Best Chris Hadfield Podcasts (2025)

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A Chat with Chris Hadfield 41:09

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13d ago41:09

41:09

We’re kicking off our 5th season in style. On this episode of TFTB we sit down with Astronaut and Best Selling Author, Chris Hadfield. Among his many accomplishments he was the first Canadian to command the International Space Station, he was a Test Pilot, an Engineer, and now a tech entrepreneur. All of this experience elevates his latest novel, F…

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It's not what you say, it's how you say it 27:54

5d ago27:54

27:54

Michael Rosen on the linguistic comfort food of clichés, pragmatics and how we use language to connect us beyond the actual words used. Derek Bousfield explains how words do more than carry meaning: context governs what we say and how it’s understood.Dr Bousfield is Reader in Pragmatics and Communication and Co-Director of The Manchester Centre for…

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The Language of the Manosphere 27:29

9d ago27:29

27:29

The 'Manosphere' is a group of loosely affiliated mainly young males who have developed a specialised vocabulary to discuss women online in a negative and hostile way. Some of the vocabulary is a response to feminism which some men claim is diminishing their role in society. For other men a failure to attract women has given rise to phrases such as…

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Crash Bang Wallop: The Sound of Words 27:18

19d ago27:18

27:18

Michael Rosen is joined by linguist Dr Catherine Laing to discuss onomatopoeia and other words that sound like their meanings. Not just words for sounds like 'crash' and 'bang', or words for animal noises like 'woof' and 'quack', but also other words which perhaps hold something of their meaning within their form. Is there something rough about the…

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How to Persuade a Courtroom 27:36

21d ago27:36

27:36

Michael Rosen talks to criminal defence barrister Joanna Hardy-Susskind about the legal language of Crown Court cases in England and Wales. From the grandeur of the courtroom and stock phrases like "with respect to my learned friend" to the more colloquial directness of talking to a defendant. How do barristers build persuasive arguments when talki…

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TFTB Film Club: Her (2013) 38:22

27d ago38:22

38:22

Take a deep dive into Her, the Spike Jonze film from 2013. We chat about the themes, performances, writing, and more. Has the concept of this AI based film become prophetic, or is the idea of AI relationships just not that science fiction anymore? Let us know what you think! Please let us know if there is a book or film that you want us to review o…

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Keeping My Family's Language Alive 27:35

1M ago27:35

27:35

Michael Rosen talks to Samantha Ellis, author of Chopping Onions on My Heart, about her efforts to keep alive the language of her parents: Judeo-Iraqi Arabic. Samantha grew up in London hearing her parents speak the language they spoke in their homeland of Iraq. Now she's keen to try and speak it herself, and to share the poetic expressions of Jude…

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Speech difficulties 27:50

1M ago27:50

27:50

Michael Rosen asks what happens to people's sense of identity and social being when speaking becomes hard. Jonathan Cole has interviewed people with conditions such as cerebral palsy, vocal cord palsy, spasmodic dysphonia and post-stroke aphasia. They describe in their own words what the experience of not being able to express themselves is like, t…

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Another Chat with Elizabeth Bear! 35:50

1M ago35:50

35:50

On this episode, we welcome Hugo Award winning author, Elizabeth Bear back to the Bridge. We dig into the latest instalment of the White Space novels, Folded Sky. We also get the latest on the long awaited sequel to Karen Memory. It’s called Angel Maker and (as of this recording), is currently available for preorder. Check the link below. Any oppor…

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Episode 6 - Fueling Your Food: The Energy Behind Every Bite 36:21

2M ago36:21

36:21

From farm fields to your dinner table, every bite of food is supported by a complex network of energy. In this On Energy episode, Chris Hadfield is joined by Justin Rose, President of Lifecycle Solutions, Supply Management and Customer Success, and Aaron Wetzel, Vice President of Production & Precision Agriculture Production Systems from John Deere…

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TFTB Book Club: When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi 33:43

2M ago33:43

33:43

On this episode we discuss what might happen if the moon turned to cheese. It’s a serious question, and we use John Scalzi’s novel, ‘When the Moon Hits Your Eye’ as the foundation for our investigation. Much to learn here. We’ll also look at a unique proposal for interstellar travel on Science Fiction Science Fact, and we’ll chat about the other bo…

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Episode 5 - Beyond the Horizon: The Energy Behind Transportation 41:46

