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All Songs Considered from NPR
New Mix: Cyborg Love, Heartbreak And A Mystery (Tuesday, April 23, 2013) — On this week’s All Songs Considered, hosts Bob Boilen and Robin Hilton settle into the new NPR Music offices and discover that it comes with their very own butler. After bumbling around in the studio, they also manage to figure out all the new gear and share some great new music. Things kick off with a strange tale from the playful pop group Sonny and the Sunsets about a man who falls in love with a cyborg. Then the fabulously quirky singer and guitarist artist Kimya Dawson of the Moldy Peaches and hip-hop producer and rapper Aesop Rock collaborate on a surprising new project they call The Uncluded. Also on the show: A richly layered cut from the remarkable guitarist William Tyler; the smoky voice of newcomer Cassandra Jenkins; a long-overdue new album from the strangely alluring rock group Snowden; and British singer-songwriter Laura Marling has a heartbreaking new song called “Where Can I Go.”
Book Reviews from The New York Times
Book Review Podcast (Friday, April 26, 2013) — This week, Tom Perrotta talks about the letters of Willa Cather; Julie Bosman has notes from the field; Alexandra Starr discusses T. D. Allman’s Finding Florida; and Gregory Cowles has best-seller news. John Williams is the host, filling in for Pamela Paul.
Books Podcast from NPR
NPR: 04-25-2013 Books (Thursday, April 25, 2013) — Stories: 1) Fire, Water, Air, Earth: Michael Pollan Gets Elemental In ‘Cooked’ 2) For TV Networks, Stiff Competition To Be ‘Top Of The Morning’ 3) Google Execs Talk Privacy, Security In ‘The New Digital Age’ 4) So Hot Right Now: Has Climate Change Created A New Literary Genre? 5) What Does Modern Prejudice Look Like?
Brain Stuff from HowStuffWorks.com
How does a Dippy Bird work? (Friday, April 26, 2013) — A Dippy Bird is a strange-looking novelty toy, but how does it work? Marshall Brain breaks down the surprisingly sophisticated mechanics of the Dippy Bird in this episode.
What are the fastest hard disks available today? (Wednesday, April 24, 2013) — Hard disk drives and connections have been getting faster and faster. In this episode, Marshall discusses the evolution of the hard disk and the shockingly fast drives available today.
How do I burn calories on a stair machine? (Monday, April 22, 2013) — If you’ve ever sweated your way through a work-out on a stair machine, you know that calories are definitely being burned in the process. But how? Learn more about foot-pounds, horsepower and stair machines in this podcast from HowStuffWorks.com.
The Coolest Stuff on the Planet
Romantic Road Trips: The Spiritual Mecca of Sedona (Friday, April 26, 2013) — Why do some many new-agers flock to Sedona, Arizona? What is a vortex and what does it have to do with spirituality? What are some of Sedona’s other attractions? Tune in to learn more about Sedona.
Culturetopia from NPR
Our Great Big Summer Movies Show (Friday, April 26, 2013) — This week on Pop Culture Happy Hour, NPR Monkey See’s Linda Holmes, Stephen Thompson, Trey Graham and Glen Weldon talk about upcoming summer films. From the much-hyped ‘Great Gatsby’ to the much-anticipated ‘Before Midnight,’ they’ll discuss what movies they’re looking forward to in a summer season seemingly dominated by apocalyptic sci-fi thrillers. All that, plus What’s Making Us Happy This Week.
Film Junk
Episode 414: Oblivion (Monday, April 22, 2013) — Our memories get wiped as we review Oblivion and discuss the R.I.P.D. trailer and the first photos of Jamie Foxx as Electro, plus we also talk The Lords of Salem, Manborg, The Time Traveler’s Wife, Tron: Legacy, Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop, Woochi: The Demon Slayer and Showdown in Little Tokyo.
