Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and Star Trek III: The Search for Spock are built around one key piece of technology which may or may not have real world implications.

“KHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!!!!!”

• Admiral James Tiberius Kirk, 2285

There are countless reasons why fans love Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Up until that point, it was the most action-packed installment of Star Trek ever put on screen, so that certainly has something to do with it. William Shatner delivers an all-time great career performance in this one as Admiral James T. Kirk, full of downright Shakespearean drama with his old enemy, the diabolical Khan Noonien Singh. It’s got at least one of the most memorable, shocking, and poignant moments in franchise history. Or maybe it’s just Ricardo Montalban’s magnificent chest. Who’s to say?

But possibly lost amidst all that magnificence is the fact that The Wrath of Khan is built around a truly great piece of science fiction with the Genesis Device. A project designed to help Starfleet terraform barren worlds is also potentially the ultimate weapon in the galaxy, given that in creating new life it first has to wipe out anything else that’s there. Of course the wrong people want to get their grubby mitts on it!

In this episode we’re diving into just what it would take to truly terraform an alien world, and whether the Genesis Device follows its own rules in the Star Trek universe. Check out the latest episode of Does it Fly? right here…

SUGGESTED VIEWING 

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

You mean to tell us you’re watching or listening to a Roddenberry podcast and you somehow haven’t seen Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan? We sure hope you watched it before this episode spoiled the absolute hell out of it for you! But in all seriousness, there’s a reason this is the most critically acclaimed and beloved Star Trek movie of all time and why we chose it for this week’s topic. 

Star Trek III: The Search for Spock

But also, you can’t watch The Wrath of Khan (or get a full picture of the scope of the Genesis Device’s implications) without also watching Star Trek III: The Search for Spock. Forget that even number/odd number nonsense about the Star Trek movies, this one is just as essential!

Star Trek: The Original Series Season 1 Episode 22 “Space Seed”

And just in case you’ve never done this, we also highly recommend “Space Seed” which first introduced Ricardo Montalban as Khan Noonien Singh. It doesn’t have anything to do with terraforming in space, but it’s a classic bit of Star Trek lore, nonetheless!

The Evolution of Planet Earth

Want a real life taste of what the Genesis Device does…except over the course of millions/billions of years instead of minutes/hours? This video is pretty cool.

FURTHER READING 

Do you want to delve a little deeper into the facts, concepts, and stories Hakeem and Tamara referenced in today’s episode? Of course you do! 

Terraforming

While still primarily a science fiction concept, the idea of using terraforming to make a planet or moon into something that can support life as we know it is gaining considerable steam as we look to our nearest neighbor, Mars. 

See also: Bionengineering

“Is there life on…Venus?”

Wait, that’s not how the song goes! But the key here is that while Mars gets all the attention as the planet in our solar system with the most potential to support life, there’s also a chance that Venus could, as well. Key to that is the presence of phosphine in the atmosphere, which scientists have gone back and forth on, but recently found new evidence that it may be present.

“PIXAAAAAAR!”

Read more about that funny connection between a beloved animation studio and these beloved Trek movies here.

“Colonized by earth bacteria”

It doesn’t take long, just to give you an idea of how quickly “life finds a way.”

The Mars Trilogy

Tamara brings up Kim Stanley Robinson’s acclaimed trilogy about terraforming our nearest planetary neighbor, Red Mars, Green Mars, and Blue Mars. There’s also the follow-up The Martians which is a collection of short stories that expands this universe further.

Project Hail Mary

Another Tamara recommendation this week is the Hugo Award-nominated Project Hail Mary from sci-fi author Andy Weir. You might also recognize Weir’s name as the author of The Martian, which was adapted into a beloved film from director Ridley Scott and starring Matt Damon.

The Wrath of Khan: The Novel!

Even if you’ve seen Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan dozens of times, Vonda N. McIntyre’s superb novelization of the film is full of surprises that will enrich your understanding of the story and your love of Trek in general. For extra credit, follow it up with her equally great (possibly better than the film it’s based on!) novelization of Star Trek III: The Search for Spock!

WANT MORE FROM DOES IT FLY?

Go back to the very beginning with the first ever episode of Does it Fly? which tackled another iconic Star Trek concept: the transporter. Watch it right here!

We’re not particularly big on the whole Star Trek vs. Star Wars debate around these parts, so for those folks who love ‘em both, check out our episode on lightsabers right here!

FOLLOW US!

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Check out the official Does it Fly? playlist, too!

The Wolf Man explores a disturbingly realistic vision of what it would take to turn a man into a werewolf. Does this horror movie have any basis in science fact? Do werewolves and wolf men even obey their own story rules?

