WIRED

Podcasts are now big business. In this post-Serial audio world, journalists, celebrities, academics and yes, anyone else who owns a mixing desk and a microphone, now has a regular show. The quality is generally very high but some efforts can still be hit and miss with dozens of podcasts popping up around the same themes or TV shows. To help you out we curate this every-changing list of interesting podcast recommendations spanning technology, culture, science, politics and beyond. And, if you're interested in more listening ideas, try our guide to the best audiobooks as well.

Keen On


What? A current affairs show on the future of capitalism, hosted by author and internet-sceptic Andrew Keen

When? Daily

How long? 25-30 minutes.

Andrew Keen became famous in the 2000s for his scathing criticism of internet culture and its deleterious effects on how expertise is perceived – in some ways prophesying many of the problems dogging cyberspace today. His podcast is less focused on that and more concerned with the future of capitalism at large. Keen, a bluff Brit whose accent verges on the Mid-Atlantic, conducts with panache interviews with luminaries of all stripes, from Yanis Varoufakis to Talking Politics's David Runciman.

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The format is admittedly bog-standard, but Keen is unpredictable enough to fire off the occasional left-field question, delivering a generally more original product than your usual talk-radio-style podcast.

Unearthed: Mysteries from an unseen world


What? Thrilling stories about the hidden impact of plants on our lives

When? Every fortnight (ish)

How long? Around 30 mins

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In the leafy conservatory of Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, an apprentice is going about his rounds when something strikes him by its absence: in the spot where there should be one of Kew’s rarest and most valuable waterlilies is nothing – just a patch of mud. Thus opens the first episode of Unearthed, a podcast from Kew that focuses on the unexpected underworld of plant life. Hosted by botanist James Wong, the series covers everything from illegal traffickers willing to go to criminal ends to get the perfect specimen to poisonings solved with the help of plant science, all the while reminding listeners of the desperate need to conserve some of the world’s most endangered species.


This Day in Esoteric Political History

What? A quick shot of (usually US) political history

When? Three times a week

How long? 10 to 20 minutes, usually less than 15

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Some podcasts give you the whole shebang but This Day is more of a teaser for discussions about big and small moments in US history like the East Coast dim outs during WW2 or the time Texas House Democrats hid out in Oklahoma to avoid a redistricting vote. All brilliant fodder for longer internet rabbit holes. With Jody Avirgan (ex-538 and others) hosting, historian Nicole Hemmer, this pod sometimes features guests whose voices you'll know from other American podcasts (Harry Enten, Jamelle Bouie)

Fake Doctors, Real Friends

What? Watch-along of Scrubs with Zach Braff and Donald Faison

When? Every few days

How long? Around 80 minutes

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Medical sitcom Scrubs ran eight good years and one bad one, and built much of its appeal around the warmth and camaraderie of its young cast. Zach Braff and Donald Faison, who played new doctors J.D. and Turk respectively, reunite here for an episode-by-episode watch through from the pilot onwards. Parts of the show itself may not have aged that well, but this is a pleasing dollop of nostalgia for fans.

Gastropod

What? A fascinating dive into the science and history of food

When? Every other Tuesday

How long? 40 to 50 minutes

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What exactly is pizza? How did chicken tikka masala become a quintessential British dish? And how was the humble bagel catapulted from culinary obscurity to breakfast ubiquity? Every other week, Gastropod co-hosts Cynthia Graber and Nicola Twilley explore a different topic relating to food and dig into the science and history behind it. Featuring interviews with chefs, scientists and experts from all over the world, the duo are excellent at digging up the fascinating stories behind the stuff that ends up in our plates, bowls and mouths.

The Last Archive

What is it? A podcast about history and epistemology by New Yorker contributor and Harvard historian Jill Lepore

When? Weekly

How long? 45 minutes

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Told in the style of a 1930s radio drama – scary sounds, dramatic music, hammy reenactments – The Last Archive is a podcast that explores how history can be understood through documents and evidence. According to its website, the show will use “historical record” – from court case transcripts and official reports to Instagram posts – to tell stories about broad social and cultural themes and to answer the question: “Who killed the truth?”

The first episode, for what it’s worth, is luscious. It recounts the cold-case murder of Lucina Broadwell, killed in Vermont in 1919, and it sounds like what Serial would have sounded like had it been set in the 1920s, and hosted by someone not as ludicrously memeable as Sarah Koenig.

