Dark Side of the Earth

Summary

Radiolab: "Dark Side of the Earth" – Detailed Summary

Release Date: December 13, 2024
Hosts: Lulu Miller and Latif Nasser
Produced by: WNYC Studios

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Introduction: Exploring the Depths of Darkness

In the episode titled "Dark Side of the Earth," Radiolab delves into the profound and often misunderstood concept of darkness, both in the vastness of space and within the human experience. The hosts, Lulu Miller and Latif Nasser, employ their signature investigative journalism and innovative sound design to navigate through scientific phenomena, personal narratives, and the edge of human endurance.

The Nature of Darkness in Space

The episode begins with an exploration of darkness from an astronomical perspective. Latif Nasser expresses Radiolab’s passion for bringing listeners closer to phenomena that are "unimaginably big" or "microscopically small" (00:02:25). This sets the stage for a deep dive into the absolute darkness experienced in space, where the absence of light is not merely a lack but an immersive and tangible state.

Notable Quote:
*"Darkness has no reflected light from dust in the air, the Earth around you, or clouds. It's just pure, absolute dark." – Dave Wolf (00:09:31)

Interview with Astronaut Dave Wolf

The centerpiece of the episode is an intensive interview with NASA astronaut Dave Wolf, who shares his firsthand experiences of darkness during spacewalks. Through vivid storytelling, Wolf describes moments when he and his Soviet cosmonaut colleague, Anatoly Solovev, faced extreme conditions while performing repairs on the Mir space station.

Key Experiences:

1. Extreme Contrast Between Light and Dark:
   Wolf recounts the profound contrast encountered during spacewalks, where shadows are deeper than any earthly darkness, allowing one's limb to seemingly disappear into the void (00:09:02).

2. The Sunrise Phenomenon at High Speed:
   While orbiting Earth at five miles per second, Wolf experiences the rapid transition from darkness to blinding light as the sun rises over the horizon. This sudden illumination transforms the environment in mere seconds, creating an overwhelming sense of height and speed (00:12:19).

   Notable Quote:
   *"It's like if you're just standing comfortably on the ground and then someone just flips on the lights suddenly and you realize, actually I'm not on the ground, I am on a 400,000 foot ladder." – Dave Wolf (00:13:01)

3. The Near-Fatal Airlock Incident:
   The narrative reaches a harrowing moment when Wolf and Solovev find themselves unable to re-enter the airlock due to a malfunction. As they attempt to create a new entry point by connecting to an adjacent module, they must disconnect their umbilicals, leading to a life-threatening scenario as their suits begin to overheat.

   Notable Quote:
   *"You can boil inside your spacesuit in a very ugly way." – Dave Wolf (00:21:37)

   In a desperate bid for survival, Wolf describes an almost surreal moment where he glimpses a taped picture of his family through his visor, reinforcing the fragility of life amidst the infinite darkness.

   Notable Quote:
   *"It was just me and the spacecraft and darkness... I couldn't see anything but out in space. And I felt like I didn't have a spacesuit on. It was so comfortable... It was like floating in the universe." – Dave Wolf (00:24:28)

Production Insights: Bringing Darkness to Life

Latif Nasser provides an insider’s look into the production of the episode, highlighting the lengths Radiolab goes to make abstract concepts tangible. This includes the construction of a cloud chamber, the use of a 500-person choir, and collaborations with the Palabolis Dance Theater to create shadow plays that mimic the vastness and mystery of space darkness.

Notable Quote:
*"We built a cloud chamber in our studio. Made a 500 person choir sing. The spectrum of color a mantis shrimp sees... Made me actually feel like I touched a star." – Robert Krilwich (00:03:21)

These creative elements not only enhance the auditory experience but also engage the audience's imagination, making complex scientific ideas accessible and emotionally resonant.

Reflections on Human Connection and Survival

The episode poignantly explores the human aspect of extreme experiences. Dave Wolf and Anatoly Solovev’s bond, forged through life-threatening adversity, underscores the theme of connection amidst isolation. The hosts reflect on the psychological strains of spacewalks, such as losing orientation or the fear of falling, and emphasize the importance of focusing on the task at hand to maintain composure and ensure survival.

