Science Faction Podcast

Real Life Ben took a family trip down to San Diego just in time for the other fireworks night—turns out, there are often more fireworks on the 3rd of July than the 4th. Devon also caught a local 3rd-of-July fireworks show, which has started to feel like the real deal instead of just a warm-up. Ben: “More fireworks on the 3rd than the 4th, easily.” The trend continues. While Ben and Devon were oohing and aahing at sky explosions, Steven stayed home and got some solid mini painting in while the family was off in LA. No notes, just vibes. He and Ben also snuck in a round of Walkabout Minigolf on the Raptor Cliffs course—it's like someone built a coastal campground-theme park hybrid, then casually added actual dinosaurs. Possibly the greatest putt-putt theme of all time. Meanwhile, Ben’s been hooked on Watch Duty [https://app.watchduty.org/], an incredibly useful app that tracks wildfires and public safety alerts—especially important during peak summer heat. And no, Devon is nowhere near the Texas flooding that made national headlines on the 4th. Tragic and preventable, if we hadn’t gutted infrastructure funding and climate prep years ago. Steven got a chance to run Daggerheart, the new RPG system by Critical Role [https://www.daggerheart.com/] (yes, spelled right this time). The system leans into storytelling with hope and fear dice—2d12 that keep every roll interesting. He nearly lost a copy to a chaotic-good Barnes & Noble employee, but ultimately triumphed. Future or Now Devon’s existential pick this week? A study suggesting that the universe might start collapsing... in only 7 billion years. Here’s the article [https://www.sciencealert.com/universe-will-start-to-shrink-in-just-7-billion-years-claims-study]. The researchers—drawing on data from the Dark Energy Survey and the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument—predict we could be headed for a Big Crunch by year 33.3 billion. Honestly, we barely understand time and space now. Let’s not even get into how to measure it. Steven brought the yeast: scientists have bioengineered yeast [https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/06/250627234114.htm] to glow and produce billions of peptide-based drugs. It’s green tech, it's fast, it’s like if a lava lamp could cure cancer. Glowing drug factories made of yeast. We love science when it gets weird and useful. Ben’s deep in the sleep zone again—this time biohacking naps [https://arstechnica.com/science/2025/07/figuring-out-why-a-nap-might-help-people-see-things-in-new-ways/]. Apple Watches, dream journals, and the fact that napping might make you literally see the world differently. Ben’s fully ready to enter his lucid dream coding era. Book Club Next week’s pick is Isaac Asimov’s classic: The Last Question [https://users.ece.cmu.edu/~gamvrosi/thelastq.html]. You can also watch it here [https://youtu.be/ojEq-tTjcc0?si=YDi61ewx0pfve9Z6] if you prefer the audio-visual route. It’s short, sharp, and cosmic in scale—perfect for a group read before the universe crunches itself into a cosmic raisin. This week, we tackled movies and memories. A great Patreon comment from Renee about the new Pixar-ish flick Elio: "My kids liked Elio, it just kept reminding me of Flight of the Navigator. Not exactly, and I haven’t seen it in a long time, but enough that I was like hmm... this kind of reminds me of something. Also, in the beginning, Elio stumbles into a museum place and there’s a speaker talking about Voyager and whatnot. I turned to my husband and was like, wait—is that Kate Mulgrew? And he said, 'I have no idea who that is.' Sigh, being married to a non-nerd. But yea, they had Capt. Janeway voice a section about the NASA Voyager program." Chef’s kiss. Quick movie reviews: * Elio (Steven): ★★★¾ — good sci-fi intro for younger audiences. * Flight of the Navigator (Devon): Still fun, though we forgot it has a 12-year time jump. * How to Train Your Dragon (Ben & Devon): Ben called it a “competently done action movie,” Devon praised the depth and pacing—especially that final battle. * Independence Day (Ben): It’s still a banger [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116629]. Devon’s stunned Steven hasn’t watched it more. * Jurassic World: Rebirth (Steven): Don't. Just... don’t. Not even for hate-watching. And lastly: an original Technicolor print [https://kottke.org/25/07/0047062-an-original-technicolor-p#comment-section] of Star Wars—yes, pre-Lucas tinkering—was recently screened in the UK. It’s official: Han shot first. If you're curious, the best fan restorations are the Despecialized Edition and 4K77, sourced from original 35mm prints. The Force is real, and so is the grainy, unedited magic. Let us know if you watched fireworks on the 3rd, if you’ve played Daggerheart, or if you're Team Nap or Team Yeast in the great future wars. And if you’re watching Elio, listen closely—you might just hear Janeway.

