>> Neisloss: I'M LIZ NEISLOSS, IN FOR JIM BRAUDE.

TONIGHT ON "GREATER BOSTON:" WITH THE SENATE REACHING A LONG-AWAITED DEAL ON CLIMATE LEGISLATION, WE'RE GETTING A GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF THE SERIOUS AND DEADLY EFFECTS OF AIR POLLUTION HERE IN MASSACHUSETTS.

THE LEAD AUTHOR OF A NEW BOSTON COLLEGE STUDY JOINS ME.

PLUS, M.I.T.

SCIENTISTS HAVE DETECTED A RADIO SIGNAL FROM A DISTANT GALAXY BILLIONS OF LIGHT-YEARS AWAY, WITH THE POTENTIAL TO TELL US SOME BIG THINGS ABOUT OUR UNIVERSE.

>> Neisloss: AFTER MONTHS OF SEEMINGLY DEAD-END NEGOTIATIONS, LARGELY WITH THE PERENNIAL HOLD-OUT JOE MANCHIN, DEMOCRATS IN THE SENATE HAVE REACHED A DEAL ON SWEEPING LEGISLATION TO FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE.

THE AGREEMENT IS PART OF A LARGER BUDGET PACKAGE, AND IF IT PASSES, IT WOULD PUT $369 BILLION TOWARD REDUCING U.S.

EMISSIONS BY 40% BY THE YEAR 2030.

THAT WOULD INCLUDE TAX INCENTIVES TO RAMP UP WIND, SOLAR, GEOTHERMAL, AND OTHER RENEWABLE ENERGY INDUSTRIES; TAX CREDITS FOR BUYING ELECTRIC CARS; REBATES FOR MAKING HOMES MORE EFFICIENT; AND FEES ON OIL AND GAS COMPANIES FOR EXCESS EMISSIONS, STARTING IN 2025.

AND IF A NEW STUDY ON THE DEADLY CONSEQUENCES OF POLLUTION IS ANY INDICATION, WE NEED TO ACT ON THIS FAST.

BOSTON COLLEGE RESEARCHERS FOUND THAT AIR POLLUTION WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR AN ESTIMATED 2,800 DEATHS IN MASSACHUSETTS IN 2019, AS WELL AS 15,000 CASES OF CHILD ASTHMA.

AND AT EVERY AGE, PEOPLE OF COLOR ARE MORE LIKELY TO SUFFER FROM THE EFFECTS OF LOW AIR QUALITY.

I'M JOINED NOW BY THE LEAD AUTHOR OF THAT STUDY, B.C.

BIOLOGY PROFESSOR DR. PHILIP LANDRIGAN, THE DIRECTOR OF THE COLLEGE'S GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAM AND GLOBAL POLLUTION OBSERVATORY.

AND JONATHAN BUONOCORE, AN ASSISTANT PROFESSOR AT THE BOSTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR JOINING ME.

THIS IS REALLY A LANDMARK DAY WHEN IT COMES TO THE ENVIRONMENT.

FIRST, I'D LIKE TO GET YOUR REACTION TO THIS SWEEPING CLIMATE BILL.

IT TAKES I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE BY SURPRISE.

DR. LANDRIGAN, LET'S START WITH YOU.

>> I THINK IT'S GREAT.

IT REALLY IS A SURPRISE.

I MEAN, I WAS IN DESPAIR JUST TWO OR THREE DAYS AGO THAT CLIMATE LEGISLATION WAS DEAD IN THIS CONGRESS AND FEARFUL THAT AFTER THE MIDTERM ELECTIONS, THERE WOULD BE NO PROSPECT FOR THIS KIND OF LEGISLATION FOR SEVERAL YEARS.

SO WHATEVER HAPPENED BEHIND THE SCENES, IT'S A MARVELOUS TRIUMPH.

AND I AGREE WITH EVERY ONE OF THOSE BULLET POINTS YOU PUT UP A FEW MINUTES AGO.

EVERY ONE OF THOSE ASPECTS OF THIS LEGISLATION IS GOING TO PROTECT PEOPLE'S HEALTH AND SAVE LIVES, AS WELL AS DOING SOMETHING ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE.

>> Neisloss: JONATHAN BUONOCORE, YOUR RESPONSE?

>> YEAH, I THINK KIND OF SIMILAR TO DR. LANDRIGAN'S RESPONSE HERE.

I THINK-- I MEAN, IT CAME-- I'M SUREESH WAS SHOCKED.

AND I WAS DEFINITELY SHOCKED TO SEE IT COME OUT WHEN IT DID AND THE WAY IT DID.

BUT, AGAIN, I THINK THE-- I'M NOT SUPER FAMILIAR WITH EVERYTHING THAT HAS TO GO ON AS FAR AS, LIKE, PRODUCTION OF THE BILL GOES, BUT, YOU KNOW, CONGRESS HAS TO DO ITS THING AND, YOU KNOW, I'M KIND OF HOLDING MY BREATH A LITTLE BIT TO SEE WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENS ONCE IT GOES THROUGH ALL THE CONGRESSIONAL PROCESSES.

