Down the Wormhole

DtW Goes to the Movies Part 3 (Pan's Labyrinth)

Episode 33
In Part 3 of our miniseries on science and religion in movies, Adam does what Adam does and rejects the premise to get to the point through the back door! the 2006 Guillermo del Toro masterpiece, Pan's Labyrinth (available on Netflix) is not even a little bit scifi. It is a fantasy-realism film that centers on a young girl who is trapped in the crossfire of 1944 Falangist Spain, and is confronted by a mythical creature who tells her that she is so much more than she thinks she is. While this film is not overtly scientific, it is an excellent vehicle for helping us to examine what we believe is real and how we know that. Is science magic? What makes it compelling? Can we become re-enchanted once we have lost the faith of our childhood? How can those of us without mythical spirit guides make sense of the world? 
Miniseries schedule:
3/25 - Contact4/1 - 2001: A Space Odyssey 4/15 - Pan's Labyrinth 4/22 - Interstellar 4/29 - Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi5/6 - Star Trek: Generations
Support this podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/DowntheWormholepodcast
More information at https://www.downthewormhole.com/
produced by Zack Jacksonmusic by Zack Jackson and Barton Willis 
 
Show Notes
Stephen Hunt -The Chour of the Air
https://www.amazon.com/COURT-AIR-STEPHEN-HUNT/dp/0765380218
 
Wizard in Harry Potter reading A Brief History of Time
https://harrypotter.fandom.com/wiki/Wizard_in_the_Leaky_Cauldron
 
“Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic” ~  Arthur C. Clarke (NOT Isaac Asamov as Zack says in the episode)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clarke%27s_three_laws
 
“The second naivete” as a concept in spiritual development 
https://www.mpjauthor.com/spiritual-development-concept/Paul-Ricoeur.html
https://c1b9a88f-157e-47ac-91dd-90f00bc73c13.filesusr.com/ugd/18a280_3bcaa8e62ed848ac954aeae897a5a4a7.pdf
 
Zack’s Uncle Ed Zacharewicz’s arthttps://www.facebook.com/Edward-C-Zacharewicz-268270439887/
 
Albert Camus’s joyful philosophy 
https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/7699175-the-literal-meaning-of-life-is-whatever-you-re-doing-that

DtW Goes to the Movies Part 2 (2001: A Space Odyssey)

Episode 32
It's part 2 of our miniseries on movies, and Kendra leads us in discussing perhaps the most influential scifi movie of all time, 2001: A Space Odyssey. Despite its preeminence, however, she is the only one among us who truly love it. Can she make believers out of the rest of us? Can she help us to appreciate silence and multiple layers of acceptable meaning? Will that draw us deeper into our own spiritual journeys as well? You be the judge. Just make sure you watch the film first, or this episode will make even less sense! 
Miniseries schedule:
4/1 - 2001: A Space Odyssey 4/8 - Pan's Labyrinth 4/15 - Interstellar 4/22 - Rachael's Pick!
Support this podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/DowntheWormholepodcast
More information at https://www.downthewormhole.com/
produced by Zack Jacksonmusic by Zack Jackson and Barton Willis 
Show Notes 
John Cage 4’33 : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mr9YnBaZBgc
Rudolph Otto Mysterium tremendum : 
https://www.britannica.com/topic/mysterium-tremendum-et-fascinans ; 
https://magiscenter.com/the-1st-pole-mysterium-tremendum-in-the-numen-i-b-gods-presence-to-our-consciousness-the-numinous-experience-intuition-of-the-sacred-and-conscience/ 
https://spectrummagazine.org/article/2017/10/10/mysterium-tremendum 
 
Articles on the movie 
https://www.newyorker.com/culture/richard-brody/hearing-and-seeing-2001-a-space-odyssey-anew 
http://decentfilms.com/reviews/2001aspaceodyssey 
https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-from-the-archive-2001-space-odyssey-20180517-story.html 
https://www.jstor.org/stable/3592986?seq=1 [behind a login/pay-wall, but can get a few free articles each month]

DtW Goes to the Movies Part 1 (Contact)

