3 chapters across the catalog
NASA "Earth Sounds" and Michelle Thaller's Renaissance Hobby
NASA has acknowledged strange "booming" sounds heard globally, though they remain unexplained. Meanwhile, NASA astronomer Michelle Thaller was featured in a PBS segment discussing her hobby of Elizabethan dancing at Renaissance fairs. The hosts critique the "mathematical" justification for her hobby and jokingly compare the elaborate costuming to "furry" subculture fetishes.
Michelle Thaller, NASA Science Communication and Storytelling
Michelle Thaller of NASA's Goddard Institute discussed the challenges of communicating scientific data to a public that may be skeptical of facts. Thaller noted that providing more data on ocean acidification or carbon isotopes is often ineffective, leading scientists to rely on "storytelling" and emotional engagement. She addressed public fears regarding the 2012 apocalypse and clarified that NASA does not hide astronomical facts.
A discussion of Michelle Thaller's personal interests reveals her participation in the Santa Barbara Renaissance Fair. The hosts describe her involvement in cosplay and the elaborate Victorian or Elizabethan costumes she wears at these events. This hobby is contrasted with her professional role as a NASA scientist.