“Even a man who is pure of heart and says his prayers by night, may become a wolf when the wolfbane blooms and the autumn moon is bright.” 

• The Wolf Man (1941)

Werewolves, wolf men (and women), and really werebeasts of all shapes and sizes have been a part of our collective unconscious for about as long as we’ve been able to tell stories. There’s something universal (no pun intended) about the concept of a human being shape-shifting back into a more primal state. And if these tales were terrifying around a campfire, they’re even more effective on screen, where all of the brilliant special effects Hollywood has to offer have long been brought to the table to transform ordinary actors into bloodthirsty werebeasts.

But just where (“where oh, werewolf…”) does this story come from? Is there any chance at all that humans can devolve into a more animalistic state? Is there any reason to believe that werewolves could be real, even if they aren’t exactly as depicted on film? 

Check out the latest episode of Does it Fly? for the answers to these questions and more!

SUGGESTED VIEWING 

This episode is based primarily on the version of the werewolf legend told in 2010’s The Wolfman, directed by Joe Johnston (we took a look at another of Johnston’s films in our episode on The Rocketeer). It’s a tremendously underrated film that starred Benicio del Toro, Emily Blunt, Anthony Hopkins, and Hugo Weaving. If you haven’t seen it, we rate it pretty highly.

But that film was an updating of perhaps the most iconic werewolf movie of all time, 1941’s The Wolf Man starring Lon Chaney, Jr. A key piece of the classic Universal Monsters cycle of films, The Wolf Man is the source of many of pop culture’s most enduring pieces of werewolf lore.

However, if you’re looking for the greatest werewolf movie of all time, the one that is the best blend of old and new, then look no further than 1981’s An American Werewolf in London. While something of a horror-comedy, it won the first ever Academy Award for Best Makeup thanks to Rick Baker’s incredible werewolf makeup and what is the undisputed champion of amazingly realistic on-screen man-to-wolf transformations ever put on film. It’s not for the faint of heart, but you can’t call yourself a true wolf-fan until you’ve seen this one.

For more on the origins of horror stories, Tamara also recommends Monstrum, which is exceptionally cool.

FURTHER READING 

Do you want to delve a little deeper into the facts, concepts, and stories Hakeem and Tamara referenced in today’s episode? Of course you do! 

Metamorphosis

Fairly common in nature is the basic concept of metamorphosis, most commonly illustrated by the egg to larva to pupa to final form life cycle found in insects (think caterpillars to butterflies rather than humans to wolves). Not a human thing, necessarily, but a good indicator of how such transformations aren’t uncommon in nature.

Lycanthropy

There is actually a clinical disorder in which a human can hold the psychological belief that they’ve either turned into a wolf or are in the process of becoming one. There are actual scientific journal articles on the topic!

Werewolves in Mythology

One of the earliest recorded stories as we know them is the epic of Gilgamesh, and even there someone turns into a wolf. Similarly, it’s a theme that appears more than once in Ancient Greek mythology. Basically, werewolves have been with us since long before Hollywood discovered them.

The Original Werewolf Movie

While we detail plenty of cool werewolf movies in this episode, there’s one you can only read about, the long lost (thanks to fire) 1913 silent film The Werewolf.

LUCA

Known as the Last Universal Common Ancestor, it’s proof that every species on this planet shares a little DNA. Does it prove the existence of werewolves? Absolutely not. It’s still pretty cool, though!

WANT MORE FROM DOES IT FLY?

This isn’t our first spooky rodeo! If you’re looking for other horror-themed Does it Fly? episodes, allow us to suggest…

The Secret Science of Ghostbusters!

The Truly Disturbing Horror of Smile (and Smile 2)

What Beetlejuice Gets Right About Demonic Possession!

FOLLOW US!

Stay in the loop! Follow DoesItFly? on YouTube and TikTok and let us know what you think! 

And don’t forget to follow Roddenberry Entertainment:

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For Advertising Inquiries: [email protected]

Check out the official Does it Fly? playlist, too!

Squid Game is full of disturbing life or death situations, but “Red Light, Green Light” might be the one closest to our real world…and all the problems that come along with that.

“Red light! Green light!” Bang! You’re dead! Wait just a minute, we don’t remember this game being played this way!

But that’s how it goes in the first episode of Netflix’s wildly acclaimed Squid Game, in which (un)lucky participants take part in a lethal version of a childhood favorite, refereed by a disturbing animatronic little girl who wields the power of life and death via sniper fire.

