The Show Notes: Episode 14.1 the b-side—clarifications and more Regeneration Insights

This is a companion to Episode 14 on Regeneration. We talk about the Deadpool and Wolverine movie, calcifications about plant regenerations, updates on bioelectricity research, and is Groot a plant?

Welcome to the Footnotes, B-sides, or mini-episode Show notes: That’s right just like the main event, the mini episode, also has show notes. Curated with time stamps, you’ll find exposition and links to help you explore topics on your own. Have fun!


Haven’t listened to the mini-episode yet, check it out here:

Episode 14.1 the b-side—clarifications and more Regeneration Insights


And if you didn’t listen to the main Episode 14 check it out here:

Episode 14: Exploring Regeneration from Wolverine and Deadpool to Actual Factual Science


The Episode 14.1 b-side Show Notes:


00:00 Welcome to the Rabbit Hole of Research

01:11 What’s with this Mini-episode?

01:47 Movie Review: Deadpool and Wolverine

  • First official Rabbit Hole of Research thumbs up!
  • As you can imagine this is not a superhero movie for children (here is a parent’s guide)
Deadpool and Wolverine Movie Poster

05:00 Plant Regeneration Expanded and Clarified

  • Can a tree regenerate after being cut down?
    • Several tree species have the ability to regenerate after being cut down through a process known as coppicing. This natural adaptation allows trees to regrow from their roots or stumps after the main stem has been removed. 
    • Coppicing involves the tree’s root system sending up new shoots from the base or roots after the main stem has been removed. However, the regrowth ability and vigor can vary among species and depend on factors such as the tree’s health, environmental conditions, and the cutting method used.
  • A stem stuck in the ground can often regenerate a root system through a process called vegetative propagation.
    • This method of plant reproduction allows new plants to grow from parts of existing plants, such as stems, rather than from seeds.
    • Many plants have the ability to produce adventitious roots – roots that grow from plant parts other than the normal root system. When a stem cutting is placed in soil, it can develop these adventitious roots from the cut end or from nodes along the stem.
    • Plant hormones, like auxins, environmental factors such as moisture, temperature, and light also influence the success of root regeneration.
    • This method of propagation is widely used in horticulture and gardening to create new plants from existing ones.

07:31 Bioelectricity and Regenerating from a “Sack of Bloody Skin Ball”

  • BIOELECTRICITY
    • Bioelectricity plays a crucial role in regeneration by using electrical signals to guide cellular behavior and tissue formation. These signals involve ion flows and voltage gradients that regulate gene expression and cell activity, essential for both development and repair of tissues. Studies have shown that manipulating bioelectric signals can induce regeneration in species that typically do not regenerate, such as certain amphibians and potentially mammals. This approach, which integrates bioelectric cues with genetic and pharmacological interventions, holds promise for advancing regenerative medicine and treating injuries and birth defects.
  • MORE TO CHECK OUT ON BIOELECTRICITY:
  • More about Planaria
    • Planaria are free living flatworms found in freshwater. They are a popular model organism for studying regeneration and bioelectricity due to their remarkable ability to regenerate entire body parts, including their brain. They can regenerate even after being cut into 279 pieces. Research has shown that bioelectric signals play a crucial role in planarian regeneration.
    • These studies show that bioelectric gradients help guide the formation of new head or tail structures. Manipulation of ion channels and voltage gradients can alter regeneration outcomes in planaria, such as inducing the growth of additional heads. And, Studies on planaria have revealed that bioelectric networks can store and process information about body patterning, acting as a kind of “memory” for anatomical structure.
    • By using a simpler model organism, like planaria, to understanding regeneration mechanisms this will allow researchers to potentially develop regenerative therapies in more complex organisms, including humans.

11:16 Deadpool and Wolverine movie calorie count for all this regeneration

  • Calories in SPAM 180 calories/can
  • Calories in bottle of whiskey ~1600

12:04 Voldemort’s Regeneration

14:19 Wrapping Up and Future Topics

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You can always email (I do answer back), click the comment link below, or follow me online for real time tracking. 


Okay, that’s it for this episode. How’d we do?


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The Show Notes: Episode 14: Exploring Regeneration from Wolverine and Deadpool to Actual Factual Science

In this episode we dig into regeneration: axolotls, Wolverine’s caloric intake, Deadpool & Cancer, 3D-bioprinting, Fifth Element, Attack on Titan, Groot, Hydra, Morphallaxis, Bioelectronics and more.

Georgia Geis @atomic_number14

Episode 14: Exploring Regeneration from Wolverine and Deadpool to Actual Factual Science

Welcome to the Shownotes! We are staying organized with timestamps (folks seemed to like them). As always, feel free to comment, and we will address stuff in future shows! Enjoy. 

Don’t forget to Rate the show!

artwork by 

Georgia Geis@atomicnumber14https://www.instagram.com/atomic_number14/


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Joe’s Show Notes:

00:00 Welcome to the Rabbit Hole of Research

00:42 Upcoming Movie: Wolverine and Deadpool July 26th 2024

00:49 Podcast Plans and Mini Episodes

02:37 Drinks of the Day

03:37 Introduction to Limb and Organ Regeneration

04:27 Regeneration in Animals

04:43 Plant Regeneration 

05:21 Mechanisms of Regeneration

10:27 the Cnidarian hydra

12:48 Marvel Characters and Regeneration

13:13 Deadpool

16:28 Dr. Curtis Connors (Lizard)

20:57 The Fifth Element (1997)

22:20 Wolverine’s Healing Factor

28:20 Debating Groot’s True Nature

28:39 Rocket Raccoon’s Origins

29:37 The Reality Stone

31:22 Jurassic World Dinosaurs

32:16 Superman’s Healing Powers

33:08 Vampires and Regeneration (Future Episode 21)

36:06 LD 50 or Median Lethal Dose

38:02 Attack on Titan

40:49 Human Regeneration

47:43 The Mummy (1999)

48:18 Voldemort grew a rudimentary body

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The Show Notes: Episode 13: Blockbusters and Frozen Landscapes: Climate Change Through the Lens of Pop Culture

In this episode we delve into climate disaster, Twister, The Day After Tomorrow, solarshades, Frozen II, Wooly Mammoths, ancient viruses, Sharknado, Bill Paxton, Apophis, Snowpiercer, and more.