Real Life Ben Ben’s been quietly communing with the universe—and possibly with time travelers—through a book of accidental poetry called Adieu, Plane Snake [https://www.amazon.com/Adieu-Plane-Snake-Five-Letter-Accidental/dp/1939502497?sr=8-1]. These are poems born from Wordle guesses, wrangled into a strangely beautiful collection. The result feels like overhearing wisdom whispered from another dimension... or from your roommate’s weird dreams. Ben recommends reading it with an open mind and maybe a cup of tea. Or a flux capacitor. Devon Devon had to Dad some emails this week—calmly but firmly correcting errors from people who apparently do not know how email works. He also saw Elio, Pixar’s newest mid-tier offering. While it didn’t break any new ground for him, the cloning subplot raised a few existential eyebrows, and might be intense for younger kids. It’s fine. Just... Pixar-fine. Steven Steven survived another summer birthday party. For those keeping score at home, that’s a fairy-themed, girls-only pizza party in the park, followed by public swim chaos. Summer birthdays always mean competing with vacation season, but the magic of fairy dust and chlorine carried the day. He also dove into The Alters [https://altersthegame.com/] on Gamepass—a sci-fi survival game where the only way to make it through is to clone alternate versions of yourself. Each “Alter” has its own personality and baggage, forcing the player to confront wildly different versions of who they could’ve been. Existential dread with excellent lighting and resource management. Future or Now Ben There’s never enough Becky Chambers. Ben wrapped up The Galaxy, and the Ground Within [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50209317-the-galaxy-and-the-ground-within], the final book in the Wayfarers series. It’s tender, slow, and full of aliens being thoughtful toward each other. No war, no chosen one. Just beings trying to communicate and grow. Want to nerd out even more? Check out the Wayfarers wiki’s list of species [https://wayfarers.fandom.com/wiki/Category:Species] and marvel at Chambers’ world-building, where no one species gets to be “the default.” Steven Meanwhile, Steven’s still trippin’—on science. A new study published in June [https://sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/06/250629033438.htm] strengthens the case that humans were in North America at least 23,000 years ago. How? Fossilized footprints in ancient lakebeds at White Sands, New Mexico. Radiocarbon-dated mud backs up earlier studies, making this the third independent line of evidence. It’s a big deal—and a good reminder that science is often slow, muddy, and surprising. Devon This week, Devon is Future-or-Now neutral. Book Club We’re taking next week off—so catch up on chapters if you're behind, or just sit outside and let your brain breathe. It deserves it. This week we read Chapters 7 (“The Wild”) and 8 (“The Summer Bear”) of A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers. (Audible listeners, that’s Chapters 9 and 10.) We’re deep in tea monk territory now. Dex continues their journey into the unknown and meets challenges that aren’t dragons or monsters, but doubts and unspoken expectations. It’s a gentle reminder that even in utopia, people still struggle with meaning and self-worth. It’s deeply human—even when the characters aren’t. See You on Patreon If you’re already supporting us there—thank you. We’ve got bonus episodes, Discord chats, and weird side quests waiting. This week we’re sharing a sneak peek at our next theme episode and some alternate podcast titles we almost used. If you're not on board yet, come say hi [https://patreon.com/sciencefactionpodcast]. It’s like a summer birthday party, but with less sunburn and more sci-fi.