And considering that the robot in question, or, at least her design (if not actual functionality) actually exists, we have to ask: is it reasonable to assume that this kind of highly sensitive and lethal motion sensing already exists in the real world? There’s only one way to find out, and that’s to let Hakeem and Tamara work their magic! Get ready for a spirited discussion covering everything from facial recognition technology, radar guns, animatronics, and the pitfalls of capitalism run wild! Okay, maybe not that last part…

SUGGESTED VIEWING 

This episode of Does it Fly? is based solely on the first season of Netflix’s incredible (and disturbing) Squid Game series, but season two is now also streaming. While we can’t say enough good things about Squid Game in general and suggest you watch it all, for the purposes of this episode, you can get away with just watching the first episode of the season one, appropriately titled “Red Light, Green Light.” Trust us, you’ll end up watching the rest of the series.

There’s also the non-lethal, somewhat baffling reality show version, Squid Game: The Challenge, which we reference in this episode, that has its own version: “Green Light, Red Light.” Your mileage, of course, may vary.

FURTHER READING 

Do you want to delve a little deeper into the facts, concepts, and stories Hakeem and Tamara referenced in today’s episode? Of course you do! 

Flame Throwing Car Alarms

Just in case you’re worried about having your speakers stolen or something, you can read more about this lethal deterrent right here. Don’t worry, it’s not actually coming to a neighborhood near you, but you can’t fault these folks for trying! Or…maybe you can. Or should.

Building Your Own Young-hee (Please do not do this)

Three of the key pieces of technology that might make something as terrifying as Young-hee possible are biometric face scanners (you know and love them from airports!), radar guns (you know and hate them from that speeding ticket we totally know you didn’t actually deserve), and transducers (you might not know you love them, but technically musical instruments are are part of the transducer family, so that’s just one of many reasons to love them!).

The Real Young-hee

OK, the real one hasn’t murdered anybody. Yet. But she is indeed real!

Other Squid Game Inspirations

Get some weird culture in your life and feast your eyes on the oddball works of M.C. Escher!

And go learn more about The Astronomical Society of the Pacific, with a certain Dr. O as their newly-minted CEO!

WANT MORE FROM DOES IT FLY?

Maybe an easy to keep New Year’s Resolution would involve catching up on every episode of Does it Fly? from the very beginning. Check out our first episode about the science of Star Trek right here. We’ve even got a handy playlist to make it easier for you to watch ‘em all!

Twisters is now available on streaming services, so now is a good time to check out the episode we did about the original film and its tornado-makin’ technology. Watch it here.

FOLLOW US!

Stay in the loop! Follow DoesItFly? on YouTube and TikTok and let us know what you think! 

And don’t forget to follow Roddenberry Entertainment:

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For Advertising Inquiries: [email protected]

Check out the official Does it Fly? playlist, too!

“Mithril! All folk desired it. It could be beaten like copper, and polished like glass; and the dwarves could make of it a metal, light and yet harder than tempered steel. Its beauty was like that of common silver, but the beauty of mithril did not tarnish or grow dim.”

• Gandalf, The Fellowship of the Ring (J.R.R. Tolkien)

Perhaps the most famous fictional metal of all time (at least until adamantium and vibranium came along), mithril is the rare metal found in Middle-earth from J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings saga and Peter Jackson’s movies. It is as strong and beautiful as it is durable. Lightweight and virtually impenetrable, it’s a boon for adventurers and warriors. And while this stems from a world full of magical spells and creatures, one that was incredibly consistent throughout its original novels (and the screen adaptations that followed), you might be surprised at just how scientifically sound the concept of mithril is!

Does mithril hold up to our scientific and story scrutiny the way it does swords, arrows, and everything else the forces of Mordor can throw at it?

SUGGESTED VIEWING 

Peter Jackson’s core Lord of the Rings trilogy, Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King, aren’t just the finest fantasy films ever made, but some of the best movies of the 21st century, full stop! Watch them! Jackson also made a trilogy of prequel films based on The Hobbit, but they aren’t as beloved and we can’t call them essential viewing.

We’d also like to point out that the prequel TV series The Rings of Power on Prime Video deals in part with the very origin of mithril itself, so if you need some deeper Middle-earth lore, you should give that a look. 

And for the newest installment in the screen version of the saga, The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim is a lush, ambitious anime, which is currently in theaters.

FURTHER READING 

Do you want to delve a little deeper into the facts, concepts, and stories Hakeem and Tamara referenced in today’s episode? Of course you do! 

The Lord of the Rings Saga

If you haven’t read the trilogy of novels that make up the core Lord of the Rings saga, you’re missing out on the foundation of virtually all pop culture fantasy. Read ‘em in order! The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King. Optional reads include the prequel (and perhaps most famous and beloved) The Hobbit and the almost textbook-y deep lore exploration, The Silmarillion.