Episode 13: Blockbusters and Frozen Landscapes: Climate Change Through the Lens of Pop Culture

Welcome to the Shownotes! We are staying organized with timestamps (folks seemed to like them). As always, feel free to comment, and we will address stuff in future shows! Enjoy. 

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Joe’s Show Notes:

00:00 Welcome to Episode 13

00:50 Meet Our Special Guest: Dr. David Pincus

03:26 What We’re Drinking the Episode

05:37 Diving into Climate Change and Permafrost

08:03 Reviving Ancient Organisms

14:52 The Woolly Mammoth Resurrection

17:31 Geoengineering and Climate Solutions

20:33 Snowpiercer

24:24 Population number and genetics to maintain humanity—

27:43 Bill Paxton’s Trifecta

28:50 Jurassic Park and DNA Science

30:30 Twister and The Day After Tomorrow

29:51 Tornadoes, Water Spouts, and real life Sharknado

32:38 Alligators falling from the Sky

37:37 Meteorites and Martian Bacteria

40:22 Frozen 2 and Permafrost

44:46 Asteroids, 99942 Apophis and Climate Change

48:33 Concluding Thoughts and Farewell

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The Show Notes: Episode 12: Eye Popping Superpowers: Movies, Comics, and Real Science

Joe and Nick discuss eye-related superpowers, Cyclops, Superman, Hawkeye, laser- cells, iris scanning, Bremsstrahlung, eye transplants, Gazerbeam, tetrachromacy, the Pedoscope, and Joe’s x-ray glasses



Welcome to the Shownotes! For the first time the shownotes are organized with timestamps. Let me know what you think about this new format. As always, feel free to comment, and we will address stuff in future shows! Enjoy. 

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artwork by Georgia Geis @atomicnumber14 https://www.instagram.com/atomic_number14/


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Joe’s Show Notes:

00:00 Welcome Back to the Basement Studio

00:39 Anime unrelated to episode but cool to check out

01:37 Craft Beers and Local Brews

04:33 Cyclops and His Optic Blasts

06:24 Asimov: The Gods Themselves (1972)

07:41 Superman heat vision and Gazerbeam: Incredibles Laser Vision

08:48: Biohacking a LASER eye

12:00 MIRACL 1980 DOD LASER

17:23 Exploring Superman’s X-Ray Vision

25:00 Parts of the eye

25:59 Discussion on ‘The Power‘ and ‘Brightburn

28:26 Hawkeye‘s Supervision and Vision Metrics

30:45 Tetrachromacy and Color Vision Genetics

32:55 Blind Superheroes and Sci-Fi Vision Tech

34:37 Joe in the Basement studio

36:47 Biometric: iris recognition and Iris Patterns

37:00 Iris structure and iridology

40:46 Advancements in eye transplants

43:12 Joe and Nick pick the Best Eye Superpower they’d want

46:04 Wrapping Up

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The Show Notes: Rabbit Hole of Research Episode 11: Cloning. Episode 11: Cloning.

Nick and I are joined by Jordan to talk about cloning pets, Star Wars, Epigenetics, Homunculi, Somatic cells, Gremlins, AntMan, Chromosomes, Woolly Mammoths, Flubber, and what’s in Nick’s Water?

Episode 11: Cloning. Episode 11: Cloning

This has no particular format; it’s just correcting or updating anything in the show we didn’t get a chance to fully talk about or things we had on the tips of our tongues and couldn’t get out as we recorded. As always, feel free to comment, and we will address stuff in future shows! Enjoy. 

Don’t forget to Rate the show! Tell a Friend! Subscribe!

artwork by 

Georgia Geis@atomicnumber14 https://www.instagram.com/atomic_number14/


Jordan Miller’s Info

Check out Jordan’s music on Spotify Channel

Come out and see Jordan Playing Live at the St. John’s Farmer’s Market.

Location: St. John (Community Hospital OutpatientCenter) at 9660 Wicker Ave., St John, IN

When: June 30, July 28, August 25, Sept 29, October 27

(Mention the Pod and get a tomato! Only three available.😊)



What we Drinking

Nick and Joe are Beer Twinsies this episode: Disco GrandPa: Crushed by Giants Brewing Company

Jordan: H2O


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Joe’s Show Notes:

Movies and shows mentioned in show:

They Cloned Tyrone (2023)

Dual (2022)

Jurassic park (1993)

Moon (2009)

Flubber (1997)

Full Metal Alchemist (2003, 2009)


BOOK MENTIONED IN SHOW;

Never Let Me Go (2005) by Kazuo Ishiguro

Country wisdom book


Nick’s Ant man theory: Could AntMan kill Thanks by enlarging inside his butt?


Yes there have been force sensitive Ewoks—Jedi


Pooba is the name of the Jedi in the animated series


Whiptail lizard does not need to have sex to reproduce!!!