Notable Quote:
*"The only thing to do in that circumstance is just to focus on your job. Look straight ahead, only at the screw. Don’t look down." – Dave Wolf (00:14:52)

Conclusion: The Essence of Darkness

"Dark Side of the Earth" culminates in a meditation on the interplay between darkness and light, both literal and metaphorical. The episode invites listeners to ponder the vastness of space and the inner darkness that individuals may face, highlighting resilience, human ingenuity, and the quest for understanding in the face of the unknown.

Closing Thoughts:
Wolf’s stories not only recount the physical challenges of space exploration but also delve into the psychological and emotional dimensions of confronting absolute darkness. Radiolab’s masterful storytelling and sound design leave listeners with a profound appreciation for the mysteries of the universe and the human spirit.

Notable Quote:
*"We hope those efforts have given you something. A laugh on a hard day, a factoid to drop at a party, a moment that made you feel less alone, even just something to wonder about when you're lying in bed in the middle of the night." – Latif Nasser (00:04:18)

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Acknowledgments and Credits

The episode is a collaborative effort, featuring contributions from a dedicated team of producers, sound designers, and performers. Special thanks are extended to astronaut Dave Wolf, Palabolis Dance Theater, and all behind-the-scenes staff who brought "Dark Side of the Earth" to life.

Production Team Includes:

• Hosts: Lulu Miller, Latif Nasser
• Creators: Jad Abumrad, Robert Krulwich
• Sound Design: Dylan Keefe
• Guests: Dave Wolf, Anatoly Solovev
• Dance and Music: Palabolis Dance Theater, Tao Nguyen, Jason Slota

For more information and to explore related content, visit Radiolab.org.

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Timestamps Reference:

• Introduction to Darkness: 00:02:25
• Astronaut Interview Begins: 00:06:04
• Extreme Contrast Description: 00:09:02
• Sunrise Phenomenon: 00:12:19
• Airlock Incident: 00:21:37
• Survival Reflection: 00:24:28
• Production Insights: 00:03:21
• Focus and Survival Tip: 00:14:52
• Closing Thoughts: 00:04:18

(Note: Timestamps correspond to the transcript provided and highlight key moments within the episode.)

Transcript

[Latif Nasser]

Radiolab is supported by Capital One Banking with Capital One helps you keep more money in your wallet with no fees or minimums on checking accounts and no overdraft fees. Just ask the Capital One Bank Guy. It's pretty much all he talks about in a good way. He'd also tell you that Radiolab is his favorite podcast too. Oh really? Thanks Capital One Bank Guy. What's in your wallet? Terms apply. See capital1.com Bank Capital One NA member FDIC Radiolab is supported by Dell it's.

[Jad Abumrad]

Your last chance to snag Dell Technologies lowest prices of the year before the holidays. The Future is on sale today with.

[Latif Nasser]

Limited time deals on select PCs like the XPS 16 that accelerate AI with Intel Core Ultra processors.

[Jad Abumrad]

This is their biggest sale of the.

[Latif Nasser]

Year and the best time to upgrade.

[Jad Abumrad]

But it's only here for a limited time. Shop [e-mail] deals that's dell.com deals.

[Latif Nasser]

Radiolab is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Do you ever find yourself playing the budgeting game? Well, with the Name youe Price Tool from Progressive, you can find options that fit your budget and potentially lower your bills. Try [e-mail] progressive casualty insurance company and affiliates price and coverage match limited by state law. Not available in all states. Radiolab is supported by Made In Cookware As a Radiolab listener, you know we like to nerd out and explore things like how seagulls from the 1970s shook up our understanding of what's natural in all of us animals and how far the moon actually is. The usual Made In Cookware is into exploration too, creating products that help us answer questions like have you wanted to cook lobster but balked because the process seemed too intimidating? When it comes to picking the right ones and what tools you need to dig in, it can seem like a lot. Armed with Made In's Stainless Clad stock pot and their how to Cook Lobster blog post, there's no need to be afraid. With their professional grade stainless clad, carbon steel, nonstick and enameled cast iron cookware collections, Made in lets you focus on memorable meals. Cook like a pro with Made In. For full details visit madeincookware.com that's M A D E I N cookware.com.

