Does It Fly? By cover art

Does It Fly?

By: Roddenberry Entertainment
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  • Summary

  • Putting your favorite sci-fi and pop culture to the test! Join hosts Hakeem Oluseyi (How The Universe Works, NASA's Unexplained Files, Baking Impossible) and Tamara Krinsky (Scirens, Marvel's Red Carpet, Girls Gone Greek) as they put your favorite pop culture concepts to the test and determine once and for all if they're possible in the real world.

    From Roddenberry Entertainment, the heart of fandom! Roddenberry Entertainment provides thought-provoking, quality genre entertainment that sustains the legacy of founder and Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry. We are devoted to producing viewer-centric properties that actively recognize the integral role that audiences and storytelling play in the betterment of society. Roddenberry's productions promote experience over observation; encouraging audiences to think, question, and challenge the status quo of the world in which we live.

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    doesitfly@roddenberry.com
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Episodes
  • Star Wars: What Are Lightsabers Really Made Of?

    Star Wars: What Are Lightsabers Really Made Of?
    Jul 12 2024
    In the vast galaxy of science fiction, few weapons shine as brightly as Star Wars’ lightsaber. From its classic hum to its array of colors, the lightsaber has captivated generations, transcending its origin to become a timeless artifact of adventure and heroism.And as a kid, who didn’t have imaginary battles with their lightsabers? Now, imagine if those weapons really existed! We delve into the world of Star Wars and analyze the science behind the lightsabers as well as the importance of this crazy device in the movies but also in our lives… The lightsaber exists at the nexus of advanced technology and timeless mythology, serving as a powerful symbol of the “Star Wars” universe. Their unique designs, impactful glow, and distinctive sound make them an iconic piece of sci-fi history. But with this great honor comes a lot of questions. What are lightsabers actually made of? Are there any existing modern technologies that could bring us closer to a real life lightsaber? And just how important is this mystical weapon to the Jedi and Force users in general?All this and more will be explored in our latest episode…SUGGESTED VIEWINGThe lightsaber and its lore plays an integral role in all nine films of “The Skywalker Saga” and those are the movies that make up the spine of the Star Wars universe. We assume you’ve probably seen them, but if you want a refresher just for this episode, you should consider revisiting Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999), Episode IV: A New Hope (1977), Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (1983), all of which have points we referenced in our discussion.And while the Star Wars universe on television already seems a little overwhelming, our hosts also took a dive into some episodes which specifically expanded and explored lightsaber function and history. If you want to check those out, they are…Star Wars: The Clone Wars S5E6 “The Gathering”This one shows Jedi students on a quest to find kyber crystals to complete their lightsabers. Star Wars: The Clone Wars S5E16 “The Lawless”The first glimpse of the mysterious Darksaber in action. Star Wars Rebels S3E15 “Trials of the Darksaber”More info and context for the Darksaber, arguably the most important lightsaber variant in current Star Wars canon!The Mandalorian S2E8 “The Rescue” If you’re hoping to see the Darksaber in a live action context, this is the episode for you.For those of you looking to really dive into the entire Star Wars universe and don’t know where to begin, well…good luck! When it comes to viewing orders for big franchises that take place across long periods of time, we generally endorse watching everything in “release order” rather than “timeline order.” For example, that means you watch the original trilogy first, then the prequels, and so on down the line. But especially with Star Wars, there’s always the temptation to try and do things in story chronological order. And who are we to say no? So for you brave souls who want to try and “start at the beginning” for the galaxy far, far away, here’s how you’d do it…Star Wars lore has become so sprawling that it’s now broken up into distinct storytelling eras. THE HIGH REPUBLICStar Wars: The Acolyte (TV)Currently the earliest piece of live action Star Wars lore, The Acolyte takes place 100 years before the events of the Skywalker Saga films.THE FALL OF THE JEDIThese films and TV series detail the period when the Jedi lost influence over the galaxy, the Clone Wars, and Anakin Skywalker’s fall to the Dark Side. Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (Film)Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (Film)Star Wars: The Clone Wars (TV)Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (Film)REIGN OF THE EMPIREThese films and TV series set the stage for the classic, original trilogy of Star Wars films, as the Empire rampages across the galaxy and the seeds of the Rebellion are sown.Star Wars: The Bad Batch (TV)Solo: A Star Wars Story (Film)Obi-Wan Kenobi ( TV)Andor (TV)Star Wars Rebels (TV)Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (Film)AGE OF REBELLIONThe most famous period in Star Wars history! You probably know all about these already.Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (Film)Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (Film)Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (Film)THE NEW REPUBLICSo far, this era has only been explored on TV and not in film, but it details the “lost years” between the events of Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens.The Mandalorian (TV) – Seasons 1 & 2The Book of Boba Fett ( TV)The Mandalorian (TV) – Season 3Ahsoka ( TV)Star Wars Resistance (TV)RISE OF THE FIRST ORDERThe latest period in Star Wars history thus far explored!Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (Film)Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (Film)Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker (Film)And these anthology shows take place throughout the Star Wars ...
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    48 mins
  • Could the A Quiet Place Aliens Exist on Our World?

