Dr. Sam Lawler's Astronomy Research
Selected recorded lectures
Colloquium lecture: "Discoveries in the Kuiper Belt, and how satellites will make future discoveries harder"
Colloquium lecture: "Megaconstellations are Ruining the Night Sky for Everyone"
Colloquium lecture: "Megaconstellations are About to Ruin the Night Sky for Everyone"
Interview and public lecture: "Blinded by the Light"
Video lesson+activity for kids: our solar system and exoplanets
Panelist for "Losing the Sky" International Event
Lecture for amateur astronomers in Edinburgh, UK about Planet 9
Lecture for physics undergraduates: "Planet 9 or Planet Nein?"
First-person journalism by me
A New, Deadly Era of Space Junk Is Dawning, and No One Is Ready
Invited opinion articles written by me
Bright satellites are disrupting astronomy
Op-Ed: Satellites may devastate research astronomy. How we can save the night sky for science
Podcast interviews
Astronomer Samantha Lawler on Space Junk: Techtonic Podcast, Nov 2024
How Much of a Risk is Space Junk: BBC Inside Science Podcast, Aug 2024
A Close Encounter with SpaceX Debris: Scientific American Science Quickly Podcast, Aug 2024
The Troublesome Hunt for Planet 9: Starts with a Bang Podcast, June 2024
The dangers of Starlink satellites: Techtonic Podcast, Feb 2024
Astronomy, Starlink, light pollution and Planet Nine: Distributed Future Podcast, Apr 2023
"Go Far, Together" Podcast for University of Regina, Mar 2023
Why can't we find Planet Nine: SpacePod Podcast, Jul 2022
Selected press related to my research
2024 SpaceX Debris Fall in Saskatchewan
The Financial Times, Jan 2025
The Washington Post, Nov 2024
CBC National News, June 2024
Global News (National), June 2024
The Canadian Press, May 2024
The Western Producer, May 2024
Global News (National), May 2024
CBC National News, May 2024
CTV National News, May 2024
Satellite pollution
CBC Radio (National), Jan 2024
New York Times Magazine, Nov 2023
New York Times, Oct 2023
MIT Tech Review, Oct 2023
CBC Saskatchewan, Jun 2023
CBC Saskatchewan The Afternoon Edition, Jun 2023
MIT Tech Review, Mar 2023
Newsweek, Feb 2023
Scientific American, Jun 2022
Today FM radio (New Zealand), May 2022
CTV Regina, May 2022
Dubai Eye radio (Dubai), Apr 2022
CNN, Apr 2022
Yale Scientific Magazine, Mar 2022
Physics Today, Feb 2022
Scientific American, Feb 2022
CBC national science news, Feb 2022
New York Times, Feb 2022
Busan Morning Wave Radio (South Korea), Dec 2021
Wired Magazine, Dec 2021
CBC As It Happens (with Carol Off!), Dec 2021
EarthSky, Sep 2021
New Scientist, Sep 2021
CBC Saskatchewan radio, Sep 2021
Science News, Aug 2021
New Scientist, Aug 2021
Scientific American, Jun 2021
SkyNews, Mar 2021
NPR All Things Considered, Feb 2021
NPR Great Plains (Kansas), Feb 2021
CBC The National, Dec 2020
CBC Saskatchewan radio, Nov 2020
Planet 9 and the Kuiper Belt
Scientific American, Jan 2025 (Cover article!)
Physics Today, Nov 2024
Physics World, Sep 2023
New Scientist, Nov 2021
Science News, Feb 2021
Nature News, Feb 2021
Science Magazine, Feb 2021
Axios Magazine, Jul 2020
U. Regina's Discourse Research Magazine, May 2020
Prairie Dog Magazine, October 2019
Scientific American, June 2017
Scientific American, October 2016
Nature News, March 2016
Fomalhaut
National Geographic, May 2023
Sky & Telescope, May 2023
Comet Bernardinelli-Bernstein
Mashable, Jun 2021
Gizmodo Magazine, Jun 2021
New Scientist, Jun 2021
Night sky viewing and recent space news for the general public
CBC Saskatchwan Blue Sky, April 2024
CBC Saskatchwan Blue Sky, Feb 2024
CBC Saskatchwan Blue Sky, Mar 2023
CBC Saskatchwan, Jan 2023
CTV Regina, Jan 2023
CBC Saskatchewan The Morning Edition, Sept 2022
CBC Saskatchewan The Afternoon Edition, Dec 2021
CTV Regina, Nov 2021
CBC (TV), Aug 2021
CBC Saskatchewan The Morning Edition, Jan 2021
CBC Saskatchewan The Morning Edition, Aug 2020
CBC Saskatchewan The Morning Edition, Jul 2020
Campion
CBC Saskatchewan, March 2019
tau Ceti
Scientific American, January 2015
My science writing for the general public
Satellite Pollution
SpaceX space junk crashed onto Saskatchewan farmland, highlighting a potential impending disaster
As the skies become crowded with satellites, will it affect viewing the solar eclipse?
An Astronomer's Lament: Megaconstellations are Ruining Space Exploration
Soon, 1 out of every 15 points of light in the sky will be a satellite
It's not too late to save the night sky, but governments need to get serious about protecting it
SpaceX's Starlink satellites are about to ruin stargazing for everyone
Planet 9, the Kuiper Belt and exoplanets
The Curious Case of Fomalhaut b
Discovering Kuiper Belt Objects
Previously thought to be science fiction, a planet in a triple-star system has been discovered
Why astronomers now doubt there is an undiscovered 9th planet in our solar system
For Kids
Curious Kids: Why does it matter if Pluto is a planet or a dwarf planet?
Curious Kids: Why are the northern lights only spotted near the North Pole?
Curious Kids: Is Pluto a planet or not?
Astronomy and Environmentalism
How space exploration became a wake up call on climate change