[Jad Abumrad]

Listener.

[Latif Nasser]

Support at WNYC Studios Hey, Latif Nasser here. So one of the things I've always loved about being at Radiolab is that we take a kind of obsessive pleasure in trying to get you closer than you've ever been to things that are an asteroid. Unimaginably big.

[Jad Abumrad]

Put it at 120ft across. £220 million.

[Robert Krilwich]

Oh, my gosh.

[Latif Nasser]

Or microscopically small, into the tiny bits.

[Jad Abumrad]

Of the nucleus of the atom.

[Latif Nasser]

Or far away. There's a place at the edge of our solar system.

[Jad Abumrad]

Right at the edge. The edge of the edge.

[Latif Nasser]

Or right there in front of us, but hidden from view, a sort of.

[Robert Krilwich]

Organ inside the human body that scientists had completely missed.

[Latif Nasser]

And we go to absurd lengths.

[Jad Abumrad]

Oh.

[Latif Nasser]

To make things so fantastically distant from our everyday lives feel real.

[Robert Krilwich]

I saw one.

[Latif Nasser]

We built a cloud chamber in our studio. Made a 500 person choir sing. The spectrum of color a mantis shrimp sees. One of the very first radio labs I ever heard. Made me actually feel like I touched a star.

[Jad Abumrad]

Oh, my God, they're so bright.

[Latif Nasser]

That's really cool. Sometimes getting close is about getting in.

[Robert Krilwich]

The mind of the beginner.

[Latif Nasser]

There are many possibilities.

[Robert Krilwich]

In the mind of the expert, there are few.

[Latif Nasser]

Emotionally close. I get choked up.

[Robert Krilwich]

Why does that choke you up? Because it's so profound.

[Latif Nasser]

We always try to get the person at the heart of the story to be the one to tell it. And, like, what if she died?

[Jad Abumrad]

Like, what would happen? Like, would we have a funeral?

[Latif Nasser]

In their own voice? Did she know I was there?

[Jad Abumrad]

And if she didn't know I was.

[Latif Nasser]

There, did she wonder where I had gone?

[Jad Abumrad]

And did she feel alone?

[Robert Krilwich]

And is she scared?

[Latif Nasser]

We hope those efforts have given you something. A laugh on a hard day, a factoid to drop at a party, a moment that made you feel less alone, even just something to wonder about when you're lying in bed in the middle of the night. And now, here's where I ask you. Any of you who are willing and able to give us something back. We need your support to keep building cloud chambers and visiting quasi moons and creating elaborate soundscapes so we can feel and see and taste and touch the abstract. The best way to do that is to join the lab, Radiolab's membership program. Listener support is a crucial part of how we get to make the show. And when you join in, it also gets you fun stuff, exclusive merch, bonus content ad, free listening, and right now, a beautiful Radiolab poster. Go to Radiolab.org join to become a member or check out the poster. Also, even if you don't give, next week in this feed will be a short little holiday gift for you. Where. I mean, I can't even believe I got to do this interview. We will hear from a person in charge of a space mission that if you asked me last week, I would have said was impossible. Like you couldn't even write this into a movie. No one would believe you. But it actually is happening, and you're going to hear about it here next week. As for right now, while we're making that little extra bit of radio for you, I want to offer you this story we did back in 2012, which takes you to a place that fewer than 300 people have ever been, with a view of the universe that is, to say the least striking here is Dark side of the Earth. Wait, you're listening.

[Robert Krilwich]

Okay. All right.

[Latif Nasser]

Okay.

[Robert Krilwich]

All right.

[Jad Abumrad]

You're listening to Radio Lab, Radiolab from wnyc.

[Latif Nasser]

Rewind.

