The Cosmic Shed

Noam Chomsky and Douglas Vakoch are in the business of universal communication. In the case of Doug Vakoch, it's literally Universal as he seeks to communicate with potential alien life out there among the stars.Doug talks to the Cosmic Shed in this special episode about the language and forms of communication that might enable us to speak with aliens. 

Douglas Vakoch is the President of METI - Messaging Extra Terresttrial Intelligence

Noam Chomsky is co-author on a paper that argues that the universality of language that he identified decades ago might just extend out into the Cosmos.

Noam Chomsky - A Universal Language

Doug Vakoch was talking to Andrew ahead of a workshop organized by METI called “Language in the Cosmos,” held on Saturday, May 26, 2018, at the International Space Development Conference (ISDC) in Los Angeles.

Is Klingon more human than alien? Would aliens sing? Would aliens speak Dothraki? None of these questions are answered but don't let that stop you listening to this brand new episode of the Cosmic Shed.

show notes

Douglas Vakoch joined us previously to discuss Star Trek DiscoveryAndrew mentions our episode on Lost in Space

Happy Star Wars Day everybody. We gathered in the Cosmic Shed with Cavan Scott, the author of a number of official Star Wars books and stories (and Doctor Who, Pacific Rim, Star Trek, Blakes7, Vikings and more) to talk all things Star Wars and what it means to be an official writer for these much loved series.

Choose your own adventure with Han and Chewie

Cavan is the best selling author of books and comics, including web comics for the Pacific Rim universe. His 2016 book Star Wars:The Escape became the UK's number one bestseller and has contributed to the forthcoming The Missy Chronicles.

Star Wars and Pacific Rim

Ti and Andrew were keen to pick Cav's brain about what it takes to get inside the characters we know and love in this wide-ranging chat. We also find that Cav is just as much of a fan of all this as we are. No wonder his work is such a joy to read. Thanks Cav.

Star Wars Adventures #1 features Rey before she met BB8It's May 4th. It's the Cosmic Shed. Punch it, Chewie.

Show notesCavan has a wikipedia page and a wookieepeda pageHe also has a website and a twitter accountCavan and Ti were drinking Yorkshire Tea who, sadly, don't sponsor us.If you wanted to sponsor us, you could consider becoming a patron here.You can hear our chat with the "real" Chewbacca here

The shed is sporting new lovely posters gathered at Space Rocks

Happy Star Wars Day everybody. We gathered in the Cosmic Shed with Cavan Scott, the author of a number of official Star Wars books and stories (and Doctor Who, Pacific Rim, Star Trek, Blakes7, Vikings and more) to talk all things Star Wars and what it means to be an official writer for these much loved series.

Choose your own adventure with Han and Chewie

Cavan is the best selling author of books and comics, including web comics for the Pacific Rim universe. His 2016 book Star Wars:The Escape became the UK's number one bestseller and has contributed to the forthcoming The Missy Chronicles.

Star Wars and Pacific Rim

Ti and Andrew were keen to pick Cav's brain about what it takes to get inside the characters we know and love in this wide-ranging chat. We also find that Cav is just as much of a fan of all this as we are. No wonder his work is such a joy to read. Thanks Cav.

Star Wars Adventures #1 features Rey before she met BB8It's May 4th. It's the Cosmic Shed. Punch it, Chewie.

Show notesCavan has a wikipedia page and a wookieepeda pageHe also has a website and a twitter accountCavan and Ti were drinking Yorkshire Tea who, sadly, don't sponsor us.If you wanted to sponsor us, you could consider becoming a patron here.You can hear our chat with the "real" Chewbacca here

The shed is sporting new lovely posters gathered at Space Rocks

Tim Peake, Bryan May, Maggie Lieu, Dallas Campbell, Beth Healey, Matt Taylor and Mark McCaughrean feature in this special episode of the Cosmic Shed as Andrew and Steve return from Space Rocks at the o2 in London.

The Cosmic Shed's Andrew talking to Tim Peake at Space Rocks

Steve, Bryan May and Andrew play Who's Got The Best T-shirt

Beth Healey is pleased to see the Sun again

Star Wars, Science Fiction and Rosetta - Matt Taylor talks The Cosmic Shed crew

Dr Maggie Lieu tells us about her love of Contact and the search for Dark Matter

Mark McCaughrean didn't want to play "Who's got the best shirt?"

Space Rocks is a festival of Space, Science Fiction and Music from the European Space Agency. We bloody love it.

Show Notes

Dr Maggie Lieu works on the EUCLID space telescope, set to launch in 2021 and map the geometry of the dark matter in the Universe.Dr Beth Healey "lost the Sun" when she went to Antarctica and it disappeared below the horizon for four monthsDallas Campbell's book Ad Astra is actually really very good indeed.Tim Peake was talking about the European Service ModuleMatt Taylor talks about Rosetta, BepiColumboMark McCaughrean was talking about The Deep Space Gateway and first joined us for our episode on Ambition, the Rosetta Science Fiction.Andrew mentions this episode of the Physics World podcast

Tim Peake, Bryan May, Maggie Lieu, Dallas Campbell, Beth Healey, Matt Taylor and Mark McCaughrean feature in this special episode of the Cosmic Shed as Andrew and Steve return from Space Rocks at the o2 in London.

