Star Warsologies: A Podcast About Science and Star Wars

79: Chemistry in Star Wars

On this episode of Star Warsologies, we chat with chemistry professor (and Melissa's former boss!) Seth Cohen. We get into a discussion of lightsabers, of course, and learn about the real-life crystals involved in laser experiments that sound a lot like Kyber crystals. There's also a lot of cool info about different metals, including how the strength of beskar might not be in the material itself but how it's prepared. We get into some fun new questions about the cortosis helmet in The Acolyte too. Seth calls chemistry "the central science" and we really do find a variety of topics to cover when it comes to Star Wars! Show Notes: Seth's research group [https://cohenlab.ucsd.edu/] is currently at UCSD but he's moving soon to UC Irvine [https://news.uci.edu/2026/03/18/seth-cohen-to-become-new-dean-of-uc-irvines-school-of-physical-sciences/]! And learn more about DARPA projects like Atmospheric Water Extraction [https://www.darpa.mil/news/2020/potable-water-air] and LifeStraw [https://lifestraw.com/products/lifestraw] that we talked about. Learn more about MOFs [https://www.nobelprize.org/the-2025-chemistry-prize-mofs-molecular-structures/] (the chemistry kind) that earned the Nobel Prize! You can also check out Mike Sailor's research at UCSD [https://sailorgroup.ucsd.edu/research/] that we talked about in terms of beskar armor! Check out our related episodes on lasers in Star Wars [https://skywalkingthroughneverland.com/star-warsologies-61-lasers/] and one about prosthetics [https://skywalkingthroughneverland.com/new-podcast-star-warsologies-10-star-wars-prosthetics/]. You can order James's crossword puzzle book [https://www.chroniclebooks.com/products/star-wars-crossword-puzzles] now! For a free puzzle, download the activity kit from Star Wars Reads [https://www.starwars.com/news/star-wars-reads]! Subscribe to Star Warsologies on Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/star-warsologies-a-podcast-about-science-and-star-wars/id1567158758], Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/66fIiGZU3poOlTETQZf7qO], or wherever you listen to podcasts. Did you miss an earlier episode? Catch up here [https://skywalkingthroughneverland.com/category/podcasts/starwarsologies/]! Follow us on BlueSky [https://bsky.app/profile/starwarsologies.bsky.social] and Ins [https://www.instagram.com/starwarsologies/]t [https://www.instagram.com/starwarsologies/]agram [https://www.instagram.com/starwarsologies/] or join our Facebook fan group [https://www.facebook.com/groups/525984202561077]! Star Warsologies is a podcast about science and other fields in a galaxy far, far away. Hosts James Floyd and Melissa Miller combine their love of storytelling in the franchise with their keen interest in all things academic.

78: Star Wars Insider: A Fond Farewell

On this episode of Star Warsologies, we chat with Chris Cooper, editor of Star Wars Insider magazine. The final issue is out now! We send our beloved Star Wars Insider magazine off with a fond farewell discussion with editor Chris Cooper. Hear James and Melissa's origin stories in terms of their work for the magazine! Listen to us compliment each other on our favorite articles that the other has written! Learn more about Chris's work and fandom, and what he wants to do next. And then go pick up your copy of Star Wars Insider issue 237, the end of an era. Show Notes: Read Chris's writing in the Doctor Who universe [https://bigfinish.com/contributors/v/Christopher-Cooper-1729]! Learn more about Chris and his work in the Star Wars universe on his Wookieepedia page [https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Christopher_Cooper]! Here's the starwars.com article James wrote [https://www.starwars.com/news/sally-ride-star-wars] and where he and Melissa met for the first time! Check out the list of Melissa's Insider bylines on Wookieepedia [https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Melissa_T._Miller]. Check out the list of James's Insider bylines on Wookieepedia [https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/James_Floyd]. You can find the Donny and Marie Star Wars special on YouTube [https://youtu.be/xEZi2fl_HUk?si=gsVVDV9vkguA7661]. You can order James's crossword puzzle book [https://www.chroniclebooks.com/products/star-wars-crossword-puzzles] now! For a free puzzle, download the activity kit from Star Wars Reads [https://www.starwars.com/news/star-wars-reads]! Subscribe to Star Warsologies on Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/star-warsologies-a-podcast-about-science-and-star-wars/id1567158758], Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/66fIiGZU3poOlTETQZf7qO], or wherever you listen to podcasts. Did you miss an earlier episode? Catch up here [https://skywalkingthroughneverland.com/category/podcasts/starwarsologies/]! Follow us on BlueSky [https://bsky.app/profile/starwarsologies.bsky.social] and Ins [https://www.instagram.com/starwarsologies/]t [https://www.instagram.com/starwarsologies/]agram [https://www.instagram.com/starwarsologies/] or join our Facebook fan group [https://www.facebook.com/groups/525984202561077]! Star Warsologies is a podcast about science and other fields in a galaxy far, far away. Hosts James Floyd and Melissa Miller combine their love of storytelling in the franchise with their keen interest in all things academic.

