Rabbit Hole of Research

In Episode 40 of Rabbit Hole of Research , we conclude our Fantastic Four series by stretching the limits of biology—literally. With special guest Maria Dowell, MD, pediatrician at Laurie Children’s Hospital and faculty at Northwestern, we explore the anatomy, biomechanics, and energy demands behind Reed Richards, aka Mr. Fantastic. From the physics of skin elasticity to the implausibility of flex...

In Episode 39.1, the mini recap of Episode 39: Johnny Storm and Spontaneous Combustion , the Rabbit Hole of Research crew — Joe, Nick, and Georgia — return to the flames of Johnny Storm and explore the biological plausibility of Marvel’s Human Torch. With highlights from the main episode featuring Dr. David Pincus (University of Chicago), they revisit ideas like spontaneous combustion, dehydration...

In Episode 39 of Rabbit Hole of Research , we continue our Fantastic Four series by diving into the blazing mystery of Johnny Storm — the Human Torch. With special guest David Pincus, PhD, from the University of Chicago, we explore what it would actually take for a human body to control fire. From cellular phase separation and stress granules to speculative metabolic engineering and combustion-saf...

In Episode 38.1, the Rabbit Hole crew (Joe, Nick, and Georgia) recap the full Episode 38— The Thing About Skin — the continuing Fantastic Four series focusing on Ben Grimm , aka The Thing , and the concept of tough skin in science, comics, and culture. They revisit insights shared by special guest Jonathan Maberry , who explored skin as a site of memory, transformation, and horror . The crew cover...

In Episode 38 of Rabbit Hole of Research , hosts Joe, Nick, and Georgia continue their Fantastic Four series with a deep dive into Ben Grimm a.k.a. The Thing —a character defined by the transformation of his body into a rocky, nearly indestructible form. They’re joined by NYT bestselling author Jonathan Maberry , who brings a unique lens to the discussion as they explore characters with strange or...

In Episode 37.1 of Rabbit Hole of Research , hosts Joe, Nick, and Georgia revisit the big ideas from Episode 37 , where they dove into the biology, physics, and storytelling around Sue Storm , Marvel’s Invisible Woman. They discuss how her power evolved alongside her character—from passive background figure to powerhouse protector—and unpack the deeper implications of invisibility as both a superp...

In Episode 37 of Rabbit Hole of Research , hosts Joe, Nick, and Georgia are joined by writer and cultural critic Nick Ulanowski to kick off their Fantastic Four series with a deep dive into one of the most mysterious superpowers in comics: invisibility . Centering on Sue Storm—the Invisible Woman—they explore the speculative biology, comic book origins, and strange science behind what it would tak...

In this mini companion to Episode 36: Loki, Satire and Chaos , the Rabbit Hole of Research team offers a fast-paced recap of their conversation with author Kurt Baumeister, whose novel Twilight of the Gods reimagines Loki as a postmodern, ethically ambiguous figure. They revisit themes of mythology, chaos, and satire, explore AI as a digital trickster, and add new pop culture figures to their grow...

In Episode 36 of Rabbit Hole of Research , hosts Joe, Nick, and Georgia welcome novelist Kurt Baumeister to discuss his book Twilight of the Gods —a postmodern, satirical take on Norse mythology that reimagines Loki as a neutral, even heroic, figure navigating a fractured modern world. Together, they dive deep into Loki as a mythic archetype and chaos agent across mythology, pop culture, and polit...

In this mini companion to Episode 35: Weird Plants , hosts Joe, Nick, and Georgia dive deeper into the plant kingdom with follow-ups, listener feedback, and live reactions from Blue Island’s Maifest festival. Joined previously by Molly from The Piper and the Plant , the hosts unpack strange and useful plants—from zombie apocalypse survival picks to unexpected plant biology quirks (yes, a man reall...

In this Episode, Joe, Nick, Georgia, and special guest Molly discuss the diverse and captivating world of plants. The conversation covers a wide array of topics including strange and weird plants, plant care tips, the complexities of plant biology, and even plants useful during a zombie apocalypse. Molly shares her journey from forestry enthusiast to plant store owner and competitive bagpipe playe...

The hosts of the Rabbit Hole of Research, Joe, Georgia, and Nick, recap Episode 34: What’s in That Rain? featuring guest author Christopher Hawkins who discussed his novel ‘ Downpour ’ about destructive rain. They delve into various types of dangerous rain, both real and fictional, including acid rain, radioactive rain, and flesh-eating rain. The team also explores unique weather terminology like...

