Earlier I wrote about the five podcasts about business or lifestyle I like best. Since I also enjoy listening to podcasts about science or entertainment I would like to share those as well.
1 - Freakonomics Radio
Authors of the book Freakonomics, journalist Stephen Dubner and economist Steven Levitt, explore "the hidden side of everything". Drawing from psychology, behavioral economy and sociology they uncover surprising truths. Subjects range from how to be more productive, how to win a Nobel prize (gives nice insights into the process of choosing a winner); to Guaranteed Basic Income and gender barriers. The show is professionally produced and of very high quality. Stephen Dubner tells the story, interviewing different experts, unwrapping the story. Often you'll be surprised. Recommended!
Length per episode: 30 - 45 min.
Release frequency: once a week.
Link: iTunes, stitcher
2 - Twice Removed
This podcast is a little weird. And so is its host. A.J. Jacobs, author of books like "The Know-It-All: One Man's Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World", "The Year of Living Biblically" and "Drop Dead Healthy" argues that everybody is related to each other. A.J. once talked himself into a conversation with George H.W. Bush by convincing him they were far cousins. In this show he unravels how a mystery guest is related to his main guest. Going from relation to relation he highlights the most interesting persons and events. Hopping via presidents, mafiosi and freedom fighters he ties his two guests together, revealing the mystery guest in the end. Fun, entertaining and interesting!
Length per episode: 30 - 45 min.
Release frequency: once a week.
Link: iTunes, stitcher
3 - Stoic Mettle
Since listening to Tim Ferriss' podcast I got interested in Stoicism. For a few years now I dove into mindfulness and practices like meditation and journaling. I find Stoicism as a philosophy aligns to these practices and my view of the world. Stoic Mettle is a nice introduction into the thoughts, ideas and moreover way of living of the Stoics. The show (or training as it's creator Scott Hebert calls it) teaches different perspectives from the Stoics. It focuses on actionable advice on subjects like conquering destructive emotions and being disciplined. If you want to learn about Stoicism and how to apply it, but are not much of a reader, this is for you.
Length per episode: ~10 min.
Release frequency: once a week.
Link: iTunes, stitcher
4 - Tell me something I don't know
TMSIDK is a game-show of sorts, hosted by Stephen Dubner (of Freakonomics Radio). Contestants bring their IDKs (I don't knows) related to the theme of the episode. A panel of three celebrities from sports, science, politics and comedy choose the best story based on three criteria: was it something they didn't know, is it worth knowing and is it true. For that last criterium there is a human fact checker that searches the interwebs to confirm or bust the stories.
You will learn some new fun facts and interesting backstories. The show is produced well and quite entertaining.
Length per episode: about an hour.
Release frequency: once a week.
Link: iTunes, stitcher
5 - TEDTalks (audio)
This podcast airs the audio of TED talks. The format is thus short talks of max 18 minutes. The talks are inspiring and thought-provoking. Topics range widely, from biology to tech, from politics to music. Speakers are experts in their field, and most of the time good story tellers. One drawback of the podcast is that these are audio recordings of presentations. This means you'll miss supporting images on screen. Nonetheless, if you have a spare moment these bite-sized nuggets are a good way to spend it.
Length per episode: 5 - 20 min.
Release frequency: 3 - 6 times a week.
Link: iTunes, Feedburner
These podcasts keep me entertained and feed my curiosity. Though they most of the time don't lead to action from my side, they do inspire me or make me laugh. I am curious what you could recommend me!