Star Warsologies: A Podcast About Science and Star Wars

The latest episode of Star Warsologies is one of our panels from San Diego Comic-Con 2022!   Presenting "The Mandalorian: Under the Helmet"   We recorded this panel at San Diego Comic-Con on July 23, 2022. Moderated by host Melissa Miller, we brought out a group of experts to talk about where real-life jobs collide with our favorite Mandalorian's story.   Panel description: The Mandalorian is a co...

The latest episode of Star Warsologies wraps up our interview with Don Bies, an actual Star Warsologist!   Don Bies joined James and Melissa just after Star Wars Celebration Anaheim 2022 for an extensive chat about his time as an ILM model maker, Lucasfilm archivist, and all around Star Wars creative. In part 2, we get some great on-set stories covering Don's on-screen appearances, including the i...

The latest episode of Star Warsologies is part one of our interview with Don Bies, an actual Star Warsologist!   Don Bies joined James and Melissa just after Star Wars Celebration Anaheim 2022 for an extensive chat about his time as an ILM model maker, Lucasfilm archivist, and all around Star Wars creative. Part one covers everything R2-D2 related. From operating the droid to character appearances...

The latest episode of Star Warsologies is one of our panels from Star Wars Celebration Anaheim 2022!       Panel description: From clonetroopers to planetary rings to Anakin's moral struggles, Attack of the Clones is full of connections to real world science. How might seismic charges work? Can you really accelerate clone growth? What would an ocean planet like Kamino be like? How healthy is Anaki...

The latest episode of Star Warsologies is one of our panels from Star Wars Celebration Anaheim 2022! Videos of the wildlife documentaries are available on our YouTube channel! From the desert of Tatooine to the abyss of Naboo, wildlife is everywhere in Star Wars. Creatures big and small capture our attention and leave us curious to know more. Science writer Melissa Miller (Nerdist, Star Wars Insid...

It's the long-awaited economics episode of Star Warsologies on exploring the taxation of trade routes in outlying systems!   This time we examine various aspects of economics in the galaxy far, far away with not one, but two economists, Alex Parret, PhD (econometrics), and Elizabeth Molly Maloney, PhD candidate (microeconomics and labor market discrimination). How does the galactic economy work? C...

This episode of Star Warsologies explores faith, religion, and the Force   This time we examine religious beliefs and practices in the galaxy far, far away with Fr. Andrew Kinstetter, a Roman Catholic priest in the diocese of Cheyenne, Wyoming. What is monasticism and how do the Jedi practice it? Why would the Ewoks worship C-3PO as a golden god? How does spirit of the law vs. letter of the law pl...

This episode of Star Warsologies explores the world of conservation biology.   Joining us in our discussion of wildlife conservation in the galaxy far, far away is Sam Wynns, a conservation biologist and science educator for Cabrillo National Monument in San Diego. In a huge galaxy, how would you select which places and species to protect? With all the interplanetary travel, are there any native s...

    The latest episode of Star Warsologies examines the "Wars" of "Star Wars"     Andrew Liptak, historian, writer, and sci-fi geek chats with us about how real world military history connects with the galaxy far, far away. How did 20th century conflicts shape what we see in Star Wars (and how does Star Wars in turn affect 21st century military thought? Why is it important to humanize the clonetro...

The latest episode of Star Warsologies focuses on managing air (and space) traffic in Star Wars!   Brendan Conboy, a designer of air traffic control systems, joins us for a discussion about how coordinating space traffic might work and not work in the galaxy far, far away. How do aircraft interact with the controllers at an airport? How did the shuttle Tydirium manage to land in the forest without...

We have a special episode of Star Warsologies! This episode is our "Science of Star Wars" panel at San Diego Comic-Con: Special Edition, from November 27, 2021.   Our "Science of Star Wars" panel at Comic-Con: Special Edition 2021 had several awesome guests! Fon Davis (creative director, Fonco Studios) shared behind-the-scenes knowledge from working on over 40 feature films, including the Star War...

