Exolore: facts-based fictional worldbuilding

This week we imagined what life might be like on a world where the appearance of the night sky changes every year. Get ready for some 8-legged fun! HOSTED by Dr. Moiya McTier (@GoAstroMo), astrophysicist and folklorist GUEST Dr. Lauren Esposito is an arachnologist and assistant curator at the California Academy of Sciences. Lauren co-founded the conservation non-profit Islands and Seas and the visibility campaign 500 Queer Scientists. You can follow Lauren on twitter at @ArachnologyNerd and instagram at @arachnerds. SPONSOR - Inked Gaming: get 10% off your order at inkedgaming.com/exolore with the code EXOLORE at check out FIND US ONLINE - patreon: patreon.com/exolorepod - twitter: twitter.com/ExolorePod - instagram: instagram.com/exolorepod - website: exolorepod.com - subreddit: reddit.com/r/ExolorePod CREDITS - Music: https://www.purple-planet.com - Cover art: Stephen J. Reisig, http://stephenjreisig.com/ - Editing: Mischa Stanton, https://www.mischastanton.com/  - Transcript by Iesir Moss ABOUT US Have you ever wished you could travel to a different world? Exolore can help with that! In each episode, 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 special our planet really is. Exolore is a member of Multitude Productions, an independent podcast collective and production studio.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Exolore is leaning more towards fantasy this week as C.R. Rowenson teaches us how to build magic systems! HOSTED by Dr. Moiya McTier (@GoAstroMo), astrophysicist and folklorist GUEST C.R. Rowenson is a trained chemical engineer who's passionate about writing and building magic systems. You can follow him on twitter @ClarkRRowenson, find fantastic resources on his website crrowenson.com, and check out his Youtube channel. SPONSOR - Get $20 off your first box of Shaker and Spoon at shakerandspoon.com/exolore FIND US ONLINE - patreon: patreon.com/exolorepod - twitter: twitter.com/ExolorePod - instagram: instagram.com/exolorepod - website: exolorepod.com - subreddit: reddit.com/r/ExolorePod CREDITS - Music: https://www.purple-planet.com - Cover art: Stephen J. Reisig, http://stephenjreisig.com/ - Editing: Mischa Stanton, https://www.mischastanton.com/  - Transcript by Iesir Moss ABOUT US Have you ever wished you could travel to a different world? Exolore can help with that! In each episode, 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 special our planet really is. Exolore is a member of Multitude Productions, an independent podcast collective and production studio.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Multitude's very own Brandon Grugle joins us to talk about sound design in podcasting! HOSTED by Dr. Moiya McTier (@GoAstroMo), astrophysicist and folklorist GUEST Brandon Grugle is Head of Production at Multitude who has produced and sound designed absolute gems like Join the Party and Next Stop, plus many many others! You can learn more about Brandon's work on his website, brandongrugle.com. You can follow him on twitter at @BrandonGrugle. SPONSOR - Inked Gaming is offering Exolore listeners a 10% discount at inkedgaming.com/exolore with the code EXOLORE at checkout FIND US ONLINE - patreon: patreon.com/exolorepod - twitter: twitter.com/ExolorePod - instagram: instagram.com/exolorepod - website: exolorepod.com - subreddit: reddit.com/r/ExolorePod CREDITS - Music: https://www.purple-planet.com - Cover art: Stephen J. Reisig, http://stephenjreisig.com/ - Editing: Mischa Stanton, https://www.mischastanton.com/  - Transcript by Iesir Moss ABOUT US Have you ever wished you could travel to a different world? Exolore can help with that! In each episode, 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 special our planet really is. Exolore is a member of Multitude Productions, an independent podcast collective and production studio.