The Truth About Gigantic Objects in Space (with Sarah Parcak)
Release Date: 01/09/2025
Simulating Earth and Politicizing Science
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It's the end of science as we know it in America. As the U.S. government dismantles science agencies and slashes budgets for health and environmental research, we talk about what it means to politicize science. How is that different from the time-honored tradition of analyzing the politics of science? Then we are joined by contributing host Maddie Stone, an environmental journalist, who tells us about the forgotten history of the videogame SimEarth, where you help an entire planet's ecosystems evolve. Yep, before The Sims, there was SimEarth. Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect/shownotes
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The Power of Protest (w/ andré carrington)
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It's time to rise up. That's why we’re talking about the power of protest, in real life but also in fiction. Indeed, the act of writing science fiction can itself be a protest, and sometimes it’s just as powerful as marching in the street. Later in the episode, we're joined by andré carrington, who is the editor of a new anthology of Black speculative fiction called The Black Fantastic. He tells us why fascists are so terrified of books and the pleasures of reading. Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes
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Too Bad About the Internet (with Anil Dash)
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Where did the Internet go wrong, and how do we fix it? To find out more, we talk to entrepreneur and activist Anil Dash about the alternate history of technology. But first, we talk about why Doctor Who is better than ever, and why we're loving the current season — but where is this venerable TV show headed next? We explore our hopes, dreams and anxieties about our favorite Time Lord.
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Some really weird shit you didn't know about taxes
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Why are taxes the secret weapon in so many science fiction and fantasy stories? And why the heck do archaeologists measure the complexity of ancient civilizations partly by looking at their taxation policies? We talk about all this and more, as we recover from tax season. Plus, later in the episode, contributing host Alan Henry will tell us how to survive the harsh new workplace conditions of 2025, particularly if you are a marginalized person. Shownotes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes
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Severance and the New Hellscape (w/ Carl Zimmer)
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Welcome to the new dystopian era. The series Severance, which just finished its second season, is perhaps the best-known of a fresh crop of dark, absurdist stories that tackle the horrors of high-tech oligarchy. We discuss why the imaginary future is mutating before our eyes. Then we are joined by celebrated science journalist Carl Zimmer, author of the new book Airborne. He tells us about the discovery of airborne diseases and toxins, and tells us what's coming next. Don't freak out! It's not all bad. Show notes: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes
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Hip Hop x Cyberpunk (with clipping.)
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Hip hop group clipping. has just released a brilliant new cyberpunk-inspired album, Dead Channel Sky, and we're talking to the members about how hip hop and cyberpunk have inspired each other from the beginning. Hope you've got your mirrorshades! Meanwhile, contributing host Bethany Brookshire takes us on a deep dive into medieval history and shares the startling tale of how three thousand hats ended a war.
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"Interior Chinatown" Just Became a Very Weird TV Show (with Charles Yu)
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In his award-winning novel Interior Chinatown, Charles Yu took a scalpel to television's tropes and stereotypes. Now he explains to us how he managed to turn that book into a brilliant, challenging TV show. Also, contributing host Nivair Gabriel tells us about science in children's books, and what it's like to push for accurate depictions of space in children's publishing. Plus she recommends great books to share with the kids in your life!
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Forced Feminization and Cute Robots
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We're catching you up on all the movies we've been watching recently, from The Substance to The Wild Robot, and a few themes emerged. One is that there are an awful lot of feminists who are mad about being forced to be and act feminine. And the other is that cute robots might eventually destroy you. Enjoy! Show notes, as always, are here: www.ouropinionsarecorrect.com/shownotes
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No, We Don't Live in a F---ing Simulation!
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It's a fun thought experiment: what if the universe is a simulation, and nothing around us is real? But lately, some of the most powerful people in tech (and politics) have been saying they believe this is true. Why would they think that? To understand, we talk to Damien P. Williams at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and Paris Marx, host of the Tech Won't Save Us podcast. Spoiler alert: anyone who'd trap us in a simulation would have to be a total sociopath.
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Never Forget Where We Came From (with Tananarive Due and Nicola Griffith)
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History is on our minds lately. In this episode, we talk to two incredible authors who recreate history in their work. Tananarive Due draws on her own family's experience in her award-winning novel The Reformatory, while Nicola Griffith uncovers the secret history of medieval England in Hild and Menewood. We discuss researching history, and why understanding history is important to building the future. We had an incredible conversation with these two legends.
info_outlineFrom Ringworld to Rama, space is full of mysterious giant objects created by ancient civilizations. Do these gorgeous macrostructures bring poetry to the prosaic genre of space opera? Or do we love them for some other reason? Also, we talk to archeologist Sarah Parcak about space archeology and what it teaches us about ancient civilizations.