[Jad Abumrad]

Hey, I'm Jad Abumrad.

[Robert Krilwich]

I'm Robert Krilwich.

[Jad Abumrad]

This is Radiolab, the podcast. And we've just finished our in the Dark tour, which is the thing we've been, you know, yammering on about for the last year. And we wanted to play for you in this podcast one of our favorite stories from that show.

[Robert Krilwich]

Now, this was designed for the eye as well as the ear, this particular performance. So you will not see the Palabolis Dance Theater, which means you will not see. See. Oh, my.

[Jad Abumrad]

Pretty amazing stuff happening on that stage.

[Robert Krilwich]

Yeah. Strangely beautiful shadow plays on huge white canvas on a gigantic stage.

[Jad Abumrad]

You could go to the website and you can see [e-mail].

[Robert Krilwich]

Yeah, these guys are really.

[Jad Abumrad]

They're magicians.

[Robert Krilwich]

They do.

[Jad Abumrad]

Yeah, they really are. We should also note that this story was scored live by the amazing Tao Nguyen, with Jason Slota on the drums, Jamie Riota on the bass, and it was recorded masterfully at UCLA's Royce hall by Reverend John Delore.

[Robert Krilwich]

So here it is.

[Jad Abumrad]

So for our final segment, we were thinking through this show, we thought, you know, who would have a really interesting perspective on darkness?

[Robert Krilwich]

Maybe somebody who works in a rich, dark environment. Astronauts, for example.

[Jad Abumrad]

Yeah. So we called up NASA, talked to an astronaut. We connected our little studio in New York to their studio in D.C. to talk to an astronaut, but he was a little late. And here's the funny thing. When you are on hold with NASA, this is literally what you hear. This has a blast off feel to it.

[Robert Krilwich]

Yeah, it does.

[Jad Abumrad]

This is amazing.

[Robert Krilwich]

This, by the way, is literally the case you dial 1-800-NASA or whatever, and this is Go to the Moon music.

[Jad Abumrad]

Uh. Oh, hello. I hear someone breathing. Can you hear me?

[Robert Krilwich]

It's probably. I'm breathing. That's an interesting way to meet.

[Jad Abumrad]

So this is our guy. Dave Wolf is his name. He's a NASA astronaut.

[Robert Krilwich]

Have been since 1990, over 20 years.

[Jad Abumrad]

He wasn't really sure why we had called him.

[Robert Krilwich]

What. What's our topic here?

[Jad Abumrad]

So we explained to him that, you know, we're doing this show called in the Dark. We're going to do it on stage in front of some very nice folks. Do you have any stories that relate. And right off the bat, he says.

[Robert Krilwich]

You'Ve triggered an interesting darkness story. I have. Well, that's why we calling you up.

[Jad Abumrad]

Yeah.

[Robert Krilwich]

Okay. You're taping and you're ready? Yep. Darkness is an interesting theme in space because there's nowhere where the contrast between light and dark is any more extreme.

[Jad Abumrad]

Dave has done dozens of spacewalks, and he says there have been times when he's just sort of out there floating in space next to the craft, and maybe the ship tilts a little bit and the wing blocks light that's coming from the sun or the moon and it creates a shadow. And he says the darkness of that.

[Robert Krilwich]

Shadow is blacker than any black you thought it could be out there in space, the shadow has no light in it. There's not reflected light from dust in the air, the Earth around you, or clouds.

[Jad Abumrad]

It's just pure, absolute dark.

[Robert Krilwich]

And you can reach into a shadow so deep, so black, that your arm can appear to disappear. Wow. Right in front of your face, your head is in the bright light, and your arm is in this depth of.

[Jad Abumrad]

Darkness, and it's just gone. Like it's been cut off.

[Robert Krilwich]

Yeah.

[Jad Abumrad]

Wow.

[Robert Krilwich]

But I do want to tell you an experience I had in my first space walk. Late 97. I had this experience.

[Jad Abumrad]

Okay.

[Robert Krilwich]

It was from a Russian spacecraft, you might remember, the MIR spacecraft.