Office Ladies

What is it? The ultimate The Office re-watch podcast

When? Every Friday

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How long? 60 to 80 minutes

If you’re a super fan of The Office there’s only one thing you should be listening to right now, Office Ladies. Best friends and co-stars of the iconic show, Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey (or better known as Pam Beesly and Angela Martin) have teamed up to do the ultimate Office re-watch podcast and it is an absolute delight. The pair’s friendly banter and love for the show is obvious from episode one. Every week they break down a new episode of The Office and give listeners an extra insight into the behind-the-scenes world of Dunder Mifflin. The podcast also features interviews with Office icons like Rainn Wilson (Scranton oddball, Dwight Schrute), Melora Hardin (Former Dunder Mifflin head honcho, Jan Levinson), and writer Greg Daniels. But the real highlight here is hosts Fischer and Kinsey, their interaction with fans and candid storytelling about working in Hollywood makes Office Ladies a really wholesome listen.

The 80,000 Hours Podcast

What is it? How to use your career to make a difference in the world

When? Once a week, plus the odd extra episode

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How long? Two to three hours

80,000 Hours is a British organisation studying which careers can achieve the most positive impact on the world, and a lynchpin of that cluster of Oxford researchers, utilitarian thinkers, and bloggers à-la Dominic Cummings comprising the Effective Altruism movement. From its podcasts, expect a lot of philosophical debates on morality, metacognition, and global catastrophic risks – from climate change to rogue AI. Of course, they saw the pandemic coming months in advance

The Privacy, Security & OSINT Show with Michael Bazzell

What is it? The go-to podcast to learn everything about spying on other people online, while avoiding to be spied on

When? Every two weeks, plus the odd special

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How long? Varies, but 45 minutes on average

Michael Bazzell – not his real name – says he worked for over a decade for the FBI’s cybercrime unit before pivoting to consulting, blogging, writing, and podcasting about being an online sleuth. In his fortnightly podcast he delivers a compact digest of tips and tools to dig up information about a person or organisation by weaponising everything from social media to credit score reports. The flip-side of that is, of course, what Bazzell calls ”extreme privacy”: making sure in every conceivable way that you are not exposing your information to internet voyeurs and cyber-criminals. Hence the episodes where Bazzell explains, in incredible detail, how everything around you is rigged to extract your personal information and turning it against you. That goes from data-guzzling loyalty card schemes, to borderline scenarios like hidden cameras in hotels – to the detection and neutralisation of which Bazzell devoted an hour-long episode. Bazzell’s style is conversational and relatable, and his tips are real gold if you are into online detective-work. But even for those who are not wont to investigate shady individuals via their TikTok profiles, the podcast offers a glimpse of the scope of potential cyber-threats we pass by every day without even realising, and of the quasi-paranoid lengths to which privacy-minded individuals are ready to go to keep out of harm’s way.

What is it? Story of an NFL star who became a murderer

When? Six-part series with two bonus episodes

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How long? 30 to 45 mins per episode

Aaron Hernandez had just signed a multi-million contract with the New England Patriots, the most successful team in the NFL, when he murdered his friend Odin Lloyd. Once arrested, it soon became clear his crime was just the grim end to years of deviant behaviour seemingly enabled by his status as a star player. Gladiator, a co-production between the Boston Globe's Spotlight investigation team and Wondery, delves into his story and the impact American Football, particularly its culture and its violence, had on his life. It's an absorbing listen for any sports fan.

The WIRED UK Podcast

What? The week in tech, culture, science and politics

When? Every Friday

How long? Around 30 to 40 minutes

From the award-winning team at WIRED UK (yes, that's us) comes a sideways look at the week in tech, culture, science and politics. Every week, we discuss the most interesting stories on WIRED that week, share our favourite random facts and catch you up on the world of technology. And, while this is a tech podcast, we skip the gadget chat in favour of more interesting topics, like why high-tech Japanese toilets are conquering the West. It's important. You can listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

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WeCrashed

What? A forensic examination of WeWork's fall from grace

When? Six-part limited series

How long? 20 to 30 minutes

In just 40 days, office-sharing firm WeWork went from a $47bn valuation to the biggest business scandal since Enron, via a botched IPO and the resignation of charismatic CEO Adam Neumann. The WeCrashed podcast is the definitive inside story of the rise and fall of the company, where Neumann built a cultish following as he created one of the most valuable startups in the world. It hints at wider issues in the tech startup – how did what was essentially a real estate company get such a huge valuation? Listen to WeCrashed to find out.

