Radiolab: "Dark Side of the Earth"

Episode Date: October 8, 2012
Hosts: Jad Abumrad & Robert Krulwich
Guest: Dave Wolf (NASA Astronaut)

Episode Overview

In this episode of Radiolab, Jad and Robert explore the theme of "darkness"—both literal and metaphorical—through the eyes and experiences of NASA astronaut Dave Wolf. Sharing a gripping first-person account, Wolf describes the intense and otherworldly experience of darkness while orbiting Earth, particularly during his spacewalk aboard the Russian MIR space station in the late 1990s. The episode masterfully fuses science, human vulnerability, awe, and the existential with the show’s signature sonic storytelling.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Extreme Darkness in Space (03:42–04:43)

• Unimaginable Contrast:
  Wolf illustrates the brutally clear separation of light and shadow in space, far beyond what is experienced on Earth.
• Details from Spacewalks:
  • Shadows in space are so utterly black that an astronaut’s arm can disappear in front of their face.
  • No reflected light from atmosphere, earth, or clouds; pure, “absolute dark.”
• Quote:
  "The shadow is blacker than any black you thought it could be out there in space. The shadow has no light in it… You can reach into a shadow so deep, so black, that your arm can appear to disappear."
  —Dave Wolf, (04:17–04:43)

The Surreal Spacewalk: Darkness Turns to Blazing Light (05:55–08:15)

• Walking on Russian MIR:
  Wolf describes doing his first spacewalk, over the ocean, on the night side of the Earth. The darkness was so thick the planet itself became invisible—a hole where there should be stars.
• Sudden Sunrise:
  As the spacecraft orbits into sunlight at 5 miles per second, sunrise comes as a visceral shock, with daylight exploding all at once.
• Quote:
  "Suddenly I can look down 200 miles and see that we’re moving at 5 miles per second. … And I clutched onto these handrails like there’s no tomorrow. White knuckled in my spacesuit gloves because I suddenly had this enormous sense of height and speed."
  —Dave Wolf, (07:33–07:47)
• Physical Impact:
  The temperature inside the suit jumps by up to 400 degrees instantly, reinforcing how reliant astronauts are on their technology.

Spacewalk Dangers: Locked Out & Facing Death (10:12–15:13)

• Lost Airlock:
  After completing repairs, Wolf and his cosmonaut partner Anatoly Solovyev are unable to re-enter; the airlock fails to pressurize.
• Life Support Threats:
  The most immediate threat isn't oxygen, but the CO₂ scrubbing unit, which if depleted, causes a slow, unpleasant death.
  • "What you run out of first is your carbon dioxide scrubbing unit. …when you die of CO₂ intoxication, that drags out. That’s a miserable way to go." —Dave Wolf, (10:47–11:15)
• Desperate Measure:
  They attempt to use an adjacent module as an improvised airlock, requiring them to disconnect their cooling umbilicals (risking fatal overheating in minutes).
  • Visors fog up, forcing them to navigate by touch.
  • In a haunting moment, Wolf catches a glimpse of his family photo taped to the wall—a profoundly human and emotional experience in the midst of potential calamity.
  • "So this is how it’s going to end. So this is it. And look, it’s so strange. There they are. And I look back at that and I shudder." —Dave Wolf, (14:53–15:13)
• They Survive:
  Wolf and Solovyev barely get back inside, only realizing later how close to death they truly were.

Space’s Psychological and Poetic Quiet (15:49–18:09)

• A Moment of Cosmic Stillness:
  Wolf recounts a memory where Solovyev encourages him to relax during a wait, pushing away from the ship so only the void is visible.
• Pure Presence:
  With the air conditioner down, headlamp off, and all distractions gone, he feels he is one with the universe—weightless, floating among the stars, space’s vastness all around.
• Quote:
  "I couldn’t feel anything outside. A spacecraft going 5 miles per second out in the universe."
  —Dave Wolf, (17:10–17:12)
• Solovyev’s Lesson:
  A hush falls; no talking, just “Relax, relax, relax…” (17:37–17:41).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Blackness in Space:
  "You can reach into a shadow so deep, so black, that your arm can appear to disappear."
  —Dave Wolf, (04:32–04:43)

• On the Suddenness of Space Sunrise:
  "The Earth lights up below me. Suddenly I can look down 200 miles and see that we’re moving at 5 miles per second."
  —Dave Wolf, (07:33–07:43)

• The Picture on the Wall:
  "And it was an area I had been sleeping in some weeks before. And I had left a picture of my family taped with Scotch tape on the wall. …So this is how it’s going to end. So this is it. And look, it’s so strange. There they are. And I look back at that and I shudder."
  —Dave Wolf, (14:47–15:13)

• On Astronaut Bonds:
  "Not many people have been through anything like that together and are there to talk about it."
  —Dave Wolf, (15:39–15:47)

• Cosmic Relaxation:
  "I felt like I was just out in the universe in the stars. I couldn’t see anything but stars all around me. I couldn’t feel anything outside. A spacecraft going 5 miles per second out in the universe."
  —Dave Wolf, (16:57–17:12)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 03:42: Dave Wolf introduces his “darkness” story
• 04:17: Describes otherworldly blackness of shadows in space
• 05:55: Reliving his first spacewalk and the absence of the Earth
• 07:17: Sudden, explosive sunrise in orbit
• 10:12: Trouble re-entering the space station: realization of danger
• 11:15: Technical explanation of CO₂ poisoning risk in spacesuits
• 13:09: Rushing to reach safety, risking overheating and blindness
• 14:47: Emotional glimpse of family photo at the brink of disaster
• 15:49: Final story: experiencing the universe’s silence and stillness
• 17:16: The Russian cosmonaut instructs, “Just relax…"

Tone and Language

Throughout the episode, the tone oscillates between awe, tension, and intimacy. Jad and Robert bring their signature wonder and curiosity, while Wolf balances technical language with plainspoken emotion and vivid, poetic imagery.

Summary

"Dark Side of the Earth" captures both the majesty and peril of space. Through Dave Wolf’s eyes, listeners confront darkness in its most literal form—blackness so total it makes limbs vanish—and the metaphorical darkness of facing mortality in the void. The episode is a journey into both outer space and inner experience, blending breathtaking science and deeply human storytelling, all set to Radiolab’s immersive soundscape.