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
Andrew Bird, Ty Segall, Pantha Du Prince, Brian Eno, Casket Girls And More (Tuesday, November 06, 2012) — Host Bob Boilen has been on the road having way too much fun. (CMJ Music Marathon, Moogfest, Peter Gabriel). This week, Bob’s finally back in the office, and he and co-host Robin Hilton share some of their favorite records and songs of the week, including beautiful new music from Andrew Bird, a stunning music app and album from Brian Eno, a blistering rock gem from Ty Segall and more.
Book Reviews from The New York Times
Book Review Podcast (Friday, November 09, 2012) — This week, Jon Meacham discusses his new book, Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power; Pamela Paul talks about the year’s best illustrated children’s books; Sam Tanenhaus explains the prescient politics of John Updike’s Rabbit Redux; and Gregory Cowles has best-seller news. Sam Tanenhaus is the host.
Books Podcast from NPR
NPR: 11-08-2012 Books (Thursday, November 08, 2012) — Stories: 1) How ‘Black Beauty’ Changed The Way We See Horses 2) Nick, Nora (And Asta) Return In ‘Thin Man’ Novellas 3) Reading 125 Titles A Year? That’s ‘One For The Books’ 4) Caring For Mom, Dreaming Of ‘Elsewhere’ 5) A Lesson In Making Math Cool For Girls
Brain Stuff from HowStuffWorks.com
What is a rice krispy? (Friday, November 09, 2012) — Like many cereals, rice krispies are made by puffing grains — in this case, rice. Find out how rice krispies and other puffed cereals are manufactured in this episode of BrainStuff.
What is a blowout preventer? (Wednesday, November 07, 2012) — The massive oil spill that flooded the Gulf of Mexico should have been prevented by a fail-safe device called a Blowout Preventer, or BOP. Find out how this safety mechanism is supposed to work — and why it didn’t — in this episode.
What makes glass transparent? (Monday, November 05, 2012) — The transparency of materials has to do with their molecular state. Discover how silica and heat produce the transparent material we call glass in this episode of BrainStuff.
The Coolest Stuff on the Planet
The Masai Mara (Friday, November 09, 2012) — Every year, the Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya hosts one of the most spectacular animal migrations on the planet. Find out why it’s cool to follow the crowd in this video podcast from HowStuffWorks.com.
Culturetopia from NPR
Arcades, Nose Putty, And Lisbeth Salander’s Parents (Friday, November 09, 2012) — This week on Pop Culture Happy Hour, NPR’s Linda Holmes, Stephen Thompson, Trey Graham and Glen Weldon talk about the movies Cloud Atlas and Wreck-It Ralph. Also, they talk about children in fiction who are separated from their parents. Why are there so many in TV, film and books? All that plus What’s Making Us Happy this week, including rediscovering TV drama ‘Party of Five,’ Acorn TV, Assassins Creed III and music in commercials.
Film Junk
Episode 392: Flight (Tuesday, November 06, 2012) — We get belligerent over Flight and discuss the possibility of a new Star Wars movie, plus the Iron Man 3 trailer, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, The Girl, Avatar 3D, Shock Waves, Haxan: Witchcraft Through the Ages, Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry and more Lost in Translation.
Freakonomics Radio
Our 100th Episode! (Monday, November 05, 2012) — Turkey sex and chicken wings, selling souls and swapping organs, the power of the president and the price of wine: these are a few of our favorite things.
PopStuff from HowStuffWorks.com
Beware the Holiday Creep (Wednesday, November 07, 2012) — You can start shopping for winter holiday goodies in September, and Easter candy is hitting shelves as early as December. Why has the marketing for holidays crept up earlier and earlier on the calendar each year, and is it a bad thing?
Does television run elections? (Monday, November 05, 2012) — You’ve probably heard of Nixon and Kennedy’s 1960 debate and how it hurt Nixon’s campaign. But that was in the beginning of televised politics. How has the television – and more recently, social media – affected the political landscape?
Science Talk from Scientific American
Scientific American after Sandy (Wednesday, October 31, 2012) — Scientific American Editor in Chief Mariette DiChristina brings us up to date on the state of our New York City-based operation after Sandy. Recorded October 31 at 2:30 P.M Eastern time.
Sound Opinions
Sound Opinions on James Brown’s Live at the Apollo (Sunday, November 04, 2012) — Get ready for some screamin’, some pleadin’ and some shimmyin’. Fifty years after it was recorded, Jim and Greg look back at James Brown’s Live at the Apollo album with his biographer RJ Smith.
Stuff To Blow Your Mind from HowStuffWorks.com
Hammer of the Witches (Thursday, November 08, 2012) — Witchcraft trials are a part of our history, but what truly went on during the 1400s? Join Robert and Julie as they explore compelling theories about the nature of superstitious religious persecution. What went wrong? Is it still going wrong today?
Anthropocene: The Age of Man (Tuesday, November 06, 2012) — When viewed from the standpoint of geologic time, what is humanity’s ultimate contribution? Have we founded an Age of Man with agriculture, industrialism and war? Join Julie and Robert as they ask hard questions about humanity’s relationship with Earth.
Stuff You Missed in History Class from HowStuffWorks.com
Who was Tokyo Rose? (Wednesday, November 07, 2012) During World War II, Allied troops often listened to Japanese propaganda, and they nick-named the English-speaking, female broadcasters “Tokyo Rose.” After the war, the hunt to find them was on — and Iva d’Aquino found herself on trial for treason.
The Mysterious Disappearance of Agatha Christie (Monday, November 05, 2012) — In December of 1926, Agatha Christie left her home and vanished: Police found her car crashed and abandoned. An 11-day manhunt commenced and speculation ran rampant — but when she was finally found – alive – there were more questions than answers.
Stuff You Should Know from HowStuffWorks.com
What will happen when we reach the Singularity? (Thursday, November 08, 2012) — Futurists have unnervingly predicted an impending moment in human history: the Singularity, when a superhuman artificial intelligence is created. What will become of humans? Enslavement? Extermination? Utopia? Find out with Josh and Chuck.
Yakuza: From Samurai to Slot Machines (Tuesday, November 06, 2012) — The Yakuza trace their lineage back to the 18th century samurai, left masterless following political upheaval, who turned to lives of crime. After centuries, the Yakuza is still going strong, following both tradition and new avenues of illicit revenue.
WNYC’s Radiolab
Shorts: What’s Up, Doc? (Tuesday, November 06, 2012) — Mel Blanc was known as “the man of 1,000 voices,” but the actual number may have been closer to 1,500. Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig, Tweety, Barney Rubble — all Mel. His characters made him one of the most beloved men in America. And in 1961, when a car crash left him in a coma, these characters may have saved him.