Joe, Nick, and Georgia are back in the Basement Studio — well, sort of. Georgia is remoting in from the American Library Association conference in Chicago, and Nick is in his office. Joe is holding down the Basement Studio solo. The band is together in spirit.
In Episode 73: The Mini: the RHR crew recaps Part 1 of the Spider-Man villains series: Lab Safety (EP 72) episode featuring Tera Lavoie, PhD, and the ongoing debate over whether Nick should be allowed anywhere near a rock alone.
Past guest Lorena checks in with some unfortunate news from Peru, and in Science Holes, Joe brings three stories. A NYTimes story about self experimentation, rewriting what we thought we knew about the human genome, and can we turn back the clock on aging cells.
The crew closes out with what they have been watching, reading, and playing, a few upcoming announcements, and Season 4 is officially happening (was there any doubt).
Stay curious. But don’t lick rocks or sand (come on Nick!)
Pre-Order: Touch of Noir 2027 Wall Calendar —
12 months of all-original art by Jim and Georgia; pre-orders open now, with mailing expected in September
Joe will be at Shore Leave 46
Lancaster, PA (July 10-12, 2026): Lancaster Wyndham Resort and Convention Center
Listen to Episode 72:
Check out what the RHR crew is creating:
Joe:
Named by the Guild Literary Complex as one of the 35 Writers to Watch!
Red Line: Chicago Horror Stories Anthology featuring a new story by Joe!
Joe’s Sci-fi physiological thriller Novel: Will You Still Love Me If I Become Someone Else?
Essay by Joe: From Beyond Press: Specific Knowledge: Jotham Austin, II, PhD on Transformations in Fiction
It’s science for Weirdos
Want to support the show? Tell your friends. Follow us on social media, Discord, share the podcast, and let us know what topics you are excited about. And to see all the content (studio images and artwork) subscribe to the Rabbit Hole of Research newsletter!
Stay curious, stay speculative, stay safe, and we’ll catch you in the next rabbit hole. Love Y'all!
Future Events to Hang with the Crew:
Podcast Cross-Appearances
The RHR crew on Ben Tanzer’s This podcast will change your life: episode three hundred seventy-nine
Events & Conventions:
Shore Leave 46 - Lancaster, PA (July 10-12, 2026)
Lancaster Wyndham Resort and Convention Center
Dragon Con - Atlanta, GA (September 3-7, 2026) - Joe attending as Professional
Upcoming Episodes
*The Mini will now be every other episode!
Three Part Spider-Man Series to get ready for the new MCU Spider-Man: Brand New Day
Episode 74 – Spider-Man Villains Part 2: Scorpion and the Other Chimeras
Guest: Erin C. Anthony
The crew explores the science of chimeras, genetic splicing, and what it would actually take to create Spider-Man’s most dangerous foes.
Episode 76 – Spider-Man Villains Part 3: What His Villains Reveal About Him
Guest: Comic YouTuber, Alex Hanes (@Hanes4Heroes)
The conclusion of the Spider-Man trilogy takes a step back to ask what the science of his villains tells us about Spider-Man himself.
Episode 78 - Briar East Woods - Urban Deforestation
Guest: Anne Sedlacek
Episode 80: Magic: the Power and Cost of Magic Systems
Guest: B.L.Mostyn
What the Crew is Digging, Links, Resources, and Topics Mentioned in mini and/or full episode:
Links & Resources:
Pre-Order: Touch of Noir 2027 Wall Calendar
12 months of all-original art by Jim and Georgia; pre-orders open now, with mailing expected in September
Peru Triple Spiral Geoglyph Destruction
Science Holes:
1. Against Expert Advice: People Using Synthetic Drugs to Self-Treat Addiction
NYTimes
A New York Times article about people self-experimenting with unapproved synthetic compounds in hopes of breaking addiction. The story follows a woman known as Becks, a former biology major and chemistry hobbyist addicted to opioids, who discovered SR-17018 through Reddit after users flagged a 2019 study showing the compound helped addicted mice reduce dependence. With no approved human trials, no safety data, and no medical oversight, Becks ordered it online and kept a detailed diary of her experience.
2. Revealed: The Mysterious ‘Dark’ Proteins That Might Play a Big Role in Biology
Nature
Scientists have long assumed that large stretches of the human genome are essentially junk, non-coding regions that don’t appear to do anything meaningful. A new effort is challenging that assumption, officially naming thousands of previously ignored short proteins encoded by these regions “peptideins” and adding them to major gene and protein databases for the first time.
3. Trial to ‘De-Age’ Cells Treats First Person
Nature
The first human participant has been treated in a gene therapy trial aimed at coaxing aged cells to behave like younger ones. The company Life Biosciences in Boston is targeting a form of glaucoma, activating three reprogramming genes in retinal cells using a virus delivery system — with a built-in safety switch that turns the genes off if the patient stops taking a specific antibiotic. The bigger question of whether de-aged cells can truly enhance longevity remains wide open, and the crew is already eyeing it as a future episode topic.
Science Terms
SR-17018 — An unapproved synthetic opioid receptor compound being self-administered by people attempting to treat addiction, sourced from Chinese labs and sold online with no regulatory oversight or human safety data.
Peptideins — The name for thousands of short proteins encoded by previously ignored regions of the human genome.
Junk DNA — An informal term for regions of the genome that don’t appear to code for known proteins.
Retinal Ganglion Cells — The neurons that make up the optic nerve, targeted in the de-aging trial as a potential treatment for glaucoma. Unlike most neurons, they are not normally capable of regeneration.
DNA structure — DNA is shaped like a twisted ladder (a double helix), made of two strands of nucleotides that wind around each other and pair up to hold the genetic code
Nucleotides (A, T, G, C) — the four chemical “letters” of DNA: adenine (A), thymine (T), guanine (G), and cytosine (C). A always pairs with T, and G always pairs with C, forming the rungs of the DNA ladder. The order of these letters provides the instructions for building proteins
DNA sequencing — the process of reading the order of A, T, G, and C letters in a piece of DNA, allowing scientists to compare genetic codes, identify mutations, and trace ancestry
What the Crew is Digging:
TV
Widow’s Bay (Apple TV+)— Joe and Georgia finished the series, and Nick has two more episodes.
Spider-Man Noir (Amazon)— The crew finished the series.
Afterparty (Apple TV+) — Nick just started the second season.
Books
Wrong Place, Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister
The Pools by E. Lockhart (advance copy)
Video Games
Resident Evil: Requiem — Nick finished it. No spoilers, so reach out to Nick if you have questions.