14 day limit on culturing human embryos after fertilization


Cloning from blood

Can make clones from White blood cells

Red blood cells have no genetic material

About 1% of blood is White blood cells


Why Cloning from a mosquito’s harvested blood is bad

Genetic material will degrade and be mixed with other sources. Difficult to piece together genetic source material with knowing original.


Reproductive/Germ-line cells

Cells that come from embryos


Somatic cells

Somatic cells are any cells in the body that are not involved in reproduction. These cells make up the tissues, organs, and structures of an organism’s body. 


A video about Reproductive vs somatic cloning


How many chromosomes do human cells have?

Human somatic cells have 46 chromosomes (23 pairs). Human reproductive cells have 23 chromosomes.

Of these pairs, 22 pairs are autosomes, which are the non-sex chromosomes, and one pair is the sex chromosomes, consisting of one X chromosome and one Y chromosome in males (XY) and two X chromosomes in females (XX).


Stem Cells

Stem cells are undifferentiated cells with the remarkable ability to develop into various specialized cell types in the body. 


Pluripotent cells

Pluripotent cells are a type of stem cell that has the ability to differentiate into many different cell types in the body. 

1. Therapeutic cloning: In therapeutic cloning, pluripotent stem cells are derived from cloned embryos for medical purposes. This process involves creating a cloned embryo using the nucleus of a somatic cell (such as a skin cell) and an egg cell that has had its nucleus removed. The resulting embryo is allowed to develop for a short period, and pluripotent stem cells are then harvested from it for use in medical research or potentially for therapeutic purposes, such as regenerative medicine.

2. Reproductive cloning: Reproductive cloning involves creating a genetically identical copy of an existing organism. This process typically involves transferring the nucleus of a somatic cell into an enucleated egg cell, which is then implanted into a surrogate mother where it can develop into a cloned organism. Reproductive cloning has been successfully demonstrated in animals, but ethical and technical challenges have largely prevented its application in humans.

Epigenetics

Epigenetics is the study of changes in gene expression or cellular phenotype that occur without alterations in the underlying DNA sequence. These changes are heritable and reversible, but they do not involve changes to the DNA sequence itself. Instead, epigenetic mechanisms involve modifications to DNA or associated proteins, such as histones, that regulate gene expression.

Cloning animal history

1. Frogs (1950s): The first successful experiments in cloning were conducted on frogs by scientists Robert Briggs and Thomas King. 

2. Dolly the Sheep (1996): The most famous milestone in cloning history came with the birth of Dolly the Sheep in 1996. Dolly was the first mammal to be cloned from an adult somatic cell using a technique called somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). 

3. Subsequent Cloned Animals: Following Dolly’s cloning, scientists around the world cloned various other animals, including mice, cattle, pigs, cats, dogs, and more. 


Ethical and Technical Challenges: 

Despite the scientific advancements, cloning has faced ethical and technical challenges, including low success rates, health issues in cloned animals, and ethical concerns related to human cloning. These challenges have led to ongoing debates and regulations surrounding the practice of cloning.


Cloning plants

The cloning of plants has a longer history than animal cloning and has been practiced for centuries through various traditional methods such as grafting, cuttings, and tissue culture. Here are some key milestones in the history of plant cloning:

1. Tissue Culture Techniques (Late 19th to Early 20th Century): The concept of tissue culture, which involves growing plant cells, tissues, or organs in a nutrient medium under sterile conditions, was developed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. 

2. Cloning of Orchids (Late 19th Century): Orchids were among the first plants to be successfully cloned using tissue culture methods. In the late 19th century, botanists began experimenting with tissue culture techniques to propagate orchids on a large scale.

3. Discovery of Plant Growth Regulators (Early to Mid-20th Century): The discovery and understanding of plant growth regulators, such as auxins and cytokinins, in the mid-20th century facilitated the development of more precise methods for plant cloning. 

4. Cloning of Woody Plants (Mid-20th Century): In the mid-20th century, researchers began applying tissue culture techniques to clone woody plants such as trees and shrubs. 

5. Modern Biotechnology Methods (Late 20th Century to Present): Advances in biotechnology and molecular biology have further enhanced plant cloning techniques. 


Cloning pets

Cloning pets involves using genetic material from a deceased or living animal to create a genetically identical copy, known as a clone. While the concept of cloning pets has gained attention and interest from pet owners who wish to preserve the genetic lineage of their beloved companions, it remains a controversial and ethically complex practice.

Several companies offer commercial pet cloning services, typically involving the following steps:

1. Genetic Material Collection: DNA samples are collected from the pet to be cloned. This can be done through a biopsy, where a small tissue sample is taken, usually from the skin.

2. Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer (SCNT): The DNA from the donor pet is then inserted into an enucleated egg cell (an egg cell with its nucleus removed) from another animal of the same species. This process is called somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) and is similar to the technique used to clone Dolly the Sheep.

3. Embryo Development: The reconstructed embryo is then cultured in a laboratory until it reaches the appropriate stage for implantation.

4. Implantation: The cloned embryo is implanted into a surrogate mother of the same species, where it can develop and grow until birth.


Nature vs Nurture

Nature refers to how genetics influence an individual’s personality, whereas nurture refers to how their environment (including relationships and experiences) impacts their development.


Telomeres

A structure that caps the ends of chromosomes and keeps them intact.


Factors involved in clone aging


Homunculus (1500s)

a supposed microscopic but fully formed human being from which a fetus was formerly believed to develop.

ANIMALCULES

This was the beginning of spermists’ theory, which held that the sperm was in fact a “little man” that was placed inside a woman for growth into a child, a neat explanation for many of the mysteries of conception. It was later pointed out that if the sperm was a homunculus, identical in all but size to an adult, then the homunculus may have sperm of its own.


