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Hi everyone! This is a very cool episode! I want to visit Reed's! I wonder if the mortuary that was there before Reed's was busy during Prohibition. I remember spirit possession during Yu-Gi-Oh. It's been a while since I saw it though. Would you say Yu-Gi-Oh is a good example? I enjoyed the discussion. There were some great points about horror stories for kids. That reminds me of RL Stein lol. Did you enjoy RL Stein novels? Sorry for the short comment. My longer comment was auto deleted earlier. This is a great episode and I really enjoyed it! I need to check out Reed's. Take care.:)

Hey Nick, Joe, and Georgia! I am sad to hear that Horror House had water leakage and was damaged. I want to watch American Werewolf in London (and Such Sharp Teeth intrigues me). The title of both got me interested. I enjoyed listening to your discussion about Wolverine's claws versus a lightsaber. I originally thought a lightsaber could do better, but you make a great point about Mandalorian armor. I agree that the claws would be in the same category. I think Wolverine could defeat some Jedi, but probably not someone like Luke Skywalker. Wolverine has a couple hundred years of combat experience, but he has never fought a jedi, especially not someone who is as skilled as Luke Skywalker. The Force and Luke's skills would probably lead to a win by Luke. Thanks, Nick! I appreciate your response about how Venom is a symbiote and different than a werewolf in that way. A werewolf car would be cool. Lol Take care, everyone! This is an awesome episode 😊.

Hi Joe, Nick, Georgia, Moses, and Vinny! Great episode. I'm sorry for this comment being shorter than usual. I wrote comments (longer comments) earlier, but they kept being auto-deleted. Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that this is an awesome episode! I actually didn't know much about werewolves before. I don't think I've seen many werewolf shows or films. I did watch Werewolf By Night though. I learned a lot in this episode. I didn't make the connection between calories and werewolves before, but you're spot on. That is a great connection. Would you say Venom is like a werewolf? Which werewolf movie would you recommend me to start with? Georgia, would you say that American Werewolf in London would be a great one to watch first? I haven't read too many werewolf stories. Joe, would you say that The Last Werewolf would be a good novel to start with? I love the photos in the show notes. Georgia made a great drawing for the notes too! I wonder what types of creatures would be impossible to turn into a werewolf. Now, I am curious if a hummingbird could be one. Haha. I want to see Biker Mice from Mars. I didn't know about the full and lite categories. That is cool. It makes sense that the latter category could take months if it was realistic lol. I am also interested in the differences between humans, wolves, and werewolves. Joe and Georgia had a great discussion/debate about that. Awesome discussion again. Take care!

Hey everyone! :D The basement studio is cool :). That's so cool that you had a live show too! (And yes they're footnotes) lol. Cyborg is a great goal. Cool responses. A wide variety of responses too (and all understandable ones too). I personally think the Teen Titans/DC character Cyborg is cool also :). Before I continue, the art for this episode is awesome! Is it based off Ex Machina character Ava (played by Alicia Vikander :)?? Terminator is a great choice! I can relate to the vote for replacing a stomach so that one can eat a lot lol. Vision is great! I wish I got to see the 6 million Dollar Man. I don't think I heard about the stomach simulator. It's intriguing! :) You have a great approach to talking about science. You're right that some will clamp up when approached about it, but you have a great, easygoing, and fun approach :). I agree. Our lives are filled with science. It's intriguing. They're footnotes as well as end noes. Show notes too haha. :). I'm excited for the werewolf discussion! Take care. Have a great rest of the week, guys! Cool B-side episode!

Excellent short! AI can definitely help with prosthesis and medicine overall, but I also worry about that being hacked. Imagine your limbs being hacked and controlled by someone else. Yikes! Great video.

Haha yes he should get this award. (Goldblum). I would support Will Smith getting it too lol Nice short.

Lol it's interesting how findings come/are discovered (and what they're inspired by). Great short.

Zombie, vampire, meteor, alien invasion, disease, natural disaster, climate change...all bad lol. But, I remember hearing Dr. Katie Mack talk about several ways the universe could end and one of them was painless and quick. I can't quite remember it at the moment because I just had a long day and I'm tired, but she discussed it during the NPR Short Wave podcast episode called, "What happens at the end of the universe?" :) Let me know if you listen to it. (She also mentioned her findings in greater detail in Ep. 11: How It All Ends of "Crash Course Pods: The Universe". It's intriguing stuff, albeit dark. Great short/video.

lol I'd be scared if someone could use teleapthy. I despise Kilgrave, but even if there's someone who could use it for good, I'd still have concerns b/c that violates privacy. Yeah, it'd be overwhelming. Reminds me of how Superman felt overwhelmed when he was a kid because he could hear everyone's speech/everything everyone said, no matter how quiet it was. It's overstimulating. lol time for Nick to share the memes.

"Will the real Frankenstein please stand up, please stand up?" Kidding. I used to think Frankenstein was the monster (until I was like in my 20s lol). Cool discussion. Happy Friday, Georgia and Nick. Take care. Have a great one :D.

Hey guys, I'm going to give this one more shot as I had trouble with RUclips's system earlier. Hopefully, the third time is the charm. lol I'm curious if you have general advice for writing cyborgs :). I'm working a story with superheroes and cyborgs (antagonistic cyborgs) :). I'm surprised to hear that the definition of cyborg was created in the 60s. They were well ahead of their time. I love Inspector Gadget. I bet he is a cyborg. I agree with Nick. I didn't think he was, but I guess he is. I was surprised to hear of Iron Man is a cyborg, but you're right. He fits the definition very well. I need to see Robocop. I've wanted to see it, but never got to do so. I didn't know about eye prosthesis. That's so cool! Thanks for sharing. I'm checking out the website about it. I wonder what's the best way to protect brainwaves. Someone will need to create Magneto helmets haha :). I didn't know about hearing colors! That's so neat. I've heard of seeing colors though (like when one sees a word and sees colors upon seeing the word). Wearable tech is intriguing! You shared some cool examples! I wonder about the ethical questions too. I've talked with a friend about this once, and I'm not sure about the answers myself. Should sentient robots - if they're ever created - have the same legal protections that humans do? I wonder if the United Nations would pass resolutions about this issue. Of course, this is an issue that is probably decades away, if not later. However, it is something interesting to think about, in my opinion. I had not heard of robotic insects. They sound cool, but I would not like them to spy on me. Lol. That is scary. Have you thought about having an episode about the realism - or lack thereof - of medical shows like Chicago Med and House MD? I know that these shows are not the kinds of shows usually discussed on this podcast. But, if you both explore this issue, I'd listen and learn. Awesome episode! :) Have a wonderful rest of the week, Joe and Nick, and take care :).

Haha he must be like a Robocop lol. That's cool. Great discussion, guys!

But yeah, I wouldn't trust humans colonizing planets. Reminds me of Starcraft. Humans and alien races fighting over land, resources, etc.

But what if the alien is Superman or Supergirl? Lol :)

Lol Bill Paxton was a warrior. R.I.P. Bill Paxton. I remember when he was on the show Agents of SHIELD also. Did you see it?

Alien: So you're saying there is a chance...? Lol

That is worryingly close. Lol yeah, shooting it would be a counterproductive idea. They bumped an asteroid in 2022, correct? :)

That is a creepy but intriguing animal lol Joe, they are footnotes. Kidding lol. 😊

I bet Thanos liked the beginning of this short lol

Hehe I wonder if Professor X has some kind of bulk orders or deals with food companies.