The Cosmic Shed's Andrew talking to Tim Peake at Space Rocks

Steve, Bryan May and Andrew play Who's Got The Best T-shirt

Beth Healey is pleased to see the Sun again

Star Wars, Science Fiction and Rosetta - Matt Taylor talks The Cosmic Shed crew

Dr Maggie Lieu tells us about her love of Contact and the search for Dark Matter

Mark McCaughrean didn't want to play "Who's got the best shirt?"

Space Rocks is a festival of Space, Science Fiction and Music from the European Space Agency. We bloody love it.

Show Notes

Dr Maggie Lieu works on the EUCLID space telescope, set to launch in 2021 and map the geometry of the dark matter in the Universe.Dr Beth Healey "lost the Sun" when she went to Antarctica and it disappeared below the horizon for four monthsDallas Campbell's book Ad Astra is actually really very good indeed.Tim Peake was talking about the European Service ModuleMatt Taylor talks about Rosetta, BepiColumboMark McCaughrean was talking about The Deep Space Gateway and first joined us for our episode on Ambition, the Rosetta Science Fiction.Andrew mentions this episode of the Physics World podcast

Huge excitement in the shed as we are joined by Territory Studio to talk about their work on the stunning Ready Player One film, based on Ernie Cline's book which was loved by (the vast majority of) us. They tell us about working for Steven Spielberg and how their ideas were incorporated into the characters in the film as part of what we see on the big screen.

Steve, Andrew Popplestone and Andrew on the terrace at Territory - Photo by Willie Runte

Ti joins Andrew in the shed and the less said about that the better. You'll just have to listen.

Steve marvels at Territory's art for Ex Machina - Photo by Willie RunteYou'll also hear from Nolan North and Troy Baker, two men who make their living playing computer Avatars in games like Uncharted and The Last of Us. Ti and Andrew met them at MCM ComicCon in Birmingham recently and this seemed as good a time as any to bring you that chat.Nolan North and Troy Baker sharing a joke at MCM ComicCon, BirminghamWill the film live up to the hype? Will Andrew ever stop playing classice 80s games ever again? Will Ti get all grumpy because Wade is even more knowledgable about nerd culture than he is? Listen now to this long awaited (by us) episode of The Cosmic Shed.

We're ReadyShow notes

Joust is a video gameWillie Runte is a PhotographerTerritory Studio joined us for our episode on BladeRunner 2049We have mostly been playing Galaga

Huge excitement in the shed as we are joined by Territory Studio to talk about their work on the stunning Ready Player One film, based on Ernie Cline's book which was loved by (the vast majority of) us. They tell us about working for Steven Spielberg and how their ideas were incorporated into the characters in the film as part of what we see on the big screen.

Steve, Andrew Popplestone and Andrew on the terrace at Territory - Photo by Willie Runte

Ti joins Andrew in the shed and the less said about that the better. You'll just have to listen.

Steve marvels at Territory's art for Ex Machina - Photo by Willie RunteYou'll also hear from Nolan North and Troy Baker, two men who make their living playing computer Avatars in games like Uncharted and The Last of Us. Ti and Andrew met them at MCM ComicCon in Birmingham recently and this seemed as good a time as any to bring you that chat.Nolan North and Troy Baker sharing a joke at MCM ComicCon, BirminghamWill the film live up to the hype? Will Andrew ever stop playing classice 80s games ever again? Will Ti get all grumpy because Wade is even more knowledgable about nerd culture than he is? Listen now to this long awaited (by us) episode of The Cosmic Shed.

We're ReadyShow notes

Joust is a video gameWillie Runte is a PhotographerTerritory Studio joined us for our episode on BladeRunner 2049We have mostly been playing Galaga

Aurora Station is the dream of a hotel in Space straight from the mind of Frank Bunger, CEO of Orion Span. Frank joined Andrew to talk about this ambitious new venture to launch a hotel into space in the early 2020s with guests getting 12 days in space for an "affordable price".

A really special episode of the Cosmic Shed.

The Space Hotel is slated to take its first guests in 2022Frank dreams big and Andrew loves big dreams, particularly when they are in Space. Guests will arrive via more traditional means, using partners - clients Frank is working on relationships with at the moment.

On board - where the Holodeck is a reality

Frank tells us that they are developing a VR experience on board, which they call the Holodeck. That's one Star Trek fantasy we'd love to see made real. Now we just need a Spore Drive.

