Last updated on April 27th, 2020
If you like Science Vs, Hidden Brain, StarTalk, or Ologies, you are in for a sci-treat. Science podcasts bring out the best of the niche nature of podcasting like no other genre. Why is everyone talking about AI? Got it! Is this warm November because of climate change? Here you go. Literally anything you can think of that is connected to the natural, chemical or scientific world can be found in podcasts right now. But this is not your science class with a microphone. Science podcasters are adding their quirky personalities and explaining things to us layman in a way that feels like your favorite flavor of ice cream on a hot summer day. Here are our favorite science podcasts to make you feel more in touch with the complex world we live in.
Put on your bibs because we are starting this science journey through your stomach. Cynthia Graber and Nicola Twilley celebrated their podversary recently and it is easy to see (and virtually taste) why their podcast has stood the test of podtime. Like many Pod CoHosting duos, one person had an idea for a podcast (Cynthia) and their friend said “not without me you’re not” (Nicola). Their idea of combining food, science and history into an audio experience was born and has flourished for five years. In this time they have covered aspects of this trifecta like how gold spoons make food taste creamier, a visit to a sourdough museum of over 100 samples and the history of Jack Daniels. Their September 2019 five year anniversary episode is the perfect way to start your trip to this science-food-history podtriangle of yumminess.
Listen: Apple Podcasts | Stitcher
Moving up the food chain, it’s time to talk dinosaurs with British Biologists Harvey Broadhurst & Adam Bakewell. They also cover astrobiology, neanderthals and whatever other sciencey type topics come into their inquisitive periphery. Although this dynamic duo is serious about their research, they are down to earth and rather silly in their discussions. Their episodes include science news like the fungus that was introduced into concrete to organically plug future cracks in the material, personal moments like when Harvey’s niece was born (and named Thea), meta updates on how their podcasting experience is going and much, much more. Harvey and Adam are two intelligent, quirky Researchers with a passion for sharing and learning. There is nothing generic about that. Note: the “generic” podcast name and the last sentence “generic” have totally different meanings.
Listen: Apple Podcasts | Stitcher
Like Generic Drift, Spark Science casts a wide science net but there is definitely an influence from Host Dr. Regina Barber DeGraaf’s areas of expertise of Astronomy, Physics and Science Communication. Episodes on the Mars Rover, The Difficulties and Triumphs of Space Travel and Life on Other Worlds are some prime examples. Regina is a no nonsense, intellectually interested person who asks intriguing questions and not only listens but engages with her guests on a deeper level than expected. Our starting episode recommendation demonstrates this connectivity perfectly, in fact. It is the Ken Liu: Talking Science & Fiction episode. During their conversation we can feel the gravitational and emotional pull already existing between them.
Listen: Apple Podcasts
But not all planetary bodies are experiencing joy. “We live in Climactic times” as Mark Spencer and Rich Bowden of the Climactic Podcast warn. Although Mark, a podcast listener since the age of 13, and Rich, his frequent Co-Host cover needed Australia and globally serious climate related topics, the overall tone of this science podcast is informative, caring, nurturing and friendly. From early episodes they have advocated for many people to share their climate stories and the response has been strong. The array of topics and guests are varied and impressive like NASA Geobiologist Dr. Darlene Lim and Director of New York City’s Climate Museum Miranda Massie and members of the international movement Extinction Rebellion. Essentially, they will have conversations with anyone, anywhere about any and all aspects of climate change, how it affects us and how we can change things. Mark and his climate crew are not defeatists. They are hopeful, practical and inviting. In fact, a great first episode to listen to is the Sci-Fight-Are Humans Worth Saving? Science Comedy Debates where Science Comedy Debates were held in the Science Gallery Melbourne to explore our hilarious but needing changing addiction to disposable things.
Listen: Apple Podcasts | Stitcher
Let’s move on now from tickling your climate funny bone to scratching your brain. There is no one better for this task than the Host of the Brain Science Podcast, Dr. Ginger Campbell, an emergency physician with a strong mind-body connection interest. Campbell started this science podcast in 2006 and as such you can imagine how many topics she has covered in that time period. To name a few: neurobiology, exercise and the brain, animal emotions, and vaccines. If this list of topics seems too nerdy for you then be assured that Campbell takes a very big picture approach to interviewing her guests. Although some of the science jargon they use is unavoidable, the explanations that come after them is extremely easy to follow. So much so that there are numerous reviews of the podcast from students, teachers and health practitioners who claim that this science podcast is what keeps them up to date in neuroscience, even though it is not their specialty. And if that isn’t reassuring enough, Campbell’s voice should be. Her soothing southern drawl adds an extra softening to the brainy content. There really isn’t an area of neuroscience that she hasn’t covered but thanks to our changing technological world, new areas have arisen organically, such as artificial intelligence (AI). In fact, episode 155 on AI is a good place to start your brain science podcast listening since this a blazing hot topic these days.
