1292 The Time Plot: When Science Fiction Stops Predicting and Starts Instructing

Richard Syrett's Strange Planet

Richard Syrett & Glassbox Media

Society & Culture, News, Politics

4.4 • 1.8K Ratings

🗓️ 12 December 2025

⏱️ 66 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

FOLLOW RICHARD Website: https://www.strangeplanet.ca YouTube: @strangeplanetradio Instagram: @richardsyrettstrangeplanet TikTok: @therealstrangeplanet EP. #1292 The Time Plot: When Science Fiction Stops Predicting and Starts Instructing Time travel has always been dismissed as fantasy — until you look closer. In this episode of Strange Planet, we venture into the strange frontier where science fiction stops predicting the future and starts engineering it. Joining me is Professor Mark Brake, who reveals how visionary writers like H.G. Wells mapped the architecture of time long before physicists dared to explore it. From quantum theories and alternate timelines to cryonics and suspended animation, we examine whether humanity has already begun slipping through time without admitting it. Is time a rigid law… or the next barrier waiting to break? GUEST: Professor Mark Brake is a leading science communicator and author exploring the hidden feedback loop between imagination and innovation. He is the author of FutureWorld: Where Science Fiction Becomes Science and numerous bestselling books examining the real science behind Star Wars, superheroes, time travel, and the multiverse. Known for translating complex ideas into gripping narratives, Brake argues that science fiction doesn’t merely entertain — it quietly shapes the laboratories, technologies, and futures we eventually inhabit. LINKS: https://www.instagram.com/profmbrake BOOKS: FutureWorld: Where Science Fiction Becomes Science The Science of Star Wars The Science of Harry Potter The Science of Star Trek The Science of Doctor Who The Science of Jurassic World The Science of James Bond The Science of Sherlock The Science of The Beatles The Science of Super Heroes SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!!! GHOSTBED GhostBed is a family-run company, founded and still led by real manufacturing experts with more than 20 years of mattress-making experience. They’re not marketers chasing trends. They’re craftsmen focused on building quality you can feel, night after night. Every GhostBed mattress is designed with premium materials, proven cooling technology, and their exclusive ProCore™ layer—a targeted support system that reinforces the center of the mattress where your body’s heaviest. It helps keep your spine aligned and your back supported while you sleep. Right now, during GhostBed’s Holiday Sale, you can get 25% off sitewide for a limited time. Just go to GhostBed.com/strangeplanet and use promo code STRANGEPLANET at checkout. That’s GhostBed.com/strangeplanet, promo code STRANGEPLANET. Upgrade your sleep with GhostBed—the makers of The Coolest Beds in the World™. Some exclusions apply, see site for details. FOUND – Smarter banking for your business Take back control of your business today. Open a Found account for FREE at Found dot com. That’s F-O-U-N-D dot com. Found is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services are provided by Lead Bank, Member FDIC. Join the hundreds of thousands who’ve already streamlined their finances with Found. HIMS - Making Healthy and Happy Easy to Achieve Sexual Health, Hair Loss, Mental Health, Weight Management START YOUR FREE ONLINE VISIT TODAY - ⁠HIMS dot com slash STRANGE⁠ ⁠https://www.HIMS.com/strange⁠ MINT MOBILE Premium Wireless - $15 per month. No Stores. No Salespeople. JUST SAVINGS Ready to say yes to saying no? Make the switch at MINT MOBILE dot com slash STRANGEPLANET. ⁠BECOME A PREMIUM SUBSCRIBER!!!⁠ ⁠https://strangeplanet.supportingcast.fm⁠ Three monthly subscriptions to choose from. Commercial Free Listening, Bonus Episodes and a Subscription to my monthly newsletter, InnerSanctum. Visit ⁠https://strangeplanet.supportingcast.fm⁠ Use the discount code "Planet" to receive $5 OFF off any subscription. We and our partners use cookies to personalize your experience, to show you ads based on your interests, and for measurement and analytics purposes. By using our website and services Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://strangeplanet.supportingcast.fm/

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0:00.0	You know, when I started this podcast, it felt like I had to become 10 people overnight.
0:05.3	Producer, editor, marketer, designer, it was a lot.
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