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Unobtainium Podcast

Adam Sigel & Dr. Amy Mainzer
Time Travel
Climate Change
Memory
Don't Look Up
Science Communication
Lucid Dreaming
Space Odyssey (2001: A Space Odyssey)
Severance
Star Trek II: the Wrath Of Khan
Mars
Superheroes
Star Wars
Science
Science Fiction
Exobiology Extant Life Surveyor
Dreaming
Inception
Blade Runner
Alien (movie)
Moon

The Unobtainium Podcast is hosted by Adam Sigel, a Hollywood writer-producer, and Dr. Amy Mainzer, an astrophysicist. Together, they explore the science in science fiction. Each episode unpacks the Unobtainium behind movies—what’s real, what’s cinematic, and why filmmakers bend reality. This is for the nerds, sci-fi fans, film junkies, and anyone curious about the science behind the story.

Hosted... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes20Founded5 months ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Science FictionFictionScience

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Latest Episodes

Why does the museum look like a spaceship? What does Luke Skywalker have in common with a scientist? And could an N-1 Starfighter actually fly?

Come inside with us.

What’s really inside George Lucas’s new Lucas Museum of Narrative Art? We got a sne... more

What superhero would Neil deGrasse Tyson be? Where would he go if he could travel through time? And how much bad science will he forgive if a movie tells a great story? And how he grew up an athlete who lived in the geekosphere.

In this special bonus... more

Episode Description

Could humans really breathe liquid? Could we actually live hundreds of meters beneath the ocean—and what might be waiting for us in the unexplored deep?

 In this episode of UNOBTAINIUM, hosts Amy and Adam “dive” into the science... more

What does it take to build a robot that can explore another world—and maybe even help us find extraterrestrial life?

In this special bonus mini-episode of UNOBTAINIUM, roboticist Dr. Hiro Ono takes us from the surface of Mars to the hidden ocean of ... more

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Recent Guests

Neil deGrasse Tyson
Astrophysicist and science communicator
Planetary Society / Hayden Planetarium
Episode: Neil deGrasse Tyson on Superheroes, Time Travel, Aliens, Bad Movie Science and growing up in the geekosphere.
Tina Treude
Professor, marine geomicrobiology, UCLA
University of California Los Angeles
Episode: What’s lurking in the unexplored deep? Liquid Breathing, Decompression Issues, & Alien Sea Life in James Cameron’s mysterious film The Abyss with marine geomicrobiologist Dr. Tina Treude
Hiro Ono
Professor and roboticist from Georgia Tech University
Georgia Tech
Episode: Could a Snake Robot Find Alien Life? | Mars, Enceladus & the Future of Space Robotics
Seema Yasmin
Medical doctor and disease detective
Episode: Could the Rage Virus in 28 Days Later actually happen? Dr. Seema Yasmin joins us to unpack the terrifying real science of viruses, outbreaks, R-naught, and why this horror classic hits very differently after COVID.
Adam McKay
Director/Writer of Don't Look Up
Hyperobject Industries (producer/director)
Episode: What’s our plan for a planet-killer comet? The facts about NASA’s Planetary Defense (Kinetic Impactors vs Armageddon Nukes) and more in Adam McKay’s film "Don’t Look Up."
Dave Page
Bonafide lunar expert, UCLA Department of Earth, Planetary and Space Sciences
UCLA
Episode: Mining on the Moon? Explore the possibilities of Fusion Using Helium-3, a New AI Computer in Space, and the Ethics of Reaching Humanity's Next Frontier with Lunar Expert Dave Paige
Steffi Diem
Professor of Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Physics
University of Wisconsin–Madison
Episode: Is Godzilla Fission or Fusion? From Radiation Mutation to Blue Atomic Breath, Nuclear Physicist Stephanie Diem Unpacks This Superb Homage Monster Movie.
Dr. Hiro Ono
Robotics expert
Georgia Institute of Technology
Episode: Can Robots Feel? Roboticist Hiro Ono joins us to explore consciousness, mortality, AI Robots, and what it means to be human as we discuss Ridley Scott’s thought-provoking sci-fi film Blade Runner.
Dave Jewitt
Professor of planetary science, UCLA; discoverer of the Kuiper Belt; expert on asteroids and comets
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
Episode: Alien Intelligence, Physics of Space, a Homicidal AI, and More with UCLA planetary scientist (and discoverer of the Kuiper Belt) Dave Jewitt on Kubrick’s Masterpiece

Hosts

Amy Mainzer
Host with background in astrophysics and planetary science; frequently guides discussions with scientific rigor.
Adam Sigel
Co-host and writer-producer, guiding discussions with entertainment industry insight and scientific framing.

Reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars from 27 ratings
  • The AI art sucks

    Tacky, ugly, makes me wonder what else you're using shortcuts om

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    The Velvet Undergrad
    United States2 months ago
  • Charming and informative

    If you’ve ever yelled at the screen for bad science, this is for you. The hosts are hilarious and smart, and you learn something while laughing. A great new listen!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    laurkoz
    United States4 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Some episodes lean into niche sci-fi topics that may feel dense to casual listeners.
Engaging host banter and expert guests make complex science approachable.
Strong production quality and thoughtful science framing appeal to listeners who want depth.

Chart Rankings

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Could a Snake Robot Find Alien Life? | Mars, Enceladus & the Future of Space Robotics
Q: So you want to tell me about those two projects a little bit?
Hiro explains the two main projects: using machine learning for Mars scenery understanding and a unique navigation approach for operations on other planets, highlighting the need to integrate context and semantics for effective autonomy.
Lucid Dreaming Is Real, but Is Shared Dreaming Also Possible? David Eagleman Discusses Neuroscience of Dreams, Memory, Consciousness in Christopher Nolan's Inception
Q: In the movie, shared dreaming is portrayed—could that ever be possible?
Not in the near term; due to unique brain wiring, shared dreaming is unlikely, though future tech might allow some level of cross-brain alignment, but it would still yield individualized experiences.
Lucid Dreaming Is Real, but Is Shared Dreaming Also Possible? David Eagleman Discusses Neuroscience of Dreams, Memory, Consciousness in Christopher Nolan's Inception
Q: So, what is a dream?
A dream is computed by the brain as it creates a storyline from random visual cortex activity, stitched together by memory and emotion into a narrative we experience as a dream.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About Unobtainium Podcast

What is Unobtainium Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A lively show that examines science through the lens of popular films and fiction, often featuring experts who can translate real science into accessible storytelling. Episodes span a wide range of topics—from space robotics, astrobiology, and climate science to memory, neuroscience, and nuclear physics—always grounding cinematic depictions in current science and policy. The hosts balance humor with rigorous inquiry, inviting guests who can illuminate technical concepts while keeping the conversation engaging for curious listeners. A standout quality is the sustained focus on how science informs storytelling, ethics, and public understanding, making it a strong match for listeners who want thoughtful, evidence-based commentary alongside ent... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Unobtainium Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Unobtainium Podcast:

1. WHAT WENT WRONG
2. StarTalk with Neil deGrasse Tyson
3. Pod Save America
4. The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
5. The Daily

How many episodes of Unobtainium Podcast are there?

Unobtainium Podcast launched 5 months ago and published 20 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Unobtainium Podcast?

Recent guests on Unobtainium Podcast include:

1. Neil deGrasse Tyson
2. Tina Treude
3. Hiro Ono
4. Seema Yasmin
5. Adam McKay
6. Dave Page
7. Steffi Diem
8. Dr. Hiro Ono

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