Description: In this episode of When Science Ruins Fiction, we take a look back at Backrooms and ask: what makes hazmat suits so horrifying? Sources cited: Muir, J. K. (2012). The Horror Lexicon #17: Bio-Hazard Suits. Reflections on Film and Television. Kirby, D. A. (2011). Lab Coats in Hollywood: Science, Scientists, and Cinema. MIT Press.(See also: Kirby, D. A. (2003). Scientists on the Set: Science Consultants and the Communication of Science in Visual Fiction. Public Understanding of Science). Moodley, P., & Lesage, S. S. (2019). A discourse analysis of Ebola in South African newspapers (2014–2015). South African Journal of Psychology, 50(1) Modern, M. (2019). Visualizing Ebola: Hazmat Suit Imagery, the Press, and the Production of Biosecurity. Canadian Journal of Communication, 44(2) Jones, H., & Arnould, E. J. (2025). Mythologized Counter-Futures and Self-Protective Consumption: A Netnography of Doomsday Preppers. Journal of Consumer Research, 52(4)

Description:In this episode of When Science Ruins Fiction, we take a look back at Backrooms and ask: what makes hazmat suits so horrifying?Sources cited:Muir, J. K. (2012). The Horror Lexicon #17: Bio-Hazard Suits. Reflections on Film and Television.Kirby, D. A. (2011). Lab Coats in Hollywood: Science, Scientists, and Cinema. MIT Press.(See also: Kirby, D. A. (2003). Scientists on the Set: Science Consultants and the Communication of Science in Visual Fiction. Public Understanding of Science).Moodley, P., & Lesage, S. S. (2019). A discourse analysis of Ebola in South African newspapers (2014–2015). South African Journal of Psychology, 50(1)Modern, M. (2019). Visualizing Ebola: Hazmat Suit Imagery, the Press, and the Production of Biosecurity. Canadian Journal of Communication, 44(2)Jones, H., & Arnould, E. J. (2025). Mythologized Counter-Futures and Self-Protective Consumption: A Netnography of Doomsday Preppers. Journal of Consumer Research, 52(4)

When Science Ruins Fiction

WSRF #2 - Backrooms: The horror of the hazmat suit

Introducing When Science Ruins Fiction! A podcast that no one needs, but more than a few people have asked for - and thus, we caved. Will Tingle is a conservation filmmaker, marine biologist, and has consumed more obscure works of science fiction than he has hairs on his head (still impressive as of writing this). Alice Thomson is a science communicator with a Master’s focusing on the impact of Sci-Fi on the public understanding of science, too many opinions, and far too dyslexic to express them in a written format. Together, every two weeks we will be tackling a piece of science fiction media, discussing how accurate the science is, how enjoyable it makes the film, and most importantly, if it ultimately makes or ruins it. We’re trying to build a community of people to chat with, educate, and learn from, and we’d love for you to be part of it!

Introducing When Science Ruins Fiction! A podcast that no one needs, but more than a few people have asked for - and thus, we caved.Will Tingle is a conservation filmmaker, marine biologist, and has consumed more obscure works of science fiction than he has hairs on his head (still impressive as of writing this).Alice Thomson is a science communicator with a Master’s focusing on the impact of Sci-Fi on the public understanding of science, too many opinions, and far too dyslexic to express them in a written format.Together, every two weeks we will be tackling a piece of science fiction media, discussing how accurate the science is, how enjoyable it makes the film, and most importantly, if it ultimately makes or ruins it.We’re trying to build a community of people to chat with, educate, and learn from, and we’d love for you to be part of it!

WSRF #0 - Another Podcast? Really?

In this inaugural episode of When Science Ruins Fiction, we take a look at Steven Spielberg’s latest release, Disclosure Day, and ask: would we listen? Papers mentioned in episode: Discovery of extraterrestrial life: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5767786/Unite Against: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0022103119301866Empathy: <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2014.06.007" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2014.06.007</a>Differences in empathic concern: <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=https://doi.org/10.1177/0022022116673910" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); background-color: transparent;">https://doi.org/10.1177/002202211667391</a>Cross-group concern: <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=https://doi.org/10.1177/0022022116673910" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); background-color: transparent;">https://doi.org/10.1177/002202211667391</a> Extraterrestrial message: <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=https://doi.org/10.1016/S0094-5765(00)00041-3" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">https://doi.org/10.1016/S0094-5765(00)00041-3</a>

In this inaugural episode of When Science Ruins Fiction, we take a look at Steven Spielberg’s latest release, Disclosure Day, and ask: would we listen?Papers mentioned in episode:Discovery of extraterrestrial life: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5767786/Unite Against: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0022103119301866Empathy: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2014.06.007Differences in empathic concern: https://doi.org/10.1177/002202211667391Cross-group concern: https://doi.org/10.1177/002202211667391 Extraterrestrial message: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0094-5765(00)00041-3

WSRF #1 - Disclosure Day: Are we really ready for aliens?

Introducing When Science Ruins Fiction. A podcast that no one needs, but more than a few people have asked for - and thus, we caved. Will Tingle is a conservation filmmaker, marine biologist, and has consumed more obscure works of science fiction than he has hairs on his head (still impressive as of writing this). Alice Thomson is a science communicator with a Master’s focusing on the impact of Sci-Fi on the public understanding of science, too many opinions, and far too dyslexic to express them in a written format. Together, every two weeks we will be tackling a piece of science fiction media, discussing how accurate the science is, how enjoyable it makes the film, and most importantly, if it ultimately makes or ruins it. We’re trying to build a community of people to chat with, educate, and learn from, and we’d love for you to be part of it!

Introducing When Science Ruins Fiction. A podcast that no one needs, but more than a few people have asked for - and thus, we caved.Will Tingle is a conservation filmmaker, marine biologist, and has consumed more obscure works of science fiction than he has hairs on his head (still impressive as of writing this).Alice Thomson is a science communicator with a Master’s focusing on the impact of Sci-Fi on the public understanding of science, too many opinions, and far too dyslexic to express them in a written format.Together, every two weeks we will be tackling a piece of science fiction media, discussing how accurate the science is, how enjoyable it makes the film, and most importantly, if it ultimately makes or ruins it.We’re trying to build a community of people to chat with, educate, and learn from, and we’d love for you to be part of it!

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When Science Ruins Fiction

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