Star Warsologies: A Podcast About Science and Star Wars

part of the Skywalking Network

From archeology to zoology, real-world science is everywhere in Star Wars! Every episode includes an interview with an expert discussing how Star Wars relates to their field of study. Explore the many ways science is represented in a galaxy far, far away with hosts Melissa Miller and James Floyd, both freelance writers for Star Wars Insider magazine. Part of the Skywalking Network

  1. 16 SEPT

    Mass Media in Star Wars

    This episode of Star Warsologies covers mass media, propaganda, and media literacy in a galaxy far, far away! Author Samuel Spitale joins us to talk about the difference between journalism, news, propaganda, advertising, and other media terms. He posits that the lack of media in the original series was a deliberate (and wise) choice for storytelling. While it plays a role in the recent series Andor, there are also some hints in the holiday special, so of course we talk about that! Join us to help fight misinformation with the truth! An illustration from "How to Win the War on Truth: An Illustrated Guide to How Mistruths Are Sold, Why They Stick, and How to Reclaim Reality" provided by Samuel Spitale. Show Notes: Check out Samuel's website and YouTube channel. He's also on Instagram. Get a copy of Samuel's book "How to Win the War on Truth: An Illustrated Guide to How Mistruths Are Sold, Why They Stick, and How to Reclaim Reality" Get a copy of Samuel's coffee table book "Collecting a Galaxy - The Art of Sideshow" Find out more about the Galaxy Tour science field trip. And if you do sign up to go, make sure to put "Star Warsologies" in the Order Notes when you check out! You can order James's crossword puzzle book now! For a free puzzle, download the activity kit from Star Wars Reads! Subscribe to Star Warsologies on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Did you miss an earlier episode? Catch up here! Follow us on BlueSky and Instagram or join our Facebook fan group! Star Warsologies is a podcast about science and other fields in a galaxy far, far away. Hosts James Floyd and Melissa Miller combine their love of storytelling in the franchise with their keen interest in all things academic.

    48 min

  2. 2 SEPT

    Space Exploration in Star Wars

    This episode of Star Warsologies covers space exploration topics with an operator of the Mars rover! Katherine Winchell is an astrogeologist whose love of Star Wars has a lot to do with her career in the space program. She is also the head organizer of the upcoming Legacy Expo convention, which takes place in Burbank on September 13-14, 2025. We talk about the con (and Star Warsologies will be there!), but we also dive deep into the similarities between Mars and Tatooine and how early travelers explored the galaxy far, far away. Since Katherine is so well-versed in the Extended Universe books, we also talk about the few examples of scientific exploration present there. Show Notes: Get involved in the Save NASA Science advocacy from the Planetary Society, including participation in October 5-6 Days of Action! Learn more about NASA's Perseverance rover and the Europa Clipper mission that Katherine mentioned. Check out Melissa's Nerdist article about the Mars samples that look like lightsabers! Find out more about the Galaxy Tour science field trip. And if you do sign up to go, make sure to put "Star Warsologies" in the Order Notes when you check out! You can order James's crossword puzzle book now! For a free puzzle, download the activity kit from Star Wars Reads! Subscribe to Star Warsologies on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Did you miss an earlier episode? Catch up here! Follow us on BlueSky and Instagram or join our Facebook fan group! Star Warsologies is a podcast about science and other fields in a galaxy far, far away. Hosts James Floyd and Melissa Miller combine their love of storytelling in the franchise with their keen interest in all things academic.

    49 min

  3. 8 AUG

    68: Andor: From Resistance to Rebellion (San Diego Comic-Con 2025 panel)

    This episode of Star Warsologies is our San Diego Comic-Con 2025 panel entitled "Star Wars Andor - From Resistance to Rebellion" and features Dr. Drea Letamendi, Desmond Hassing, Jendia Gammon, Robert Dagnall, and Dr. Catherine Hicks as panelists, moderated by podcast co-host James Floyd.  Panel description: Fighting the tyranny of the Galactic Empire is dangerous work, whether in the halls of power on Coruscant or in the dark recesses of the Outer Rim. Panelists will dive deep into the popular show Star Wars: Andor, especially season 2, and examine themes of resisting authoritarianism and aspects of outright rebellion. How do the choices made by Cassian Andor, Mon Mothma, and Luthen Rael make the galaxy more free but also more perilous? Psychologists Drea Letamendi (Lattes with Leia, The Arkham Sessions, Aliens Expanded) and Catherine Hicks will take you into the minds of Imperial loyalists like Dedra Meero and insurgent fighters like Saw Gerrera. Also charging into the fray will be speculative fiction author Jendia Gammon (Atacama, Doomflower, The Inn at the Amethyst Lantern), San Diego State rhetoric and writing instructor Robert Dagnall, and American Indian studies professor Desmond Hassing. Hosted by James Floyd (Star Wars author, Star Wars Insider regular contributor, Star Warsologies podcast co-host). Fight the Empire! Check out the slides from the panel as well as some panel photos on the YouTube version of the episode: https://youtu.be/zEdBI5R-5D4 Full show notes page, including how to find the panelists online