Episode 31
In Part 1 of our new miniseries on science and religion in film, Ian takes us on a tour of perhaps the most famous and influential modern scifi movie that openly grappled with science and religion. If you found quantitative evidence of God, would it change anything? If you never found evidence of God, would THAT change anything? Does good science contain an element of storytelling? What if God were just an alien that looked like your dad? 
Miniseries schedule:
4/1 - 2001: A Space Odyssey 4/8 - Pan's Labyrinth 4/15 - Interstellar 4/22 - Rachael's Pick!
Support this podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/DowntheWormholepodcast
More information at https://www.downthewormhole.com/
produced by Zack Jacksonmusic by Zack Jackson and Barton Willis 
Show Notes
Faith and Film: Theological Themes at the Cinema by Bryan Stone 
https://www.amazon.com/Faith-Film-Theological-Themes-Cinema/dp/0827210272/
Religion and Science (Gifford Lectures Series) by Ian Barbour
https://www.amazon.com/Religion-Science-Gifford-Lectures-Barbour/dp/0060609389

The Pandemic Podcast with Dr Daniel Janies (COVID-19 Special)

Episode 30
What is COVID-19? What is SARS-CoV-2? What is being done to stop this pandemic and what can we do to stay safe? We are joined by Dr Daniel Janies who is on the front lines of this crisis and graciously offered us an hour of his time to answer our burning questions as well as some of yours from our Facebook page.
Support this podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/DowntheWormholepodcast
More information at https://www.downthewormhole.com/
produced by Zack Jacksonmusic by Zack Jackson and Barton Willis 
 
Show Notes
Articles and resources from Dr Janies
https://cci.uncc.edu/directory/daniel-janies
https://janieslab.github.io/index.html
https://brc.uncc.edu/news/2020-02-26/what-do-we-need-know-about-coronavirus-cov-emergent-wuhan-china-long-and-short-terms
https://www.fda.gov/news-events/congressional-testimony/hearing-emerging-disease-threat-how-us-responding-covid-19-novel-coronavirus-03032020
https://www.medtechdive.com/news/fda-chief-warns-of-supply-pressure-on-reagents-for-coronavirus-tests/573999/
NPR story about the Coronavirus spillover from bats
https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2020/02/20/807742861/new-research-bats-harbor-hundreds-of-coronaviruses-and-spillovers-arent-rare
Statement from Labcorp
https://www.labcorp.com/information-labcorp-about-coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19
Before you share to social media or get angry about something you read there, be sure to fact check! The truth is often far more complicated and boring than the memes would have us believe.
https://www.snopes.com/collections/new-coronavirus-collection/ 
 

Climate Connections Part 5 (The Cesspool of Sin)

Episode 29
Do you enjoy long walks on the beach and the warm sand between your toes? Have you ever wondered where that sand comes from and if someone has a plan to stop the ocean from taking it back? How are coastal cities preparing for the inevitable sea-level rise, and why should we who don't live anywhere near the ocean care? 
In the final installment of our Climate Connections series, Ian takes us for a long walk on the beach as we discuss climate refugees, sand mining, effective storytelling, and whether there is room for hope in the coming years. 
Support this podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/DowntheWormholepodcast
More information at https://www.downthewormhole.com/
produced by Zack Jacksonmusic by Zack Jackson and Barton Willis 
Show Notes 
Lots of articles!
Articles about impact of sea level risehttps://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/sea-level-rise/
Smithsonian Sea Level Rise explanation: https://ocean.si.edu/through-time/ancient-seas/sea-level-rise
https://sealevelrise.org/
Resources for seeing projections Surging Seas (affiliated with Climate Central): https://sealevel.climatecentral.org/
Surging Seas Risk Finder: https://riskfinder.climatecentral.org/
Surging Seas Map options: https://sealevel.climatecentral.org/maps/
NOAA Sea Level Rise Viewer: https://coast.noaa.gov/slr/ 
Articles about NC (both address 2012 sea level rise debacle)https://www.newsobserver.com/news/state/north-carolina/article234385422.html
Background on sea level rise debacle from 2012: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2018/09/14/scientists-warned-of-rising-sea-levels-in-north-carolina-republican-lawmakers-shelved-their-recommendations/
https://www.coastalreview.org/2019/10/ncs-next-sea-level-rise-study-to-eye-2100/
Article about Boston (from 2/19/2020) https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-solutions/2020/02/19/boston-prepares-rising-seas-climate-change/?arc404=true
 
Stephen Colbert clip: http://www.cc.com/video-clips/w6itwj/the-colbert-report-the-word---sink-or-swim 
Shishmaref, AK : https://www.cnn.com/2017/03/29/us/sutter-shishmaref-esau-tragedy/index.html  and https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/08/18/490519540/threatened-by-rising-seas-an-alaskan-village-decides-to-relocate 
More on the United Fruit Company and the US Government crushing Central America
https://medium.com/s/story/timeline-us-intervention-central-america-a9bea9ebc148
https://www.warhistoryonline.com/war-articles/country-company-1954-guatemalan-coup-support-united-fruit.html
 
