Episodes
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In this episode of "Popcorn Science," discuss the 2013 film Gravity.
In this episode of "Popcorn Science," discuss the AppleTV show Pluribus. Topics Science Gripes (6:40) Genetic code from the stars? (7:07) Disease Transmission: fast and slow (8:48) How does the virus do what it does? (15:00) Information Density / Communication Bandwidth (17:40) Science Shine (19:38) VLA! Signal! (20:00) Repetition, rule out local PWM Base4... DNA... er RNA! USAMRIID (22:40) Lab rat protocol Balanced centrifuge! Extras with lab experience Rat Science (29:54) Simple Machine: Lever (30:58) Kepler-22 (32:24) Signal Strength (36:10) Of It's Time (41:45) Ratings (57:14) References P
In this episode of "Popcorn Science," discuss the 2026 film Project Hail Mary
In this episode of "Popcorn Science," we discuss the 2015 film The Martian
In this episode of "Popcorn Science," discuss the 1989 film The Abyss
In this episode of "Popcorn Science," discuss the 1977 film Close Encounters of the Third Kind
God creates dinosaurs, God destroys dinosaurs. God creates Man, Man destroys God. Man creates podcasts. Dinosaurs eat man, woman inherits the Earth. In this episode of "Popcorn Science," discuss the 1993 film Jurassic Park Topics Science Gripes (5:30) DNA from mosquitoes = impossible. Half life is too short. Humans cannot produce lysine either, we're alright. Not "billions of strands" in a drop of blood. T-Rex, from brain casts: Good sense of smell, vision, and hearing... sitting still not a good strategy. Velociraptors: not so big, not so fast. Humans can probably outrun dinosaurs (19:15) $11
In this episode of "Popcorn Science," discuss the 1997 film The Fifth Element. Topics Science Gripes (5:10) Technobabble "Memo-groups", the perfect being, genetic memory Generate skin by exposure to UV Gravity will mess you up (10:05) 3D grid lock? Fog layer in NYC? How big is the death sphere anyway? New Moon? What about tides, tho? How do shadows work? (18:41) -5000 degrees? (22:57) Parable of the Broken Window (22:37) Science Shine (24:23) Aziz! Light! The fifth element is... Boron... err... Ether (25:40) Languages (29:40) Planetary Protection (32:12) Diva Dance (33:40) We bring the evil wi
In this episode of "Popcorn Science," we discuss the 2019 series For All Mankind. Topics Science Gripes (6:05) Dumbest way to move an Asteroid No reaction control thrusters Do not need a tower to push Spike in a rubble-pile asteroid Sending out crew to asteroid while under thrust? Living on Mars (14:50) Radiation on the Surface, aristocracy live above ground? Happy Valley Base near the equator, but ice is near the poles Korolev Crater harboring life? No Methane or lava tubes. Untethered EVA? Risky. Science Shine (27:08) Asteroid depiction A dark rubble pile Initial contact, asteroid more like
In this episode of "Popcorn Science," discuss the 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey. Topics Science Gripes (7:00) Tapir do not live in Africa Arid environment, but humans likely evolved in arboreal environment Little evidence for humans living in caves Humans are not the only tool users, monolith didn't grant unique advantage Artistic placement of the moon Random equations / diagrams on screen: Sci-Fi jibberish Space craft: No thrusters Moonwalking: Too much gravity, too little falling down EVA without tether or thruster packs, gardening gloves Discovery: Moving too fast: 3 weeks to Mars? 18 wee
Cities fall, but they are rebuilt. And heroes die, but they are remembered. We honor them with every podcast we record. Our planet, our home. In this episode of "Popcorn Science," discuss the 1998 film Deep Impact. Topics Science Gripes (4:30) Nobody notices the comet Sublimation / thermal inertia Gravity on a comet Sun visor, facial boils Travel time Communication failure Impact effects (earthquake, airburst) Temperature increase due to many small impactors (>10 degrees) Science Shine (28:05) Comet naming Comet stats: Reasonable size, mass, density and rotation More likely scenario than Armag
A new life awaits you in the Popcorn Science Podcast. The chance to begin again in a golden land of opportunity and adventure! In this episode of "Popcorn Science," discuss the 1982 cult classic Blade Runner. Catherine and John have seen things you people wouldn't believe. If you don't listen to this episode, all those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain. References Blade Runner (1982)
In this episode of "Popcorn Science," John and Catherine hear nothing but the rain while discussing the 2003 Battlestar Galactica miniseries. So grab your gun and bring the cat in. References Battlestar Galactica (2003)
Many Bothans died to bring us this episode. In this episode of "Popcorn Science," John and Catherine discuss the science behind the movie Rogue One. References Star Wars: Rogue One
References Thor Misc In this episode of "Popcorn Science," John and Catherine discuss the science behind the movie Thor!
References Clara (film) Clara on YouTube Misc In this episode of "Popcorn Science," John and Catherine discuss the science behind the 2018 movie "Clara." Clara tells the sotry of a down-on-his-luck astronomer who succeeds in making a momentous discovery with the help of a mysterious artist. Featured in the Toronto International Film Festival, this movie has a familiar science advisor - Dr. John Moores!
References The Core Stevenson (2003) Misc In this episode of "Popcorn Science," John and Catherine discuss the science behind the movie everyone loves to hate: "The Core"! First released in 2003, this movie explores what would happen if the Earth's outer core stopped spinning, and sends a courageous group of "terranauts" down to start it up again.
References The Trouble with the Tribbles Trials and Tribble-ations Misc In this episode of "Popcorn Science," John and Catherine discuss the science behind two Star Trek episodes: "The Trouble with Tribbles" (1967) from The Original Series and "Trials and Tribble-ations" (1996) from Deep Space Nine. In both episodes, the crews try to grapple with an outbreak of a number of fuzzy spheroids known as Tribbles, with the DS9 crew coming from the future to help out Kirk and Spock!
In this episode of "Popcorn Science," John and Catherine discuss the science behind the 1997 movie "Contact". Based on the 1985 novel of the same name by Carl Sagan, Contact explores what would happen if humanity were to receive a message from an extraterrestrial civilization. Topics Science Gripes (4:37) Headphones? (6:01) Opening Sequence (9:40) Hitler, Messenger of Earth (11:20) Arecibo Message (12:28) Arecibo Geography (16:00) Ellie the Astronaut (17:28) Funding (20:08) Arecibo v. VLA (21:15) Timeline Issue (48:35) The Good Things (24:59) On Location (25:05) Science Culture (27:40) Signal
References Ender's Game (film) Ender's Game (book) Misc In this episode of "Popcorn Science," John and Catherine discuss the science behind the 2013 movie "Ender's Game". Based on the 1985 novel by Orson Scott Card, Ender's Game follows a young boy as he learns to defend the Earth from an invasion by a mysterious alien species known as the Formics.
Topics Antarctic Meteorite Survey Tunguska References Tunguska Event Tunguska Episode Terma Episode Misc In our first episode of "Popcorn Science," John and Catherine discuss the science behind The X-Files two-parter "Tunguska/Terma". These episodes first aired in November 1996, and follow Mulder and Scully around the world as they try to get their hands on a rock filled with a mysterious alien oil.
