Whether you are looking for new and interesting projects to jot down in your lab notebook or you just have to feed your need for endless scientific tidbits, podcasts are a great way to go. They are entertaining and educational all at once.
Technology has given savvy scientists an engaging new format by which to share information, and it’s time that more people were aware and took advantage of it. It wasn’t easy to choose only 5 podcasts, because there are so many great ones out there, but the list below is a good place to start.
- Skeptics Guide to the Universe: Some things just seem so unreal that they require specific explanations, and, let’s face it, who doesn’t like to watch a debate between actual science and pseudoscience? That’s exactly what happens when skeptics and scientists come together for 80 minutes at a time. Hosted by Yale University neurologist Steve Novella, there are over 500 podcasts to answer multiple questions and put false science to the test.
- 60 Second Science: For those who prefer their information in small tidbits rather than lengthy podcasts, these 60 second segments are the perfect solution. Hosted by Scientific American, these podcasts offer scientific facts in a timeframe that can engage young learners as well as novices.
- Hubblecast: What’s the use of having an enormous and powerful space telescope if you can’t show off some of its findings? Jointly hosted by NASA and the European Space Agency, these podcasts combine Hubble telescope images with animation that is computer generated to give you a unique view of the universe and its hidden secrets.
- Physics Central: These podcasts take a look at everyday events and explore the physics side of classic art. Learn about heavy metal crowds and the physics involved, or take a look at some of the techniques employed for bombings in WWII. You can even learn some of the physics facts behind Picasso’s painting methods. If you have an engineering notebook, now is the time to break it out and jot down some notes.
- James O’Brien Mystery Hour: Remember all those really simple questions you had as a kid that no one could answer? This is the place for you to get your answers. Every week, this podcast explores things like why people have curly hair or whether toast is better for you than bread.
There are plenty of places to learn about science on the Internet. In fact, you could probably fill a lab notebook with the list of sites and blogs that have ongoing information available which is kept up to date on a regular basis. Podcasts simply offer a new element, because some of them are like watching a sit-com that happens to have science facts as the theme. These are great for any budding young scientist, or if you just need a bit of entertainment while you are waiting in line for a latte. You might even find some facts that will spark a new discovery!