Celestial Bodies: What Trees Reveal About Outer Space

CUNY Graduate Center

In this episode of The Thought Project, we bring you a Celestial Bodies podcast recorded by science journalist Rebecca Rand and astronomer Mark Popinchalk in which they explore the surprising connection between trees and cosmic events. Popinchalk, a CUNY Graduate Center alumnus (Ph.D. ’23, Physics) and postdoctoral fellow at the American Museum of Natural History, discusses how trees serve as natural records of space activity, storing traces of radiocarbon from solar flares and supernovae. By examining tree rings, scientists can trace these cosmic events back through history, linking radiocarbon spikes to phenomena like the northern lights observed centuries ago. Through their conversation, Rand, a graduate of the CUNY Newmark J-School, and Popinchalk shed light on how trees help us understand outer space and the and the potential risks posed by high-radiation events. Listen in to learn more.