BUT, YEAH, I'M-- I'M OPTIMISTICKINGOPTIMISTICTHIS IS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

>> Neisloss: SO PRESIDENT BIDEN TALKS ABOUT THIS AS A STEP TOWARD HIS GOAL OF SLASHING EMISSIONS BY 50% BELOW 2005 LEVELS.

THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF TARGETS THROWN AROUND.

I'M SURE YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH KYOTO AND BUENOS ARIES, AND EVERYTHING THAT HAS BEEN ATTEMPTED IN TERMS OF TARGETS.

BUT IS ALL THIS GOING TO BE ENOUGH TO START CURBING THE DEATHS, DR. LANDRIGAN, THAT YOU ARE SEEING IN YOUR REPORT ALREADY?

>> IT'S NOT GOING TO GET US THE WHOLE WAY, LIZ, BUT IT'S GOING TO GET US A LONG WAY IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, AND FOR THAT I'M GRATEFUL.

EVERY LIFE SAVED IS A LIFE THAT CAN BE LIVED AND THAT'S A GOOD THING, WHILE WE CONTINUE TO WORK ON MORE, OBVIOUSLY.

>> Neisloss: OKAY, AND, JONATHAN, YOUR SENSE OF THIS.

>> YEAH, I THINK-- I THINK SIMILARLY.

IT'S DEFINITELY A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, AND IT'S GOING TO BE-- IT'S GOING TO BE INTERESTING TO SEE HOW THINGS PLAY OUT ONCE WE SEE THE DETAILS OF WHAT THE BILL WILL ACTUALLY RESULT IN.

AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT HOW MONEY WILL BE SPENT AND THAT KIND OF THING.

BUT I, BY AND LARGE, MOST THINGS YOU CAN DO TO HELP PREVENT CLIMATE CHANGE ARE GOING TO PREVENT AIR POLLUTION AS WELL, SO I THINK THIS WILL BE GOOD FOR PUBLIC HEALTH.

>> Neisloss: SO, DR. LANDRIGAN, LET'S FOCUS ON WHAT YOU WHERE FIND.

WHERE IS THIS POLLUTION IN MASSACHUSETTS COMING FROM?

WHAT ARE THE SOURCES?

>> WELL, A LOT OF IT ARISES RIGHT HERE IN MASSACHUSETTS.

THE BEST DATA WE CAN GET FROM EPA, IN 2019, WHICH IS THE AIR WE LOOKED AT, 938,000 TONS OF AIR POLLUTION WERE PRODUCED RIGHT HERE IN MASSACHUSETTS.

ROUGHLY THREE-FOURTHS OF THAT CAME FROM MOBILE SOURCES -- CARS, TRUCKS, PLANES, TRAINS, BUSES.

AND ABOUT 25% CAME FROM STATIONARY SOURCES.

THAT WOULD BE POWER PLANTS, FACTORIES, RESIDENTIAL HEATING.

>> Neisloss: OKAY.

AND, JONATHAN, DOES IT MATTER WHAT'S COMING FROM THE STATES SURROUNDs US?

I MEAN, THERE ARE REALLY NO WALLS AROUND THIS KIND OF THING.

IS MASSACHUSETTS SITUATED IN A PARTICULAR WAY THAT MAYBE WHAT IS BEING DONE IN A NEIGHBORING STATE OR COMING FROM CANADA, THAT THOSE THINGS MATTER AS WELL?

>> YEAH, I THINK-- I THINK THAT'S THE CASE.

THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT SOURCES THAT ARE CONTRIBUTING.

BUT I THINK IT IS-- IT IS DEFINITELY THE CASE WHERE THERE'S DEFINITELY-- SINCE WE'RE ON THE EAST COAST AND WINDS BLOW FROM WEST TO EAST, YOU ARE GOING TO SEE POLLUTION COMING FROM PLACES WEST OF US AFFECTING THE STATES THAT COULD BE EVERYTHING FROM,s, "LIKE, VEHICLE TRAFFIC IN NEW YORK STATE, TO COAL-FIRED POWER PLANTS IN THE WEST.

>> Neisloss: SO IT REALLY MAKES THE CASE THAT THIS HAS TO BE SORT OF A FEDERAL SOLUTION, THAT IT'S GREAT IF STATES ARE PUTTING IN STRICT REGULATIONS, BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE NO REAL WALLS AROUND THIS.

IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING?

>> I WOULD SAY THERE'S ROOM FOR BOTH.

OBVIOUSLY, WE NEED THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO DO EVERYTHING IT'S DOING AND MORE.

BUT ESPECIALLY IN THIS POLITICAL CLIMATE, IT'S SO IMPORTANT FOR THE STATES TO TAKE ACTION AND NOT JUST SIT BACK AND WAIT FOR THE FEDS.

>> Neisloss: BUT, DR. LANDRIGAN, THERE'S A LOT OF EUPHORIA RIGHT NOW ABOUT THIS BILL.