[Jad Abumrad]

So Dave was up there. He was with two Russian cosmonauts, and he and Anatoly Solove, they were suited up and getting ready to make their first walk into space, or his first walk.

[Robert Krilwich]

And we did all the preparations to get the suits ready. And we're in the airlock, and.

[Latif Nasser]

The.

[Jad Abumrad]

Door opened and they floated out.

[Robert Krilwich]

We clipped our tethers on outside, and.

[Jad Abumrad]

He and Anatoly gently float to the work site.

[Robert Krilwich]

And it was dark out. And dark up in space means you're on the night side of the Earth, in the shadow of the Earth. And there were no external lights on this spacecraft. This was really, really dark. And we were over the ocean. And at night, that basically means you don't see the Earth.

[Jad Abumrad]

You don't see it at all.

[Robert Krilwich]

Not at all. When it's a. A moonless night, you don't see the Earth. In fact, all it might look like to you is the Absence of stars.

[Jad Abumrad]

Now, I want you to imagine this with me. He's up there in this darkness and the Earth with all of us on it is somewhere far, far below him, but he can't see it. And all the while, and this is really important for what happens next, he is shooting through space. He's rocketing across the dark shadow of the earth at five miles a second. That is 16 times the speed that we're all moving right now because we are on the Earth. But he says at that moment he didn't feel any of that. It just felt like he was suspended.

[Robert Krilwich]

In this cocoon of black, floating gently. And he thought, all right, no problem.

[Jad Abumrad]

This is kind of peaceful because it.

[Robert Krilwich]

Was just me and the spacecraft and blackness. And suddenly this blazing light blasts him from below. What was it?

[Jad Abumrad]

It was the sunrise, you know, because he and the ship were moving so quickly at the sunrise, which normally happens here on Earth, very, very slowly, calmly, at that speed up there, the sun comes screaming from the eastern edge of the Earth straight across. The Earth lights up everything in seconds.

[Robert Krilwich]

And the Earth lights up below me. Suddenly down 200 miles and see that we're moving at 5 miles per second.

[Jad Abumrad]

Oceans whoosh, clouds whoosh, deserts whoosh. And he's like.

[Robert Krilwich]

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.

[Jad Abumrad]

He says it was sort of like if you're just standing comfortably on the ground and then someone just flips on the lights suddenly and you realize, actually I'm not on the ground, I am on a 400,000 foot ladder. Crazier still, in that sunrise moment, the.

[Robert Krilwich]

Temperature also increases by upwards of 400 degrees in the moment. In the moment.

[Jad Abumrad]

Really, this is the most extreme thing I've ever heard.

[Robert Krilwich]

Are you air conditioned or whatever? Are you? You are. We are totally dependent on that spacesuit. But the colors, what you're seeing on that Earth is so spectacular. The greens and blues and the delicate pastel like colors and the contrast and the brights are just aren't present in anything I've ever seen other than up in space.

[Jad Abumrad]

Dave and his Russian buddy Anatoly, they're out there for hours doing repairs on the ship. So they are, because of their speed, they're going in and out and in and out of these days and nights.

[Robert Krilwich]

So it's 90 minutes of a light dark cycle. So you have 16 nights and 16 days for every Earth day.

[Jad Abumrad]

Which means as they're working this Change is happening over and over and over. Every 45 minutes they go from blazing light to quiet dark, blazing light to darkness.

[Robert Krilwich]

You can get lost. You get stories of people doing spacewalks that lose their orientation or feel like they're falling.

[Jad Abumrad]

So he says the only thing to do in that circumstance is just to focus on your job. Look straight ahead, only at the screw. Only at the screw.

[Robert Krilwich]

Don't look down. Is kind of, it's real in this business.

[Jad Abumrad]

So we would am perfectly happy to end the story right here because Dave and Anatoly finish their repairs. Job well done. They get ready to come back into the spacecraft. But we cannot not tell you what happens next.

[Robert Krilwich]

Yeah. Because this flirts with a very different kind of darkness.

