Do you love science? Then you'll love these podcasts
OPINION: Here are some recommendations just for you.
Published
There are lots of good podcasts about all kinds of topics within research. In some, researchers are interviewed. In others, the researchers themselves are the hosts.
Here are some recommendations from me and the team at sciencenorway.no.
An unknown disease or contagious hysteria?
The best one I've listened to in a long time is Hysterical.
In this series, podcaster and director Dan Taberski dives into an incident that happened at a high school in a small town in upstate New York 14 years ago.
A girl at the school suddenly develops tics. Then another. They have spasms, involuntary movements, and sounds. Then it spreads. In total, 18 girls, one boy, and an adult woman are affected by the condition, which does not show up on any medical tests.
The mystery attracts widespread attention. Journalists and TV cameras arrive in droves. Erin Brockovich takes on the case. She is an environmental activist known for winning a famous lawsuit about contaminated groundwater in California. Meanwhile, a doctor introduces a questionable treatment. Many believe the girls are faking it.
Local, more conventional doctors present their theory. They argue that the symptoms are real, but stem from psychological stress rather than an unknown, physical illness. The diagnosis is mass psychogenic illness, also known as mass hysteria.
If true, it would mark the largest case of mass hysteria since the Salem witch trials in the 1600s, Taberski says in the podcast. He dives deep into the story, speaking with the girls 14 years later, as well as researchers, doctors, parents, and environmental activists. He dedicates an episode to the Havana syndrome – a set of unexplained health symptoms, like headaches, diziness, and hearing strange sounds, reported by U.S. diplomats and officials – which shares striking similarities. In the end, Taberski reaches a conclusion, albeit reluctantly.
The one and only Melvyn
One of my long-time favourites is the BBC's In Our Time.
The podcast is hosted by the legendary Melvyn Bragg, whose depth of knowledge is unmatched. In each episode, he speaks with three researchers who offer different academic perspectives to a topic.
And what are the topics? This podcast, originally a radio programme, dives deep into history, literature, religion, philosophy, and natural science.
This is the podcast for those who enjoy learning something new about anything – like the sack of Rome in 1527. Charles V of the Holy Roman Empire wanted to defeat the Pope. Many of the 20,000 soldiers were Protestants who embraced Martin Luther's view of the Pope as the Antichrist. This result was chaos and destruction for Rome.
Or perhaps you're more interested in the Egyptian queen Nefertiti? Or the death of stars? Or Alice in Wonderland? Melvyn has been at it for years. In Our Time has an archive of more than 1,000 episodes.
The listeners' top ten is a great place to start.
Curious about science?
RadioLab is an American radio programme, perfect for podcast lovers. For 20 years, it has explored fascinating, quirky, and important phenomena within natural science.
How do animals sleep? Albert Einstein's brain. The gut. Quicksand. These are just some of the topics. RadioLab also delves into political and philosophical questions, such as: What would you do in a crisis where you can only save a few people? Who do you choose?
To the stars
Neil deGrasse Tyson is an American astrophysicist turned science communicator and podcaster. StarTalk offers an accessible gateway to the phenomena and mysteries of the universe.
Tyson invites researchers to discuss topics like how to thrive on Mars, solar storms, space archaeology, dark matter, and life on other planets. He also touches on topics here on Earth, such as ageing, miracle medicines, and the world's fastest cars.
To the past
There are plenty of excellent history podcasts out there.
My current favourite is Fall of Civilizations. I recently listened to the episode about the lives and downfall of the Egyptian pharaohs. This isn't light, quick entertainment – the episode runs for 3 hours and 38 minutes. But that's not much time when covering a period that lasted 3,000 years. You'll come away informed and fascinated.
The podcaster, Paul Cooper, has a PhD in ruins. He's an engaging storyteller, weaving in inscriptions and manuscripts from lost societies.
Another great history podcast is The Rest Is History. The hosts are two witty and thorough British historians. Here you can learn about Queen Elizabeth I of England, the downfall of British prime ministers, or an entire series on the French Revolution. Like all the others mentioned here, you can find it wherever you usually download podcasts.
Hardcore History is created by journalist Dan Carlin. He dives deep into one historical topic at a time.
This podcast will kill you
Yes, that's actually the name of a podcast about health and diseases. The American researchers Erin Welsh and Erin Allmann, both with PhDs in epidemiology, host This Podcast Will Kill You.
They explore well-known and unknown diseases and condition, like yellow fever, cholera, long Covid, and what can happen when you have too little iron in your body. Each episode includes a list of studies they have referenced. While you might feel a little unwell after listening, the hosts' upbeat and reassuring demeanor keeps it engaging.
Happy listening!
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Translated by Alette Bjordal Gjellesvik
Read the Norwegian version of this article on forskning.no
Below are some other podcast episodes:
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