Ed Lake's list of interesting
podcasts
Created: Nov. 17, 2020 Last changed: April 9, 2023
Podcasts are like radio talk shows, except that they are
recorded,
and you can listen to them on your computer or on an MP3
player.
Anyone interested in
almost any subject should be able to
find a podcast that discusses that
subject. My favorite subjects
are science, history, current affairs, comedy
and show business.
Here are my top 10 favorite podcasts:
#1: The Infinite Monkey Cage
Subject:
science (but also very funny)
Hosts: Brian Cox (scientist) and Robin Ince (comedian)
Site: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00snr0w/episodes/downloads
#2: Everything Everywhere Daily
Subject: History and Technology
Host: Gary Arndt
Site: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/5si6h-d801e/Everything-Everywhere-Daily-Podcast
Alternate: https://podbay.fm/p/everything-everywhere-daily
Official site with transcripts: https://everything-everywhere.com/everything-everywhere-daily-podcast/
#3: Big Picture Science
Subject: science
Hosts: Seth Shostak (astronomer) and Molly Bentley (science journalist)
Site: https://bigpicturescience.org/episodes
#4: Spacenuts
Subject: astronomy (but with humor)
Hosts: Fred Watson (astronomer) Andrew Dunkley (journalist)
Site: https://player.fm/series/2381510
Alternate site: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/x9gsu-200119/Space-Nuts-Podcast
Another alternate: https://podbay.fm/p/space-nuts
#5: Astronomy Cast
Subject: Astronomy (mostly)
Hosts: Fraser Cain (publisher of Universe Today) and Pamela Gay
(astronomer)
Site: http://www.astronomycast.com/podcasts/
#6:
Sam
Harris (Making
Sense)
Subject: Current
affairs
Host: Sam
Harris
Site: https://wakingup.libsyn.com/podcast
Alternate
site: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/e2n53-2f024/Making-Sense-with-Sam-Harris-Podcast
#7: Are We There
Yet?
Subject: Astronomy & Science
Host: Brendan Byrne
Site: https://www.npr.org/podcasts/470937634/are-we-there-yet
#8: Planetary
Radio
Subject: Space
Exploration, Astronomy
& Science
Host: Mat Kaplan
Site: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/show
Alternate: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/ckf69-1f865f/Planetary-Radio-Space-Exploration-Astronomy-and-Science-Podcast
2nd alternate: https://podbay.fm/p/planetary-radio-space-exploration-astronomy-and-science
#9:
Something
You Should
Know
Subject: Psychology
Host:
Mike
Carruthers
Site: https://podbay.fm/p/something-you-should-know
Main site: https://www.somethingyoushouldknow.net/
Alternate: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/zsz6n-489cc/Something-You-Should-Know-Podcast
#10: You Are Not So Smart
Subject: Psychology
Host: David McRaney
Site: https://youarenotsosmart.com/podcast/
Alternate:
https://podbay.fm/p/you-are-not-so-smart
2nd alternate: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/chvy2-2f23d/You-Are-Not-So-Smart-Podcast
Excellent
episode about Flat Earthers: https://youarenotsosmart.com/2019/04/09/yanss-151-what-we-can-learn-about-our-own-beliefs-biases-and-motivated-reasoning-from-the-community-of-people-who-are-certain-the-earth-is-flat/
And here are other podcasts in alphabetical
order that I also
occasionally listen to and may sometimes
recommend:
AAAS Science
Subject: Science & Current Affairs
Host: Sarah Crespi & others
(journalists)
Site: https://www.sciencemag.org/podcasts
Alternate site: https://podbay.fm/p/science-magazine-podcast
The Al Franken Podcast
Subject: Politics and Humor
Host: Al Franken
Site: https://alfranken.com/listen
American History Tellers
Subject: History
Host: Lindsay Graham
Site: https://www.audacy.com/podcasts/american-history-tellers-22998
American
Scandal
Subject: History
Host: Lindsay Graham