😂😂

Now do a bit explaining how the hell Charles get the funding to maintain his school and wolverines Dailey diet? Like how do professor x afford this shit 😂😂😂

This whole conversation is my type of material 😂😂😂

Hi guys! How are you? Before I start, I had a comment here before, but it disappeared and I can't find it, so here's the updated comment. Also, before I begin with my full response, I have two questions/points: Have you seen the Spy x Family anime or read the manga? It also has a character with telepathy (a child named Anya). The manga didn't explore the specifics of how her telepathy works (i.e. brainwaves), but she is able to read minds and often has hilarious responses to what she "hears" via telepathy. She also gets overwhelmed at times if there are a lot of people (and thus, tons of thoughts at one moment). I haven't seen the anime, so I don't know if it explains how her telepathy works specifically beyond just reading minds. Would Inception count as telepathy of sorts since the characters in the film are planting a thought into someone? I'm not sure if this ties into the EMI issue, but I have heard two different opinions about this. Is it safe to stand in front of a microwave? I might've missed it. I know that microwave radiation exposure would be harmful, like standing by a radar dish, but I'm not sure about the safety of standing in front of a microwave oven. Michael's background is cool! :) Haha did Joe take Professor X's powers? :) Awesome. I appreciate the definition of telepathy. I actually haven't heard the formal definition of telepathy before I listened to your episode. It was cool to learn about it. I also enjoyed your clarification of the difference with telekenesis. I once thought they were identical. True. Telepathy would be useful on the battlefield. I don't think I'd like to see it in war. Sure, it will improve communications. But, there would be privacy issues, and I am guessing that someone would try to find a way to hack telepathy and, if that was to be created, it would be very concerning. (Of course, telepathy and a hack for it would be extremely unlikely, but still, I'm not a fan of the possibilities). Darth Vader...R.I.P. James Earl Jones :(. Excellent arguments. I agree that intentional idea planting would be telepathy. So, I guess Inception is a sort of telepathy then? Haha. :) "In my world". Michael is from another universe, confirmed. Kidding :). I hadn't heard of twin telepathy. That was fun to listen about :). "Do you just put the word quantum in front of everything?" - Scott Lang from Ant Man 2 lol. Wow. Until I listened to this episode, I wasn't aware that animals sent out brainwaves to each other. Great info about brainwave types. I appreciate the info about brainwave authentication in the b-side episode. Hehe the movie sounds cool. A telepathic dog too? The movie sounds funny. I want to read books about Ishin-Denshin :) I am intrigued. I will re-read the wiki article about it. I've heard about the EMI issue. I remember worrying before about the effects of cell phones. I've also heard about worries about bluetooth. But, like Michael said, there doesn't seem to be evidence of such harms. Ouch. Painful how the first thing to go would be the spinal cord with too much EMI exposure. When you mentioned, "The Reign of the Super-Man", I had initially confused it last week of the "Reign of the SUPERMEN" comic. The character you mentioned sounds really different from Superman. An evil Professor X character lol. I hate Killgrave! lol. But, he is a well-written character. Jessica Jones is a superb show. I had heard a little bit about how the U.S. funded telepathy research. I had read the parable of the sheep before. I do want to learn more about the symbolism of goats though. I want to see "The Men Who Stare at Goats". It makes sense that caloric intake is needed for those with telekenetic powers. That reminds me, the manga (and anime) One Punch Man, has some characters who use telekentic powers, if I remember correctly. It hasn't shown them needing food. But yum, Eggos. Eggos are delicious. I forgot that kids were thought of having telepathic powers in the Monsters movies. That's interesting. Professor X is the best example IMO haha :). Great episode! Take care, guys!

Hey guys, how are you? The Astros video game that Nick mentioned sounds cool. The summer went too quick. Summer was fun. Stoked for your autumn episodes! I heard about S.A. Crosby before. My Darkest Prayer sounds cool. When is his Luke Cage novelization going to come out? I would like to read it. Before I forget, I recently re-read Spy x Family's 1st book (manga). It has a child with telepathic powers. I recommend it. I have not watched the anime but I love the manga. It's cool. Only Murders in the Building. I heard of it. There is a podcast too? Neat. The last episode is cool! Brainwave authentication sounds cool. I am not surprised that it is accurate. But I am not sure if I want to participate in that. A bit too intrusive for me haha. Agreed. It would technically be impossible to hack brainwaves. But I do wonder if a hacker will find a way. Cool episode. Take care. Have a nice week!

Michael was the most interesting person at my university

I'm only a few minutes into the podcast, but I find the consequences of a vampire apocalypse to be interesting. Especially if we're talking about a the more intelligent and powerful beings instead of just a reskinned zombie apocalypse. By the end of it, there would have to be some form of coexistence or a supremacy akin to the machines from the Matrix.

Hey guys, how are you? Couch and basement studios both work :). I haven't seen Romulus. I hope to see it this weekend. That's awesome that you have a slate of episodes. And that'll be rad how you'll have guests too. Do you plan to talk about SETI next year too? I haven't seen the latest season of Umbrella Academy. Glad to hear it was cool. I was a bit worried b/c I didn't like S3. Glad to hear it's better. Georgia made a great suggestion for alien invasion films with Sigourney Weaver. Haha yeah, Ghostbuster is not an alien invasion film. But, I like the suggestion since that is an invasion movie also. I love X-Men 97. It was wonderful. I don't think I saw Thundercats. But, I am intrigued. I hadn't heard of Panspermia. It is interesting. I want to read more. I will check out the wiki link in the footnotes :D. Thanks, Nick! I'm intrigued :). I checked out the Marvel page for Fight NIght via the footnotes. Thank you for sharing! Take care. :) Cool episode!

Sigourney Weaver was also in Cabin in the Woods.

I've held to the opinion that we're the invaders, after a fashion. We've been dumped here and have slowly but inexorably taken this planet.

