Yes, science can be an intimidating topic to explore, especially for those of us who struggled a bit (or a lot) in our high school science classes. Yet, science is immensely important to understanding ourselves, the world around us, and the universe at large. If you're looking to dip your toes into the vast world of science but don't quite know where to start, podcasts can be an invaluable resource.
Our picks for the best science podcasts run the gamut from general scientific trivia to earth science, outer space, food, plants, the human body, and much more. They're all accessible—you don't need an advanced degree to follow and appreciate them. Absolutely any listener can learn about scientific history, breaking science news, and visions for the future from these shows, which often feature interviews with a variety of interesting experts who provide valuable insight, perspective, context, and clarity.
If you're looking for interesting scientific tidbits packed into about an hour of entertainment, then Ologies is for you. Alie Ward is an actor, writer, and science enthusiast. Her quirky sense of humor and insatiable curiosity make her the perfect host for this podcast, where she interviews scientists from a broad range of subject areas about the parts of their research that most excite them. Ologies tells captivating stories about space, food, bugs, the human brain, and everything in between—all in a way that's easy to grasp, regardless of your expertise.
Level up your science knowledge in just 10 minutes a day with Short Wave. Hosted by journalist Emily Kwong, this excellent podcast from NPR focuses on new discoveries and the science behind top news stories—it's a great way to learn more about the world around you, no matter how busy your schedule. With episodes releasing every weekday, there's always something exciting to explore on Short Wave—plus, there's a large archive of past episodes to keep you engaged during the hours in between.
This weekly podcast brings you strange and interesting scientific facts uncovered by the editors of the digital magazine Popular Science in the course of their work. The conversational format makes it feel like having a chat with some of your smartest, most entertaining friends. If you're the kind of person who loves to have a large arsenal of random fun facts, then The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week should be at the top of your listening list.
NPR fans may already be familiar with Science Friday, a podcast that takes a deep dive into scientific news and topics affecting our lives. Through lively discussions, host Ira Flatow and his scientist guests educate listeners about everything from the newest COVID vaccines to autism to the secret lives of wasps. This is the perfect podcast if you want to keep up with interesting developments in science and understand their impact on the world without needing a doctorate.
Many of the podcasts on this list focus on interviewing scientists about their research and work. But science affects everyone. In addition to scientists, The Story Collider interviews all kinds of people—comedians, firefighters, bartenders, artists, and beyond—about how science intersects with their lives. Host Erin Barker uses storytelling to connect scientific research with lived experiences, and episodes are recorded in front of a live audience. If you like your science balanced with humor and heart, you'll definitely want to give The Story Collider a listen.
This award-winning podcast from BBC Radio 4 presents scientific information with sense of wonder and a side of wry English humor. Physicist Brian Cox teams up with comedian Robin Ince to explore everything from space travel to the apocalypse to the very concept of time. The duo is often joined by eclectic guests, including Jon Ronson and Stephen Fry. The Infinite Monkey Cage launched in 2009, and while episodes are released somewhat sporadically, there's an extensive library of shows to keep you happily occupied.
Bill Nye taught an entire generation that science can be fun with his television show, Bill Nye the Science Guy. But whether or not you grew up with Bill Nye on TV, his podcast offers an approachable and fascinating way to dive into everyday science. Nye teams up with science writer Corey S. Powell to answer listeners' burning questions about everything from climate change to epidemics to aliens and much, much more. Above all else, Science Rules! serves as a reminder that science is totally awesome.
We can learn a lot about ourselves and the world around us through learning about the food that sustains us. This informative and engaging podcast digs into the interesting science and history behind all kinds of food. In addition to interviewing food scientists, hosts Cynthia Graber and Nicola Twilley take trips to labs, farms, and even archaeological digs to discover food's hidden secrets. From ancient feasts to classic junk food to beloved beverages, Gastropod show us that there's more than meets the eye to everything we eat.
