This week on the Think Atheist Radio Show– our 52nd show; one full year's worth of killer interviews for you guys!– we're featuring our interview with Dr. Chris Impey, author of the new book How It Began all about origins, of the universe, of life; how it all began!

Dr. Impey is a University Distinguished Professor at the University of Arizona. In his capacity as the Deputy Head of the Department of Astronomy and Academic Head he runs the largest undergraduate majors program in astronomy in the US, and the second largest PhD program. A former Vice President of the American Astronomical Society, his research interests include observational cosmology, gravitational lensing, and the evolution and structure of galaxies.  The author previously of How it Ends: From You to the Universe and The Living Cosmos: Our Search for Life in the Cosmos, his new book is titled How it Began: A Time-Traveler’s Guide to the Universe. Dr. Impey channels Carl Sagan as a traveller through time and space as he discusses the majesty, beauty, and incredible size of the universe. Consider purchasing How It Began and Dr. Impey's other books to ensure we can continue putting on the show and to thank Dr. Impey for joining us! Purchases from our Amazon store cost no more than if you buy from Amazon direct but Amazon shares a tiny slice of the profits with us as support. As always, you can also support us by simply using this link to make all your Amazon purchases, no matter what you buy! Bookmark it!

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Here's a thought provoking critical review of Lawrence Krauss's recent book A Universe From Nothing. You can get Krauss's thoughts on the book by checking out our chat with him on the subject of the book.

On June 6 an event that takes place only four times every two hundred years will enthrall astronomers.

Jerry Coyne comments on Julian Baggini's urging atheists to be humble and form a "coalition of the reasonable".

If everyone did one thing they're not currently doing to further the skeptic's movement where would we be?

NASA has announced that the Cassini mission will end spectacularly by flying into the space between the upper edges of Saturn's atmosphere and the innermost ring. Can you possibly fathom the beauty of those pictures???

Upon the release of Bart Ehrman's new book on Jesus historicity– Did Jesus Exist? The Historical Argument for Jesus of Nazareth (hear our interview with Ehrman here)– he posted a piece to the Huffington Post about the book. Richard Carrier responded to point out some logical fallacies and some errors of fact he found in Ehrman's post. Professor of Religion James McGrath responded to Carrier's piece to defend Ehrman. This week Carrier replied to McGrath's defense of Ehrman. You get the sense that McGrath is out of his league. Schedule an email reminder for yourself so you don't miss our upcoming interview with Richard Carrier where he addresses many of Ehrman's claims.

Avatar and Titanic director James Cameron is back topside after diving 7 miles down into the deepest point on Earth. But is this serious science or just a rich guy's way to spend his gobs of cash? After all, what can you do with the single cup of mud he brought back with him? (SPOILER ALERT: A LOT!!!)

Tons of Reason Rally impressions with pics and video out there. Hemant Mehta's is representative. A bit wet but not bad. Great turn out. Huge success. Though some certainly questioned Richard Dawkins' speech.

With a giant infographic up to the task of answering the question, the BBC asked how big our solar system really is.

The oldest alien planets have been found and date to around 12.8 billion years old, the dawn of the universe.

Turns out Mitt Romney's cousin is a former Mormon high priest who now says that Mormonism is a fraud and a cult. People need to know how Romney's Mormonism will affect his social, economic, and diplomatic priorities.

Establishing beyond a shadow of a doubt that a majority of the Tennessee state legislature are idiots, an anti-evolution bill was made law this week.

The Messenger spacecraft orbiting Mercury has sent back data indicating the presence of water ice at the edges of Mercury's poles.

The veil of secrecy slowly lifts on the practice on the part of Catholic hospitals and organizations of forcing unwed mothers to give their brand new babies up for adoption. Some mothers were simply drugged or told their babies had died during labor.

Why is there something rather than nothing? Ethen Siegel points to the 3 features of the universe that answer the question.

Live in the US? See where your state figures in a list of the most and least religious states according to new survey results.

There's more evidence that comets bombarding an early Earth may have brought the building blocks needed for early life.

Internal memos belonging to an anti-gay marriage group reveal plans to pit black people and gay people against each other in an effort to undermine civil rights.

Super-Earths in our galaxy may number in the billions!

A new Gallup poll indicates that 32% of Americans are nonreligious.

How about 2.7 billion year old fossilized imprints of rain drops? Crazy! What they tell us about the environment on the early Earth.

Captive virgins, polygamy, and sex slaves... Or what marriage would really look like if we followed the Bible.

New research shows that it was conservatives that trusted science more than liberals 40 years ago. What happned? Religion. Of course.

Why its good to keep hammering on about diversity.

Payback is a bitch for some anti-abortion protestors.

NASA says that a "Goldilocks planet" will be found within the next 2 years.

The Large Hadron Collider provides possible first evidence for String Theory.