Show Notes
In January 2025, astronomers mistook Elon Musk's space-launched Tesla Roadster for a asteroid. It took seventeen hours to realize the "near-Earth object" was actually a seven-year-old sports car orbiting the Sun.
We're losing track of what we've sent into space.
This week, Emily sits down with Dr. Jonathan McDowell, an astrophysicist at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics who has tracked every rocket and satellite launched since the 1940s. A decade ago, there were 1,000 satellites in orbit. Now there are 12,000. In ten years, we could hit 100,000.
Dr. McDowell explains what happens when these objects die: atmospheric burn-up, ocean crashes, graveyard orbits, or trajectories into solar orbit. He discusses why our regulations—rooted in the 1967 Outer Space Treaty—can't keep pace with mega-constellations, and why we need international cooperation and updated policies.
We explore the real risks: collision probabilities in crowded orbits, the environmental impact of using our atmosphere as an incinerator, and public safety concerns around uncontrolled reentries. Dr. McDowell shares his vision for sustainable space practices, including an orbital "recycling plant."
The space debris dilemma isn't just about what's up there—it's about what comes back down, and whether we're ready for it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
More from Off the Radar
In this final episode of Off the Radar, host Emily Gracey reflects on how the podcast started back in April 2023, how it grew into more than 150 episodes, and the unexpected journey along the way. From learning how to tell stories and break down complex science, to memorable conversations with astronauts, experts, and friends, this show became something much bigger than originally planned. Emily also shares her gratitude for the guests, the weather community, and the team behind the scenes who helped bring Off the Radar to life - along with a hint at what’s coming next.
As hurricane season approaches, this repeat episode revisits one of our most memorable and moving conversations about the human impact of extreme weather. Emily goes off the radar with Traci Curry, director of the National Geographic docuseries Hurricane Katrina: Race Against Time, and hears from Shelton Alexander, a New Orleans resident who survived the storm inside the Superdome and later captured his experience in a powerful poem. It’s a sobering reminder of how these storms shape lives, and why those stories still resonate today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Adam Met, best known as the bassist for chart-topping band AJR, is as active offstage as he is on it. In this repeat episode, Emily revisits her conversation with the climate advocate, nonprofit founder, Columbia University lecturer, and author of Amplify. Together, they explore how music and art can drive real-world change, the urgency of the global climate crisis, and what it will take to hold corporations accountable before it’s too late. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In Part 2 of our Earth Day special, we're returning to Niagara Falls, NY, where residents of the idyllic-sounding Love Canal community confronted tragedy. Last week, we talked to toxicologist Stephen Lester, who helped the residents study Love Canal when the government refused to help them. This week, we're talking to Luella Kenny. She's a former Love Canal resident who lost her son after he was born with health problems due to environmental pollution. Luella turned her grief into determination, dedicating herself to a life of activism. She's committed to making sure no one else gets sick from corporate irresponsibility and government obstruction. Guest hosted by Brian Pietrus!
For Earth Day this year, we're heading to Niagara Falls, New York, where the idyllic-sounding Love Canal community holds a dark secret: a neighborhood was built on top of a toxic waste dump. Residents were lied to. Adults got sick, babies were born with unbelievable health problems, and the government spent years trying to conceal the truth.