Hey Nick and Joe, how are things? Rad topic. Independence Day is great, one of my favorite films from my younger days. I love it. Lol funny that Nick hates it. I like Avatar. However, I haven't felt as enthusiastic or excited about it as I did back then. I haven't seen the sequel - I think I should. But, I don't know. Maybe it's due to so many years elapsing. I am not as intrigued as I was. I have only seen LOTR 1. I like it. However, I never became a huge fan of it lol. It is a very good movie. Nevertheless, I'm not as big of a fan as others. Lol that's cool that Nick reads the comments too. No worries about not responding, Nick. I think aliens exist. I honestly think that since the universe is so big, I think it's highly unlikely that there isn't another sentient species out there somewhere. I don't think they'll invade us though (but, hey, maybe my comments will not age well and people will shake their heads upon seeing my comment one day in the future....) LOL yeah, the aliens might avoid us. The Fermi paradox makes sense. I totally concur with Nick that there has to be another intelligent species in the universe. Yep, no AI episode this week. But, hey, maybe I am an AI, Nick...Kidding :). The show notes said that the age of the universe is 3.7B years old, but I think you said it is 13.8 B (which I believe is the correct figure). Is 3.7B Earth's age? I need to see Prometheus. I plan to see Romulus over Labor Day weekend :). I hope to see the Alien films (the first ones) this weekend. I didn't know of the Dark Forest Theory. Interesting. I need to watch "The Three Body Problem". Yeah, I wouldn't blame extraterrestrials for not wanting to reveal themselves. Cool Marvels reference. I actually love The Marvels. I concur it got too much hate. It wasn't an excellent film, but it was a lot of fun and a decent and fun and enjoyable movie. Paul sounds neat! I like the premise. I want to watch it. What? You disliked ET? Shame! Kidding lol. That's okay :). I enjoyed it but I don't remember a lot of it as I watched it when I was like 6. I want to read Zero Hour. I guess it'll be another book to check out :) (I check out a ton from the library). MIB is a cool alien film. Yep! Goldblum def. deserves awards :). He is in awesome alien films. :) Yep, Superman is an alien. I do find the kryptonite weakness to be intriguing but also a bit random lol. I haven't seen too many biological alien tales. It is a good story concept though. Galactic Policing would be too infeasible and dangerous. You'd have to be able to patrol the entire galaxy and that would take too much time, energy (both one's own energy and their vehicle), money, etc. Plus, I can see nations dividing galactic policing and using it to serve their own ideas. There might even be conflicts over which (arbitrarily defined) zones/areas would be under which government's jurisdiction, etc. "You're giving the universe a bad name" - Galactic Bon Jovi song lol. Kidding. LoL great Captain America/Predator comparison. Good analogy, Nick. True. A different species might not be familiar with the diseases that people. I can see why it would be harmful to both Earth and Mars. I could be wrong as I was sleepy (late here), but each time I hear of the Thing, I think about the DC character. But, I think you're referencing something different. I need to read War of the Worlds. :) I didn't know of the Germ Growlers. What Nick said about it sounds rad. Cloverfield sounds cool. You're spot on, Joe. People would ignore it and might even push it aside even if they saw the aliens landing. Ender's Game is a cool book. I remember reading it several years ago and liking it also. Cool episode. Take care! :)

I vote that Vampire Apocalypse doesn't deserve its own category.

Hi Joe, Nick, and Georgia! Episode 15.1 as well as episode 15 A! Haha :) I love the titles, particularly the mini b-side. That's cool how you're using the mini episodes to answer questions. Wow LOL. I didn't know he said wow that many times. That's neat. Did he say it in Loki? Haha Science Friday is awesome. I need to listen to it more often. I had a good time listening to it when I did. It's frightening how many viruses can trigger the next pandemic too. I haven't seen the religious rapture movies listed in the show notes and episode. It'd be intriguing if former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama made a horror movie. I'd want to see it. LOL It is the cliff notes. The footnotes of the footnotes. Aww thank you very much for the shoutout! Hi Georgia! Wow, 7 minutes to midnight then? I thought we'd be closer to midnight during the Cuban Missile Crisis... But, now we're only 90 seconds to midnight? Yikes, we were scary close to a nuclear war then, so it's scarier how closer we are now to midnight. Thank you very much for your answers :)! You're right, it would depend on who's been bitten. If a soldier has been, then yeah, a military base might not be safe if that soldier isn't stopped. Good point about steering clear when there's confusion. Day's Gone sounds awesome. Great point about there's rations. I remember that there was a military checkpoint at Train of Busan (during the last few seconds) that was safe. But yeah, that was not a base I think. Parasyte films sound neat. I like comics. I want to read the Spiderman comics :) Does Nick have recommendations for Spiderman comics to read? Hope you're feeling better, Nick! Cool selfie at the end of the footnotes/cliff notes :). Take care, everybody :). Have a nice week.

Hi Joe, Nick, and Georgia! Georgia, it's good to see/hear you join the podcast again :). Your art is great, Georgia :). It was great to listen to this earlier today. It got me thinking a lot tonight. The show notes are great also. Apocalypse Wow is a nice title. :) Haha I read this in Owen Wilson's voice. Joe's categories are spot on. I hadn't thought about it, but vampire is definitely a category. It'd be hard to stop a zombie. If military snipers took on zombies, could they win? Imagine the military holding off a zombie apocalypse lol. I had thought that a military base would be a safe place to be during a zombie apocalypse. Yeah, climate change is definitely the one that is worsening. It's interrelated with natural disasters (which can also play a factor in disease). Technological catastrophe is another category that I concur with. I guess the backstory of the Terminator films is a great example of this, as you referred to with AIs and robotic takeover. While we are definitely far out from this, and although I've heard experts saying that it's just science fiction, I do wonder about the impacts of AI (not just on jobs, but also over-reliance on AIs and how they would be used in wars - just like how some automated drones are being used today). Very good discussion about the definition of an apocalypse. It'd have to be on a global scale to be apocalyptic. But, yes, some situations can absolutely feel apocalyptic if one is experiencing it. There are some good movies that were made in response to some pretty dark times in history. I heard about how the Godzilla movies were inspired by the atomic bombings. Godzilla Minus One was set in the immediate aftermath of WWII (and in the last days of the war). Also, I concur that a situation - like a tsunami or huge earthquake- that hits one state can have impacts that go far beyond. The economic impacts are definitely one example. There would also be the trauma that are suffered by those on the ground and family members (like those who live out of state) of those who died (not to mention intergenerational trauma). Very good discussion of the Doomsday Clock. I've heard of it ever since I was a kid. It scares me that we're just 90 seconds away from midnight. It's incredible that we were much farther away from that at one time (1991). I'm guessing that in 1989, late 1989 to be exact, it might've started ticking further away from midnight with the fall of the Berlin Wall. I do wonder also how close we got to midnight during the Cuban Missile Crisis. We are very close to midnight now. This reminds me of something I saw recently. I was watching a video about the atomic bombings on the World War 2 RUclips history channel. I cannot remember if this was mentioned in the video or in a comment, but I do recall something being stated about how the world's become complacent about nuclear bombs. We're definitely decades away from the duck and cover drills and the Cuban Missile Crisis, but I agree with the assertion that the world has grown complacent. The video went into great detail about the horrors of the bombing - the destruction, the death toll, and details about not just the blasts (and the heat) but also the radiation. It also talked about kids at a camp in New Mexico not far away from the site of the atom bomb tests. They thought that the things falling from the air was snow and they put it on their face (but it was radioactive dust, radioactive ash, or some other radioactive item) and most of the kids didn't live past 40, if I remember correctly from the video. It was horrifying. Sorry for the long tangent. I had just watched that video a day or two ago. While I have learned about the atom bombing before, it was difficult to process that video. A nuclear war is definitely something I worry about, even more so in recent years. Back to the podcast. I remember you, Nick, and Georgia discussing COVID-19 and how humanity would react again if there was (God forbid) another pandemic. That must've been stressful to have to work in-person during the pandemic, Joe. I'm also sorry to hear that you got sick too. I also worry about how humanity would react if there was another pandemic, like a measles pandemic. Similar to what Georgia said, I see many resisting masking and/or other actions to protect oneself and others. One of my favorite apocalyptic films is Train to Busan. it's a great movie. One of the best that I've seen. I hadn't seen too much of Twilight Zone. I hope to see more of the show. I hadn't seen No Escape either. Lol great discussion about spoilers. It's hard sometimes to summarize a movie without spoiling. I respectfully disagree with the assertion that if spoiling ruins a movie, it means it's a bad movie. That may be the case for some films. However, I can't say that about all movies. I guess you can summarize Inception without spoiling it, but if you want to express excitement about some of the coolest aspects of it, you might spoil some of it lol. Probably not the best example, but it's getting late here. The Country Wisdom sounds like a cool book. Thanks for sharing :). Excellent discussion about why people are so intrigued by apocalyptic tales. I guess it's similar to why people are fascinated by true crime stories. I'm not sure. But, given that both are so dark, there might be overlap - though I'm not certain about this. Great points about human nature and alien invasions. Such films can be fun, I concur. Independence Day was a lot of fun. The sequel wasn't great, but still fun. But, yes, I don't have a very optimistic view of what humans would do if they discovered a planet with resources and could be habitable for humans. I think it'd be a resource war and many humans would seek to take resources. And, things would be ruined. Sigh. I wish I could be more optimistic, but I don't think I can about this issue. That reminds me of the game Starcraft. In short, there are two different alien species and humans. There are also wars within each faction and there are those who seek to exploit conflicts, gain power, and crush dissent. The game is a strategy game and it's a lot of fun. Your discussion reminded me of the game. A zombie apocalypse would be hard to survive. A nuclear one is not survivable IMO. Sure, there are bunkers, and yes, you could stock up on food. But, given how long radiation can persist and how few people would be left, I don't think so. Yeah, if aliens came, and if they invaded, I don't know if we could survive it or not. Honestly though, I don't think there would be an alien invasion lol. I do think that, given how huge the universe is, there is a good chance that there is sentient life out there, somewhere, albeit likely very far away. Yep, we are living through climate change. I need to watch A Brief History of the Future. I saw a preview. I haven't seen it though. Great example with Avengers and Thanos. His snap definitely took a toll. I agree that it could've made some animals extinct given how there would be fewer animals of each species, and there are animals that depend on the animals that died. I don't think I trust humanity much about the apocalypse in general. But, I still have some trust. Sometimes, disasters can bring out innovation and solutions. So, I still do have hope. I totally agree with learning how to make things. It's a great way to learn. I concur that it'd be great for surviving a zombie apocalypse or other situations. But, it's useful in general and very worthwhile. I need to watch more of the Last of Us. I was going through a lot of stress at the time, so I didn't watch the rest of it. I need to finish Fallout too. Those two are near the top of my list. Umbrella Academy too. There's the new Batman show also. There are too many shows, man lol. Sorry for the long rambles, my friend. I went down many rabbit holes myself lol. It's a topic that relates to ones that I think about often, like climate change, history (particularly military history), sci-fi, Starcraft, and how interconnected the world is. But, I appreciate the points that Georgia, Nick, and Joe made. Great discussion.

