Historian William Short watches and rates depictions of Viking combat in movies and TV shows.

He discusses Viking shield formations in "Vikings." He outlines brutal village raid tactics in "The Northman," starring Alexander Skarsgård, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Nicole Kidman. He breaks down how Vikings organized their troops in war in "How to Train Your Dragon," starring Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, and Jonah Hill; and "The Last Kingdom." He demonstrates how Vikings wielded their battle axes in "Vikings: Valhalla." He describes what Viking armor looked like in "Outlander," starring Jim Caviezel, Ron Perlman, and John Hurt. He explains how Vikings navigated and landed their ships in "The Long Ships," starring Sidney Poitier; and "Ironclad," starring Paul Giamatti, Kate Mara, and Brian Cox. He breaks down the distinct techniques used by archers in "Beowulf," starring Ray Winstone, Anthony Hopkins, and Angelina Jolie. Finally, he analyzes how Vikings fought at sea in "The Vikings," starring Kirk Douglas and Tony Curtis.

William Short is an independent scholar focusing on scientific research of all aspects of Viking history, particularly Viking combat. He is the manager of Hurstwic.

Paul M. Sutter shares the science behind movies and TV shows set in space.

He talks about string theory in "3 Body Problem." He discusses the portrayal of black holes in "Interstellar," starring Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, and Matt Damon. He deconstructs wormholes in "Contact," starring Jodie Foster; and "Event Horizon," starring Sam Neill and Laurence Fishburne. He breaks down how humans could feasibly get to Mars in "The Martian," starring Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, and Donald Glover. He explains how gravity assists work in "Armageddon," starring Ben Affleck, Bruce Willis, and Billy Bob Thornton. He describes how stars die in "Avengers: Infinity War," starring Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, and Chris Hemsworth; and "Sunshine," starring Cillian Murphy, Michelle Yeoh, and Rose Byrne. Finally, he examines cosmic voids in "Star Trek: Voyager."

Paul M. Sutter is a cosmologist and astrophysicist. He has written three books and serves as a NASA advisor. He also hosts the "Ask a Spaceman" podcast. You can check out his audio and video appearances on his website or YouTube channel.

Retired Green Beret David Harris rates portrayals of explosions in movies and TV shows.

He looks at how RPGs are employed in "Black Hawk Down," starring Josh Hartnett, Ewan McGregor, and Eric Bana; "Tropic Thunder," starring Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr., and Jack Black; and "White House Down," starring Jamie Foxx, Channing Tatum, and Maggie Gyllenhaal. He discusses the different ways to launch grenades in "Extraction II," starring Chris Hemsworth and Idris Elba; and "RRR," starring Ram Charan and N.T. Rama Rao Jr. He explains how landmines are activated in "Commando," starring Arnold Schwarzenegger; "Nobody," starring Bob Odenkirk, Christopher Lloyd, and RZA; and "Da 5 Bloods," starring Chadwick Boseman, Delroy Lindo, and Isiah Whitlock Jr. He answers whether you can stop a grenade by jumping on one in "Act of Valor." He talks about the effects of stun grenades in "The Town," starring Ben Affleck, Jeremy Renner, and Jon Hamm. Finally, he breaks down how airstrikes work in "We Were Soldiers," starring Mel Gibson, Sam Elliot, and Greg Kinnear.

David Harris served in the US Army for 20 years, including as a Special Forces weapons sergeant. He is the CEO of Harris Strategic Solutions, which provides tactical training to military and law enforcement members.

Find out more about David Harris and Harris Strategic Solutions here:

https://www.harrisstrategicsolutionsllc.com/about