DO YOU THINK THAT THE E.P.A.

STILL HAS TO TIGHTEN ITS STANDARDED?

I THINK YOU MAKE THE POINT THAT MASSACHUSETTS KEEPS ITS LEVELS, ALLOWABLE EMISSIONS, THOSE SORTS OF MEASUREMENTS BELOW WHAT THE E.P.A.

ALLOWS.

DO YOU THINK FOCUS STILL HAS TO BE ON TIGHTENING THOSE LEVELS?

>> YES.

LET ME GIVE YOU THE NUMBERS ON THAT.

SO THE E.P.A.

STANDARD FOR WHAT'S CALLED "FINE PARTICULATE AIR POLLUTION-- PM-2.5-- IS 12 MICROGRAMS PER CUBIC METER OF AIR AVERAGED OVER THE YEAR.

THE AVERAGE IN MASSACHUSETTS IN 2019 WAS ONLY HALF THAT.

IT WAS 6.2 MICROGRAMS.

AND, YET, DESPITE THE FACT THAT WE'RE ALMOST 50% BELOW THE E.P.A.

LEVEL, WE'RE SEEING CLOSE TO 3,000 DEATHS A YEAR.

WHAT THAT SAYS TO ME IS THAT THE STANDARDS ARE SIMPLY NOT DOING A VERY GOOD JOB.

THE STANDARD IS BETTER THAN NO STANDARD, BUT IT IS NOT SUFFICIENTLY PROTECTIVE OF PUBLIC HEALTH.

IT NEEDS TO COME DOWN.

THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION JUST A YEAR AGO REDUCED THEIR RECOMMENDED GUIDELINE-- THEY DON'T HAVE STANDARDS, BUT RECOMMENDED GUIDELINE DOWN TO 5 MICROGRAMS PER CUBIC METER.

I WOULD SAY THAT'S AT LEAST WHERE WE SHOULD BE, IF NOT EVEN FURTHER DOWN.

>> Neisloss: JONATHAN, WE'RE NOW IN A MOMENT WHERE SMOG AND OZONE ALERTS ARE ALSO AN ISSUE HERE IN THIS STATE AND IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY.

IN SEATTLE, THEY'RE HAVING ISSUES.

PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE IDEA OF SMOG AS VISIBLE POLLUTION.

BUT CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHY OZONE IS AN ISSUE?

>> YEAH.

SO ON, ZONE-- OZONE IS AN ISSUE, ESPECIALLY DURING THE SUMMER, JUST BECAUSE THE KIND OF NECESSARY BACKGROUND CONDITIONS, AS FAR AS THERE BEING A LOT OF SUNLIGHT AND IT BEING WARM OUT, HELPS WITH THE FORMATION OF OZONE.

AND WHILE THE KIND OF PRECURSORS OF OZONE, THEY'LL COME FROM SIMILAR SOURCES AS THE PM2.5, THERE CAN BE SOME KIND OF VARIATION IN TERMS OF WHICH SOURCES CONTRIBUTE MORE TO PM, AS OPPOSED TO OZONE.

AND KIND OF WITH THAT, WE'RE SEEING A LITTLE BIT OF A SHIFT, WEPS CLIMATE AS WELL, TO MORE OF THIS HEALTH BURDEN BEING FROM OZONE, WHICH KIND OF HIGHLIGHTS THE IMPORTANCE OF DOING THINGS THAT WILL REDUCE THE OZONE.

>> Neisloss: SO, PRESUMABLY, THE STEPS THAT ARE BEING TAKEN WILL ADDRESS THAT.

IS THAT CORRECT, DR. LANDRIGAN?

>> WELL, THE STEPS THAT ARE BEING TAKEN ARE GOING TO GIVE US A DOUBLE BENEFIT.

THEY'RE GOING TO REDUCE THE CARBON DIOXIDE, AND THE OTHER GREENHOUSE GASES THAT DRIVE CLIMATE CHANGE.

AND AT THE SAME TIME, BY TAMPING DOWN ON EMISSIONS FROM POWER PLANTS, THEY'RE GOING TO REDUCE AIR POLLUTION.

pSOME PEOPLE DAHL RAY CALL IT A COBENEFIT.

I PREFER TO REFER TO IT AS A DOUBLE BENEFIT.

>> Neisloss: I'M CURIOUS AS, YOU KNOW, BOTH OF YOU OBSERVE ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE, THERE WERE A LOT OF ROSY SCENARIOS DURING THE START OF THE PANDEMIC PANDEMIC.

SUDDENLY AIR WAS A LOT CLEANER.

AND THERE WERE ALL SORTS OF PREDICTIONS ABOUT HOW BEHAVIOR WAS GOING TO CHANGE, MAYBE PEOPLE WOULD START FLYING LESS.

JONATHAN, ARE YOU SURPRISED THAT WE'RE EXACTLY BACK WHERE WE WERE AND RUNNING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION?

>> YEAH, HONESTLY, NOT PARTICULARLY SURPRISED.

