To Seek Out New Life

To Seek Out New Life

For a long time, imagining what alien life could look like was mostly the job of science fiction creators. But in recent years, the field of astrobiology has gotten a boost from the discovery of faraway exoplanets with atmospheres which could support life. In trying to imagine what aliens could look like, scientists have found that science fiction is a good jumping off point. Astrobiologist Michael Wong hosts a science of Star Trek podcast called Strange New Worlds, and biologist Mohamed Noor wrote a book called Live Long and Evolve about what Star Trek can teach us about science. They discuss the influence Star Trek has on the way they question what the building blocks of life could be outside Earth, and what would happen if you rewound the clock of evolution. Plus, Jaime Green talks about her book The Possibility of Life, where she interviewed scientists about which science fiction is asking the right questions about astrobiology. Featuring readings by actor Luke Daniels. This week’s episode is sponsored by ShipStation and TodayTix Go to shipstation.com and use the code IMAGINARY to sign up for your FREE 60-day trial. Go to TodayTix.com/imaginary and use the promo code IMAGINARY to get $20 off your first Today Tix purchase. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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How Jack Kirby Made His Mark on Marvel

How Jack Kirby Made His Mark on Marvel

The production design of the film Fantastic Four: First Steps is an homage to the early ‘60s comics created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. While Kirby is best known for his bold, fist-popping drawing sty...

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The Hitchhiker's Guide to Douglas Adams

The Hitchhiker's Guide to Douglas Adams

When Arvind Ethan David was a student, he decided to adapt the Douglas Adams novel Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency into a play. Arvind didn’t imagine that Adams would show up to see the play (...

2 Juli 202544min

Imagining the Digital Afterlife

Imagining the Digital Afterlife

The animated TV series Pantheon (streaming on Netflix) asks what if you could upload your mind to the Internet? Would still be human? Would we create a virtual paradise where everyone got to live fore...

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Murderbot Is Ready for Its Close-Up (But Not Eye Contact)

Murderbot Is Ready for Its Close-Up (But Not Eye Contact)

Murderbot is a killing machine in the far future that would rather spend its time binging an intergalactic soap opera. Shooting bad guys with lasers is much less stressful than making eye contact or e...

4 Juni 202538min

The Bright Legacy of Dark Shadows

The Bright Legacy of Dark Shadows

Next year marks the 60th anniversary of Dark Shadows. The gothic soap opera wasn’t originally intended to include a vampire, but when creator Dan Curtis introduced the character of Barnabas Collins in...

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Body Horror Gets Under My Skin

Body Horror Gets Under My Skin

We all have that one thing we just can’t watch. For me, it’s body horror -- the kind of horror where grotesque and disturbing things happen to someone’s body, like in The Thing, The Fly, or The Substa...

7 Maj 202537min

Bonus: Syd Mead Full Gallery Tour

Bonus: Syd Mead Full Gallery Tour

Last week, we heard about a new exhibit in New York called Syd Mead: Future Pastime. The exhibit closes on May 21st, and I know most listeners won't be able to see it in person. So in this bonus episo...

30 Apr 202551min

The Optimist Behind Blade Runner's Dystopia

The Optimist Behind Blade Runner's Dystopia

The late Syd Mead was a visual futurist who was hired to imagine the worlds of Blade Runner, Tron, Aliens, Elysium and other sci-fi films. His work in Hollywood has been lauded for decades, but there’...

23 Apr 202536min

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