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 Mix: Spiritualized, Jack White, Yuck And More (Wednesday, April 18, 2012) — It’s been a while since we heard new music from Spiritualized’s Jason Pierce (a.k.a. J Spaceman). After the one-two punch of nearly dying from double-pneumonia in 2005 and going through six months of chemotherapy for a degenerative liver disease, Pierce is back in a big way with “Hey Jane,” a chugging nine-minute song which draws from the classic rock of bands like The Velvet Underground. Also on this week’s show: a new blast of guitar from Jack White’s debut solo record, Blunderbuss; Yuck takes a try at shoegaze with its new song “Chew”; Timothy Presley (a.k.a. the insanely prolific White Fence) channels Syd Barrett for his psychedelic folk album Family Perfume Vol. 1; We Are Serenades creates beautiful harmonies in “Walking Home”; and a gorgeous song with a wistful message of loss and remembrance from Maps & Atlases.
Book Reviews from The New York Times
Book Review Podcast (Friday, April 20, 2012) — This week, Frank Langella discusses his new memoir; Julie Bosman has notes from the field; Kevin Young talks about his book The Grey Album; Andrew Delbanco on the essays of Marilynne Robinson; 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
What are electrolytes? (Friday, April 20, 2012) — What are electrolytes, and why do athletes and sick kids need them? Marshall Brain explains how ions and electrolytes work in your body in this episode.
What is Low-E glass? (Wednesday, April 18, 2012) — Low-emissivity (Low-E) glass is a special, expensive type that blocks out ultraviolet and infrared light. This coated glass can help protect your furniture and improve the energy efficiency of your home, as Marshall Brain explains in this episode.
How do self-winding watches work? (Monday, April 16, 2012) — Self-winding watches keep the time with the help of a piece of metal, gravity and the natural movement of your arm. Tune in to learn more about self-winding watches in this podcast from HowStuffWorks.com.
The Coolest Stuff on the Planet
The Unsinkable Titanic (Friday, April 20, 2012) — April 15 was the 100-year anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. Join Kathryn and Sara as they go to Belfast, Northern Ireland, where the Titanic was originally built. Come with us and explore all the secrets of the Titanic Belfast museum.
Culturetopia from NPR
Pop Culture Happy Hour: ‘Girls’ Edition, Women’s Edition (Friday, April 20, 2012) — This week on Pop Culture Happy Hour, NPR Monkey See’s Linda Holmes kicks out the boys, and brings in NPR’s Tanya Ballard Brown, Barrie Hardymon and Parul Sehgal for a special edition: It’s four women talking about four Girls — the new HBO series from Lena Dunham and Judd Apatow. Then a roundtable on what books the gang is reading right now. All that plus What’s Making Us Happy this week.
Film Junk
Episode 365: The Cabin in the Woods and Titanic 3D (Monday, April 16, 2012) — We get a husband bulge from The Cabin in the Woods and discuss Titanic 3D plus A Night to Remember, the Looper trailer, Indie Game: The Movie, Roadracers, American Reunion and U-Turn.
PopStuff from HowStuffWorks.com
The Art of the T-shirt (Wednesday, April 18, 2012) — Is a T-shirt just a thing to keep you from being naked, or is it art? How do graphics on T-shirts represent you, and how are Web sites opening the door to cottage industry? How do Tracy and Holly categorize their shirts, and do they own any crass ones?
When Trendy Foods Attack (Monday, April 16, 2012) — Cupcakes, bacon, sriracha. Food has trends, just like fashion. Why do some edibles garner nearly cult-like followings? Tracy and Holly talk about their favorite fashionable treats, and touch on a few that are on the way out of the spotlight.
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 with Alabama Shakes (Sunday, April 15, 2012) — They’re making waves in the music world. Now you can hear the Alabama Shakes perform their take on southern soul and rock live in our studio. And Nicki Minaj has gone to #1, but is the album worth your hard-earned dough?
Stuff To Blow Your Mind from HowStuffWorks.com
Voyager and the Scale of our Solar System (Thursday, April 19, 2012) — The Voyager probes continue their journey toward the edge of our solar system, but how much distance have they covered? In this episode, Julie and Robert wrestle with the scale of our solar system, from the atomic fires of our sun to the Ooort cloud.
The Odorous Language of Plants (Tuesday, April 17, 2012) — Do you speak the language of the carrots? From the screams of grass blades to the stink songs of carnivorous plants, the green kingdom is abuzz with the silent voices of plants. In this episode, Robert and Julie bend their ear to whispers in the leaves.
Stuff You Missed in History Class from HowStuffWorks.com
Who was the Great Imposter? (Wednesday, April 18, 2012) — Ferdinand Demara took on several bogus personas throughout his imposter career — everything from a professor to a monk. Demara stole the identities of regular people, and often performed their job duties. Tune in to learn more about the Great Imposter.
Who was the real Indiana Jones? (Monday, April 16, 2012) — Although Lucas and Spielberg claim Indiana Jones was only inspired by adventure movies and pulp fiction, people have still suggested real-life inspirations. Tune in to learn more about several contenders, including Roy Chapman Andrews and Otto Rahn.
Stuff You Should Know from HowStuffWorks.com
Social Security Numbers: Less Boring Than You’d Think (Thursday, April 19, 2012) — Do you know that up until July 2011 an ambitious hacker with a good software program could deduce your social security number based on your date and place of birth? In this episode, the boys examine some of the lesser-known details of the Social Security system in the U.S.
How Whaling Works (Tuesday, April 17, 2012) — Despite its embattled status as brutal and illegal, commercial whaling is a tradition that dates back 1,000 years and served as the economic engine of the Industrial Revolution. Join Josh and Chuck as they explore the whaling life then and now.
WNYC’s Radiolab
Shorts: Crossroads (Monday, April 16, 2012) — In this short, we go looking for the devil, and find ourselves tangled in a web of details surrounding one of the most haunting figures in music–a legendary guitarist whose shadowy life spawned a legend so powerful, it’s still being repeated…even by fans who don’t believe a word of it.