PODCAST · science
Fascinating Gadgets, Gizmos, and Gear Based Technologies
by Daniel J. Glenn
Making your favorite fictional technology a reality
Episodes
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Ep. 225 Gnomish Technology (that looks like magic)
What if the greatest magic in the D&D world was actually technology? In this season 10 finale of FGGGbT we celebrate the gnomes: D&D’s most exuberant, most creative, and most explosion-prone technological pioneers. They dig into gnomish clockwork constructs, airships, and the philosophical…
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Ep. 224 Psionic Creatures
What do a brain-eating squid creature, a giant praying mantis, and a snake person have in common? They’re all psionic — and that’s about where the similarities end. In this episode of FGGGbT, we tackle the most challenging taxonomy of the season: psionic creatures. Unlike the undead or the Fey,...
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Ep. 223 Creatures of the Forest
What separates a pixie from a sprite, a brownie from a hag, and a nymph from a siren — and why does any of it matter? In this episode of FGGGbT, we tackle one of the most ambitious taxonomy projects of the season: building a complete classification system for the Fey. Unlike the undead, who are...
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Ep. 222 Taxonomy of the Undead
What separates a skeleton from a lich — and does immortality inevitably make you evil? In this episode of FGGGbT, the Brain Trust — Daniel J. Glenn, Dr. Michael Dennin, and Ben Siepser — tackle one of the most ambitious projects of the season: building a complete taxonomic classification system…
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Ep. 221 Psionic Magical Items
What if crystals could store your personality — and eventually become sentient? In this episode of FGGGbT, the Brain Trust — Daniel J. Glenn, Dr. Michael Dennin, and Ben Sieper — dive into the fascinating world of psionic magical items, exploring the real science of crystals, information theory,...
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Ep. 220 Magical Item Combinations
What happens when you put a Sphere of Annihilation inside a Bag of Holding? In this episode of FGGGbT, the Brain Trust — Daniel J. Glenn, Dr. Michael Dennin, and Ben Sieper — go deep on magical item combos, the science of extradimensional space, the world's most powerful glue, potion mixology…
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Ep. 219 Mastering Magic Items
What makes a magical item truly magical — and how many is too many? In this episode of FGGGbT, the Brain Trust — Daniel J. Glenn, Dr. Michael Dennin, and Ben Sieper — dive deep into the science, physics, and storytelling behind D&D magical items, and things get wonderfully chaotic. We explore how...
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Ep. 218 Schools of Magic
What if the eight schools of D&D magic were actually eight fundamental forces of the universe? In this episode of FGGGbT, the Brain Trust — Daniel J. Glenn, Dr. Michael Dennin, and Ben Sieper — break down all eight schools of magic through the lens of real science, from particle physics and...
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Ep. 217 How Spells Work
How do spells actually work — and why do some only affect certain creatures? In this episode of FGGGbT, the Brain Trust — Daniel J. Glenn, Dr. Michael Dennin, and Ben Sieper — break down the mechanics, physics, and philosophy behind spellcasting in D&D and beyond. We explore the power of true…
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Ep. 216 Psionics: Mental Magic
Could humans actually develop psychic powers? The science says… maybe. In this episode of FT GBT, the Brain Trust — Daniel J. Glenn, Dr. Michael Dennin, and Ben Sieper — dive into the often-overlooked world of psionics, exploring the real neuroscience and physics behind mind powers in D&D…
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Ep. 215 Divine Magic
Show Notes Can science explain how divine magic actually works? In this episode the FGGGbT Brain Trust tackles the rules, biology, and ethics behind divine magic in Dungeons & Dragons. From the life-force mechanics powering clerics and druids to the darkest corners of necromancy — we break it all...
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Ep. 214 Arcane Magic Users
Show Notes Can neuroscience and physics explain how D&D spell slots actually work? In this episode of FGGGbT (Fascinating Gadgets, Gizmos & Gear-Based Technologies), the Brain Trust — Daniel J. Glenn, Dr. Michael Dennin, and Ben Sieper — crack open the skulls of arcane magic users to figure out...
