Uploaded February 2021 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
This episode is brought to you by the Music for Scientists album! Stream the album on major music services here: biglink.to/music-for-scientists. Check out the “For Your Love" music video here: youtu.be/YGjjvd34Cvc.
Scientists are always searching for new materials that maximize strength and thermal protection while also minimizing mass for space flight. So, when developing new heat shields, why are they looking to cuttlefish for inspiration?
Hosted by: Caitlin Hofmeister
SciShow has a spinoff podcast! It's called SciShow Tangents. Check it out at scishowtangents.org
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Support SciShow by becoming a patron on Patreon: patreon.com/scishow
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Huge thanks go to the following Patreon supporters for helping us keep SciShow free for everyone forever:
Silas Emrys, Charles Copley, Jb Taishoff, Jeffrey Mckishen, James Knight, Christoph Schwanke, Jacob, Matt Curls, Christopher R Boucher, Eric Jensen, LehelKovacs, Adam Brainard, Greg, Ash, Sam Lutfi, Piya Shedden, KatieMarie Magnone, Scott Satovsky Jr, charles george, Alex Hackman, Chris Peters, Kevin Bealer
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Sources:
washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/articles/A38144-2003Feb6.html
encyclopedia.com/science/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/heat-shields
interestingengineering.com/what-keeps-spaceships-from-burning-up-during-reentry
faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/avs/offices/aam/cami/library/online_libraries/aerospace_medicine/tutorial/media/iii.4.1.7_returning_from_space.pdf
sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/09/200911141711.htm
nature.com/articles/1841330a0
pnas.org/content/117/38/23450
thechemicalengineer.com/news/3d-printed-ceramic-foam-is-stronger-lighter
researchgate.net/publication/316178034_Extreme_lightweight_structures_Avian_feathers_and_bones
https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/materials-science-and-engineering/3-054-cellular-solids-structure-properties-and-applications-spring-2015/lecture-notes/MIT3_054S15_L18_Nat_trans.pdf
technologyreview.com/2019/06/26/134445/nasa-engineers-build-better-heat-shield
Image Sources:
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Columbia_Memorial.JPG
aip.scitation.org/doi/10.1063/1.4993202
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bones_(human,_bird).png
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:3D_visualisation_of_%C2%B5CT-data_of_a_cuttlebone_05.jpg
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:3D_visualisation_of_%C2%B5CT-data_of_a_cuttlebone_01.jpg
spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/apollo/apollo8/html/s68-55292.html
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Apollo_12_heat_shield.JPG
mars.nasa.gov/mer/gallery/artwork/entry_br.html
This episode is brought to you by the Music for Scientists album! Stream the album on major music services here: biglink.to/music-for-scientists. Check out the “For Your Love" music video here: youtu.be/YGjjvd34Cvc.
Scientists are always searching for new materials that maximize strength and thermal protection while also minimizing mass for space flight. So, when developing new heat shields, why are they looking to cuttlefish for inspiration?
Hosted by: Caitlin Hofmeister
SciShow has a spinoff podcast! It's called SciShow Tangents. Check it out at scishowtangents.org
----------
Support SciShow by becoming a patron on Patreon: patreon.com/scishow
----------
Huge thanks go to the following Patreon supporters for helping us keep SciShow free for everyone forever:
Silas Emrys, Charles Copley, Jb Taishoff, Jeffrey Mckishen, James Knight, Christoph Schwanke, Jacob, Matt Curls, Christopher R Boucher, Eric Jensen, LehelKovacs, Adam Brainard, Greg, Ash, Sam Lutfi, Piya Shedden, KatieMarie Magnone, Scott Satovsky Jr, charles george, Alex Hackman, Chris Peters, Kevin Bealer
----------
Like SciShow? Want to help support us, and also get things to put on your walls, cover your torso and hold your liquids? Check out our awesome products over at DFTBA Records: dftba.com/scishow
----------
Looking for SciShow elsewhere on the internet?
Facebook: facebook.com/scishow
Twitter: twitter.com/scishow
Tumblr: scishow.tumblr.com
Instagram: instagram.com/thescishow
----------
Sources:
washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/articles/A38144-2003Feb6.html
encyclopedia.com/science/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/heat-shields
interestingengineering.com/what-keeps-spaceships-from-burning-up-during-reentry
faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/avs/offices/aam/cami/library/online_libraries/aerospace_medicine/tutorial/media/iii.4.1.7_returning_from_space.pdf
sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/09/200911141711.htm
nature.com/articles/1841330a0
pnas.org/content/117/38/23450
thechemicalengineer.com/news/3d-printed-ceramic-foam-is-stronger-lighter
researchgate.net/publication/316178034_Extreme_lightweight_structures_Avian_feathers_and_bones
https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/materials-science-and-engineering/3-054-cellular-solids-structure-properties-and-applications-spring-2015/lecture-notes/MIT3_054S15_L18_Nat_trans.pdf
technologyreview.com/2019/06/26/134445/nasa-engineers-build-better-heat-shield
Image Sources:
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Columbia_Memorial.JPG
aip.scitation.org/doi/10.1063/1.4993202
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bones_(human,_bird).png
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:3D_visualisation_of_%C2%B5CT-data_of_a_cuttlebone_05.jpg
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:3D_visualisation_of_%C2%B5CT-data_of_a_cuttlebone_01.jpg
spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/apollo/apollo8/html/s68-55292.html
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Apollo_12_heat_shield.JPG
mars.nasa.gov/mer/gallery/artwork/entry_br.html

![Where Did Mercury’s Spots Come From?
