Podcasts that are making you smarter

[LaRevolution]

What are your recs for enjoyable podcasts that you feel are also a good use of time, i.e. you're genuinely learning and absorbing interesting and useful info? (I know "useful" is all relative)

Not The Rest Is History, I find it annoying...also anything narrated by Melvyn Bragg I generally avoid.

I don't mind American as long as it's not bros talking about crypto etc.

Ah, I came on to say In Our Time, but strike that if you're not a Melvyn fan! Definitely A history of the world in 100 objects, then.

Cautionary tales with Tim harford. It’s really interesting and entertaining with it. Not sure how useful as some of the things you learn are a bit random! But it’s a good listen.

I like ‘More or Less: behind the statistics’ which is also on R4 - it provides context to some of the figures that are thrown around by the media and asks if some of the numbers we are presented with are a) accurate and b) relevant. It’s very interesting.

Science Versus

Many thanks both!

@marshj81 I like Tim Hartford, so I'll try that.

@ColourlessGreenIdeasSleepFuriously For some reason I actually thought 100 Objects was Melvyn Bragg! My husband loves that one.

It's not that I don't like the content of.history pods, but I do get sick of middle-aged white men talking all the time....I enjoyed Empire until I got sick of the white guy who lives in India, I forget his name.

This sounds great!

I like you're dead to me - history podcast

Dan snow history hits

The Podyssey
It's sort of about Greek Myths but is about so much more than than. Goes into their influence on all sorts of culture, art, literature, opera, films music etc.
Really different and ambitious. Also the presenters voice is great.

I like Betwixt the Sheets which is a look at sex and related topics in history. I find Kate Lister very engaging and it's a bit like overhearing a really good conversation in a pub somehow.

I also enjoy Not Just the Tudors. The recent one about Tudors and the Dogs was brilliantly informative and also the guest was so clearly such a dog fan it really came across in his contribution. Professor Suzannah Lipscomb obviously prepares her podcast meticulously and with really thoughtful questions.

I listen to Blocked and Reported too which is varying interest and more about stupid internet shit than educational but it does make me laugh

Beat me to it! Yes this is the only one I’ve ever listened to! It’s like a comedic look at history. Very wide range of subjects like ‘Gerorgian Courtship’ to ‘Cleopatra’ and so much more eclectic subjects inbetween!

Within Reason for philosophy things

Modern Wisdom, Unspeakable and Mother Maiden Matriarch depending who the guest is

I also like Blocked and Reported but sometimes feel dumber after listening!

This podcast will kill you
"Grad students studying disease ecology, Erin and Erin found themselves disenchanted with the insular world of academia. They wanted a way to share their love of epidemics and weird medical mysteries with the world, not just colleagues."
Recent episodes include pregnancy, raw milk, and their archive is full of episodes on various diseases.

Are you looking for podcasts by young black men? Or elderly brown women?

Either's fine really, @BarneyRonson - have you got any recs?

I like Betwixt the Sheets and Not Just the Tudors too - also their sister podcast Gone Mediaeval. All great and I've learned or confirmed a lot through listening to them. Often I'll seek out the recommendations for guests' books too.

I like to have radio 4 on in the kitchen and on longer car journeys, I find myself listening to and learning things on topics I wouldn't have sought out but are really interesting. Last week I listened to an excellent episode of the briefing room on Pakistan India and Kashmir , which was timely just before it all escalated again and an interview with a survivor of the Zeebrugge ferry disaster. Never would've chosen podcasts on those topics but learned a lot.

Yes. That you drop the casual racism directed at what you think is a safe target.

I know what you mean about Empire William, but would forgive them a lot for doing a very thorough series on Ireland. And Anita is good at attempting to deflate him. But then I also cope quite well with TRiH on the whole. Bragg is hit and miss.

Specifically Irish ones I enjoy are the Medieval Irish History podcast which has a woman presenter, does what it says on the tin, and looks for a feminist angle when it can, and the Irish Passport podcast, not exclusively about history.

Oh have a day off.

I want a podcast that maybe talks about artists or art styles and why they mattered but in a non pretentious fun way. Or one covering famous poems / poets. I really am clueless on both those topics and always feel a bit uneducated.

This Is brilliant, thanks so much to everyone who's made suggestions - love the sound of some of these!

@Weepingwillows12 you might be a bit young for this but there used to be a nun called Sister Wendy who did fascinating art programmes many years ago - she'd do a great podcast 😁

LOVE the sound of this, and my kids will too!

Peter Attia, The Drive and from that I discovered Tom Bilyeus impact theory.