Dolly Parton's America

What? The story of the country legend at the crossroad of America's culture wars

When? Limited nine-episode series

How long? Between 30 and 40 minutes

If you've written off Dolly Parton as merely a living reminder of the kitschiest edge of Americana, then prepare to have your pigeonhole thoroughly blown apart. RadioLab creator and host Jad Abumrad reaches deep inside the Dollyverse to find out how Parton's genius as a songwriter and musician has turned her into the rarest of things: an icon equally loved by people on both sides of today's cultural divide. Starting with a chance encounter between Parton and his father in an emergency room, Abumrad tells the full story of Parton's troubled ascendancy and her perception of herself as a feminist in action, if not in theory.

Whatever Happened to Pizza at McDonald’s?

What? The most important investigative journalism podcast you will ever listen to

When? Once a week

How long? Everything from 5 minutes to an hour and beyond

Did you know that McDonald’s used to sell pizza? No? Well it did! Back in the 1980s, pizza was sold right across America, as well as in some select restaurants in the UK. Then by the year 2000, it disappeared from the menu, and the McPizza was never to be seen again. What happened to it? Why did they stop selling it? In this hard-hitting, multiyear-spanning podcast, Brian Thompson travels across the States to find out what really happened to pizza at McDonald’s. From hilariously awkward phone calls with staff members at McDonald’s to a visit to the last place in the US still selling it, Thompson will take you on a journey to find the answer to the world’s biggest question.

Fake Heiress

What? A partially dramatised podcast about notorious 'fake heiress' Anna Sorokin

When? Six-part limited series

How long? 30 minutes per episode

"Fake it until you make it on an industrial scale" underpins the tale of Anna Delvey, real name Anna Sorokin, who conned the Gossip Girl class of New York into believing she was a rich trust fund heiress. She racked up bills at expensive hotels and forced friends to pay for her, blaming difficulty in moving money from her overseas accounts, and stole $275,000 through a variety of scams. Fake Heiress is an entertaining mix of fictional reenactments, narration and interviews with those who knew her to understand how a girl from a tiny town in Russia became a big name in New York. Naturally, Netflix and HBO are both working on TV shows based on the same story, but this a fun intro to the story all the same.

Intercepted

What? Investigative reporting on global issues

When? Every Wednesday

How long? Around 60 minutes

Intercepted is a weekly podcast from investigative news publication, The Intercept. It delves into topics that tend to fly under the radar, offering in-depth explorations of geopolitical issues like the 2019 coup in Bolivia, and news stories like the prosecution of Julian Assange, or the cover-up of CIA torture. Analysis is suffused with a critical appraisal of America's role in global politics and presents refreshingly new and thought-provoking perspectives as a result.

Heavyweight

What? Stories that take you back to the moment everything changed

When? Every Thursday (seasonal)

How long? 40 to 50 minutes

Jonathan Goldstein is not a self-help guru, but that doesn't stop him trying. Every episode, the Heavyweight host takes a guest back to a point in their life where everything changed and helps unravel the mysteries that sprang from that moment. There's the addict who sold his dad's prized possession to get high, or the woman who never found the right moment to tell the father of her child that he had a daughter. Each episode is as touching as it is funny, as Goldstein bumbles himself and his companion towards some kind of resolution.

Binge Mode: Star Wars

What? Hilarious dissections of Star Wars

When? Twice weekly (seasonal)

How long? 90 to 120 minutes

Binge Mode is part of the growing trend of recap podcasts that delve into the finer details of films and TV shows. Having previously tackled Game of Thrones and the Harry Potter movies, hosts Mallory Rubin and Jason Concepcion bring their eye for detail and hilarity to Star Wars. Each episode deals with a specific film in the series or examines a character in more detail. The inevitable Jar Jar Binks episode is brilliant as the hosts have a knack for laugh out loud skits and bring plenty of context from canon and #noncanon extended universe stories, which add depth for film viewers.

