Sounds of the Cosmos with Kim Arcand
Neil deGrasse Tyson and Chuck Nice host a Cosmic Queries episode with visualization scientist Kim Arcand, who works on the Chandra X-ray Observatory, to explore how data sonification, 3D modeling, and other multimodal techniques reveal the high‑energy universe. They discuss Chandra's role among NASA's "great observatories", how X-ray data are converted into images and sounds, accessibility for blind and low‑vision communities, and specific phenomena such as black holes, pulsars, galaxy clusters, and Eta Carinae. Listener questions prompt conversations about color mapping, engineering tradeoffs in X‑ray telescope design, VR for astronaut training, deep fields, and Kim's book "Why Space Will Freak You Out."