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

SXSW 2013 Preview (Sunday, March 10, 2013) — It’s that time of year again! All Songs Considered is headed on another musical trek to Austin for this year’s South By Southwest festival. Before hitting the road we took time to find some great tracks that will likely to love at this years music festival. Host Bob Boilen, producer and co-host Robin Hilton, editor Stephen Thompson and NPR Music critic Ann Powers listened to around 1500 songs and pick their most likely favorites at this years festival.

Book Reviews from The New York Times

Book Review Podcast (Friday, March 15, 2013) — This week, Michael Moss talks about Salt Sugar Fat; Leslie Kaufman has notes from the field; Jennifer Szalai discusses the fiction of Renata Adler; and Gregory Cowles has best-seller news. Sam Tanenhaus is the host.

Books Podcast from NPR

NPR: 03-14-2013 Books (Thursday, March 14, 2013) — Stories:  1) ‘One Nation Under Stress,’ With To-Do Lists And Yoga For All 2) ‘Lean In’: Facebook’s Sheryl Sandberg Explains What’s Holding Women Back 3) Remembering Aldo Leopold, Visionary Conservationist And Writer 4) Living A Life Of Joy ‘Until I Say Good-Bye’ 5) Rita Moreno Reflects On Anita, Awards And Accents

Brain Stuff from HowStuffWorks.com

How cell phones work (Friday, March 15, 2013) — Today’s cell phones are amazingly compact, complex devices that provide a wide array of services. Discover the origins of these technological wonders, and the technology that makes them work, in this episode of BrainStuff.

How does a toaster work? (Wednesday, March 13, 2013) — Toasting is a tasty way to increase the durability of bread, and automatic toasters are a convenient way to make toast. Learn more about the chemical change that turns bread into toast and the mechanism behind toasters in this episode of BrainStuff.

How do terrorist bombs work? (Monday, March 11, 2013) — Terrorists have a new way of getting bombs into the United States: mailing them. In this episode, Marshall breaks down the science behind the types of bombs used by terrorists, and the explosive ingredients involved.

The Coolest Stuff on the Planet

The Fair City of Dublin (Friday, March 15, 2013) — Home to some of history’s greatest writers and one of the world’s most iconic beers, Dublin is a city like no other. In this episode, Rachel and Kathryn explore the history, sights and sounds of Ireland’s capital.

Culturetopia from NPR

For Young And Old Alike (Friday, March 15, 2013) — This week on Pop Culture Happy Hour, NPR Monkey See’s Linda Holmes and Stephen Thompson are joined by producer Jess Gitner and comics guru (also Stephen’s mom) Maggie Thompson to talk about pop culture for all ages. They’ll discuss how pop culture is passed down from generation to generation and share some favorite examples of entertainment that can be enjoyed by both the young and old, together. Next, they’ll reminisce about out-of-print pop culture and share some examples that they wish they could own in physical form today. All that, plus What’s Making Us Happy This Week.

Film Junk

Episode 408: Oz the Great and Powerful (Monday, March 11, 2013) — Special guest Skottie Young joins us to review Oz the Great and Powerful and discuss The Hangover: Part III trailer, Return to Oz, Movie 43, Night of the Demons II, Dive Bomber, The Marine 3 and the return of Celebrity Apprentice.

Freakonomics Radio

Parking Is Hell (Wednesday, March 13, 2013) — There ain’t no such thing as a free parking spot. Somebody has to pay for it — and that somebody is everybody.

PopStuff from HowStuffWorks.com

An Embarrassment of Riches (Wednesday, March 13, 2013) — Whether it’s a queue of podcasts, a pile of unread books or hours of content languishing on your DVR, odds are that you may find yourself inundated with loads of content. So how can we handle this constant stream of new stuff? Tune in to find out.

The Entitled World of Fandom (Monday, March 11, 2013) — How do you know when you have crossed into the world of uberfandom? Join Tracy and Holly as they discuss the good and the bad of super fans.

Science Talk

CSI: 19th Century France and the Birth of Forensic Science (Friday, March 15, 2013) — Reporter and storyteller Steven Berkowitz talks to science journalist and author Douglas Starr about his book The Killer of Little Shepherds: A True Crime Story and the Birth of Forensic Science.

Sound Opinions

Sound Opinions with David Bowie producer Tony Visconti (Sunday, March 17, 2013) — Bowie is Back! Jim and Greg talk with longtime Bowie producer Toni Visconti about “Space Oddity,” glam, and swinging London. Then they review David Bowie’s new album The Next Day, re-igniting their decades-long debate over the pop chameleon’s musical legacy.

Stuff To Blow Your Mind from HowStuffWorks.com

Wind Beneath my Surgical Wings, Part 1 (Thursday, March 14, 2013) — Can science give us the wings we’ve always envied in birds? Can plastic surgery elevate us to a higher human form? In this episode, Robert and Julie discuss Joseph Rosen’s posthuman philosophy and ponder what we’d have to do to transform arms into wings.

Leprechaun Hallucinations (Tuesday, March 12, 2013) — As Saint Patrick’s Day nears, our minds inevitably turn to the little people of Irish folklore. But diminutive fairy folk pop up in folk traditions around the world. Listen in for a celebration of the myth and science behind those Leprechaun encounters.

Stuff You Missed in History Class from HowStuffWorks.com

The Voynich Manuscript (Wednesday, March 13, 2013) — The Voynich Manuscript is named after Wilfrid Voynich, who acquired it in 1912 from a Jesuit library. There are many theories as to what this book from the 1400s contains, but no one knows whether it’s a cypher text, a lost language or gibberish.

The Mystic Margery Kempe (Monday, March 11, 2013) — Born in the 1300s, Margery had 14 children with her husband before dedicating her life to God. In her 40s, she began a vision-inspired pilgrimage to visit holy sites, and these travels became the basis for her spiritual autobiography.

Stuff You Should Know from HowStuffWorks.com

How the U.S. Postal Service Works (Thursday, March 14, 2013) — The USPS is currently teetering on the edge of going under and there are a lot of plans to save it, from cutting service to creating federally-protected email addresses. Join Chuck and Josh as they explore the history and future of the postal service.

How Police Sketches Work (Tuesday, March 12, 2013) — Creating composite drawings of suspected criminals from eyewitness accounts has been around since a Frenchman introduced it in the 19th century. Despite the introduction of new techniques and software it hasn’t changed all that much.

WNYC’s Radiolab

Shorts: The Man Behind the Maneuver (Tuesday, March 05, 2013) — In the 1970s, choking became national news: thousands were choking to  death, leading to more accidental deaths than guns. Nobody knew what to  do. Until a man named Henry Heimlich came along with a big idea.