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.

Niche work if you can get it - BBC
Different with Nicky Campbell
When it hits the fan

I really enjoyed Sneakernomics on the history of trainer brands. Might not sound instantly appealing but it was jaw dropping at points and very well written and entertaining.

I love British Scandal. Really well researched and presented and only half a white bloke. I won’t listen to any Rest Is … any more because women shouldn’t be putting money into multi millionaire Gary Lineker’s pocket.

Winifred Robinson’s The Boy In the Woods is superb. And for gentle but thoughtful observations, you can’t beat Meet David Sedalis (both on bbc)

I don’t think anyone has mentioned Real Dictators. Fab podcast and the man (sorry I’m not sure what colour he is ;-)) has a beautiful voice…

Stuff You Should Know
Things Fell Apart
This American Life
Lateral (if you fancy a quiz that can be educational at times).

Quite a few that I listen to already mentioned here but also Stuff You Should Know. It is two American presenters but they’re funny and engaging and there’s an episode on just about any subject you can imagine. They seem to have stopped making it now but look at the back catalogue of Patented, it’s another History Hit podcast that looks at the history on various inventions.

Following

Marlon and Jake Read Dead People is very good.

I like stuff about materials and how things work. Current happy audio places are Rare Earth (on bbc snouds) and Material Matters, tho the latter is full of people who went to St Martins college. I hadn't noticed til I sent it to a friend who had an eye roll at it 😆 I just like the idea of making stuff from interesting materials. Aside: I know you didn't ask for fiction but I listen to Sherlock and Co despite the begging for patreon subs every week. Dominic Sandbrook does show up at one point but if you can forgive that, it's consistently entertaining.

Stuff you should know with Josh & Chuck

Dan snow history hits

Not just the tudors

Oh and: Darknet Diaries. It's about hacking but within that field there's quite a bit about people who are paid to social-engineer their way into businesses to show their weaknesses, there's one about a woman who does it and it's brilliant. The weakest link in any security network is always the people. It's on my little bucket list (it's a very small list) to go to the Defcon hacker convention in Vegas now.

Behind the Bastards by Robert Evans. Huge range of subjects, recent episodes have included Versailles, Andrew Tate, Pol Pot and Oprah Winfrey. Unbelievable amount of research and often very funny despite horrific subjects.

Just seen you like Michael Hobbes - he used to be on You're Wrong About, which I used to like for a while. I don't like him, though, or the book one. I feel like they miss the mark sometimes because their personal biases get in the way. I would love for the other presenter of You're Wrong About to finish getting her book about the Satanic Panic written though because I want to read it (and then compare it to current events and spot the patterns, which the 'am I in a cult?' podcast sounds like it would also be interesting for, too). Sarah... Marshall? Sarah someone anyway. You'll probably also like Ologies, which someone recommended. It started well, I thought. I still think about the diary writing lady in that one. And the one about crystals or something that was entirely not scientific but Alie Ward tried her best. 😆 Some of the 'ologies' are a bit of a stretch.

All in the mind is good.

I wish there was a radio station that just played different podcasts all day. I can't be bothered to choose one/ connect my Bluetooth etc. I just want to press one 'on' button and not have to think about it.

Real Dictators is one of my favourites. The multi-part one on Hitler was fascinating and horrifying. It's presented by the wonderful Paul McGann who has the most beautiful voice.

This guy sucked is a female-led history podcast.

I saw something about Alys Fowler liking World Service and gave it another go, and it's pretty good. The news annoys me though. Don't need it over and over.

Thought of another: 404 media podcast. Also techy/hackery but related to current events. All nerds but one is a woman 💃

I listen to how to be awesome at your job mostly on my way to work 😂. I’m in a second wind of my career now my kids are grown and need a little bit of handholding (imposter syndrome). It can be a bit cheerleady but I’ve taken something considerable for every ep I’ve listened to.

Surprised no one has mentioned Origin Story middle aged white men Ian Dunt and Dorian Lynskey. This podcast has taught me so much and makes me laugh out loud.

Another: Dangerous Memories, about therapist Anne Craig who brainwashed young wealthy girls to believe their parents had abused them. That one is obviously dark but it's insightful. A friend recommended, it was compelling.

Tim Harford is great! Also love "More or less"

I love Sliced Bread with Greg Foot on R4. ( "Best things" scrutinised, since sliced bread or BS?)

@DamsonGoldfinch "you can’t beat Meet David Sedalis (both on bbc)"

Yes!

Loving these recs! I'm devoted to the History of English podcast. Best podcast ever.

Also keen on Fall of Civilizations, Revisionist History, Dan Carlin. I like Unherd with Freddie Sayers sometimes. More or Less is great. I won't rec In Our Time to you but I confess I love it! So we might not have compatible tastes. The rest of them are niche programming and maths podcasts.

Sometimes I like Very Bad Wizards but I find the music intrusive - in fact a lot of podcasts I would enjoy except for the hammering sound production, which I don't like in my headphones, or playing overnight. Cautionary Tales is getting there, alas. With all the BBC podcasts you have to just skip the first 2 minutes as for some reason they have added these obnoxious, blasting ads to everything they make - advertising other podcasts! Of course these fill one with so much fury I vow to never listen to anything advertised in this way, so my options are swiftly diminishing there. 😂

Not quite the same thing but- has anyone here subscribed to BBC Maestro? Did you think it was worthwhile? I keep seeing ads for it