
Fiction Science
Cosmic Log's podcast from the place where science and technology intersect with science fiction and popular culture, hosted by science writer Alan Boyle and science-fiction writer Dominica Phetteplace. Become a supporter for less than (or more than) a dollar a month.
Latest episodes

Apr 10, 2023 • 34min
Meet the woman who's updating the 007 saga
Kim Sherwood talks about writing "Double or Nothing," a James Bond novel that includes 21st-century technologies including quantum computers and climate geoengineering — but leaves out James Bond.

Mar 7, 2023 • 47min
'Critical Mass' charts the space frontier
Science-fiction author Daniel Suarez talks about his latest novel, "Critical Mass," which picks up on the vision for space development laid out by physicist Gerard K. O'Neill and the billionaire he inspired, Jeff Bezos.

Feb 16, 2023 • 36min
Reality check on 'Quantumania'
Quantum physicist Chris Ferrie, author of the book "Quantum Bullsh*t," separates the reality from the B.S. in sci-fi tales including "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania."

Jan 31, 2023 • 43min
Annalee Newitz on 'The Terraformers' and future cities
Annalee Newitz talks about "The Terraformers," a sci-fi novel that explores the parallels between an imagined future where corporations reshape planets and an all-too-real present where today's cities are sorely in need of reshaping.

Jan 9, 2023 • 34min
Sci-fi tale takes on consciousness and the cosmos
Biologist Robert Lanza and science-fiction writer Nancy Kress talk about "Observer," a novel that delves into Lanza's view that consciousness creates the universe as we know it.

Dec 15, 2022 • 34min
Avatars in science fiction and fact
In honor of the release of "Avatar: The Way of Water," we talk with the technical adviser for the $10 million Avatar XPRIZE, plus one of the winning teams, about the parallels between the movie's sci-fi avatars and real-life robotic avatars.

Oct 20, 2022 • 24min
How William Gibson's 'Peripheral' made the leap to video
Scott B. Smith, the co-creator of Amazon Prime Video's version of "The Peripheral," talks about the challenge of turning William Gibson's cyberpunk sci-fi novel into a streaming series.

Oct 4, 2022 • 50min
The science and fiction of octopus intelligence
Ray Nayler, author of the sci-fi novel "The Mountain in the Sea," and neuroscientist Dominic Sivitilli discuss how looking into the mind of an octopus can provide insights into the nature of artificial intelligence and alien intelligence.

Sep 9, 2022 • 27min
Flying saucer ambitions rise to next level
Stephen Tibbitts, the co-founder and CEO of Zeva Aero, talks about his company's plans to create a flying machine that looks like a cross between a helicopter and a UFO.

Jul 22, 2022 • 21min
The master of alternate history rewrites the '70s
Science-fiction author Harry Turtledove delves into "Three MIles Down," his novel about Watergate, a real-life spy thriller ... and don't forget the aliens!