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

New Music From Hot Chip, Dirty Projectors and More (Tuesday, April 10, 2012) — This week on All Songs Considered, Bob Boilen and Jacob Ganz go globe hopping to find new music from familiar faces: Canada’s Japandroids makes punk music that doesn’t only want to punch you in the face; New York’s Dirty Projectors mix familiar elements from different eras to create some completely new music; and we hear from London’s Hot Chip, those nerds who just wanna dance. Also on this episode: the return and revival of soul singer Bobby Womack, Peter Broderick’s sweeping tribute to artist Colin Kenniff, singer-songwriter Sarah Jaffe gets inspired by a set of pawn-shop drums, and tropical garage rock from the band Bayatas.

Book Reviews from The New York Times

Book Review Podcast (Friday, April 13, 2012) — This week, Michael Kranish and Scott Helman discuss their biography of Mitt Romney; Julie Bosman has notes from the field; Jeremy Denk talks about the sounds of nature; and Gregory Cowles has best-seller news. Sam Tanenhaus is the host.

Books Podcast from NPR

Teddy Roosevelt, YA Fiction and The Big Con (Monday, April 02, 2012) — Stories in this episode: 1) From Page To Screen: Hollywood Targets YA Fiction; 2) Teddy Roosevelt’s ‘Doomed’ War On New York Vice; 3) Secrets And Lies Overseas In ‘The Expats’; 4) ‘The Big Con’: If You Can’t Avoid It, Avenge It; 5) ‘Mysterious Benedict’: Solve A Puzzle, Save The World.

Brain Stuff from HowStuffWorks.com

Why do most zippers say ‘YKK’ on the pull-tab? (Friday, April 13, 2012) — Have you ever wondered why zippers often have the letters ‘YKK’ etched into them? Learn more about the Japanese company behind the tiny letters — and the zippers — in this episode.

Anti-reflective Coatings (Wednesday, April 11, 2012) — Anti-reflective coatings are used to eliminate any light reflective off the back of the lenses. Learn about anti-reflective coatings in this BrainStuff episode.

How much coal does a light bulb need to run for a year? (Monday, April 09, 2012) — How much coal do you need to run a 100-watt light bulb 24 hours a day for a year? The answer might surprised. Tune in and find out in this episode of BrainStuff.

The Coolest Stuff on the Planet

Take Me Away to The Seychelles (Friday, April 13, 2012) — Here’s the episode our hosts liked so much that we’re airing it twice: Where is this chain of 115 islands? Which ones are standouts to visit? What are some key things to consider while you’re on a sailing trip? Tune in to learn more about the Seychelles.

Culturetopia from NPR

Really Rich Culture And Things Made Just For Us (Friday, April 13, 2012) — This week on Pop Culture Happy Hour, NPR Monkey See’s Linda Holmes, Stephen Thompson, Glen Weldon and Trey Graham realize that because it’s tax time, it’s a good time to discuss the culture of the rich as portrayed in film, television and books — from the films of Whit Stillman and Wes Anderson to Arthur — both the original film with Dudley Moore and the recent remake. Then, a talk about the things in popular culture made “Just for Us” — opera, Jerry Maguire and Dr. Horrible. Plus, of course, What’s Making Us Happy this week.

Film Junk

Episode 364: The Hunter and 4:44 Last Day on Earth (Tuesday, April 03, 2012) — We double down on Dafoe with The Hunter and 4:44 Last Day on Earth, plus discussions about the Total Recall trailer, texting in theatres and Twins.

PopStuff from HowStuffWorks.com

Joss Whedon (Wednesday, April 11, 2012) — He creates worlds and characters that fans fall in love with, but what is it, really, about Joss Whedon’s work that’s so engaging? Can the soon-to-be-released film projects Cabin in the Woods and The Avengers draw us in with that same Whedon magic?

The Culture of Running (Monday, April 09, 2012) — Running continues to grow in popularity, but are all runners happy about that? Holly and Tracy talk about their experiences at races, their training, their gear and yes, their injuries, all while debating the merits of this hobby/sport/fitness regimen.

Science Talk from Scientific American

Food Poisoning’s Lasting Legacy (Wednesday, April 04, 2012) — Scientific American Science of Health columnist Maryn McKenna talks about the new understanding that food poisoning can have long-lasting negative health effects.

Sound Opinions

Sound Opinions Dissects Aretha Franklin’s Amazing Grace (Sunday, April 08, 2012) — It’s time to dissect Aretha Franklin’s classic album Amazing Grace, which turns 40 this year. Also, discover the outsider art of Willis Earl Beal.

Stuff To Blow Your Mind from HowStuffWorks.com

Illusions and Light (Friday, April 13, 2012) — The optical world we perceive is cast in illusion – and the properties of light itself dictate that reality. In this episode, Robert and Julie spin off a discussion of blue skies, sunlight and more.

The Seven Deadlies: Sloth (Tuesday, April 10, 2012) — When does mere laziness become moral failure? When does apathy descend into sloth? In this episode, Julie and Robert tackle one final deadly sin, traveling through both Dante’s purgatory and the neural pathways of the human mind.

Stuff You Missed in History Class from HowStuffWorks.com

Westward Bound: Beryl Markham’s Transatlantic Flight (Wednesday, April 11, 2012) — Beryl Markham was Africa’s first female licensed racehorse trainer, but by the 1920s she’d found a new passion: flying. She went on to  become Kenya’s first female commercial pilot, and by 1936 she was ready to fly solo across the Atlantic. Or was she?

The Heiress Explorer: Louise Boyd and the Arctic (Monday, April 09, 2012) — When gold mine heiress Louise Boyd staged her first Arctic expedition in the 1920s, she hunted polar bears with aristocrats. Yet she also met other explorers who encouraged her in more scientific pursuits. Listen in and learn more about her expeditions.

Stuff You Should Know from HowStuffWorks.com

Body Odor: You Stink (Wednesday, April 11, 2012) — Chuck and Josh end up making reduxes of past episodes on things like sweating and deodorant in this all-new episode on the science beneath what makes people smell. Learn all about your odor in this episode of Stuff You Should Know.

Was Atlantis a real place? (Tuesday, April 10, 2012) — While the search for Atlantis has been pushed to the fringes since the 19th century, archaeologists have quietly pursued cities that may have inspired Plato to fabricate the mythical city. It looks like a team in Greece has found it.

WNYC’s Radiolab

Guts (Monday, April 02, 2012) — This hour, we dive into the messy mystery in the middle of us. What’s going on down there? And what can the rumblings deep in our bellies tell us about ourselves?