Real Life This week, real life got weird, itchy, nostalgic, and just slightly chaotic. Ben celebrated a birthday by dragging his family through a hike in tick-infested grass. Friendly reminder: Don’t go into the long grass. We’ve seen Jurassic Park, we know how this ends. Devon may or may not be living in Foreverware straight out of Eerie, Indiana. Start checking those Tupperware lids, folks. Steven escaped a house overrun with cousins the only way he knows how: board game store therapy. Here’s what we’re playing: * Burnout Paradise Remastered [https://store.steampowered.com/app/1238080/Burnout_Paradise_Remastered/?snr=1_7_7_151_150_1] is only $5 on Steam right now and it still rules. Devon showed us how to pull off some in-game stunts. Sadly, not applicable to real life. * Steven got cozy with Harmonies [https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/414317/harmonies], a gorgeous little nature-builder where you balance habitats and critters. * Ben brought in Infinite Board Game (Piecepack) [https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/2860/piecepack]—a modular system that spawned classics like Worm Derby [https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/20315/worm-derby] and 9 Ball. * Steven also shouted out Tak [https://trevorldavis.com/piecepackr/tak.html] (playable with Piecepack!) and unboxed his shiny new copy of Slugblaster [https://slugblaster.com/]. Future or Now We talk a lot about the future, but this week, the past clawed its way back into the conversation. Ben shared a killer quote from Ray Bradbury: “I’m warning you now, so you don’t have to pay a psychiatrist 20 years from now…” It came from a great piece of writing advice for screenwriters, poets, novelists—anyone with a keyboard. TLDR: read other stuff, write other stuff. Don’t get boxed in. Read the whole post here [https://substack.com/@thememoryhole/note/c-121306094?r=2jc0lb&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=notes-share-action]. Devon brought space horror to the table: a NASA satellite that’s been dead for 57 years just pinged Earth out of nowhere.  Read more [https://gizmodo.com/nasa-satellite-thats-been-dead-for-57-years-sends-mysterious-signal-to-earth-2000619464] Steven dove into the fungal unknown: scientists have turned Aspergillus flavus—yes, the tomb fungus found in places like King Tut’s burial site—into a potential treatment for leukemia. Cursed no more. Science article here [https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/06/250623072748.htm] Book Club We’re still steeped in the gentle robot comfort of Becky Chambers’ A Psalm for the Wild-Built. This week, we covered: * Audible Chapters 6–8 * Book Chapters 4–6: * An Object, and an Animal * Remnants * Grass Hen with Wilted Greens and Caramelized Onion (legit sounds delicious) Next week: * Book Chapters 7 & 8 (The Wild, The Summer Bear) * Audible Chapters 9–10 Bonus recommendation: Devon says you should read Ishmael by Daniel Quinn [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ishmael_(Quinn_novel)], if you want philosophy, talking apes, and big “what’s-wrong-with-the-world” energy.