77: Cybersecurity in Star Wars

On this episode of Star Warsologies, we talk cybersecurity (or lack thereof) in Star Wars with expert Malia Mason. There's a lot of plot points around stolen data in Star Wars - Rebel Base locations, Death Star plans, undercover ISB agents just to name a few. Malia talks about her work and whether she would work for the good guys or end up recruited by the Imperials. Of course we cover R2-D2's ability to plug into a random port on the Death Star and download information. Could that be because he was once Anakin Skywalker's droid and has outdated permissions? And what does our expert think of data centers like on Scarif? Would she have cleared Galen Erso to work on something as critical to the Empire as the Death Star? We also talk about the meta level, as Star Wars uses deep fakes to de-age actors for prequels and uses artificial intelligence to bring us Darth Vader's voice. Note: We recorded this conversation on February 27, 2026 - the day before the US began attacks on Iran, so our discussion of cyberwarfare does not include breaking news. Show Notes: If you haven't already, listen to our previous episode about wearable technology [https://skywalkingthroughneverland.com/star-warsologies-76-wearabletech/], which we discuss in terms of cybersecurity of all that personal medical data. Check out this article [https://cybersecurefox.com/en/cybersecurity-lessons-from-star-wars-death-star/] about cybersecurity lessons in Star Wars! And it's never a bad time to rewatch Saturday Night Live's Undercover Boss: Starkiller Base [https://youtu.be/FaOSCASqLsE?si=k9OoGVevpMAhEmNb] sketch, and the follow up sketch [https://youtu.be/Brbrdnh74yA?si=mvaJjl8FNIVwBekJ]. You can order James's crossword puzzle book [https://www.chroniclebooks.com/products/star-wars-crossword-puzzles] now! For a free puzzle, download the activity kit from Star Wars Reads [https://www.starwars.com/news/star-wars-reads]! Subscribe to Star Warsologies on Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/star-warsologies-a-podcast-about-science-and-star-wars/id1567158758], Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/66fIiGZU3poOlTETQZf7qO], or wherever you listen to podcasts. Did you miss an earlier episode? Catch up here [https://skywalkingthroughneverland.com/category/podcasts/starwarsologies/]! Follow us on BlueSky [https://bsky.app/profile/starwarsologies.bsky.social] and Ins [https://www.instagram.com/starwarsologies/]t [https://www.instagram.com/starwarsologies/]agram [https://www.instagram.com/starwarsologies/] or join our Facebook fan group [https://www.facebook.com/groups/525984202561077]! Star Warsologies is a podcast about science and other fields in a galaxy far, far away. Hosts James Floyd and Melissa Miller combine their love of storytelling in the franchise with their keen interest in all things academic.

