Podcasts Science Decipher SciFi The Mandalorian: modern mythology, space toilets, and hairy rhinos

The Mandalorian: modern mythology, space toilets, and hairy rhinos

Published: Nov. 26, 2019, 7:45 a.m.

Western \n\n

The best genre of Star Wars media? Brandishing yourself. Old west forced sack removal.

\n\n \u201cReal filmmaking\u201d \n\n

Werner Herzog\u2019s surprising(?) praise. \u201cReal filmmaking\u201d in the wake of the prequel trilogies. Wooden green-screen acting vs sweet puppets and actual human beings. Unreal Engine LED walls and volumetric projection and camera tracking.

\n\n Our new mythology \n\n

Star Wars as our new shared cultural mythology the world over. Concern about disney\u2019s stewardship and the private ownership of our cultural heritage. Streamboat Willie entering The Commons.

\n\n Mandalorians \n\n

Some past famous Mandalorians, this particular Mandalorian, and martial prowess. Mandalorian history and why the Mandalorians are the only ones who figured out how to fight the space wizards for some reason?

\n\n Poop! \n\n

Pooping space. Weightless waste elimination can be tricky. Floating turds.

\n\n Freezing in carbonite \n\n

Cryostasis. Cryopreservation. Avoiding ice crystals. Replacing blood with \u201cantifreeze\u201d

\n\n Robo slavery \n\n

Taking the most depressing angle on droid consciousness and freedom (or lack thereof). And then to make it worse: DRM!

\n\n Baby Yoda \n\n

Extra-long postnatal development. Big brains and incomplete gestation. Cuteness. Animatronics.

\n\n Hairy rhinos! \n\n

Elasmotherium. Whooly rhinos. Hiary\u2026. eggs? Historical rhinos. Rhino evolution. Balut.

\n\n \n Elasmotherium prehistoric rhino\n\n \n\n Boris Dimitrov CC-BY-SA-3.0\n\n \n\n \n Rhino sizes evolution chart\n\n \n\n DagdaMor CC-BY-3.0\n\n \n\n\n\t
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