Antonie van Leeuwenhoek (1677)

Dutch microbiologist and microscopist visualized spermatozoa.


Spermist Nicolas Hartsoeker (1695)

PREFORMATIONISM


Homunculus argument

is an informal fallacy whereby a concept is explained in terms of the concept itself, recursively, without first defining or explaining the original concept.


Woolly Mammoth cloning


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The Show Notes: Rabbit Hole of Research Episode 10: Time Travel is Weird

Nick and I talk about the Event Horizon, Groundhog Day, Evil Dead, Somewhere in Time, Final Destination, Handwavium, Encyclopedia Britannica, Handwashing, Video Game logic and more spacetime stuff.

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Episode 10: Time Travel is Weird

This has no particular format; it’s just correcting or updating anything in the show we didn’t get a chance to fully talk about or things we had on the tips of our tongues and couldn’t get out as we recorded. As always, feel free to comment, and we will address stuff in future shows! Enjoy. 

Don’t forget to Rate the show!

artwork by 

Georgia Geis@atomicnumber14 https://www.instagram.com/atomic_number14/

Say hello and let us know:

If you traveled through time what Three Books would you take?

Favorite Time Travel Machine?

Is driving a car considered time travel?


What we drinking?

Nick and Joe shared a celebratory Leche Borracho: Bottle Logic Brewing


Images from the Fan Event held at Bean Me Up Roastery. And if you missed it, don’t worry we will do one again for our 1 year podcast anniversary!


Joe’s Show Notes:

Time travelrefers to the hypothetical concept of moving between different points in time, either forwards or backwards.

What is a black hole? a region of spacetime where gravity is so strong that nothing, including light and other electromagnetic waves, is capable of possessing enough energy to escape it.

What is a wormhole? a hypothetical structure connecting disparate points in spacetime, and is based on a special solution of the Einstein field equations

In Einstein’s theory of general relativity, making a wormhole is pretty straightforward: You just build a black hole and connect it to a hypothetical white hole (which is the exact opposite of a black hole), and boom, there you have it: a tunnel through space-time.

What is a white hole? a hypothetical region of spacetime and singularity that cannot be entered from the outside, although energy-matter, light and information can escape from it.

What is spacetime? a mathematical model that fuses the three dimensions of space and the one dimension of time into a single four-dimensional continuum

The Year Ash ended up in Evil Dead 3 is 1300 AD: Army Of Darkness

Evil Dead Timeline.

Time Bandits (1981)

We realized after recording it wasn’t Miracle on 34th street but It’s a Wonderful Life (the Christmas movie I was thinking about.)

HG Wells Time Machine movies; 1960 and 2002

Is Final Destination a Time Travel Movie?

The Encyclopedia Britannica 15th edition with 32 volumes was last printed in 2010.

The Cotton Club

Kitty Pride Time travel by phasing.

The Flash time travel and the Multiverse.

Let The Ants Try. 1949 by Frederik Pohl (as James MacCreigh)

Young Marvels by Skottie Young, Dan Slott, Ruben Diaz

Earth has a rotational kinetic energy of 2.14×10^29 J. So You’d need a minimum of twice that much energy to stop and then start Earth rotating in the opposite direction.

Somewhere in Time (1980)

Superman: The Movie (1978)

Christopher Reeve

History of time travel Movie (2014)

See You Yesterday (2019)Produced by Spike Lee

Horology: the study of time and the art of measuring it. It involves the design, construction, and maintenance of clocks, watches, and other timepieces.

Chronometrythe science of accurate time measurement


MYTHICAL REFERENCES TO TIME TRAVEL

  1. Hindu mythology, the Vishnu Purana mentions the story of King Raivata Kakudmi, who travels to heaven to meet the creator Brahma and is surprised to learn when he returns to Earth that many ages have passed.
  2. The Buddhist Pāli Canon mentions the relativity of time. The Payasi Sutta tells of one of the Buddha’s chief disciples, Kumara Kassapa, who explains to the skeptic Payasi that time in the Heavens passes differently than on Earth.
  3. The Japanese tale of “Urashima Tarō“, first described in the Manyoshu tells of a young fisherman named Urashima-no who visits an undersea palace. After three days, he returns home to his village and finds himself 300 years in the future, where he has been forgotten, his house is in ruins, and his family has died.
  4. In Jewish tradition, the 1st-century BC scholar Honi ha-M’agel is said to have fallen asleep and slept for seventy years. When waking up he returned home but found none of the people he knew, and no one believed his claims of who he was.

Early examples of Prolonged Sleep Time Travel

  1. The Year 2440: A Dream If Ever There Was One, (1770) by Louis-Sébastien Mercier.
  2. Rip Van Winkle (1819) by Washington Irving
  3. Looking Backward (1888) by Edward Bellamy
  4. When the Sleeper Awakes (1899) by H. G. Wells

Early examples of Backward Time Travel

  1. Chinese novel Supplement to the Journey to the West (c. 1640) by Dong Yue features magical mirrors and jade gateways that connect various points in time
  2. Samuel Madden’s Memoirs of the Twentieth Century (1733) is a series of letters from British ambassadors in 1997 and 1998 to diplomats in the past, conveying the political and religious conditions of the future.
  3. Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol (1843) has early depictions of mystical time travel in both directions.

Early examples of Machine Based Time Travel

  1. The Clock that Went Backward by Edward Page Mitchell,which appeared in the New York Sun in (1881).
  2. Enrique Gaspar y Rimbau’s El Anacronópete (1887) may have been the first story to feature a vessel engineered to travel through time.
  3. H. G. Wells’ The Time Machine (1895) popularized the concept of time travel by mechanical means.

