Dr. Catherine Neish
@planetneish.bsky.social
Associate Professor at The University of Western Ontario in planetary geology. Also a parent and OG X-Phile. I use she/her pronouns. https://planetneish.ca/
Regarding the luggage in the front hall, I assumed that the pod people delivered it to their home when they realized Carol had abandoned it at the bar. They clearly knew where the key was, and seemed to anticipate her needs throughout the episode. That’s my best guess!
November 9, 2025 at 4:49 PM
Regarding the luggage in the front hall, I assumed that the pod people delivered it to their home when they realized Carol had abandoned it at the bar. They clearly knew where the key was, and seemed to anticipate her needs throughout the episode. That’s my best guess!
Anyway, I will continue listening now! I’m a huge fan of Contact, and loved the vibes at the beginning of the episode. It looks like they filmed it at the Very Large Array in New Mexico, as Contact did.
November 9, 2025 at 3:15 AM
Anyway, I will continue listening now! I’m a huge fan of Contact, and loved the vibes at the beginning of the episode. It looks like they filmed it at the Very Large Array in New Mexico, as Contact did.
A WHO advisory board concluded that “the weight of available evidence…suggests zoonotic spillover…either directly from bats or through an intermediate host.” www.who.int/news/item/27...
WHO Scientific advisory group issues report on origins of COVID-19
The WHO Scientific Advisory Group for the Origins of Novel Pathogens (SAGO), a panel of 27 independent, international, multidisciplinary experts, today published its report on the origins of SARS-CoV-...
www.who.int
November 9, 2025 at 3:14 AM
A WHO advisory board concluded that “the weight of available evidence…suggests zoonotic spillover…either directly from bats or through an intermediate host.” www.who.int/news/item/27...
Happy to see this new pod posted so quickly! I’m only 15 minutes into the episode, but as a scientist, I felt compelled to correct something that Jenn said. The origin of COVID remains unclear, but it likely did not come from a lab.
November 9, 2025 at 3:13 AM
Happy to see this new pod posted so quickly! I’m only 15 minutes into the episode, but as a scientist, I felt compelled to correct something that Jenn said. The origin of COVID remains unclear, but it likely did not come from a lab.
It does in French! It’s pronounced “pen-a-lope”.
November 8, 2025 at 8:59 PM
It does in French! It’s pronounced “pen-a-lope”.
(I’m glad more people don’t know about this, because it is an awful situation to experience.)
November 7, 2025 at 12:46 PM
(I’m glad more people don’t know about this, because it is an awful situation to experience.)
To clarify further, there is specific maternity leave and parental leave. I believe it is 4 months of the former and 8 months of the latter. So, if you lose a child during birth, as I did, you can still take maternity leave to recover, but not parental leave.
November 7, 2025 at 12:44 PM
To clarify further, there is specific maternity leave and parental leave. I believe it is 4 months of the former and 8 months of the latter. So, if you lose a child during birth, as I did, you can still take maternity leave to recover, but not parental leave.
I started a new job in Florida when my daughter was 2 months old. It nearly broke me. The year-long leave I had with my son six years later was one of the most joyous times of my life. The difference was stark.
November 7, 2025 at 12:38 PM
I started a new job in Florida when my daughter was 2 months old. It nearly broke me. The year-long leave I had with my son six years later was one of the most joyous times of my life. The difference was stark.
He was also on an episode of Star Trek TNG! Lots of X-Files alum show up there, including Jerry Harden as Mark Twain.
November 4, 2025 at 3:08 AM
He was also on an episode of Star Trek TNG! Lots of X-Files alum show up there, including Jerry Harden as Mark Twain.
I’m not surprised! We had been waiting months to see Mulder again. (It’s also one of the best episodes of Season 8, I’d wager.)
November 4, 2025 at 2:37 AM
I’m not surprised! We had been waiting months to see Mulder again. (It’s also one of the best episodes of Season 8, I’d wager.)
FYI, Per Manum was last week. We’re watching This is Not Happening tonight. Cheers!
November 4, 2025 at 2:35 AM
FYI, Per Manum was last week. We’re watching This is Not Happening tonight. Cheers!
And Toronto! Honestly, it’s the most multicultural city I’ve ever lived in. You don’t want to be there during the World Cup, because someone is honking down Yonge Street no matter who wins.
November 2, 2025 at 3:11 AM
And Toronto! Honestly, it’s the most multicultural city I’ve ever lived in. You don’t want to be there during the World Cup, because someone is honking down Yonge Street no matter who wins.
And not a lot of Americans playing for the Dodgers… 🤷🏻♀️
November 2, 2025 at 3:08 AM
And not a lot of Americans playing for the Dodgers… 🤷🏻♀️
And in our defense, most of those American hockey teams are staffed by Canadian players.
November 2, 2025 at 3:05 AM
And in our defense, most of those American hockey teams are staffed by Canadian players.
Look Andy, we’re trying our best.
November 2, 2025 at 3:04 AM
Look Andy, we’re trying our best.
Canada has only one baseball team, so the whole country cheers for them. And the last time they made it to the World Series I was only 12 years old, so we have a lot of pent up joy to go around.
November 2, 2025 at 2:03 AM
Canada has only one baseball team, so the whole country cheers for them. And the last time they made it to the World Series I was only 12 years old, so we have a lot of pent up joy to go around.
It’s also a problem when you name your children after characters from The Odyssey.
October 28, 2025 at 5:33 PM
It’s also a problem when you name your children after characters from The Odyssey.
The joke has always been, “Just because it’s in Science, it doesn’t mean it’s wrong.” We don’t know what the right answer is, and so science is messy and full of errors. I’m shocked they retracted this paper, and strongly disagree with their decision.
October 27, 2025 at 11:42 AM
The joke has always been, “Just because it’s in Science, it doesn’t mean it’s wrong.” We don’t know what the right answer is, and so science is messy and full of errors. I’m shocked they retracted this paper, and strongly disagree with their decision.
However, I always chalked this up to the need to draw out the tension over a two part episode. If they had combined the Dreamlands into one episode, I think the faster pacing would have worked better and made Scully appear less clueless.
October 26, 2025 at 1:36 AM
However, I always chalked this up to the need to draw out the tension over a two part episode. If they had combined the Dreamlands into one episode, I think the faster pacing would have worked better and made Scully appear less clueless.
I was not a fan of Scully’s credulity in this episode. The abrupt change in Mulder’s behavior (along with his detailed knowledge of her lunch choices!) should have made her more suspicious than she was.
October 26, 2025 at 1:36 AM
I was not a fan of Scully’s credulity in this episode. The abrupt change in Mulder’s behavior (along with his detailed knowledge of her lunch choices!) should have made her more suspicious than she was.