2M ago41:46

41:46

A new generation of aviation is taking flight—powered by cleaner fuels and smarter design. In this episode of On Energy, Chris Hadfield sits down with former Air Canada CEO Calin Rovinescu to explore how the industry is working to reduce its footprint while keeping the world connected. They discuss breakthroughs in biofuels, hybrid engines, and hyd…

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Episode 4 - Energy in Your Pocket: Powering Smartphones and the Internet 46:15

2M ago46:15

46:15

What’s the true energy cost of our digital lives? In this episode of On Energy, Chris Hadfield talks with Dr. Vijay Gadepally, a scientist from MIT, about the hidden energy usage behind every scroll, stream, and AI-generated response. From energy-hungry data centers to smarter management of supercomputers, Vijay reveals what it takes to keep the in…

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TFTB Film Club: Gattaca (1997) 33:07

2M ago33:07

33:07

In this episode of Film Club, we talk about Gattaca, the debut film from director/writer Andrew Niccol. We discuss the performances, the critical reviews, and what questions we were left with after watching. We find out what film we'll be watching next, and end things off with a trivia segment. Please let us know if there is a book that you want us…

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Episode 3 - Energy in Your Home: Fueling Comfort and Convenience 37:40

3M ago37:40

37:40

How do we maintain power when extreme weather temperatures strike? In this episode of On Energy, Chris Hadfield talks with Michele Harradence, President of Enbridge Gas, about the essential energy system that keeps millions of homes running. They discuss various topics, including the role of natural gas, hybrid heating, smart thermostats, and strat…

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Episode 2 - The Power Behind the Plug: How Electricity is Generated 45:12

3M ago45:12

45:12

What really happens when you flip on a light switch? In this episode of On Energy, Chris Hadfield talks with energy expert Dr. Michael Webber about the invisible system that keeps our world running. They discuss various topics, including aging infrastructure, the emergence of smart grids and the fact that electricity is a technology that depends on…

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TFTB Book Club: Infinity Gate by M.R. Carey 33:35

3M ago33:35

33:35

On this episode of TFTB we dive into the Infinity Gate, by M.R. Carey. This book has it all, a multi-verse, aliens, quantum physics, and plenty of action. On Science Fiction - Science Fact, we look at the future of doom scrolling, but with mind control. We also take some time to debrief on Andor, and we will have more to come on this... Of course, …

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Episode 1 - Fueling the Final Frontier: The Energy of Space Exploration 36:42

3M ago36:42

36:42

What can space travel teach us about the future of energy? In this episode of On Energy, Chris Hadfield speaks with aerospace engineer Lauren Lyons,whose career spans NASA JPL, SpaceX, and Blue Origin. They discuss the technologies that are powering space exploration, including solar-powered satellites and water-propelled spacecraft. Together, they…

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TFTB Film Club: The Fifth Element (1997) 36:47

3M ago36:47

36:47

On this episode of TFTB film club we talk about The Fifth Element. It’s been 28 years since this movie came out, does it still hold up? We’re going to let you know. We’ll also chat about some of the runners-up for this episode, and what we’re watching next. Please let us know if there is a movie that you want us to review on the podcast! You can al…

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Bonus Episode: Chris Hadfield ‘Tilting the Wheel’ 46:56

3M ago46:56

46:56

We’re thrilled to bring you our final episode with the legendary Chris Hadfield, and what a way to go out! We dive deep into the mind of someone who decided at age 10 to become an astronaut and actually pulled it off. Chris shares incredible stories that’ll blow your mind - like intercepting Soviet bombers on Christmas Eve during the Cold War, only…

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Season 1 Teaser 0:30

3M ago0:30

0:30

Hosted by astronaut and engineer Colonel Chris Hadfield, On Energy explores the unexpected ways energy shapes our world. Each episode starts with something familiar—your phone, a cross-continent flight, the light switch in your home—and unpacks the hidden systems and bold ideas shaping the future of energy. With guests at the forefront of science, …

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The Art of Listening 27:45

4M ago27:45

27:45

Michael Rosen talks to sociolinguist Dr Haru Yamada about how we listen in different ways across different cultures and social groups. It's the side of conversation that is not about talking, but which is equally - if not more - important to how we communicate. Haru is the author of 'Kiku: The Japonese Art of Good Listening', and she believes that …

