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
Our Favorite Music Of The Year (So Far) (Tuesday, June 12, 2012) — This week on All Songs Considered, co-hosts Bob Boilen and Robin Hilton are joined by NPR Music’s Stephen Thompson and Ann Powers to take a step back, catch their breaths and consider the past six months of music. They share their favorite new artists, biggest surprises, favorite albums and songs of 2012, so far. This week’s show features a batch of poptimistic, feel-good songs (along with a few tracks better heard alone in a dark, quiet room.) These favorite songs of the year are not necessarily the most delicately crafted, but the “awesomeist” songs.
Book Reviews from The New York Times
Book Review Podcast (Thursday, June 14, 2012) — This week, Rachel Swarns talks about Michelle Obama’s family history; Julie Bosman has notes from the field; Dexter Filkins discusses Syria; and Gregory Cowles has best-seller news. Sam Tanenhaus is the host.
Books Podcast from NPR
Food Trucks, Audio Books and Three Books That Should Be Movies (Thursday, June 14, 2012) — Stories in this episode: 1) Book Party For One: A Loner’s Summer Survival Guide, 2) Audiobooks That’ll Make The Family Road Trip Fly By, 3) What Animals Can Teach Humans About Healing, 4) Screen Time: 3 Books That Should Be Movies, 5) Food Truck Cookbook Tracks Best Meals Served On Wheels
Brain Stuff from HowStuffWorks.com
How does asphalt work, and where does it come from? (Friday, June 15, 2012) — Asphalt is an extremely common, oil-derived material that’s used to pave a majority of roads in the United States. Tune in to learn more about asphalt.
What’s the most efficient way to mow your yard? (Wednesday, June 13, 2012) — There’s more than one way to mow a yard, but which is the most efficient? Tune in to this episode of BrainStuff to find out.
Is it harmful to breathe 100 percent oxygen? (Monday, June 11, 2012) — Oxygen is a necessary component of the air we breathe; but in its pure form, it can be hazardous to one’s health. Marshall Brain explains how breathing pure oxygen harms the human body in this episode.
The Coolest Stuff on the Planet
South Beach Beyond the Bacchanal (Friday, June 15, 2012) — Miami’s South Beach is a great place to catch some rays and party to the max. But did you also know there are lots of museums, memorials and cultural activities going on? South Beach is home to the largest collection of art deco buildings in the world.
Culturetopia from NPR
A Week In Theater And A Day To Appreciate Dads (Friday, June 15, 2012) — This week on Pop Culture Happy Hour, NPR Monkey See blogger Linda Holmes joins Stephen Thompson, Glen Weldon and Trey Graham for a discussion about what worked and didn’t work at the Tony Awards and how theater is changing. Then a talk about pop-culture dads from Death Of A Salesman to The Simpsons to Roseanne. All that plus, What’s Making Us Happy this week.
Film Junk
Episode 372: Prometheus (Monday, June 11, 2012) — We argue over the intelligent design behind Prometheus and discuss the previous Alien movies, plus Leviathan, Wanderlust, White Squall and the Django Unchained trailer.
PopStuff from HowStuffWorks.com
Dealbreakers (Wednesday, June 13, 2012) — Do you have a non-negotiable thing that would cause you to ditch an otherwise good relationship? In this episode, Tracy and Holly share their dealbreaker lists and marvel at the rules people set up when searching for the perfect mate.
Let’s Go to Camp! (Monday, June 11, 2012) — Is summer camp like it is in the movies? Neither Tracy nor Holly went to camp in the standard sense, but they sure are curious about it. Is it just a place to keep kids occupied and let them spread their wings when school’s out, or is there more to it?
Science Talk from Scientific American
The Transit of Venus, Part 2 (Thursday, May 31, 2012) — Mark Anderson, author of the book The Day The World Discovered the Sun, talks about the transit of Venus coming up on June 5th or 6th in different parts of the world and how it will be of use to astronomers searching for exoplanets
The Transit of Venus, Part 1 (Wednesday, May 30, 2012) — With a transit of Venus coming up on June 5th or 6th in different parts of the world, Mark Anderson, author of the book The Day The World Discovered the Sun, talks about the great efforts to track the transits of Venus in the 1760s and the science they would produce.
Sound Opinions
Sound Opinions on Electronic Dance Music (Sunday, June 10, 2012) — This week, Jim and Greg break out the glow sticks. Tune in for a primer on electronic dance music (EDM) with Control Voltage writer Philip Sherburne. Plus, a review of the new album from nineties alt-rockers Garbage.
Stuff To Blow Your Mind from HowStuffWorks.com
The Horror (Thursday, June 14, 2012) — Why do we enjoy scary movies or a stroll through a haunted house? How is our response colored by our genes, evolution and culture? In this episode, Julie and Robert take a close look at what scares us and why we’re so addicted to terror.
The Bad Seed (Tuesday, June 12, 2012) — Tales of the enfant terrible have been with us for ages, terrifying us with the notion that strangeness in children portends something darker. But what does science have to say on the matter? Can children be psychopaths? If so, is there any hope for them?
Stuff You Missed in History Class from HowStuffWorks.com
The Death of Poe (Wednesday, June 13, 2012) — In 1849, Edgar Allan Poe disappeared for five days before he was found semi-conscious outside of a saloon. He died four days later, presumably from alcohol abuse. Over the years, many alternate cause-of-death theories have emerged. Which is most likely?
William Kidd: A Pirate’s Rep for Me (Monday, June 11, 2012) — William Kidd had settled down by 1695, but privateering was still in his blood. He struck up a plan to attack pirates plaguing English ships and enlisted investors to back his efforts. Eventually he was declared a pirate. But did he deserve the label?
Stuff You Should Know from HowStuffWorks.com
Whatever happened to acid rain? (Thursday, June 14, 2012) — Along with the hole in the ozone layer, acid rain was one of the first international environmental threats. It’s fallen to the wayside in the face of climate change, but we have yet to lick it. Join Chuck and Josh as they revive the 80s drumbeat.
Should we have a fat tax? (Tuesday, June 12, 2012) — The concept of fighting unhealthy behavior like overeating by taxing unhealthy food has been around since 1994. But as the debate over a fat tax rages on in the U.S., Europe has begun to institute them and there’s talk of taxing overweight people as well.
WNYC’s Radiolab
Shorts: Grumpy Old Terrorists (Monday, June 04, 2012) — While working on The Bad Show, producer Pat Walters ran across some recordings that spooked him–partly because they seemed like they had to be a big joke…and partly because, at the same time, they sounded so deadly serious. In this short, Jad & Robert try to decide how to feel.