[Jad Abumrad]

Yeah.

[Latif Nasser]

And that darkness we will get to right after this break. This year at Radiolab, we've done a lot of looking up. We named a quasi moon. We pondered what would happen if our moon disappeared entirely. But as the year ends, we're shifting our gaze from the stars to the future. And I know I've said it before, but it truly is only possible to make these stories with your financial support. Consider supporting us by joining our membership program, the Lab. And if you join in the next month, we'll send you a stunning celestial themed poster made by artist Tara anand. Go to radiolab.org join to check out the poster and sign up for the Lab. Radiolab is supported by Capital One Banking with Capital One helps you keep more money in your wallet with no fees or minimums on checking accounts and no overdraft fees. Just ask the Capital One bank guy. It's pretty much all he talks about in a good way. He'd also tell you that Radiolab is his favorite podcast too. Oh, really? Thanks, Capital One Bank Guy. What's in your wallet? Terms apply. See capital1.com bank capital1na member FDIC. Radiolab is sponsored by BetterHelp. The holidays are a really stressful time. I am not a fan of them. Christmas, especially not a fan. But whether you are or you aren't, BetterHelp is here to help. I have long believed that taking care of your mental health is just as important as your physical health. And therapy is a great way to do that. It can teach you helpful skills, help you set boundaries, or just, you know, give you the support you need. Plus, BetterHelp makes it super easy. It's all online on your schedule. You go fill out a quick questionnaire, get matched with a license therapist, and you can switch therapists at no extra charge to find comfort. Whether you love or hate the holidays with BetterHelp, visit betterhelp.com Radiolab today to get 10% off your first month. That's BetterHelp. H E L P.com Radiolab Radiolab is supported by Made In Cookware. As a Radiolab listener, you know we like to nerd out and explore things like how seagulls from the 1970s shook up our understanding of what's natural and all of us animals and how far the moon actually is. The usual Made In Cookware is into exploration too, creating products that help us answer questions like have you wanted to cook lobster but balked because the process seemed too intimidating? When it comes to picking the right ones and what tools you need to dig in, it can seem like a lot. Armed with Made In's Stainless Clad stock pot and their how to Cook Lobster blog post, there's no need to be afraid. With their professional grade stainless clad, carbon steel, nonstick and enameled cast iron cookware collections, Made in lets you focus on memorable meals. Cook like a pro with Made In. For full details visit madeincookware.com that's M A D E I N cookware.com hey Latif radio Lab picking back up with our story of astronauts Dave Wolf and Anatoly Soloviev.

[Jad Abumrad]

So the two of them pull themselves by their tethers to come back into the airlock to go back in.

[Robert Krilwich]

But when it was time to come.

[Jad Abumrad]

Back in, they couldn't get back in.

[Robert Krilwich]

You were locked out of your spaceship? You could call it locked out. We were trapped outside, yes.

[Jad Abumrad]

Essentially, their airlock was busted. They couldn't repressurize it. And if you can't get it at the right pressure, you can't reenter.

[Robert Krilwich]

And we worked on it for four or five hours and ran out our resources and.

[Jad Abumrad]

Wait a second, ran out of oxygen or what?

[Robert Krilwich]

You have plenty of oxygen. It turns out what you run out of first is your carbon dioxide scrubbing unit that takes the CO2 out of your suit. And now the problem with this one is usually in a space accident, you figure it'll only hurt for a moment. But when you die of CO2 intoxication that drags out. That's not. That's a. That's a miserable way to go. What?

[Latif Nasser]

What does he mean?

[Robert Krilwich]

Did you ever find out?

[Jad Abumrad]

What happens is first you get a headache and then your muscles start to twitch. Eventually your heartbeat starts to accelerate faster, faster, faster, you go into convulsions and then you die.

[Robert Krilwich]

Luckily, the life support system has an extra cartridge that gave Us an extra six or so hours. We used all that and trying to fix the hatch and we couldn't get it to hold air. And we were done.

[Jad Abumrad]

Did you know you were done? I mean.

