This week on the Science Faction Podcast, we’re talking about Halloween costume chaos, disturbing discoveries in Colorado funeral homes, new guitars, and a surprising amount of emotion from Devon. We also celebrate a Cyberpunk victory, discuss religion and parenting, and tackle a surprisingly complicated question: should you wear a bicycle helmet? Plus, a Netflix miniseries that Devon absolutely hated.

Real Life

Steven kicks things off with the dangers of letting your kids raid your prized Star Wars collectibles for Halloween costumes. When your carefully preserved treasures become costume accessories, things can get stressful. Meanwhile, his eldest daughter managed an impressive three costume changes over the holiday.

Ben takes things in a considerably darker direction with a pair of disturbing stories out of Colorado. A funeral home owner convicted of corpse abuse is just the beginning, as another case involving mishandled human remains raises serious questions about oversight in the funeral industry. It’s creepy, unsettling, and unfortunately very real.

Devon surprises everyone by experiencing an actual human emotion while reflecting on Sir Patrick Stewart. Yes, you read that correctly. DEVON FELT SOMETHING. He also shares his excitement over a new guitar, the Sterling by Music Man John Petrucci MAJ170 seven-string. Because nothing helps process complicated feelings quite like adding another string.

Steven celebrates a victory in Cyberpunk Red: Combat Zone and shares some encouraging news about the second season of Netflix’s Cyberpunk: Edgerunners. Devon brings up the upcoming midterm elections, including polling showing James Talarico with a seven-point lead.

The conversation then takes a more personal turn as we discuss religion, our own experiences growing up, and how we approach talking to our children about faith and belief. It’s a thoughtful detour into parenting, personal values, and the challenges of helping kids understand a complicated world.

Future or Now

Ben introduces us to Hackertube before diving into a video that challenged one of his assumptions: Why We Shouldn’t Bike With a Helmet.

It sounds ridiculous at first, but the argument is more nuanced than you might expect. Mandatory helmet laws can discourage cycling, potentially reducing public health benefits and the safety that comes with having more cyclists on the road. There’s also the question of whether focusing on helmets distracts from more effective solutions, like protected bike lanes and safer streets.

Of course, there’s a difference between arguing against mandatory helmet laws and arguing against helmets themselves. Research consistently shows that helmets significantly reduce the risk of serious head injuries in crashes. So where should the emphasis be: individual protection or building infrastructure that makes cycling safer for everyone? We dig into the arguments and consider whether the video makes a convincing case.

Devon then turns his attention to Netflix’s Below miniseries, delivering a review that’s about as enthusiastic as a root canal. His verdict? It “fails in every sense.” You’ll have to listen to find out just how thoroughly it disappointed him.

Steven also brought an article to discuss, but as usual, we ran out of time before getting to it. Perhaps next week!

Join the Conversation

Would you let your kids use your prized collectibles for Halloween? Should bicycle helmets be mandatory, or should cities focus more on safer infrastructure? And has Devon finally developed a full range of human emotions?

Join us for another episode of the Science Faction Podcast, where science, technology, pop culture, and everyday life collide in occasionally unexpected ways.

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