Hey guys! I listened to this earlier today and it was so fun to listen to :) I call it 14A lol. 14.1 is awesome too. How about 14A or 14 Part 2? lol I figured that the episodes are not scripted given how free flowing it is. I read the show notes! lol. I am not always able to check out the links in the notes b/c of busyness but I do read them (the footnotes haha/show notes). It is "Deadpool and Wolverine" :) hehe. I am a Wolverine fan too! :D I love the movie. It's a superb film. I think most of the humor is good, but I have mixed feelings about some jokes. I also think that they sometimes substituted some depth for entertainment and fanservice. Nevertheless, I think that it's okay that it did that as Deadpool movies are meant to be more fun and entertaining - and this film is a nice way to integrate the Deadpool universe with the MCU and bring in mutants as well. I love the tribute to the films in the post-credit scene. I like the acting and pacing of the film and the story too. The cameos were good. Overall, I'd give it at least a 7.5/10. I agree that you could feel the feels in the film. There were certainly some emotional moments. These were well written and well acted too :). Luke Cage is a neat show. Daredevil is awesome. It's a great show. He's one of my favorite superheroes also. Nonetheless, there is an oversaturation of Marvel films and shows in the past 4 years. I think it's good that they're focusing more on quality than quantity now. It's awesome how some trees can still grow from their stump. Excellent comparison to Groot. I heard that the Groot in the second Guardians of the Galaxy movie is supposed to be a different "Groot" from the first. Not sure if that is correct though. I need to look this up. I am fascinated by bioelectricity. It's intriguing. I'm especially intrigued by how it helps with tissue formation and reforming plants. I will read up more :). I'm especially excited about the potential for limb growth and curing cancer. LoL it's funny how you both discussed about how the can of spam is not enough for regeneration. I concur. It's absolutely inadequate. They need more lol. I would second you both having a bioelectricity episode also. Yay! I think it's wonderful how you'll have a multiverse episode too, Joe :). Take care Nick and Joe :). Have a nice evening. Take care, guys. Have fun :).

Hey Joe and Nick! I listened to this during my commute and it was so fun to listen to :). I went to the show notes earlier (the footnotes as Nick says lol) and it took me to the notes for episode 13. I was wondering if you have the link for this episode. No worries if not. I wrote some notes about the topics. I didn't know that a salamander is able to regenerate body parts. I had heard of hydras, though (as someone who hasn't really gotten into Greek mythology) I thought they were a snake and didn't know it was a part of Greek Mythology till last year XD. Nonetheless, it was so awesome to learn about how they can reform heads and legs (depending on how they are cut). It was also great to hear your discussion about cells. I had heard about how cancer cells can constantly divide. It makes sense that cells can regenerate. It reminds me of how cuts in our skin heal. I had heard about the liver regenerating before too. Haha I love the X-Men discussion. Wolverine is one of my favorites! He's my favorite X-Men actually. I plan to wear my Wolverine shirt tomorrow. You mentioned about how he would need 10,000 calories a day. That makes sense. I had heard of (during the 2008 Olympics) how many calories Phelps consumes daily. I am thinking it's the same for others too, like Katie Ledecky and maybe LeBron James too (not sure about that as swimming and basketball are two different sports, but both require a ton of energy). Joe, do you think the 10,000 calories a day requirement for cell regeneration also applies to The Flash? I haven't seen it covered too much in the CW show or in the comics, but I do remember the show did mention once (or a couple times) that Barry Allen needed to eat a lot of food to keep his energy going. Great example for Superman and getting energy and regeneration from the sun. That reminds me of how Supergirl not only gets energy from the sun too, but also, I vaguely remember the show mentioning that she eats a lot and she loved donuts lol. Now, I don't know how it's like for her in the comics - the ones I read so far didn't really go much into food consumption (though in one, Woman of Tomorrow, she was drinking a lot to get druink), so your discussion got me thinking about whether she also eats a lot to restore energy. Hahaha I thought that Groot was a tree, like a tree alien of sorts. XD I know Rocket isn't really a raccoon. That reminds me though about plant regeneration (what you and Nick said). I remember that some gardeners had trimmed too much from my mom's tree. Yet, there were still some green shoots that came from it. I don't remember the exact details as this was LONG ago, but your discussion reminds me of how resilient plants are and plant regeneration is intriguing. On that note, have you read "The Hidden Life of Trees"? I haven't read much of it, but the parts I was able to read so far intrigued me. Lol your criticism of how Wolverine shouldn't be able to just regenerate like that makes sense. It's absolutely handwavium. Excellent point about how memories would need to be made. I forgot the name of the movie as it was some hours ago when I was listening in, but your summation of it is cool. I want to see it. Haha I think it's neat that you like Predator :). I like that movie too. Get back to the choppa! Haha. Marvelous episode :) :). :) Take care, Nick and Joe. Have a great rest of the week. Enjoy Deadpool + Wolverine!