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Ep. 213 What is Magic?
Show Notes What is magic, really? In this episode, The Brain Trust dig into one of fantasy’s most fundamental questions — not just what magic does, but what it is. They explore why every great fantasy setting gives magic its own internal rules (and why breaking those rules breaks the world), how...
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Ep. 212 Vampires
Vampires are the one monster that seems to have been around forever (I mean they are immortal), and they never seem to go away. Their popularity may wax and wane, but these predators are always present, ready to suck away our life force in order to preserve theirs. Even when it seems like we have...
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Ep. 211 Snake Folk
Everyone remembers the famous line in “Raiders of the Lost Ark” where Indy says “Why did it have to be snakes?” Well our Daring Druid (and resident ophiophilist) Ben Siepser often wonders “Why isn’t it ALWAYS snakes”? So this week we take a look at a few of our favorite snake-based humanoids...
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Ep. 210 Basilisk
Are you ready for MORE petrification! This week we discuss the basilisk, a creature that can turn you to stone just by looking at you. Well it has to meet your gaze, but we get into the specifics so you won’t get fooled. It is also gigantic, which is something to consider. Listen as we […]
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Ep. 209 Cockatrice
There are certain creatures in myth and legend who have been said to have the ability to turn those they encounter into stone. This week we profile one of those creatures, the cockatrice. With the head of a rooster, the body of a lizard, and the wings of a bat, this tiny creature can petrify […]
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Ep. 208 Horse-based Creatures
There is a reason every little girl wants a pony: Because horses are really cool. They are so great that the world of D&D is filled with horse-based creatures including the unicorn, pegasus, nightmare, and even the centaur. Why this form? What tactile advantages does it provide? How can a horse…
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Ep. 207 Man-Eating Plants
As human beings, we are lucky enough to be at the top of the food chain. Being at the top means there is nothing above us. No predators to watch out for, nothing evolving to eat is specifically. We never have to check our rear view. Or do we? In this episode we discuss what […]
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Ep. 206 Dryads
The forest is filled with all kinds of creatures great and small. It is also home to one of the most mischievous and dangerous creatures: The Dryad. The woodland spirits are tied to a singular oak tree. They are so tied in fact, that they cannot stray more than 1000 feet from their home. This […]
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Ep. 205 Treants
Everyone knows that trees are alive…but today we are only concerned with the ones that run around. We are talking treants from D&D, Ents from Lord of the Rings, and the Fighting Trees of Oz. Are these creatures plants with animal traits, or secret animals that look like plants? We discuss the...
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Ep. 204 Dragons
When it comes to D&D, there is one apex predator: The Dragon. It is even in the name! These winged creatures come in all sizes and colors, which is lucky for adventurers. See, a dragon’s color tells you a lot about the creature, including their alignment, their powers, and their magic resistance....
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Ep. 203 The Mimic Cycle
Once you sign up to be an adventurer, it is a given that you will raid every chest you come across. Some will have locks, some will have traps, and some may even eat you. That last option is the topic of today’s show as we discuss mimics in D&D. These creatures can take the […]
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Ep. 202 Rust Monsters
If you wear a belt buckle (as any good adventurer does), then battling a rust monster is the only situation where you can get caught with your pants down. These creatures seem to feed on metals, which means that unless you are proficient with clubs and quarterstaves, you are in big trouble. If…
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Ep. 201 The Gelatinous Cube
Our 10th season begins! We decided to do something a little different this year. We were inspired by last season’s episode on “Delicious in Dungeon”, so we are taking a look at Dungeons & Dragons monsters and explaining how they work. It turns out, there is a lot of literature on these creatures,...
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Ep. 200 The Quest for Immortality
Once you reach 200 episodes, you start to consider life expectancy. Should a podcast go on forever? Should a human live forever? While I have no idea about the first one, today’s episode is about the second one. Sure we will quickly congratulate ourselves but then we get down to the real work:...