I MEAN, ONCE KIND OF THE ECONOMY AND EVERYTHING ELSE RESTARTED, IT WAS NO SURPRISE THAT AIR POLLUTION GOT RESTARTED AS WELL, RIGHT.

SO YEAH, THAT RELLY, HONESTLY, DOESN'T SURPRISE ME.

AND THERE'S BEEN SOME KIND OF SCIENCE OUT THERE THAT'S KIND OF SHOWING THE FEBT OF THE PANDEMIC HAS BASICALLY BEEN, LIKE, A BLIP IN TERMS OF KIND OF TOTAL TRAJECTORY OF CARBON EMISSIONS.

>> Neisloss: DR. LANDRIGAN-- GO AHEAD.

>> I ABSOLUTELY AGREE WITH JONATHAN ON THAT.

THERE ARE A COUPLE OF OTHER LESSONS THAT CAME OUT OF COVID.

FIRST OF ALL, I THINK THE ENORMOUS RUKS IN AIR POLLUTION THAT WE SAW DURING COVID GAVE US ALL HOPE.

IT TAUGHT US THAT WE COULD CONTROL AIR POLLUTION.

SECONDLY, IT REMINDED US THAT IT WAS HUMAN ACTIVITY-- CARS AND TRUCKS AND HEATING AND POWER GENERATION-- WHICH IS THE MAIN CAUSE.

IT WASN'T COMING FROM OUTER SPACE OR SOME PLACE BEYOND OUR CONTROL.

SO I THINK -- YOU KNOW, WE CAN TAKE THOSE LESSONS FORWARD AND THEY CAN INFORM OUR FUTURE.

>> Neisloss: I THINK, DR. LANDRIGAN, ONE ELEMENT WE HAVEN'T TOUCHED ON IS THE IMPACT OF POLLUTION ON I.Q.

LEVELS, AND IT'S SOMETHING I THINK PEOPLE DON'T USUALLY CONSIDER, TAKE INTO ACCOUNT.

CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT YOU FOUND?

>> YEAH, SO THERE HAS BEEN EMERGING LITERATURE OVER THE PAST DECADE THAT AIR POLLUTION HAS NEGATIVE EFFECTS ON BRAIN HEALTH.

ON ADULTS, IT INCREASES THE RISK OF DEMENTIA, FOR EXAMPLE.

AND THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF PAPERS SHOWING AIR POLLUTION EXPOSURE IN EARLY LIFE REDUCES CHILDREN'S COGNITIVE FUNCTION, WHICH MEANS THEIR ABILITY TO THINK, THEIR I.Q., CAUSES MEMORY LOSS CAUSES ALTERATIONS IN BEHAVIOR, WHICH CAN SHOW UP AS INCREASED RISK OR ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER OR EVEN AUTISM.

IT WAS AGAINST THAT BACKGROUND THAT WE PARTNERED WITH TWO PEOPLE THAT HAVE SPENT THEIR LIVES STUDYING I.Q.-- DAVID BELLINGER, WHO SAT BOSTON CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL, HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL.

AND MAUREEN KENNY, WHO IS AT BOSTON COLLEGE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION.

AND WHAT WE FOUND WAS A NEGATIVE CORRELATION BETWEEN AIR POLLUTION AND CHILDREN'S I.Q.

AS AIR POLLUTION WENT UP, I.Q.

LEVELS WENT DOWN.

WE DID THAT CORRELATION.

WE RAN IT FOR EVERY SINGLE CITY AND TOWN ACROSS MASSACHUSETTS.

AND WE FOUND THAT THE TOTAL I.Q.

LOSS IN KIDS ACROSS THE STATE IS SOMEWHAT GREATER THAN TWO MILLION I.Q.

POINTS.

AN AVERAGE OF ABOUT 2 I.Q.

POINTS FOR EVERY CHILD UNDER THE AGE OF 10 IN MASSACHUSETTS.

AND IT'S-- IT'S IN EVERY TOWN.

AS YOU MENTIONED IN YOUR OPENER, THE IMPACT IS CERTAINLY WORST IN POOR, INNER-CITY MINORITY COMMUNITIES, AND PEOPLE OF COLOR.

BUT YOU ALSO SEE ALL THESE DISEASE I.Q.

LOSS IN THE GREEN, LEVY SUBURBS, AND EVEN OUT IN THE COUNTRYSIDE, AND IT JUST UNDERSCORES THE POINT THAT AIR POLLUTION DOES NOT RESPECT POLITICAL BOUNDARIES.

IT MOVES ACROSS TOWN BORDERS.

AND THE SOLUTIONS HAVE TO BE STATEWIDE, REGIONAL AND NATIONAL.

>> Rooney: OKAY, WE JUST HAVE A FEW SECONDS LEFT.

JONATHAN BUONOCORE, DO YOU WANT TO CHIME IN ON THAT?

>> YEAH, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S KIND OF ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

JUST THE EVIDENCE IS, AGAIN, COMING DOWN TO GET LEVELS DOWN TO SAFE AND HEALTHY IT REQUIRES ACTIONABLE LEVELS.