Hi guys, how are you? Fun and cool episode! I listened to it earlier when I away from my laptop, so I'm going partially by memory and also partially from the shownotes :). Haha Dr. David Pincus and Joe had some fun banter. I hadn't heard of many of the drinks (I don't drink alcohol but the various types of drinks intrigue me). They all sound cool though :). I had heard about the threat of pathogen release from permafrost melt. That is pretty scary. When you mentioned the fungi, I immediately started to think of Last of Us. What is especially scary is the fungi that enters the body. I'd hate to have that. The question asked was hilarious though - if it could give you superpowers lol. Imagine gaining a superpower from fungi. It's amazing how viruses and other organisms have survived so long despite being frozen. It's concerning, but also interesting. I had heard a bit about efforts to resurrect woolly mammoths. That is absolutely not a good idea IMO. Maybe I'm biased because of Jurassic Park, but I have doubts about it and think it's too risky. But, that's more of a gut reaction, and my thoughts might change if someone provides a solid reason for it. I had heard of efforts towards geoengineering. Snowpiercer is a great film. I did not see the show. However, I watched the movie and liked it a lot. Chris Evans did a great job. It's a smart and awesome film. Wow, I haven't seen Aliens, but it's cool that Paxton was in it too. I remember seeing him in Terminator. I haven't seen Predator 2. It's cool that Paxton was in it as well. Now, I need to watch the ALien films and Predator 2 (I saw the first Predator many years ago). Joe, which Alien movies do you recommend? I want to watch them before Romulus is out :). I appreciate your recommendations. I saw commercials for the original Twister when I was a child. I still need to see it (I didn't get to see many movies as a kid - some, but not a ton). LOL it was hilarious when you asked if Helen Hunt was in Frozen 2. I hadn't seen either Frozen movie. When I heard the "Let it Go" song sooooo many times (I kept hearing it everywhere from people talking about it and even NPR played it once), I was super annoyed lol. That's why I haven't seen it Lol. Lol I had no idea that frogs, mudfish, worms, and jeyllfish were thrown through the sky. That is scary. The alligator one is even scarier haha. The discussion about alligatornado is hilarious as well. Hahaha great discussions throughout, like about scales for windspeed. I hadn't heard of the movie where aliens dropped meteorites to kill humans and change the weather. That is quite a concept. Haha. I had heard of an asteroid that will be nearing Earth in 2029. That is definitely close, but yeah, we will be all right. Funny discussion about whether it will be like Armageddon. :). Yeah, it would be too risky to try to destroy an asteroid, especially with a missile (since you'd turn one asteroid into countless fragments). But, I do wonder if one day, we will find a solution that can destroy an asteroid and avoid or minimize the fragmentation. That's absolutely fiction and handwavium for the near-future, but I would be intrigued if it comes true. LOL The discussion about Category 6: Day of Destruction is hilarious. That movie sounds way too silly. Funny discussions. I like how wide ranging they get. Take care. :). :).

Hi guys! :D Congratulations on having 12 episodes, guys! Spy x Family is great! I've been reading the manga. It's a hilarious and fantastic manga. I'm sure the show is great too. I've heard of Assassination Classroom. I haven't seen or read it though (manga). Haha Eye Candy is a great nickname and reference to Cyclops' superpowers lol. I too thought Cyclops' blasts were lasers until I heard recently about him creating portals and draws energy that way too. I didn't remember much of what I heard. I like your explanation of it and am intrigued. It is handwavium lol. It is neat also. Yes, it definitely is heat vision. :) I forgot about the Gazerbeam. Laser is a cool acronym. Cool how GFP can be used. It's so awesome how it shot out pulses of light and how they made a laser cell. :] I didn't know that people thought they shot lasers from eyes. Not surprising though that some thought that. Synchrotron radiation, Bremsstrahlung, and Backscatter X-ray are intriguing. There is one comic where he does have cancer (Superman). It was a good one. The All Star Superman comic was the one comic that had this story. Whoa. I didn't know they x-rayed your feet. Backscatter X-Ray was most intriguing to me. I read the link that you had in the notes and how it mentioned that it detected the radiation that reflects from what you're trying to X-Ray. I didn't know that was how it worked but that was neat to learn. Awesome overview of the eye! The picture of the eye in the notes is great. It's so helpful. :) It's amazing how the eye works too, especially in real-time. I would love to watch "The Power". :) Yeah, I can see why it'd be painful for Cyclops to use his powers too. This reminds me how it must be painful for Wolverine to use his claws (continual push of claws through his skin and he has healing powers, but I'm sure it's no fun to have them poking out so often - not to mention the injuries he also has from battle). I'm not surprised that only 1% of the population has 20/10 vision. I agree that Hawkeye's vision is arguably a superpower. It sure is a borderline example, but I say it's nearer to be a superpower than not. Great discussion about colorblindness and genes, Joe. Very informative. Daredevil is a superb example. One of my favorite superheroes. Yes, he can detect via other senses. I haven't seen a lot of Star Wars, but have heard of Geordi La Forge. It was cool to learn more about him :). Haha fun selfie, Joe! I saw it in the notes too. I saw the first episode of Fallout. I need to finish it. I've been busy. It's on my list as is the show Last of Us. I appreciate the information you gave about blind spots. It's been a while since I've learned about the eye, so this has been a cool recap! There was a retina scan scene in Captain America: Winter Soldier too :). Have you seen it, Joe? It's one of my faves (the movie). I don't know about fingerprints and raccoons however. Great question. **EDIT: I just saw the notes. "No, they have small, densely packed epidermal domes that each overlie a cone-shaped dermal papilla." I need to read up about this. Whoa! I didn't hear about the eye transplant. I'm sad to hear that the eye isn't communicating with his brain. I'm intrigued though. There is great potential, I concur. It's awesome how you mailed companies for things. The thing you received from Doritos is rad. "You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become a podcast villain." ;) Lol I decided to make a play on the Dark Knight line after you mentioned that you'd be a villain, Joe. Cool episode, Joe! It's one of my favorites. I learned a lot and had fun. Kudos! PS. I like how the notes keep being referred to as footnotes instead of show notes haha. :). PPS. I forget - have you discussed the multiverse? If not, would you like to have an episode about it, guys? Take care. Have a nice rest of the week and stay cool and hydrated this summer.

good stuff Jo. What a zany story!

