))
A Worldbuilding Podcast called "Sails & Silver", in which the hosts aim to create a world set in the golden age of sail. Monthly uploads. Possibly.
…
continue reading
Have you ever wondered what life would be like on a planet different from our own, or how writers create your favorite fictional worlds? Well, wonder no more because we have the facts for you! Every other week, astrophysicist/folklorist Moiya McTier explores fictional worlds by building them with a panel of expert guests, interviewing professional worldbuilders, or reviewing the merits of worlds that have already been built. You'll learn, you'll laugh, and you'll gain an appreciation for how ...
…
continue reading
Moiya is joined by writer Rachel Feltman to imagine a beautiful but foreboding world. They end up with a genre-bending world full of people convinced they have magical powers. HOSTED by Dr. Moiya McTier (@GoAstroMo), astrophysicist and folklorist GUEST Rachel Feltman is a science and technology writer, editor, and host of the weirdest thing I learn…
…
continue reading
Moiya returns to this episode about fictional mapmaking. She talks with mapmaker Jessica Khoury about how mountains don't bend and rivers don't split, the logic behind human settlements, and how to name your places. Plus, there are dogs. HOSTED by Dr. Moiya McTier (@GoAstroMo), astrophysicist and folklorist GUEST Jessica Khoury is an author and fan…
…
continue reading
Moiya is joined by geologist Kristina Gustovich to imagine a world built on justice and social cohesion. They end up creating sparkly cats who can see into the future and totally believe in universal basic income. HOSTED by Dr. Moiya McTier (@GoAstroMo), astrophysicist and folklorist GUEST Kristina Gustovich is a geologist and science communicator,…
…
continue reading
1
rerun: Building Monsters with Dr. Emily Zarka
1:03:12
1:03:12
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:03:12
Monster Expert Dr. Emily Zarka joins Moiya to talk about the origins of monster myths! Together, they conjure up some spooky monsters to inhabit three previously built Exolore worlds. HOSTED by Dr. Moiya McTier (@GoAstroMo), astrophysicist and folklorist GUEST Dr. Emily Zarka is a professor, writer, host, and monster expert. Find her on twitter at …
…
continue reading
Moiya and mythologist John Bucher put their minds together to imagine an ancient mythic underworld. It has triels, elemental symbolism, and lots of silly little guys! What's not to love? HOSTED by Dr. Moiya McTier (@GoAstroMo), astrophysicist and folklorist GUEST John Bucher is a mythologist, a writer, and the executive director of the Joseph Campb…
…
continue reading
Moiya and fellow Multitudian Eric Silver discuss their favorite and least favorite Superhero worlds, plus best practices for building your own. HOSTED by Dr. Moiya McTier (@GoAstroMo), astrophysicist and folklorist GUEST Eric Silver is a writer, podcaster, game designer, and head of development at Multitude Productions. Follow him on X at @El_Silve…
…
continue reading
Moiya and writer Victoria Male talk about best pracices for adapting old stories into new versions and discuss their favorite/least favorite reboots. HOSTED by Dr. Moiya McTier (@GoAstroMo), astrophysicist and folklorist GUEST Victoria Male is an award-winning writer and multimedia producer. Find her on IG at @victoriamale1 and learn more at her we…
…
continue reading
Moiya and astrobiologist Dr. Seven Rasmussen imagine life on some distant gas giant's moon. What they come up with is cute and curious and exceptionally weird. HOSTED by Dr. Moiya McTier (@GoAstroMo), astrophysicist and folklorist GUEST Dr. Seven Rasmussen is a writer and astrobiologist whose debut science book LIFE IN SEVEN NUMBERS: THE DRAKE EQUA…
…
continue reading
Moiya's here with a little update on her second book, a history of invention written by the Greek Muses. HOSTED by Dr. Moiya McTier (@GoAstroMo), astrophysicist and folklorist MESSAGES Join the multicrew at multicrew.club HOUSEKEEPING Order my book, THE MILKY WAY: https://www.grandcentralpublishing.com/titles/moiya-mctier/the-milky-way/978153875415…
…
continue reading
Moiya and neuroscientist Devon Collins build a homeworld for that species in sci-fi that spread its humanoid DNA around the galaxy. They end up being curious amphibious with grander memory palaces than you can imagine. HOSTED by Dr. Moiya McTier (@GoAstroMo), astrophysicist and folklorist GUEST Dr. Devon Collins is a neuroscientist and science comm…
…
continue reading
Moiya talks with debut author Christy Healy about UNBOUND, an exciting new twist on Beauty and the Beast. They chat character creation, irish folklore, and whether Happily Ever Afters are really necessary just in time for V Day. HOSTED by Dr. Moiya McTier (@GoAstroMo), astrophysicist and folklorist GUEST Christy Healy is an English and Rhetoric pro…
…
continue reading
Moiya invites musician and writer Roux Bedrosian to gush about a world they love: the video game Bioshock! Long live Sander Cohen, the little sisters, and the big daddies! HOSTED by Dr. Moiya McTier (@GoAstroMo), astrophysicist and folklorist GUEST Roux Bedrosian is a musician, writer, and a multi-talented creator. Their website is rouxbedrosian.co…
