In this Episode 25.1 b-side, New Year’s Day special from the basement studio, we extend our wishes for a happy, healthy, and prosperous 2025. We preview exciting future podcast episodes including discussions on the simulation hypothesis, dystopias and utopias, and a special feature on Dr. Who with a guest expert. We reflect on some of our recent reads like ‘Don’t Whistle at Night’ and ‘Mexican Gothic,’ and touch on horror and Gothic genres. We also chat about our holiday movie experiences, including ‘Nosferatu’ and ‘Better Watch Out.’ We express gratitude to our dedicated listeners and supporters, with a special shout-out to notable fans. Wishing everyone a wonderful New Year and looking forward to many more great podcasts together.
Exploration of shrinking in real life and fiction, including its challenges and scientific principles, with references to films like Ant-Man and literature like Alice in Wonderland.
This has no particular format; it’s just correcting or updating anything in the show we didn’t get a chance to fully talk about or things we had on the tips of our tongues and couldn’t get out as we recorded. As always, feel free to comment, and we will address stuff in future shows! Enjoy.
The African Elephant (Loxodonta africana) holds the title for the largest land animal. Adult male African elephants can weigh between 5,000 to 14,000 pounds (2,268 to 6,350 kilograms) and stand about 8.2 to 13 feet (2.5 to 4 meters) tall at the shoulder. Female African elephants are generally smaller than males but still large compared to other land animals.
It’s worth noting that the size of elephants can vary, and these measurements are approximate. The African Elephant’s large size is a testament to its adaptation to diverse habitats across the African continent.
Largest sea animal
The blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) holds the title for the largest sea animal and, in fact, the largest animal on Earth. Adult blue whales can reach lengths of up to 100 feet (30 meters) and weigh as much as 200 tons. These enormous marine mammals are filter feeders, primarily consuming small shrimp-like animals called krill.
The sheer size of blue whales is remarkable, and they are found in oceans around the world, making them a truly global species. Despite their massive size, blue whales are gentle creatures, and their conservation status is classified as endangered due to historical whaling practices. Conservation efforts are ongoing to protect and preserve these magnificent marine animals.
The size of animals is constrained by various biological, ecological, and physical factors. Some limitations include:
1. Metabolic Demands: Larger animals generally have higher metabolic demands. Meeting these demands becomes challenging, as it requires sufficient food intake, efficient energy utilization, and effective waste removal.
2. Support Structures: The strength of bones, muscles, and other support structures is crucial. Beyond a certain size, the ability to support the body’s weight becomes a limiting factor.
3. Respiratory System: Diffusion-based respiratory systems become less effective as an organism grows larger. Efficient gas exchange becomes challenging, potentially limiting the maximum size of animals relying on this mechanism.
4. Heat Dissipation: Larger animals face challenges in dissipating heat efficiently. This is due to the decrease in surface area relative to volume, affecting heat exchange with the environment.
5. Reproductive Challenges: Larger animals often have fewer offspring and longer gestation periods. This could impact reproductive strategies and population dynamics.
6. Predator-Prey Dynamics: Size affects the ability to evade predators or capture prey. Both extreme sizes, very large or very small, can be disadvantageous in certain ecological niches.
7. Evolutionary Pressures: Evolutionary pressures may favor smaller sizes in specific environments, promoting agility, rapid reproduction, and adaptability over large size.
8. Ecological Niche: Each species occupies a specific ecological niche, and the size of an organism is often adapted to its role in the ecosystem. Deviating too much from the optimal size for a given niche could be disadvantageous.
The size of insects is constrained by various biological and physical factors. Here are some key limitations:
1. Exoskeleton: Insects have an exoskeleton made of a rigid material called chitin. As they grow, they need to molt and shed their exoskeleton to accommodate a larger size. This process becomes more challenging as the insect gets larger due to the increased structural demands.
2. Respiratory System: Insects rely on a system of tiny tubes called tracheae for respiration. As they grow larger, the surface area available for gas exchange becomes insufficient, limiting their ability to provide oxygen to all cells effectively.
3. Muscle Efficiency: The efficiency of muscle function decreases as insects get larger. The relationship between muscle strength and size is not linear, and larger insects may face challenges in coordinated movement and efficient muscle function.
