Issue 86 COSMOS – 111different forms of narrative/science
communication, which led me to
discoverBrain on Nature. It’s a narrative
documentary podcast series produced by
Sarah Allely about her experiences after
recovering from a mild traumatic brain
injury. It’s a lovingly produced six-part
audio documentary. I blitzed through it
all in a single night. Have a listen and let
yourself sink into the sound design and
Sarah’s story.
Nathan Byrne
Head in the clouds (p. 99)
Cautionary Talesby Tim Harford
I absolutely chew through podcasts.
Right now, I’m particularly enjoying
Tim Harford’sCautionary Tales– life
lessons from history that show us why it’s
important to learn from our past. Tim
expertly weaves together scientifically
rigorous analysis with a charming look at
some of our greatest mistakes, to create a
COULD YOU SURVIVE
THE MOVIES?(above)
Launched in 2007, the VSauce Youtube
channels are tall trees in the internet forest,
with 23 million subscribers and billions of
views of its offbeat, high-production science
and tech. This recent VSauce3 series takes
on iconic movies likeMen in Blackand
Ghostbusters,recreating scenes before stirring
in the science in a fast-paced version host
Jack Roper describes as “accidental learning”.
Each episode’s footnotes allow you to learn –
or recreate the effort. Proton pack, anyone?
WHENOn demand
HOW LONG 10-15 minutesSHORT WAVE
This tight and smart podcast from the
US’s not-for-profit National Public
Radio adds the STEM to current affairs,
explaining the research and data hidden
behind headlines such as coronavirus
and Australia’s bushfires. checking in
with scientists, researchers and NPR’s
network of reporters and correspondents
from around the globe, host Maddie Sofia
stays on target, adding clear and concise
scientific information to the news of
the day.
WHENWeekdays
HOW LONG 10 minutesEXPLORE.ORG
A website that should come with an addiction
warning, Explore.org is the ultimate animal-
lover slow TV, with live-streaming cameras
in sanctuaries from conservation areas to
the more domestic: popular feeds include an
great Dane puppy room. The site’s strength
lies in its combination of global reach (from
Panama fruit feeders to African waterholes)
and its speed, or lack thereof: exchange
car crashes and Netflix gore for swaying
hummingbird nests and bee zen cam. Open
a window to the wide world, if you dare ...
WHEN24 hours a day
HOW LONG 24 hours a dayWORLD
WIDE
PONDERING
wonderful story that you probably haven’t
ever heard before. Definitely check it out- season one was just eight episodes, so the
back catalogue isn’t too daunting at all.
TV & MOVIES
Katie Mack
Hubble trouble (p. 22)
TV show: The Expanse developed
by Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby
The one piece of media I won’t shut up
about isThe Expanse. It’s a science fiction
TV series on Amazon Prime set in a future
where humans have spread out through
the Solar System and broken up into three
separate factions based on Earth, Mars, and
the asteroid belt.
It’s a great show for the drama and
writing and plot but it also generally
does a really great job with physics (with
some exceptions around aliens, which I
think is fine). It’s fun to see a show wherethe speed of light delay is an actual plot
device, or where ships only have “gravity”
when they’re accelerating or spinning. I’m
generally pretty partial to media involving
space travel, butThe Expanse is definitely
top of my list right now.Drew Turney
Internet of Disposable things (p. 54)
Film: Joker, directed by Todd
Phillips
If you’re sick of superhero movies, you
might be tempted to give Todd Phillips’
Jokera wide berth. Don’t – it’s one of the
best designed and well-written dramatic
character studies of the last few years, and
the best film of 2019. It just happens to be
about a comic book character. Phillips’
brilliant direction is elevated by Joaquin
Phoenix’s sublime performance and you’ll
realise that superhero/comic book movies
can be something very different and still
thrilling.REVIEWSZEITGEIST