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Discussion thread: Venusology is published! (Patreon)

Published:
2026-01-08 06:39:57
Imported:
2026-06

Content

*This episode is published and ready to hear wherever you get podcasts. Let's talk about it!*

This one will surely stick with you. In all of our nearly 500* episodes, Dr. Viki Hansen is one of the most enthusiastic ologists I have ever encountered. Brilliant, charming, informative, and contagiously curious: you will love her.

We've got gassy veils! Orange sunlight! Alien life?

So listen up for space probes, dazzling terrain, myths, melting machinery, “noodle data,” analogues to Earth, tectonic misconceptions, + self-help books that have left lasting impressions.

Also: what does Venus smell like?

Did you listen? What did you think? Let's talk about it below.

Wishing you all a safe 2026,

Your Father Alison Ward

*We're at 487, I think? What should we do for our 500th?? How does one even celebrate that?!?

Files

Venusology (VENUS) with Dr. Vicki Hansen - alie ward

Gassy veils! Orange sunlight! Alien life? It's the sole goddess of our solar system: Venus. And to tour us through her beauty is the charming and enthusiastic planetary geologist and Venusian expert Dr. Vickie Hansen, a Senior Scientist at the Planetary Science Institute. In what is sure to become a

Comments

Laura McLean

For a 500th, would you consider a “best of” and/or “re-visit” of some of the earliest episodes? Ornithology, volcanology, dendrogy, and primatology come to mind. Would it be possible to chat with these ologists and maybe answer some Patreon questions? Congrats, btw!!!

Deviancy

What about numerology for your 500th? Is that too meta?

Thistle Boosinger

The tectonics of Venus are so fascinating! I love learning about how the moon is a frozen in time capture of early plate tectonics, but I had no idea Venus could be an even earlier parallel to understanding the formation Earth. I had to look up these Magellan scans of tessera terrain and it is just too beautiful. Thank you for a great episode

Jessica

This was one of my favorites! I am going to listen again on my way to drop my son off at school. I want to meet her someday.

Matt Shaw

Glad you’re doing all these sciencey/space/sci-fi episodes. We’re going back to the moon in *checks watch* like 30 days!! So this is all great timing lol

Daniel Arne (edited)

Comment edits

2026-09-06 05:00 Episode 500 should be “podcastology” with famous podcaster Alie Ward
2026-01-08 13:58

Melissa Quinn

I loved this one, it was a topic I knew almost nothing about, and Alie's sweetly snarky takedown of a stupid poop psychology book (heh - that was supposed to be pop psychology but the typo version is better) was delightfully cathartic. But I still don't know what tectonics are, if not plate tectonics. Did I miss a bit? Does it basically just mean there's a liquid layer under the surface? Edit: I looked it up, and in case anybody else was left confused by the distinction the best definition I could find is that tectonics is the study of the changes in a planet's crust and the forces that create those changes.

Melissa Quinn

I love that you replied to yourself to make this point.

Wraptile

What an episode to start the year! Had to delay morning work just to finish it 🙂‍↕️

rebekah

What a lady! Such fantastic infectious enthusiasm. Great work on this ep.

Frances

Dear Dad, Wow…500 episodes! First of all - congrats, what an amazing accomplishment. You have helped so many of us better understand the world, encouraged us to think more, and to know more. So for number 500, how about Epistemology? What is the nature of knowledge? What is the science of knowledge? How do we know what we know? If anyone can make philosophy accessible and fascinating, it’s you Alison Ward! Looking forward to hearing what you come up with. Whatever it is, we’ll be there with you for the 500th birthday celebration! 🎉❤️🥳

Pablo De Florence

I was thinking along these lines but maybe a spin off of what you did for your first episode?

Neil Steakley

Idealistically speaking, listener follow-up questions from previous episodes! May be a logistical nightmare?

Ricky G!

Loved this episode. I found it super interesting that the Soviets landed and took pictures of the surface! I looked it up and originally the probe was only supposed to last 30 minutes or so, so it’s really incredible it made it two hours! I think with enough technology we could someday walk on the surface. The drone idea was really cool.

Alie Ward

I know! I can't believe this happened in the 1960s!!!

Alie Ward

No, that could be possible! the trick is to ask them to send in voice notes so we're not chasing down like 50 different interviews

Alie Ward

ohhhh shit, Frances. That's a good one

Alie Ward

I was just beaming the entire time talking to her

Alie Ward

Oh, thank you for that clarification! I should have included more of that in the aside! But excited that it made you curious enough to seek more info!

Ricky G!

ALIE WARD!!!

Alie Ward

I'd have to keep interrupting myself to be like "heads up, this interview really dragged"

Alie Ward

That was totally unintended but I'll fully take credit

Alie Ward

It's bonkers to me that at a cocktail party she was like "yeah no, it can't have plates" and is now a prominent expert about Venus.

Alie Ward

One day I'd love to get all the ologists in a room

Noasusan

What a blast!! It got me through my very cold and wet commute by bike :). Also congrats on the 500! That's crazy!?

GhoulNextDoor

Spectacular episode! I love the way Dr. Vicki Hansen delivered everything 10/10. I also was under the impression that Venus was made of gas 😶 but now she’s probably my favorite non-earth planet!

Aubree

Okay I’ll be the first to admit it, I’m not a space nerd and didn’t think I’d be interested in this episode but MAN I was wrong. Dr. Hansen’s passion is absolutely infectious and I had a wonderful time learning about Venus. It is so classic ologies to make things that might not be your thing yet, totally be your thing!!! Thank you Alie 💚

John McGrael

Loved her enthusiasm!! Especially about topics like Venus being a feminine figure and representing love - her live and let live attitude really stood out to me and is exactly what good science needs.

Ash

Loved this one so much!!! For some reason, the explanation of tectonics really stuck with me and gave me a new understanding of the geology of our own planet. Knowing how other planets differ from ours is surprisingly helpful in understanding Earth! Also, Dr. Hansen is a DELIGHT to listen to!

Matt Schmidt

If you would like to experience plate tectonics in real time, come to NZ. There’s an earthquake (or more) every day. 😀

AJ

I had coincidentally watched a Netflix episode speculating about how alien life could develop on other planets, and they specifically talked about organisms living in the dense atmosphere of a planet rather than on its surface, so I was so excited when Dr. Hansen mentioned that’s a possibility for Venus!