Time Travel Paradoxes

1. Grandfather Paradox: As mentioned earlier, the grandfather paradox involves a time traveler going back in time and preventing their own grandfather from meeting their grandmother, thereby preventing their own birth. This creates a logical contradiction because if the time traveler prevents their own birth, they would not exist to travel back in time in the first place.

2. Bootstrap Paradox: In a bootstrap paradox, an object or information is sent back in time, creating a loop where the object’s origin cannot be determined. For example, a person might travel back in time and give their past self a book containing information about the future. The question then arises: where did the book come from if it was never created?

3. Predestination Paradox: Also known as a causal loop, the predestination paradox occurs when a time traveler’s actions in the past inadvertently contribute to the events they were trying to prevent. This paradox suggests that events are predestined to happen in a certain way, regardless of attempts to change them.

4. Ontological Paradox: Similar to the bootstrap paradox, an ontological paradox involves objects or information that exist without having a discernible origin. For example, a person might receive instructions or blueprints from their future self, allowing them to create a new invention. However, the question remains: who originally created the instructions if they were never created by anyone?

5. Twin Paradox: In the context of special relativity, the twin paradox arises when one twin travels through space at relativistic speeds while the other remains on Earth. When the traveling twin returns, they find that less time has passed for them than for their sibling. This paradox challenges our intuitive understanding of time dilation and the effects of relative motion.


The idea of reversing the rotation of the Earth to travel back in time—pure Handwavium

1. Conservation of Energy and Momentum: Reversing the rotation of the Earth would require an enormous amount of energy and would violate the principles of conservation of energy and momentum. Even if it were somehow possible to reverse the rotation of the Earth, it would not cause time to flow backward.

2. Time and Spacetime: In physics, time is considered a dimension of spacetime, and reversing the rotation of the Earth would not alter the direction of time. Time is a fundamental aspect of the universe that flows inexorably forward, regardless of the rotation or movement of celestial bodies.

3. Causality and Paradoxes: Even if it were possible to reverse the rotation of the Earth and somehow manipulate time, it would likely lead to paradoxes and inconsistencies in causality. The implications of reversing time would raise significant philosophical and theoretical questions about the nature of reality.


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The Show Notes: Rabbit Hole of Research Episode 9: Sleep Studies and Dreams

Joe, Nick and Georgia talk sleep, Chianti & fava beans, brain rinsing, They Live, Inception, lucid dreaming, noisy ice, John Wick’s dreams, Nick’s research, Jacob’s ladder, sleep paralysis, and more.

Episode 9 – Sleep Studies

This has no particular format; it’s just correcting or updating anything in the show we didn’t get a chance to fully talk about or things we had on the tips of our tongues and couldn’t get out as we recorded. As always, feel free to comment, and we will address stuff in future shows! Enjoy. 

Don’t forget to Rate the show!

artwork by 

Georgia Geis@atomicnumber14 https://www.instagram.com/atomic_number14/

*Both Joe and Georgia have notes below


Say hello and let us know:

Do you take naps?

Can you lucid dream?

Do you have a favorite Sleep or Dream inspired movie or novel?


What we drinking?

Joe- insufficient clearance — Sketchbook brewery

Nick- Matcha Martian —Bean Me Up Roastery

Georgia — Watermelon White Claw


Joe’s Show Notes:

oneirology

(own-I-rology) the scientific study of dreams.


Polysomnography

known as a sleep study, is a test used to diagnose sleep disorders.


Famous Sleep Studies

  1. The Sleepless Elite (2014)
  2. The “Fatal Familial Insomnia” Case Studies (1980s)
  3. The Randy Gardner Experiment (1960s): stayed awake for 264.4 hours (11 days and 24 minutes) as part of a science fair project
  4. The “Sleepless in San Diego” Study (2002)

Sleep paralysis


Sleep deprivation


Sleepwalking killer Scott Falater


Sleepwalker’ Acquitted of Murdering Mother-in-Law After 15-Mile Drive


Lucid Dreaming


Sleep is crucial


Mantis from the MCU


Hormones Makes us Sleepy

Circadian rhythms


Do Other Animals Dream


does lunar phases effect sleep?


Pain receptors in brain?


Staying active during brain surgery, playing instruments


They Live (1988)


“The computer says no”—Little Britain show


Sundowners syndrome


Marvel’s Sleepwalker Character

Marvel’s Nightmare Character


If you die in dream do you die in real life


Georgia’s Tid Bits

Washing Brain During Sleep 

Nightmare On Elm Street: True Story

Jacob’s Ladder:Dreams and Consciousness,Hollywood-Style by Kelly Bulkley

Jacob’s Ladder- Movie

MIT in Fluid Interfaces

New device can control your dreams: Marketers try to hack the brain!

Taking the perfect nap by NPR


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Rabbit Hole of Research: The Show Notes: Episode 7: Lighthouses

Joe, Nick, and Georgia talk about the science of Lighthouses, Statue of Liberty, Day of the Triffids, Annihilation, Shutter Island, Fresnel, and other facts that will make you an expert pharologist.

This has no particular format; it’s just correcting or updating anything in the show we didn’t get a chance to fully talk about or things we had on the tips of our tongues and couldn’t get out as we recorded. As always, feel free to comment, and we will address stuff in future shows! Enjoy. 

Don’t forget to Rate the show!

artwork by 

Georgia Geis@atomicnumber14 https://www.instagram.com/atomic_number14/


Say hello and let us know:

Favorite movie that features a Lighthouse?

Did you know what a Pharologist was before listening to the episode?


What we drinking?

