Cosmic Queries - Space Volcanoes: Fire and Ice with Natalie Starkey - StarTalk Radio Recap

Podcast: StarTalk Radio

Published: 2025-12-23

Duration: 56 min

Guests: Natalie Starkey

Summary

The episode explores the fascinating world of space volcanoes, both fiery and icy, and their impact across the solar system, with insights from geologist Natalie Starkey.

What Happened

Neil deGrasse Tyson, alongside co-host Matt Kirshen, delves into the captivating topic of volcanoes throughout the solar system with guest Natalie Starkey, a geologist and science communicator. Starkey shares her journey from studying Earth-based volcanoes to exploring those beyond our planet, highlighting the unexpected existence of ice volcanoes on celestial bodies like Pluto and moons of Jupiter and Saturn. She explains the mechanics behind these icy volcanic activities, driven by internal heat and tidal forces from nearby planets, creating fascinating phenomena in the outer solar system.

The discussion also covers the large volcanic structures on Mars, such as Olympus Mons, which grows larger due to Mars' lack of plate tectonics and lower gravity, unlike Earth. Starkey explains that while Earth's volcanic activity is a natural process of cooling, it doesn't pose an immediate threat to our planet's magnetic field, thanks to the ongoing generation of heat through radioactive decay.

The episode touches on the potential for volcanic activity on asteroids and comets, explaining how their eruptions could alter orbits. Starkey also discusses the potential for future missions to explore these volcanic features in space, emphasizing their scientific importance.

Listeners are educated about the differences between Earth's volcanic activity and that on other celestial bodies, gaining insight into how volcanic activity can reshape planets and moons. Starkey shares anecdotes from her experiences, including writing the space show 'Worlds Beyond Earth' at the Hayden Planetarium.

The conversation is peppered with humor and curiosity, especially when addressing common misconceptions about volcanoes, such as the notion of non-volcanic mountains turning into volcanoes or the dramatic depiction of volcanoes in popular media.

Tyson and Starkey also reflect on the role of volcanoes in Earth's history and their potential for future exploration, providing a comprehensive understanding of their significance both on our planet and beyond. The episode wraps up with a light-hearted look at how close encounters with volcanic activity might have been depicted in historical and modern contexts, adding an entertaining twist to the scientific dialogue.

Key Insights

• Ice volcanoes exist on celestial bodies like Pluto and the moons of Jupiter and Saturn, driven by internal heat and tidal forces from nearby planets, creating unique volcanic phenomena in the outer solar system.
• Mars hosts Olympus Mons, the largest volcano in the solar system, which continues to grow due to the planet's lack of plate tectonics and lower gravity compared to Earth.
• Volcanic activity on asteroids and comets can potentially alter their orbits, indicating that eruptions on these small bodies might have significant effects on their trajectories.
• Earth's volcanic activity, while a natural cooling process, does not pose an immediate threat to the planet's magnetic field, as ongoing heat generation through radioactive decay continues to sustain it.