Introducing The Facts & The Furious Podcast
Are you a fan of The Fast and the Furious movies? Do you love science? If the answer to these questions is “yes”, then The Facts & The Furious Podcast is for you.
I must admit, I came late to the franchise. This was a pandemic watch for us. These movies provided much needed ridiculousness and heart when we were keeping safe at home. I just wanted to turn off my brain and not think for a little while, you know?
And yet, my physics brain would not turn off, and I wasn’t the only one.
Science communicator extraordinaire Melissa Truth Miller and I met previously through “science of” panels at San Diego Comic-Con. The above exchange led to our “Science of the Fast & Furious” panel at Comic-Con Special Edition in November 2021. The room was packed, and the audience was fantastic. It was clear this was a popular topic. And then Melissa, who is the co-host of the podcast Star Warsologies, decided she wanted to do a podcast about the Fast franchise, and I was lucky enough to be invited to be the co-host.
The Science (or lack thereof) of the Saga
In this limited series, we’ll discuss the dubious scientific merit of car crashes that don’t impede the car from driving again, bodies that don’t get seriously injured, romantic catches in mid-air unaffected by wind resistance, turbulence, or mathematical probabilities, and Pontiac Fieros in space. We’ll be joined by a variety of experts, starting off with a curator from the San Diego Automotive Museum, as well as a medical doctor, stunt driver, psychologist and many more.
Here is the first episode!
Hope you enjoy listening as much as we enjoyed recording. Welcome to the family!
We’d like to acknowledge that these movies would not exist without the hard work of the writers and actors who are currently on strike. We hope they get a fair deal soon. Until then, here is a way to donate to the Entertainment Community Fund, which is providing support to all those impacted by the strikes, including crew members who are not currently part of the strike actions.
If you’re interested in science in pop culture, check out this page!