    47 min

  4. 15 JUL

    Star Wars in Bulgaria

    In this episode of Star Warsologies, we talk to Nenko Genov, a huge Star Wars fan who grew up in Bulgaria. We met Nenko through Star Wars Celebration and it was so interesting to learn about his experience growing up in Bulgaria in the 70s and 80s. He shared how hard it was to find Star Wars content and connect with other fans. Nenko is now the Bulgarian translator for Star Wars and other comics, so we also chat about how that came about. Show Links: Follow Nenko on Instagram and BlueSky. Nenko is also an author. All his books are in Bulgarian (no English translations yet!), but check him out on Goodreads or through publishers Artline and Hermes. Plus audiobooks from Storytel! You can order James's crossword puzzle book now! For a free puzzle, download the activity kit from Star Wars Reads! Subscribe to never miss an episode of Star Warsologies on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Did you miss an earlier episode? Catch up here! Follow us on BlueSky and Instagram or join our Facebook fan group! Star Warsologies is a podcast about science in a galaxy far, far away. Hosts James Floyd and Melissa Miller combine their love of storytelling in the franchise with their keen interest in all things academic.

    45 min

  5. 17 JUN

    66: Anti-Fascism in Star Wars

    In this episode of Star Warsologies, we talk to historian and author Chris Kempshall about how Star Wars is rooted in politics and anti-fascism, and has been since the beginning. Chris Kempshall joins us to talk about the definition of fascism and how to rebel against it. Star Wars may be fiction but there's plenty of timely lessons, especially in the recently completed show Andor. How can that help us understand what's happening in American politics? Can we practice resistance in an immersive environment like Galaxy's Edge and use it to talk about the ongoing ICE raids? Is there reason to hope? And of course we chat about Order 66. Show Links: Check out Chris's books "The History and Politics of Star Wars" and "The First World War In Computer Games." The books Chris recommended are "The Empire Triumphant" by Kevin J. Wetmore and "The World According to Star Wars" by Cass R. Sunstein. Listen to Chris's earlier appearance on the podcast in our Andor season 1 panel. Chris also joined James's panel at Star Wars Celebration 2025 "Droids, AI, and Sentience." You can order James's crossword puzzle book now! For a free puzzle, download the activity kit from Star Wars Reads! Subscribe to never miss an episode of Star Warsologies on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Did you miss an earlier episode? Catch up here! Follow us on BlueSky and Instagram or join our Facebook fan group! Star Warsologies is a podcast about science in a galaxy far, far away. Hosts James Floyd and Melissa Miller combine their love of storytelling in the franchise with their keen interest in all things academic.

    53 min

  6. 1 JUN · BONUS

    Science of Disneyland, recorded at WonderCon 2025

    In this episode of Star Warsologies, we share the recording of Melissa's WonderCon 2025 panel "Science of Disneyland!" Panel description: Disneyland is just down the road, so let’s take a virtual field trip to explore the parks from a different point of view. There’s something to discover in every land - life on other planets in Galaxy’s Edge, dinosaurs roaming the railroad, and majestic rock formations in Cars Land - just to name a few. There’s also robotics everywhere, from the original audio-animatronics to the advanced Spider-Man that swings across Avengers Campus. Our panel of experts includes astrophysicist Lisa Will, geologist Garrett Vice, paleontologist Stuart Sumida (who worked on the Matterhorn animations), and biologist Elizabeth Rega (who consulted on the Hall of Presidents). All are huge Disney fans who can’t wait to geek out and help you experience Disneyland from a whole new angle. Show Links: Listen to the episode Geology of Galaxy's Edge, where Garrett dives even deeper into the cool rocks around both Disneyland parks in California! You can order James's crossword puzzle book now! For a free puzzle, download the activity kit from Star Wars Reads! Subscribe to never miss an episode of Star Warsologies on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Did you miss an earlier episode? Catch up here! Follow us on BlueSky and Instagram or join our Facebook fan group! Star Warsologies is a podcast about science in a galaxy far, far away. Hosts James Floyd and Melissa Miller combine their love of storytelling in the franchise with their keen interest in all things academic.