[Robert Krilwich]

Yeah, yeah, pretty much. You mean done like in over? Yeah, yeah. No more ideas.

[Jad Abumrad]

Done like in dead. So they decide, okay, we gotta do something. Last ditch maneuver. If we can't get our usual airlock to work, maybe we can make a new one. Because see, on the Mir space station, it's this big cylinder with these rectangular modules that jut out. And one of those modules is the airlock, but there are these adjacent ones which are normally just living quarters. They thought, well, if we can't get our usual airlock to pressurize at the right pressure, maybe we can go to the next one over and try and pressurize it.

[Robert Krilwich]

Essentially treating that next module in as a airlock. And we opened the hatch into that next module and in order though to go into it, we had to disconnect our umbilicals because you can't close the hatch over your umbilical. Right. And the umbilical was providing our cooling to our suits. So as soon as we disconnected. Well, that gives you maybe five, eight minutes at max before you.

[Jad Abumrad]

Before you what?

[Robert Krilwich]

I don't even want to talk about it. It's so bad. Did you look that up?

[Jad Abumrad]

Yeah, I looked this one up too. Essentially what happens is you boil inside.

[Robert Krilwich]

Your spacesuit in a very ugly way.

[Jad Abumrad]

So Dave and Ed told think, okay, we've got to get through this tiny hatch into this room. And they've got to do it fast. But they also know if you struggle.

[Robert Krilwich]

Hard and go too fast, you won't get much time at all in that suit before that heat builds up on you.

[Jad Abumrad]

So he thinks, okay, hurry, hurry, but slowly, slowly.

[Robert Krilwich]

What I did not anticipate was as soon as we disconnected our umbilicals that the visor would fog up and you'd now be having to feel your way through blind. Yeah, you could spit and kind of get a little area through the fog. So I'm in the airlock trying to make my way into the next section. And I was crawling along the wall, moving into the next section and I spit on my visor, you know, to make a little hole to look through and get a hint. 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. And I spit on the visor and my helmet light went there and there was this picture of my family right here in this moment as I was scooting across the wall in what was likely my last minute. 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.

[Jad Abumrad]

Now, of course, Dave and his partner made it back into the space station, barely.

[Robert Krilwich]

But it didn't strike me really till months later on Earth how close that had been. And what a strange situation. This Russian guy must be your best friend, like he must be. Yeah, we do. Look, call each other and say 20 years later you go, well, not many people have been through anything like that together and are there to talk about it. And you just reminded me of something.

[Jad Abumrad]

So we're going to leave you with one last story from Dave. He was kind of a story machine. This is from that same stay in space involves the same friend, Anatoly. They were out there doing some work on the ship, floating in space again. And then mission control radios and tells them to pause for a while.

[Robert Krilwich]

We had a period where we had to wait through the night to go on with our work. So he says, look, David. It was all in Russian, of course. I wanted to show you something. And we hooked our tethers on, pushed ourselves about six feet away. We had about six feet of tether so that our eyes couldn't see anything but out in space. And I turned my air conditioner down a little, you know, so it was kind of warm. And I was floating in this spacesuit, just looking out into the blackness of space. And I felt like I didn't have a spacesuit on. It was so comfortable. The air temperature was just right. 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.

[Jad Abumrad]

Was that what he wanted to show you?

[Robert Krilwich]

Yeah, I think so. This is his rocking chair on the front porch thing, or a hammock almost. He didn't want to talk. He said, let's just be quiet. Turn your helmet light off so you don't get any reflected light. Just relax, relax, relax, relax, relax. Now, had you been there in the theater? This is the moment where we gave everybody a little pinpoint of light, a little hand carried star that they could put over their heads and wave together.

[Jad Abumrad]

Like 2000 tiny little lights from the seats. It's like a canopy of stars. We saw this happen again and again, like 18 times, I think we performed this and every time it was just, like, breathtaking.

[Robert Krilwich]

Yeah.

[Jad Abumrad]

Sa this whole show came together thanks to so many people on stage and off. And we want to make a couple of thank yous before we go.

