Podcast: Romans in Space

Posted on by onespaceman2000
 

If you are searching for a good podcast to listen to on your next drive, you might enjoy a recent podcast from The Rest is History discussing the ideas of the early Roman Republic that may have informed George Lucas and his Star Wars films.

In the episode, “Romans in Space: Star Wars, Dune and Beyond…,” the narrators also discuss the influence of Rome on other popular series, from earlier stories, such as Issac Asimov’s Foundation, Frank Herbert’s Dune, and Star Trek, to more recent tales, such as Battlestar Galactica and The Hunger Games. The discussion also touches on the role of the Nazis, the American Revolution, Islam, and even the story of King Arthur in these science fiction stories.

No stone is left unturned in this 55 minute episode, with plenty of ideas to keep your head spinning and your mind guessing. After listening, I bet you will play it a second time just to be sure you took it all in (and wrote down some references you might want to research on your own).

Movie: I.S.S.

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Credit: Bleecker Street

Speaking of the crowded International Space Station (ISS), it appears things could be much worse if you had a chance to watch the newly release film I.S.S. This trailer is all you need to see. I am not sure watching the movie will be at all helpful to your mindset.

Don’t be fooled by the subtle description on the official movie page:

Tensions flare aboard the International Space Station between US and Russian astronauts in this high-stakes space thriller.

In the trailer, these people are going at each other with kitchen knives. This is not “tensions flare,” it is “Oh my God, it’s the end of the world!”

We have seen this before, and not so long ago. Remember The Midnight Sky in 2020 with George Clooney trying to warn an exploratory spacecraft away from a dying Earth? Or how about Rubikon in 2022 about a space station orbiting above a dying Earth?

In these earlier movies, the dying Earth was a mystery. In the case of this new film, it appears it is just trigger-happy governments wanting to end the human experiment once and for all. 

I am not sure this stuff is worth the price of a movie ticket. I would rather watch NASA TV for now as it shows the events related to the real ISS and wait for the online release of this latest film if I truly run out of things to do with my day.

Video: A Tale About the End of Time

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Image (Credit): Image from the video Outlasting the Universe. (Cool Worlds)

If you are interested in a fascinating tale about the end of the universe, I recommend you watch a recent Cool Worlds Lab video where Professor David Kipping narrates a version of the deep future where mankind is replaced by machines as they slowly expand into and consume the known universe.

The episode, titled Outlasting the Universe, is told via images from sci-fi television series and movies that you will immediately recognize. They are weaved together into a story about one possible future where the almost endless existence of our modified intelligence continues until the very end.

It is a mesmerizing video that may shift your thinking somewhat in terms of the role of humans versus our creations in the future.

Here are some comments from others who viewed the video:

  • This might be the best sci-fi story I’ve ever seen. And it’s even rooted in true physics as we understand it right now. Amazing and powerful.
  • As sad as the ending is, am I crazy for thinking the ending of all life will be actually beautiful? I wish these videos were hours long. So meditative, relaxing and informative.
  • Beautifully written & eloquently spoken, to a backdrop of some of my favourite sci-fi movies! Thank you for this poignant & thought provoking video.

If you have 20 minutes, I suggest you sit back and watch the universe unwind.

A Day in Astronomy: Birth of Steven Spielberg

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Image (Credit): Scene from the film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. (Universal Studios)

On this day in 1946, Steven Spielberg was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. The American film director is best known for his many science fiction films, such as Jaws as well as the Indiana Jones and Jurassic Park series. However, he has a special place in the hearts of space fans for his other films, including:

  • Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977);
  • E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982); and
  • War of the Worlds (2005).

You may wonder what he plans to work on next. So does he. In a Deadline interview earlier this year, Mr. Spielberg stated this when asked about his next project:

It’s kind of a nice feeling. And it’s also a horrible feeling. It’s nice that I can actually have control of my life again and makes my own choices in my real life. But I need to work and I love to work and that’s the biggest question I’m going to have with the rest of the year trying to figure this out.

Let’s hope he considers something space-related again.

Television: A Murder at the End of the World

Posted on by onespaceman2000
Image (Credit): Scene from episode five of A Murder a the End of the World. (Hulu)

If you are looking for a new television series, you cannot go wrong with FX’s A Murder at the End of the World. You can catch it on Hulu.

Here is the paltry description from Hulu:

A young woman accepts a mysterious invitation from a billionaire and his wife.

Fortunately, the FX trailer is better (as is the trailer description):

A Murder at the End of the World is a mystery series featuring a Gen Z amateur sleuth and tech-savvy hacker “Darby Hart.” Darby and eight other guests are invited by a reclusive billionaire to participate in a retreat at a remote location. When one of the other guests is found dead, Darby must use her skills to prove it was murder before the killer takes another life.

However, even this longer description is too minimal and does not encourage an audience. I have watched six of the seven episodes and can say (without spoiling anything) that the retreat itself as well as the underlying purpose of the retreat may remind you of space colonies and their issues. It might also remind you of present day billionaires who want to hide from the world they have helped to create (think Don’t Look Up.)

The series is already on some of the top 10 lists for 2023, and I expect it will be on mine as well, as long as it has a good finale.

If you like murder mysteries, it is for you. If you like love stories, ditto. Technology, ditto. And if you miss shows that touch on space travel, this has enough sci-fi elements in that realm to keep you interested.

Update: I can report that the series had a great ending. Give it a try if you are looking for a new show. You will not be disappointed.