Fiction Science

Washington Post columnist David Ignatius talks about the potential for international conflicts in space, and how that subject gave rise to his latest spy thriller, "Phantom Orbit."

We look at the legacy of the late Seattle science-fiction pioneer Vonda N. McIntyre with Una McCormack, who led the effort to publish "Little Sisters and Other Stories," a new collection of McIntyre's short stories.

Douglas Preston, author of a techno-thriller titled "Extinction," talks about his fictional murder mystery as well as his concerns about the real-world quest to revive the woolly mammoth and other extinct species.

Pete Worden, chairman of the Breakthrough Prize Foundation, talks about the real-world search for extraterrestrial civilizations and how it's different from Netflix's "3 Body Problem" series.

Nathaniel Rich, author of "Second Nature," "Losing Earth" and the sci-fi novel "Odds Against Tomorrow," discusses the state of contemporary fiction with Fiction Science co-hosts Dominica Phetteplace and Alan Boyle.

Mars Society President Robert Zubrin, author of "The New World on Mars," talks about the life that future settlers are likely to create on the Red Planet — and why they should go.

Physicist Paul Halpern, author of 'The Allure of the Multiverse,' explores the history of the scientific quest for parallel universes. Topics discussed include the concept of the multiverse, bubble universes, the challenges of proving its existence, connections between dark matter and the multiverse, time travel and its connection to the multiverse, and the potential of a scientific comic book about the multiverse.

John Tytus, the president of Pocock Racing Shells, talks about how the technology of rowing has changed since "The Boys in the Boat" won Olympic gold in 1936.

George Musser, veteran science writer, discusses the connections between artificial intelligence, quantum physics, and the quest to understand consciousness. The podcast explores the challenges of comprehending consciousness, the intersection of AI, quantum physics, and consciousness, and the possibility of simulating consciousness in AI systems. It also touches on the influence of observation on particle properties, the limitations of consciousness, and the potential partnership between humans and AI.

Zach Weinersmith, co-author of "A City on Mars," explains why humanity isn't ready to have people settle down and raise a family on Mars or in any other off-Earth locale.