There’s a great song called “Christmas Cliches” in which the singer expresses a love of all the Christmas things that come ’round year after year, from plywood reindeer on the roof to Johnny Mathis on the radio. One of the reasons we love Christmas (those of us who do, and you can certainly count me …
Tag: Santa Claus
The science of Rudolph’s red nose
Long-time readers of my column will be aware of how closely I like to keep tabs on aerotarandusdynamics, the shamefully under-studied science of flying reindeer. I am pleased to note that there has been a small but significant development in aerotarandusdynamics research this year, but before I get to that, perhaps I should recap some …
I’m a Santa expert!
No, really, that’s what it says in the headline to this story, written by Vivian Song for Sun Media, in which I’m one of several theorists quoted in an in-depth examination of the latest scientific thinking regarding the amazing feats of Jolly Old Saint Nick. This appeared in the Winnipeg Sun, but it’ll probably be …
Ho, ho, ho and the world ho, ho, hos with you
‘Tis the season to start columns with the phrase ’tis the season…and, if you’re fortunate, to laugh a lot, at parties, at kids, at TV Christmas specials–or just because other people are laughing. Why is laughter contagious? A new study, just published in the Journal of Neuroscience, provides a hint. Researchers at University College London …
Aerotarandusdynamics: the science of flying reindeer
[podcast]https://edwardwillett.com/wp-content/uploads//1995/12/The-Science-of-Flying-Reindeer.mp3[/podcast] At this festive season, aerotarandusdynamics, one of the least-known branches of the vast tree of science, finally comes into its own. “Aerotarandusdynamics” comes from “aero,” air, “tarandus,” the latter part of the scientific name for reindeer, Rangifer tarandus, and “dynamics,” moving. Hence, aerotarandusdynamics is the study of reindeer moving through the air: flying reindeer. …
Clausotechnolometry: the study of the technology of Santa
A couple of Christmases ago I wrote about aerotarandusdynamics: the study of flying reindeer. In passing, I mentioned their mysterious master, one “Santa Claus.” Now scientists are studying him, too, trying to understand the advanced technology this “jolly old elf” (as one authority describes him) uses yearly in his Christmas crusade. These scientists are “clausotechnolometrists.” …
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Episode 143: Genevieve Gornichec
A long chat with Genevieve Gornichec, author of the historical fantasies The Witch’s Heart and The Weaver and the Witch Queen. Websitegenevievegornichec.com Facebook@gengornichec Twitter/X@gengornichec Instagram@gengornichec Genevieve Gornichec’s Amazon Page The Introduction Genevieve Gornichec earned her degree in history from Ohio State University, but she got as close to majoring in Vikings as she possibly could, and her… -
Episode 142: M.J. Kuhn
An hour-long chat with fantasy writer M.J. Kuhn, author of the internationally bestselling Among Thieves and its new sequel, Thick as Thieves. Websitemjkuhn.com X (Twitter)@mjkuhnbooks Instagram@mjkuhnbooks TikTok@mjkuhnbooks Facebook@mjkuhnbooks The Introduction M.J. Kuhn, author of the internationally bestselling Among Thieves and its new sequel, Thick as Thieves, is a fantasy writer by night and a mild-mannered… -
Episode 141: Hayden Trenholm
An hour-long conversation with Hayden Trenholm, award-winning playwright, novelist, and short-story writer and member of the Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Association Hall of Fame. Websitehaydentrenholm.com X@HaydenTrenholm Hayden Trenholm’s Amazon Page The Introduction Hayden Trenholm is an award-winning playwright, novelist, and short story writer. He has also been a public servant, an actor, a bartender,… -
Episode 140: Edo van Belkom
An hour-long chat with award-winning Canadian horror writer Edo van Belkom, author of the Wolf Pack YA books, now a Paramount+ TV series. Websiteedovanbelkom.com Twitter@edovanbelkom Instgram@edovanbelkom Facebook@edo.vanbelkom Edo van Belkom’s Amazon Page The Introduction Edo van Belkom is an award-winning Canadian author who began his career as a reporter for newspapers in and around Toronto, mainly… -
Episode 139: Natalie Wright
An hour-long chat with Natalie Wright, author of the new fantasy novel Season of the Dragon, as well as the H.A.L.F. series and the Akasha Chronicles. Websitenataliewrightauthor.com Facebook@nataliewright.author Twitter@nataliewright_ Instagram@nataliewrightauthor Natalie Wright’s Amazon Page The Introduction Natalie Wright writes fantasy and science fiction novels and short stories. She’s the author of the award-winning H.A.L.F. series… -
Episode 138: Evan Graham
An hour-long chat with Evan Graham, author of the Calling Void series of science fiction stories and the new novel Tantalus Depths. Websiteevangraham.org Facebook@AuthorEvanGraham Twitter@evanmgraham Evan Graham’s Amazon Page The Introduction Evan Graham consistently refuses to seek help for his lifelong sci-fi addiction. Since there are not enough stories currently in existence to satisfy him,… -
Episode 137: M.C.A. Hogarth
An hour-long interview with M.C.A. Hogarth, prolific and award-nominated science fiction/fantasy author and artist. Websitemcahogarth.org Twitter@mcahogarth M.C.A. Hogarth’s Amazon page The Introduction Daughter of two Cuban political exiles, M.C.A. Hogarth was born a foreigner in the American melting pot and has had a fascination for the gaps in cultures and the bridges that span them… -
Episode 136: J. G. Gardner
An hour-long interview with J.G. Gardner, scientist and author of the new high-fantasy novel The Path from Regret. Websitejgardnerauthor.com J. G. Gardner’s Amazon page The Introduction J.G. Gardner has a Ph.D. in Microbiology and is currently a researcher working on new ways to generate renewable energy using bacteria. While having published many technical papers on… -
Episode 135: Rebecca Yarros
An hour-long chat with Rebecca Yarros, the USA Today– and New York Times-bestselling author of more than fifteen novels, including the just-released Fourth Wing, book one of the new fantasy series The Empyrean. Websiterebeccayarros.com Facebook@RebeccaElizabethYarros rTwitter@RebeccaYarros Instagram@RebeccaYarros Rebecca Yarros’s Amazon Page The Introduction Rebecca Yaros is the USA Today– and New York Times-bestselling author of… -
Episode 134: Brent Weeks
An hour-plus chat with Brent Weeks, bestselling and award-winning author of the Night Angel Trilogy and the Lightbringer Series and the just-released Night Angel Nemesis, first book in a new series, The Kylar Chronicles. Websitebrentweeks.com Facebook@BrentWeeksAuthor Twitter@brentweeks YouTube Brent Weeks’s Amazon Page The Introduction In a small-town Montana school at age twelve, Brent Weeks met…
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