Hi, guys! I listened to this earlier on my phone (and was away from my computer), so I'm basing this on memory :). It was cool how Joe discussed the various types of cloning that have occurred and cloning on a genetic level. I had heard of the cloning of sheep, but not of frogs. That was cool to learn. I'm more of a Marvel guy. I love DC too though. I can relate to the burnout with Marvel though. Some of their stuff isn't as good. They're putting too much stuff out there and it's not as good as before. Quantity vs. quality. I think they're learning their lesson, however. They're putting out less content this year. So, I have hope that things will get better. I love the Star Wars aspect of the conversation. There was a good summary of the prequels. I had actually forgotten the name of the one who came up with the cloning program. Great points about the inhibitor chip. The chip had actually almost worked once on the Bad Batch, but they were able, if I remember correctly, resist it and their chips were removed eventually. Excellent points about Omega. The third and final season was pretty dark and the antagonist of it was pretty creepy. Joe, I recommend the show if you haven't seen it. But, yes, Omega's blood was what the Empire wanted and it fit the project that Dr. Hemlock (antag) had. There was some good social commentary on the treatment of veterans too. I like what was said about the clones. They definitely had to choose their own names, though some in the Empire dehumanized them and only saw them as numbers. I hadn't realized that the aging of clones was based on a real concept. I thought it was something fictional for Star Wars, but that was intriguing to learn. Omega was one of the few clones who didn't age that quickly. Lol I saw a bit of Young Jedi Adventures. Nubs is cool, but yeah, he's not an Ewok. I want to see an Ewok Jedi. I guess I need to read the Legends books to find an Ewok jedi :). I haven't read any legends books. I need to though. I too heard of homunculus from FMA. It sure was different in Full Metal Alchemist/FMA lol. In FMA, they are humans made via alchemy (and such creations are seen as illegal from the manga I read). But, yeah, the idea of it in real life is somewhat different. I learned a lot from Joe here. I didn't realize that it came from a (very) wrong understanding of reproduction. I recommend Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood. I heard it's truer to the manga. Excellent points about how a clone won't have the same personality. That was what I was wondering about too. But, it makes total sense that it would be difficult (actually, impossible) to have the same personality for a clone. There are many factors that affect who someone is and their behavior. The same thing can affect people differently. Our experiences shape us and, if I remember correctly, our brains form neural connections often - and we are all different. So, what Joe said makes sense. Awesome that Jordan plays music and has an offer of free tomatoes for podcast mentions :). Fantastic episode! Kudos :) Take care!

Hey guys :). Lol if only one could time travel and bring someone through time. I heard of the grandfather paradox theory. I had heard about Futurama using that for a storyline. A friend of mine told me about it lol. It seemed weird but it also was accurate in how it portrayed the grandfather paradox. Life is hectic. It's great how to record ahead. You shared some intriguing examples of sleep time travel. I need to read the Rip Van Winkle story. I've heard of it but never read it. Wormholes are cool. That's interesting how you would travel through a black hole and then go out through a white hole. I imagine that would be tough though since gravity is so strong in a black hole. I've heard about the spaghettification of anything or anyone that/who would go through a black hole. "Because you're accelerating so fast that time would move more slowly at that end of the wormhole compared to the other end, and so everything would kind of remain stationary and just kind of weaker gravitational field, kind of just normal time - then you would slow down." I get the first part and it makes sense to me (time slows down when you're going ultra quickly/speed of light). I'm a bit confused about the second part. I'm curious why there would be a weaker gravitational field. Also, would a weaker gravitational field lead to lower speed (and vice versa for a stronger gravitional field)? Hahahaha "Handwavium" is the word of the podcast. Lol yep, you time traveled, Joe. Kidding. I need to read "Time Machine" by Wells. lol I love encyclopedias. I wish I kept them. I agree. There are many parts of the past that I would not want to go to. I wouldn't feel safe. Haha excellent example with Bishop and the other X-Men. The Flash can definitely time travel through his speed. True. There are really small organisms that we can't see. That's one reason why I wouldn't want to go back Like Nick, I'd be afraid of dealing with severe illnesses (i.e. like from the plague). LOL Joe is not a physicist but he plays one on a podcast. Kidding :) Little Marvels sounds cute and funny. The Edge of Tomorrow is awesome. You made some solid points about non-device time travel. It definitely is handwavium. You have to make your own rules, but I think it's okay as long as your rules are consistent. Great point about the energy needed to spin the Earth back or time travel. I wonder if there is an accurately written superhero who can time travel. I didn't think about how realistic time travel through the quantum realm is. It's been a while since I've seen Endgame. I thought it was far-fetched, but it sounds like it can be done (though I am not sure if the Avengers' time travel rules are correct). I haven't seen Back to the Future haha. I need to see Doctor Who also. Yes! The Terminator used the equipment also. (Time displacement equipment). Terminator is one of my favorite time travel films of all time. I want to learn more about the predestination paradox. I need to read up on it. Cool episode! Take care, Jotham.

Hi Georgia, Nick, and Joe! I want to visit the Lighthouse Museum :). It sounds cool. That's cool that the first lighthouse was in Alexandria, Egypt. I didn't know. That's a neat fact. I hope to visit Michigan City :). I'm from California, so I'm not from the area haha. I thought that Michigan City was in Michigan when I first heard of it hehe. Have you visited Michigan City often? :). Interesting. I didn't know lard was used to heat to make light. Intriguing. That's a lot of work to warm it up then row to the next lighthouse. That is tiring and I'm curious how she did that. Neat history lesson. I didn't know the first one in the U.S. was in 1716 :). Incredible how Harriet Colfax worked for 40 years in maintaining lighthouses. I wonder how she was able to keep working into her 80s. I doubt that I could do that and it'd be too exhausting for me. I admire how she worked for so long and admire her strength too. I hadn't heard of Pharology. It sounds cool! Haha I think lighthouses would be useful during a zombie apocalypse. Wow. It's interesting how Anne and Harriet died near each other with Harriet dying less than 2 weeks after Anne was buried...wow. So the lighthouse is like Motel 6. They keep the light on for you =P. I remember the old ads lol. Wow, that's cool how the lighthouses were designed to keep them standing during weather events. Haha I haven't seen Day of Triffids but I am intrigued by what you had mentioned. I didn't think a meteor shower would make people blind. But, I guess it makes sense since it's bright. Intriguing how one of the survivors had eye surgery that day. Their solution is interesting. LOL I am intrigued to see it :). I haven't seen Shutter Island either lol. I am able to catch some movies each year, but I didn't start until about 15 years ago to actively watch many movies. As a result, I'm very behind lol. I want to see Shutter Island though :). Vanishing sounds like a good one :). I am interested in watching it. Haha what about a zombie-lighthouse story, Joe? That will be your next story - kidding :). Fun conversation :). Cool how the 1-4-3 pattern resulted into a lighthouse that was nicknamed "I Love You" Lighthouse :). Cute fun fact. Take care, everyone. Have a nice evening. :). Cool discussion :D.

Hi guys :) Hilarious start. Great intros. I need to finish Last of Us. I wasn't able to watch much of it, but need to finish the show. I have so many shows to watch lol. Whoa. I didn't know the cats got it. Scary. Life has a way for sure lol. But, I agree that it's a stretch for people to become zombies. I haven't really seen zombie films, but it was cool to learn about them from what you mentioned. I think I'd prefer to deal with a slow zombie? Not sure. lol Whoa, so the radiation made them smarter? Interesting. I wouldn't live long in a zombie apocalypse. I think I'd flee to a military base and hope the soldiers could stop them lol. Great idea to save the soy sauce packets. Haha I think you would make it. LOL yeah, not footnotes. I once had 200+ footnotes in a report though. :) I hadn't seen iZombie. But, I want to see it :). I didn't know they based the chemical in the show on Agent Orange. I agree, it is horrible. True. Zombie stories do have social commentary. NPR's Throughline podcast program had a great episode about zombies and I believe they discussed the social commentary used in zombie tales. It was an intriguing episode. I don't remember much from it. However, I remember it being intriguing and it kept me engaged. Great discussion. Imagine a Thanos zombie. Solid point about how knowledge would be fought over. With deaths (like with the Thanos snap), a lot of knowledge would be lost. And, knowledge is power. What you stated makes sense. Agreed. The post-snap world was a mess. Great point about how Thanos messed up the food chain. Interdependence is widespread. And yes, I agree, Thanos is very wrong. It was genocidal and, as you said, there are a lot of secondary effects. I agree with the knowledge loss and species impacts. Plus, the psychological impact, and so much more (I can think of socioeconomic impacts). The movie oversimplified things - I second you. I like the Eternals overall. It wasn't excellent. But, I thought it was okay. LOL I like the jokes about technical difficulties being a sign of zombie transformation. I haven't John Carpenter films. I hope to one day :). Bucky was sure like a zombie in the movie. Great comparison :). True. I didn't think of that. You're correct that how much the zombie bites can affect how you can move after you transform... And, just one bite dooms you to transformation too. I'd hate to be bit by one lol. Fun episode! Take care, guys :).

