WALL-E is an animated Pixar film about robots in love, and what happens to Earth when we abandon it. But is the science quotient more like a fresh young sapling that saves the planet, or is it just a load of old rubbish? more
Watchmen is thought of as the first major graphic novel, a compenium of the 12 comics written by Alan Moore and drawn by Dave Gibbons. It’s about a bunch of superheroes in an alternative 1985, and is filled with science. But who watches the Watchmen’s science quotient?
DISCLAIMER: We apologise for the poor sound quality in this episode. We were unable to record in the studio and the room we ended up in turned out to be wholly unsuitable for podcast recording. That said, we feel there is enough interesting content in this edition to still place it up for download.
Iron Man, based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name, is the story of Tony Stark, a wealthy industrialist/arms dealer who, after a nasty accident, ends up using a fantastical metal suit to battle crime. But as a piece of Science, is it more like finding Gwyneth Paltrow as a PA, or like having the disembodied voice of Paul Bettany charting your every move more
Battlestar Galactica is a 2003 reboot of the 1970s show of the same name, and is a sci-fi space opera filled with action, political intrigue, religion, back-stabbing and identity crises. But is the science more like having a lovely dinner with a Number 6, maybe watching a movie and snuggling up warm to reboot the human race, or is it like being locked alone in a room with a Cavill? more
What TV shows, movies and books do want to hear us discuss on Science or Fiction? We have drawn up an extensive list of possible sci-fi to talk about and would like to know your opinion. We hope to get around to doing al of them at some time or another, but in what order?! It would be great to get your vote, so tick all those items you think sound interesting and then click ‘vote’! You’ll find the poll in the right hand column of the website.
You can also suggest new items to us either by contacting us on email or by contacting us via Twitter @sciorfi.
Armageddon is a 1998 film starring Ben Affleck and Bruce Willis, and directed by Michael Bay. It tells the story of an enormous asteroid heading for a collision with the Earth, and the rag-tag bunch of oil workers sent up to the asteroid to drill a nuke into it and blow it up before the world gets smushed. But in terms of the science, is it more like training oil workers to be astronauts and saving the world, or a crazy Russian alone on Mir with Space Dementia?
Dr Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog was created by Joss Whedon, of Buffy The Vampire Slayer fame, and starred Neil Patrick Harris as the titular character, a wannabe Evil Villain who falls in love with a girl and has to compete for her affections with the heroic – and astonishingly egotistical – Captain Hammer, played by Nathan Fillion. There’s lots of scientific stuff, such as transmatter teleportation, freeze rays and death rays. But does the science have a proper doctorate, or did it buy the qualification from the internet? more
What a cheeky bugger. “Oh, is somebody having a hit record? Is it me? Well, quickly, I’ll record their song as well and release it!” Frankie makes yet another appearance – it really was his year, eh? – by releasing a song that was already Number 1, which seems terribly lazy. For what its worth, I prefer his version, but, really, it’s still a song about God, and still got itself banned. Interesting fact: on the week of December 11th 1953, both versions of Answer Me ‘Shared’ the number 1 slot. How that worked I have no idea. Answers on a postcard etc.
This is an English version of a German song about God. Wait! Come back! It was banned as well! Why? Because it was about God. The BBC, brilliantly, banned it after some complaints. Seems strange to think that even back in the 1950s people would complain about broadcasts that seem so relatively inoffensive, especially considering how much of the population would have been churchgoers at the time. Fascinating. I wonder what’s going to follow this one?
Frankie Laine, feeling put out by the way that the British public stopped buying I Believe six weeks ago, had a bitter plan. He snuck to the US charts and stole a country song and released it in the UK. The lyrics don’t make much sense, and it sounds nothing like his previous hit, but it has a charm to it. As best I can tell, it’s a song about wanting to steal your neighbour’s wife away from her. Charming. “Show me you’re my palsy-walsy!” Frankie asks of the titular Joe, requesting that he is introduced to Joe’s wife that he might steal her away. “I mean to steal her from you!” he tells Joe. At least he isn’t being underhand about it, right?
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