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Unobtainium Podcast

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

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

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes18Founded4 months ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Science FictionFictionScience

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Artwork for Unobtainium Podcast

Latest Episodes

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

Is the "Rage Virus" in 28 Days Later scientifically plausible? Amy and Adam sit down with Dr. Sima Yasmin—medical doctor, former CDC Epidemic Intelligence Service officer, author and disease detective! – to separate the real science of viruses and pa... more

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Recent Guests

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."
David Eagleman
Neuroscientist, bestselling author, professor at Stanford University
Stanford University
Episode: Is a “Severance” Split Brain possible? How Are Memories Formed? Can Different Aspects of Personality Be Isolated Inside the Brain? Memory, Identity, and Neuroplasticity with David Eagleman
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 of Unobtainium Podcast, astrophysicist and professor of planetary science at UCLA
Adam Sigel
Host of Unobtainium Podcast, writer and producer in film and TV

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 Statesa month 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.

Great balance of film insight and scientific accuracy.
Engaging and witty hosts deliver strong science with humor.
Thoughtful guests elevate the discussion beyond surface.
Clear explanations make complex topics accessible to non-experts.
Motivates curiosity about how science applies to storytelling.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

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?

This show blends rigorous science with science-fiction cinema, using film as a doorway to real-world science and ethical questions. Episodes typically feature a scientist or expert alongside the hosts to unpack what's real, what's cinematic, and how storytelling bends science to serve narrative. The discussions span robotics, space physics, genetics, time travel, and memory, with a playful, accessible tone that appeals to nerds, students, and professionals who enjoy thoughtful curiosity about how movies reflect and reshape scientific ideas. A standout quality is the way complex concepts are broken down through film-specific examples, guest perspectives, and relatable anecdotes, making it a compelling listen for both sci-fi fans and curious ... 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 Radio
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 4 months ago and published 18 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. Tina Treude
2. Hiro Ono
3. Seema Yasmin
4. Adam McKay
5. David Eagleman
6. Dave Page
7. Steffi Diem
8. Dr. Hiro Ono

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