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A Chat with Arkady Martine 45:21

4M ago45:21

45:21

Joining us on TFTB is author, Arkady Martine. Her Texi-calon duology, "A Memory Called Empire" and "A Desolation Called Peace," have each won the Hugo Award for Best Novel. She has also published short stories in numerous publications (links below). Her latest book, Rose/House, was recently re-released by TOR in 2025. Arkady is also an urban planne…

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Lists 27:40

4M ago27:40

27:40

Most of us make lists in some form or other - from essential groceries to reasons to feel positive about life. In this programme Linguistics Researcher Jo Nolan talks to Michael about her interest in the language we use in their making and their uses in literature and society.Jo says the language we use in our lists is idiolectal - it reflects our …

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The Welsh Language with Huw Stephens at the Hay Festival 27:50

4M ago27:50

27:50

In a special recording at the Hay Festival, Michael Rosen talks to bilingual Welsh radio and television presenter Huw Stephens about the Welsh language. And then Huw gets Michael to try reading 'Dyn Ni yn Mynd i Hela Arth, also known as We're Going on a Bear Hunt.Produced for BBC Audio Bristol by Beth O'Dea, in partnership with the Open University.…

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A Chat with Dave Blass, Production Designer for Star Trek: Picard 55:00

4M ago55:00

55:00

Joining us on the Bridge this week is Production Designer, David Blass. Known for his work on ‘Star Trek: Picard’, his credits also include The Boys, Preacher, Justified, and many other television series you’ve enjoyed. We had a great conversation with Dave and cover a great deal of ground on this one, from Roger Corman to the importance of Saurian…

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The language that changed the world 27:27

4M ago27:27

27:27

Michael Rosen hears the fascinating story of the origin of all Indo-European languages from Laura Spinney, the author of Proto: How One Ancient Language Went Global. Today, nearly half of humanity speaks an Indo-European language and Laura has been investigating how that came to be.Produced for BBC Audio Bristol by Beth O'Dea, in partnership with t…

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The End of the Full Stop? 27:53

5M ago27:53

27:53

The use of punctuation is rapidly changing within the quickfire back-and-forth of instant messaging. Are these changes causing misunderstandings? Presenter Michael Rosen and his guest Dr Christian Ilbury discuss. Is the full stop on the way out? What about capital letters? Exclamation marks and question marks seem to be holding their ground, but wh…

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A Chat with Ray Nayler 50:58

5M ago50:58

50:58

On this episode of TFTB we sit down with Ray Nayler. He is the author of the Locus Award winning The Mountain in the Sea, and he joins us to talk about his latest book, Where the Axe is Buried. A cybernetic novel of political intrigue, revolution, and authoritarianism. Pretty timely themes these days. We also look at how sci-fi can go beyond the sc…

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Street Names 27:10

5M ago27:10

27:10

Michael Rosen talks to sociolinguist Philip Seargeant from the Open University about where our street names come from, including Whip-Ma-Whop-Ma-Gate in York, and Michael's old address, Love Lane. Also, have you ever thought about the difference between a street and a road? Are there regional differences in the names given to streets? And why are s…

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TFTB Book Club: The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin 42:53

5M ago42:53

42:53

On this episode of TFTB we discuss The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K Le Guin. First published in 1969 this book was far ahead of its time, and still stands up as excellent progressive science fiction. If you haven’t had the pleasure of enjoying this one, we highly recommend that you add it to your summer reading list. As usual we have a cool Sc…

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Bonus Episode: Composing 16 Sunsets with Bleeding Fingers 58:07

5M ago58:07

58:07

In this special bonus episode of 16 Sunsets, host Kevin Fong talks to composers Christian Lundberg and Russell Emmanuel, of Hans Zimmer's renowned Bleeding Fingers Composers Collective about the creation and evolution of the compelling suite of themes that underscore the 16 Sunsets series. They discuss how they approached the challenge of capturing…

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TFTB Film Club: Edge of Tomorrow (2014) 38:31

6M ago38:31

38:31

On this episode of TFTB Film Club, our film nerds revisit the 2014 Sci-fi hit, Edge of Tomorrow. It's a great film, and there has long been talk of a sequel. Fingers crossed, Tom takes a break from completing impossible missions long enough to deliver on a long-anticipated part two. We'd love to see more Live, Die, Repeat on the big screen. Please …

