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
Valentine’s Day Dedications (February 08, 2012) — Don’t look now, but Valentine’s Day is once again looming on the horizon. One of our most polarizing holidays, Valentine’s Day either reminds you of the seemingly endless frustrations of being single or, as with most of the listeners who shared stories for this edition of All Songs Considered, it’s a chance to celebrate love in all of its wonderfully unpredictable, beautifully diverse forms. On this week’s show, listeners dedicate songs to the ones they love. Hear music from Bjork,The XX, a classic tango from Carlos Gardel and more.
Book Reviews from The New York Times
Book Review Podcast (February 09, 2012) — This week, Nicholas Confessore discusses Charles Murray’s provocative new book about white America; Julie Bosman has notes from the field; Francine Prose talks about “At Last” by Edward St. Aubyn; and Gregory Cowles has best-seller news. Sam Tanenhaus is the host.
Book Review Podcast (February 03, 2012) — This week, Judith Newman discusses the real world behind “Downton Abbey”; Liesl Schillinger talks about Elizabeth Taylor’s feminist credentials; Julie Bosman has notes from the field; and Gregory Cowles has best-seller news. Sam Tanenhaus is the host.
Books Podcast from NPR
Living With Asperger’s, Surviving Slum Life in Mumbai, and more (February 09, 2012) — Stories in this episode: 1) ‘Best Practices’: Learning To Live With Asperger’s; 2) Is White, Working Class America ‘Coming Apart’?; 3) ‘Beautiful Forevers’: Surviving Slum Life In Mumbai; 4) Robert Harris, In ‘Fear’ Of A Financial Frankenstein 5) S’il-Vous-Plait: Raising Your ‘Bebe’ The French Way
Cuckoo’s Nest, Introverts and A Lively Ode to Happenstance (February 06, 2012) — Stories in this episode: 1) Bound Together: Breaking Those Toxic Family Ties; 2) Kesey’s ‘Cuckoo’s Nest’ Still Flying; 3) Tina Brown’s Must-Reads: Dictators; 4) Quiet, Please: Unleashing ‘The Power Of Introverts’; 5) ‘An Available Man’: Love After Loss; 6) Newspoet: Tracy K. Smith Writes The Day In Verse; 7) ‘How It All Began’: A Lively Ode To Happenstance
Brain Stuff from HowStuffWorks.com
Why can biting on aluminum foil be painful? (February 08, 2012) — When (dental) metal in your mouth comes in contact with aluminum foil, your teeth get a painful shock from the electricity produced. Marshall Brain explains how the voltaic effect plays out in your mouth in this episode.
Why is a popsicle called a quiescently frozen confection? (February 06, 2012) — Popsicles are also called “quiescently frozen confections” because of the way they’re frozen. Learn more about how flavored ice treats are made — and what distinguishes them from ice cream — in this episode.
How do people pull large objects with their teeth? (February 03, 2012) — Have you ever seen those folks that can pull a whole truck with their teeth? Tune in as Marshall Brain explains the physics behind pulling large objects with your teeth in this episode.
Culturetopia from NPR
Culturetopia: Jealous of My Boogie Edition (February 09, 2012) — This Week on Culturetopia: the queen who brought drag culture to the mainstream; the first movie to win a best picture Oscar; the director with not one but three new horror movies this year; the lost speech by Malcolm X; and the man who brought something radical to television: positive pictures of African-American teenagers
Pop Culture Happy Hour: ‘Smash’ Talk And Getting Serious About Reading (February 04, 2012) — This week on Pop Culture Happy Hour, NPR Monkey See’s Linda Holmes is joined by Stephen Thompson, Glen Weldon and Trey Graham for a discussion about the ups and downs of NBC’s new musical drama Smash. Then a chat with NPR.org’s new books editor about high literature, low literature, and how people read. All that plus What’s Making Us Happy this week.
NOVA on PBS
NOVA Minute: How to Speak Walrus (February 08, 2012) — Marine biologist Colleen Reichmuth says that few mammals can match the vocal talents of the walrus.
NOVA Minute: Whiz Kid (February 01, 2012) — In this episode, biochemist Erika Ebbel describes how a mentor helped her transform into a scientist when she was 11 years old.
PopStuff from HowStuffWorks.com
Did Movies Ruin Love? (February 08, 2012) — Do you believe in love at first sight? How about soul mates? Movies and TV shows certainly seem to. Holly and Tracy talk about whether movies are setting us up for failed romance, and about Tracy’s complicated relationship with the romantic comedy.
Urban Legends (February 06, 2012) — Razor-bladed apples, hooks dangling from car doors, alligators in the sewer … if you believe in urban legends, the world is overrun with danger. Tracy and Holly get to the bottom of where these stories come from and why we can’t stop sharing them.
Science Talk from Scientific American
More with Maryn: McKenna on Antibiotic Resistance (February 02, 2012) — In part 2 of our conversation with journalist and author Maryn McKenna, she talks about antibiotic resistance in agriculture and human health, MRSA, and offers a brief coda on the subject of fecal transplants.
Stuff To Blow Your Mind from HowStuffWorks.com
Can animals be gay? (February 09, 2012) — If you’ve ever pondered the existence of same-sex penguin couples, then this is the podcast for you. In this episode, Julie and Robert explore homosexuality among animals. Why does it exist? How much of our own human baggage do we drag into this question?
In the Lair of the Rat King (February 07, 2012) — In medieval Germany it was a dire omen of plague-ridden doom. Today, it remains more of a grotesque cultural reference. Join Robert and Julie as they enter the lair of the rat king, and prepare to be shocked by the reality of microbial rat kings.
Stuff You Missed in History Class from HowStuffWorks.com
The Booth Conspiracy (February 08, 2012) — Most people know the story of President Lincoln’s assassination, but what happened afterward? In this podcast, we cover John Wilkes Booth’s escape, his co-conspirators’ attacks against other officials and the strange connections between Booth and Lincoln.
Jack Johnson and the Fight of the Century (February 06, 2012) — During Jack Johnson’s time, the heavyweight championship was unofficially a whites-only title. Despite discrimination, he fought title-holder Tommy Burns in 1908. Johnson became the first black heavyweight champion, but some questioned his legitimacy.
Stuff You Should Know from HowStuffWorks.com
How Coral Reefs Work (February 09, 2012) — Coral reefs are the largest organic structures on Earth, yet they’re created through a symbiotic relationship between creatures about 3 millimeters long. Learn more about the the world’s coral reefs (and how to protect them) in this episode.
Pickpockets: Artists or Crooks? (February 07, 2012) — There aren’t many criminal pursuits that are as storied as pickpocketing, and some people fondly reminisce over its heyday. Learn why some consider pickpocketing an art form, how to protect yourself from this art and more in this episode.