Thunderwell

Thunderwell
Number	88
Broadcast Date	February 8, 2013
Episode Length	1:39:10
Hosts	Andrew Mayne, Brian Brushwood, Justin Robert Young

OG Lineup Reunited! A mystery that could rewrite cultural, space and political history is revealed. What is the future of television? How about a technology that draws on your flipping eye balls! This triggers Brian to imagine a beautiful world where everyone is forced to wear glasses. Then Andrew and Justin disagree. Then the yelling begins. Oh, the yelling. Ask Thin Lizzy, the Weird Things podcast is back in town!

Contents

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Thunderwell

Andrew asks what the farthest man-made object from Earth. Voyager? Nope. What is the first man-made object into space? Sputnik? Nope.

Let's go back to August 1957 (two months prior to the launch of Sputnik) and the United States was setting off a ton of nukes. In one test, known as "Pascal-B", an atomic bomb was placed at the bottom of a shaft with a one-ton steel cover on top. Theoretically, if the cover stayed intact, it should have been launched upward at well above escape velocity. This would mean that it was put into space before Sputnik and traveling much faster than Voyager would one day travel. Read more about this story here.

The process of using atomic explosions to launch objects into space is called a "Thunder Well". Similarly, there has been a lot of research into "space guns" that don't necessarily use nukes. There was a Canadian engineer named Gerald Bull who was pretty into making space guns and was actually able to shoot objects 155 miles up. Unfortunately his boss was Saddam Hussein and not many people like you when you're making huge weapons for a guy like him; Gerald was assassinated.

Predicting the Future

The guys have a lengthy discussion about how people have used data to try and predict the future in terms of our society and the economy.

The Great "Lasers in your Eyes" Debate

Andrew asks about what the future of TV will be. The obvious answer is super high definition displays. Brian talked about Oculus Rift and it's potential in story telling. Andrew however brings up the possibility of having your set-top box track your eyes and use lasers to draw the screen directly into your eyes. This would allow you to have full 3D images that take up your entire vision.

Daddy and Daddy and Daddy Fight

Brian liked Andrew's idea of lasers firing images directing into your eyes, however he proposed that there would also be special glasses that would block any unauthorized lasers. Andrew hated the idea that we would need to wear glasses. Andrew said that there would be laws in place that would prevent people from invasively taking over your vision. He explained that just like how there are restrictions on how bright the lights can be in Time Square, there will be restrictions on how invasive lasers can be. Brian simply wanted some glasses or contact lenses that would act like a physical "ad-blocker" that would save him from unwanted lasers. This seemed like a reasonable request, but it turned into a huge argument.

Picks

Brian

• House of Cards

Justin

• SModcast with Rian Johnson

Andrew

• Stone Spring

Great Quotes

• Justin - "I think we can all agree that when you exterminate people, you're gonna get some records erased."
• Brian - "Oh god, that's not a drink at all. You're drinking Whoppers."
• Andrew - "The Sun will come out tomorrow."

Justin - "Bet your bottom dollar."

• Brian - "So this is your pick? An ancient land that used to be above water?"

Sponsors

• Flowers

Links

• Podcast Link

Preceded by: "Help! A Goblin Slept With My Wife!"

Thunderwell

Followed by: "Double O Heaven"