76: Wearable Tech in Star Wars

On this episode of Star Warsologies, we talk to bioengineering professor Benjamin Smarr about technology integrated into the body. There's tons of wearable tech in Star Wars! Luke has a prosthetic hand and Darth Vader is more machine than man. How does that technology integrate into their bodies and minds? Benajmin Smarr shares his insights from researching health technology that helps people understand the patterns our bodies go through. He also speculates about projects he'd pursue if he was a professor in the Star Wars galaxy - including whether Jedi's midichlorian count changes are they age, train, or even just don't sleep well. We also get into women's reproductive health. How could Padme's pregnancy with twins have gone overlooked? Here on Earth, why are there still so many mysteries surrounding the female body? We also tackle circadian rhythms and (just weeks into daylight savings time) ponder how so many species from hundreds of planets manage to adjust to a standard time. Show Notes: Check out the Smarr Lab's website [https://smarr.ucsd.edu/] for tons more info about his research projects and publications. Book recommendations by Benjamin about circadian rhythm: Satchin Panda's "The Circadian Code" [https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-circadian-code-lose-weight-supercharge-your-energy-and-transform-your-health-from-morning-to-midnight-longevity-book-satchin-panda-phd/1f7916396e56707a] and "The Inner Clock" [https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-inner-clock-living-in-sync-with-our-circadian-rhythms-lynne-peeples/884d365d5d6ce498] by Lynne Peeples. Learn more about UCSD's Center for Microbiome Innovation [https://cmi.ucsd.edu/]. Listen to our feminism episode [https://skywalkingthroughneverland.com/star-warsologies-72-feminism/] mentioned in this conversation. And also our episode about prosthetics [https://skywalkingthroughneverland.com/new-podcast-star-warsologies-10-star-wars-prosthetics/]! You can order James's crossword puzzle book [https://www.chroniclebooks.com/products/star-wars-crossword-puzzles] now! For a free puzzle, download the activity kit from Star Wars Reads [https://www.starwars.com/news/star-wars-reads]! Subscribe to Star Warsologies on Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/star-warsologies-a-podcast-about-science-and-star-wars/id1567158758], Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/66fIiGZU3poOlTETQZf7qO], or wherever you listen to podcasts. Did you miss an earlier episode? Catch up here [https://skywalkingthroughneverland.com/category/podcasts/starwarsologies/]! Follow us on BlueSky [https://bsky.app/profile/starwarsologies.bsky.social] and Ins [https://www.instagram.com/starwarsologies/]t [https://www.instagram.com/starwarsologies/]agram [https://www.instagram.com/starwarsologies/] or join our Facebook fan group [https://www.facebook.com/groups/525984202561077]! Star Warsologies is a podcast about science and other fields in a galaxy far, far away. Hosts James Floyd and Melissa Miller combine their love of storytelling in the franchise with their keen interest in all things academic.

75: Earthquake Geology in Star Wars

This episode of Star Warsologies we talk to earthquake geologist Wendy Bohon about planets, lava and lots and lots of explosions! Dr. Wendy Bohon joins us this month to discuss how life might begin and be sustained on planets in a galaxy far, far away. The answer is earthquakes! Or are they called Tatooine-quakes and Hoth-quakes? We dive into Naboo's watery core and discuss whether Mustafar was the right place to build an evil lair. And of course we get in to the Death Star's ability to destroy planets. Alderaan is in pieces but what happened during the tests on Jedha and Scarif? Show Notes: Follow Wendy on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCattuUO9_ytbURJslOJahlg], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/drwendyrocks/], BlueSky [https://bsky.app/profile/drwendyrocks.bsky.social], and other social media sites. And check out her website [https://wendybohon.com/]! Learn more about the Cave of the Crystals [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cave_of_the_Crystals] Wendy mentions, that reminds her of Crait and the crystal foxes! If you can't get enough geology talk, give our debut episode [https://skywalkingthroughneverland.com/new-podcast-star-warsologies-debuts/] (from 2021!) a listen. We also talked more about Mustafar in our Revenge of the Sith panel [https://skywalkingthroughneverland.com/star-warsologies-63-swcj-rots/] at Star Wars Celebration 2025. You can order James's crossword puzzle book [https://www.chroniclebooks.com/products/star-wars-crossword-puzzles] now! For a free puzzle, download the activity kit from Star Wars Reads [https://www.starwars.com/news/star-wars-reads]! Subscribe to Star Warsologies on Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/star-warsologies-a-podcast-about-science-and-star-wars/id1567158758], Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/66fIiGZU3poOlTETQZf7qO], or wherever you listen to podcasts. Did you miss an earlier episode? Catch up here [https://skywalkingthroughneverland.com/category/podcasts/starwarsologies/]! Follow us on BlueSky [https://bsky.app/profile/starwarsologies.bsky.social] and Ins [https://www.instagram.com/starwarsologies/]t [https://www.instagram.com/starwarsologies/]agram [https://www.instagram.com/starwarsologies/] or join our Facebook fan group [https://www.facebook.com/groups/525984202561077]! Star Warsologies is a podcast about science and other fields in a galaxy far, far away. Hosts James Floyd and Melissa Miller combine their love of storytelling in the franchise with their keen interest in all things academic.