SPACE ON THE PAGE: EPISODE 4

Space on the Page is a podcast series hosted by David Baron and Lucas Mix, both holders of the Baruch S. Blumberg NASA/Library of Congress Chair in Astrobiology, Exploration, and Scientific Innovation at the John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress.

In Space on the Page, Baron and Mix interview authors who write about space exploration and the search for life outside of Earth. Baron is joined by nonfiction science writers who share their perspective and expertise on the past, present, and future of human efforts to understand and explore the universe. Mix talks with scientists as well as science fiction authors who show how the human imagination depicts everything that we anticipate, hope, and fear about what is currently unknown.

Episode 4 (Lucas Mix) – To Be Taught, if Fortunate

An interview with Dr. Rika Anderson, biologist at Carleton College, and Becky Chambers, Hugo Award-winning science fiction author, about the big questions of astrobiology.

"Astrobiology really asks the deepest questions that humanity can ask itself. We're trying to understand who we are, where we come from, and whether we're alone in this Universe. And that's what really attracted me to the field in the first place."

What do we hope for in space travel and in astrobiology? What is so important about life that we continue to look for it and hope to spread it throughout the galaxy? These two speakers exemplify the well-informed optimism of astrobiology.

Dr. Rika Anderson studies the co-evolution of organisms and environments. Teaching biology at Carleton College, she deftly weaves here scientific studies into a broader picture of history, philosophy, and practical knowledge. A long-time member of the astrobiology community, Dr. Anderson has experience integrating data from diverse fields and communicating the importance of science.

Becky Chambers wrote the Wayfarer series of sci-fi novels, which won the Hugo Award for Best Series in 2019. She has been cited as a prime example of a new style in science fiction that is hopeful and strongly character driven. Her 2019 novella To Be Taught, if Fortunate brilliantly captures the ethos of astrobiology research while asking deeper questions about our place in the cosmos.

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