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
Guest DJ John Cale (Tuesday, October 02, 2012) — On this week’s All Songs Considered, the former founding member of The Velvet Underground talks about his latest solo album and shares some of this favorite songs by other artists, including Miles Davis and The Isley Brothers. Cale also reveals a few surprises, including the parallels he sees between minimalist music and Hip-Hop.
Book Reviews from The New York Times
Book Review Podcast (Friday, October 05, 2012) — This week, Kevin Powers discusses his novel The Yellow Birds; Matt Taibbi talks about Seth Rosenfeld’s Subversives; and Gregory Cowles has best-seller news. Parul Sehgal is the host.
Books Podcast from NPR
NPR: 10-04-2012 Books (Thursday, October 04, 2012) — Stories: 1) In ‘House,’ Erdrich Sets Revenge On A Reservation 2) Boozy Birth Of The American Mafia In Lehane’s Latest 3) Put Down Your E-Reader: This Book Is Better In Print 4) ‘Listening In’ To JFK’s Secret White House Recordings 5) Housekeeping Tips From One Mercurial ‘Mommy’
Brain Stuff from HowStuffWorks.com
How do scratch-and-sniff stickers work? (Friday, October 05, 2012) — Scratch-and-sniff stickers are novelties that delight both children and adults. Sniff out the ingenious technology that makes them work in this podcast from HowStuffWorks.com.
What is a funicular railway? (Wednesday, October 03, 2012) — A funicular railway combines the technology of an elevator and a train. But how do they actually work? Learn more about these fascinating railways — and how old they are — in this episode.
Why doesn’t the vacuum of space suck away Earth’s atmosphere? (Monday, October 01, 2012) — It’s often said that “nature abhors a vacuum.” If that’s true, then why doesn’t the vacuum of space suck away our atmosphere? Tune in as Marshall Brain explains the science behind vacuums in this HowStuffWorks podcast.
The Coolest Stuff on the Planet
Nashville: Beyond Country Music (Friday, October 05, 2012) — Everyone knows Nashville is famous for country music. But did you know it has a thriving music scene in other genres too? What are some of the hottest clubs? Which famous musicians own record stores there? A local musician gives us an insider’s guide.
Culturetopia from NPR
Time Travel And The Right Way To Be Pushy (Friday, October 05, 2012) — This week on Pop Culture Happy Hour, NPR Monkey See’s Linda Holmes, Trey Graham, Stephen Thompson and Glen Weldon talk about Looper, the new film starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Bruce Willis. What they liked, what they didn’t, and time travel movies of years past. Also, they talk about pop culture entry points. What’s the best way to introduce your favorite music, movies or tv shows to friends? All that plus What’s Making Us Happy this week.
Film Junk
Episode 388: Looper (Tuesday, October 02, 2012) — We talk circles around Looper and discuss The Mummy reboot news, plus we also talk Sound of My Voice, Timecop, The Princess and the Frog, Jeepers Creepers and The Game.
Freakonomics Radio
Why America’s Economic Growth May Be (Shh!) Over (Wednesday, October 03, 2012) — Sure, we love our computers and all the rest of our digital toys. But when it comes to real economic gains, can we ever match old-school innovations like the automobile and electricity?
PopStuff from HowStuffWorks.com
The (Mostly) Wonderful World of Tim Burton (Wednesday, October 03, 2012) — The PopStuff gals are big fans of Tim Burton’s work. There’s a lot of gushing in this episode. What is it about this creator’s spooky vision that inspires such devotion in fans?
My Little Brony (Monday, October 01, 2012) — Tracy and Holly are a little late to the “My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic” party, but now that they’ve started watching the show, they totally see the appeal. Tracy may even be a pegasister. But what makes the ponies so popular with male viewers?
Science Talk from Scientific American
The Climate of Climate Science (Friday, September 28, 2012) — James McCarthy, Alexander Agassiz Professor of Biological Oceanography at Harvard, talks about climate science and testifying before Congress, and the collaborations between climate scientists and the national security community as well as with evangelicals. And the Union of Concerned Scientists releases a report about the misleading coverage of climate science at Fox News and the Wall Street Journal.
Sound Opinions
Sound Opinions Live with Japandroids (Sunday, September 30, 2012) — Canadian garage rockers Japandroids join Jim and Greg onstage for a special taping of Sound Opinions Live at Chicago’s Lincoln Hall. And later Jim and Greg review new releases from Green Day and The xx.
Stuff To Blow Your Mind from HowStuffWorks.com
Cat People (Thursday, October 04, 2012) — Whether you prefer cats, dogs or snakes, you have to admit that humanity’s relationship with felines is mysterious. Why do we live with these super predators? What does “meow” mean? Are they really our friends? Join Julie and Robert as they investigate.
The Song of the Bat (Tuesday, October 02, 2012) — Bats live in a sonic universe. They call out into the night and construct the world from their song. They listen to the sounds of prey, predator and the social squeaking of other bats. In this episode, Robert and Julie listen in on the song of the bat.
Stuff You Missed in History Class from HowStuffWorks.com
Bloomers and Beyond: A History of Underwear (Wednesday, October 03, 2012) — In this episode, PopStuff co-host Holly Frey joins in to discuss undergarments through the ages, from the utilitarian shirt to the body-changing corset, split bloomers and more. We also talk about a recent discovery that’s shaken up costume historians.
The Surprising Life of Henry Ford: Part 2 (Monday, October 01, 2012) — In this second episode with CarStuff’s Scott Benjamin, we pick up at the height of Ford’s success: The Model T is revolutionizing America. But he also obsessively controls his employees, becomes a noted anti-Semite and capitalizes on wartime contracts.
Stuff You Should Know from HowStuffWorks.com
How Fire Works (Thursday, October 04, 2012) — Creating fire was possibly the most important human discovery, but it’s easy to take for granted. But. Josh and Chuck get to the bottom of the chemistry of fire in their quest to explain everything in the universe.
How Whiskey Runners Worked (Tuesday, October 02, 2012) — Sure, Chuck and Josh have discussed it before, but it’s worth revisiting: Running moonshine led to the creation of NASCAR. Chuck and Josh aren’t even NASCAR fans and they think that’s cool. Join them as the investigate moonshine runnin’.
WNYC’s Radiolab
The Fact of the Matter (Monday, September 24, 2012) — Getting a firm hold on the truth is never as simple as nailing down the facts of a situation. This hour, we go after a series of seemingly simple facts — facts that offer surprising insight, facts that inspire deeply different stories, and facts that, in the end, might not matter at all.