Welcome to Podcast Friday!, a weekly compilation of some of the more interesting podcasts from around the web, listed right here for your listening pleasure!
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All Songs Considered from NPR
The Most Important Band Of Your College Years (Wednesday, September 05, 2012) — Few bands seem to matter to us as much as the ones we discover in our youth. It may be, in part, because we’re the most open to new ideas and sounds when we’re coming of age. But mostly it’s just a time when we need the comfort and companionship of a favorite band the most – a group or artist that helps us make sense of the world and find our place in it. On this edition of All Songs Considered, we share some of the stories and the bands that made a difference in people’s lives when they needed it most.
Book Reviews from The New York Times
Book Review Podcast (Friday, September 07, 2012) — This week, Jennifer Egan discusses Michael Chabon’s Telegraph Avenue; Parul Sehgal on the flood of important fiction this fall; Daniel Smith talks about his book Monkey Mind: A Memoir of Anxiety; and Gregory Cowles has best-seller news. Sam Tanenhaus is the host.
Books Podcast from NPR
NPR: 09-06-2012 Books (Thursday, September 06, 2012) — 1) The Writer Who Was The Voice Of A Generation 2) ‘Children Succeed’ With Character, Not Test Scores 3) Same Streets, Different Lives In ‘NW’ London 4) Behind The Lens With Obama’s ‘First Cameraman’
Brain Stuff from HowStuffWorks.com
What causes poison ivy blisters? (Friday, September 07, 2012) — When people get a rash from poison ivy, their bodies are reacting to a chemical called urushiol. Check out this HowStuffWorks podcast to learn more about poison ivy rashes.
What is an MRE? (Wednesday, September 05, 2012) — An MRE — or meal ready to eat — contains precooked, sterilized food originally made to nourish soldiers. Check out this HowStuffWorks podcast to learn more about the retort packaging that makes MREs possible.
Where did the potato chip come from? (Monday, September 03, 2012) — Potato chips were invented in 1853 by an American cook named George Crum, and they’ve been a popular food item ever since. Learn more about George Crum and the evolution of the potato chip in this episode of BrainStuff.
The Coolest Stuff on the Planet
Cruising through Curacao (Friday, September 07, 2012) — Where is Curacao and does it have any connection to that bright blue liqueur? Why does the average citizen know 4 languages? What is the Museum Kurá Hulanda? Listen in to learn more.
Culturetopia from NPR
How Long Is Too Long? (Friday, September 07, 2012) — This week on Pop Culture Happy Hour, NPR Monkey See’s Linda Holmes, Trey Graham, Stephen Thompson and Glen Weldon discuss various forms of entertainment (books, movies, music, TV) and their respective standard lengths. From The Hobbit to Hamlet, from Breaking Bad to Top Chef, how long is “too long” and why? Also, Linda concocts a quirky quiz. All that, plus What’s Making Us Happy this week.
Film Junk
Episode 384: Lawless (Sunday, September 02, 2012) — We get drunk on Lawless and discuss the new trailer for Chinese Zodiac plus Compliance, The Ambassador, The Darkest Hour, The Newton Boys, Eight Men Out, Kill List and New Jack City.
PopStuff from HowStuffWorks.com
PopStuff’s 100th Episode 100th Episode (Wednesday, September 05, 2012) — It’s our 100th episode! To celebrate, Tracy and Holly are dishing on television shows that also hit the same milestone, and they’re wondering why they didn’t think to bring cake.
Autocorrect and the Cupertino Effect (Monday, September 03, 2012) — While autocorrect can be helpful, it’s far from perfect. Those automated corrections can change the entire meaning of a text — and the results aren’t always pretty. Join Tracy and Holly as they explore the pros and cons of of automated text correction.
Science Talk from Scientific American
The Flynn Effect: Modernity Made Us Smarter (Monday, August 20, 2012) — James Flynn studies intelligence at the University of Otago in New Zealand. And he features prominently in an article called “Can We Keep Getting Smarter?” in the September issue of Scientific American magazine. Back on July 10, Flynn visited the SA offices, where he chatted with a group of editors.
Sound Opinions
Sound Opinions on the Elephant 6 Collective (Sunday, September 02, 2012) — Jim and Greg revisit their conversation with The Apples in Stereo’s Robert Schneider about the Elephant 6 recording collective. Plus, they review Anastasis, the new record from longtime 4AD band Dead Can Dance.
Stuff To Blow Your Mind from HowStuffWorks.com
The King-sized World of Gigantism (Thursday, September 06, 2012) — Finally, a podcast about Andre the Giant, dinosaurs and Nuralagus rex the bunny king. In this episode, Julie and Robert discuss gigantism. What causes some humans to become giants? Why are island ecosystems like Wonderland? Tune in to learn more.
Hear The Mermaids Singing (Tuesday, September 04, 2012) — Humans have dreamed of mermaids for ages, but is there any substance to these myths? Is the aquatic ape theory more than just a tale for lonely sailors? Join Robert and Julie as they cast their science net and reel in something half-human and half-fish.
Stuff You Missed in History Class from HowStuffWorks.com
Codes! Axis Cryptography in World War II (Wednesday, September 05, 2012) — In this special episode co-hosted by TechStuff’s Jonathan Strickland, the focus is on the codes, cipher machines, and cryptologists of World War II. Tune in to learn more about the Enigma Machine, Alan Turing, Code Talkers and more.
The Radium Girls (Monday, September 03, 2012) — Between in 1917, hundreds of women got jobs applying radium-treated paint to various products. Many experienced severe health problems. Five former workers decided to sue the U.S. Radium corporation, and faced a campaign of misinformation.
Stuff You Should Know from HowStuffWorks.com
Bioluminescence: A Bright and Shiny Fish (Thursday, September 06, 2012) — Science has a handle on fireflies and glowworms, but most bioluminescent animals live in the ocean and are tough to study. Today, researchers are still figuring out why some animals produce light. Dive with Josh and Chuck into this illuminating topic.
Can you test a nuclear weapon without a fallout? (Tuesday, September 04, 2012) — Over the course of human existence, thousands of nuclear weapons have been exploded on Earth and in space. With all of those tests, one can’t help but wonder how much fallout has been produced. Learn the tricks of the nuke-testing trade in this episode.
WNYC’s Radiolab
Shorts: Inside “Ouch!” (Tuesday, August 28, 2012) — Pain is a fundamental part of life, and often a very lonely part. Doctors want to understand their patients’ pain, and we all want to understand the suffering of our friends, relatives, or spouses. But pinning down another person’s hurt is a slippery business.