The Basics

“The properties of any material depend most strongly on two things: the types of bonds that it forms, so you might remember in high school talking about ionic bonds, covalent bonds, and metallic bonds. The other characteristic of how a material behaves involves the metallic or molecular structure.”

For the purposes of this episode, though, pay particular attention to the concept of how metallic bonds behave.

Crystal Lattice Structures

Isn’t Mithril beautiful and shiny? Sure! Crystals are often shinier than metal, but they’re more brittle. The reason is because of how regularly the atoms are arranged (don’t worry, we’re bringing this back to Mithril in a moment).

Graphene

Oh, you want your metal armor to be both strong and lightweight? That’s where a carbon fiber known as graphene comes in.

Radiometric Dating

For when carbon dating just isn’t enough to get a sense of the age of something!

Tut’s Dagger

Because history is often just as cool as fantasy, King Tutankhamen had a dagger made from the ore in a meteorite!

Psyche (Asteroid)

An asteroid worth over a quintillion dollars that could solve some of our natural resource problems? NASA is on the case. By the way, check out one of Tamara’s favorite shows, For All Mankind, which deals with an “external resource” that changes the course of human history.

WANT MORE FROM DOES IT FLY?

This isn’t the first time we’ve discussed fantasy metal alloys on Does it Fly? so check out our episode on Lara Croft: Tomb Raider.

Want more pure magic and sword and sorcery action from us? We’ve taken a close look at The Witcher, too!

FOLLOW US!

Stay in the loop! Follow DoesItFly? on YouTube and TikTok and let us know what you think! 

And don’t forget to follow Roddenberry Entertainment:

Instagram: @RoddenberryOfficial 

Facebook: Roddenberry

Twitter: @Roddenberry  

For Advertising Inquiries: [email protected]

Check out the official Does it Fly? playlist, too!

We all know the three rules of Gremlins…but we’re putting one of those to the test. Hopefully we don’t end up on the wrong side of it.

Ah, the holiday season is finally upon us. The warmth of the fire. The family togetherness. The gently falling snow. The sound of carols being…dissonantly chanted by hideous gremlins outside our window?!?

In what is now the third part of our unintentional trilogy of episodes about the three biggest blockbusters of 1984 (the others being Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and Ghostbusters), we turn our attention to a true Christmas movie classic: Joe Dante’s Gremlins.

While the gremlin life cycle begins as the almost Baby Yoda-esque mogwai form, if you don’t follow the three cardinal rules of mogwai care, you’re in trouble. For those who don’t know…

• Rule #1 - Don’t expose them to bright light (they’ll die)
• Rule #2 - Don’t get them wet (they’ll multiply)
• Rule #3 - Never, ever feed them after midnight (they’ll turn into mischievous murder demons who will destroy your entire town given the opportunity)

We’re primarily focusing on Rule #2 for this episode, though. Just how does this peculiar piece of asexual reproduction work? Does it have parallels in nature? Does it make sense within the story of the film? HOW WORRIED SHOULD WE BE?!?

You’ll just have to watch the latest episode of Does it Fly? right here or check it out on our YouTube page to see what we found!

SUGGESTED VIEWING 

Obviously, 1984’s Gremlins is a must, not just for this episode, but for the holiday season in general. But there are those of us who feel that 1990’s Gremlins 2: The New Batch is  an even tighter, funnier, and more subversive film. Watch ‘em both and decide for yourself! Similarly the Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai animated series on MAX is well-regarded, although not essential for your understanding of what we talked about this week.

But while you’re at it, we’d like to also suggest a classic episode of The Twilight Zone, “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet” (starring William Shatner, no less!) which features a different look at gremlin lore, in their more traditional roles as saboteurs of technology.

FURTHER READING 

Do you want to delve a little deeper into the facts, concepts, and stories Hakeem and Tamara referenced in today’s episode? Of course you do! 

Gremlins and Ghostbusters at the Box Office

We weren’t kidding when we said we covered all three of the biggest movies of 1984. The evidence is here…and you can also see how Ghostbusters and Gremlins stacked up against each other on their opening weekends.

The Resurrection Plant

Yes, that sounds like the title of a classic Star Trek episode, but really, this might just be the most pronounced example of a plant that appears dead until you add water!

Metamorphosis

The basic Mogwai to Gremlin lifecycle does indeed have parallels in nature! In case you forgot what was taught you in elementary school, here’s a refresher.

Single Cell Asexual Reproduction

Hail Hydra! Wait, wrong franchise.

