In Episode 63: “The Mini”, Joe, Nick, and Georgia recap Episode 62: Fear, Phobias, and Splatterpunk: When Terror Becomes Entertainment and share their road trip to Slay the Lake, an LGBTQ+ horror book festival at the Final Girl Bar in Kenosha, plus a stop at the Milwaukee Zine Fest on the way.

The crew shares a listener recommendation from Alex, John Wiswell’s 2024 novel Someone You Can Build a Nest In, and dig into an interesting question: why can some people read horror but not watch it? They also recommend The Monkey and Netflix’s Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen, which share a similar vibe of generational cursed-object horror.

The science segment works through Nick’s use of the word “small”, and the communication barrier between non-scientist and scientist, before landing on how bacteria defend themselves against bacteriophages, CRISPR’s discovery and uses, and the frontier of epigenetic gene regulation. Joe then highlights two studies: one on semen-derived exosomes as a non-invasive eye-drop drug delivery system for retinoblastoma, and one on detecting wildlife via airborne environmental DNA, and what happens when you throw some Handwavium at the limitations.

The crew also shares what media they’ve been digging into: Blair Witch Project, Jason Takes Manhattan, SNL UK, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, the video game Phasmophobia, and the book Strange Animals. And they celebrate Joe being named by the Guild Literary Complex as one of the 35 Writers to Watch! with a celebration event April 30th at Epiphany Center for the Arts.

Check out what the RHR crew is creating:

Joe:

Red Line: Chicago Horror Stories Anthology featuring a new story by Joe!

Joe’s Sci-fi physiological thriller Novel: Will You Still Love Me If I Become Someone Else?

Essay by Joe: From Beyond Press: Specific Knowledge: Jotham Austin, II, PhD on Transformations in Fiction

Future Events to Hang with the Crew:

Podcast Cross-Appearances

Joe on GoIndieNow: 21grams with Joe Compton

The RHR crew on Ben Tanzer's This podcast will change your life: episode three hundred seventy-nine

Events & Conventions:

Come celebrate Joe being named by the Guild Literary Complex as one of the 35 Writers to Watch! - April 30th at Epiphany Center for the Arts (7-10pm)

5th Annual Mai Fest - Blue Island, IL (May 9th 12-5pm)

Creative Arts Summit - DIY Podcast Workshop at Lake County Public Library on May 23rd, 2026

ConCarolinas - Charlotte, NC (May 29–31, 2026 ) - Joe attending as Guest

Shore Leave 46 - Lancaster, PA (July 10-12, 2026)

Lancaster Wyndham Resort and Convention Center

Dragon Con - Atlanta, GA (September 3-7, 2026) - Joe attending as Professional

Upcoming Episodes

*The Mini will now be every other episode!

Episode 64 - Into the Deep: Humans, Caves, and the Final Frontier: Guest: Ernie Bell, PhD (NASA and Blue Origin)

Episode 66 – Planetary Defense: Saving Earth from Other Worldly Impact: Guest: Charles Blue

Episode 68 - Hive Mind: Plubris: Guest: Wes Thorn (returning guest — Simulation Hypothesis episode)

It’s science for Weirdos

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