Hi Joe :) It was great hearing the physics summary :). I learned about much of this before, at least on a general level, so it was cool to get a refresher also :). The early stories that you guys shared sound awesome! Your point about the sun and how it takes eight minutes for the sun's light to reach Earth reminds me of something. I heard a lot of starlight is from the past. It takes a long time (many years) for light from the past to reach Earth. So, we're seeing light from the past. I don't totally remember about what caused this, but what prevents us from going faster than the speed of light? Is it because mass would increase with speed and thus, if you were to reach the speed of light, the mass would be too high? "Time is irrelevant." Well, I heard that there are physicists who don't believe time exists. I don't know enough to say whether they're right. I like healing factor also. I remember how Wolverine has that. It's rad. Lol interesting - I heard the "Ship of Theseus" mentioned at a meeting I was in with authors earlier today. The show WandaVision had a discussion inspired by story also. :) Excellent points about cells and how teleportation is impossible. I didn't realize it, but you're right that many atoms would have to be tracked and teleported faster than the speed of light. I wish it was possible sometimes. But yeah, I don't know if I trust humanity with it. Good questions about how much energy you need to phase. The Flash has phased in his CW show. I'm guessing he has phased in the comics he's in as well. I haven't read many Flash comics, so I can't say. But, I wonder how much energy would have to be utilized. "I am one with the table". And in the paraphrased words of Chirrut Îmwe in Rogue One, "And the table is with Evan" lol lol you might have to eat a lot when you rematearialize. I don't know though. I imagine you'd have to eat a lot. But, Joe, your points are solid. I'm not sure then. lol "The perils of teleportation." :) Superb episode (I listened to it on my phone with my podcast app). I need to see the movies everyone mentioned. Have a great weekend!

Hi guys. How are you both? Great episode! I'm more of a Wolverine fan than other mutants (well except for one of the newest mutants (in both the MCU and more recently, comics), Ms. Marvel). It was fun hearing you discuss genotype and phenotype. Interesting about how environmental changes can bring out changes caused by genes. It reminds me of how superhero abilities can be activated by stress in comics, movies, shows etc. Lol And, just after I wrote that, I hear you discuss about how stress can bring out the power for mutants. LOL Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. It would be intriguing if they were real. Great point about the Hulk and his kids. I can see why that would be a sign that he had a mutation too. Good example of the reverse engineering. I don't remember the episode as it's been a while since I watched the show (and when I rewatched it, I only saw S1). But, I want to rewatch it all. I remember watching X-Men during weekday afternoons mostly :). I recall how many networks had cartoons during the afternoons, like Histeria, Pinky and the Brain, Yu-Gi-Oh, Animaniacs, X-Men, and Batman the Animated Series. I also remember Saturday morning cartoons. Now, I feel nostalgic. I agree that his healing factor is not explored enough. I think Logan did a nice job in exploring this also. He was getting old and his healing factor declined. (And I think the metal inside his body was poisoning him). LOL yep, Kryptonite and Adamantium are fake. Godzilla is a blind spot also (for me). I need to watch more of Godzilla's movies. I didn't know genes were put back into ears. Interesting. I want to learn more. Good point about genetic engineering - I too think about its implications. I agree that people need to be vigilant and to keep track of the updates. It can have huge impacts on our health and can be used for many different reasons (good and bad ones). My favorite mutants are Wolverine and Rogue from the Animated Series. Actually, I think they are my favorites behind Ms. Marvel. She only recently became a mutant in the comics. But, yes, they're my favorites. Rogue, Wolverine, and Ms. Marvel are awesome IMO. I don't remember having cereal or other foods while watching cartoons as my family was strict on not eating in the family room, but I liked Raisin Bran as a kid (though I didn't eat while watching cartoons/shows). I am STOKED for X-Men 97 :) I want to watch both episodes (that dropped yesterday) :). Hoping to see them soon.

"FYI about the audio-I did not put Nick in the corner. LOL. Nick called in, which is why it sounds like he is talking into a can." Sure, Joe. Sure. He was in a corner and talking into a tin can phone. Kidding :) Godzilla is a giant animal, I concur lol. :). I googled "The Stand". 1,388 pages. Eep. I usually don't read very long books, but I might read it since I'd like to improve my creative writing skills. So you'll stan for Stand? Kidding lol. That's cool that you'll recommend and support it. I didn't know that TMNT has inspiration from Daredevil. Nice. I haven't seen Attack of the 50 Ft Woman. Sounds like an intriguing plot nonetheless. Did you enjoy the film? :) Lol anomaly is a tongue twister. Lots of various kinds of anomalies. The Hulk would probably be a genetic modification. (Or a biological one). Great observations on what is perceived as magic. I don't really believe in magic, but the way you put it makes sense. I guess the universe seems like magic to me. it's so complex, intricate, and incredible. Sorry to hear about your office being flooded. Sending you my support, Jotham. The different types of animals in mythology that you mentioned in the podcast and your newsletter are cool. I haven't really gotten much into mythology, but the giant animals you mentioned are intriguing. Great points about dragons. It reminds me of how they are prominent in Chinese culture also. I didn't know about Fenghuang though. It was cool getting to learn about them from the show notes :). I agree about sea animals. They are not as prevalent as land animals, I concur. They're cool nonetheless. I'd be interested in reading more stories with sea animals. Lol interesting. Tilapia is like chicken? (Chicken of the sea). Intriguing. Excellent questions. I do wonder what keeps Godzilla up and why he always goes to the water afterward. How does he contend with gravity? Not sure. Handwavium then lol. Cool episode. Take care :). Fun discussion as always. Good points. I too heard that whales that beach are sick. That might be right. At the end of the newsletter you sent, you asked: "What’s your favorite animal? What’s your favorite giant animal movie? Favorite color?" Favorite animal? I think my favorite giant animal is probably an elephant then lol (I read about the biggest animal in the notes). Favorite giant animal movie? I haven't seen many. I did like Godzilla Minus One though. Favorite color is black :).

