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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