>> Neisloss: THANK YOU BOTH FOR JOINING.

THIS HAS BEEN A SIGNIFICANT DAY TO TALK ABOUT THIS TOPIC.

DR. PHILIP LANDRIGAN, JONATHAN BUONOCORE, THANKS.

>> OKAY, THANK YOU.

>> Neisloss: NEXT UP, IN A GALAXY FAR, FAR AWAY, A RADIO SIGNAL HAS BEEN DETECTED, FROM ALL THE WAY HERE ON EARTH.

THAT'S ACCORDING TO M.I.T.

RESEARCHERS WHO SAY THIS BURST OF RADIO WAVES WAS FOUND BY A RADIO TELESCOPE IN BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA, BACK IN DECEMBER OF 2019.

BUT THEY'RE JUST MAKING IT PUBLIC NOW.

AND, WHILE THE EXACT SOURCE IS UNKNOWN, THE LENGTH AND SOUND OF THIS PARTICULAR SIGNAL HAS CREATED A LOT OF EXCITEMENT IN THE SPACE COMMUNITY.

JOINING ME TO EXPLAIN WHY ARE KIYOSHI MASUI, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF PHYSICS AT M.I.T.

AND CO-AUTHOR OF THE PAPER DETAILING THIS DISCOVERY, AND DETAILING IT.

AND MONICA YOUNG, NEWS EDITOR AT "SKY & TELESCOPE" MAGAZINE.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR JOINING ME.

PROFESSOR MASUI, LET'S START WITH YOU, CAN YOU EXPLAIN TO OUR AUDIENCE WHAT THE RADIO SIGNALS ARE?

>> THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF A FAST RADIO BURST.

THINGS LIKE CAMERA FLASHES, EXCEPT OF INSTEAD OF BEING THE TYPE OF LIGHT WE CAN SEE, IT'S RADIO WAVES.

IT'S A TYPE OF LIGHT THAT YOUR CELL PHONE USES TO COMMUNICATE.

THE TYPE OF LIGHT THAT YOU-- THAT RADIOS USE TO COMMUNICATE.

AND WHAT'S SPECIAL ABOUT THESE FLASHES OF LIGHT, OF RADIO LIGHT, ARE COMING FROM GALAXIES THAT ARE VERY ARE FAR AWAY, BILLIONS OF LIGHT-YEARS AWAY, MEANING THAT THEY MUST BE VERY, VERY ENERGETIC, BECAUSE WE CAN pSEE THEM FROM-- HERE ON EARTH.

AND THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF A PARTICULAR ONE THAT'S JUST DIFFERENT THAN THE REST.

>> Neisloss: YOU'VE DESCRIBED THEM AS INTRIGUING.

THEY'RE LIKE CLOCKWORK.

IS THAT WHERE THE INTEREST LIES?

WHAT IS SO INTRIGUING ABOUT THEM?

>> RIGHT, SO, IN GENERAL, FAST RADIO BURSTS ARE INTRIGUING BECAUSE THEY'RE MYSTERIOUS.

WE DON'T QUITE KNOW WHAT ASTROPHYSICPHENOMENA IS CREATING THESE FLASHES.

AND WE'RE WORKING VERY HARD TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF IT.

WE-- YOU KNOW, WE MAKE OBSERVATIONS EVERY DAY TO TRY TO SORT THIS OUT.

AND THIS ONE I THINK PROVIDES A UNIQUE CLUE BECAUSE IT IS THE REGULARITY.

SO UNLIKE MOST OF THESE FAST RADIO BURSTS, THIS ONE-- THEY TYPICALLY LAST ONLY MILLISECONDS, FOR VERY BRIEF MOMENTS.

THIS ONE WAS OVER THREE SECONDS LONG.

BUT THE REASON IT WAS OVER THREE SECONDS LONG IS IT TURNED OUT IT WAS MADE UP OF SEVERAL-- AT LEAST NINE-- MUCH SHORTER FLASHES.

AND EACH ONE OF THESE BURSTS WAS SPACED BY ABOUT THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIME.

SO THEY CAME OUT ALMOST PERFECTLY REGULARLY.

THEY WERE PERIODIC, WITH A QUARTER SECOND IN BETWEEN EACH ONE.

>> Neisloss: OKAY, SO, PROFESSOR MASUI, ARE THESE RADIO WAVES THE EXCITEMENT ABOUT THEM, DO THEY ALSO HELP US MEASURE THE SIZE OF THE UNIVERSE?

WHAT IS IT THAT THEY COULD DO FOR US?

>> THERE ARE-- THERE IS A POSSIBILITY FOR USING THIS TYPE OF PHENOMENA, TO MEASURE THE SIZE OF THE UNIVERSE, IN PARTICULAR, ACTUALLY, HOW FAST THE UNIVERSE IS EXPANDING.

BUT THAT'S NOT REALLY THE EXCITEMENT ABOUT THIS-- THE MAIN EXCITEMENT ABOUT THIS DISCOVERY.

