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
Dan Deacon Plays DJ (Tuesday, August 21, 2012) — Electro-pop genius Dan Deacon’s latest album is as big as its name, America. It’s epic, soaring and loud, but also minimalist at times and full of beauty. On this edition of All Songs Considered, Deacon talks about his latest album and shares some of his favorite songs with host Bob Boilen. Deacon brought a strange and surprising mix of artists, from The Rolling Stones to early electronic artist Raymond Scott, and minimalist composer Steve Reich, plus a few great unknowns.
Book Reviews from The New York Times
Book Review Podcast (Friday, August 24, 2012) — This week, Nathan Harden discusses his new book, Sex and God at Yale; Julie Bosman has notes from the field; Pamela Paul guides us through this week’s special back-to-school issue; and Parul Sehgal has best-seller news. Sam Tanenhaus is the host.
Books Podcast from NPR
NPR: 08-23-2012 Books (Thursday, August 23, 2012) — Stories: 1) Robert Crais: L.A. Is ‘Natural Canvas’ For Nightmare 2) NewsPoet: Tess Taylor Writes The Day In Verse 3) Kati Marton, Recalling ‘Paris’ With Love And Longing 4) The ‘State Of England’ Is Grim In Lionel Asbo 5) A Novel Endeavor From Molly Ringwald
Brain Stuff from HowStuffWorks.com
How can some eggs be better for you than others? (Friday, August 24, 2012) — If you’ve been to the grocery store recently, you know that eggs come in many varieties, some claiming to be better for you than others. What differentiates a normal egg from a “special” one? Find out in this podcast from HowStuffWorks.com.
How do honeybees make honey? (Wednesday, August 22, 2012) — When it comes to making honey, bees are skilled chemists. Discover how they use enzymes to turn sugary flower nectar into a sweet, stable food source in this podcast from HowStuffWorks.com.
How Marshmallows Work (Monday, August 20, 2012) — Marshmallows are an old candy — they’ve been around since the 1800s. The name marshmallow comes from the original recipe, which called for sap from the marshmallow plant. Check out this HowStuffWorks to learn more about the history of marshmallows.
The Coolest Stuff on the Planet
Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Arizona (Friday, August 24, 2012) — Located inside the Navajo Nation, this site has some amazing rock formations. How did Mummy Cave Overlook get its name? What’s the legend behind Spider Rock Overlook? Join Kathryn and Sarah as they explore this unique national monument.
Culturetopia from NPR
Sidekicks, Holograms, And PCHH 101 (Friday, August 24, 2012) — This week on Pop Culture Happy Hour, NPR Monkey See’s Linda Holmes, Trey Graham, Stephen Thompson and Glen Weldon talk about secondary characters and spin-offs. Who could stand an upgrade to primary status and what makes a spin-off successful? Think ‘Frasier’ versus ‘Joey.’ They also talk about the future of pop culture. All that, plus What’s Making Us Happy this week.
Film Junk
Episode 382: The Expendables 2 (Monday, August 20, 2012) — We trade blows with The Expendables 2 and discuss The Campaign, ParaNorman, Dream House and Lone Wolf McQuade, plus trailers for The Last Stand and Bullet to the Head.
PopStuff from HowStuffWorks.com
Star Wars Food (Wednesday, August 22, 2012) — Yes, we’re combining two great loves in one slightly odd discussion. Even Princess Leia had to eat, right? Tracy and Holly talk about the instances where food appears in the Star Wars universe, as well as all the yummy Star Wars-themed edibles fans make.
How do diseases become trendy? (Monday, August 20, 2012) — Why do diagnoses of some diseases and conditions seem to skyrocket from time to time? Tracy and Holly, like many people, wonder how much of it is increased knowledge. They also wonder why anyone would want to self-diagnose with an unpleasant condition.
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 1977: The Year Punk Broke (Part 2) (Sunday, August 19, 2012) — In part two of our series on “1977: The Year Punk Broke”, Jim and Greg look at the punk movement stateside with music writer Ira Robbins. Then they review the new record from Brooklyn afrobeat band Antibalas.
Stuff To Blow Your Mind from HowStuffWorks.com
Personhood: The Human Edition (Thursday, August 23, 2012) — What exactly is personhood? Over time, the term “person” has evolved to include numerous concepts. In this episode, Julie and Robert explore the nature of personhood, why corporations are considered meta-people and the sticky concept of consciousness.
It’s Performance Art: Challenging Human Nature (Tuesday, August 21, 2012) — A woman in a museum stares into your soul. A man implants a cybernetic ear on his arm. A dog starves. In this episode, Robert and Julie dive into the world of performance art, discussing the works of such notable artists as Marina Abramović and Stelarc.
Stuff You Missed in History Class from HowStuffWorks.com
Easter Island (Update) (Wednesday, August 22, 2012) — In this episode, we revisit theories about the statues of Easter Island: the Moai. New evidence suggests that fewer than 20 people “walked” the Moai to their positions. This idea shakes up existing theories about the destruction of the island’s resources.
Pretty Boy Floyd and the Kansas City Massacre (Monday, August 20, 2012) — Pretty Boy Floyd started out doing farm work, but in his late teens he ran off to try his hand at crime. He earned a Robin Hood-like reputation, and became famous for his supposed involvement in the Kansas City Massacre. But did he deserve the credit?
Stuff You Should Know from HowStuffWorks.com
What happens to abandoned mines? (Thursday, August 23, 2012) — Did you know there are as many as 500,000 abandoned mines in the US, but the federal government knows where only 30,000 of them are? Learn about these places go from money pit to death trap when mine companies simply walk away.
Why You Probably Have a Criminal Record (Tuesday, August 21, 2012) — If you’re an American adult, there’s a 1 in 4 chance you have a criminal record. While it’s less likely you’ve committed any serious crime, there are still repercussions to having a rap sheet as more employers use them to decide between candidates.
WNYC’s Radiolab
Rebroadcast: Space (Monday, August 20, 2012) — Celebrate the 35th anniversary of the launch of Voyager 2 (it rocketed off Earth on 8/20/77 carrying a copy of the Golden Record), and tip your hat to the Mars rover Curiosity as it kicks off its third week on the red planet, with a rebroadcast of one our favorite episodes: Space.