I love the premise of the podcast program. It's fun to explore science through sci-fi. Sci-Fi has inspired me to learn about space and psychology. Great discussion about the difference between AI art and human-created art and how the latter transforms their inspirations ("adding on, growing it, evolving it" as Nick said). I remember "Steal Like an Artist", a book by Austin Kleon, stating something similar. I agree with Nick - and, it's fun to see how writing and drawings transform their inspirations (and seeing different styles used). Good point about what AI can help out with. I think at least some tax preparation software programs use AI. If I remember correctly, Turbo Tax does. LOL I wasn't a huge fan of Secret Invasion. I thought it gradually got better at first, but then got terrible by the latter two-three episodes. I agree with the issue of credit also. I worry about AIs stealing art too. Yeah, that is a tough situation. I personally wouldn't want to have to work with AI on an art project. That is a huge dilemma too, especially when money is at stake. I don't work professionally on art (it's a hobby for me), but I can see why that would be a difficult situation for visual artists. "It's not the AI, it's the training model." Excellent point. That training model definitely impacts how it works out, what it does. It's definitely affected by the programmer's/programmers' views and biases. That's what worries me about AIs also. I appreciate the information about pixel values and AI training. It helped me understand that more. It also reminds me of the differences between AIs and humans. Humans learn in real-time with neural connections that form all the time, right (though some will weaken over time also, if I recall correctly)? AIs don't have neurons, but I can see a similar process with how AIs train from real images and the pixel values within them. The issues with the training models worry me (particularly also given how the training process can be impacted by a person's biases), especially with facial recognition software using AI. Excellent point, Nick. We carry our cell phones with us everywhere. So, they can pick up on conversations, locations, and other data continuously. Joe, you're right that we tell it what data to key in on and what to ignore as well. Nice Terminator comparison hahaha. I have, at least when I first about the worries of AI, worried about AIs being like Terminator or like the Samaritan AI in Person of Interest. My views have become more nuanced now, but seeing movies such as Ex Machina did contribute to my worries before. That is a valid concern about how AIs could be used for HR decisions. Yeah, it can be concerning, depending on what type of values you want the AIs to base decisions on. Nick and Joe gave great examples. Vision, Jarvis, and Ultron are different results. And, sometimes, good intentions can lead to terrible results. Ultron in fiction, and there are plenty of examples in real life also. Joe brought up a very concerning issue about AIs potentially replacing people's jobs. I worry about that too. As Joe said, that could have huge repercussions on economies. It has made me think about how to bolster my skills and adapt to changes too. Joe and Nick are right. There are tons of uses for AIs. It affects so many fields. Lol I have heard the philosophy of us being in a simulation lol. Have a great week. Take care, guys!

Two of my favorite villains are Killmonger and Wilson Fisk/Kingpin. So, I second one of your villain selections, Joe. I didn't expect to hear that the reason why we like villains is that we can relate to them in some way. I guess that, for Killmonger and Fisk, I strongly disagree with their methods, but I see that they both (at least for Fisk in season 1) proclaim that they want to do good. Killmonger speaks against injustice and Fisk says, "I wanted to make this city something better than it is, something Ybeautiful" (though, again, I disagree with their methods). I see both characters as complex and three dimensional, especially given their desire for justice/making a difference. Since I am passionate about justice and wanting to make a difference myself, I can relate to that and I guess that has contributed to me liking their characters. Plus, I like how Fisk treats his wife, Vanessa, very well. Often times, we see male villains who don't really care for their girlfriends/wives/love interests - and can be abusive and/or manipulative towards them. Yet, Fisk, at least from what I recall, is open, vulnerable, and kind to her as well as very respectful to her. That goes into the next point that you make. Great point about wanting to see the goodness or a good trait within a villain. That reminds me of Magneto. Magneto is extreme and brutal. At the same time though, he wants to also fight against oppression and injustice - and I like his friendship with Charles (and how much he respects Charles). I guess that I can see the good traits in him also. I'm heartbroken by the injustices he suffered as a kid and the horrors that he experienced as a Holocaust survivor. I'm also thinking about Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy. Harley's been through a lot as a survivor of abuse from the Joker (and being manipulated by him). I haven't read many comics about her (though I want to), but if the Harley Quinn novel I read once is true to her backstory (and if the animated show is spot on), her father was a criminal also. As for Poison Ivy, she is passionate about the environment and angered by environmental degradation (especially by companies who do so in the name of profit). Both also use questionable methods, but both are also three dimensional characters with backstories or desires for justice that one can find empathy for. I was surprised to hear Chris list Lucifer as his favorite villain. But, I can see where he is coming from for this theory. Based on the theory, he was driven by fear. But, how would such fear come about - would such traits (fear, especially of losing power) have been created by God, per chance? Still, I can see the case for this theory. I need to read up more about this. Narcissism, Machiavellism, psychopathy - I can see these traits in Fisk, Killmonger, and Magneto. Great example of those who can slip from hero to villain. I see that for Batman also. He could've been a brutal villain. He could've been like the Punisher (who could be an antihero or a villain). If he had gone a different path, he could've gone on to murder criminals and/or be like the Penguin - start his own mob and use his funds/wealth to further his ends. lol I am writing this as I'm listening and I just heard Magneto mentioned. Excellent point about Professor X! Spot on that he has his own army that act outside of the law and he has his own vision. He's fundamentally good in my view, but yeah, I agree that he's not wholeheartedly innocent. It makes sense how those who spent time to do activities would feel happier than those who were totally sedentary. I definitely feel better after walking, and I'm interested to see how peer review of the study will go. I'm excited for the results :). I'm not sure if working out will help. Batman works out and he has huge rage issues lol. I haven't heard of Fritz Haber. Good point about how his actions have saved lives and taken them. This discussion reminds me of how complex humanity is. I find a lot of people in history to be complex and complicated - as with a lot of history in general. You're correct, Joe. People will act on good intentions. But, their actions can lead to terrible consequences. Great example with Miles Dyson. He absolutely is a great example of someone with good intentions creating something terrible. This discussion reminds me of the debate over the atomic bomb and the film Oppenheimer, which is based on real events. The goal was to develop the atom bomb before the Nazis could - and have used the arguments of how it shortened the World War (though I heard counterarguments against this also - but this is something I don't know enough about and need to read up more on). At the same time, the atom bomb killed so many civilians. Great discussion about AI. I do agree that AI programming could be impacted by human prejudices (and, if I remember correctly, that is a concern that has been brought up about facial recognition AI). Excellent point about how they might rise up if they realize how they are secondary to humans - and the discussion about the question of villainy there. There would also be questions about what rights AI would have. Would (or should) they be given legal rights and would the constitution and other laws apply to AIs as well? Have you watched the show Person of Interest? It raised these issues and did so in a great way. It's a superb sci-fi show. I enjoyed it. Prey is a wonderful movie. I love it. I need to see Predator 2. Great point. Humans are the villains to the aliens in Predator, I agree. Yeah, I agree that the villain is defined by the protagonist (in writing). And, villains see themselves as the protagonist and the protag as the villain, so that makes sense. Awesome episode. Nice discussion. Have a great week!

I hadn't seen Mannequin lol, but am intrigued! I'd be like "What?" if I saw a life-like mannequin being carried and brought into places. That is quite a party for a mannequin to be brought to it. LOL Joe's joke about the mannequin giving a poor review is great. I'd love to see one give a 1 star review on Yelp haha. Great point. I call Frankenstein's Monster, "Frankenstein" lol. For a long time, I thought that was the monster's name. I didn't really know much about reanimation before. It was great learning about the history of it and how electricity was used to try to reanimate. It's incredible how Volta made an unrelated discovery from reanimation. I would be creeped out if I saw a body moving from electricity. I can't imagine how scary for those who saw it in person. Yeah, I can't see scientists repeating Bryukhonenko's experiments. It would freak me out if I saw that (especially if I saw the one where he reportedly reanimated someone). Eep. It's interesting how much fiction draws upon these stranger than fiction experiments. Great history episode. Kudos, Georgia and Joe (I like Joe's idea of Cynthia getting an iPhone too - that would be a scary and good movie). Nice work. Take care :).

This is neat. Nice intro/welcome. I enjoy your newsletter and am intrigued. I'm excited to learn and listen. Kudos, guys. Take care.