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
Peter Gabriel’s ‘So’ At 25, Death Grips, Bad Books, Ultraista and more (Tuesday, October 09, 2012) — This week, Bob and Robin kick off the show by celebrating the 50th anniversary of the James Bond franchise, and how well it coincides with a new cut from Swedish pop trio Peter Bjorn and John called “I Wish I Was A Spy.” NPR Music’s Daoud Tyler-Ameen joins the conversation and shares what he calls “relationship therapy,” in the song “Friendly Advice,” by Bad Books. Bob and Robin end the show on a wistful note and take a trip down memory lane with Peter Gabriel’s “Don’t Give Up,” from of his forthcoming 25th anniversary deluxe edition of the classic album So.
Book Reviews from The New York Times
Inside the New York Times Book Review (Friday, October 12, 2012) — This week, Lois Lowry discusses her novel Son; Julie Bosman has notes from the field; Evgeny Morozov talks about the world of hacktivists; and Gregory Cowles has best-seller news. Sam Tanenhaus is the host.
Books Podcast from NPR
NPR: 10-11-2012 Books (Thursday, October 11, 2012) — Stories: 1) Chinese Author Wins 2012 Nobel Prize In Literature 2) A Lively Mind: Your Brain On Jane Austen 3) Virgin’s Richard Branson Bares His Business ‘Secrets’ 4) Emma Thompson Revives Anarchist ‘Peter Rabbit’ 5) ‘Mr. Penumbra’ Bridges The Digital Divide
Brain Stuff from HowStuffWorks.com
How gas pumps work? (Friday, October 12, 2012) — Using a gas pump is pretty simple: You just push a few buttons and fuel up. But how do they actually work? Listen in and learn more about gas pumps.
How do I know if my catalytic converter has failed? (Wednesday, October 10, 2012) — An automobile’s catalytic converter uses a catalyst to convert harmful exhaust fumes into harmless ones. Find out what happens when your catalytic converter stops working properly — and how you can tell — in this episode.
Why is carbon monoxide so poisonous? (Monday, October 08, 2012) — The structure of hemoglobin causes oxygen to bind loosely to iron — however, carbon monoxide binds very tightly to the blood’s iron, reducing your ability to breathe. Check out this podcast from HowStuffWorks to learn more.
The Coolest Stuff on the Planet
The Statues of Abu Simbel (Friday, October 12, 2012) — The statues at Abu Simbel in Egypt are a testament to human ingenuity — and ego. Find out what’s so cool about Abu Simbel (and statues) in this video podcast from HowStuffWorks.com.
Culturetopia from NPR
Of Musclemen And Drinking Songs (Friday, October 12, 2012) — This week on Pop Culture Happy Hour, NPR’s Trey Graham, Stephen Thompson, Glen Weldon and guest Chris Klimek talk about Arnold Schwarzenegger’s new memoir Total Recall. They also talk about the evolution of action hero and action movie in general. Then drinking in popular culture, from James Bond’s martini to Sex and the City‘s cosmo. They share their favorite drinking songs and discuss what role the alcoholic beverage plays in a character’s development. All that plus, What’s Making Us Happy this week.
Film Junk
Episode 389: Frankenweenie and End of Watch (Monday, October 08, 2012) — Sparks fly over Frankenweenie and we ride along with End of Watch, plus we also discuss the trailer for A Good Day to Die Hard, Taken 2, The Avengers, The Hole, Frankenhooker, Dead Space and Universal monsters.
Freakonomics Radio
The Cobra Effect (Wednesday, October 10, 2012) — When you want to get rid of a nasty pest, one obvious solution comes to mind: just offer a cash reward. But be careful — because nothing backfires quite like a bounty.
PopStuff from HowStuffWorks.com
PopStuff Plays With Legos (Wednesday, October 10, 2012) — It’s pretty difficult to find someone who doesn’t like playing with Legos. It’s not difficult, however, to find someone who doesn’t like Lego’s gendered marketing approach. Tracy and Holly talk about the good, the bad and the great things about Legos.