Gremlins: The Novel

You see, children, once upon a time there were these things called “novelizations” of popular movies. These books were more than mere adaptations of the movie for print, but often included details (later considered non-canonical) that further fleshed out the story or lore of the film. Gremlins by George Gipe was one of these. In the days when it took forever for a movie to make it from the theaters to TV, we absolutely cherished these things. Keep your eyes peeled and you’ll find them in used bookstores, at garage sales, and elsewhere. 

Original Gremlins Designs

Feast your eyes on the earliest Gremlins concept art here!

WANT MORE FROM DOES IT FLY?

Remember when we said there were other episodes in our (unintentional) series about the biggest movies of 1984? Check out our Ghostbusters episode here and our episode on Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom right here!

FOLLOW US!

Stay in the loop! Follow DoesItFly? on YouTube and TikTok and let us know what you think! 

And don’t forget to follow Roddenberry Entertainment:

Instagram: @RoddenberryOfficial 

Facebook: Roddenberry

Twitter: @Roddenberry  

For Advertising Inquiries: [email protected]

Check out the official Does it Fly? playlist, too!

Arguably the single most celebrated science fiction novel of the 21st Century, Frank Herbert’s Dune has long been a cultural phenomenon. Partly as a countercultural symbol thanks in part to some of its more mind-expanding themes, but mostly as a towering work of science fiction, with Herbert applying an almost textbook flavor to the original novel’s many appendices to explore the ecology of this fictional world. A key piece of this involves answering the question of how human life as we know it could survive on a world that has virtually no moisture, let alone running water. Which brings us to the topic of this week’s episode: the stillsuit.

A stillsuit is worn by natives of Arrakis to preserve and recycle their own body’s precious moisture, allowing them to last for longer periods in the open desert. When worn properly, it’s a head to toe covering that recaptures everything from the moisture in your breath to basic perspiration to, um, other bodily functions, stores it in pockets, and allows you to drink it as necessary. It’s a little gross, sure, but it’s also an iconic piece of brainy sci-fi tech that seems like it would have solid grounding in the real world.

But does it? You’ll have to listen to the latest episode of Does it Fly? right here or check it out on our YouTube page to see what we found!

SUGGESTED VIEWING 

We’ll make this easy on you: to get the gist of what we’re talking about this week, all you really need is Denis Villeneuve’s two incredible sci-fi epics Dune (2021) and Dune: Part Two (2024). These are two of the best sci-fi movies of the last 25 years and they’re as close to a perfect adaptation of Herbert’s original novel as you’re going to get.

You might also have some nostalgia for David Lynch’s somewhat bizarre 1984 Dune movie, which boasts a killer Toto score, some stunning visuals and production design, and Sting in pointy underwear. Otherwise, though…stick to the Villeneuve version.

And if you want a look at roads not taken for the franchise, the documentary Jodorowsky’s Dune, about an absolutely bonkers Dune movie that almost got made in the 1970s is as mind-expanding in its own way as Herbert’s original book. Highly recommended.

FURTHER READING 

Do you want to delve a little deeper into the facts, concepts, and stories Hakeem and Tamara referenced in today’s episode? Of course you do! 

There are many, many books in the Dune series, as the series was continued long after original author Frank Herbert’s death. But really, the first book is essential classic sci-fi and you can’t go wrong with it. Its immediate two sequels, Dune Messiah and Children of Dune are also terrific and thought-provoking. After that, things get really weird (but no less awesome) with God Emperor of Dune, Heretics of Dune, and Chapterhouse: Dune. 

In short, read the first one no matter what. Read the entire first trilogy if you’re digging it. And if you really want to get into the craziness, do all six. Skip everything else!

How You Lose Water

Start with a baseline understanding of the function and percentage of water in your body. Not because we think this is something everyone is going to have to worry about as climate change continues to worsen and ravage us all or anything like that. No, certainly not. It’s just good to know, right? RIGHT?!?

Metamaterials

The study of metamaterials is pretty vast, their potential applications are limitless, and their very existence is so cool that maybe it’s best to try and point you to a resource that has a broad range of examples. Check ‘em out. 

Classifiers

Honestly, classifiers sound a little cooler and fancier than they actually are, but it IS helpful to think of stillsuits in those terms to some degree.

Spacesuits

On the other hand, spacesuits are actually cooler and fancier than you already think they are, and no less an authority than NASA has you covered on their workings and the different types here.

WANT MORE FROM DOES IT FLY?

Check out our episode on Netflix’s The Witcher right here!

Believe it or not, the original Star Wars was also influenced by Dune, and we covered the most iconic piece of tech from the franchise here.

FOLLOW US!

Stay in the loop! Follow DoesItFly? on YouTube and TikTok and let us know what you think! 

