In this Radiolab episode, you'll find two intriguing holiday bonus segments. The first focuses on NASA's Parker Solar Probe, which is set to make the closest approach to the sun ever recorded on Christmas Eve 2024. Using cutting-edge carbon foam heat shielding and just a gallon of water, this mission promises to push the boundaries of solar exploration. The second segment features U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limon, who shares her experience crafting a poem for a spacecraft bound for Jupiter's moon, Europa. She reveals her creative journey and the poem's powerful message of connecting across vast cosmic distances. Together, these segments celebrate human creativity and our relentless quest to understand the universe.