    Could the A Quiet Place Aliens Exist on Our World?
    Jun 28 2024
    When it comes to the A Quiet Place franchise we kept coming back to one big question: What are the biological factors that would allow these terrifying aliens who terrorize Earth to hunt via sound alone? The aliens, often referred to as “dark angels” in the films, have a number of distinct characteristics which will inform our questions. For starters, they're blind but incredibly sensitive to sound, which gives them an instinct to kill everything that emits the slightest noise. They are also incredibly strong and fast and they possess armored skin which protects them from most kinds of weapons, including bombs and fire. The only ways to kill them (so far) are to drop them into deep water (since they can’t swim) or by emitting high-frequency sound which causes the armor on their heads to open and expose their only vulnerable part: their ears. In this episode we will dive into how this alien echolocation differs from what we see in animals native to our planet, and the environmental factors that might have contributed to how and why these creatures evolved as they did. And then there are all the story elements to consider, from the sound design (and lack thereof) of the films themselves, the question of childbirth in a world where uttering a sound can get you killed, and much more. Oh yeah, and then you might want to find out who from the film thought this movie should have been called Don’t Fart. It’s all fair game in Does it Fly? episode 12!SUGGESTED VIEWINGThis episode is FULL OF SPOILERS, don’t say we didn’t warn you! So, we’d recommend you watch both A Quiet Place and A Quiet Place Part II. Keep in mind, we recorded this episode without having seen A Quiet Place Day One (in theaters now), so there’s no spoilers for that film. And if you’ve seen the entire franchise and still need this creepy itch scratched, when watching A Quiet Place, Hakeem also thought about the 2018 film Bird Box (you can find it on Netflix) starring Sandra Bullock, where the threat is sight instead of sound—if you see the force extinguishing humans, you die. It’s kind of creepy, but definitely a good horror watch before going to bed!FURTHER READING Do you want to delve a little deeper into the facts, concepts, and stories Hakeem and Tamara referenced in today’s episode? Here are a few recommendations!Echolocation“Let's talk about the anatomy of these aliens... They are big and strong. Their limbs are incredibly long and at the end they have these claw-like hands... Their heads are made of these plates that open to reveal the fleshy parts underneath. But their exoskeleton and the plates on their head, those things are virtually impenetrable. So, in order to kill it, what they've discovered is, is that with the right high frequency pitch... The monster just freaks out all the plates, opens on his head, making it vulnerable, and then they can take it out.” See also: Engaging Silence: Behind the Daring Sound of A Quiet PlaceHearing in Cockroaches, Spiders, Elephants and Other AnimalsHow Cockroaches Experience the World“There are some animals that use air movements [to listen]. One of my favorites is one of my least favorites… I was a kid in New Orleans. And if you live in New Orleans, especially in the 1970s, you have to deal with a monster even scarier than the one in this movie… They're called roaches.” See also: Do Cockroaches have ears?The Earth’s terminator Line“There's that ring that separates the light side from the dark side, what we call the terminator in astronomy. And at the terminator [on planets that do not rotate] there will always be incredibly strong winds. So you will need something like those big claw hands to just sit there against those winds.” See also: The Moon's Terminator LineProject Hail Mary“Andy Weir, who wrote The Martian which then became a movie with Matt Damon, also wrote Project Hail Mary, which I don't want to give too much of it away, but… a big part of the book is trying to figure out and understand the aliens' background [and] the kind of world that they come from.” How A Quiet Place Sound Designers Made Audiences Afraid of Their Own Noise“Ethan Van der Ryn and Erik Aadahl, who were actually nominated for an Oscar for sound editing for the first film… said: ”By working on scary films as sound designers, we can become the puppet masters of the audience's emotions in an invisible way as opposed to the image. A great picture editor, Walter Marsh, had this wonderful saying along the lines of ‘images come in through the front door, but sound comes in through the back door’.” WANT MORE FROM DOES IT FLY? Can’t get enough of The Boys, now in its fourth season on Prime Video? Well then you certainly won’t want to miss our episode detailing how Starlight’s powers might work!FOLLOW US!Stay in the loop! Follow DoesItFly? on YouTube and TikTok and let us know what you think! And don’t forget to follow Roddenberry Entertainment:...
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    45 mins
  • Is Real World Iron Man Tech Possible?

