43:I[58016,["/_next/static/chunks/b5ea50e123aa84a6.js","/_next/static/chunks/5e17b2e37c80a96c.js","/_next/static/chunks/de880ec5a0241b38.js","/_next/static/chunks/48003610e91209eb.js","/_next/static/chunks/15a1b1fbd3cf7d4a.js","/_next/static/chunks/81ce7bf5f20dbd5a.js","/_next/static/chunks/53f751967ccc7d59.js","/_next/static/chunks/903c358828afe0bc.js","/_next/static/chunks/00da439d4db502cc.js","/_next/static/chunks/88bed98e5cd5e639.js"],"ProcessEpisodeButton"] 46:I[45269,["/_next/static/chunks/b5ea50e123aa84a6.js","/_next/static/chunks/5e17b2e37c80a96c.js","/_next/static/chunks/de880ec5a0241b38.js","/_next/static/chunks/48003610e91209eb.js","/_next/static/chunks/15a1b1fbd3cf7d4a.js","/_next/static/chunks/81ce7bf5f20dbd5a.js","/_next/static/chunks/53f751967ccc7d59.js","/_next/static/chunks/903c358828afe0bc.js","/_next/static/chunks/00da439d4db502cc.js","/_next/static/chunks/88bed98e5cd5e639.js"],"SignupCTA"] 48:I[56939,["/_next/static/chunks/b5ea50e123aa84a6.js","/_next/static/chunks/5e17b2e37c80a96c.js","/_next/static/chunks/de880ec5a0241b38.js","/_next/static/chunks/48003610e91209eb.js","/_next/static/chunks/15a1b1fbd3cf7d4a.js","/_next/static/chunks/81ce7bf5f20dbd5a.js","/_next/static/chunks/53f751967ccc7d59.js","/_next/static/chunks/903c358828afe0bc.js","/_next/static/chunks/00da439d4db502cc.js","/_next/static/chunks/88bed98e5cd5e639.js"],"EpisodeTranscript"] 3d:["$","div",null,{"className":"flex flex-col gap-2 text-sm text-muted-foreground","children":[["$","span",null,{"className":"inline-flex items-center gap-2 bg-secondary/50 px-3 py-1 rounded-full","children":[["$","svg",null,{"className":"w-4 h-4","fill":"none","stroke":"currentColor","viewBox":"0 0 24 24","children":["$","path",null,{"strokeLinecap":"round","strokeLinejoin":"round","strokeWidth":2,"d":"M8 7V3m8 4V3m-9 8h10M5 21h14a2 2 0 002-2V7a2 2 0 00-2-2H5a2 2 0 00-2 2v12a2 2 0 002 2z"}]}],["$","time",null,{"dateTime":"2026-03-20T10:00:00.000Z","children":"Fri Mar 20 2026"}]]}],["$","p",null,{"className":"text-base text-foreground/80 leading-relaxed","children":"Move over, Ryan Gosling: Rocky the alien is the breakout star of the big-budget movie adaptation of \"Project Hail Mary.\""}]]}] 44:T544,

Science fiction nerds, rejoice: the long-awaited adaptation of “Project Hail Mary” is in theaters now. Host Flora Lichtman chats with book author Andy Weir and astrobiologist Mike Wong about the film’s aliens, and how they buck the trend of what extraterrestrials usually look like on screen.

Guest:

Andy Weir is the author of “Project Hail Mary” and “The Martian.”

Dr. Mike Wong is an astrobiologist and planetary scientist at Carnegie Science in Washington, D.C.

Transcripts for each episode are available within 1-3 days at sciencefriday.com.

Subscribe to this podcast. Plus, to stay updated on all things science, sign up for Science Friday's newsletters.

‘Project Hail Mary’ brings a new kind of alien to the big screen