Author Archives: Alex R. Howe

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About Alex R. Howe

I'm a full-time astrophysicist and a part-time science fiction writer.

Movie Review: Shazam! Fury of the Gods

Posted on March 19, 2023 by Alex R. Howe

The original Shazam! from 2019 is probably my favorite movie in the current iteration of DC superheroes, the DCEU. (Admittedly, I’ve only seen, like, half of them.) So I had high hopes for the sequel, Shazam! Fury of the Gods. … Continue reading →

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Commissioned Artwork: Terraforming Venus 2523

Posted on March 14, 2023 by Alex R. Howe

I published this art piece on YouTube, Twitter earlier today. You can watch the video here. I’ve reproduced the transcript in this post, along with a few extra notes. Video Transcript (with notes) One year ago, I published a paper[1] … Continue reading →

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S2E20: Newbery Medal Winners

Posted on March 6, 2023 by Alex R. Howe

In this episode, I take one more look at children’s science fiction by surveying the winners of the prestigious Newbery Medal. Book recommendation: The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera Other books discussed:A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle Mrs. Frisby … Continue reading →

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Movie Review: Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

Posted on February 20, 2023 by Alex R. Howe

Ant-Man is back for his third movie in the MCU, in which the Quantum Realm has grown even stranger, Janet is causing a lot of problems, Hank likes ants, Cassie has a suit, and Kang the Conqueror makes his big … Continue reading →

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S2E19: Multiverse Fiction

Posted on February 20, 2023 by Alex R. Howe

In this episode, I explore sci-fi works that focus on the idea of the multiverse. Prospective book recommendation (I’m putting it on my own list): The Long Earth by Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter PBS Space Time on the many worlds … Continue reading →

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S2E18: Catch-Up Episode #7: Sci-Fi Action Movies

Posted on February 6, 2023 by Alex R. Howe

In this episode, I give an overview of recent action movies in the sci-fi genre. Movie recommendation: Everything Everywhere All at Once Other movies discussed:TenetFree GuyThe Matrix: Resurrections Check out this episode!

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S2E17: Science Fiction in Video Games

Posted on January 23, 2023 by Alex R. Howe

In this episode, I bring back my cohost Greg for a conversion about how science fiction has shaped video games, and vice versa. Classic game recommendation: Chrono Trigger Ahoy finds the “first” video game. Check out this episode!

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S2E16: Catch-Up Episode #6: Children’s Sci-Fi Movies

Posted on January 9, 2023 by Alex R. Howe

I catch up on the sci-fi movies for kids that have come out in the pandemic era. Movie recommendation: The Mitchells vs. the Machines Background on Lightyear here and here. Other films discussed:Sonic the HedgehogOver the MoonFlora and UlyssesSpace Jam: A … Continue reading →

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S2E15: Religion in Sci-Fi

Posted on December 26, 2022 by Alex R. Howe

In this episode, I give an overview of the different ways that religion and religious themes are used in science fiction. Book recommendation: Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny My review of A Case of Conscience. Other works discussed:Riverworld series by Philip … Continue reading →

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New Video: The History of Christmas Music

Posted on December 20, 2022 by Alex R. Howe

I had a weird question for Christmas this year. How many “standard” Christmas songs are there? You know, the ones we sing over and over every year. I went through a bunch of playlists and compiled a master list, and … Continue reading →

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