Books
Amitav Ghosh “The Great Derangement” : https://www.amazon.com/Great-Derangement-Climate-Unthinkable-Lectures/dp/022652681X
 Kim Stanley Robinson "New York 2140" : https://www.amazon.com/New-York-2140-Stanley-Robinson/dp/0316262315/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1J4MX2BOHBEDR&keywords=new+york+2041&qid=1583896793&sprefix=new+york+20%2Caps%2C150&sr=8-1
 

Climate Connections Part 4 (Apocalypse Eventually)

Episode 28
Do religious beliefs affect attitudes about climate change? Are people who believe we are in the "End Times" less likely to care about long term environmental impacts? What do the polling numbers indicate? The results might surprise you!
Remember to send us your wildest, pie-in-the-sky plan to stop climate change, and you could one BILLION dollars (of totally fake money). Email us at admin@downthewormhole.com or post it to our Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. 
Support this podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/DowntheWormholepodcast
More information at https://www.downthewormhole.com/
produced by Zack Jacksonmusic by Zack Jackson and Barton Willis 
 
Show Notes
Lots of articles to read!
Pew Stats from 2015: https://www.pewresearch.org/science/2015/10/22/religion-and-views-on-climate-and-energy-issues/
Religious Statements on Climate Change: https://www.interfaithpowerandlight.org/religious-statements-on-climate-change/
Pew Stats on Catholic Division: https://www.pewforum.org/2015/06/16/catholics-divided-over-global-warming/ 
Katharine Hayhoe: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/31/opinion/sunday/climate-change-evangelical-christian.html
Pew Stats from 2010: https://www.pewforum.org/2010/09/17/few-say-religion-shapes-immigration-environment-views/
 
“Left Behind” series : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Left_Behind  ; http://leftbehind.com/ 
7 Dispensations : https://www.compellingtruth.org/seven-dispensations.html 
Ozone layer hole : https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2019/2019-ozone-hole-is-the-smallest-on-record-since-its-discovery  [and a small bit of history : https://www.newsweek.com/nasa-hole-earths-ozone-layer-finally-closing-humans-did-something-771922 ]
 
Judges are more impartial after a meal : https://www.wired.com/2011/04/judges-mental-fatigue/ 
Dear Hank and John podcast : https://www.npr.org/podcasts/735467446/dear-hank-john
Peacock ore (aka Bornite) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bornite and as a crystal : https://www.crystals-online.co.uk/properties-pages/peacock-ore/ 
 
Y2K and apocalypse : 
https://www.adl.org/education/resources/reports/y2k-apocalypse 
https://www.forbes.com/sites/frederickallen/2020/12/29/apocalypse-then-when-y2k-didnt-lead-to-the-end-of-civilization/#534b3e38475c 
[From a believer in the immediate coming rapture : https://daniel11truth.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAqNPyBRCjARIsAKA-WFzh4El5Tz8h5Sivrdoeot6zdAjqKbLTk-ZSPkS0LJJWQMBWpnawv6oaAuWgEALw_wcB ]
 
Ezekiel 38
Hebrew and English: https://www.sefaria.org/Ezekiel.38?lang=bi 
As proof of apocalypse : https://www.apocalypsesoon.org/xfile-10.html

Climate Connections Part 3 (Billion Dollar Unicorn Bills)

Episode 27
In part 3 of our Climate Connections series, Adam tries to break us out of our conventional ways of thinking by introducing the concept of play, and forcing us to imagine how we would solve the climate crisis if we had zero limitations. 
How about guerrilla gardening, benevolent-ish dictatorships, billion dollar grants, the end of big cities, the return of generational living, solar farming the desert, or farting salt mines?
Send us your wildest, pie-in-the-sky plan to stop climate change, and you could one BILLION dollars (of totally fake money). Email us at admin@downthewormhole.com or post it to our Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. 
Support this podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/DowntheWormholepodcast
More information at https://www.downthewormhole.com/
produced by Zack Jacksonmusic by Zack Jackson and Barton Willis 
Show Notes
Favorite PE game
Adam-Scooter (found here: https://www.gophersport.com/pe/scooters/sst-scooters) and games (found here: https://www.gophersport.com/blog/6-scooter-games-pe/ )
Kendra--Parachute, games found here: https://www.playparachutes.com/pagaac.html 
Rachael -- Tetherball, what it is : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetherball  (scene from Napoleon Dynamite : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azSxYbFovWo )
Zack -- none (here’s one story as to why some kids dislike p.e. : https://education.penelopetrunk.com/2013/05/20/forced-gym-makes-kids-hate-exercise/ )
 