And don’t forget to follow Roddenberry Entertainment:

Instagram: @RoddenberryOfficial 

Facebook: Roddenberry

Twitter: @Roddenberry  

For Advertising Inquiries: [email protected]

Check out the official Does it Fly? playlist, too!

Wicked gives us the secret origin of the Wicked Witch of the West from The Wizard of Oz. We dive a little deeper into what makes her so unique.

Wicked is shaping up to be one of the biggest cinematic hits of the holiday season this year, following on from its wild success first as a bestselling novel and then as an even more successful Broadway musical. Is there the equivalent of an EGOT for adapted properties? Because if so, Wicked just needs a video game or something to qualify.

At the heart of Wicked, however, is the sympathetic origin story of the formerly nameless Wicked Witch of the West from the classic Wizard of Oz story. Given both a name and a significant backstory in Wicked, we learn that her trademark green skin wasn’t the manifestation of some inner character flaw, but rather a somewhat magical mishap brought about by her mother consuming a potion while pregnant with the future villainess. We admit that delving into the realm of pure magic on Does it Fly? has occasionally proven difficult, but in the case of Elphaba, there’s something to the question of just how green a person can get, and the possible causes.

Watch the latest episode of Does it Fly? right here or check it out on our YouTube page to learn more. 

FURTHER READING 

Do you want to delve a little deeper into the facts, concepts, and stories Hakeem and Tamara referenced in today’s episode? Of course you do! 

Book Learnin’ 

Wicked is first based on Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire, which also spawned the sequels Son of a Witch, A Lion Among Men, and Out of Oz.

Of course, all of this goes back to L. Frank Baum’s original children’s novel, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. But did you know that book had a whopping thirteen sequels? Oz mythology is vast!

The Evolution of Skin Color in Humans

Melanin is what gives everyone their skin color, and understanding how and why various skin tones evolved is the foundation of our discussion about the (potential) science of green skin. Read more here.

Don’t Turn Green!

As a quick PSA, here’s a guide to how you can keep any copper oxide in jewelry from giving your skin that (lovely?) Oz-like green tint.

When People Actually Turned Green

Hypochromic anemia, or chlorosis, was a condition that did indeed leave some folks with green-ish skin. We usually try to do a little  better than just Wikipedia links in these notes, but because chlorosis isn’t really an issue these days, there’s not a ton of contemporary writing about it. So start with this Wikipedia entry, and if you want to dig deeper there are two scientific journal articles you can try to access here and here. There will be a quiz next week! (not really)

Thalidomide

Since the origin of the Wicked Witch’s green skin begins with her mom drinking a potion, an example Hakeem cites in this episode is the tragedy surrounding use of Thalidomide during the mid-20th century, in which expectant mothers took a drug that was supposed to help with morning sickness and instead caused severe physical issues with their babies. A full history can be found here, but please beware of disturbing imagery.

SUGGESTED VIEWING 

Oz-related screen adaptations are pretty much too numerous to list, and too varied in quality to really get into in the space we have here. But here are the ones we recommend…

The Wizard of Oz (1939)

MGM’s 1939 musical classic is rightfully the most inescapable, culturally dominant version of the Oz mythos ever put on screen. It’s also the most beloved. Almost impossible to imagine anyone reading this isn’t aware of it in some capacity.

The Wiz (1978)

Sydney Lumet and Joel Schumacher’s screen adaptation of the stage play which updated the Oz story for a more modern audience features a cast that includes no less than Diana Ross as Dorothy Gale, Richard Pryor (!) as the Wiz, and the legendary Lena Horne as Glinda, the Good Witch of the North.

Return to Oz (1985)

Long before taking the lead role in The Craft, Fairuza Balk took her turn as Dorothy Gale in a movie that, while essentially a sequel to the 1939 film, is actually more frightening and disturbing than The Craft! Absolutely worth your time.

Wicked Part I (2024)

Director Jon M. Chu’s anticipated adaptation of the book and Broadway musical boasts an absurdly all-star cast including Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, Ariana Grande as Galinda, Jeff Goldblum as the Wizard of Oz, Michelle Yeoh, Peter Dinklage, and more! 

WANT MORE FROM DOES IT FLY?

For some darker fantasy realm stuff, check out our episode on Netflix’s The Witcher right here!

FOLLOW US!

Stay in the loop! Follow DoesItFly? on YouTube and TikTok and let us know what you think! 

And don’t forget to follow Roddenberry Entertainment:

Instagram: @RoddenberryOfficial 

Facebook: Roddenberry

Twitter: @Roddenberry  

For Advertising Inquiries: [email protected]

Check out the official Does it Fly? playlist, too!

