EXOQUEST: The Scientific Search for Interstellar Artifacts

Long-form conversations with leading scientists about interstellar objects and the search for extraterrestrial technosignatures.

First contact might not arrive as a radio signal—it might be an object passing through our solar system right now. EXOQUEST interviews astrophysicists and researchers from Harvard, MIT, Stanford, NASA, and ESA who study interstellar visitors like ʻOumuamua, Borisov, and ATLAS to determine whether they're natural phenomena or potential evidence of non-terrestrial technology.

If SETI listens for signals, we look for objects.

ABOUT THE SHOW

Substantive 60-90 minute interviews exploring the evidence, methods, and detection systems that could reveal whether artifacts from other civilizations exist in our solar system. We examine the data using orbital mechanics, spectroscopy, and rigorous scientific frameworks—explained accessibly without sacrificing depth.

Each episode features scientists doing the actual research: the astrophysicists analyzing trajectories, the spectroscopists reading compositions, the survey astronomers building detection systems, and the researchers developing methodological frameworks to evaluate technosignature hypotheses.

OUR APPROACH

Method-focused and emotionally honest. We acknowledge the profound hope for discovery while maintaining uncompromising scientific standards. This is evidence-based inquiry—rigorous but not institutionally risk-averse, curious but not conspiratorial. We follow the science wherever it leads.

We occupy space between institutional gatekeeping (that avoids controversial questions for reputational safety) and conspiratorial speculation (that abandons methodological rigor). This is science-based inquiry into questions others won't touch with the standards others won't compromise.

FOR LISTENERS WHO VALUE

Scientific rigor in long-form conversation | Evidence over speculation | Curiosity without compromising rigor | Understanding HOW we know, not just what people think | Serious analysis of profound questions | Space exploration and astronomy | The search for extraterrestrial intelligence | Thoughtful science communication

FEATURED GUESTS

Dr. Avi Loeb (Harvard Astronomy, Galileo Project founder), NOIRLab scientists, ESA Comet Interceptor mission leads, Vera Rubin Observatory researchers, and the astrophysicists, spectroscopists, and survey astronomers building detection systems for interstellar visitors.

THE SCIENCE WE EXPLORE

- Interstellar Object Analysis: Trajectory, composition, and anomalous characteristics of objects entering from interstellar space

- Technosignature Detection: Methods for distinguishing natural objects from potential artificial artifacts

- Survey Astronomy: The Galileo Project, Vera Rubin Observatory, ESA missions designed to detect the next visitor

TOPICS COVERED

Interstellar objects | ʻOumuamua | Technosignatures | SETI | Astrophysics | Orbital mechanics | Spectroscopy | Galileo Project | Space exploration | Survey astronomy | Cosmology | Extraterrestrial intelligence | Vera Rubin Observatory | ESA missions | NASA science | Science interviews

NEW EPISODES WEEKLY

Curious. Rigorous. Unafraid.

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