Real Life
Devon is gearing up for a trip to Barcelona in April, planning a Friday-to-Wednesday itinerary. The big question: is it worth it? We’ll see how he weighs the travel time, costs, and must-see sights against the trip’s duration.

Meanwhile, Steven has been deep in Sonic nostalgia. He picked up a remake of Sonic the Hedgehog from the original Sega on the Switch, only to find his oldest daughter struggling with its difficulty. Ben suggests they try Sonic Adventure from the Sega Dreamcast era, but Steven is skeptical. On top of that, they’ve watched the first two Sonic movies—but Steven refuses to pay to see Sonic 3. Also, a side note from parenting life: manage expectations when handing kids new electronics. In other news, Steven has started learning Latin on Duolingo and already has thoughts—mostly about the overwhelming number of ads.

Ben has been learning some unexpected rat facts since his son got new pet rats. Steven, from prior experience, warns that they don’t have the longest lifespans. Speaking of things taking a dark turn, Ben draws a comparison to the game Heavy Rain, where a child finds a dead bird—definitely a tonal shift from Super Mario Brothers.

Future or Now
Ben revisited Star Trek: Section 31 and had a moment of deep reflection—too deep, according to Steven. Is Section 31 aimed at 11-year-olds? Are the plot holes too much? Devon steps in to explain Section 31 to Steven, who—by his own admission—is a Star Trek dummy. Meanwhile, Ben is also reading Star Trek: Discovery: Die Standing for even more Trek content. If you're curious, check it out on Goodreads.

Devon drops an incredible animal fact: the nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) is the only vertebrate that always gives birth to identical quadruplets. Every single time. Scientists still aren’t sure why this happens, but it’s a fascinating mystery of biology. Read more on IFL Science and Carnegie Museum of Natural History.

Steven, meanwhile, has been thinking about water scarcity and the challenges we might face in the near future. He calls it "Not a Drop to Drink" and shares an article which you can read here.

Book Club
Next Week: We’re diving into Burning Chrome by William Gibson. If you’ve ever wanted to jack into the Toronto construct matrix, this is the time. Gibson, often credited with popularizing the term "cyberspace," helped define cyberpunk as a genre. Burning Chrome prefigures his famous novel Neuromancer and introduces one of the first literary computer hackers. Unfortunately, the story isn’t available online, but you can find it in the Burning Chrome short story collection.

This Week: We discussed "Fondly Fahrenheit" by Alfred Bester. Bester, best known for The Demolished Man, was a unique figure in Golden Age sci-fi—not just a visionary storyteller, but also an incredible writer. "Fondly Fahrenheit" is a dark, gripping short story about a servile android-robot that turns murderous. What makes it unforgettable is the way Bester plays with language, shifting perspective and structure in ways that make the writing an essential part of the story itself. If you haven’t read it, you can find it on Goodreads or read it online here. Be warned: it’s a dark one, featuring a serial killer narrative that may not be suitable for younger readers.

That’s it for this week—see you next time for more real-life updates, sci-fi debates, and deep dives into classic literature!

Devon:
We celebrated Nolan's Mario-themed birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese's, and it was pure Mario madness—even down to LEGO sets! At home, we dove into the SNES Classic, revisiting classics like Super Mario World and Mario Kart. Speaking of Mario Kart, Ben has a lot of thoughts about kart racing games. Oh, and let's not forget Super Metroid made a cameo in our gaming nostalgia.

Steven:
Exciting news! We're now on YouTube! Check out The Science Faction Podcast for all our latest episodes and content. Also, Steven got his hands on the 5-disc Complete Collector's Edition of Blade Runner. Talk about sci-fi collector goals!

Ben:
Ben's been under the weather—boo! But that meant more movie time—yay! He's here to defend rewatching so-called "terrible" films like Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. But hey, the Indiana Jones videogame nails the adventure vibe. Steven couldn't agree more—there's nothing better than punching Nazis! Also, fun fact: The Matrix reused sets from Dark City, which Roger Ebert loved so much he even recorded commentary tracks for it. And yes, both Ben and Devon admit to falling asleep during The Phantom Menace... in theaters. Oops!

Ben:
"The Buddhists Know How to Party" might sound like an odd statement, but Ben dives into the Five Remembrances of the Buddha, a reflection on aging, illness, and impermanence. It really got Devon thinking about Stoicism. Curious? You can read them here:

• I am of the nature to grow old. There is no way to escape growing old.

• I am of the nature to have ill-health. There is no way to escape having ill-health.

• I am of the nature to die. There is no way to escape death.

• All that is dear to me and everyone I love are of the nature to change. There is no way to escape being separated from them.

• My actions are my only true belongings. I cannot escape the consequences of my actions. My actions are the ground on which I stand.

Steven:
Steven brings up a serious topic: the insurance crisis in California. State Farm is pulling out of the state due to restrictions on raising rates, leaving them unable to cover major disasters like the LA fires. They currently have about $3 billion, but with an estimated $4 billion needed for payouts, this gap could lead to insolvency. Who's at fault—the state for blocking rate hikes or the companies for not adjusting sooner? Steven urges us not to "Luigi the wrong people" in this situation.

This Week:
We took a deep dive into Ursula K. Le Guin's "The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas" from The Wind's Twelve Quarters. You can read it here. Ben found it "super fascinating," while Devon unpacked its core themes: a utopia sustained by the suffering of one child and the moral quandary of staying or walking away. Ben summed it up with, "The terror of not knowing keeps people away." Also, Devon joked that Omelas could just be Salem spelled backward—thanks, Oregon road signs! Devon also mused, "Ethics cannot be logically discerned."

Next Week:
Get ready for Philip K. Dick's "We Can Remember It For You Wholesale" (1966). Here's a PDF. And no, Devon—you can't just watch Total Recall instead!