Lady Astronaut Series with author Mary Robinette Kowal

Lady Astronaut Series with author Mary Robinette Kowal

Author: Fact & Science Fiction July 7, 2020 Duration: 33:57

In this special episode, I got to ask a really smart person lots of questions. Specifically, the author, voice actor, puppeteer, and science communicator Mary Robinette Kowal, author of the Lady Astronaut series— starting with The Calculating Stars, The Fated Sky, and the new novel coming out July 14th - The Relentless Moon. We talk about why her books are set in the past, how she researches her novels and more.


Karly’s Recommendations

The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal (novel)

Monstress by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda (graphic novel)

The Vast of Night dir. Andrew Patterson (film)


Mary Robinette’s Recommendations

Avenue 5 (TV) available on HBO and Amazon Prime

The War I Finally Won by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley (audiobook)

The Light from Other Stars by Erika Swyler (book)


Shop this list of recommendations through my affiliate link at Bookshop.org https://bookshop.org/shop/fasf and support the show!


The Relentless Moon hits shelves on July 14, celebrate the book launch at this Zoom event and get a paperback copy with your ticket.


See the process for recording The Relentless Moon audiobook here for a limited time! [This message will self-destruct on July 14]


Subscribe, rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and PodcastAddict. Follow the podcast on Twitter @FactandScifi and find other content on the blog factandsciencefiction.com


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


Ever wonder how close your favorite sci-fi movie or show gets to the actual facts? Fact and Science Fiction picks apart those iconic themes-like time dilation, artificial intelligence, or cloning-to separate cinematic spectacle from scientific possibility. Each episode focuses on one or two recurring ideas from the genre, unpacking how they’re portrayed on screen before exploring what current research and real-world physics actually say. It’s for anyone who’s left a theater or finished a binge-watch with more questions than answers, curious about the genuine principles behind the fiction. You’ll hear clear explanations about topics ranging from genetics and quantum mechanics to the realities of interstellar travel, all grounded in credible science but discussed without unnecessary jargon. The aim is to enrich your viewing experience, giving you a deeper appreciation for both the creativity of storytellers and the wonders of the natural world they often draw from. Tune in to satisfy that curiosity, discovering where our most imaginative films and TV series intersect with the truths of biology, astronomy, and technology. This podcast turns every sci-fi trope into a starting point for a fascinating investigation into reality.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 35

Fact and Science Fiction
Podcast Episodes
Special announcement: Afrofuturism and diverse science fiction [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:52
I was going to create a podcast episode on afrofuturism but I found that this genre/aesthetic/artform can speak for itself so instead I'm going to link all my research sources and then make a pledge to ensure all @Factan…
Cyborgs and Cybernetics [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:39
In this episode I discuss real examples of cyborgs, cybernetic organisms living today, human or otherwise, and these examples may surprise you. I’ll define what exactly cybernetic means, and why exactly cybernetics is an…
Earthquakes & Landslides: Science of Disaster Movies [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:33
Disaster movies can be fun. They can be scary or thought-provoking. And they can be really, really bad. But how close are they to the science of real disasters? I talk about recent landslides and earthquakes, my own expe…
The Many Worlds Interpretation and Parallel Universes in Sci-Fi [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:20
In this episode of Fact and Science Fiction, I'm discussing the science and science fiction of parallel universes. I review the famous Many Worlds Interpretation, the theory of bubble universes and more. I use examples f…
Animal Mimicry in Nature and Carpenter's The Thing [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:50
In this episode I'm sharing types of animal mimicry. From owl butterflies to cuckoo birds, to the "thing" from space. I discuss defensive mimicry, aggressive mimicry and even mimicry humans have contributed to. It turns…
Super Suits, Mechsuits, and Iron Man [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:02
We are obsessed with super suits. It is the peak of imagined technology. It’s like we have recognized the limits of the human body - and we have decided that all we need to become super strong, fast and flying is robotic…
The Flu in Stephen King's The Stand [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:42
There have been several pandemics in human history and few are as misunderstood as the flu. In Stephen King's The Stand, a flu epidemic wipes out most of the human population. How is it different from the actual flu? Wha…
Science of Superheroes: Planet Comicon Live [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:42
This special live episode was recorded March 30 in Kansas City MO. I did a round-up of the science of superheroes and superpowers, including Captain Marvel, the Incredible Hulk, Captain America, and Ant-Man. I discuss ph…
Going for Orbit with Kerbal Space Program [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:39
I play a video game! Join me as I launch a rocket to space, complete an orbit path, and return back to the planet on Kerbal Space Program. Kerbal Space Program is a popular physics simulator that teaches players science…
Interview with Author David Siegel Bernstein [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:40
David Bernstein's Blockbuster Science has been a life-saver for my research for the podcast and I was so happy he agreed to be on the show! We talk about how he got the idea for the book, his favorite topics in science (…