Site: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/zv3p3-75bfe/American-Scandal-Podcast
Alternate site: https://podbay.fm/p/american-scandal
The Ancient World
Subject: History
Host: Scott Chesworth
Site: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/h3g82-2f28f/The-Ancient-World-Podcast
Armchair Expert
Subject: Interviews
Host: Dax Shepard
Site: https://armchairexpertpod.com/pods
Astronomy Daily
Subject: Astronomy & Science
Host: Andrew Dunkley
Site: https://spacenutspodcast.com/podcast/astronomy-daily-the-podcast
Alternate site: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/spsxy-27d82a/Astronomy-Daily---The-Podcast
2nd Alternate: https://podbay.fm/p/astronomy-daily-the-podcast
Build for Tomorrow
Subject: Technology
Host: Jason Feifer
Site: https://www.jasonfeifer.com/build-for-tomorrow/
Alternate Site: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/93zaw-441cd/Build-For-Tomorrow-Podcast
Cautionary Tales
Subject: History
Host: Tim Harford
Site: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/6a2yj-a7c78/Cautionary-Tales-with-Tim-Harford-Podcast
Club Random
Subject: Interviews
Host: Bill Maher
Site: https://www.audacy.com/podcasts/club-random-with-bill-maher-99478
Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend
Subject: Interviews
Host: Conan O'Brien
Site: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/59sqc-776e8/Conan-O%E2%80%99Brien-Needs-A-Friend-Podcast
Daniel
and Jorge
Explain The
Universe
Subject: Science
Hosts: Daniel
Whiteson and
Jorge Cham
Site: https://player.fm/series/daniel-and-jorge-explain-the-universe-2445537
DarkHorse Podcast
Subject: Natural Sciences
Hosts: Bret Weinstein and Heather Heying
Site: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/zfqt3-9861f/Bret-Weinstein-%7C-DarkHorse-Podcast
Deep Questions
Subject: Society and technology
Host: Cal Newport
Site: https://www.calnewport.com/podcast/
Alternate site: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/tkmwd-d094a/Deep-Questions-with-Cal-Newport-Podcast
The Dollop
Subject: history (mostly)
Hosts: Dave Anthony and Gareth Reynolds (comedians)
Site: https://allthingscomedy.com/podcast/the-dollop
Alternate site: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/2qexe-a3cd8/The-Dollop-with-Dave-Anthony-and-Gareth-Reynolds-Podcast
5 Live
Science Podcast
Subject: Science
Host: Dr. Chris Smith
Site: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02pc9ny/episodes/downloads
Fly on the Wall
Subject: Interviews
Hosts: Dana Carvey and David Spade (comedians)
Site: https://www.audacy.com/podcasts/fly-on-the-wall-70856
Here's the Thing
Subject: Interviews
Host: Alec Baldwin
Site: https://feeds.megaphone.fm/HSW7089903000
History Daily
Subject: History
Host: Lindsay Graham
Site: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/pkzij-22e72a/History-Daily-Podcast
Alternate site: https://podbay.fm/p/history-daily
History of the Second World War
Subject: World War II
Host: Wesley Livesay
Site: http://historyofthesecondworldwar.com/
Alternate site: https://podbay.fm/p/history-of-the-second-world-war
The History of World War II
Subject: World War II
Host: Ray Harris, Jr.
Site: https://worldwariipodcast.net/
Alternate site: https://podbay.fm/p/the-history-of-wwii-podcast-by-ray-harris-jr
In Our Time
Subject: History
Host: Melvyn Bragg & Guests
Site: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qykl/episodes/downloads?page=1
Inside Out with Paul Mecurio
Subject: Interviews
Host: Paul Mercurio
Site: https://player.fm/series/inside-out-with-paul-mecurio
Into The Impossible
Subject: Science & Physics
Host: Brian Keating
Site: https://player.fm/series/1294742
Joe Rogan
Subject: Interviews
Host: Joe Rogan
Site: https://www.joerogan.com/
Only available on Spotify
where you have to pay to listen.
The Jordan Harbinger
Show
Subject: Self
Help?