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Bonus Episode: Rob Kelso - Inside the Cathedral of Mission Control 47:50

6M ago47:50

47:50

In this bonus episode of 16Sunsets, we present the interview performed Kevin Fong and Andrew Luck-Baker with former NASA flight director Rob Kelso—a man whose career spans the whole of the Space Shuttle era and whose stories offer a rare glimpse behind the consoles of Mission Control. From the first flight of Columbia to the secret world of classif…

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TFTB Book Club: Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman 38:44

6M ago38:44

38:44

On this episode of TFTB, things take a turn for the weird. Our book of the month was the first instalment of the perfectly ridiculous (and kind of fun), Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman. If you have a gamer teen that you want to read a GD book, this might be the way. On Science Fiction, Science Fact, we have a look at the surprising amount of …

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Columbia Returns 57:38

6M ago57:38

57:38

April 12th 1981. Bob Crippen and John Young are in orbit around the Earth. Travelling at 17,500 miles an hour, with the world turning majestically beneath them, they witness 16 sunrises and sixteen sunsets every 24 hours. They have survived the violence of launch but the mission has run into a potential life-threatening problem. Crippen has just be…

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A Chat with Edward Ashton, Author of Mickey 7 39:30

6M ago39:30

39:30

In this episode, we sit down with Edward Ashton. Edward is the author of Mickey 7, which has recently been adapted for the big screen. Released under the title Mickey 17 and directed by Bong Joon-Ho of Parasite fame with an all-star cast we definitely recommend it. Edward has authored several books, and I imagine many of our listeners are already f…

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Columbia Rising 46:49

7M ago46:49

46:49

April 12 1981. STS-1. Space Shuttle Columbia now stands proud on pad 39A at Cape Canaveral. After more than a decade of development, planning and assembly, NASA approaches its moment of truth. The most complex flying machine ever built, two and half million moving parts, hundreds of mission critical components with no back up, brought together in a…

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TFTB Film Club: Donnie Darko (2001) 43:31

7M ago43:31

43:31

On this episode of TFTB Film Club, we travel back to 2001 and chat about the cult classic; Donnie Darko. If you need a quick refresher - the film is about a teenager named Donnie Darko, who meets a demonic rabbit named Frank while sleepwalking. Happens all the time. Shenanigan's ensue, and the audience is left to wonder: Was it a dream? An alternat…

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Bonus Episode: Terry White – Tile by Tile – Protecting The Shuttle 40:27

7M ago40:27

40:27

As we get nearer to STS-1 and that first all-up test of Space Shuttle Columbia, we wanted to take a look at one of the technical challenges that caused that first launch to slip back from 1979 to 1981: the thermal protection system that kept the extreme temperatures of launch, life in orbit, and re-entry from damaging the spacecraft and putting the…

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Old English, New English 27:38

7M ago27:38

27:38

Michael Rosen explores the evocative Old English words used in daily life a thousand years ago, many of which are still in use now. He's joined by the linguist author of The Wordhord, Hana Videen. Hana has been hoarding words from Old English (450 AD to 1150 AD) for a decade, when she began tweeting one a day. Now she has lots of people following h…

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TFTB Book Club: Service Model by Adrian Tchaikovsky 33:10

7M ago33:10

33:10

In this episode, we talk about Adrian Tchaikovsky's novel, Service Model. This leads us into a bit of a discussion on audiobooks vs reading the old-fashioned way. Kevin talks about how governments are employing science fiction writers as futurists to consider "resilience beyond observed capabilities." It's interesting stuff, and we're sure to talk …

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Talking Cockney 27:35

8M ago27:35

27:35

Michael Rosen's parents both grew up in the East End, and now he talks cockney with Andy Green and Saif Osmani from the Modern Cockney Festival. Including some mythbusting about rhyming slang, a discussion about how cockney has evolved, and of course a mention of Dick van Dyke. The Modern Cockney Festival takes place from March 1st to 31st with a m…

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Abort, Abort, Abort! 1:02:55

8M ago1:02:55

1:02:55

The command ‘Abort RTLS’ was the last thing that astronauts on board the space shuttle wanted to hear from mission control. It meant that one or two of the shuttle’s main engines had failed in the first couple of minutes after lift-off and that the crew’s only hope of a safe landing was a blood-curdling manoeuvre at super-sonic speeds. The Return t…