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Ep. 199 A Santa Who’s Jolly, Jacked, & Rides a Sleigh That’s Packed
For many generations, Santa has been seen as a portly fellow who’s hard work throughout the year makes Christmas Day magical for all. That view is becoming a thing of the past. We have done a lot of episodes on the technology of Christmas, and this year we have a new entry: Red One. This […]
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Ep. 198 Raiding Tombs in 10 Easy Steps
Raiding tombs is tough work, which is maybe Lara Croft, the world’s most famous tomb raider, is such a jerk. Personally I like Indiana Jones a lot better, but he was definitely not as athletic as Lara. Sure he had the bullwhip, but Lara uses a magnetic grappling hook with the proficiency of a...
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Ep. 197 The Dangers of Sleep
On this show we discuss how the world will end every other episode, and since we discussed robot survival skills on the last episode, once again, we are due. This week we actually explore what Dennin calls the ultimate apocalypse: Dying if you fall asleep. This is the concept of Markipliers new...
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Ep. 196 Robot Survival Skills
The early part of this century saw an explosion of television shows demonstrating extreme survival skills. I am talking about Survivor, Naked and Afraid, Man VS Wild, or anything Bear Grylls stars in. I think this was really to show how far we humans have gone from nature. We have lost almost all...
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Ep. 195 Creating An Entirely New You
Let’s say you work with classified documents, or you just have a boring job you want to forget. Wouldn’t it be great if you could just turn off your brain as you entered work and turned it back on when you left the building? You know, give the heavy lifting to your unconscious or whatever. […]
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Ep. 194 Beetlejuice: The Afterlife’s Greatest Bio-Exorcist
Beetlejuice has been called “The Ghost with the Most”, but the most of what? Is there something special that he has that other ghosts in the afterlife don’t have? The short answer is YES, and it involves the Deadon particle. Don’t worry, we explain everything for you in this episode. These give…
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Ep. 193 How To Eat Fried Dragon
My guess is that most people listening to this episode will NOT find themselves lost in a fantasy dungeon (unless it is while playing a game of D&D of course). However should you, it may become necessary to start catching and eating monsters. Luckily the Brain Trust has just finished watching the...
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Ep. 192 Rule #1: Stay Quiet, Stay Alive
Humans are visual creatures, but we still rely heavily on our auditory senses to navigate the world. We are also loud by nature, which is why New York City is constantly at 90 decibels. My point is this: If our survival is dependent on staying silent, I think we are doomed. Most of us at […]
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Ep. 191 How To Drink Freshly Squeezed Human
Today we decide to take a trip BACK to the planet of Dune, which is a place like none other. In our first episode we talked about the lack of water and how important saving every drop is. Well this time we take a deep dive into that waterless pool to give you as many […]
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Ep. 190 It’s A Twister!
Tornadoes are one of the most truly devastating forces in nature. They can appear out of nowhere, destroy entire towns, and then disappear without a trace. They are categorized not by their power, but by the amount of damage they cause. So how do these killer vortexes form? And why are they…
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Ep. 189 Humans Prepare
At the end of the last episode things looked pretty bleak. Highly advanced aliens are on their way and they are stifling our scientific breakthroughs. But humans are resilient. The aliens call us bugs, but nothing is more hardy than the cockroach. But what can we do? Well we specialize in out of...
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Ep. 188 The Aliens Are Coming!
The TV show “3 Body Problem” introduces a major conundrum for humanity: Aliens are on their way, and there is nothing we can do about it. Are they friendly? Are they hostile? Who knows (Who am I kidding, we all know they will eventually turn on us)? There is an upside though: It will take […]
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Ep. 187 At What Temperature Does Hell Freeze Over?
“When Hell Freezes Over” is a common saying, but what does it even mean? Sure religious doctrine would have you believe that Hell is a place of fire and brimstone, full of lakes of lava, overcooked burritos, nuclear meltdowns, and other really hot stuff. But we also talk about the chill of the...