…
continue reading
Moiya invites game streamer Jenna Stoeber to imagine a world and it gets crafty fast! The Great Crafter invited some beetles to their word of yarn and glitter, and the rest is history. HOSTED by Dr. Moiya McTier (@GoAstroMo), astrophysicist and folklorist GUEST Jenna Stoeber is a podcaster, twitch streamer, and internet personality. Find her on soc…
…
continue reading
Moiya invites food sustainability expert Alice Guillaume to imagine a world without food inequities. What they come up with is bright, colorful, and spectacularly diverse for something so genetically similar. HOSTED by Dr. Moiya McTier (@GoAstroMo), astrophysicist and folklorist GUEST Alice Guillaume manages the Cambridge Food Hub and Cambridge Org…
…
continue reading
1
Rerun: Building languages with Dr. Jessie Sams
56:00
56:00
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
56:00
Moiya returns to her conversation about constructing languages. They talk mouth and nose shapes, the relevance of trees, and the brain-melting subject of sentence word order in different languages. HOSTED by Dr. Moiya McTier (@GoAstroMo), astrophysicist and folklorist GUESTS Dr. Jessie Sams is a linguist and conlanger who has helped make languages …
…
continue reading
A sociologist, a biologist, and an astrophysicist walk into a zoom room and discuss what it would be like if everyone had three parents. Here's a hint: it gets complicated real fast. We discuss speculative science, the difficulty of large collaborations, mating types, and ~bedroom activity~ HOSTED by Dr. Moiya McTier (@GoAstroMo), astrophysicist an…
…
continue reading
What does it take to build a fictional culture from scratch? How can you respectfully draw inspiration from real-world cultures? Two anthropologists join me to share their tips! HOSTED by Dr. Moiya McTier (@GoAstroMo), astrophysicist and folklorist GUESTS Dr. Carole McGranahan is an anthropology professor at UC Boulder. You can follow her work on h…
…
continue reading
What causes seasons on Earth? Our planet's axial tilt! But what might life be like on a world with no tilt at all? HOSTED by Moiya McTier (@GoAstroMo), astrophysicist and folklorist GUESTS Maureen Kahiu is a Masters student of plant sciences at Penn State with a focus on turf grass pathology. She also has experience working as a golf course supervi…
…
continue reading
Moiya is joined by squid scientist Dr. Diana Li to imagine a marine world where everyone gets to find their own meaning of life... and it gives them magic powers! Did you know squid brains are shaped like donuts?!! HOSTED by Dr. Moiya McTier (@GoAstroMo), astrophysicist and folklorist GUEST Dr. Diana Li is a science communicator and public engageme…
…
continue reading
Moiya is joined by lung scientist/cancer researcher Em Costa to imagine a world that is annoying, but not dangerous to its inhabitants. They end up creating a crabby species who need to be near each other, but complain about it all the time. HOSTED by Dr. Moiya McTier (@GoAstroMo), astrophysicist and folklorist GUEST Em Costa is a lung scientist wh…
…
continue reading
Moiya is joined by bestselling author Alyssa Cole, who wanted to imagine a world inhabited by giant gentle rodents. HOSTED by Dr. Moiya McTier (@GoAstroMo), astrophysicist and folklorist GUEST Alyssa Cole is a New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author of romance and thrillers like When No One is Watching, An Extraordinary Union, and A Princes…
…
continue reading
Moiya is joined by geneticist Dr. Alex Dainis to imagine a friendly world where life evolved two separate times. They talk DNA, folklore around food, crystals storing information, and wide-orbiting moons. HOSTED by Dr. Moiya McTier (@GoAstroMo), astrophysicist and folklorist GUEST Dr. Alex is a geneticist and science communicator on all the platfor…
…
continue reading
Moiya is joined by biochemist Dr. Anicca Harriot to discuss Janelle Monae's multi-media afrofuturistic worldbuilding. They talk about Monae's inspiration and New Dawn nuances, while mostly gushing about how talented Monae is. HOSTED by Dr. Moiya McTier (@GoAstroMo), astrophysicist and folklorist GUEST Dr. Anicca Harriot is a biochemist, molecular b…
…
continue reading
Moiya is joined by neuroscientist Dr. Paula Croxson for a trippy exercise where they imagine the "world" of an animal brain. It doesn't get as weird as you might expect. HOSTED by Dr. Moiya McTier (@GoAstroMo), astrophysicist and folklorist GUEST Dr. Paula Croxson is a neuroscientist, storyteller, and science engagement expert. Learn about her work…
…
continue reading
Moiya is joined by fantasy literature scholar Bezi Yohannes to imagine a brand new world where the meanings of light and dark are switched. Together they create magical slippery creatures who do all of their private acts in public. HOSTED by Dr. Moiya McTier (@GoAstroMo), astrophysicist and folklorist GUEST Bezi Yohannes is a book reviewer, half of…
…
continue reading
