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Fancy a listen? The podcasts our researchers are listening to: Part 1

The start of term is here and with it you may be back from field work and starting to commute to campus again, or perhaps you are looking for an escape from those busy term-time work days, or maybe you are already a veteran podcast listener? Either way we’ve got you covered. We asked our PhD researchers what podcasts they like to listen to to stay informed on all topics science, zoology, botany, climate and more! Check their recommendations out below and before you go saying we don’t have a life outside of work, they also gave us their guilty pleasures at the bottom of the post.

This is the first of a two-part series, so be sure to come back next week for even more recommendations!

General Science

This one is pretty self-explanatory! If you want to widen your knowledge of science to new topics, whether to argue with your uncle at Christmas dinner or to ace those pub quizzes you go to every week with your mates, these podcasts are for you!

  • Stuff you should know is a podcast which educates listeners on a wide variety of topics, often using popular culture as a reference, giving the podcast comedic value. It covers scientific topics from supernovae to rewilding but also history, politics, true crime and more. No need to worry about listening in order, each episode is a standalone!
  • Science Vs is a pod which takes on fads, trends, and the opinionated mob to find out what’s fact, what’s not, and what’s somewhere in between. Wondering whether you should drink detox teas like an insta-celeb, or believe your drunk uncle’s rant about gun control? Science Vs has an ep for that. Episode highlight: “SHARKS!!! Sink Your Teeth in Again” and “Climate Change… the Apocalypse?”
  • Ologies is a weekly science podcast hosted by Alie Ward. Each week, Ward talks with a different “ologist” from various scientific fields. The show’s tagline is “Ask smart people stupid questions”.
  • SciShow Tangents is the lightly competitive knowledge showcase from the geniuses behind the YouTube series SciShow. Every Tuesday, join Hank Green, Ceri Riley, and Sam Schultz as they try to one-up and amaze each other with weird and funny scientific research… while not getting distracted. There will be tangents about video games, music, weird smells, surprisingly deep insights about life, and of course, poop, but it always comes back to the science.
  • Genetics Unzipped is produced in association with The Genetics Society, and each week they bring you a new episode relating to genomics, genes, and everything related to DNA and/or RNA. Does genetics influence your personality? How can we test sewage for COVID DNA? How can we use ancient DNA to tell us more about modern species (including us)? Covering a broad range of topics and their intersection with genetics, this podcast is great for anyone who thinks genetics is cool, but might not be ready to delve into the nitty-gritty details and dusty old textbooks.

Climate crisis, climate justice and climate solutions 

The climate crisis is scary and overwhelming, but it need not be hopeless! Here are a few podcasts that have left us feeling motivated and engaged in the search for solutions and understanding of the biggest challenge our planet faces today.

  • How to Save a Planet: Climate change. We know. It can feel too overwhelming. But what if there was a show about climate change that left you feeling… energised? One so filled with possibility that you actually wanted to listen? Join journalist Alex Blumberg and a crew of climate nerds, as they bring you smart, inspiring stories about the mess we’re in and how we can get ourselves out of it. How to Save a Planet is a really engaging podcast that focuses on climate solutions and those who are at the heart of them. It challenges preconceptions and makes complex topics understandable and accessible. 

Episode highlight: Hard to pick one here but here is a selection we really enjoyed: “Are Electric Cars Really Better for the Climate?”; “Trying to Talk to Family about Climate Change? Here’s How “; and “The Green Wave”

Bonus: Check out co-host Dr Ayana Elizabeth’s other work including the book she co-edited “All We Can Save: Truth, Courage, and Solutions for the Climate Crisis” and her Ted talks.

  • Drilled is a true-crime style podcast about climate change. The show was launched in 2017 and is hosted by investigative journalist Amy Westervelt who offers seasons long examinations of the origins of climate denial, workers who are suffering the impacts of climate change, fossil fuel propaganda and much much more.
  • The Yikes Podcast: There’s a lot to make us Yikes in this world. From the climate crisis to racism to activism and resisting oppressive systems, it can call get a bit overwhelming. The Yikes Podcast is a podcast hosted by two climate justice activists, Mikaela Loach and Josephine Becker, which leans into the Yikes of the world rather than letting it overwhelm us. They breakdown the issues in an accessible and nuanced way to guide us towards action together. Episode highlight: “What is Climate Justice?”

People in Science

Science isn’t just diverse in the topics in covers but also in the people who study them. Here are some podcasts that aim to increase representation and visibility of all scientists or help you find the right career in science.

  • LGBTQ+ Stem Cast is a podcast that features LGBTQ+ scientists from a variety of different fields in STEM. They discuss their research, upbringing, and how their passion for science started with an aim to expand the voices of LGBTQ+ scientists.
  • TCDSU Diversity in STEM is a TCDSU campaign aiming to highlight and support the range of backgrounds and identities in STEM. This podcast aims to be a discussion with individuals from under-represented groups about their experiences in STEM, their work and their views on how to make STEM more diverse and accessible.

Zoology

These podcasts are for those who want to learn more about the wonderful world of animals. Fill your brain with facts from land and sea creatures, big and small.

 

  • The Critter Shed: Of course, we couldn’t start this section without any other podcast than The Critter Shed, hosted by our very own Collie Ennis, science research associate at Trinity College Dublin. If you like learning about the weird and wonderful side of nature – about things like spider sex, venom-packing frogs, or mind-controlling parasites, and more – then this is the podcast for you! 
  • Sharkpedia: Meghan and Amani are 2 shark researchers exploring sharks and their relatives! Get ready to jump in every-other-week to the world of sharks where Meghan and Amani break down the science with some of the legends in the field.

Botany

  • In Defense of Plants: Hosted by Matt Candeias, each episode he interviews someone working in research, conservation, or anything else remotely related to plants. This podcast is great for centering our flora for their own sake, rather than the benefit they can provide us as humans. From complex pollination biology involving 3 or more species, to broadscale restoration projects, to paleobotany, plant genomics, and urban ecology. This podcast will give you a great insight on how plants permeate our environment, their ecological significance, evolutionary history and maybe just cure a bit of your plant blindness!
  • Unearthed: Brought to you by Kew Garden’s botanist and ‘plant geek’ James Wong, Unearthed will take you on journey in this one-of-a kind docuseries looking at the science behind murder, trade, allergens and medicines. Learn about the illegal trafficking of rare species, how we identify dangerous poisons and how plants heal the human body through real-life human stories told through the expertise of Kew’s own scientists and horticulturists.

Our guilty pleasures…

A list of podcasts unrelated to our fields of study but that we enjoy listening to when our brains can’t take anymore serious science talk.

  • The Shit Show and Culture Vulture: Two podcasts created by the people behind the “Shit You Should Care About” Instagram account which cover current affairs and pop culture phenomena. If the news often feels overwhelming, listen to their kiwi voices to get your weekly rundowns in a balanced way!
  • Bad People: Murderers. Fraudsters. Internet trolls. This is a podcast about people who do terrible things, and the science of humanity’s dark side.
  • Imaginary Worlds  is a podcast about science fiction, fantasy and other genres of speculative fiction hosted by Eric Molinsky.
  • You’re wrong about: Sarah is a journalist obsessed with the past. Every week she reconsiders a person or event that’s been miscast in the public imagination.
  • My Therapist Ghosted Me is the result of Joanne McNally’’s therapist doing just that! It’s often said that friends give the best therapy so Vogue & Joanne have teamed up to do exactly that (alongside a generous helping of laughter as that too is said to be the best form of therapy).

This blog was written by 4th Year Zoology PhD student Jenny Bortoluzzi & 2nd Year Zoology PhD student Simon Benson

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