Top Podcasts Every Aspiring Scientist Should Follow

Oftentimes, the science field can seem overwhelming and complicated, and it is essential to learn more about the information and opportunities it can provide to determine if it is suitable for you. Listening to podcasts is a great and convenient way to do so, as you can listen to it practically everywhere you go! Here is a list of the 10 best podcasts to listen to if you are interested or want to find out more about what science is like!

1) Houston We Have A Podcast

This podcast is a great resource if you are interested in an astronomy career. This podcast airs weekly, hosted by Gary Jordan and the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. It includes detailed conversations with scientists, astronauts, and engineers about how space suits are designed, how test modules are crash tested, moon and mars exploration, or anything related. Information in the episodes is mainly from NASA and their official scientists, giving a first hand description of what the career is like.

2) Radiolab

Radiolab is hosted by Lulu Miller and Latif Nasser, and explores science along with other topics like legal history and ethics. Episodes are around 20 minutes to an hour, walking through intriguing questions and topics. They do this with storytelling and immersive sound design, furthermore engaging the viewer. It includes topics like the nature of addiction, gene editing, philosophy, etc.

3) Science vs

Science vs is created and hosted by Wendy Zukerman, using scientific facts to explore fads and opinions, in other words, mythbusting. It includes topics like ADHD, the carnivore diet, bird flu, fluoride, coronavirus, etc. It consists of interviews with experts in the specific topic of the episode, with them lasting around 30-50 minutes. This is a great podcast to listen to in order to stay up to trend with science discoveries and trends.

4) The Infinite Monkey Cage

This podcast airs a new episode every week, with a panel of scientific experts and comedians to make the listening experience enjoyable. It is hosted by physicist Brian Cox and Robin Ince. The topics explored range from the fundamental principles of physics to broader scientific discoveries, with their impact on society. Some episode topics include the comparison of planets, subatomic particles, extinction, alien life, etc.

5) Planetary Radio

This science podcast is hosted by Mat Kaplan and the Planetary Society, giving new perspectives about astronomy, deep space, and the solar system. They invite guests such as scientists, project managers, engineers, writers, and advocates to talk about the nature of the universe. Oftentimes, episodes will include information on space missions, breaking space news, tech developments, planned future missions, or the future of mankind in relation to space. This podcast is very helpful if you are considering a career in astrophysics or astronomy, giving more information on what topics are researched in the field.

6) Startalk Radio

This podcast is hosted every Friday with the astrophysicist and author Neil deGrasse Tyson. It covers many general science topics, and more often space. The host invites guests over to discuss space, physics, astronomy, how scientists measure the distance between celestial bodies, or the study of planets. They turn complex topics and questions into something that is understandable for viewers who aim to learn more about the field, mixing pop culture and comedy to create fascinating episodes.

7) The Naked Scientists Podcast

The Naked Scientists Podcast is hosted by a team of experts from the University of Cambridge, and explores a wide range of topics from astronomy to biology. Every episode, they go in depth about a complex topic or scientific concept, explaining it in terms for the audience to easily comprehend. To keep the audience engaged, it includes interviews with leading scientists who answer intriguing questions and shed light on recent developments in research. This is a great podcast if you are curious about science but don’t know what specific topic you would like to go into, as it gives you a general view of the information in each specialization.

8) The Skeptic’s Guide to the Universe

The Skeptic’s Guide to the Universe podcast covers a wide range of topics such as science news, pseudoscience, and critical examination of various claims. It promotes critical thinking, scientific literacy, and skepticism, and is hosted by Dr. Steven Novella, a clinical neurologist. Every episode includes a panel of skeptics who will discuss a certain topic, helping the audience navigate science and avoid common misinformation. They answer questions asked from the viewers and discuss recent information posted on social media. Some topics include food myths, the effects of AI on society and the human body, historical events, animal body systems, and more. This podcast is an essential resource to navigate information posted online about science and receive reliable knowledge from experts.

9) Ologies

Ologies is a podcast hosted by Allie Ward that discusses various fields of study that end with the word “ology”, such as geology, anthropology, or sometimes more specific topics. It contains engaging interviews with passionate experts on the specific topic of the episode. These interviews are entertaining and humorous, making episodes enjoyable for a wide range of listeners. Some recent episodes include hurricanes, OCD, fireflies, rattlesnakes, sustainable ocean foods, and more! This podcast is a very helpful tool to spark interest in science and be able to learn all of the captivating details of it.

10) Unexplainable

Unexplainable is a podcast created by Vox Media that explores scientific mysteries and the seemingly unanswerable questions. It is hosted by Noam Hassenfeld and a team of reporters that aim to solve problems and find answers to things even scientists are stumped about. Some topics include the effects of AI and where it will end up long term, or the long term effects of COVID-19.

Resources

Alice Florence Orr. (2024, May 24). The 11 Best Science Podcasts. Podcast Review. https://podcastreview.org/list/best-science-podcasts/

Team, P. (2023, November 24). Best Science Podcasts - Handpicked Top 25 List. Podcastle Blog. https://podcastle.ai/blog/best-science-podcasts/