Sci Fi / Sci Fact
MacDiarmid Institute experts talk to Bryan Crump about an idea from science fiction, if it holds up to scientific scrutiny & if it'd work in reality. (Yeah, the Big Bang Theory guys would love this).
Hosted by Bryan Crump
Follow this podcast
RSSGet this podcast straight from the source in the free RNZ app: Apple App Store or Google Play
Season 6 / Episode 1
Arnold Schwarzenegger's Terminator is a cyborg sent back in time to change the future. Duncan McGillvray discusses the metal that makes up the murderous robotic endoskeleton.
Spiderman | Web
Season 6 / Episode 2
Spiderman swings from the top of New York's high-rises, fighting crime and beating super-villains. But could spider silk really hold up a full-grown man? Dr Paul Hume and Bryan Crump discuss the super qualities of spiderwebs.
Discworld | Octiron
Season 6 / Episode 3
Kate Andrew tackles Terry Pratchett's Discworld series of books in this episode, with a particular focus on the Octiron, the element of magic which makes up the disc's hub.
Ghostbusters | Proton Packs
Season 6 / Episode 4
The Ghostbusters would never have caught their prey without proton packs. Emily Kendall talks to Bryan Crump about how they worked in the movies and whether they could work in real life.
Total Recall | Turbinium
Season 6 / Episode 5
In Total Recall Arnold Schwarzenegger plays a construction worker who recovers memories as life as secret agent trying to stop the mining of Turbinium on the planet Mars.
Harry Potter | The Philosopher's Stone
Season 6 / Episode 6
The Philosopher's Stone in the Harry Potter books can change metal into gold and create an elixir of life. Erin Leitao tells Bryan Crump whether either ability is within our reach.
MacGyver | Optical Pump
Season 6 / Episode 7
MacGyver was an 80s icon, with his mullet and ability to turn anything into a tool to save the day. Karen Thorn looks at one episode where the action hero turns some historical artifacts into a laser.
Black Widow | Pheromones
Season 6 / Episode 8
Scarlett Johansson's character in Black Widow has to fight pheromones in order to beat the evil villain. Anindita Sen explains how pheromones work and whether they could control humans.
Superman | Kryptonite
Season 6 / Episode 9
Kryptonite is a green crystal-like material found on Superman's home planet - Krypton. The radiation from the rock weakens Superman. Professor Bill Williams tells us if there are any real life equivalents to Kryptonite.
Tinfoil Hats | Faraday Cages
Season 6 / Episode 10
Claims that a tinfoil hat will protect the wearer from electromagnetic fields and mind control have been around for many years but do they actually work? Justin Hodgkiss joins Bryan Crump to answer that question.
Other podcasts
like this one
More podcasts with similar themes or ideas that you might enjoy.