104 episodes

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 special our planet really is.

Exolore: facts-based fictional worldbuilding Multitude

    • Science

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 special our planet really is.

    rerun: Building fantasy maps

    rerun: Building fantasy maps

    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 fantasy cartographer who makes beautiful, believable maps. You can follow her on twitter at @jkbibliophile. Check out her personal work, including multiple YA fantasy books, at her website jessicakhoury.com. And you can learn about her mapmaking services at lizardinkmaps.com. MESSAGES
    Listen to Join the Party every Tuesday  
    HOUSEKEEPING
    Order my book, THE MILKY WAY: https://www.grandcentralpublishing.com/titles/moiya-mctier/the-milky-way/9781538754153/ BUY EXOLORE SWAG: store.dftba.com/collections/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/   
    ABOUT US
    How would you like to swim in an ocean ruled by matriarchal squid, or fly over a planet as it rotates with a swarm of migrating wasps? No, it's not the latest VR craze (... yet); it's Exolore! Exolore helps you imagine other worlds with the help of facts and science. Every other week, host Dr. Moiya McTier invites experts to build a world from scratch or sits down with a fiction fan to dive deep into their favorite worlds. Every episode will make you laugh, go "huh?" and appreciate how special our world really is.
    Exolore is a member of Multitude Productions, an independent podcast collective and production studio.

    • 51 min
    World of clairvoyant cats

    World of clairvoyant cats

    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, currently getting a PhD in science education. 
    MESSAGES
    Order Kalipso at https://www.amazon.com/dp/1998017044 Listen to my other podcast Pale Blue Pod every Monday HOUSEKEEPING
    Order my book, THE MILKY WAY: https://www.grandcentralpublishing.com/titles/moiya-mctier/the-milky-way/9781538754153/ BUY EXOLORE SWAG: store.dftba.com/collections/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/   
    ABOUT US
    How would you like to swim in an ocean ruled by matriarchal squid, or fly over a planet as it rotates with a swarm of migrating wasps? No, it's not the latest VR craze (... yet); it's Exolore! Exolore helps you imagine other worlds with the help of facts and science. Every other week, host Dr. Moiya McTier invites experts to build a world from scratch or sits down with a fiction fan to dive deep into their favorite worlds. Every episode will make you laugh, go "huh?" and appreciate how special our world really is.
    Exolore is a member of Multitude Productions, an independent podcast collective and production studio.

    • 57 min
    rerun: Building Monsters with Dr. Emily Zarka

    rerun: Building Monsters with Dr. Emily Zarka

    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 @ZarkaEmily or on her website emilyelizabethzarka.com. Be sure to check out Monstrum and Fate & Fabled on PBS's Storied youtube channel. MESSAGES
    Check out CruchyRoll Presents: The Anime Effect Preorder Kalipso at https://tcaf-digital-marketplace.myshopify.com/collections/marie-blanchet Join the multicrew to listen to the Multicrew Review HOUSEKEEPING
    Order my book, THE MILKY WAY: https://www.grandcentralpublishing.com/titles/moiya-mctier/the-milky-way/9781538754153/ BUY EXOLORE SWAG: store.dftba.com/collections/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/   
    ABOUT US
    How would you like to swim in an ocean ruled by matriarchal squid, or fly over a planet as it rotates with a swarm of migrating wasps? No, it's not the latest VR craze (... yet); it's Exolore! Exolore helps you imagine other worlds with the help of facts and science. Every other week, host Dr. Moiya McTier invites experts to build a world from scratch or sits down with a fiction fan to dive deep into their favorite worlds. Every episode will make you laugh, go "huh?" and appreciate how special our world really is.
    Exolore is a member of Multitude Productions, an independent podcast collective and production studio.

    • 1 hr 3 min
    The One True Underworld

    The One True Underworld

    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 Campbell Foundation. Follow John's work at tellingabetterstory.com.
    MESSAGES
    Sign up for Moiya's worldbuilding class with Atlas Obscura Listen to Spirits every Wednesday Check out CruchyRoll Presents: The Anime Effect HOUSEKEEPING
    Order my book, THE MILKY WAY: https://www.grandcentralpublishing.com/titles/moiya-mctier/the-milky-way/9781538754153/ BUY EXOLORE SWAG: store.dftba.com/collections/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/   
    ABOUT US
    How would you like to swim in an ocean ruled by matriarchal squid, or fly over a planet as it rotates with a swarm of migrating wasps? No, it's not the latest VR craze (... yet); it's Exolore! Exolore helps you imagine other worlds with the help of facts and science. Every other week, host Dr. Moiya McTier invites experts to build a world from scratch or sits down with a fiction fan to dive deep into their favorite worlds. Every episode will make you laugh, go "huh?" and appreciate how special our world really is.
    Exolore is a member of Multitude Productions, an independent podcast collective and production studio.

    • 59 min
    Superhero Worlds with Eric Silver

    Superhero Worlds with Eric Silver

    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_Silvero MESSAGES
    Sign up for Moiya's worldbuilding class with Atlas Obscura Listen to Join the Party every Tuesday HOUSEKEEPING
    Order my book, THE MILKY WAY: https://www.grandcentralpublishing.com/titles/moiya-mctier/the-milky-way/9781538754153/ BUY EXOLORE SWAG: store.dftba.com/collections/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/   
    ABOUT US
    How would you like to swim in an ocean ruled by matriarchal squid, or fly over a planet as it rotates with a swarm of migrating wasps? No, it's not the latest VR craze (... yet); it's Exolore! Exolore helps you imagine other worlds with the help of facts and science. Every other week, host Dr. Moiya McTier invites experts to build a world from scratch or sits down with a fiction fan to dive deep into their favorite worlds. Every episode will make you laugh, go "huh?" and appreciate how special our world really is.
    Exolore is a member of Multitude Productions, an independent podcast collective and production studio.

    • 1 hr 2 min
    Adapting stories with Victoria Male

    Adapting stories with Victoria Male

    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 website victoriamale.com MESSAGES
    Listen to Big Game Hunger every Monday HOUSEKEEPING
    Order my book, THE MILKY WAY: https://www.grandcentralpublishing.com/titles/moiya-mctier/the-milky-way/9781538754153/ BUY EXOLORE SWAG: store.dftba.com/collections/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/   
    ABOUT US
    How would you like to swim in an ocean ruled by matriarchal squid, or fly over a planet as it rotates with a swarm of migrating wasps? No, it's not the latest VR craze (... yet); it's Exolore! Exolore helps you imagine other worlds with the help of facts and science. Every other week, host Dr. Moiya McTier invites experts to build a world from scratch or sits down with a fiction fan to dive deep into their favorite worlds. Every episode will make you laugh, go "huh?" and appreciate how special our world really is.
    Exolore is a member of Multitude Productions, an independent podcast collective and production studio.

    • 57 min

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