Joe: Spiritless Old Fashioned

Nick: Full Pocket Pilsner: Goose Island

Georgia: Water

**Spoiler alert: I talk about The Day of the Triffids (1963) in this episode. 

Lighthouse fun facts

1. 800 still exist in US even though modern technologies exist to fulfill their purpose of guiding ships. 

2. Michigan has over 100 lighthouses, more than any state in US

3. [Boston Light]— 1716 US first official lighthouse built on little Brewster island, Boston harbor. Original destroyed during Revolutionary War—rebuilt in 1783–raises to current height in 1859 adding a Fresnel Lens. 

4. I love you lighthouse: [Minot’s Ledge Light], southeast of Boston Harbor has the “I Love You” light characteristic (1,4,3 light pattern). The current lighthouse is the second on the site, the first having been washed away in a storm after only a few months of use.

5. First lighthouse in America to use electricity was a metal tower in the shape of a woman in New York Harbor. It’s called the [Statue of Liberty]. 

6. Lighthouses also had to use sound to guide ships through fog—foghorns, bells, cannons, etc. 

7. Boston Light only lighthouse still staffed in America. 


Lighthouse keepers that disappeared


Pharology : Study of lighthouses


Lighthouse science:

First lighthouse


Famous lighthouses


Famous lighthouse operators and innovators

Movies that feature a lighthouse

  1. “Annihilation” (2018) – Directed by Alex Garland, this film features a mysterious lighthouse at the center of an otherworldly phenomenon.
  2. The Lighthouse” (2019) – Although more of a psychological horror film, “The Lighthouse,” directed by Robert Eggers, incorporates elements of fantasy and surrealism.
  3. Shutter Island” (2010) – Directed by Martin Scorsese, this psychological thriller has elements of science fiction and features a lighthouse prominently in its storyline.
  4. “The Fog” (1980) – Directed by John Carpenter, this horror film revolves around a mysterious fog that rolls into a coastal town, and the town’s lighthouse plays a significant role.
  5. The Day of the Triffids (1963) —a British science fiction horror film directed by Steve Sekely and Freddie Francis, very loosely based on the 1951 novel of the same name by John Wyndham. 
Print by Georgia Geis @atomic_number14

Okay, that’s it for this episode. How’d we do?


You can always email (I do answer back), click the comment link below, or follow me online for real time tracking.

Rabbit Hole of Research the Podcast: Episode 6: Zombies: The Show Notes

Nick and Joe talk about Zombies. Fast zombies, slow zombies, Walking Dead, The Last of Us, Thanos’ snap, arachnids, The Thing, and do corn tortillas taste like flesh?


This has no particular format; it’s just correcting or updating anything in the show we didn’t get a chance to fully talk about or things we had on the tips of our tongues and couldn’t get out as we recorded. As always, feel free to comment, and we will address stuff in future shows! Enjoy. 

Don’t forget to Rate the show!

artwork by 

Georgia Geis@atomicnumber14 https://www.instagram.com/atomic_number14/


Say hello and let us know:

Are you on team Fast Zombies or Team Slow Zombies?

What’s your favorite Zombie movie or book?

How long would you make it after the Zombie Apocalypse starts?


What we drinking?

Joe: Bake and Break DIPATrillum Brewing company and Brockton Brewing Company

Nick: Calm Before the StormJ. Wakefield Brewing

**Around 27 mins Nick tries to become a zombie by swallowing the yeast plug in the bottom of his beer!

Jason and the Argonauts (1963): The Children of Hydra’s Teeth


ZNation (2014-2018) is the tv show Joe was thinking about 


Some favorite Zombie movies and series:

Night of the living dead (1968)

Dawn of the Dead (1978)

Night of the Living Dead (1968)

Shaun of the Dead (2004)

28 Days Later (2002)

World War Z (2013)

Train to Busan (2016)

Zombieland (2009)

Resident Evil (2002)

The Walking Dead (2010-2022)

The Last of Us

Walking Dead

I zombie


Favorite Zombie Books:

Dead City Series by Joe McKinney

Feed Trilogy Mira Grant (Seanan McGuire)

Rot and Ruin by Jonathan Maberry

Day by Day Armageddon by J. L. Bourne

The Walking Dead series by Robert Kirkman

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Seth Grahame-Smith

World War Z and Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks

The Girl with All the Gifts by M.R. Carey

The Living Dead by George A. Romero and Daniel Kraus.


Print by Georgia Geis @atomic_number14

Science behind zombies in Return of the living dead (1985)

Real world basis of 245 toxin 

The concept of 2-4-5 Trioxin is based in part on Agent Orange, a real-life defoliant used by the Army during the Vietnam War. The two chemicals share a number of similarities: both were used against plants by the United States Army during the 1960s, and both proved to have horrifying side effects. One of the two chemicals used to produce Agent Orange is called 2,4,5-Trichlorophenoxyacetic acid. Agent Orange also contained chemicals known as dioxins.

2-4-5 Trioxin should not be mistaken for the real chemical trioxane, which is used by morticians to repair cells and maintain a corpse’s contours after postmortem tissue constriction.


Zombies generally meet three important criteria. 

They are 1) stimulus-response creatures that seek flesh 2) continually decomposing and 3) contagious via bodily fluids. 

If we can explain, reasonably, how and for what reason a pathogen might cause/allow these conditions, we can describe a realistic zombie pathogen.

What is zombie pathogen?

A zombie pathogen must 1) be transmitted via bodily-fluids to 2) ensure sufficient and total infection which 3) is always fatal due to the fact that pathogen must 4) either consume the host or host-acquired flesh 5) hijack all the necessary functions for movement and sensation 6) provide at least some nutrients to itself and the body 7) allow continued movement and 8.) slow the decomposition of the host body.


How easy is it to infect brain?