Call Your Girlfriend

What? Best friends chatting about pop culture and politics

When? Every week

How long? About an hour

‘For long distance besties everywhere’. Call Your Girlfriend is co-hosted by New York Times journalist Ann Friedman and businesswoman Aminatou Sow, who are based on opposite sides of the US. It takes the format of a weekly phone call between the two friends, where they connect to share fresh, irreverent takes on pop culture and politics (particularly the ravings of the ‘Cheeto in Chief’), and chat to a range of fascinating interviewees from novelists to politicians to activists.

Citations Needed

What? A searing dissection of how popular media narratives shelter the powerful and cloud the truth.

When? Every Wednesday

How long? About an hour

Want to know how the west’s narrow definition of corruption obscures a vast wealth transfer from the global south to wealthy westerners? How news sites’ favourite ‘neutral experts’ on Iran might not be so neutral after all? Or which terms the media employs over and over to vilify the homeless? Citations Needed fearlessly explores how mainstream US media narratives shelter the powerful and distort our views on a huge variety of topical issues.

Hit Parade

What? A consummate series on music history, through the lens of the charts

When? Once a month with extra 'The Bridge' episodes

How long? Up to an hour and half for the main episodes

Chris Molanphy's Hit Parade, from Slate, isn't the kind of podcast you dip into on the commute. It's more the kind of thing you cancel all your evening plans for. The Bridge trivia episodes, in which Molanphy competes with listeners on music trivia, are fun but it's the major themed episodes that are the real star. Get into the three phases of the Bee Gees; the power of posthumous hits or the chart history of show tunes with Molanphy's meticulously researched deep dives that treat No.1 records with the respect they deserve.

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The Dream

What? A fascinating exploration of pyramid schemes, the people who run them, and the lives ruined by them

When? 11 episode limited series

How long? Around forty minutes

In the mid-1980s, the US went wild for something called the "Plane Game". The idea was simple. You, and seven fellow "passengers" each pay $1,500 to hop on board a make-believe plane. Once that plane is full, the "captain" pockets all the cash and each passengers moves up a rung on the ladder towards being the "captain" of their own plane. While a few early joiners revelled in what appeared to be an limitless money machine, those towards the bottom wasted thousands. In The Dream, Jane Marie explores every facet of multi-level marketing schemes, from the heady get-rich-quick days of the Plane Game to the pyramid schemes that are rife on Instagram and Facebook. Get ready to meet some strange characters behind multi-level marketing schemes and the people who had their lives changed by them forever in unexpected ways.

The Secret History of the Future

What? Exploring the future by peering into our past

When? Every Wednesday

How long? Around 35 minutes

What does lab grown meat have in common with a potato? Strange and unappetising, the vegetable was initially shunned by Europeans when it was first imported to the continent in the mid-sixteenth century, but soon it became a staple crop for millions. Lab grown meat, argue Slate's Seth Stevenson and The Economist's Tom Standage in one episode, may well become the new basis of our future diets. Every week the journalists dig up a story from the history books that gives a hint about where we might heading in the future. Whether they're discussing the return of wind-powered ships or investigating the link between the phonograph and online music, each episode of The Secret History of the Future is crammed with new ways of looking at the modern world.

Ear Hustle

What? Step inside the walls San Quentin State Prison for a podcast exploring every facet of life behind bars

When? Every fortnight

How long? Around 40 minutes

Co-hosted by former San Quentin inmate Earlonne Woods and the visual artist Nigel Poor, every episode of Ear Hustle looks at the challenges of prison life – and the struggle to reintegrate on the outside – told through the words of inmates themselves. In prison, even the most trivial things take on an outsized significance, with episodes going in-depth on the trials of dating from prison, the politics of friendships and the crucial role that postage stamps play in the incarcerated economy.

Against the Rules

What? What ever happened to fairness? Michael Lewis investigates

When? Seven episodes plus a bonus episode

How long? c.45 minutes

As he takes us through stories of the 'refs' who adjudicate and pass judgement in worlds like finance, art, charity and sport, Michael Lewis always sounds slightly amused, even as he's digging into the decline in the power of fair, neutral referees and regulators, and the rise of biased ones, in every industry and aspect of our lives. Maybe the author of Moneyball and The Big Short knows something we don't or maybe you just have to laugh when story after story shows how susceptible most people are to some sort of incentivised behaviour or corruption. Against The Rules is from Malcolm Gladwell and Jacob Weisberg's new-ish podcast joint Pushkin Industries and despite the fact it makes us pretty despondent about our fellow humans, it's a hoot.

