The Upside-Down, Part 2

In part two of their series on 'upside down' themes, hosts Robert Lambert and Joe McCormick explore the cultural, biological, and psychological dimensions of inversion. They begin by revisiting Dante's Inferno, where the pilgrim experiences a sudden, disorienting reversal of up and down as he crawls down Satan's body, a moment that reflects medieval cosmology and later scientific shifts. The discussion then shifts to real-world upside-down creatures—bats, sloths, and the Filipino folkloric Alan—highlighting how evolution and myth both embrace inverted existence. The podcast delves into vampire mythology, referencing Bram Stoker’s Dracula and cinematic depictions like Francis Ford Coppola’s film, where Dracula crawls down castle walls face-first. They examine Japanese yokai such as the Tenjo Kudari and Tenjonami (ceiling licker), creatures tied to ceiling imagery and supernatural unease. The central scientific focus turns to astronauts in microgravity, where the absence of gravity disrupts the brain’s sense of up and down. Drawing on NASA research, they explain 'visual reorientation illusions' and the 'Spider-Man illusion,' where astronauts feel inverted despite no physical gravity. The inner ear’s otoliths, which detect gravity, become disoriented in space, leading to nausea and disorientation. However, the brain’s neuroplasticity allows adaptation over weeks, demonstrating both the rigidity and flexibility of human perception. The episode concludes with reflections on how our brains rely on visual and bodily cues to construct a stable sense of orientation—even in environments where gravity no longer applies.