What the Sun Teaches Us About Curiosity: A Conversation with NASA Scientist Dr. Nour Rawafi
What does it take to fly a spacecraft into the atmosphere of the Sun? And what can the science of our nearest star teach young learners about how to live, learn, and dream?
These are the questions at the heart of the latest episode of the Shiv Nadar School podcast, titled Curiosity to Cosmos. This episode features Grade 11 student-host Siddhi Kochar of Shiv Nadar School Noida in conversation with Dr. Nour Rawafi, NASA astrophysicist and Project Scientist for the Parker Solar Probe, humanity's first mission to "touch" the Sun.
What follows is a conversation that begins with heliophysics and expands into themes of curiosity, ambition, and the wonder of being alive on a planet perfectly placed to support life.
A Mission Sixty Years in the Making
The Parker Solar Probe wasn't an idea that arrived overnight. As Dr. Rawafi shares, scientists first proposed flying a spacecraft directly into the Sun's outer atmosphere back in 1958, long before he was born. It would take six decades of engineering breakthroughs to make the mission a reality.
"The science and the technology involved in this mission are out of this world. But the most important aspect for me is really the team. It's the team that is the heart of the mission."
That spirit of collaboration, across borders, generations, and disciplines, is one of the most striking themes of the conversation. Dr. Rawafi reminds us that science, by nature, is human.
"We don't call it competition," he says. "We call it collaboration."
The Mysteries the Sun Still Holds
Most of us just see the Sun as a constant; it rises, sets, and warms our days. But for Dr. Rawafi, who has spent his career studying it, the Sun is a riddle wrapped in a mystery.
Consider this: the Sun's visible surface burns at around 6,000°C. Move just a short distance away from it, into the solar corona, and the temperature suddenly jumps to multi-million degrees. It defies everyday logic. If you move away from a heat source, things should cool down.
This is one of the central puzzles of heliophysics, and it is precisely the kind of question the Parker Solar Probe was built to answer.
Dr. Rawafi also explains why understanding the Sun matters far beyond academic curiosity. Solar storms, vast eruptions of magnetised gas, regularly hurtle towards Earth. As humanity becomes increasingly dependent on space-based technology for GPS, communications, and the internet, predicting space weather has become a global priority, and the stakes are only rising.
As countries worldwide race to launch their own satellite constellations, the orbital environment is becoming increasingly crowded. A single collision could trigger a domino effect of debris, rendering entire regions of space unusable. Understanding the Sun and space weather, then, is not merely a scientific pursuit but an economic necessity.
"I Don't Believe in Failure"
When Siddhi asks what advice Dr. Rawafi would give to students dreaming of a career in science, his answers are clear and inspiring:
- Be as curious as you can be.
- Be as ambitious as you can be.
- Never let others set the horizons of your future.
- Never be afraid of being wrong.
"Some people call it failure. I don't believe in failure. For me, failure is meaningless. I always call it the path to success."
It's a philosophy any young learner—and indeed, any parent or educator—would do well to carry with them.
A Father, a Son, and a Rainy Day
Among the most touching moments of the conversation is a story Dr. Rawafi tells about his young son, Adam. After three rainy days, Adam stood by the glass door, unusually quiet.
When his father asked what would make him happy, the four-year-old replied without hesitation: "Sunlight."
It's a moment that captures, in one childlike sentence, what scientists spend lifetimes trying to articulate. We are, as Dr. Rawafi puts it, "babies of the Sun and stars in the universe." Our connection to our nearest star is emotional, biological, and spiritual.
Key Takeaways for Young Learners
- Curiosity is innate: From the moment a baby crawls across a room to touch something new, exploration is in our DNA.
- Your path is your own: Dr. Rawafi himself didn't set out to study the Sun; he was originally drawn to particle physics and quantum mechanics. The right path often finds you.
- Parents are the first teachers: Much of what shapes a child's ambition is absorbed long before formal schooling begins.
- Students shaping the future: From the search for life beyond Earth to a unified theory of physics, Dr. Rawafi believes today's students are positioned to make the next great leap.
Watch the Full Episode
Whether you are a student wondering where your curiosity might lead, a parent looking to spark a deeper sense of wonder in your child, or simply someone who has always loved looking up at the night sky, this episode offers valuable insights into science, perseverance, and the limitless possibilities of human curiosity.
Watch the full conversation here
2026-06-05