Articles with science

Sci-Fi and Science – “Exploring Science Through Science Fiction” 2nd ed (Springer, 2019) – Barry Luokkala interview

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Barry Luokkala is a physicist and physics professor with Carnegie Mellon. He wrote a book on science and science fiction after he found that students enjoyed the class so much and he had enough material to write a book on the subject. We discussed the book. Check out the book here.

0:39 – Barry talks about how he developed this book.

2:24 – Barry talks about the focus of the book and how it introduces students

to science through science fiction movies and shows.

5:04 – Barry talks about how he approaches science fiction versus science fantasy.

8:37 – Barry talks about what movies and filsm most inspire aspiring scientists.

11:39 – Barry talks about Asimov’s robot novels.

12:54 – Barry talks about HAL 9000.

14:33 – Barry says Transcendence is the best movie right now that explores quantum computing.

19:47 – Barry has tried to avoid zombies and biology in his book. There isn’t enough science behind the idea. He also discusses Frankenstein as a science fiction novel. He then discusses a Kepler book that was science fiction.

22:24 – Barry discusses other writers who wrote science fiction in the 1600s.

24:48 – Barry talks about the giant ships in Indepedence Day and the science behind their hovering.

31:32 – Barry has a page on the Carnegie Mellon physics department webpage.

Links of interest

Check out the book here.

https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-1-4614-7891-1

https://www.cmu.edu/physics/people/faculty/luokkala.html

For more “Full Contact Nerd” please find me at http://crisalvarez.com, follow me on Facebook at crisalvarezwlc, on youtube at Cris Alvarez and on Instagram @crisalvarezscifi

Guests: Barry Luokkala

Host: Cris Alvarez

Tags: science fiction, science, carnegie mellom, zachary quinto, physics, singularity, time, space, matter, universe, extraterrestrial, biology, biotechnology, star trek, planet of the apes, artificial intelligence, robotics, doctor who, isaac asimov, forbidden planet, i robot, 2001, HAL 9000, Transcendence, Interstellar, frankenstein, zombies, Kepler, Die Another Day, Independence day, Jurassic Park

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NASA history book – “The Space-Age Presidency of John F. Kennedy” (University of New Mexico Press, 2019) – John Bisney interview

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John Bisney has worked as a reporter, on news radio, in public relations and is a NASA enthusiast. We talked about the latest book he has co-authored “The Space’Age presidency of John F. Kennedy” which is a photographic history of NASA’s work during JFK’s presidency.

0:41 – John talks about how he got into studying and writing on this subject.

7:13 – John talks briefly about NASA illustration art.

7:46 – John talks about how they lay out the book.

11:01 – John talks about doing research at the Kennedy library.

13:12 – John talks about his favorite photos in the collection. He touches on Alan Shepherd in the White House Rose Garden.

15:02 – John talks about how he chose the pictures they used.

17:41 – John talks about the companies that worked on the space program.

21:59 – John talks about other important people found in the photos.

23:21 – John talks about interesting people who also show up in the pictures.

36:32 – John talks about video of JFK’s travels.

43:13 – The other co-author of the book has a website Retrospaceimages.com

 

Links of interest

https://unmpress.com/books/space-age-presidency-john-f-kennedy/9780826358097

https://retrospaceimages.com/

 

For more of “The Art and Design of Sci-Fi and Fantasy, Mystery and Horror” please follow me on Facebook at crisalvarezwlc, on youtube at Cris Alvarez and on Instagram @crisalvarezscifi

 

Guests: John Bisney

Host: Cris Alvarez

Tags: science, NASA, gemini, apollo, cape canaveral, jfk, space program,

LBJ, congress, john glenn, white house, spaceship

Comic book editing and writing – Bob Greenberger interview – Far Point 2018

Bob Greenberger has been a writer and editor for decades. He’s worked on the Star Trek comic and as both a DC and Marvel executive he’s worked on numerous comic book projects. His latest work is a Captain America novel. I interviewed Bob Greenberger at Far Point 2018.

1:52 – Bob talks about his latest work, an original Captain America novel. He always wanted to write a Captain America novel. His first ideas were too political for the editors so he moved the story to Europe. He worked as the editor of the Star Trek comic book and he’s written a lot of Star Trek stories.

3:34 – For deadline work, he likes to finish before the deadline and put it side for a week and then look it over again. He does noodle over his own characters.

6:08 – His most experimental works were Suicide Squad which was unique for DC at the time. His other experimental project was with Peter David called the Atlantis Chronicles. He brought in a Spanish artist who had a whole new look. It just got collected after 30 years. DC was experimental and they went for it.

8:58 – The Hacker Files was a little ahead of its time. It was about software and hackers and conspiracies. The project was backburnered and then the project kind of disappeared over time.

10:56 – He doesn’t consider himself an experimental writer. He’s more of a nuts and bolts kind of guy.

11:32 – Bob goes over how he would create a novel like his latest Captain America novel.

13:36 – He balances narration, dialogue and such through practice. He knows Captain America’s voice but had to take more time on characters he created.

16:32 – For his Star Trek work he studies as much astronomy as needed. However, for Sherlock Holmes he went down rabbit holes as he studied Victorian London.

19:32 – Bob discusses what he learned being a journalist in college. That informed everything he did afterwards. The value of a schedule and allocating time.

22:02 – The editor’s role is to protect property. He also likes using entertainment to educate.

24:52 – He listens to soundtracks to set the mood while writing.

26:02 – He has a robotics club in school where he teaches. But not everyone’s imagination is captured by robotics. A school should find something to interest every kid. He’d like kids to be more curious about the tools that they use.

28:29 – All kids need to know how to write and communicate to do well in science. They also have to understand the history of knowledge.

29:43 – He always wanted a Green lantern power ring as a kid.

30:52 – He has an author’s page on Amazon. He also has a webpage, bobgreenbeger.com, his twitter handle is bobgreenberger and he’s on facebook.

Links of interest

https://bobgreenberger.com/

 

For more “Creating Sci-Fi and Fantasy – An Inside Look” please follow me on Facebook at crisalvarezwlc, on youtube at Cris Alvarez and on Instagram @crisalvarezscifi

 

Guests: Bob Greenberger

Host: Cris Alvarez

Tags: science fiction, star trek, comics, atlantis, suicide squad, DC comics, marvel comics, author, captain america, peter david, science, education, STEM