4. Metabolic Rate: Larger insects might struggle to meet the metabolic demands associated with increased body size. Efficient energy utilization becomes a limiting factor, affecting overall viability.
5. Predation: Larger insects may become more vulnerable to predators. Their size makes them easier targets, and the advantages of being smaller, such as agility and concealment, become essential for survival.
6. Feeding Efficiency: As insects grow larger, their feeding efficiency might decrease. The energy required to forage for food may surpass the energy gained from the food itself.
7. Developmental Constraints: The developmental processes of molting and metamorphosis, which are integral to an insect’s life cycle, impose limitations on the attainable size.
8. Environmental Conditions: In certain environments, such as those with limited oxygen concentration, larger insects might struggle to obtain sufficient oxygen, further restricting their size.
9. Evolutionary Trade-offs: Evolutionary pressures may favor smaller sizes in certain ecological niches due to trade-offs between size, reproductive strategies, and adaptation to specific environments.
1. Buoyancy: Water provides buoyancy, supporting the weight of aquatic organisms. This allows for the existence of much larger animals in water compared to on land, where the gravitational pull is a more significant constraint.
2. Respiration: Aquatic animals often have gills, enabling efficient extraction of oxygen from water. This allows for a more effective respiratory system, potentially sustaining larger body sizes.
3. Swimming Efficiency: The streamlined shape and reduced effects of gravity in water allow for efficient movement, enabling larger sizes for aquatic animals. Whales, for example, are among the largest animals on Earth and are adapted to life in the oceans.
4. Food Availability: Water ecosystems can support larger populations of prey items, providing a more abundant food supply for predators. This abundance can contribute to the development of larger species.
5. Temperature Regulation: Water provides a more stable environment for temperature regulation. This stability can support larger animals that might face challenges related to temperature fluctuation on land.
The concept of an animal growing 10 times its natural size in fiction, using a lot of Handwavium!
1. Extreme Nutrient Density: An exceptionally nutrient-dense food source could potentially fuel rapid and substantial growth in an animal. This might include a novel substance with highly concentrated essential nutrients that the animal can efficiently assimilate.
2. Genetic Modification: In a fictional context, genetic modification or engineering could play a role. Introducing genes that enhance growth, metabolism, or nutrient absorption might result in animals reaching sizes beyond their natural limits.
3. Magical or Extraterrestrial Influence: In a fantastical setting, magical elements or extraterrestrial factors could be introduced. For example, exposure to a magical substance or an extraterrestrial nutrient could trigger extraordinary growth in the animal.
4. Biological Anomaly: A rare biological anomaly or mutation that dramatically increases an animal’s growth rate could be part of the fictional narrative. This could involve an unexpected interaction between the animal’s genetics and a specific type of food.
5. Artificial Growth Stimulants: In a speculative scenario, the presence of artificial growth stimulants, either intentionally or accidentally introduced into the animal’s environment, could lead to accelerated growth.
Various mythologies, religions and fictions around the world feature giant animals, often portraying them as powerful, mythical beings or creatures with extraordinary abilities. Here are some examples:
1. Jormungandr (Norse Mythology): Jormungandr, also known as the Midgard Serpent, is a giant sea serpent in Norse mythology. It is said to encircle the Earth, grasping its tail in its mouth. According to prophecy, Jormungandr will play a significant role in the events leading to Ragnarok, the end of the world.
2. Nemean Lion (Greek Mythology): In Greek mythology, the Nemean Lion was a colossal, supernatural lion with an impenetrable golden fur. It was one of the Labors of Hercules to defeat this fierce lion.
3. Kaiju (Japanese Mythology/Fiction): While not strictly part of ancient mythology, Japanese kaiju are giant monsters often featured in modern fiction and films. Examples include Godzilla, Mothra, and Rodan, representing colossal creatures with destructive powers.
4. Garuda (Hindu and Buddhist Mythology): Garuda is a mythical bird or bird-like creature in Hindu and Buddhist traditions. It is often depicted as large, with the ability to carry off elephants. Garuda is a divine companion of the god Vishnu.
5. Fenghuang (Chinese Mythology): The Fenghuang, also known as the Chinese Phoenix, is a mythical bird in Chinese mythology. It is often described as a giant and colorful bird with various supernatural abilities, symbolizing grace and longevity.