Pre-order your MESSENGER pin all this month here: https://dftba.com/scishow
The Sun isn’t the only celestial body in the solar system to boast spots of its own. Mercury, too, has its fair share, and they’re worth wondering about.
Hosted by: Hank Green (he/him)
Huge thanks go to the following Patreon supporter for helping us keep SciShow Space free for everyone forever: Jason A Saslow, David Brooks, and AndyGneiss!
Support SciShow Space by becoming a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SciShowSpace
Or by checking out our awesome space pins and other products over at DFTBA Records: http://dftba.com/scishow
Looking for SciShow elsewhere on the internet?
SciShow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@scishow
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Instagram: http://instagram.com/thescishow
Sources:
https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2006JE002713
https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2012JE004174
https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2018JE005722
https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/jgre.20115
https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1029/GL004i010p00383
https://hal.sorbonne-universite.fr/hal-03181555/document
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0019103513004909
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0019103521000051
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0019103587900376
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0032063320303494
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0012821X22002837
https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/2016GL068325
https://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2012/pdf/1329.pdf [PDF]
https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.656.6420&rep=rep1&type=pdf [PDF]
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11214-020-00694-7
https://arxiv.org/pdf/2101.10886.pdf
Image Sources:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsJpUCWfyPE
https://messenger.jhuapl.edu/Explore/Science-Images-Database/gallery-image-911.html
https://messenger.jhuapl.edu/Explore/Science-Images-Database/gallery-image-1568.html
https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/missions/mariner-10/in-depth/
https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA02446
https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/mariner-10-image-of-mercury
https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA02962
https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/missions/messenger/in-depth/
https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA19267
https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA19425
https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA19216
https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA19212
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:MESSENGER CN0162744010M_RA_3_web.png
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Balzac_crater_MESSENGER_WAC_IGF_to_RGB.jpg Where Did Mercury’s Spots Come From?](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/_7k_Wdz3_zg/mqdefault.jpg)






![Goodbye, SOFIA, the Telescope That Actually Flew
In 1997, NASA bought a Boeing 747SP for what might be both a super cool and super absurd purpose. Turn it into SOFIA, a flying telescope.
Hosted by: Savannah Geary (they/them)
Huge thanks go to the following Patreon supporter for helping us keep SciShow Space free for everyone forever: Jason A Saslow, David Brooks, and AndyGneiss!
Support SciShow Space by becoming a patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/SciShowSpace
Or by checking out our awesome space pins and other products over at DFTBA Records: http://dftba.com/scishow
Looking for SciShow elsewhere on the internet?
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Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/scishow
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/scishow
Instagram: http://instagram.com/thescishow
Sources:
https://www.worldscientific.com/doi/pdf/10.1142/S225117171840010X [PDF]
https://www.worldscientific.com/doi/full/10.1142/S225117171840007X
https://www.sofia.usra.edu/sites/default/files/Other/Documents/science_case-final.pdf [PDF]
https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-1-4419-9302-1_14
https://www.sofia.usra.edu/sites/default/files/97-Whiting_AeroHistory.pdf [PDF]
https://www.sofia.usra.edu/sites/default/files/Other/Documents/OH-Cycle6.pdf [PDF]
https://www.spiedigitallibrary.org/conference-proceedings-of-spie/4857/0000/The-SOFIA-aircraft-and-its-modification/10.1117/12.472490.short
https://www.dglr.de/publikationen/2015/370363.pdf [PDF]
https://www.gauss-centre.eu/results/computational-and-scientific-engineering/simulation-of-the-unsteady-flow-around-the-stratospheric-observatory-for-infrared-astronomy-sofia
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/19670004876/downloads/19670004876.pdf [PDF]
https://www.dsi.uni-stuttgart.de/forschende/texte/ejp_0143-0807_34_6_S161.pdf [PDF]
https://oig.nasa.gov/docs/IG-20-022.pdf [PDF]
https://www.nasa.gov/feature/nasa-partner-decide-to-conclude-sofia-mission
Images
https://www.nasa.gov/content/about-the-hubble-story
https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/12673
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:SOFIA_Boeing_747SP_1998AC0014.jpg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahC0fN_XzeU&ab_channel=NASAArmstrongFlightResearchCenter
https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/video/sunset-flight-stock-footage/162840563?adppopup=true
https://www.dlr.de/content/en/articles/missions-projects/sofia/sofia-infrared-observatory.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:SOFIA_Observatory_Conducts_Night_Checkout_Flight.ogv
https://www.nasa.gov/centers/ames/news/releases/2012/12-62AR.html
https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/video/early-sunrise-airplane-takeoff-stock-footage/1320456232?adppopup=true
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:SOFIA_shows_its_telescope_door.jpg
https://www.nasa.gov/centers/armstrong/news/FactSheets/FS-096-DFRC.html Goodbye, SOFIA, the Telescope That Actually Flew](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/bEPSM7b9wMg/mqdefault.jpg)