Show notesEmma Watkins sings the first verse of a reworked version of Stacey Kent's Ice Hotel. We'd love to record a full version but, you know, the shed isn't a money making exercise. If Stacey Kent happens sees this and wants to record a version, here's the words as adjusted by Andrew:The Space Hotel

Let's you and me go away to The Space Hotel The Caribbean's all booked out And that's just as well Once I'd have been much keener On Barbados and Antigua But now I think Low Earth Obit will suit us well Let's you and me go away To The Space HotelThey've put it up beyond our atmosphere The sofas, the lobby Even the chandelier The towels as well. All bolted down To stop them floating all around. What other place could serve our needs so well? Let's you and me go away To The Space Hotel Romantic places Like Verona or Paris They'll always lead you astray You'd have to be a novice To ever trust Venice And those dreamy waterways And what the tropics can do I know only too well So, let's you and me go away To The Space Hotel Spacey clothing at all times Is the expected norm We’ll read Artemis, Arthur Clarke And let them float around our dorm And when the time comes for us to sleep We'll let go of our gravity leash And float off together In a spacedock carved for two But then in the morning Provided we've made it through... We'll step out together To watch the sun rise over That vast expanse of Earth And who knows if we're lucky We may find ourselves talking Of what the future may hold This is no whim of the moment I want you to realize Let's go away To that palace made in Space Let's you and me go away to The Space Hotel

The Bahamas are all booked out And that's just as well I don't think we're quite ready For Hawaii or Tahiti And when we will be Only time will tell Let's you and me go away

Aurora Station is the dream of a hotel in Space straight from the mind of Frank Bunger, CEO of Orion Span. Frank joined Andrew to talk about this ambitious new venture to launch a hotel into space in the early 2020s with guests getting 12 days in space for an "affordable price".

A really special episode of the Cosmic Shed.

The Space Hotel is slated to take its first guests in 2022Frank dreams big and Andrew loves big dreams, particularly when they are in Space. Guests will arrive via more traditional means, using partners - clients Frank is working on relationships with at the moment.

On board - where the Holodeck is a reality

Frank tells us that they are developing a VR experience on board, which they call the Holodeck. That's one Star Trek fantasy we'd love to see made real. Now we just need a Spore Drive.

Show notesEmma Watkins sings the first verse of a reworked version of Stacey Kent's Ice Hotel. We'd love to record a full version but, you know, the shed isn't a money making exercise. If Stacey Kent happens sees this and wants to record a version, here's the words as adjusted by Andrew:The Space Hotel

Let's you and me go away to The Space Hotel The Caribbean's all booked out And that's just as well Once I'd have been much keener On Barbados and Antigua But now I think Low Earth Obit will suit us well Let's you and me go away To The Space HotelThey've put it up beyond our atmosphere The sofas, the lobby Even the chandelier The towels as well. All bolted down To stop them floating all around. What other place could serve our needs so well? Let's you and me go away To The Space Hotel Romantic places Like Verona or Paris They'll always lead you astray You'd have to be a novice To ever trust Venice And those dreamy waterways And what the tropics can do I know only too well So, let's you and me go away To The Space Hotel Spacey clothing at all times Is the expected norm We’ll read Artemis, Arthur Clarke And let them float around our dorm And when the time comes for us to sleep We'll let go of our gravity leash And float off together In a spacedock carved for two But then in the morning Provided we've made it through... We'll step out together To watch the sun rise over That vast expanse of Earth And who knows if we're lucky We may find ourselves talking Of what the future may hold This is no whim of the moment I want you to realize Let's go away To that palace made in Space Let's you and me go away to The Space Hotel

The Bahamas are all booked out And that's just as well I don't think we're quite ready For Hawaii or Tahiti And when we will be Only time will tell Let's you and me go away

The Lost in Space reboot has landed on Netflix and we gathered in the shed with Prof Ethan Siegel to discuss our first impressions of this big budget new show. A brand new episode of The Cosmic Shed for your listening ears.

Lost in Space is found on Netflix

Nostalgia for the original series is never far away but are we enjoying this new version more?

The original Lost in Space, arguably, wasn't always 100% brilliant

Ti tells us about the ill-fated John Woo directed 2003 reboot that never got beyond pilot and starred Adrienne Palicki.

Was it better than the film?

We couldn't let Ethan go without picking his brains about life in the Universe, the Big Bang and, of course revisiting Star Trek Discovery.

 Ethan likes Star Trek

Ethan tells us that The Drake Equation is broken...and how to fix it, and answers a question from Andrew's daughter about where the Big Bang happened. In short, you don't want to miss this.Will we still be watching this is decades to come? Will Ethan escape without us talking about Star Trek Discovery again ? Will Robinson? There's only one way to find out. Listen to this episode now.

A good way of finding out why time only goes in one direction is to read Starts With a Bang.

Show notes

Ethan first joined us for our episode on Star Trek Discovery. Listen again hereTi mentions Drunk HistoriesAndrew and Ethan get very excited about TESSYou can join Ethan on his Astrotour of Iceland by getting your tickets here