“Toss a coin to your Witcher…”

Netflix’s The Witcher series, adapted from the popular series of books by Andrzej Sapkowski and the critically acclaimed video games, is full of striking visuals and unique takes on traditional fantasy and sword/sworcery concepts. As embodied by Henry Cavill, the series protagonist, Geralt of Rivia, is a distinctive, stoic action hero. Cavill, of course, is no stranger to playing superhumans, but playing a Witcher is a little different than playing a Kryptonian. Most notably, a Witcher’s powers aren’t naturally born with them, but rather brought out by intense physical, magical, and even chemical means.

One of the most iconic visuals in the Netflix series is when Geralt’s pupils fully dilate, giving his eyes an unsettling, all-black appearance. This is to symbolize the change brought about by one of the Witcher’s potions, which enhance his already considerable abilities, a key one being the ability to see in the dark.

Sure, The Witcher is fully in the realm of fantasy, full of ideas that would never make it in the scientific world. But considering the remarkable structure and function of the eye, and the broad spectrum of vision that exists throughout the animal kingdom, the idea of adapting and expanding our existing senses doesn’t seem so far-fetched. So we’re tackling night vision in the world of The Witcher this episode, and you might be surprised by what we found.

You can also check this episode out on our YouTube page!

FURTHER READING 

Do you want to delve a little deeper into the facts, concepts, and stories Hakeem and Tamara referenced in today’s episode? Of course you do! 

How Eyes Work

Before we can get into the really fun stuff, it helps to just have a little bit of an understanding of how the human eye is structured and why it works the way it does. This is the most detailed explanation we found that also still makes sense for a layperson.

Night Vision

To start, let’s take a look at the upper limit of human night vision capabilities. We’re honestly pretty unspectacular compared to the rest of the animal kingdom, but it’s good to get a baseline of where our eyes are at in this area. The other thing to consider is how electronic night vision works, because this will give us a better understanding of how light behaves and how it’s perceived. But then take a look at the biology of animals with superior night vision and think about how this might map on to the human eye. It’s a long shot, but it helps support the idea as explored in The Witcher.

Averted Vision

“Our dark sensitivity is way greater than most people realize.” 

The technique Hakeem describes to see more faintly lit objects is explained in considerable detail here.

Henry Cavill’s Witcher Transformation

“I know there’ve been a lot of questions about cat’s eyes and all sorts online. For me, his eyes had to look like normal human eyes unless he’s staring into direct sunlight, where he has the ability to contract his pupils into a cat’s eye so he can gain an advantage against an opponent in direct sunlight. I wanted it to look slightly terrifying, but also a little enthralling at the same time.

Read the full interview with Henry Cavill here!

SUGGESTED VIEWING 

For some of the points specifically discussed in this episode, check out The Witcher season 1 episode 1 “The End’s Beginning”, season 1 episode 3 “Betrayer Moon”, and season 1 episode 8 “Much More.” Obviously, we suggest you watch all three seasons, because the show is excellent. But you should also check out the prequel anime, The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf, which details the rigorous and painful transformation process it takes to create a Witcher!

WANT MORE FROM DOES IT FLY?

From fantasy fantasy to space fantasy, have you checked out our episode on Star Wars’ lightsabers yet? Do it now!

Just as unsettling as The Witcher (but in an entirely different way) are the trauma demons from the Smile horror movie series, which we unpacked here.

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And don’t forget to follow Roddenberry Entertainment:

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For Advertising Inquiries: [email protected]

Check out the official Does it Fly? playlist, too

“Switch me on.”

When you think about it, the original Ghostbusters movie captivated a generation in a way that we usually reserve for franchises like Star Wars. Who would have thought that a big budget semi-horror comedy featuring a bunch of Saturday Night Live alums would become the kind of pop culture phenomenon that is still releasing films 40 years later, not to mention a parade of animated series, collectibles, video games, and more? And yet, that’s exactly what happened!

And perhaps a key part of that appeal was the central piece of equipment that the Ghostbusters outfitted themselves with: the proton pack. Essentially an “unlicensed nuclear accelerator” that they wear on their backs that allows them to “herd” ghosts into the equally fantastic traps (something that will perhaps be the focus of a future episode of Does it Fly?), the proton pack is as striking a visual as Star Wars’ lightsaber or Star Trek’s transporter. It’s far from the only reason Ghostbusters has endured, but the millions of children of the 1980s who turned their school backpacks into ghost-fighting machines can’t be wrong!

At the heart of Ghostbusters is the fact that our heroes are all scientists, despite their shared interest in the paranormal. In a way, that’s not too different from the dynamic of our brilliant hosts, who spend this special, spooky episode of Does it Fly? debating both the science and story logic of this beloved device.

You can also watch the latest episode of Does it Fly? on our YouTube page. 

