Alex R. Howe
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My blog of science, science fiction, and more.
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Monthly Archives: September 2022
Long Words Bonus #2: Titin
Last time, I talked about the protein tryptophan synthase A and how its “full chemical name” may be the longest “English” word ever professionally published in a book. (And I corrected the spelling of it.) But that “word” was just … Continue reading
Posted in language, Video
Tagged chemistry, long words, titin
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Long Words Bonus #1: Tryptophan Synthase
Quick, what’s the longest word in the English language? If you watched my recent video, you’ll know that in descriptivist terms, that is, how people actually use language in practice, it’s a tie between transinstitutionalization and superincomprehenibleness (both 25 letters). … Continue reading
S2E8: Techno-Thrillers
Techno-thrillers are a surprisingly fuzzy category that sits at the border of sci-fi and suspense. In this episode, I give an overview of the subgenre and the different ways it can be classified. Book recommendation: Delta-v by Daniel Suarez Sam … Continue reading
Posted in A Reader's History of Science Fiction
Tagged Daniel Suarez, Delta-v, techno-thrillers
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Book Review: The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi
I mentioned The Kaiju Preservation Society in Episode 4 of this season of my podcast as one of the hot new sci-fi books of this year and a rare serious literary treatment of the giant monster trope. This is the … Continue reading
Posted in Book reviews
Tagged John Scalzi, Kaiju, The Kaiju Preservation Society
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S2E7: Catch-Up Episode #3: Marvel Movies
As part of my catch-up series, I review the Marvel movies that have come out since the start of the pandemic. Movie recommendation: The New Mutants.(I really think it’s underrated.) Check out this episode!
Posted in A Reader's History of Science Fiction
Tagged Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The New Mutants
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Science Meets Fiction 