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PODCAST

The Orbital Debrief

A weekly transmission from low Earth orbit.Join Zack as he beams down cosmic insights, science headlines, and out-of-this-world pop culture commentary straight from his orbiting ship (DB-1) above Earth. Each episode, Zack is joined by TOD, his lovable, wisecracking sidekick with a new quirky obsession every week (think TARS meets trivia night).From the latest space missions and scientific breakthroughs, to the most mind-bending sci-fi movies, The Orbital Debrief explores where science fiction meets

science astronomy

All Episodes

24:11

11 - Life in a Simulation: Are We Just NPCs in a...

The Orbital Debrief ·

2025/10/10

Today's transmission explores the Simulation Hypothesis: the idea that you, me, Earth, the cosmos (everything) is just software running on someone else’s computer. Are we living in a vast, digital illusion crafted by an advanced civilization? Or are we just NPCs in a universe-sized Minecraft server, punching trees and asking deep questions? From pixelated physics and déjà vu bugs to quantum weirdness and Planck-length resolution caps, we’ll explore whether reality is real… or just really well...

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28:57

10 - Exomoons and Alien Oceans: The Wettest Places...

The Orbital Debrief ·

2025/07/14

Jupiter and Saturn’s icy moons (like Europa, Enceladus, and Titan) might just be hiding alien oceans, hydrothermal vents, and life beyond Earth. So, grab your pressurized wetsuit and let’s dive in. TOD’s Episode Obsession: Launching a luxury scuba brand for cryovolcanic moons. Tagline: “Dive Deep, Freeze Fast™.” He's is currently modelling zero-G neoprene and designing ice-proof flippers for alien octopuses. Send TOD a transmission! (fan mail) ___________________________________________ If y...

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39:29

09 - Space Billionaires, Explained: Why the Rich Keep...

The Orbital Debrief ·

2025/07/07

We break down why the richest humans on Earth are all looking up, how private spaceflight is reshaping exploration, and what it means for the rest of us mere mortals stuck in coach. TOD’s Episode Obsession: Luxury Space Branding & Product Placement This week, TOD is obsessed with rebranding the solar system. He’s pitching lunar fashion lines, Martian bottled water startups, and trying to install a hot tub on DB-1 called “The Milky Soak....” Send TOD a transmission! (fan mail) ___________...

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23:33

08 - Aliens, Probability, and the Fermi Paradox: Are...

The Orbital Debrief ·

2025/06/28

Why haven’t we found alien life yet? Let’s talk probabilities, paradoxes, telescopes, weird math, wild theories... and maybe even simulate a first contact. TOD’s Episode Obsession: Alien Etiquette This week, TOD is obsessed with interstellar diplomacy. He’s designed first-contact greeting cards in 72 galactic languages and keeps practicing bowing protocols for sentient slimes, hyper-intelligent fungi, and "species comprised entirely of empathetic starlight." Send TOD a transmission! (fan mai...

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19:44

07 - Rogue Planets: Drifters of the Cosmic Wasteland

The Orbital Debrief ·

2025/06/20

Planets with no sun. No warmth. No orbit. Just eternal darkness and the cold embrace of nothing. So… could we live on one? TOD’s Episode Obsession: Cosmic Loner Aesthetics He’s designing a line of “Roguecore” fashion, curating sad playlists for drifting planets, and insists that Jupiter would make a great brooding anti-hero in a young adult novel. Send TOD a transmission! (fan mail) ___________________________________________ If you enjoyed the ride, rate, review, and subscribe. It keeps us ...

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22:37

06 - Faster Than Light: Warp Drives, Wormholes, and...

The Orbital Debrief ·

2025/05/30

FTL... We’re breaking physics (politely) to ask the biggest question in space travel: Can we go faster than light? From warp bubbles to wormholes, let’s explore the engines of tomorrow, and the science that might make them real. TOD’s Episode Obsession: Warp-Field Sommelier Culture TOD now identifies as a certified warp-field sommelier. He’s pairing theoretical propulsion methods with various paradoxes, curating space-time like a wine list, and wearing a tiny gravity wave cravat. Send TOD a t...

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35:09

Transmission 05 - Black Holes: Nature's Middle Finger

The Orbital Debrief ·

2025/05/22

They’re mysterious, monstrous, and utterly indifferent to your hopes, dreams, or molecular cohesion. In this episode, we dive headfirst into the cosmic enigma of black holes; How they form, what they do, why they haunt physicists’ dreams, and what actually happens if you fall into one? (spoiler: it’s not great). From stellar collapse to event horizons, spaghettification to information paradoxes, we’re exploring the most dramatic “Do Not Enter” signs in the universe. TOD’s Obsession this week:...

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26:19

Transmission 04 - Terraforming 101: How to Ruin...

The Orbital Debrief ·

2025/05/14

Terraforming: the ultimate cosmic home renovation. In this episode, we dig into what it is, how it might work (if science fiction politely becomes science fact), and whether reshaping entire planets is visionary… or just interstellar hubris. From altering atmospheres to engineering ecosystems, we explore the wild theories, real technologies, and big ethical questions behind humanity’s dream of turning dead worlds into second homes. TOD’s obsession this week: Planetary Interior Design... He’s ...

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35:39

Transmission 03 - Quantum Weirdness: Why Reality is...

The Orbital Debrief ·

2025/04/29

Superposition. Entanglement. The Observer Effect. Let’s unpack the strangest facts of quantum physics... and what it might mean for space, time, and our fragile understanding of reality. TOD’s Weekly Obsession: Schrödinger’s Cat & Quantum Merchandising This week, TOD is designing a full fashion line based on quantum uncertainty. Think: reversible hoodies labeled “Alive/Dead,” glow-in-the-dark mugs that only reveal themselves when observed, and a cologne called Waveform Collapse. Send TOD...

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36:18

Transmission 02 - The Moon is not boring: Why...

The Orbital Debrief ·

2025/04/22

From Apollo nostalgia to futuristic moon bases, we explore the revival of lunar ambition; and why our dusty, crater-packed neighbor is suddenly the hottest real estate in the solar system. Between NASA’s Artemis program, China’s long-term lunar plans, and a growing list of private players, the Moon is having a moment... and it’s not just for the science. TOD’s Episode Obsession: Lunar Real Estate & Property Development… (He’s started a fake startup called “Moon&Co.” and is working on ...

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31:09

Transmission 01 - How to Not Die in Space: The Real...

The Orbital Debrief ·

2025/04/15

In our debut episode, Zack (your host) and TOD (his sardonic, protocol-obsessed companion) explore the very real dangers of the final frontier: vacuum exposure, cosmic radiation, rogue wrenches, microgravity meltdown, and the existential horror of becoming your own satellite. From real NASA incidents to sci-fi flubs, we break down how not to die in orbit, and what it actually takes to survive up here. TOD’s Episode Obsession: Emergency Protocols & Space Safety Drills... He’s laminated 47 ...

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11 results

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