Freakonomics Radio
Running to Do Evil (Thursday, April 25, 2013) — An interview with Unabomber Ted Kaczynski, whose younger brother turned him in — and what it says about the Boston bombers.
Ink & Quill
InQ Episode 70: “A Discovery of Witches” (Tuesday, April 16, 2013) — All her life, Diana has stuck her fingers way deep into her ears, refusing to accept that she is a witch, and a powerful one of those. But the situation has changed. The discovery of a thought to be lost book is raising interest. On the one hand, there is Peter Knox, a powerful wizard that belongs to one of the oldest group of “peace-keepers” across species, who would love nothing more than to put his hands on the book. And on the other hand, Matthew de Clairmont, the vampire, whose charms Diana can’t resist… But what is it exactly that Matthew wants? As the plot thickens and mystery unveils more mysteries, Diana may be forced to start using her powers if she wishes not only to find out what happened to her parents and what secrets Ashmore 782 holds, but also and simply, to stay alive.
PopStuff from HowStuffWorks.com
Greatest Hits: Cooking With PopStuff (Wednesday, April 24, 2013) — Bon appétit! There are more cooking shows on television than ever before, but it seems fewer and fewer people are actually prepping their own food. Has cooking become a spectator sport? Listen in to learn more.
Greatest Hits: Internet, You So Crazy (Monday, April 22, 2013) — We all know the Internet is awash with garbage, but there are also some hilarious and creative gems floating around the ether. When Tracy and Holly separate the wheat from the chaff, what Web memes and other delights do they fall in love with?
Science Talk
Mary Roach Cruises the Alimentary Canal (Tuesday, April 16, 2013) — Mary Roach talks about her new book Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal, which traces what she calls “the whole food chute”.
Sound Opinions
Sound Opinions with Kurt Vile (Sunday, April 21, 2013) — Philly-based guitar wizard Kurt Vile is live in the studio and ready to shred. Later, Jim and Greg review Bankrupt!, the new album from Sound Opinions alums Phoenix.
Stuff To Blow Your Mind from HowStuffWorks.com
Eaten Alive (Thursday, April 25, 2013) — Ah, to be swallowed whole by a colossal beast. To some this idea is bliss; to most it’s the stuff of nightmares. But can any creature truly swallow a human whole? Join Robert and Julie as they adventure into the belly of a colossal whale.
Nose to Tail: Can You Stomach It? (Tuesday, April 23, 2013) — Why doesn’t the stomach digest itself? What sorts of chemical wonders go on inside the human gut and what strange language is it speaking after a heavy dinner? In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Julie discuss some stomach science.
Stuff You Missed in History Class from HowStuffWorks.com
The Princess who Swallowed a Glass Piano (Wednesday, April 24, 2013) — Princess Alexandra Amelie of Bavaria was part of the House of Wittelsbach. The princess was frail, and she exhibited unusual behavior. She told her parents that she had swallowed a glass piano as a child, and was afraid that she would shatter.
Johann Beringer’s Fossils (Monday, April 22, 2013) — In 1725, Beringer was the University of Würzburg’s chair of natural history and chief physician to the prince bishop. He was also unpopular, and some of his colleagues sought to discredit him. There are two versions of the story — but which is true?
Stuff You Should Know from HowStuffWorks.com
What makes us yawn? (Thursday, April 25, 2013) — What is it that makes us suddenly draw in a deep breath through a wide-open mouth? researchers really don’t know. Whether the answer is physical, mental or even contagious there is pretty much no chance you won’t yawn during this episode.
How Magnets Work (Tuesday, April 23, 2013) — Whether you’re sticking them to the fridge or using them to transpose sound to tape, magnets are surprisingly interesting. And knowing just how and why magnets work will make you more interesting, which is why you should listen to this episode of SYSK.
WNYC’s Radiolab
Shorts: The Distance of the Moon (Tuesday, April 16, 2013) — What if the moon were just a jump away? In this short, a beautiful answer to that question from Italo Calvino, read live by Liev Schreiber.