FURTHER READING 

Do you want to delve a little deeper into the facts, concepts, and stories Hakeem and Tamara referenced in today’s episode? Of course you do! 

Protons

You can’t wrap your head around a proton pack without first understanding the proton itself, which is simply a positively charged particle in the nucleus of an atom. Wait, did we say “simply?” No, these aren’t that simple at all (note how Hakeem says in this episode that “the word particle can mean different things in different contexts”). Find out why right here.

Particle Accelerators

According to Hakeem, the proton pack is essentially a particle accelerator. Let the International Atomic Energy Agency explain them to you far better than we can. But the key here is the concept of the cyclotron, first developed by Ernest Lawrence, and which even existed in a surprisingly portable form (pending energy use necessity, of course).

Beta Decay

We admit, this one is tough to follow on its own. Fortunately, there are visual references that help us follow along.

Let’s just let Hakeem explain how it all ties together: 

“The Ghostbusters use positrons to power their cyclotron which accelerates their protons so they can use them to capture ghosts.” (phew)

The Real Inspiration for Ghostbusters

Tamara brings up how Dan Aykroyd was inspired to pursue the Ghostbusters concept by an academic article from The Journal of the American Society for Psychical Research (which is absolutely real). We are pretty sure that the actual article in question can be read right here!

SUGGESTED VIEWING 

It’s almost unthinkable that anyone who has clicked on this episode hasn’t seen the original Ghostbusters, which is truly a generational, all-time great movie. There’s an entire franchise worth exploring beyond it, though. Here’s a quick guide to watching them all in the appropriate order.

Ghostbusters (1984) and Ghostbusters II (1989)

The two movies that make up the bedrock of Ghostbusters canon. The first, is, of course, self-explanatory. Its sequel was seen as something of a disappointment upon release, but in the years since it’s seen a critical re-evaluation from the general public. The first movie belongs to a unique category of high-concept genre comedies of the 1980s, which even had this not spawned a series of movies, a toy line, an animated series, and countless collectibles would have made it pretty unique. Others that played with the formula established here include Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure and Beetlejuice (which we did an entire episode on that you can watch right here).

Ghostbusters: Answer the Call (2016)

Unfairly maligned upon release for reasons we need not get into here, Paul Feig’s complete reboot of the franchise  (it’s set in a parallel universe from the first films) is better than you’ve heard. However

Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021) and Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024)

These are essentially the belated Ghostbusters III and IV. As is the case with Ghostbusters sequels, your mileage may vary.

For those of you who really want to dig deeper, though, you’d be surprised at just how cool (and even scary!) The Real Ghostbusters cartoon from the 1980s was. In particular, if you’re looking for some spooky seasonal viewing, allow us to suggest the first season episode “When Halloween Was Forever” which feels like a genuine Ghostbusters movie condensed down to less than 30 minutes. 

WANT MORE FROM DOES IT FLY?

This isn’t our first spooky rodeo, as we recently took a look at Beetlejuice to try and scientifically prove that demonic possession is a thing!

Have you seen our awesome exclusive interview with the showrunner of Netflix’s Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft yet? Watch it here!

FOLLOW US!

Stay in the loop! Follow DoesItFly? on YouTube and TikTok and let us know what you think! 

And don’t forget to follow Roddenberry Entertainment:

Instagram: @RoddenberryOfficial 

Facebook: Roddenberry

Twitter: @Roddenberry  

For Advertising Inquiries: [email protected]

Check out the official Does it Fly? playlist, too!

2022’s Smile was a Halloween box office and critical surprise hit. It’s perhaps the best example of a major studio taking elements from the kind of “elevated” horror that’s been perfected by indie studios like A24 and transferring it to a massive, wide release. Actually, now that we think about it, maybe we shouldn’t use the word “transfer” when talking about Smile considering the subject matter.

But this week’s Does it Fly? is all about the central, horrific concept behind Smile: the transference of terrifying hallucinations, antisocial, destructive, and even suicidal behaviors from person to person. And while there’s essentially an entity at the heart of the trouble in Smile, you might be surprised at the personal and unconventional directions that this week’s discussion takes Hakeem and Tamara. Watch the latest episode of Does it Fly? right here or check it out on our YouTube page to learn more. And, as always, beware of spoilers if you haven’t already seen the film!

FOLLOW US!

Stay in the loop! Follow DoesItFly? on YouTube and TikTok and let us know what you think! 

And don’t forget to follow Roddenberry Entertainment:

Instagram: @RoddenberryOfficial 

Facebook: Roddenberry

Twitter: @Roddenberry  

For Advertising Inquiries: [email protected]

Check out the official Does it Fly? playlist, too!