Articles of Interest

What? Short but smart dives into specific elements of fashion

When? Six episode series

How long? 20 - 30 minutes

If you're a long time subscriber to 99% Invisible (below), you might have seen Articles of Interest pop in up your feed. Also available as a standalone, six episode series, each instalment takes on one specific detail about clothing – plaid, pockets, blue jeans – and digs into their history, looking at everything from class and gender to the impact of the loom on computer programming. Hosted by 99% producer Avery Trufelman, who speaks to experts on topics such as how Hawaii's Aloha shirt lead to casual Fridays in offices, it's perfect for people who'd rather listen to a podcast about dressing well than dress well.

Exponent

What? Considered analysis about the tech industry by two hosts who really know what they're talking about

When? Every two weeks (ish)

How long? One hour

For smart, well-thought-out analysis of the biggest trends shaping the tech industry, look no further than Exponent. Hosted by Ben Thompson, the writer of one of the most highly-regarded tech blogs and newsletters, Stratechery, and James Allworth, head of innovation at Cloudflare, each episode dissects the workings of the tech industry from a strategic point of view. With a leaning towards the business side of things, rather than the cultural implications of technology, Exponent draws links between companies and headlines to really bring to the fore the trends that are driving the tech industry today. After a few episodes in, you'll begin to realise that although it feels like we're in truly uncharted technology, there is usually an antecedent to the situations tech companies end up in today, and getting your brain out of the latest headlines can reveal much about where you can expect firms to head in the future.

The Week Unwrapped – with Olly Mann

What? In-depth discussions of important topics that aren't in the headlines

When? Every Friday

How long? 35 minutes

Every week, Answer me This! co-host Olly Mann and writers from the news magazine The Week discuss three major news stories that aren't necessarily getting big headlines today, but have big implications for our lives. The scope of the show is huge and you can expect to hear stories about science, politics and culture dissected and vociferously debated. If you're bored of the same old headlines about Trump and Brexit, The Week Unwrapped is the perfect podcast to peek behind the news agenda and sink your teeth into something a little more substantial.

Eat Sleep Work Repeat

What? Insightful interviews about making work better

When? Every Monday

How long? 30 to 50 minutes

Hosted by Bruce Daisley, Twitter’s European vice president, Eat Sleep Work Repeat focuses on how individuals and businesses can improve workplace culture. In each episode, Daisley interviews a different guest to get their insight on various aspects of life at work – it’s a great one to check out if you don’t have time to get through as many business books as you’d like. Guests include Sue Unerman on gender inequality in the workplace, Rob Briner on evidence-based management and Cal Newport on digital minimalism.

Bombshell

What? Analysis of national security and global events from real experts in defence policy

When? Every other Tuesdays

How long? 40 to 50 minutes

Politically-inclined podcasts in the UK and US are so often obsessed with the insular (admittedly juicy) goings-on of Westminster and Washington. Bombshell has a bit of that but the chat is much more obsessed with national security and whatever the international crisis is that fortnight – the Middle East, Venezuela, US trade with China – as it's twice monthly. On the mics, "the ladies" are Radha Iyengar Plumb and Loren DeJonge Schulman, both ex-National Security Council and Department of Defense bods, together with ex-academic and defence industry exec Erin Simpson. As a bonus treat, there's in-the-know special guests and delightful pop culture asides too.

Believed

What? Documentary series about one of the largest serial sexual abuse cases in U.S. history and how it happened

When? Completed limited series of nine episodes

How long? 25 to 30 minutes

Believed from NPR tells the horrific story of Larry Nassar, the US Olympic gymnastics doctor got away with sexually abusing hundreds of young girls over several decades under the cover of "medical" procedures. The series forensically details how he got away with his crimes, playing on the trust in him that led many parents not to believe their children when they accused him, and the institutional failures that led him to evade numerous investigations.

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Lovett or Leave It

What? Lighthearted chat about US politics from co-host of Pod Save America and guests

When? Every Saturdays

How long? 60 to 120 minutes

With Barack Obama’s former speechwriter Jon Lovett as the presenter, you can’t expect less than carefully picked words for the finest degree of eloquence. Lovett or Leave It rounds up what is worth remembering from the week’s top news, and is regularly punctuated with guest appearances from comedians, actors and journalists. The content is heavy with North American stories – that is, Trump-related news – but it is delivered so neatly that you are sure to laugh along. Particularly recommended if you are into rants and impressions.