    Is Real World Iron Man Tech Possible?
    Jun 21 2024
    “Tony Stark was able to build this in a cave, with a bunch of scraps!”Yes, Jeff Bridges’ Obadiah Stane is both furious and incredulous when he delivers that line in 2008’s blockbuster and zeitgeist-defining Iron Man movie. If we’re being real, we’ve often wondered about that, as well. Never mind the less than ideal circumstances under which Tony Stark designed and built the power source for the Iron Man armor, not to mention its dual nature as a lifesaving device and an incredibly efficient fusion-type power generator. Oh, and then there’s the fact that its basis is an entirely new element, known as palladium in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.Yes, despite the MCU’s admirable commitment to internal consistency and logic, we admit that the ARC Reactor is a lot to swallow. But that doesn’t mean we love it any less! And when we love something at Does it Fly? that’s our cue to dig into both the science and story logic behind it to see if it flies…just like some repulsor-powered jet boots.In this episode we look at everything from the elemental nature of the power source to the amount of force the reactor might constantly be generating (not to mention how that would function when surgically embedded in a human body) to the philosophical and ethical questions raised around superhero-level technology in the real world. Want to find out if Iron Man really flies? This episode is for you!SUGGESTED VIEWINGAt minimum, to understand this episode, you should probably have watched the first Iron Man (2008) movie, which is also the very first movie in what would later become known as the sprawling Marvel Cinematic Universe. We’re assuming that if you’re on this page and you’ve read this far, you’ve already done that. But limiting us to that would be no fun at all, so Does it Fly? is proud to present (in the tradition of our Planet of the Apes saga complete and correct viewing order) the complete and official guide to Tony Stark’s entire saga on screen in the MCU.If you’ve never watched a single MCU flick and just want to follow Iron Man’s adventures, this is the way to do it in the correct order. We promise you’ll see every imaginable use of the ARC Reactor by the end of it. And just for fun, we’re even including a guide to all the different ARC Reactors used in each of these films!Iron Man (2008)Palladium Arc Reactor Mark IPalladium Arc Reactor Mark IIIron Man 2 (2010)Palladium Arc Reactor Mark IIIIvan Vanko’s Arc Reactor (Mark I Whiplash Armor)Ivan Vanko’s Arc Reactor (Mark II Whiplash Armor)The New Element Arc Reactor Mark I (this is also used in The Avengers)The Avengers (2012)Iron Man 3 (2013)The New Element Arc Reactor Mark IIAvengers: Age of Ultron (2015)The New Element Arc Reactor Mark III (also seen in Captain America: Civil War)Captain America: Civil War (2016)Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)The New Element Arc Reactor Mark IVAvengers: Infinity War (2018)The New Element Arc Reactor Mark VAvengers: Endgame (2019)The New Element Arc Reactor Mark VIFURTHER READING Do you want to delve a little deeper into the facts, concepts, and stories Hakeem and Tamara referenced in today’s episode? Here are a few recommendations!Tokamak Fusion Reactor“An ARC reactor is something that actually exists, we call it a tokamak reactor. It probably weighs thousands of tons, and they’ve barely solved the big problem of plasma crashes. These things…have been in development for decades and they’re notorious for these plasma instabilities. It must generate a plasma in order to generate fusion…”Deuterium“The issue is the byproducts, like radiation. Fusion has less radiation than fission does. But you still want to avoid as many byproducts as possible.”See also: TritiumQuantum Tunneling“You have to have a lot of energy, high intensity, and high temperature.”See also: Net positive fusion and Cyclotron“The Intersection Between Genius and Access”“It’s scientifically proven…they used who gets a patent as the metric for scientific success. And guess who gets a patent? Those who in their childhood were exposed to patent-getters.”WANT MORE FROM DOES IT FLY?Can’t get enough of The Boys, now in its fourth season on Prime Video? Well then you certainly won’t want to miss our episode detailing how Starlight’s powers might work!And in case you missed it, with Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes still in theaters, don’t miss our deep dive into whether that movie series might be an unsettling depiction of our actual future!FOLLOW US!Stay in the loop! Follow DoesItFly? on YouTube and TikTok and let us know what you think! And don’t forget to follow Roddenberry Entertainment:Instagram: @RoddenberryOfficial Facebook: RoddenberryTwitter: @Roddenberry *Roddenberry Entertainment participates in affiliate programs and may receive a small commission for links on this page*For Advertising Inquiries: doesitfly@roddenberry.com
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    52 mins
Art Science Science Fiction
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