    52 min

  7. 13 MAY

    Fon Davis and the Secret Miniatures of the Star Wars Prequels, recorded at Star Wars Celebration Japan

    In this episode of Star Warsologies, we share the recording of our our Star Wars Celebration Japan panel "The Secret Miniatures of the Star Wars Prequels" with Fon Davis! Watch the YouTube version of this episode for all the amazing behind the scenes visuals shared during the panel! You should also watch the YouTube video we refer to in (and showed during) the panel, which includes many of the miniatures in the Star Wars prequels. Panel description: Episodes I, II, and III revolutionized the use of computer graphics in film but did you know that the ILM model shop was still in full swing during production? There are more miniatures in each of the prequels than the original trilogy combined! Fon Davis, an ILM model maker during the Special Edition and prequels era, takes us through his favorite behind the scenes photos and stories - many of which involve explosions. From the podracing arena on Tatooine to the lava flows of Mustafar, a surprising number of miniatures were created and used in tandem with other visual effects. Take a deep dive into the movie magic! Show Links: Watch season 2 of Light & Magic on Disney+ now for more from Fon and other ILM behind the scenes images and stories! For more ILM stories, check out the Episode II panel from SiliCon 2022 with Fon Davis, John Goodson, Kim Smith, Nelson Hall, and Don Bies! Fon has also joined us for convention panels about Galaxy Quest, The Nightmare Before Christmas and Coraline, as well as at Star Wars Celebration in London in 2023! You can order James's crossword puzzle book now! For a free puzzle, download the activity kit from Star Wars Reads! Subscribe to never miss an episode of Star Warsologies on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Did you miss an earlier episode? Catch up here! Follow us on BlueSky and Instagram or join our Facebook fan group! Star Warsologies is a podcast about science in a galaxy far, far away. Hosts James Floyd and Melissa Miller combine their love of storytelling in the franchise with their keen interest in all things academic.

    59 min

  8. 6 MAY

    Droids, AI, and Sentience, recorded at Star Wars Celebration Japan

    In this episode of Star Warsologies, we share the recording of our our Star Wars Celebration Japan panel "Droids, Artificial Intelligence, and Sentience" Panel description: R2-D2 and C-3PO. BB-8. Battle droids. Star Wars isn't Star Wars without its lovable droids. We'll examine the science of robots, the programming of personality and the ethics of sentient mechanicals in society, plus go behind the scenes on designing droids for the movies. Why do droids in Star Wars look the way they do? Why do we all love R2-D2? How close are we to having droid intelligence and personality in our own world? Let's go inside the gears and processing units to explore all the possibilities. Our team of experts includes Yukie Nagai (Project Professor, International Research Center for Neurointelligence, University of Tokyo), Fon Davis (ILM Model Maker - Star Wars), Chris Kempshall (author, Star Wars: The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire and The History and Politics of Star Wars) and Joel Welch (PhD Law candidate at Western University, Emerging Technology Policies & SciFi). Moderated by James Floyd (Star Wars Insider; Star Warsologies, Star Wars Crossword Puzzles). Show Links: Check out Yukie Nagai's robotics website. Check out Chris Kempshall's website. You can order James's crossword puzzle book now! For a free puzzle, download the activity kit from Star Wars Reads! Subscribe to never miss an episode of Star Warsologies on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Did you miss an earlier episode? Catch up here! Follow us on BlueSky and Instagram or join our Facebook fan group! Star Warsologies is a podcast about science in a galaxy far, far away. Hosts James Floyd and Melissa Miller combine their love of storytelling in the franchise with their keen interest in all things academic.

    1h 1m
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From archeology to zoology, real-world science is everywhere in Star Wars! Every episode includes an interview with an expert discussing how Star Wars relates to their field of study. Explore the many ways science is represented in a galaxy far, far away with hosts Melissa Miller and James Floyd, both freelance writers for Star Wars Insider magazine. Part of the Skywalking Network

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