448: Doogie Howser, Boy Chaplin
Summary
Hank and John discuss Hank’s new novel, the nature of fiction versus social media, and hypothetical alien diplomacy. They answer listener questions about eloping, the utility of calculus in biology, curating a museum of the 2020s, and the science behind seeing shapes when rubbing eyes. The episode also covers whether alligators count as fish for Lent and corrects a previous claim about medieval stimulants.
Topics discussed
Promo for Something Worth Knowing event
Intro, Artemis 2 launch, and social media fatigue
Alien breeding rumors and Hank's new book Hollywood Ending
Succession, Severance, and celebrity lizard people
Who should speak for humanity? Dolly Parton and aliens
Listener advice on eloping and a baptism story
Why microbiology students must take calculus
Curating a museum of the 2020s and AI chatbots
Seeing shapes when rubbing eyes: Phosphenes
Is an alligator a fish for Lent?
Medieval peasants and ergot mold hallucinations
AFC Wimbledon player going to the World Cup
Nuclear Mars mission skepticism and outro
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