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Game designer and computational linguist Kathryn Hymes joins us to talk about the games she's created and her process for making it happen! HOSTED by Moiya McTier (@GoAstroMo), astrophysicist and folklorist GUEST Kathryn Hymes is 50% of the indie studio Thorny Games, where she makes games about language and cryptography. She is a multiple time Indiecade Finalist and Award Winner, has spoken at GDC, and delivered keynote addresses at gaming conferences. She is also a co-host of the Game Design Round Table podcast and a 2016 GenCon Industry Insider. Follow her on twitter at @chicalashaw Search through the Thorny Games website to find Sign and Dialect and to preorder Xenolanguage! SPONSOR - Be sure to check out Machina, a new podcast from Realm Studios FIND US ONLINE - patreon: patreon.com/exolorepod - twitter: twitter.com/ExolorePod - instagram: instagram.com/exolorepod - website: exolorepod.com - subreddit: reddit.com/r/ExolorePod CREDITS - Music: https://www.purple-planet.com - Cover art: Stephen J. Reisig, http://stephenjreisig.com/ - Editing: Mischa Stanton, https://www.mischastanton.com/  - Transcript by Iesir Moss ABOUT US Have you ever wished you could travel to a different world? Exolore can help with that! In each episode, 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 special our planet really is. Exolore is a member of Multitude Productions, an independent podcast collective and production studio.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, I explain what plate tectonics, stellar chemistry, and galactic dynamics have to do with habitability AND how I think they can be used in cool worldbuilding. HOSTED by Dr. Moiya McTier (@GoAstroMo), astrophysicist and folklorist. You can watch Moiya's public talk about her research on YouTube here. SPONSORS! - Inked Gaming: inkedgaming.com/exolore and use the code EXOLORE for 10% off - Listen to Memory Lane wherever you get your podcasts   FIND US ONLINE - patreon: patreon.com/exolorepod - twitter: twitter.com/ExolorePod - instagram: instagram.com/exolorepod - website: exolorepod.com - subreddit: reddit.com/r/ExolorePod CREDITS - Music: purple-planet.com - Cover art: Stephen J. Reisig, stephenjreisig.com - Transcriptions by Iesir Moss at exolorepod.com/episodes ABOUT US Have you ever wished you could travel to a different world? Exolore can help with that! In each episode, 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 special our planet really is. Exolore is a member of Multitude Productions, an independent podcast collective and production studio.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 supervisor, a field dominated by men. You can follow Maureen on twitter at @MaureenKahiu. Ferris Jabr is a science writer who has contributed to the New York Times and Scientific American. He's also currently writing a book about the coevolution of Earth and life! You can follow Ferris on twitter at @ferrisjabr and learn more about his work at ferrisjabr.com RAICES Learn about the Refugee and Immigration Center for Education and Legal Services (RAICES) at raicestexts.org. And you can donate to the Families Together Fund at raicestexas.org/ways-to-give/families-together-fund. FIND US ONLINE - patreon: patreon.com/goastromo - twitter: twitter.com/ExolorePod - instagram: instagram.com/exolorepod - website: exolorepod.com - subreddit: reddit.com/r/ExolorePod CREDITS - Music: purple-planet.com - Cover art: Stephen J. Reisig, stephenjreisig.com - Editing: Mischa Stanton, mischastanton.com - Transcriptions by Iesir Moss at exolorepod.com/episodes ABOUT US Have you ever wished you could travel to a different world? Exolore can help with that! In each episode, 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 special our planet really is. Exolore is a member of Multitude Productions, an independent podcast collective and production studio.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Author and tarot theologian Saint Gibson joins me to share her creative process. We talk about the importance of setting up an atmosphere for your world and the many ways that tarot can help guide you in your creative journey. HOSTED by Moiya McTier (@GoAstroMo), astrophysicist and folklorist GUEST Saint Gibson is an author and self-described tarot theologian. Her latest book, A Dowry of Blood is out now! You can follow Saint on twitter at @s_t_gibson and learn about her work on her website, stgibson.com. Check out her tarot reading business at holyrootstarot.com! SPONSOR - Shaker & Spoon: get $20 off your first cocktail subscription subscription box at shakerandspoon.com/exolore FIND US ONLINE - patreon: patreon.com/goastromo - twitter: twitter.com/ExolorePod - instagram: instagram.com/exolorepod - website: exolorepod.com - subreddit: reddit.com/r/ExolorePod CREDITS - Music: https://www.purple-planet.com - Cover art: Stephen J. Reisig, http://stephenjreisig.com/ - Editing: Mischa Stanton, https://www.mischastanton.com/  - Transcript by Iesir Moss ABOUT US Have you ever wished you could travel to a different world? Exolore can help with that! In each episode, 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 special our planet really is. Exolore is a member of Multitude Productions, an independent podcast collective and production studio.