THE MAIN EXCITEMENT HERE IS SHAIT'S GIVING US INSIGHT INTO WHAT MIGHT BE CAUSE AGO WHAT IS THE ASTROPHYSICS PHENOMENA THAT IS CAUSING THESE EXPLOSIONS OF LIGHT THAT WE'VE STRUGGLED TO UNDERSTAND FOR THE PAST DECADE.

>> Neisloss: SO, MONICA, YOU LOOK AT ALL SORTS OF SPACE NEWS, ACTIVITY, AND HELP PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHAT IS NEWS.

ARE THESE NEW PHENOMENA, OR ARE WE DESCRIBING THEM AS NIGH PHENOMENA?

OR IS IT JUST NEW BECAUSE WE ARE FINDING ALL THESE THINGS?

>> YEAH, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

SO, WE'VE ACTUALLY-- YOU KNOW, THERE ARE HUNDRED OR MAYBE EVEN THOUSANDS OF FAST RADIO BURSTS HAPPENING OVER OUR HEADS EVERY NIGHT, EVERY DAY.

AND WE'VE ONLY ACTUALLY EVEN KNOWN THAT THEY EXISTED ABOUT 15 YEARS AGO, SO THEY'RE RELATIVELY NEW.

NOW WE KNOW OF SEVERAL HUNDRED OF THEM.

BUT MOST OF THOSE SEVERAL HUNDRED HAVE ACTUALLY ONLY BEEN DISCOVERED IN THE LAST, I WANT TO SAY YEAR OR SO.

SO THIS IS ALL LIKE REALLY ACCELERATING VERY QUICKLY IN TERMS OF WHAT WE'RE LEARNING ABOUT THESE.

LIKE PROFESSOR MASUI SAID, THIS ONE IN PARTICULAR IS COMING SO REGULARLY, IT POINT AT ONE PARTICULAR SOURCE FOR THESE BURSTS, WHICH IS NEUTRON STARS, WHICH IS THE CRUSHED STELLAR CORES OF A STAR THAT HAS BASICALLY LIVED OUT ITS LIFE.

THE CORE COLLAPSES AND YOU GET THIS NEUTRON STAR.

AND THESE ARE MAGNA TARS, REALLY STRONG MAGNETIC FIELDS.

WE GET TO BASICALLY EXPLORE THINGS THAT WE HAVE NO WAY OF EVER CREATING IN RAY LAB ON EARTH, SO WE HAVE TO LOOK OUT INTO THE UNIVERSE TO SEE THESE OBJECTS.

>> Neisloss: SO, PROFESSOR MASUI, THIS IS ANINABLE YEAR, IT SEEMS, FOR SPACE.

DO YOU SHARE THAT ASSESSMENT?

>> IN WHAT WAY?

>> Neisloss: IN THE SENSE WE HAVE ALL THESE INCREDIBLE IMAGES AND SUGGESTIONS OF FUTURE DISCOVERIES COMING FROM THE WEBB TELESCOPE.

THERE'S BEEN ALL SORTS OF NEWS RELATED TO SPACE THAT'S POPPED UP OVER THE YEAR, EVEN RELATED TO HUBBLE.

WOULD YOU SAY THIS IS QUITE A YEAR FOR SPACE?

OR IS THIS ALL JUST PAR FOR THE COURSE FOR YOU?

>> I THINK EVERY YEAR IS AN INCREDIBLE YEAR FOR SPACE.

THERE IS ALWAYS EXCITING SCIENCE HAPPENING, ALWAYS REALLY GROUNDED BREAKING RESEARCH HAPPENING.

YES, THIS YEAR IS, YOU KNOW, WITH THE WEBB TELESCOPE REALLY SEEING ITS FIRST IMAGES, THAT IS ABSOLUTELY REMARKABLE.

AND IT'S DOING INCREDIBLE SCIENCE.

BUT THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF TELESCOPES AROUND THE WORLD DOING-- ALSO DOING INCREDIBLE SCIENCE AND IF YOU-- YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE IN THE FIELD, YOU GET TO EXPERIENCE THAT INCREDIBLE SCIENCE EVERY YEAR.

SO THIS IS-- MAYBE A SLIGHT UPTICK, BUT ALSO, I THINK, IT'S JUST AN EXCITING FIELD ALWAYS.

>> Neisloss: BUT IF YOU ARE NOT IN THE FIELD, IT DOES SEEM TO TAKE SOMETHING LIKE WEBB TO REALLY SEIZE PEOPLE'S IMAGINATION.

WE HAVE SOME STATISTICS FROM A SURVEY THAT WAS RECENTLY DONE WHICH REALLY LOOKS-- IT'S BY UGOV, AND IT'S LOOKING AT AMERICANS' VIEWS ON NASA, AND 70% HAVE A FAVORABLE VIEW OF NASA.