6. Yamata no Orochi (Japanese Mythology): Yamata no Orochi is an eight-headed and eight-tailed dragon or serpent in Japanese mythology. It was defeated by the storm god Susanoo, and one of its tails contained the legendary sword Kusanagi.
7. Bunyip (Australian Aboriginal Mythology): The bunyip is a mythical creature from Australian Aboriginal mythology, often described as a large, amphibious monster inhabiting waterholes, rivers, and swamps.
8. Simurgh (Persian Mythology): The Simurgh is a mythical bird-like creature in Persian mythology. It is often portrayed as a large, benevolent bird with magnificent plumage, sometimes said to possess healing powers.
Okay, that’s it for this episode. How’d we do?
You can always email (I do answer back), click the comment link below, or follow me online for real time tracking.
This has no particular format (yet), just correcting or updating anything in the show we didn’t get a chance to fully talk about or things we had on the tips of our tongues and couldn’t get out as we recorded. As always feel free to comment and we will address stuff in future shows! Enjoy:
Random House Unabridged Dictionary defines such a character as “a cruelly malicious person who is involved in or devoted to wickedness or crime; scoundrel; or a character in a play, novel, or the like, who constitutes an important evil agency in the plot.”
The opposite of a villain is a hero. The villain’s structural purpose is to serve as the opposition of the hero character and their motives or evil actions drive a plot along.
In contrast to the hero, who is defined by feats of ingenuity and bravery and the pursuit of justice and the greater good, a villain is often defined by their acts of selfishness, evilness, arrogance, cruelty, and cunning, displaying immoral behavior that can oppose or pervert justice
People like to love villains they relate with
Research suggests that you like villains who remind us of ourselves.
The results revealed that, overall, both children and adults believed that villains’ true selves were ‘overwhelmingly evil and much more negative than heroes’.
However, researchers also detected an asymmetry in the views, as villains were much more likely than heroes to have a true self that differed to their outer personna.
The research found that those who prefer villains such as Cruella de Vil and Darth Vader, are more likely to display the ‘dark triad‘ (Machiavellianism, narcissism and psychopathy) personality traits.
Dark Triad:
‘Narcissism describes a grandiose and entitled interpersonal style whereby one feels superior to others and craves validation (‘ego-reinforcement’),’ the researchers write.
‘Machiavellianism describes a manipulative interpersonal style characterized by duplicity, cynicism, and selfish ambition.
‘Psychopathy describes low self-control and a callous interpersonal style aimed at immediate gratification.
Thanks for spending time with us. You can always email (I do answer back), click the comment link below, or follow me online for real time tracking. Until next time…
This has no particular format, just correcting or updating anything in the show we didn’t get a chance to fully talk about or things we had on the tips of our tongues and couldn’t get out as we recorded. As always feel free to comment and we will address stuff in future shows! Enjoy:
I’ve talked about Jon in my Newsletter before, (Click here to check it out), but in short Jon worked with Scout Comics to release his comic series Mega Centurion. The final book was just released. Go check Mega Centurion and all the rest of Jon’s stuff on his website: Jon Parrish’s Home Page
Books
Fiction:
I’ve been busy editing my new MS, so reading has taken a back seat. Yet, I pulled this off the To Be Read Pile (TBR), Nnedi Okorafor’s Africanfuturism novel “Remote Control”. It’s a much welcomed break in between editing sprints.
Non-Fiction:
The last few Newsletters I have talked about getting more into story theory and Robert McKee’s book was highly recommended. Even though it focuses on Screenplay writing (future project?), it goes through the essential elements of crafting a story.
I first saw The Fist on Kickstarter from Blackstone comics and creator Brandon Bitros. I had to support this comic and excited to read, becasue it is set in my birth city and home for many years, Philadelphia! Also, the premise was interesting and the artwork and writing was awesome. Go check it out!
Set in 1919 Philadelphia, The Fist is the tale of Riley Reece, a working stiff with a broken marriage and an affection for drunken vigilante justice.
Back Copy excerpt:
“Riley Reece may not look like much, just another working-class boozer with a broken family from the slums of Philadelphia. But Riley Reece isn’t just a drunk — he’s a drunk with a scret. After late night benders of agonizing self-destruction, Riley’s guilty conscience prompts him to sport a black hood and become Philly’s most feared vigilante.