Host: Jordan Harbinger
Site: https://www.jordanharbinger.com/podcasts/
Alternate site: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/26nqb-653bb/The-Jordan-Harbinger-Show-Podcast
Jordan Klepper Fingers the Conspiracy
Subject: Conspiracy Theories
Host: Jordan Klepper
Site: https://podbay.fm/p/klepper
The Langley Files: A CIA Podcast
Subject: The CIA
Hosts: Dee and Walter
Site: https://player.fm/series/the-langley-files-a-cia-podcast
Lex Fridman
Subject: Science, history,
technology, psychology, etc.
Host: Lex Fridman (MIT AI research scientist)
Site: https://lexfridman.com/podcast/
Alternate
site: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/bx2gm-d974a/Lex-Fridman-Podcast
Maritime
History
Subject: History
Host: Brandon Huebner
Site: http://maritimehistorypodcast.com/episodes-maritime-history-podcast/
The Naked
Scientists
Subject: Science
Hosts: Dr. Chris Smith and Adam Murphy
Site: https://www.thenakedscientists.com/science-podcasts
Alternate site: https://podbay.fm/p/the-naked-scientists-podcast
Alternate
site: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/d3rp7-48d2/The-Naked-Scientists-Podcast
One Strange Thing podcast
Subject: History
Host:
Site: https://www.onestrangethingpodcast.com/
Alternate site: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/vjvx3-df062/One-Strange-Thing-Podcast
2nd Alternate site: https://podbay.fm/p/one-strange-thing
Origins
Subject: Science & Current Affairs
Host: Laurence Krauss (theoretical physicist)
Site: https://player.fm/series/the-origins-podcast-with-lawrence-krauss
Alternate site: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/m6hus-25c274/The-Origins-Podcast-with-Lawrence-Krauss
Pod Save America
Subject: Current Affairs
Hosts: Jon Favreau, Daniel Pfeiffer, Jon Lovett, Tommy Vietor
Site: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/sbmau-4b08c/Pod-Save-America-Podcast
Alternate site: https://podbay.fm/p/pod-save-america
Point of Inquiry
Subject: History & Current Affairs
Hosts: Jim Underdown & Leighann Lord
Site: https://pointofinquiry.org/all-episodes/
Alternate site: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/4stpf-48dd/Point-of-Inquiry-Podcast
Probably Science
Subject: Science
Hosts: Matt Kirshen & Andy Wood
Site: http://www.probablyscience.com/
Alternate site: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/s5aj6-3c05a/Probably-Science-Podcast
Profoundly Pointless
Subject: Society & Culture
Host: Nick VinZant
Site: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/f7nsm-1b7614/Profoundly-Pointless-Podcast
PNAS Science Sessions
Subject: Science
Host: Various
Site: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/78qr8-a16dd/PNAS-Science-Sessions-Podcast
RadioLab
Subject: current
affairs (and
science)
Hosts: Jad
Abumrad and
Robert
Krulwich
Site: https://www.npr.org/podcasts/452538884/radiolab
Alternate
site: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/2y4gr-6dda/Radiolab-Podcast
Ridiculous History
Subject: History
Hosts: Ben Bowlin & Noel Brown
Site: https://www.audacy.com/podcasts/ridiculous-history-21435
Alternate site: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/4rdih-5e1ff/Ridiculous-History-Podcast
Revisionist History
Subject: History
Host: Malcolm Gladwell
Site: https://feeds.megaphone.fm/revisionisthistory
Science for the People
Subject: Science
Host: Rachelle Saunders
Site: http://www.scienceforthepeople.ca/episodes
Alternate site: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/57tyd-33f93/Science-for-the-People-Podcast
Science in Action
Subject: Science
Host: BBC
Site: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/5mye8-37ed5/Science-In-Action-Podcast
The Science of Everything Podcast
Subject: Science
Host: James Fodor (student)
Site: https://fods12.podbean.com/
The Science Show
Subject: Science
Host:
Site: https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/scienceshow/feed/2885480/podcast.xml
Alternate site: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/syth8-48e2/The-Science-Show-Podcast
2nd alternate: https://podbay.fm/p/the-science-show-full-program-podcast
Science Vs.
Subject: Science
Hosts: Alex Blumberg and Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson.