In general, it is not easy for infectious agents to directly infect the brain. The brain is protected by several barriers that limit the entry of pathogens, including the blood-brain barrier and the meninges (the protective membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord).

However, some viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites can cause infections that can potentially spread to the brain if they cross these protective barriers. Examples of infectious agents that can cause brain infections include:

Viruses such as herpes simplex virus, West Nile virus, Zika virus, and rabies virus

Bacteria such as Neisseria meningitidis, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Fungi such as Cryptococcus neoformans and Aspergillus fumigatus

Parasites such as Toxoplasma gondii and Plasmodium falciparum (the parasite that causes malaria)

The ease with which an infectious agent can infect the brain depends on various factors, including the virulence of the pathogen, the route of infection, and the immune status of the individual. In general, infections that affect the respiratory system, bloodstream, or nervous system are more likely to spread to the brain than infections that affect other parts of the body

Print by Georgia Geis @atomic_number14

Methods of infection?

Bacteria:

The speed at which you can be infected by bacteria depends on a number of factors, including the type of bacteria, the route of exposure, and the individual’s immune system. In some cases, bacteria can infect a person almost immediately after exposure, while in other cases, it may take longer for symptoms to appear.

For example, some bacteria, such as Streptococcus pneumoniae, can cause an infection within a few hours of exposure, particularly if they enter the body through a wound or other opening in the skin. Other bacteria, such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which causes tuberculosis, can take several weeks or even months to cause an infection.

The severity of the infection can also depend on the individual’s immune system. In healthy individuals with strong immune systems, the body can often fight off bacterial infections before they become serious. However, individuals with weakened immune systems, such as those with HIV/AIDS or undergoing chemotherapy, may be more susceptible to bacterial infections and may develop symptoms more quickly.

It’s important to note that not all bacteria are harmful and can cause infections. In fact, many bacteria are beneficial to the body and play important roles in digestion, immunity, and other functions.

Virus:

The speed at which you can be infected by a virus depends on a variety of factors, including the type of virus, the route of transmission, and the strength of your immune system.

For example, some viruses can be transmitted through the air and can infect you within seconds of being exposed to them. Other viruses may be transmitted through contact with infected bodily fluids or surfaces, and may take longer to infect you.

The length of time between being infected with a virus and developing symptoms can vary depending on several factors, including the type of virus, the route of transmission, and individual differences in immune response.

In some cases, symptoms may appear within a few days of being infected with a virus. For example, symptoms of the flu typically develop within 1-4 days after exposure to the virus. Other viruses, such as HIV, may take longer to produce symptoms, with some individuals not experiencing symptoms for several years.

It’s also important to note that some individuals may be asymptomatic carriers of a virus, meaning they are infected but do not show any symptoms. These individuals can still transmit the virus to others, making it important to take precautions to prevent the spread of infection.

Fungal:

The length of time between exposure to a fungal infection and the onset of symptoms can vary depending on several factors, including the type of fungus involved, the individual’s overall health and immune system, and the severity of the infection.

In some cases, symptoms may develop within a few days of exposure, while in others, it may take weeks or even months for symptoms to appear. Some fungal infections, such as histoplasmosis, can cause symptoms that are similar to those of a cold or flu and may go undiagnosed for a long time.


Infecting the Brain

Fungus infect brain:

While it is rare, some types of fungi can invade the brain and cause serious infections. This is known as fungal meningitis or fungal encephalitis, depending on the specific part of the brain that is affected.

Fungal meningitis is an infection of the lining of the brain and spinal cord, while fungal encephalitis is an infection of the brain tissue itself. These infections can be caused by several types of fungi, including Cryptococcus, Aspergillus, and Candida, among others.

Symptoms of fungal meningitis or encephalitis can include fever, headache, neck stiffness, nausea, vomiting, confusion, and seizures. These infections are considered medical emergencies and require prompt treatment with antifungal medications.

Virus and bacteria brain infection:

Yes, bacteria and viruses can infect the brain, and such infections are referred to as central nervous system (CNS) infections. These infections can cause a range of symptoms and may be serious or even life-threatening.

Bacterial infections of the brain are often caused by bacteria such as Streptococcus pneumoniae, Neisseria meningitidis, and Haemophilus influenzae. These bacteria can cause meningitis, an inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord, and encephalitis, an inflammation of the brain tissue itself.

Viral infections of the brain can be caused by a range of viruses, including herpes simplex virus, West Nile virus, and Zika virus. These infections can cause a range of symptoms, including fever, headache, confusion, seizures, and paralysis.


Organisms that can infect your brains:

Toxoplasmosis

This is an infection caused by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii. The parasite can enter the brain and cause encephalitis, which can lead to seizures and neurological symptoms.

Malaria

This is an infection caused by the parasite Plasmodium, which is transmitted by mosquito bites. In severe cases, malaria can cause cerebral malaria, which is characterized by seizures, coma, and other neurological symptoms.

Naegleria fowleri

This is a type of amoeba that can enter the brain through the nose and cause a rare but often fatal infection called primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM).

Taenia solium

This is a tapeworm that can cause neurocysticercosis, which occurs when tapeworm larvae infect the brain and form cysts. This can cause seizures, headaches, and other neurological symptoms.

It’s important to note that these infections are relatively rare, and many can be prevented through proper hygiene, avoiding contaminated water sources, and using insect repellent when necessary.

Cordyceps — not humans, but ants — still cool

is a type of fungus that belongs to the Ascomycota division. The growth rate of Cordyceps can vary depending on the species, growth conditions, and availability of nutrients.

