Recommended Podcasts

For those who enjoy listening to podcasts, here is a list of those which are included in the official playlist of The Well-read Naturalist.

Astronomy

  • Astronomy Cast – Hosted by Frasier Cain and Dr. Pamela Gay. A fact-based journey through the cosmos offering listeners regular discussions on astronomical topics ranging from planets to cosmology.
  • Cosmos Safari – “The Cosmos Safari podcast co-hosts David Farina and Rob Webb take listeners on a journey to explore the depths of science’s current understanding of the cosmos around us. The Universe is closer than you think!”
  • Houston, We Have a Podcast – “From Earth orbit to the Moon and Mars, explore the world of human spaceflight with NASA each week on the official podcast of the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. Listen to in-depth conversations with the astronauts, scientists and engineers who make it possible.”
  • The Jodcast – A volunteer-produced podcast about astronomy by astronomers based at The University of Manchester’s Jodrell Bank Observatory; covers “astronomy carried out all over the Earth and beyond.”
  • NASA’s Curious Universe – “Our universe is a wild and wonderful place. Join NASA astronauts, scientists and engineers on a new adventure each episode — all you need is your curiosity! First time space explorers welcome. NASA’s Curious Universe is an official NASA podcast.
  • Observer’s Notebook – “The Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers was founded in 1947 and promotes observing of the solar system. Both amateur and professional astronomers work together to further our understanding of the universe.”
  • Planetary Radio – Hosted by Mat Kaplan. The podcast of The Planetary Society, featuring conversations with “scientists, engineers, mission leaders, astronauts, advocates, and writers who provide their unique and exciting perspectives on the exploration of our universe.”
  • Radio Astronomy – The podcast from the makers of BBC Sky at Night Magazine, covers the latest space and astronomy news, including monthly stargazing tips and what to see in the night sky. Don’t let the name disuade you – this is not a podcast about radio astronomy, rather read it as “astronomy radio.” It is noteworthy for its accessiblity to beginners and mid-level observers in both tone and content.
  • The Supermassive Podcast! – The monthly podcast of the Royal Astronomical Society. Science journalist Izzie Clarke and astrophysicist Dr. Becky Smethurst take you through the universe with the latest research, history from the society’s archives and astronomy you can do from your own home.

Birdwatching / Birding

  • American Birding – Weekly podcast of the American Birding Association. Hosted by Nate Swick, general in the form of ABA staff and guests chatting about “birds, birding, travel and conservation in North America and beyond.”
  • Bird Calls Radio – Hosted by Mardi Dickinson. News and long-form interviews about birds, birding, bird conservation, and getting more young people outdoors for the enjoyment of nature.
  • BirdNote – The long-running and very popular radio “bumper” program that offers “daily two-minute stories about birds, the environment, and more.”
  • Bird Notes – Hosted by Dwight Davis and produced through WHRO public media. Topics “can be about almost any aspect of bird life, from migration to coloration to birds in art to song.”
  • Hannah and Erik Go Birding – A very chatty and energy-filled podcast, often with guests, about birds and birding by the namesake husband and wife hosts. Originating from the beautiful Oregon coast town of Cannon Beach, where the two own and operate the Sea Breeze Court motel.
  • Oregon Coast Birdcast – “The Oregon Coast is a birder’s paradise. Rocky shorelines, sandy beaches, teeming estuaries, and lush mountain forests provide idyllic habitat for shorebirds, raptors, songbirds, and a diverse array of other wildlife. Join host Paul Lask as he interviews experts on local birds, their ecologies, behaviors, and the challenges they face, and keep up with Audubon Society of Lincoln City for local birding resources and related projects on the Oregon Coast!”
  • Ray Brown’s Talkin’ Birds – Since 2006, Ray has been broadcasting his “live and interactive radio show about wild birds and the beauty of nature” via public radio stations throughout the northeastern United States. The podcast is a recording of each broadcast.

Books

Botany (Including Gardening)

(Note: these podcasts are strictly or predominantly focused on plants – please also check the General Nature and General Natural History sections for podcasts that are more broad in their respective scopes so as to also sometimes include episodes about botanical subjects.)

  • The Chelsea Physic Garden Podcast – “[H]osted by Ned Sedgwick and Jessica Regan, all about the Garden, its plants and people in its past, present and future!”
  • Gardening with the RHS – “Each week we talk to RHS experts, along with garden designers, scientists, growers, and the movers and shakers of the horticultural world.”
  • In Defense of Plants – Host Dr. Matt Candeias shares his extensive knowledge of, as well as his enthusiasm for, the plant world in a continuing effort to help cure plant blindness.

