Dear Hank & John Dear Hank & John

467: An Octopolis of Octopui

Sep 16, 2026 · 46m

Summary

John Green promotes his new novel, Hollywood Ending, and discusses the challenges of writing dual narrators. The brothers answer listener questions ranging from the volume of Earth's atmosphere to the proper pluralization of "octopus." They also debate the merits of hunter-gatherer lifestyles and address why American political discourse rarely looks to other countries for solutions. The episode concludes with updates on AFC Wimbledon and Blue Origin’s new Mars telecommunications contract.

Topics discussed

Intro: Dinosaurs as pets and Finch the bird Big Bird movies and the ethics of captivity Hunter-gatherers vs modern medicine and connectivity Debunking myths about historical mortality rates Inequality in historical survival and book tour promo Writing dual narrators in 'Hollywood Ending' Science Q&A: Is there more air or water on Earth? Atmospheric density and the International Space Station The plural of octopus and linguistic chaos Pope Francis and the plural of octopus Why the book tour is skipping Texas Tour logistics and the Florida vibe Planetarium show and sponsor plugs Octopus group names and Wayfair sheets ad Wayfair and Quintessentially clothing ads Factor meal kit advertisement How to send a late thank you card Vintage thank you cards and business movements Pronoun usage and 'it looks like I'm going to die' American exceptionalism and learning from other countries US healthcare spending and universal care The hidden symbol in the podcast logo AFC Wimbledon news and Joe Lewis transfer Mars news: Bandwidth constraints and Voyager Blue Origin, Patreon, and outro
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