Rapid change comes with many questions, and rarely has the need for information – reliable information – been greater. Here’s a list of my favorite podcasts: all excellent sources of fresh insights, from science and technology to business, politics, and the world in general. There’s no particular order or ranking. Just dive in and give them a try. I’ve included samples where possible.
Inspired by the hugely successful TED conference, the Radio Hour takes ideas from four or five speakers per episode and centers them on a common theme. That can be anything from “The Meaning of Work” to “The Food We Eat”, Earth’s finite resources or “How We Love”. I find that even when the subject is not immediately appealing to me, there’s often a segment that broadens my mind in unexpected ways.
Sample episode: What Are The Odds? Why coincidences are not quite as magical as they seem…
Sample episode: The Miracle Apple
Sample episode: Clean meat from new tech
Sample episode: Herb Kelleher, Southwest Airlines
Sample episode: November 12, 2016
You may have noticed that many of these podcasts are produced by NPR, a public broadcaster that largely relies on donations to keep investing in sound journalism. If you like you can make a donation via NPR stations such as San Francisco’s KQED, Chicago’s WBEZ, WNYC in New York, and many more.