteven SartoreDrJYouDavid JohnstonJ. KingMichael BartonChristopher BarronJames RamseyDrew HartJustin JermynMr TAndrew MannJeremiah Johnsonfieldsa eleanoryPeter MertzKevin O'ConnellRichard DeightonIsaac SuttellDevon RosenthalOliver FlanaganDawn M FinkBleys GoodsonDarryl J LyleRobert WalterBruce BIsmael MontecelSimon OliphantMirik GogriDavid HughesMark Daniel CohenBrandon LattinNickolas Andrew FreemanShane CalimlimTybie FitzhughRobert IlardiAstaurusEric KieblerCraig StonahaMartin SkansMichael ConroyGraydon GossFrederic SimonTonyfaceJohn RobinsonA GKevin LeeAdrian HatchYurii KonovaliukJohn FunaiCass CostelloGeoffrey ShortBradley JenkinsKyle HoferTim StephaniLuaanAlecZeroCodyMalte UblKing ZeckendorffNick VirtueScott GossettMartin J LollarDan WarrenPatrick SuttonJohn GriffithDaniel LyonsDFaulkGrowingVioletKevin WarneAndreas NautschBrandon labonte Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
PBS Member Stations rely on viewers like you. To support your local station, go to: http://to.pbs.org/DonateSPACE↓ More info below ↓Uploaded 21-04-21Sign Up on Patreon to get access to the Space Time Discord!https://www.patreon.com/pbsspacetimeThat Einstein guy was a real bummer for our hopes of a star-hopping, science-fiction-y future. His whole “nothing travels faster than light” rule seems to ensure that exploration of even the local part of our galaxy will be an excruciating slow. But Einstein also gave us a glimmer of hope. He showed us that space and time can be warped - and so the warp drive was conceived. Just recently, a couple of papers contend that these are not pure science fiction. Check Out Our Previous Warp Drive Episodehttps://youtu.be/94ed4v_T6YMWarp Drive PapersIntroducing Physical Warp Drivehttps://drive.google.com/file/d/1Fv14i7l0KP-KWTdYbNtTILxE10jCkThO/viewBreaking the Warp Barrierhttps://drive.google.com/file/d/1idkNv0pe5IJv-t7E5vogbNilbPjIoA79/viewCheck out the Space Time Merch Storehttps://www.pbsspacetime.com/shopSign up for the mailing list to get episode notifications and hear special announcements!https://mailchi.mp/1a6eb8f2717d/spacetimeHosted by Matt O'DowdWritten by Matt Caplan and Matt O'Dowd Graphics by Leonardo Scholzer, Yago Ballarini, Pedro Osinski, Adriano Leal and Stephanie FariaGFX Visualizations: Katherine KorneiDirected by Andrew KornhaberAssistant Producer: Setare GholipourExecutive Producers: Eric Brown and Andrew KornhaberEnd Credits Music by J.R.S. Schattenberg: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRl6-nb4iOnsij-vnpAjp0QSpecial Thanks to Our Patreon Supporters Big BangLeo KoguanRick DeWittSandy WuMatthew MillerBrodie RaoScott GrayAhmad JodehRadu NegulescuAlexander TamasMorgan HoughJuan BenetVinnie FalcoFabrice EapMark RosenthalDavid Nicklas QuasarHank SStephen WilcoxChristina OegrenMark Heising Hypernovawilliam bryanScott GorlickNick BerardPaul Stehr-GreenMuOn MarketingRussell PopeBen DeloL. Wayne AusbrooksNicholas NewlinAdrian PosorАнтон КочковJohn R. SlavikMathewDanton SpiveyDonal BotkinJohn PollockEdmund FokschanerJoseph Salomonechuck zegarJordan Youngm0nkJohn HofmannTimothy McCullochGamma Ray BurstG MackThe Mad MechanicJuan David Gil WiedmanEllis HallJohn H. Austin, Jr.Diana SDouglas DraneBen CampbellLawrence Tholl, DVMFaraz KhanAlmog CohenAlex EdwardsNickÁdám KettingerSylvain LeducAnthony KahngMD3Endre PechDaniel JenningsCameron SampsonPratik MukherjeeGeoffrey ClarionNateDarren DuncanRuss CreechJeremy ReedDerek DavisEric WebsterSteven SartoreDavid JohnstonJ. KingMichael BartonChristopher BarronJames RamseyDrew HartJustin JermynMr TAndrew MannJeremiah Johnsonfieldsa eleanoryPeter MertzKevin O'ConnellIsaac SuttellDevon RosenthalOliver FlanaganDawn M FinkBleys GoodsonDarryl J LyleRobert WalterBruce BIsmael MontecelSimon OliphantMirik GogriMark Daniel CohenBrandon LattinNickolas Andrew FreemanShane CalimlimTybie FitzhughRobert IlardiAstaurusEric KieblerCraig StonahaMartin SkansMichael ConroyGraydon GossFrederic SimonTonyfaceJohn RobinsonA GKevin LeeAdrian HatchYurii KonovaliukJohn FunaiCass CostelloTristan DelocheBradley JenkinsKyle HoferTim StephaniDaniel StříbrnýLuaanAlecZeroVlad ShipulinCodyMalte UblKing ZeckendorffNick VirtueScott GossettDan WarrenPatrick SuttonJohn GriffithDaniel LyonsDFaulkGrowingVioletKevin WarneAndreas NautschBrandon labonte Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Viewers like you help make PBS (Thank you 😃) . Support your local PBS Member Station here: https://to.pbs.org/DonateSPACEUploaded 03-10-18On this Space Time Journal Club we look at how gravitational waves can be used to search for extra dimensions of space! To learn more about CuriosityStream you can go to: https://www.curiositystream.com/space...and use the code "spacetime" during the sign-up process."Limits on the number of spacetime dimensions from GW170817"Pardo, Fishbach, Holz and Spergel 2018 https://arxiv.org/abs/1801.08160You can further support us on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/pbsspacetimeGet your own Space Time t-shirt at http://bit.ly/1QlzoBiTweet at us! @pbsspacetimeFacebook: facebook.com/pbsspacetimeEmail us! pbsspacetime [at] gmail [dot] comComment on Reddit: http://www.reddit.com/r/pbsspacetimeHelp translate our videos!https://www.youtube.com/timedtext_cs_...Previous Episode:Quantum Gravity and the Hardest Problem in Physicshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNEBhwimJWsHosted by Matt O'DowdWritten by Matt O'DowdGraphics by Luke MaroldiAssistant Editing and Sound Design by Mike PetrowMade by Kornhaber Brown (www.kornhaberbrown.com)Special thanks to our Patreon Big Bang, Quasar and Hypernova Supporters: Big BangJustin LloydAnton LifshitsCoolAsCatsDavid NicklasFabrice EapQuasarDean FuquaMark RosenthalMayank M. MehrotaRoman PinchukTambe BarsbayVinnie FalcoHypernovaBrent MullinsChuck ZegarDonal BotkinEdmund FokschanerJohn HofmannJordan YoungJoseph SalomoneMatthew O’ConnorRatfeastThanks to our Patreon Gamma Ray Burst Supporters: Alexander RodriguezAlexey EromenkoBenoit Pagé-GuitardBrandon CookBrandon LabonteDaniel LyonsDavid CraneDeborah WhittakerFabian OlesenGreg AllenGreg WeissJames FlowersJames HughesJJ BagnellJon FolksKevin WarneMalte UblMark VasileNicholas RoseNick VirtueScott GossettShannan Catalanoسلطان الخليفي Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices