In this episode of the Physics World Stories podcast, Rosemary Coogan offers a glimpse into life as one of the European Space Agency’s newest astronauts. Selected as part of ESA’s 2022 cohort, she received astronaut certification in 2024, and is now in line to visit the International Space Station within the next five years. One day, she may even walk on the Moon as part of the Artemis programme.

Coogan explains what astronaut training really entails: classroom sessions packed with technical knowledge, zero-gravity parabolic flights, and underwater practice in Houston’s neutral buoyancy pool. Born in Northern Ireland, Coogan reflects on her personal journey. From a child dreaming of space, she went on to study physics and astrophysics at Durham University, then completed a PhD on the evolution of distant galaxies.

When not preparing for lift off, Coogan counts sci-fi among her interests – she loves getting lost in the world of possibilities. She’s also candid about the psychological side of astronaut training, and how she’s learned to savour the learning process itself rather than obsess over launch dates. Hosted by Andrew Glester, this episode captures both the challenge and wonder of preparing for an imminent journey to space.

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In the folklore of physics, the origins of quantum mechanics are often told as the story of a handful of brilliant young men, trading ideas in lecture halls and cafes. The German term Knabenphysik – “boys’ physics” – helped cement that image, and its gender bias went largely unchallenged for decades.

The latest Physics World Stories podcast, hosted by Andrew Glester, features Margriet van der Heijden, professor of science communication at Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands, and Michelle Frank, a 2024–25 Public Scholar with the US National Endowment for the Humanities. Both contributed to Women in the History of Quantum Physics: Beyond Knabenphysik, a new book that brings together the stories of sixteen women whose work, ideas and problem-solving helped shape the field from the very start.

The book challenges the “lone genius” narrative, showing that quantum theory emerged from a much wider network of people – many of whom were women, and many of whom went unrecognized. The discussion also reflects on barriers that remain in physics today.

Van der Heijden and Frank are part of the international working group of Women in the History of Quantum Physics. Visit the group’s website for links to a range of publications and events.

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