Nisi’s debut novel Everfair, was a finalist for the 2016 Nebula Award. This book has been on my TBR list for some time and I’m finally getting to it.
Back copy except:
“Everfair is a wonderful Neo-Victorian alternate history novel that explores the question of what might have come of Belgium’s disastrous colonization of the Congo if the native populations had learned about steam technology a bit earlier. Fabian Socialists from Great Britain join forces with African-American missionaries to purchase land from the Belgian Congo’s “owner,” King Leopold II. This land, named Everfair, is set aside as a safe haven, an imaginary Utopia for native populations of the Congo as well as escaped slaves returning from America and other places where African natives were being mistreated.”
Go check out all the rave reviews and an excerpt here then add it to your TBR-list!
My fellow writer/friend Shawn Burgess has a new prequel novella coming out. You don’t need to have read his debut novel, “The Tear Collector”, to enjoy this story (but you’ll probably pick it up to enjoy more of his writing and the horror).
I had the pleasure of reading a beta-copy, and I think fans of Jonathan Maberry’s ‘Ghost Road Blues, will enjoy Shawn’s fast paced horror prequel to ‘The Tear Collector’.
Look for this one on Shawn’s website, or sign up for his newsletter so you don’t miss this release.
Back copy excerpt:
“Roger and Gertrude Davis enjoy an idyllic existence in the small Appalachian town of Harper Pass. With vast land holdings, a successful business, and love for the family they’ve built, they’ve avoided the suffering The Great Depression has wrought on the area until it all comes crashing down on a sweltering summer day in 1932.
With the twin daughters they dote on gone missing and ominous signs of foul play evident, a suspect quickly emerges. But not everything is always what it seems. Amidst the murder, madness, and mayhem, they soon learn there’s blood to pay when the past comes calling.”
Music/Podcasts:
No new Music to report, but I have been listening some new Podcasts:
As my writing career progresses I have continued to study the craft of writing (the scientist in me like to break things down and figure out why they work), and in doing so hopefully write/tell better stories. Listening to the first few episodes have been enlightening.
Podcast Description:
“The Story Nerd Podcast demystifies story theory so writers spend less time studying and more time writing. Literary editors and writers, Valerie Francis and Melanie Hill, analyze a film a week as an example of a storytelling principle. The show focuses on concepts common to all stories across film, television, novels and screenplays.”
Okay, that’s where I’m at. I’ll try to update y’all every month on books, comics, and music (podcasts) that I’ve been digging! I’ll try to add some indie author reads!
Email me and let me know what you’ve been into and what I should check out! Or follow me online for more realtime updates: Jotham’s Social Links
I saw Le Fay on Kickstarter some time ago from Evoluzione Publishing, and they pulled me in with the hook: “If Jessica Jones was a Fay Sorcerous.”
The story is about woman, Morgan le Fay who works as a private investigator for the occult underworld in modern times. I really like the art work and I cannot wait to dig into this. I picked up Vol 1-5.
In horror movies, the final girl is the one who’s left standing when the credits roll. The one who fought back, defeated the killer, and avenged her friends. But after a decade of trying to find peace, a group of final girls become become hunted once again.
This was a fast-paced horror thriller. Go check out all the rave reviews and add it to your TBR-list!
Writing can be a very lonely endeavor, but I try to make an effort to make as many connections to other writers as possible. It’s always nice to have someone that understands what it is like experiencing the highs and lows in the writing/publishing/marketing trenches. So, it was a nice surprise when a fellow author, who happens to be from Chicago, reached out to me about my short story, “Summer Without Leaves.” I am looking forward to reading Greg’s novel, “A Fading Star,” and you can get a free sample of the novel, HERE!
Music/Podcasts:
No new Music to report, but I have been listening to a number of Podcasts. Here are two of them:
In this Podcast, Andy J Pizza, helps you on your creative path by finding and maintaining your creative spark to help you maximize your potential.
Okay, that’s where I’m at. I’ll try to update y’all every month on books, comics, and music (podcasts) that I’ve been digging! I’ll try to add some indie author reads!
Email me and let me know what you’ve been into and what I should check out! Or follow me online for more realtime updates: Jotham’s Social Links