  The latest episode of Star Warsologies focuses on limb replacement and prosthetics in Star Wars!   Dr. Gerald Stark, senior clinical specialist and prosthetician for Ottobock, joins us for a discussion about bionic limbs, exoskeletons, and other prosthetics and orthotics. How close are we to Luke's bionic hand in real life? How is the work of a prosthetician much more than just fitting a replace...

The latest episode of Star Warsologies focuses on astrophysics in Star Wars!   Astrophysics professor Dr. Lisa Will joins us for a discussion about planets, moons, and asteroids. She breaks down just what the phrase "a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away" actually means in terms of space and time as we know it. We also learn about real-life planets and moons with mono-climates, but there's sti...

The latest episode of Star Warsologies focuses on recording history in Star Wars! Join us for a discussion with journalist and historian Chelsea Tatham Zukowski. Learn about the important role of journalism in a just society and how the Empire managed to erase the history of the Jedi. Chelsea talks about what beat she would like to work, and why Anakin would be on any good journalist's speed dial....

The latest episode of Star Warsologies focuses on alcohol and brewing in Star Wars!   Join us for a discussion with Reed Miller about brewing, fermentation, and distilling. What we see in cantinas and casinos isn't the full story.   In Star Warsologies , hosts James Floyd and Melissa Miller combine their love of Star Wars with their keen interest in all things academic by asking experts about how...

  The latest episode of Star Warsologies focuses on psychology in Star Wars!   Join us for a discussion with Dr. Drea Letamendi about the psychology of our favorite characters in Star Wars. How is The Mandalorian coping with the knowledge that he was raised in a cult? How does Leia handle her grief? And why is Kylo Ren so emo? Drea's thoughts on pop culture characters is endless and insightful.  ...

A special bonus episode of Star Warsologies is up! Star Warsologies comes to Comic Con At Home 2021! Thanks to The Fleet Science Center in San Diego for hosting this great panel, The Science of Star Wars. James and Melissa moderate a panel of three scientists (geologist, biologist, and astronomer, oh my!) plus a concept designer who has worked on all five of the recent Star Wars films! Come for th...

The latest episode of Star Warsologies is up! Electrical engineer Justin Gagne joins us to chat about designing technology to go into space. What starts as a discussion of real-life ion engines also covers radiation exposure, landing telemetry, and even quantum entanglement. Justin worked on the Mars helicopter Ingenuity and does a great job helping all us non-physicists and engineers understand t...

Polar biologist Angela Zoumplis joins us for an episode all about life at the extremes. What do tauntauns eat to maintain their large size? How is life adapted to the heat of Mustafar? And how does that space slug survive in an asteroid when ships aren't flying right down its throat? It turns out there are similarities to bacterial life here on Earth in each of these cases. Our guest astrobiologis...

It's the second episode of Star Warsologies! In the NEW podcast Star Warsologies , hosts James Floyd and Melissa Miller combine their love of Star Wars with their keen interest in all things academic by asking experts about how their field is represented in a galaxy far, far away. The newest addition to the Skywalking Network brings you a monthly podcast about science and Star Wars.    For our sec...

Welcome to the debut episode of Star Warsologies! Hosts James Floyd and Melissa Miller combine their love of Star Wars with their keen interest in all things academic by asking experts about how their field is represented in a galaxy far, far away. The newest addition to the Skywalking Network brings you a monthly podcast about science and Star Wars.    Up first, an interview with geologist and pa...

Star Warsologies is a Podcast about Science and Star Wars!  From archeology to zoology, real-world science is everywhere in Star Wars! Every episode of Star Warsologies will include an interview with an expert discussing how Star Wars relates to their field of study. Explore the many ways science is represented in a galaxy far, far away with hosts Melissa Miller and James Floyd, both freelance wri...