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Exolore: facts-based fictional worldbuilding

Rerun: Building a Three-Parent World

Nov 30, 2023

A sociologist, a biologist, and an astrophysicist walk into a zoom room and discuss what it would be like if everyone had three parents. Here's a hint: it gets complicated real fast. We discuss speculative science, the difficulty of large collaborations, mating types, and ~bedroom activity~

HOSTED by Dr. Moiya McTier (


Nov 16, 2023

What does it take to build a fictional culture from scratch? How can you respectfully draw inspiration from real-world cultures? Two anthropologists join me to share their tips!

HOSTED by Dr. Moiya McTier (@GoAstroMo), astrophysicist and folklorist

GUESTS

  1. Dr. Carole McGranahan is an anthropology professor at...


Nov 2, 2023

What causes seasons on Earth? Our planet's axial tilt! But what might life be like on a world with no tilt at all?

HOSTED by Moiya McTier (@GoAstroMo), astrophysicist and folklorist

GUESTS

  1. Maureen Kahiu is a Masters student of plant sciences at Penn State with a focus on turf grass pathology. She also has...


Oct 19, 2023

Moiya is joined by squid scientist Dr. Diana Li to imagine a marine world where everyone gets to find their own meaning of life... and it gives them magic powers! Did you know squid brains are shaped like donuts?!! 

HOSTED by Dr. Moiya McTier (@GoAstroMo), astrophysicist and folklorist

GUEST

Dr. Diana Li is a science...


Oct 5, 2023

Moiya is joined by lung scientist/cancer researcher Em Costa to imagine a world that is annoying, but not dangerous to its inhabitants. They end up creating a crabby species who need to be near each other, but complain about it all the time.  

HOSTED by Dr. Moiya McTier (@GoAstroMo), astrophysicist and folklorist

GUEST