Adam’s book “Living with Tiny Aliens” https://www.amazon.com/Living-Tiny-Aliens-Anthropocene-Groundworks-ebook-dp-B07WWJP3FP/dp/B07WWJP3FP/ref=mt_kindle?_encoding=UTF8&me=&qid=1582659303 
 
Augustine and his idea that children are sinners : http://www.stephenhicks.org/2011/12/02/augustine-on-why-babies-are-evil/
 
Solar power in Sahara : http://theconversation.com/should-we-turn-the-sahara-desert-into-a-huge-solar-farm-114450 
Nuclear power, pros-cons: https://greenliving.lovetoknow.com/Advantages_and_Disadvantages_of_Nuclear_Energy 
Gen 2 reactors:
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2016/09/leslie-dewan-explorer-moments-nuclear-energy/
New energy storage ideas:
https://www.wired.com/2016/05/forget-elons-batteries-fix-grid-rock-filled-train-hill/

Climate Connections Part 2 (Of Starfish and Men)

Episode 26
In part 2 of our Climate Connections miniseries, Rachael serves up a heaping helping of hope in the face of potentially the greatest crisis the human race has ever encountered. Can her immovable optimism stand firm against Adam's unstoppable despair? Will a realistic way forward emerge in the aftermath? Grab some popcorn and roasted crickets. This one is fun. 
(Zack note: I recorded my part from the passenger seat of my station wagon on a family trip, so you will hear my toddler yelling for food periodically. Lunch is important yall!)
Support this podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/DowntheWormholepodcast
More information at https://www.downthewormhole.com/
produced by Zack Jacksonmusic by Zack Jackson and Barton Willis 
 
Show Notes
Favorite Tree
Rachael--Aspen: https://www.nationalforests.org/blog/tree-profile-aspen-so-much-more-than-a-tree 
Kendra--Rainbow eucalyptus: https://mymodernmet.com/rainbow-eucalyptus-tree/ 
Ian--live oak: https://www.arborday.org/trees/treeguide/treedetail.cfm?itemID=876 
Zack--box elder: https://www.thoughtco.com/introduction-to-the-boxelder-tree-1343340 
Adam--one particular elm
 
Bark beetle: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_pine_beetle
Beetle kill pine furniture: https://sears-trostel.com/blog/13657/Beetle-Kill-Blue-Stain-Pine-Lumber-in-Fort-Collins 
 
Food
Who owns the land: https://thecounter.org/who-really-owns-american-farmland/
CO2 animal production: https://ourworldindata.org/food-choice-vs-eating-local?fbclid=IwAR0fMG7sySLwJO7FAjbp7Wix1uy8RAsLci-IOMLZlYxzcxNbnHxV7MRgAIU 
Americans love their meat: https://www.marketwatch.com/story/this-chart-proves-americans-love-their-meat-2016-08-15 
Food recommendations in American diet: https://www.meatinstitute.org/index.php?ht=d/sp/i/47465/pid/47465 
We ate a record amount in 2018: https://www.meatinstitute.org/index.php?ht=d/sp/i/47465/pid/47465 
World consumption of beef (note how many countries eat far less than we do) https://beef2live.com/story-world-beef-consumption-per-capita-ranking-countries-0-111634 
We are the Weather: saving the world begins at breakfast by Jonathan Safran Foer https://www.amazon.com/We-Are-Weather-Saving-Breakfast/dp/0374280002 
 
Recycling
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/29/climate/recycling-wrong-mistakes.html 
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/29/climate/recycling-landfills-plastic-papers.html 
https://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/green-science/recycling6.htm 
 
“Star Thrower” by Loren Eiseley wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Star_Thrower
Babies in the river story: https://www.uua.org/re/tapestry/youth/call/workshop1/171686.shtml 
Equality/equity/justice: https://www.icafoodshelf.org/blog/2017/11/15/equity-vs-equality-vs-justice-how-are-they-different 
Creation Care Alliance: https://creationcarealliance.org/ 
Better clothing: https://qz.com/823607/pro-tips-for-buying-clothes-that-will-last-years-not-weeks/ 
A whole book on the subject https://www.amazon.com/How-Break-Fast-Fashion-guilt-free-ebook/dp/B07WH5C7XD