Earth Science (Geology, Meteorology, Climatology, Oceanography, and Environmental Science)

  • Everything Antarctica – “We love talking about Antarctica, and we hope you like learning about it. Our Vision: To be the internet’s number one source of Antarctic information. Mission Statement: To inspire and educate a community of past, present and future Antarctic enthusiasts.”
  • For the Love of Weather – “Meet Gemma and Aisling. They have worked in the UK as meteorologists for over ten years. Gemma came up with the idea that maybe others might like to listen to the non stop conversations they still have all these years later about the weather.”
  • The Ship Report – “Ship Report podcasts take you to a special corner of the world, the mighty Columbia River in the Pacific Northwest. Nautical lore, news and info, mariner interviews, daily international ship traffic, and the inside scoop on the upper left edge of Oregon and beyond.” Honestly, I wasn’t quiet certain as to what category this most appropriately belonged. While it covers maritime traffic on the lower Columbia River, it also includes reports of weather, explanations of phenomena found in the Columbia River and its bar, and a number of other interesting topics related to the river.

Entomology

  • Bug Banter – “Bug Banter with the Xerces Society is a podcast where we explore the world of invertebrates and discover how to help these extraordinary animals. Each episode, co-hosts Matthew Shepherd and Rachel Dunham will dive into the mysteries of native insects and other invertebrates in North America. Your imagination will travel underground, overhead, and in between as you listen to expert guests share the secrets of tiny creatures that live amongst us but are often unknown.””

General Natural History

  • Golden State Naturalist – “This is a podcast about asking questions and experiencing wonder. It’s a place to bring your curiosity about the natural world in California.”
  • Museum of Natural History Public Talks – Recordings of talks given at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History as part of its public program of events. (Inactive since November 2020; episodes still available online)
  • UK Wildlife Podcast – Delightful and very informative interview and discussion style podcast from UK Wildlife. Not limited to just wildlife as botanical and ecological themed episodes have also been produced.
  • ZSL Wild Science – The podcast of the Zoological Society of London, featuring “topical issues in zoology, conservation and the environment, from saving species and protecting the planet, to finding out about the animals living across the globe, including in London’s own river Thames.” Most recently hosted by Ellie Darbey. (Inactive since March 2023; episodes still available online)

General Nature (Including Nature-oriented Outdoor Recreation Activities Not Already Listed Elsewhere in this Catalogue)

  • Beaver State Podcast -” The Beaver State Podcast is a product of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife that takes a look at hunting, fishing and wildlife viewing in Oregon through conversations with Oregonians, ODFW staff and luminaries throughout the conservation world.”
  • BBC Countryfile – Each episode takes up a topic from Countryfile magazine and presents it in the style that has made Countryfile so beloved by so many who love the British countryside. (As is the case with an increasingly number of BBC podcasts, this one doesn’t appear to be available via Apple of Spotify outside the U.K.; it can still be accessed via the website for all those outside the U.K.)
  • BBC Countryfile: The Plodcast – A “weekly escape to the British countryside with fascinating guests and the wonders of the great outdoors.”
  • Hakai Magazine Audio Edition – Each episode features a single long-form essay from Hakai magazine.
  • Open Country – The podcast of BBC Radio 4’s Open Country program, an audio magazine featuring the people and wildlife that shape the landscape of the British Isles
  • Scotland Outdoors – from BBC Radio Scotland; lively presentations about the nature to be seen in, and outdoor activities to be undertaken, in Scotland.
  • The Stubborn Light of Things – A podcast series of recorded solitary walks by award-winning author Melissa Harrison through the countryside of southwest England. Quite simply one of the best podcasts series I’ve ever heard. Production of this podcast is now concluded but all episodes can still be downloaded – and should. More information about this podcast and the her book of the same name can be found here.
  • UK Wildlife Podcast – Delightful and very informative interview and discussion style podcast from UK Wildlife. Not limited to just wildlife as botanical and ecological themed episodes have also been produced.
  • Urban Wildlife – A very conversational and enthusiastic Philadelphia-based podcast hosted by Billy Brown and Tom Croasdale. While the focus is on nature in urban environments, each episode can range widely depending upon the topic and guest or guests being interviewed.