Site: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/dbs97-399ab/Science-Vs-Podcast
Sean Carroll's Mindscape Podcast
Subject: Science, Psychology, Interviews
Host: Sean Carroll (Cal-Tech theoretical physicist)
Site:
https://www.preposterousuniverse.com/podcast/
Shirtloads of Science
Subject: Science
Host: Dr. Karl
Site: https://shirtloadsofscience.libsyn.com/
Alternate site: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/gn3ab-4788e/Shirtloads-of-Science-Podcast
The
Skeptic's
Guide to the
Universe
Subject: Science
(mostly)
Host: Various
scientists and
writers
Site:
https://www.theskepticsguide.org/podcasts
Alternate
site: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/r2i5v-2f239/The-Skeptics'-Guide-to-the-Universe-Podcast
Slate Political Gabfest
Subject: Politics
Hosts: David Plotz, Emily Bazelon,
John Dickerson
Site: https://slate.com/podcasts/political-gabfest
Alternate site: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/s35et-472c/Political-Gabfest-Podcast
SmartLess
Subject: Interviews
Hosts: Jason
Bateman, Sean Hayes, & Will
Arnett
Site: https://www.radio.com/podcasts/smartless-40278
Spark and Fire Podcast
Subject: Creativity
Host: June Cohen
Site: https://sparkandfire.com/
Alternative site: https://podbay.fm/p/spark-and-fire
Alternative site: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/7p4ee-17f201/Spark--Fire-Fuel-Your-Creativity-Podcast
Strange Planet podcast
Subject: Science
Hosts: Richard Syrett
Site: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/e5tmm-191c02/Richard-Syrett's-Strange-Planet-Podcast
Stuff They Don't Want You to
Know
Subject: Conspiracies
Hosts: Ben Bowlin, Matt Frederick &
Noel Brown
Site: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/u5vci-2f27b/Stuff-They-Don't-Want-You-To-Know-Podcast
Stuff
to Blow Your Mind
Subject:
Life Sciences
Hosts: Robert Lamb and
Joe McCormick
Site: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/hvgx5-1177c/Stuff-To-Blow-Your-Mind-Podcast
Stuff You
Missed in History Class
Subject: History
Hosts: Holly Frey & Tracy Wilson
Site: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/c6maj-11774/Stuff-You-Missed-in-History-Class-Podcast
Stuff
You Should
Know
Subject: Science,
history,
society and
culture
Hosts: Josh
Clark &
Chuck Bryant
Site: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/5th9c-caf0/Stuff-You-Should-Know-Podcast
TED Tech
Subject: Technology
Host:
Site: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/gytwh-20fea/TED-Tech-Podcast
Tim Ferriss
Subject: Various
Host: Tim Ferriss
Site: https://tim.blog/podcast/#new-episodes
Alternate site: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/pjmfb-2ef49/The-Tim-Ferriss-Show-Podcast
This Week in
Science
Subject: Science
Host:
Site: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/9zqxd-2f26e/This-Week-in-Science-%E2%80%93-The-Kickass-Science-Podcast
Wired
Science
Subject: Science
Host: Wired
Magazine
Site: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/w3fyq-45082/WIRED-Science-Space-Health-Biotech-and-More-Podcast
Alternate: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/wired-science-space-health-bio-220345/episodes/recent
WTF with Marc Maron podcast
Subject: Interviews
Host: Marc Maron (comedian)
Site:
https://podbay.fm/podcast/329875043
Key
podcast: Barack Obama:
**** http://www.wtfpod.com/podcast/episodes/episode_613_-_president_barack_obama
You are good
Subject: Movies
Host: Alex Steed & Sarah Marshall
Site: https://www.podpage.com/you-are-good/
Alternate site:https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/5id8u-e0924/You-Are-Good-Podcast
You're wrong about
Subject: History
Site: https://yourewrongabout.buzzsprout.com/
Alternate site: https://podbay.fm/p/youre-wrong-about
-----host sites to search--------
Best: https://podbay.fm/
2nd:
https://www.podbean.com/
---------------------------------------
And, if you what some history in a different form, you
can download old time
radio shows in MP3 format, everything from Dragnet to
Fibber McGee and Molly.
Site: http://www.radioechoes.com/?page=alpha
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