[Robert Krilwich]

Very, very special thanks to Meg Bowles, who found our astronaut.

[Jad Abumrad]

She found Dave Wolf.

[Robert Krilwich]

Yes. Also to Palabolist the dance company. And to the Palabola.

[Jad Abumrad]

Yes. Starting with Itamar Kubovi, Lily Bins, Matt Kent, Renee Jaworski, Greg Laffey.

[Robert Krilwich]

Yes.

[Jad Abumrad]

And the dancers.

[Robert Krilwich]

Chris Whitney, Heather Favretto, Anthony Oliva, Christina.

[Jad Abumrad]

Conger, Evan Adler, Anna Kashif, and the.

[Robert Krilwich]

Olvera twins, Edwin and Roberto.

[Jad Abumrad]

We love you guys.

[Robert Krilwich]

Yeah.

[Jad Abumrad]

Demetri Martin, thank you so much for coming and, you know, creating this show with us. Tao Nguyen and Jason Slota. Thank you so much to them and Mike Faba, Jake Fine, Serena Wong, John Delor, Melissa Lacasse, Dave Foley, Nick Niciforo.

[Robert Krilwich]

Caitlin Fitzwater, Rebecca Lehrer, and Rosalind Lutine.

[Latif Nasser]

Lutes.

[Robert Krilwich]

Lutes. Most of all, most, most, most of all to Alan Horn, who loved doing this and made it so fun to do.

[Jad Abumrad]

Hey, I'm Lemon and I'm from Richmond, Indiana. And here are the staff credits.

[Robert Krilwich]

Radiolab was created by Jad Abumrad and is edited by Soren Wheeler.

[Jad Abumrad]

Lulu Miller and Latif Nasser are our co hosts. Dylan Keefe is our director of Sound design.

[Robert Krilwich]

Our staff includes Simon Adler, Jeremy Bloom.

[Jad Abumrad]

Becca Bressler, W. Harry Fortun, David Gable, Maria Paz Gutierrez, Sindhu Nyan Sambandan, Bhatkilty.

[Robert Krilwich]

Rebecca Lacks, Annie McEwen, Alex Neeson, Sara.

[Jad Abumrad]

Khari, Sarah Sandbach, Anisa Viza, Arianne Wack, Pat Walters and Molly Webster.

[Robert Krilwich]

Our fact checkers are Diane Kelly, Emily.

[Jad Abumrad]

Krieger and Natalie Middleton.

[Latif Nasser]

Hi, my name is Treza.

[Robert Krilwich]

I'm calling from Colchester in Essex, uk. Leadership support for Radiolab Science programming is provided by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation Science Sandbox, Siemens Foundation Initiative and the John Templeton Foundation. Foundational support for Radiolab was provided by the Alfred Pease Loan Foundation.

[Latif Nasser]

And now a next level moment from AT&T business. Say you've sent out a gigantic shipment of pillows and they need to be there in time for International Sleep day. You've got ATT 5G so you're fully.

[Jad Abumrad]

Confident, but the vendor isn't responding.

[Latif Nasser]

An International Sleep Day is tomorrow.

[Robert Krilwich]

Luckily, AT&T 5G lets you deal with.

[Latif Nasser]

Any issues with ease.

[Robert Krilwich]

So the pillows will get delivered and.

[Latif Nasser]

Everyone can sleep soundly, especially you.

[Robert Krilwich]

ATT 5G requires a compatible plan and device.

[Latif Nasser]

5G is not available everywhere.

[Robert Krilwich]

See att.com 5G for you for details.

[Latif Nasser]

I'm Ira Flato, host of Science Friday. For over 30 years, our team has been reporting high quality news about science, technology and medicine.

[Robert Krilwich]

News you won't get anywhere else.

[Latif Nasser]

And now that political news is 24 7, our audience is turning to us to know about the really important stuff in their lives. Cancer, Climate change, Genetic engineering, Childhood diseases. Our sponsors know the value of science and health news. For more sponsorship information, visit sponsorship.wnyc.org.