General Science

  • The Curious Cases of Rutherford and Fry – From BBC Radio 4; Dr. Adam Rutherford and Dr. Hannah Fry investigate everyday mysteries sent by listeners.
  • Got Science? – The podcast of the Union of Concerned Scientists; “features one-on-one discussions with scientists and experts about their research and how it applies to current issues like climate change, missile defense, autonomous vehicles, and more.”
  • In Our Time: Science – Episodes of Melvyn Bragg’s truly brilliant In Our Time Radio 4 program that take a concept from, field of study in, or noteworthy person from the history of, science as their subject.
  • Inside Science – “Dr. Adam Rutherford and guests illuminate the mysteries and challenge the controversies behind the science that’s changing our world.”
  • Joy of x – Mathematician and author Dr. Steven Strogatz interviews some of the world’s leading scientists about their lives and work.
  • The Life Scientific – Professor Jim Al-Khalili talks to leading scientists about their life and work, finding out what inspires and motivates them and asking what their discoveries might do for us in the future.
  • Nature – Features highlighted content and news updates from the week’s edition of Nature magazine.
  • New Scientist Weekly – Featured stories and news updates from New Scientist magazine.
  • Quirks & Quarks – Hosted by Bob McDonald, CBC Radio’s Quirks & Quarks “covers the quirks of the expanding universe to the quarks within a single atom… and everything in between.”
  • RI Science – “Thought provoking lectures from the world’s sharpest minds. Science talks from the Royal Institution every month.”
  • Science (AAAS) – Featured stories and news updates from the magazine Science.
  • Science Friction – Hosted by Natasha Mitchell for ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation). “Science, culture and everything in between. Feel the heat. All species welcome.”
  • Science In Action – “The BBC brings you all the week’s science news.”
  • Scientific American – Each episode features a single story on a wide range of topics from various areas of scientific study.
  • This Week in Science – Hosted by Dr. Kirsten (Kiki) Sanford and her team; a weekly, hour-long web and radio show “presenting an humorous, often opinionated, and irreverent look at the week in science and technology.”

History of Medicine

  • Infectious Historians – “Our podcast aims to both give you a flavor of past disease outbreaks while also discussing some pressing present questions. Some episodes will discuss a historical pandemic as a way to give a sense of what has happened in the past to contextualize the present. We hope these episodes are informative for everyone and useful for teaching at the high school and college level, since most schools have moved to online learning.”

History of Science / History of Natural History

  • Distillations – The podcast of the Science History Institute. “Using stories from Sciences past to understand our world.”
  • History Extra – The podcast of BBC History Magazine and BBC History Revealed; has a broad general history scope but occasionally features programs with topics falling within the history of science and the history of natural history.
  • The History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps – “Peter Adamson, Professor of Philosophy at the LMU in Munich and at King’s College London, takes listeners through the history of philosophy, ‘without any gaps.’ The series looks at the ideas, lives and historical context of the major philosophers as well as the lesser-known figures of the tradition.” Although this series takes the overall history of philosophy as its primary topic, it often presents episodes that are very relevant to the history of science, particularly in its Ancient (episodes 1-100), Medieval (episodes 196-300), and Renaissance (episodes 328-436 and ongoing) sections.
  • In Our Time: Science – Science (often history of) themed episodes of Melvyn Bragg’s truly brilliant In Our Time Radio 4 program.
  • Museum of Natural History Public Talks – Recordings of talks given at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History as part of its public program of events. (Inactive since November 2020; episodes still available online)
  • Science History – Monthly interviews on important moments in the history of science.

Marine Biology / Marine Science

  • Beyond Jaws – “Dr. David Ebert and Andrew Lewin interview shark scientists and conservationists to find out the steps they took that lead them to study and work with sharks. Interviews include stories of field shenanigans; career choices and advice; and, the science of sharks that may or may not include great white sharks…mostly not.”
  • Catch Our Drift – “A new fortnightly podcast for people who love the sea […] Co-hosted by marine biologist Dr. Helen Scales and submersible pilot and Nekton Mission Director Oliver Steeds, it uses storytelling to promote ocean conservation.” (Appears to be inactive; past episodes still available on the website.)
  • Fish of the Week! – A production of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service that “[originated] as a tribute to 150 years of fisheries conservation, Season 1 followed co-hosts Katrina Liebich and Guy Eroh as they sought to unpack the diversity of Alaska’s fishes. Season 2 followed up as a true audio almanac to ALL THE FISH: a week-by-week tour of interesting American ichthyofauna with guests around the country from all walks of life. Season 3 continues a journey across America featuring fish big and small, common and rare, beautiful and downright strange. Diverse guests will continue to bring their perspectives about the latest fisheries science and how fish are woven into the fabric of communities and cultures across North America and beyond.”
  • Shark-Cast – A production of Basking Shark Scotland. (Not updated since August 2023; may now be inactive but episodes are still available via podcast apps.)
  • Sharkpedia – Hosted by Meghan Holst and Amani Webber-Schultz; “Meghan and Amani are [two] 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.”

Paleontology / Palaeontology

  • I Know Dino; The Big Dinosaur Podcast – A lively and accessible podcast about dinosaurs and anything related to them.
  • Palaeocast – Hosted by Dr. Dave Marshall. “A free web series exploring the fossil record and the evolution of life on earth.” Each episode features a long-form interview or group discussion of a specific topic of paleontological interest.

 

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