I FOUND THAT SOMEWHAT SURPRISING, BECAUSE MANY OF THESE PROJECTS TAKE QUITE A BIT OF MONEY-- AND THIS IS A MOMENT WHERE WE SEEM TO HAVE NO SHORTAGE OF THINGS THAT DEMAND QUITE A BIT OF GOVERNMENT FUNDING.

MONICA, WERE YOU SURPRISED BY, THAT OR ARE YOU SURPRISED BY THAT LEVEL OF SPUPT?

AND DO YOU ATTRIBUTE THAT TO THINGS LIKE WEBB AND THE SORT OF BOMBASTIC DISCOVERIES?

>> I DO THINK A LOT OF IT IS, LIKE HUBBLE CERTAINLY MADE A SPLASH, YOU KNOW, ONCE THE ORIGINAL PROBLEMS WITH HUBBLE WERE CLEARED UP, IT MADE A SPLASH IN TERMS OF ALL OF THE pPICTURES IT TURNED OUT, AND I THINK WEBB IS GOING TO DO THE SAME.

WE'RE ALREADY-- IT CAN DO IN HOURS WHAT HUBBLE COULD DO OVER WEEKS, SO THERE'S ALREADY IS ALL THIS STUFF COMING IN THAT WE'RE LEARNING THINGS ALREADY AT AN INCREDIBLE PACE.

SO, YEAH, I DEFINITELY DO THINK THAT RAMPS UP THE PUBLIC APPRECIATION FOR WHAT SCIENTISTS DO, JUST ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS EVERYWHERE.

>> Neisloss: PROFESSOR MASUI, DID THAT SURPRISE YOU, THOSE NUMBERS?

>> I THINK I'M...

IT IS A PLEASANT BUT NOT DRAMATIC SURPRISE, YEAH.

THAT'S-- IT'S GREAT TO KNOW THAT PEOPLE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THIS SCIENCE.

>> Neisloss: SO THIS WEEK, RUSSIA ANNOUNCED THAT IT IS LEAVING THE SPACE STATION, AND THAT IT WILL BE PULLING OUT OF THE INTERNATIONAL CONSORTIUM.

THAT MAY NOT BE TERRIBLY SURPRISING.

THEY'RE, I THINK, PLANNING TO DO THAT BY 2024.

MONICA, DO YOU HAVE A SENSE OF WHAT THAT MEANS FOR SCIENCE AND SPACE, FOR INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION?

>> YOU KNOW, I THINK TIME WILL TELL.

I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, NASA WAS SURPRISED TO HEAR OF THE ACTUAL ANNOUNCEMENT.

SO IT KIND OF CAME TO THEM AS AWE SURPRISE.

, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF ONGOING EXPERIMENTS.

THERE'S A TELESCOPE THAT'S ACTUALLY OPERATING ON THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION CALLED NICER AND ACTUALLY LOOKS AT NEUTRON STARS, WHICH IS RELEVANT TO WHAT FROM MASUI STUDIES.

SO THERE ARE ALL THESE THINGS THAT ARE ONGOING.

AND THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION IS NOT GOING TO COMPLETE ITS SCIENCE GOALS BY 2020.

SO THEN THE QUESTION BECOMES HOW CAN WE KEEP IT FLYING, EVEN WITHOUT RUSSIAN COOPERATION?

AND I THINK THAT THAT'S WHAT NASA WILL BE LOOKING AT NEXT, NOT BEING-- ON ON THE INSIDE, THAT'S MY GUESS AS TO WHAT WILL BE HAPPENING.

>> Neisloss: PROFESSOR MASUI, DOES YOUR WORK RELY ON INTERNATIONAL WORK, INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION?

IS IT POSSIBLE TO SORT OF GO IT ALONE IN THIS KIND OF FIELD?

>> NOT THESE DAYS, I THINK.

ALL OF THESE, YOU KNOW, OBSERVATIONAL EFFORTS, THERE ARE CERTAIN TELESCOPES THAT MAKE-- THAT CAN BE, YOU KNOW, A SINGLE COUNTRY EFFORTS OR EFFORTS, FOR INSTANCE, THE CHIME TELESCOPE THAT MADE THIS DISCOVERY, I MENTIONED EARLIER IS A CANADIAN-LED EFFORT WITH PARTICIPATION BY A FEW NATIONS ACROSS, YOU KNOW, IN THE WORLD.

BUT IN GENERAL, THAT'S-- THAT TELESCOPE IS PART OF AN ECOSYSTEM, AN INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY THAT IS WORKING TOGETHER TO DO THIS-- ALL THIS INCREDIBLE SCIENCE.

SO I THINK IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S ONE GLOBAL COMMUNITY THAT WORKS TOGETHER TO FIGURE OUT THE UNIVERSE.

AND THAT IS THE WAY THAT SCIENCE IS DONE TODAY.

>> Neisloss: WE WERE JUST LOOKING AT PICTURES OF CHIME.

CAN YOU EXPLAIN HOW THAT WORKS?

WE SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN INTO THAT.

CAN YOU TELL US HOW THAT WORKS?