Famously Busted (Monday, October 08, 2012) — When a celebrity gets arrested, the whole world knows about it. Does being famous drive you to make foolish choices? How does a very public arrest impact a person’s career? And how can you get past being booked when your mug shot lives online forever?
Science Talk from Scientific American
The 2012 Nobel Prize in Chemistry (Wednesday, October 10, 2012) — The 2012 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded jointly to Robert J. Lefkowitz and Brian Kobilka for studies of G-protein-coupled receptors, which are the portals by which information about the environment reaches the interior of cells and leads to their responses. About half of all drugs work by interacting with G-protein-coupled receptors.
The 2012 Nobel Prize in Physics (Tuesday, October 09, 2012) — The 2012 Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded jointly to Serge Haroche and David J. Wineland for experimental methods that enable measuring and manipulation of individual quantum systems.
The 2012 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (Monday, October 08, 2012) — The 2012 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded jointly to John B. Gurdon and Shinya Yamanaka for the discovery that mature cells can be reprogrammed to become pluripotent.
Sound Opinions
Sound Opinions: Rock Doctors with Mark Crilley (Sunday, October 07, 2012) — Jim and Greg don their stethoscopes and become the Rock Doctors. Their patient? Acclaimed comic book writer and illustrator Mark Crilley. They’ll see if they can’t give this self-proclaimed musical softie a harder edge. Plus they review the new chart-topping album from Mumford & Sons.
Stuff To Blow Your Mind from HowStuffWorks.com
Ig Nobel: Strange Science Part 2 (Thursday, October 11, 2012) — In part two of their 2012 Ig Nobel Prize coverage, Robert and Julie take listeners through some of the more amazing winners at this year’s awards ceremony. From monkey butts to exploding colonoscopies, first you’ll laugh and then you’ll think.
Ig Nobel: Strange Science, Part 1 (Tuesday, October 09, 2012) — Yes, scientists have a sense of humor – and they have to if their big invention is a bra that doubles as a gas mask. Join Julie and Robert as they explore the Ig Nobel prizes – plus some of the strange studies honored at the 2012 awards ceremony.
Stuff You Missed in History Class from HowStuffWorks.com
Jim Bowie: Blades, Battles and the Alamo (Wednesday, October 10, 2012) — Jim Bowie is known as a hero of the Alamo, but he made his name in a duel-gone-wrong: He came away with several wounds, but also with a reputation as fearsome knife-fighter. So how did he become a Texan legend? And what’s the story behind the Bowie knife?
A Brief History of Trick-or-Treating (Monday, October 08, 2012) — Before children went door-to-door, Celts kept out evil spirits during the festival of Samhain. Halloween evolved over time, but trick-or-treating didn’t emerge until the 20th century. Join Sarah and guest host Cristen as they trace Halloween’s history.
Stuff You Should Know from HowStuffWorks.com
How Pizza Works! (Thursday, October 11, 2012) — Sure it’s everywhere and there’s a more-than-90-percent chance you eat it once a month. But we’ll bet you don’t know the full history of that pizza (or tomato pie) you’re about to chow down on. Join Chuck and Josh as they explain it to you, bite by bite.
How Rainforests Work (Tuesday, October 09, 2012) — It’s been called the world’s lungs, the world’s pharmacy and the world’s air conditioner. It takes up only 6 percent of Earth’s land, yet houses 50% of the world’s species. Find out the math behind why they may be gone in 40 years in this episode.
WNYC’s Radiolab
Shorts: Dark Side of the Earth (Monday, October 08, 2012) — 200 miles above Earth’s surface, astronaut Dave Wolf — rocketing through the blackness of Earth’s shadow at 5 miles a second — floated out of the Mir Space Station on his very first spacewalk. In this short, he describes the extremes of light and dark in space, relives a heart-pounding close call, and shares one of the most tranquil moments of his life.