Strange New Worlds: A Science & Star Trek Podcast

Guest: Nicole Wallack In Episode 42, Michael sits down with Nicole Wallack to talk about the lighting, cinematography, and costuming of Season 1 of Star Trek: Discovery. Follow us on Twitter! Michael: @Miquai Nicole: @Nicole_Wallack

Guest: Professor Jonathan Lunine In Episode 41, Michael talks to Professor Jonathan Lunine about ocean worlds, the Cassini–Huygens mission, and searching for life on Enceladus.

Guest: Dr. Peter Gao In Episode 40, Michael chats with Dr. Peter Gao about various science and Star Trek topics, from Michael's thesis defense to DS9: "Starship Down" to whether or not Cancri IV in Star Trek: Discovery is a real exoplanet. Follow us on Twitter! Michael: @Miquai Peter: @PlanetaryGao

Guest: Dr. Peter Gao In this emergency episode of Strange New Worlds, Michael tags up with Dr. Peter Gao to dissect the BRAND-NEW Star Trek: Discovery Season 2 trailer that dropped at Comic-Con on Friday, June 20, 2018! Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDIlBDRkPDI Follow us on Twitter! Michael: @Miquai Peter: @PlanetaryGao

Guest: Erika Carlson In Episode 39, Michael opens a hailing frequency to speak to Erika Carlson—a AAAS Mass Media Fellow at Discover magazine—about what it's like to be a science writer and why science communication is important, both in our society and in Star Trek. Erika's bibliography at Discover: http://discovermagazine.com/authors?name=Erika+K.+Carlson Follow us on Twitter! Michael: @Miquai Erika: @erikakcarlson

In Episode 38, Michael and Elise cover some recent Star Trek news, tell the story of how they met, watch ENT: "Two Days and Two Nights" and recap their own shore-leave adventures, and watch TNG: "Genesis" to facilitate a discussion of the theory of evolution. The Star Trek: Discovery Season 2 teaser: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tgohe_W_0Po "Boldly Go!" Caltech's Star Trek parody musical: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdtBArmWHdY&t=1s Follow us on Twitter! Michael: @Miquai Elise: @emcuttsy

In this bonus episode of Strange New Worlds, Dr. Peter Gao helps Michael prepare for his PhD thesis defense and reminisces about his own Star Trek–themed dissertation talk. Follow Peter (@PlanetaryGao) on Twitter to watch a live stream of Michael's (@Miquai) thesis defense on Thursday, May 31, at 1:30 pm Pacific.

Guest: Harriet Brettle In Episode 37, Michael asks first-year Caltech planetary science graduate student Harriet Brettle, "Can science fiction predict the future?" We also talk about The Planetary Society—an international nonprofit foundation advocating for space exploration—that Harriet and Star Trek: Voyager's Bob Picardo are heavily involved in. Follow us on Twitter: Harriet: @harriet_brettle The Planetary Society: @exploreplanets Michael: @Miquai

Guest: Jon Wong In Episode 36, Michael brings aboard his brother, Jon Wong, to talk about diet and nutrition and critique the breakfast that Burnham orders for Tilly in DSC: "Lethe." Follow us on Twitter! Michael: @Miquai

Guest: Desun Oka In Episode 35, Michael and Desun Oka chat about Star Trek: Discovery's bonus scene featuring Section 31, clandestine organizations in general, and the metaphor behind the Battle of the Binary Stars. Bonus Scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGRJ4CvOvhc Follow us on Twitter! Michael: @Miquai