>> CHIME IS AN INNOVATIVE RADIO TELESCOPE IN THAT IT MOVES A LOT OF THE COMPLEXITY OF BUILDING A TELESCOPE FROM OPT TICKS, FROM, YOU KNOW, BOUNCING LIGHTS AROUND OFF OF MIRRORS, RIGHT.

SO FOR RADIO WAVES, MIRRORS JUST MEAN THESE BIG, METAL DISHES THAT FOCUS THE LIGHT.

AND IT MOVES THAT COMPLEXITY FROM FOCUSING THE LIGHT BY-- WITH REFLECTIONS TO DOING IT IN DIGITAL SIGNAL PROCESSING.

SO WHAT WE DO IS WE COLLECT A LOT MORE LIGHT THAN OTHER TELESCOPES, AND THEN WE COMBINE THAT LIGHT.

WE DO-- WE FOCUS THAT LIGHT ENTIRELY WITH VERY, VERY BIG COMPUTERS.

AND THAT ALLOWS US TO BE BOTH VERY, VERY SENSITIVE.

BUT ALSO SEE LARGE SWATHS OF THE SKY AT ONCE, ENABLES US TO SEE MORE OF THESE TRANSIGENT FNTZ LIKE THESE FAST RADIO BURSTS.

>> Neisloss: MONICA, THIS IS A FIELD WHICH IS NOT ACCESSIBLE TO MANY.

DO YOU SPEND A LOT OF TIME TRYING TO DRAW CHILDREN OR MAKE THIS MORE ACCESSIBLE TO CHILDREN, TO BRING THEM IN TO UNDERSTANDING ABOUT THIS?

>> THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

I MEAN, "SKY & TELESCOPE" IS REALLY GEARED TOWARDS TEENAGED YEARS AND UP, SO WE'RE NOT REALLY A CHILDREN'S MAGAZINE.

WE ARE ALWAYS TALKING TO AMATEUR ASTRONOMERS WHO LOVE THE SKY AND ARE USING TO LOOKING AT INVISIBLE LIGHT.

DEFINITELY WE DO SPEND TIME TRYING TO EXPLAIN, HAVING PRIMMERS DONE ON HOW DO THESE KIND OF RADIO OBSERVATIONS WORK, NOT JUST FOR CHIME, BUT ALSO, FOR EXAMPLE, LOOKING AT THE BACK HOLE AT THE CENTER OF THE MILKY WAY, THE STUNG IMAGES OF THE BLACK HOLE THAT THEY RECENTLY RELEASED.

THAT'S A HUGE COMPLEX PROCESS.

SO THOSE KINDS OF THINGS, WE DO SPEND A LOT OF TIME TRYING TO EXPLAIN HOW THOSE IMAGES ARE CREATED.

>> Neisloss: PROFESSOR MASUI, HOW WOULD YOU ENCOURAGE THOSE WHO MAY NOT HAVE THIS BEEP LEVEL OF EXPERTISE IN YOUR FIELD, HOW WOULD YOU ENCOURAGE THEM TO BE ABLE TO DIVE INTO THIS?

>> THERE'S SO MUCH GREAT SCIENCE JOURNALISM HAPPENING TODAY BY PUBLICATIONS LIKE "SKY & TELESCOPE" AND "SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN" "NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC."

THEY JUST DO A STUNNING JOB OF BREAKING IT DOWN AND MAKING IT ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC.

I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE THROUGH DISCOVERIES LIKE THIS ONE, YOU KNOW, SPEAKING WITH MANY OF THESE JOURNALISTS, AND THEY'RE JUST REAL PROFESSIONALS.

THEY'RE VERY GOOD AT WHAT THEY DO.

SO I ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO DIVE IN TO THAT SORT OF VAST LITERATURE AND ECOSYSTEM OF PUBLICATIONS THAT REALLY DO BREAK IT DOWN AND MAKE IT ACCESSIBLE.

>> Neisloss: WELL, THANK YOU, BOTH.

IT'S VERY INTARIQING.

THERE'S A LOT THERE TO EXPLORE.

KIYOSHI MASUI AND MONICA YOUNG, THANK YOU.

THAT'S IT FOR TONIGHT.

JIM WILL BE BACK NEXT WEEK TO KICK OFF A JAM-PACKED SLATE OF STATE PRIMARY DEBATES.

ON MONDAY, THE DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL WILL ALL FACE OFF.

THEN TUESDAY, THE DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES FOR LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR.

THEN ON MONDAY, THE FOLLOWING WEEK, WE'LL HAVE THE DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES FOR STATE AUDITOR.

ON WEDNESDAY, THE 10th, WE'LL HAVE THE DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES FOR SECRETARY OF STATE.

ALL THAT KICKS OF MONDAY AT 7:00 HERE ON GBH-2, OR SEE IT FIRST ON THE GBHNews YOUTUBE PAGE, MONDAY AT 6:30.

THANKS FOR WATCHING.

AND GOOD NIGHT.

Captioned by Media Access Group at WGBH access.wgbh.org