In general, Cordyceps grows relatively slowly compared to some other fungal species. Under optimal conditions, it may take several weeks or even months for Cordyceps to grow to its full size. This slow growth rate is partly due to the fact that Cordyceps requires a host organism, such as an insect or other arthropod, in order to complete its life cycle.

Once the Cordyceps spores infect the host, it can take several days to weeks for the fungus to grow and spread throughout the host’s body. The fungus then produces a fruiting body, which is the visible part of the fungus that emerges from the host’s body. The fruiting body can take several weeks to fully mature and release its spores, which can then infect new hosts and continue the cycle of growth and reproduction

Print by Georgia Geis @atomic_number14

Voodoo Zombies

Voodoo zombies are a concept in Haitian Vodou, a religion that originated in Haiti. In the context of Vodou, a zombie is a person who has been brought back to life through supernatural means by a Vodou practitioner, known as a bokor.

Contrary to popular culture, Vodou zombies are not typically portrayed as mindless, flesh-eating monsters. Instead, they are said to be under the control of the bokor who reanimated them and are often used as slaves or laborers.

The process of creating a zombie involves administering a powerful hallucinogenic drug, called tetrodotoxin, to the victim. This drug induces a state of apparent death, which can last for several hours. The bokor then revives the victim using various methods, such as CPR or a special potion, and places them under their control.

It’s worth noting that the concept of zombies in Vodou has been widely misunderstood and sensationalized by popular culture, leading to many misconceptions about the religion and its practices.


VoodooZombies in Fiction

The movie “The Serpent and the Rainbow” (1985) tells the story of a Harvard scientist who travels to Haiti to investigate the creation of voodoo zombies.

The movie “White Zombie” (1932), which is widely considered to be the first zombie film ever made.


Okay, that’s it for this episode. How’d we do?


You can always email (I do answer back), click the comment link below, or follow me online for real time tracking.


Rabbit Hole of Research the Podcast: Episode 5: Mutants! The Show Notes


This has no particular format; it’s just correcting or updating anything in the show we didn’t get a chance to fully talk about or things we had on the tips of our tongues and couldn’t get out as we recorded. As always, feel free to comment, and we will address stuff in future shows! Enjoy.

artwork by 

Georgia Geis@atomicnumber14 https://www.instagram.com/atomic_number14/


Say hello and let us know:

Who your favorite mutant is?

Favorite Cereal/food to eat while watching cartoons?

Excited about X-men 97?


What are we drinking:

Joe and Nick: Insufficient Clarence: Sketchbook Brewery


Genotype vs phenotype

Genotype is an organisms unique sequence of DNA. 

Phenotype is the observable expression of this genotype – a person’s presentation.


Mutation:

Hereditary mutations (germ line) vs Somatic mutations (non-germ line cells)

Causes:

Mutagens

is a physical or chemical agent that permanently changes genetic material, usually DNA, in an organism and thus increases the frequency of mutations above the natural background level.

Carcinogens:

any substance, radionuclide, or radiation that promotes carcinogenesis (Cancer). 

Teratogens: 

substances that may cause non-heritable birth defects via a toxic effect on an embryo or fetus.


Cancer:

Predisposed for cancer?

Cancer from secondhand smoke.


Peppered Moth’s adaptation during Industrial Revolution

Evolutionary changes of African Elephant thank size due to poaching

Wolves adapt to radiation at Chernobyl


Marvel Unique Mutants: 

Sooraya: 

A mutant with the ability to transform her body into a pliable cloud of dust. 

Bailey Hoskins: Worst X-man ever

A mutant with the worst power of self-detonation which he could only use once, since this power could kill him


Fallout series video game


Legacy virus

The Legacy Virus was based on a virus created by Apocalypse in the distant future, which was intended to kill the remaining non-mutants.

Stryfe engineered the Legacy virus to kill mutants. In the beginning the virus was only targeting mutants but it jumped to humans

Comic series cured by Colossus and in X:Men animated series it was Wolverine was used by Cable to generate a cure (utilizing wolverine’s healing factor).


Can we create a Real Wolverine 

Healing factor 

Wolverine has healing factor: he can heal from any injury or disease. Yet, there are a number of inconstancies. Also, Wolverine has bones fused with Adamantium (a virtually indestructible steel alloy named after the fabled metal Adamantine of Greek mythology).

All about Bones:

What are Bones made of? Our bones have metal: calcium, trace metals like copper, zinc, magnesium 

Bones are needed to act as a calcium sink

Metal to Bone fusing

Osseointegration (from Latin osseus “bony” and integrare “to make whole”) is the direct structural and functional connection between living bone and the surface of a load-bearing artificial implant

Osseointegration was first observed—albeit not explicitly stated—by Bothe, Beaton, and Davenport in 1940

What happens if you coat bones in metal?

Adamantium ripped from his body by Magneto’s powers: Wolverine #75


Human genotypes/phenotypes similar Marvel’s Nightcrawler

Humans born with tails

Pointy ears

Blue skin

Fused/ Webbed fingers


Gus Gormon played by Richard Pryor in Superman III makes fake Kryptonite and creates Evil Superman.


DC doesn’t have mutants, but Metahumans. But a metahuman by any other name is still a mutant.


Godzilla clone: Space Godzilla


Movie: Gattaca (1997)

Book: Brave New World by Aldous Huxley 1932:


Hearing loss

Hair cells

Genetic hearing loss restored with gene therapy

Old age hearing loss


Alzheimer’s treatment disparities

Alzheimer’s drug trials plagued by lack of racial diversity

Movie: Rise of Planet of the Apes (2011)


Okay, that’s it for this episode. How’d we do?


You can always email (I do answer back), click the comment link below, or follow me online for real time tracking.