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Hello there, welcome to the Rabbit Hole of Research the Podcast. Our goal is to have fun learning science through the lens of science fiction and fantasy.
We are Jotham (Joe) Austin, II, a research scientist and author; Nick Elizalde, roaster of the coffee bean, entrepreneur and pop culture guru; and sometimes Georgia Geis (@atomic_number14), librarian, storyteller, and print maker. Episode Cover Art by Laina Joy !
So, What is this Rabbit Hole of Research Podcast?
It’s like playing a game of Telephone, where we will start in one place and let the conversation lead us down the winding scenic road exploring the science in science fiction, separating the facts from the Handwavium. We’ll have a little fun and you’ll learn a few facts you can use to impress your friends at a party or use as a conversation starter to go down your own rabbit holes.
It will not just be us rambling, fumbling and tumbling down the rabbit hole, but we will invite creators, thinkers and innovators on to talk about their research, creative process and join the lively conversation exploring the quirky science in fiction.
We know you have many choices of entertainment, so we will keep the episodes short, about the time it takes to drink a tasty beverage. So, please join us on this journey down the rabbit hole.
Play below (if on mobile click three-lined bar to expand episodes) or follow the Podcast at your favorite Podcast Provider or you can subscribe below to my newsletter and get email updates:
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You can always email (I do answer back), or follow me online for real time tracking. And keep reading to see what I read or listened to when I had time.
Our goal is to have fun learning science through the lens of science fiction, fantasy, and pop-culture. We will start in one place and let the conversation lead us down the winding scenic road exploring the science in science fiction, separating the facts from the Handwavium. We’ll have a little fun and you’ll learn a few facts you can use to impress your friends at a party or use as a conversation starter to go down your own rabbit holes.
In this episode of Rabbit Hole of Research hosts Joe, Nick, and Georgia joined by librarian Katie Lichtle-Mullenix from the DC Punk Archive for a deep dive into the strange, slippery territory between perception and perspective. Together, they untangle how the brain builds its own version of reality. Asking what we truly “see” versus what we merely believe we see.
From optical illusions and VR experiments to The Sixth Sense, The Matrix, and the time-bending logic of Kurt Vonnegut, the crew explores how filmmakers, authors, and neuroscientists alike play with the boundaries of sensory experience. Along the way, they discuss predictive coding, AI conversation quirks, and even headphone simulations that recreate the auditory hallucinations of schizophrenia, and many other ways our minds can deceive us.
Part psychology, part philosophy, this episode examines how perception and perspective shape not only storytelling but our very sense of self. When every sight, sound, and belief is filtered through expectation, can we ever trust our own minds, or is your brain lying to you?
Links:
Katie’s DC Punk Archive (Instagram hub):
https://www.instagram.com/dcpunkarchive
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tgZWzG4548
Kathleen Ragan – academic research:
https://www.kathleenragan.com/academic-research
Thatcher illusion overview (open-access paper):
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4298288/
Article on the Allan Brooks / chatbot delusion story:
https://www.hindustantimes.com/technology/chatgpt-led-a-man-into-300-hour-delusional-spiral-making-him-believe-he-s-a-real-life-superhero-101754893695487.html
Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice (background on psychosis portrayal):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hellblade%3A_Senua%27s_Sacrifice
Check out what the RHR crew is creating:
Joe:
Red Line: Chicago Horror Stories Anthology featuring a new story by Joe!
Chicago Writers Association Podcast: Talkin’ Science Fiction with Joe Austin
Essay by Joe: From Beyond Press: Specific Knowledge: Jotham Austin, II, PhD on Transformations in Fiction
Joe explores how many calories it would take to transform into monsters across sci-fi and horror—think 222 Big Macs and tubs of Cherry Garcia.
It’s Science for Weirdos
Want to support the show? Tell your friends. Follow us on social media, Discord, share the podcast, and let us know what topics you are excited about. Leave a Comment. And for email alerts sign-up for the Substack newsletter and never miss an episode, exciting updates or the bonus images we talk about on the episodes.
We want to Hear From You (leave a comment):
Have you ever realized your brain filled in a detail that wasn’t really there: like a sound, color, or memory that changed when you looked closer?
Which movie, book, or game most perfectly captures the feeling of not knowing what’s real?
Do you think technology, AI, VR, or social media, has changed how we perceive reality or how we interpret it?
If you could experience the world through someone else’s senses for one day, whose perspective would you choose, and why?
Future Episodes & Events
Episodes:
Episode 49 – The Heart of a Superhero
Guest: Rengasayee (Sai) Veeraraghavan
We crack open the anatomy of heroism—how courage, biology, and myth shape our modern superheroes.
Episode 50 – Gremlins and Holiday Science
Guest: Chris Guzman
A festive foray into chaos theory, creature features, and the secret science behind cinematic holiday mayhem.
Episode 51 – Season 2 Recap: PJs and Holiday Movies
Guests: ???
Grab your pajamas and join the crew as we toast two seasons of curiosity, chaos, and science—plus a sneak peek at what’s coming in Season 3.
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