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Apparently 99% of animals on Earth reproduce like ~the birds and the bees~ but what would life be like if you could make a baby with ANYONE, even yourself? HOSTED by Moiya McTier (@GoAstroMo), astrophysicist and folklorist GUESTS Bri Watson is an archivist, historian, and knowledge organizer with a specialty in the history of sexuality. You can follow Bri on twitter at @brimwats and learn more about their (truly impressive back catalogue of) work at brimwats.com. Alison Cerezo is a counseling psychologist and assistant professor of psychology at UC Santa Barbara who focuses on social and mental health disparities among LGBTQ+ communities. You can follow Alison on twitter at @acerezo and visit her website, dralisoncerezo.com. Nerds (<3) can read about Alison's research here. Jimmy Bernot is a marine and evolutionary biologist at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. You can follow Jimmy on twitter at @JimmyBernot and read about his research and scicomm work at jimmybernot.com. FIND US ONLINE - patreon: patreon.com/goastromo - twitter: twitter.com/ExolorePod - instagram: instagram.com/exolorepod - website: exolorepod.com - subreddit: reddit.com/r/ExolorePod CREDITS - Music: https://www.purple-planet.com - Cover art: Stephen J. Reisig, http://stephenjreisig.com/ - Editing: Mischa Stanton, https://www.mischastanton.com/  ABOUT US Have you ever wished you could travel to a different world? Exolore can help with that! In each episode, 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 special our planet really is. Exolore is a member of Multitude Productions, an independent podcast collective and production studio.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Eric Silver joins us to answer my burning questions about the Pokemon world, and together we discuss the weirdest and world-breaking-est Pokemon. HOSTED by Moiya McTier (@GoAstroMo), astrophysicist and folklorist GUEST Eric Silver is a podcaster, writer, and Head of Creative at Multitude Productions. You can follow him on twitter at @El_Silvero and visit his website: ericsilver.work. You can find his article about anti-semitism in D&D here: https://www.heyalma.com/dungeons-dragons-has-an-antisemitism-problem/?fbclid=IwAR0WbHAp3ESkNrVFQwXlIMAJ3CbhbphF_R7mNcjf5F46hT--XUc763ZgtS8 SURVEY - Share your thoughts about Exolore with me and help shape season 2! Start the survey at exolorepod.com/survey SPONSOR - Shaker & Spoon: get $20 off your first cocktail subscription subscription box at shakerandspoon.com/exolore FIND US ONLINE - patreon: patreon.com/goastromo - twitter: twitter.com/ExolorePod - instagram: instagram.com/exolorepod - website: exolorepod.com CREDITS - Music: https://www.purple-planet.com - Cover art: Stephen J. Reisig, http://stephenjreisig.com/ - Editing: Mischa Stanton, https://www.mischastanton.com/  ABOUT US Have you ever wished you could travel to a different world? Exolore can help with that! In each episode, 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 special our planet really is. Exolore is a member of Multitude Productions, an independent podcast collective and production studio.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, we talk about active empathy and character driven stories and we imagine our dream artsy grandma. HOSTED by Moiya McTier (@GoAstroMo), astrophysicist and folklorist GUEST Morgan Sweeney is a science communicator and host of the Magic of the Mind podcast that blends fantasy storytelling and cognitive science. You can follow Morgan on twitter at @morgansweeneyyy and you can learn more about her work on her website. FIND US ONLINE - patreon: patreon.com/goastromo - twitter: twitter.com/ExolorePod - instagram: instagram.com/exolorepod - website: exolorepod.com CREDITS - Music: https://www.purple-planet.com - Cover art: Stephen J. Reisig, http://stephenjreisig.com/ - Editing: Mischa Stanton, https://www.mischastanton.com/  ABOUT US Have you ever wished you could travel to a different world? Exolore can help with that! In each episode, 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 special our planet really is. Exolore is a member of Multitude Productions, an independent podcast collective and production studio.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.