Real Life Ben had a pretty heartfelt Father’s Day. The kind that makes you wonder what to do with all those sentimental cards—save them? Repurpose them? Wallpaper a studio? He’s thinking bigger: moleskin notebooks and sketchbooks as repositories for meaningful letters, doodles, and moments. He also caught You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown at SLOREP, which delivered all the nostalgia and Peanuts poignancy one could hope for. Devon saw Annie live and reports back that yes, the sun did come out. Meanwhile, he was also boots-on-the-ground at the No Kings march in Tyler, TX, where roughly 1,000 freedom fans turned out to peacefully protest monarchy (fictional or otherwise). Steven joined a parallel No Kings march in Atascadero and followed it up with some Father’s Day chaos and a Mutant Crawl Classics game (ask him about severing arms for cybernetics). Also: he watched Predator: Killer of Killers on Hulu and is delighted to report that the 800 A.D. Vikings segment delivers exactly what the title promises—Vikings versus Predator. It’s glorious. Future or Now Ben warns us all: Motörhead tried to tell you, but you didn’t listen. At Download Festival, moshing got so intense that smartwatches started auto-dialing emergency services [https://www.theguardian.com/music/2025/jun/14/download-festivalgoers-warned-accidental-999-calls-moshpit]. Authorities had to step in and tell everyone to dial down the wearable chaos. We now live in a world where jumping to Ace of Spades might trigger a 999 call. Rock responsibly. Steven, meanwhile, read a fascinating article [https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/06/250608072443.htm] on how old smartphones—millions of which end up in landfills—can be repurposed into micro data centers for public services. From bus tracking to marine research, your outdated Galaxy S6 may be the next scientific hero. As Moore’s Law slows, we ask: what if we used what we already have? Devon abstained this week. (Or did he transcend time itself? TBD.) Book Club: A Psalm for the Wild-Built This week we dug into chapters 2 and 3: The Best Tea Monk in Panga and Splendid Speckled Mosscap. The robot has arrived—and while it’s delightful, the kids in the book might be in spiritual peril. We unpack the loneliness and disconnection the humans seem to feel, and how it echoes the Jedi’s lack of attachments in Star Wars. There’s also a curious debate about genre: is this science fiction or fantasy? When your tech includes nearly-immortal pocket computers and self-aware robots emerging from the woods, the lines get blurry. Next week: chapters 4–6 (Audible 6–8), including “An Object, and an Animal,” “Remnants,” and a dinner scene featuring grass hen and caramelized onions. If you're not hungry by the end of it, you're stronger than us.

This week, Steven, Ben, and Devon record remotely to avoid the usual chaos (rat wrestling included). From blacksmithing birthday gifts to questioning the ethics of breakfast, it's a classic episode full of heart, guilt, and sci-fi coziness. Real Life Devon’s work trip was mostly pointless, thanks to the other party being wildly unprepared. Meanwhile, Steven got new windows installed and watched Captain America: Brave New World in the middle of it all — his verdict: “fine,” which seems to be Marvel’s current default. He and Ben discuss Harrison Ford stepping in as Thunderbolt Ross, the return of The Leader and Red Hulk, and whether Marvel’s third-act fight addiction is dragging it all down. On the home front, Steven had an “intense Thursday” filled with gymnastics class, BBQs, and blacksmithing five custom hooks for his mom’s birthday. Ben went to the beach and made a solid case for awe — like ocean waves — as a cure for modern burnout. Oh, and Yellowcard is releasing a new album [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnNjrV1OnHs] with Travis Barker on drums. Yes, really. Future or Now Devon read Animal Liberation Now [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_Liberation_(book)#Animal_Liberation_Now] and now feels like a hypocrite for still eating meat. The book’s argument: if animals can suffer, they deserve rights. Cue a deep dive into factory farming, animal testing, calorie efficiency, and whether “ethical meat” should be a rare luxury rather than a daily default. They talk about cows, chickens, and baby monkeys; the morality of milk and butter; and why our modern food system depends on people looking the other way. Steven questions how to get enough protein on a vegan diet, and Devon admits it’s complicated — especially for anyone without time, money, or access. If nothing else, they agree that learning to treat animals better might teach us how to treat each other better, too. Book Club: A Psalm for the Wild-Built [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Psalm_for_the_Wild-Built] The gang begins Becky Chambers’s cozy sci-fi novella, where humans and robots live separately but peacefully. Dex, a non-binary monk, ditches the city to become a tea monk — traveling the countryside offering comfort in the form of warm drinks and conversation. Their first attempt fails, so they go all in: building a hydroponic tea garden and trying again. The story is full of sustainability, small joys, and gentle spirituality. The hosts love the “cozy punk” vibe and Ben’s especially struck by the god of small comforts’ advice: find the strength to do both. Next chapter brings a two-year time jump — and (hopefully) a robot. Thanks for listening and supporting the show — and for sticking with us through windows, waffles, and weird philosophical spirals. – S, B & D