Invented 15 years ago, all the rage since last year: podcasts. I was late to the party, but now addicted. It's a personal Netflix for your ears, hours of value per week in previously 'empty' commuting time (or long winter nights). Here's my warmly recommended list. If you will enjoy even one of them half as much as I do, you'll thank me later ;-)
1. Hardcore History. Dan Carlin is a former radio sports presenter and a history geek. Incredibly well-researched stories ranging from Ghengis Khan to Stalingrad, brought in superb storytelling in an amzing narrating voice. https://www.dancarlin.com/hardcore-history-series/
2. Titanium Physicists. Dr. Ben Tippett invites his Titanium crew of science professors to dive deep into black holes , gravitational waves and much more. He makes them explain it to his - also geeky - non-scientist guests, i.a. indie rockers and cartoonists. The result, is extremely insightful ánd funny. In Ben's words: bonkers! bananas! http://www.titaniumphysics.com/
3. The Tim Ferris Show. Liked the guy since his breakthrough book the 4 hour work week, and he only got better. This is what interviewing is supposed to be: an extremely well perpared and well-read host, hours of time per interview and hundreds of fascinating guests, from Richard Branson to top researchers, many just outside the boring mainstream of your normal news sources. https://tim.blog/podcast/
4. Revisionist History. Malcolm Gladwell is one of my favourite filosofers and authors. Since he discovered podcasting, it's such a joy to hear his ironic voice telling obscure stories with profound lessons. Why did the song Halleluja take 20 years to write? Did Churchill commit war crimes most of us never heard of? How can we repair education or big pharma with just one simple measure? http://revisionisthistory.com/
5. Making Sense. I like this podcasts for the deep and well-informed studies Sam Harris embarks upon into the mind from a both neuroscienctifical and (eastern) filosofical perspective. He's a prominent author on free will , conscienceness, and the renewed recent interest in a rational exploration of meditation and psychedellics. There's quite a lot of politics as well, often controversial, sometimes annoying. But worth giving a shot to hear other perspectives by someone who genuinly strives for civil discussions, even if he's not always the best listeneter himself, depending on the subject. https://samharris.org/podcast/
6. The Drive. Medical Doctor Peter Attia is the kind of person you'd want to sit next to at a dinner party where you don't know anyone. His passion for understanding why we age and how to stay fit (and much more) down to the molecular level is very contagious. He really takes the time with great guests like sleep professor Matthew Walker. Balanced, information packed and great interviewing technique. https://peterattiamd.com/podcast/
7. Pod Save America. This is a guilty pleasure for me as a former news addict (I quit newspapers and TV altogether). The podcast is basically about US elections and the misdeeds of Trump. Two things that already get far more attention abroad than they deserve. And boy do the four hosts (former Obama inner circle staff members) check all the east cost liberal boxes to make this Democratic Party policy show as thick a bubble as they come. And still: they know their stuff, are very witty (even their neg spangled adds) and don't spare (most) of their own party members. Most importantly, their concerns about the erosion of democaracy is justified and, not at all limited to the US. https://crooked.com/podcast-series/pod-save-america/
PS: Honarable mention: Big Questions by master interviewer Cal Fussman . https://www.calfussman.com/podcast. What a storyteller!
Originally published on LinkedIn · 11 November 2019