British comedian Sue Perkins hosts this laugh-out-loud funny and educational Audible Original podcast about the world's most interesting and bizarre plants. You can learn about the science, history, uses, and traits of everything from the humble banana and versatile coconut to rubber trees, the notorious Venus fly trap, and hideously ugly plants—all in about 15 minutes per episode. If you enjoyed Perkins's quirky sense of humor on early seasons of The Great British Baking Show, then you'll love Earpedia: Plants. And be sure to check out its sister show, also hosted by Perkins, Earpedia: Animals.
Take it from research chef Kimberly Schaub—there's a heap of surprising science behind the restaurant and food manufacturing industry. Schaub serves as an expert guide through the wild world of food science, regularly interviewing culinary scientists, research chefs, and product developers about innovations and scientific considerations in the food world. Listen in to learn more about the coffee industry, the science behind organic produce, sustainability in the food industry, and much more. PeasOnMoss is easy to digest and utterly riveting.
Learn all about the science that shapes where we live in A Grown-Up Guide to Planet Earth, an Audible Original podcast created and hosted by geology professor Christopher Jackson. Each of the six episodes discusses a different layer of our planet, starting deep down at Earth's super-heated core and working its way up. Throughout, Professor Jackson interviews other scientists and experts about volcanoes, earthquakes, space, and more. If you enjoy the journey, consider listening to other podcasts in the same vein, including A Grown-Up Guide to Dinosaurs and A Grown-Up Guide to Oceans.
If you ever dreamed of being an astronaut or wondered about extraterrestrial life, then this NPR podcast is the perfect way to get a peek at outer space. Space reporter Brendan Byrne explores new developments in space travel, digs into past efforts to learn more about the universe, and interviews astronauts and engineers about the future of space exploration. Are We There Yet? is the perfect way to explore out-of-this-world scientific developments and envision where space travel is headed next.
In Don't Panic Geocast, field geologist Shannon Dulin and geoscientist John Leeman show us that earth science and technology can be fun. Episodes cover a variety of geology and meteorology topics, scientific news, fun facts, and interviews, all with enjoyable banter. From the fabled Coriolis force to real-world meteor craters, Dulin and Leeman present information in a way that's both entertaining and informative, whether or not you're a geology nerd.
We've all learned a lot about viral diseases and epidemics since the global health crisis born from 2020’s COVID-19 pandemic. But epidemiologists Erin Welsh and Erin Allmann Updyke have been teaching listeners about infectious diseases and medical mysteries since way back in 2017. Each episode of This Podcast Will Kill You tackles a different disease, detailing its history, biology, and how scared you should be of it. Aiming to make infectious diseases acceptable dinner party conversation, the hosts regularly provide themed cocktail recipes. You'll never look at germs the same way again.
Take a trip through the London Science Museum with bestselling author Bill Bryson, courtesy of this riveting podcast. Bryson is known for books that make complex topics accessible, including A Short History of Nearly Everything. In this five-episode Audible Original series, he uses objects at the London Science Museum as windows into creations and concepts that changed the world. Museum curators make special appearances to teach us even more about the curiosities explored on Appliance of Science.
Our lives are full of familiar sounds, from commercial jingles and computer start-up sounds to sirens and subway announcements. But where did those sounds come from, and how do they work? In this podcast, sound designer Dallas Taylor takes a deep dive into the strange and unique sounds that fill our lives, how they were developed, and what jobs they perform. Twenty Thousand Hertz will make you look at—and listen to—the world differently.
This legendary WNYC Studios podcast, created by Jad Abumrad and hosted by journalists Lulu Miller and Latif Nassir, asks deep questions and uses investigative journalism to get the answers. A given episode might whirl you through science, legal history, and into the home of someone halfway across the world. Known for its innovative sound design and ever-curious attitude, Radiolab is one of the most approachable and compulsively listenable ways to get some science into your podcast rotation.
Science, pop culture, and comedy collide on StarTalk Radio! From celebrity astrophysicist, author, and Hayden Planetarium director Neil deGrasse Tyson, StarTalk Radio is the perfect vehicle for Tyson's piercing intelligence and expertise as well as his delightful sense of humor. Comic co-hosts, celebrity guests, and visiting scientists regularly stop by to discuss astronomy, physics, and everything else about life in the universe. As Neil says, keep looking up!