Field Notes: Unopened Puzzles, Comet Vomit, and the Bucket Theory of Humanity

Overview

The Rest Is Science and Hannah Fry share a set of items they've kept sealed for years, including a solved three color pentomino puzzle, a vial of comet smell, and a preserved movie prop from Wet Hot American Summer. The discussion weaves together memory, curiosity, and quirky science artifacts that illustrate how containers and puzzles shape human civilization.

Key insights

• Solvable puzzles can still be tantalizing when kept sealed to preserve challenge
• Comet tail chemistry can be simulated in a sealed vial, sparking questions about space scents
• Movie props can become prized collectibles tied to personal experience
• The container as a symbol for civilization links Marilyn French and Ursula Le Guin
• Personal reflections on memory, aging, and future self‑discovery round out the show

Introduction to Field Notes

The episode centers on objects the hosts own but have not engaged with directly for a long time. What unites them is not a theme of consumption but a theme of curiosity and memory. The first object is a visually striking, solved three color pentomino puzzle from Physics Fun, enclosed in a wooden, envelope‑sized laser cut case. The pieces are acrylic, flat shapes each composed of five squares, designed to fit into a rectangular frame. They come in three colors yellow, green, and blue, with a challenge that identical colors should not touch. The puzzle is intentionally left wrapped, so the solution on the cover cannot be seen, preserving the difficulty the host feels could be compromised by peeking.

Item 1: The Pentomino Puzzle

The host explains pentomino shapes and the general idea of fitting all pieces into a frame. The discussion expands to how memory might influence puzzle solving when the solution is visible, and how the memory of that solution could ruin future attempts. The puzzle is described as a border‑frame puzzle with each pentomino piece consisting of five squares, including familiar shapes like a line, a cross, an S shape, various Ts and Ls. The host muses about the possibility of solving it during a flight, treating it as a portable distraction that also functions as a display piece when not in use.

Item 2: Comet Vomit

The second item is a sealed blister pack labeled comet vomit. Inside is a turquoise vial with a white cap containing chemicals described as a comet smell captured from what NASA identifies in a comet tail. The host explains that the smell comes from tail gases and ices, which have distinctive compounds detectable by humans. The packaging warns against ingestion or skin contact and that it is flammable. The host reveals she bought two of these, intending not to open the second to preserve its collectible nature, while acknowledging the first has been smelled on camera in a prior video.

Item 3: Wet Hot American Summer Can

The third item is a nonvisual movie prop: a can of vegetables used in the film Wet Hot American Summer, repurposed as a museum prop with a label from Best Buy dated December 2015. The can is reportedly full but not necessarily edible, and there is curiosity about what exactly is inside. The can has aged and is described as having corrosion around the lid, but the contents are unknown. A humorous moment arises when a challenge is floated about opening it to eat the contents if the video achieves a high enough engagement, with the host ultimately declining to break the seal on camera.

Philosophical pivot: the Container and Civilization

Transitioning from physical objects to ideas, the conversation turns to Marilyn French’s concept that the container is a fundamental driver of human civilization. The Carrier Bag Theory of Fiction, discussed here through the lens of Ursula Le Guin, argues that containers enabled early humans to gather and share resources, enabling complex social structures, currency, and governance. The hosts reflect on the archeological evidence suggesting that containers appeared hundreds of thousands of years ago and that our reliance on containers has shaped who we are as a species. The discussion broadens to present tense questions about the material culture we leave behind and how future historians might perceive our plastic bags and packaging.

Other Reflections and Audience Questions

Towards the end, the hosts discuss a viewer question about the neurological effects of anesthesia and waking experiences, exploring emergence delirium and language recall after anesthesia. They consider examples from medical literature about waking with foreign language fluency or partial language impairment and how unconscious cognitive processes might reveal hidden memory networks. The episode closes with a reflection on personal artifacts that mark time, such as a bottle of rum from a 21st birthday kept for decades with a plan to drink it on a future milestone and a brief nod to reading and self‑perception across the years.

Takeaway

The episode blends science, memory, and culture through everyday curiosities. It highlights how sealed objects can protect memory and mystery, how space chemistry can be simulated in a container, and how containers historically shaped human civilization, offering a playful meditation on curiosity and the enduring value of scientific artifacts.