Listen: Apple Podcasts | Spotify
Speaking of AI, this newer podcast from Australia with James Wilson and Nigel Dalton is also a must listen. It is tempting with new technology to focus solely on the business potential and shy away from the tough ethical questions that need addressing but James and Nigel face them head on. What’s refreshing about this podcast is that there is a strong ethical thread through all of the episodes and it feels like James and Nigel have our best interests and futures in mind when they talk to their guests. This is an interview podcast with global experts in many aspects of Artificial Intelligence helping us understand exactly what AI is, how it is currently affecting us and how it will continue to shape our lives in the future. Automation, privacy, healthcare, chatbots, crispr, and biohacking are some of the topics they have covered so far in the podcast. As with previous science podcasts AI Australia conversations are informative and understandable for the layman. A good listening starting point is the More Than Chatbots episode because chatbots are already a large part of our daily lives.
Listen: Apple Podcasts | Stitcher
Another pervasive part of our daily lives are blood sucking insects and Science Communicator Raven Forrest Fruscalzo wants to make sure we have all the information on these potentially dangerous creatures. We and Nosotros because Raven publishes this science podcast in English and Spanish. Get ready for your skin to crawl because here is a list of some of the creatures she shares research about: fleas, ticks, mosquitos, carpenter ants, parasitic worms, and kissing bugs. Raven explains academic research on these creatures, diseases or harm they may inflict and the populations that are most affected by them. In fact, she spends quite a bit of time making us aware that many diseases that we do not know about transmitted by these creatures are not widely shared precisely because the population they effect are in poor regions of the world.And she wants that to change. The tsetse fly in Africa and the kissing bug in Latin America being two prime examples. But Raven is anything but pushy or judgemental, she is 100% intelligent, articulate and informed. A good starter episode is episode 7, where she explores if the situation that happened in the movie Outbreak could actually happen in real life. Be afraid or be informed, it’s your choice.
Listen: Apple Podcasts | Stitcher
ZSL, with “z” pronounced “zed”, from the Zoological Society of London moves us onto larger creatures in this podcast list. Research Fellow Dr. Monni Böhm helps us explore the Conservation Science side of the animal kingdom. Topics such as plastic’s impact on the animal kingdom, how electric animal tracking can help us protect endangered species, the impact of the urban environment on animals and what we can learn from indiginous communities are explored when Böhm interviews many other Researchers in varying parts of the Conservation Science space. This may sound terribly serious but the pangolins episode displays Böhm’s sense of humor by pairing a chat about pangolins with international wine day festivities. What’s a pangolin? Her guest describes it as an animal that looks like a combination of a dinosaur and a pine cone. When you Google pangolin you will understand why this is a great episode to start listening to ZSL Wild Science Podcast.
Listen: Apple Podcasts | Stitcher
We have spent quite a bit of time above ground so far in this list so let’s go underground with the help of this archeological trio. Former classmates from the University of Wyoming: Carlton Gover, Connor Johnen, and David Howe dig into this topic with vigor and humor. In fact, this science podcast almost deserves a comedy category it’s that funny. They are all clearly confident, intelligent and very good friends, as their archeological jargon and friendly but teasing banter suggests. And yet we can easily learn heaps about the field through their, as they say, ‘ridiculous stories’. A perfect starting episode is episode 6- Eat, Dig, Love: A Summer in the Ukraine. It will ruin you.
Listen: Apple Podcasts | Stitcher
Science classes in high school should be like Dope Labs. Scientists and best friends Titi and Zakiya are so comfortable in their science skin that they move from playful to deeply thought provoking and intelligent without batting an eyelash. “Science is for errybody” is their tagline and they mean it. They take viral conversations from the Internet and connect them to science. That’s it. It’s so simple, so beautifully simple. They have guests, ask interesting questions and keep the conversation flowing and funny. Lab 005: Wakanda Forever (they call episodes “labs”) is where they chat with Dr. James Kakilos about science for superheroes. The movie Black Panther and the element of power in it, vibranium, is extensively discussed in this episode, among other aspects of science and super heroes. Start listening here but be warned, don’t listen on the metro because you will be laughing too hard and people will look at you weird.
Listen: Spotify
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