In this episode of Rabbit Hole of Research, hosts Joe, Nick, and Georgia are joined by novelist Christopher Hawkins to discuss the concept of dangerous rain. They delve into various types, both real and fictional, such as acid rain, radioactive rain, microplastic rain, and flesh-eating rain. Christopher talks about his novel ' Downpour ,' which features a strange and destructive rain, as well as h...

In this mini-episode, Joe, Nick, and Georgia recap Episode 33 ’s deep dive into Doctor Who, touching on fan-favorite Doctors, time travel biology, and the show’s philosophical themes. The discussion expands into The Twilight Zone, highlighting the infamous 1961 episode “It’s a Good Life” and its thematic connections to Doctor Who and modern anthology sci-fi. The team also teases the next episode f...

In this episode of the Rabbit Hole of Research, hosts Joe and Nick are joined by special guest Tera to explore the vast, complex world of Doctor Who. From discussing the iconic TARDIS and the Doctor's unique two-heart physiology to the intricate sci-fi concepts woven into the show's storyline, the trio delve into both classic and modern episodes. They touch on themes like circadian rhythms during...

In Episode 32: Unveiling the Mysteries of Godzilla , Joe, Nick, and guest Natalie dive deep into the origins, evolution, and cultural legacy of Godzilla and the Kaiju genre. From post-war allegories and scientific absurdities to Hanna-Barbera cartoons and biomechanical speculation, the episode unpacks why Godzilla remains cinema’s most enduring monster. In this mini recap, the crew revisits the we...

In this episode of Rabbit Hole of Research, hosts Joe and Nick, along with special guest Natalie, dive deep into the world of Godzilla and the Kaiju genre. Natalie, a self-proclaimed superfan, shares her knowledge and passion for Godzilla, discussing its origins, cultural significance, and evolution in cinema. The discussion covers Kaiju as a genre, allegorical themes in monster films, and Godzill...

In this mini recap episode, Joe and Georgia (without Nick this time!) revisit the “ How Fast is Too Fast? ” episode, responding to listener comments and diving deeper into some fascinating speed-related physics concepts. They discuss realistic and fictional speed effects , the physics of relativistic mass , and the challenges of running at near-light speeds . They also preview upcoming episodes, i...

Joe, Nick, and Georgia dig into a discussion about the nature of speed, starting with the basics of how speed is measured and moving into the fantastical with speedsters from comics and movies like The Flash, Sonic the Hedgehog, and Quicksilver. They explore the scientific concepts behind the speed of sound and light, touching on historical attempts to measure these velocities. The conversation al...

Join us in this mini teaser episode as we dive into money systems in fictional worlds and their surprising real-world parallels ( Go listen to the full Episode 30 ). We revisit our conversation with guest Amran, who shared insights from his upcoming book Leverage, and explore how wealth, scarcity, and economics shape both imaginary universes and our own. From Arcane’s class divisions to Die Hard’s...

In this episode, hosts Joe and Nick, along with special guest Amran Gowani, a former chemist turned Wall Street professional turned novelist, delve into the intricacies of finances and economic systems in fiction. The discussion covers definitions of financial systems, the portrayal of wealth and currency in science fiction and fantasy, and the challenges of world-building accurate economic models...

In this mini-episode: a companion to Episode 29: Science of Noir ,' Joe, Georgia, and Nick delve into the rich history and nuances of noir. The team previews Georgia and Jim’s upcoming art show event on February 28th at the Promise You Art House in Highland, Indiana . Topics covered include the evolution of paternity testing, with a nod to the famous Charlie Chaplin paternity case. They also explo...

In this episode, Joe, Georgia, and Nick welcome special guest Jim Siergey, a cartoonist and animator known for being one of the creators of the underground comix strip ' Cultural Jetlag ' in the 1990s. The group dives into an engaging discussion on the science and style of noir films. They cover key aspects such as the definitive elements of the genre, famous examples, and the evolution of forensi...

In this mini episode of Episode 28 , the Rabbit Hole Research crew continues their discussion about nanomachines. Including recent applications in medical devices that highlight the intersection of science fiction and real scientific advancements, referencing nanites in pop culture, such as the DC universe and Twilight Zone radio dramas. The episode marks the one-year anniversary and teases upcomi...

In this episode of the Rabbit Hole of Research, Joe and Nick delve into the fascinating subject of nanites. Without Georgia, they discuss the definition and scale of nanites or nanomachines, highlighting their microscopic size, typically less than a nanometer, and their potential uses in science fiction and real-world applications. They explore nanites' characteristics, such as autonomy, materials...