Phantom Fauna

Oct 9, 2024 | imaginaryworldspodcast.org | Eric Molinsky |Phantom Fauna |Cory Alstad |Kevin MacLeod lightless

For a long time, imagining what alien life could look like was mostly the job of science fiction creators. But in recent years, the field of astrobiology has gotten a boost from the discovery of faraway exoplanets with atmospheres which could support life. In trying to imagine what aliens could look like, scientists have found that science fiction is a good jumping off point.

Nov 8, 2023 | imaginaryworldspodcast.org | Eric Molinsky |Phantom Fauna |Bjorn Alva

Thor and Loki have become pop culture icons thanks to Marvel. But the influence of Norse mythology on contemporary fantasy runs through Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings and so much more. University of Chicago professor and author Ada Palmer explains how people misunderstood Norse mythology for centuries, and why it’s so hard to capture the mindset of the Vikings in pop culture.