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Ep. 186 Super Men: The Good, The Bad, & The Terrifying
We have been taught that Superman is the icon for truth, justice, and the American way. He is the ultimate superhero, and always does what it right. He is also an alien with more strength and power than anything we can imagine. There are no counters to him. Well except Kryptonite which is...
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Ep. 185 Navigating a Planet of the Apes Scenario
We’ve discussed how to build your own underground bunker, but what if you let a company like Vault-Tek do that for you? In the world of Fallout, Vault-Tek is not the most trustworthy company. They blew up the entire world to eliminate their competition! While I do respect their hustle, it does...
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Ep. 184 Living in an Irradiated World
We’ve discussed how to build your own underground bunker, but what if you let a company like Vault-Tek do that for you? In the world of Fallout, Vault-Tek is not the most trustworthy company. They blew up the entire world to eliminate their competition! While I do respect their hustle, it does...
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Ep. 183 Genetically Altered, Adolescent, Karate Testudies
There are very few characters that truly stand the test of time. Superman and Batman are almost 90, but there are peaks and valleys to their popularity. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have been consistently in the spotlight since the mid-80’s, which is a feat in my opinion. As everyone knows,...
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Ep. 182 Stopping The Kennedy Assassination
History is littered with tragic events, things that change the course of your life. Some events have the magnitude to change the social order of the world itself. What if you could go back and right these wrongs? Who among us wouldn’t go back and stop 9/11, or prevent the holocaust? Well this…
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Ep. 181 Replacing Yourself In Your Perfect Timeline
Have you ever wondered what would have happened if during major moments of your life you simply made a different decision? You know, went left instead of right? What would your life be like now? Well thanks to our old friend Quantum Physics, that decision happened, and that alternate reality...
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Ep. 180 Daredevil & Echo
Fighting crime is a dangerous business. In the best of circumstances, you have keep your senses sharp, and maintain your focus at all times. Seeing your enemy and hearing their movements are vital to your success, but what if you can’t see or hear? What do you do then? Well for Daredevil who is...
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Ep. 179 The Power of Greyskull
He-Man is a Master of the Universe, and he is granted that status by The Power of Greyskull. But what is this power? We are a science show, so we believe there is no such thing as magic…or is there? Is magic it’s own force that bind the physics of Eternia? How can it turn […]
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Ep. 178 Surviving The Megalodon
The shark is the ultimate killing machine. It does three things: swim, eat, reproduce. It has a conveyor belt of teeth which basically makes it a large, living, underwater chainsaw. The only thing that would make it deadlier is to make it bigger. Enter the Megalodon, which was just like out great...
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Ep. 177 Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory
For any kid, the prospect of touring a magical chocolate factory is a dream come true, especially one whose secrets have been hidden for decades. If you are one of the lucky few with a Golden Ticket, your life will never be the same. See, Willy Wonka is not a run of the mill chocolatier: […]
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Ep. 176 Granting Wishes
Who among us hasn’t wanted to find a magical lamp complete with a resident Genie to give us three wishes? Heck, I would even take a monkey paw, knowing full well that I have to phrase things exactly right to avoid unintended dire consequences. Well this week, the Brain Trust assembles to discuss...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Making your favorite fictional technology a reality
HOSTED BY
Daniel J. Glenn
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Fascinating Gadgets, Gizmos, and Gear Based Technologies have?
Fascinating Gadgets, Gizmos, and Gear Based Technologies currently has 200 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Fascinating Gadgets, Gizmos, and Gear Based Technologies about?
Making your favorite fictional technology a reality
How often does Fascinating Gadgets, Gizmos, and Gear Based Technologies release new episodes?
Fascinating Gadgets, Gizmos, and Gear Based Technologies publishes regularly with 200 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
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You can listen to Fascinating Gadgets, Gizmos, and Gear Based Technologies on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Fascinating Gadgets, Gizmos, and Gear Based Technologies?
Fascinating Gadgets, Gizmos, and Gear Based Technologies is created and hosted by Daniel J. Glenn.
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