Episode 572: Alternate Universes and the Nature of Canon

California, what are you doing? Rain in the summer? Hail in Tahoe? Absolute chaos. At least Steven's chickens are thriving in this strange new climate—they've started laying eggs. A LOT of eggs. So many, in fact, that we're considering a new Patreon tier: Egg Delivery from Steven. Fresh, farm-to-door… assuming you live close enough for him to walk them over. Gaming Corner: From Voyager to Vaults Ben dove deep into nostalgia this week with a first look at the Star Trek: Voyager – Across the Unknown game. It's got exploration, it's got starships, it's got Janeway energy. Check it out for yourself: ▶ Trailer 🎮 Steam Page Meanwhile, Steven is geeking out over the Fallout Season 2 trailer—and its direct nods to New Vegas. Naturally, that raised the question: What's the canonical ending to the game? Opinions vary, but the lore debate is half the fun. Oh, and in case you missed it: Fallout 5 has officially entered production. Start hoarding bottle caps now. Ben's also still working on his short game in VR with Walkabout Mini Golf's new Tokyo level. Neon lights, serene gardens, and… capybaras? Yep, you read that right. Meta has the details And if you've got a taste for tabletop chaos, Steven recommends Pirate Borg, a salty spin-off of the grimdark cult classic Mörk Borg.  If you've ever wanted to fight skeletons with black powder pistols and a parrot on your shoulder, this one's for you: Pirate Borg Future or Now: Quantum Weirdness & Alternate Universes Ben found a wild take this week: Star Trek: Strange New Worlds might not be in the Prime Universe. Interesting theory, problematic delivery—watch at your own discretion: Positronic Hypersonic Video. Meanwhile, Steven went full science mode: Physicists have confirmed that angular momentum is conserved even when a single photon splits into two. It's an experiment so precise, it's basically like catching a needle in a quantum haystack. If you're into photons behaving themselves, here's the breakdown: ScienceDaily.  Book Club: Worlds Without Men, Bears With Fire This week's read: "When It Changed" by Joanna Russ. A colony on Whileaway has survived for 30 generations without men—until a crew of them shows up and decides to "fix" things. Classic, award-winning, and razor-sharp social commentary. Read it here and join the discussion. Next week, we're tackling "Bears Discover Fire" by Terry Bisson—a Hugo and Nebula Award-winning short story where, well, bears discover fire. They start holding campfires on highway medians. It's about aging, wilderness, and the strange comfort of community. Read it here and bring your s'mores. What do you think—should we actually launch the Egg Delivery Tier, or is that just inviting chaos? Let us know in the comments!