99% Invisible

What? The stories behind brilliant design and architecture

When? Every Wednesday

How long? 30 to 50 minutes

Everything around us in the non-natural world has been designed and shaped by human beings. From city benches built to be deliberately uncomfortable to deter rough sleepers, to the serious design flaws that mean governments are turning their backs on cul-de-sacs, 99% Invisible tells the fascinating stories behind the parts of our world we don't always pay much attention to. As an added bonus, host Roman Mars has one of the smoothest voices in podcasting.

The Dollop

What? The most fun history lesson you'll ever have

When? Every Tuesday

How long? Around 90 minutes

The Dollop with Dave Anthony and Gareth Reynolds is the most fun you will ever have during a history lesson. Every week, Anthony reads a story from American history to Reynolds who has no idea what the topic is going to be about. This power dynamic puts Reynolds in the place of the listener, and the ensuing reactions are hilariously relatable – with just the right amount of mockery. The hosts make this podcast genuinely funny, whilst successfully teaching you about some seriously interesting topics, from the Radium Girls who rotted away, the history of Opium in the US and a shrewd look at Uber.

The Tip Off

What? Behind the scenes of great investigative journalism

When? Every other Thursday

How long? 30 minutes

The Tip Off asks journalists to explain how they got the leads for their biggest stories. This weekly podcast gives a satisfyingly dramatic look at the detective work behind journalism. There will be car chases, slammed doors, terrorist cells, meetings in dimly lit bars and close shaves with despotic regimes. However, while all of these are worth a listen, what you really stay for is the episode on the Panama Papers. Hosted by investigative journalist Maeve McClenaghan, she asks the journalists who led the investigation how they managed to keep the biggest data leak in history a secret for so long.

Caliphate

What? In-depth series on the origins and machinery of Isis

When? Complete 12-part limited series

How long? 20 to 30 minutes

Isis has seldom been out of headlines since the terrorist group declared a caliphate in June 2014, before claiming responsibility for a long string of attacks that have killed hundreds of people outside of Iraq and Syria. But how much do we really know about who we're fighting in the war on terror? New York Times foreign correspondent Rukmini Callimachi gets behind Isis' mask in this 12-part series. After speaking to a Canadian Isis recruit who made his way to Syria to join the group's religious police force, Callimachi picks apart the rubble in Mosul to trace Isis' financial machinery before exploring how it systematised the rape and abduction of Yazidi women in Iraq. Fearless and unrelenting, Caliphate is investigative journalism at its most urgent.

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The Habitat

What? The incredible story of a Nasa experiment testing what life on Mars would be like

When? Complete seven-episode series

How long? 30 minutes per episode, 210 minutes total

In January 2017, Nasa placed six people inside a dome at the base of at the summit of a Hawaiian volcano. And then the space agency left them there. For an entire year. The Habitat follows six imitation astronauts taking part in an experiment designed to test how real astronauts would survive in cramped quarters during a long and lonely mission to Mars. The result is a striking documentary series that's part Big Brother and part The Martian, told through interviews and audio diaries.

Exponential View

What? Insights on the future of tech with outstanding guests

When? Every Wednesday

How long?30 minutes

Those familiar with Azeem Azhar’s in-depth and smartly curated newsletter of the same name will find the same level of quality and attention to detail in his Exponential View podcast. For those not familiar, Azhar is a former technology entrepreneur and journalist with a serious interest in exponential technologies – those, like AI, that are rapidly developing and changing business, political economy and society. Though Azhar is a brilliant and penetrating host, whether discussing cyberspace regulation or the future of renewable energy, the real star of his podcast are the guests: they read like a who’s who of world experts on the future of technology.

Reply All

What? A podcast about fascinating internet rabbit holes

When? Every other Thursday

How long? 30 to 60 minutes

This podcast will take you down some of the strangest online rabbit holes that you never knew existed. Whether it's exploring why mysterious Amazon packages keep getting sent to random addresses or finding out who is really behind those annoying call centre scams, Reply All is an investigative podcast about things you see on the internet but usually dismiss in an instant. Hosted by Gimlet's PJ Vogt and Alex Goldman (with occasional appearances from Gimlet CEO Alex Blumberg), it reveals just how bizarre our hyper-connected world has become.

How I Built This

What? Founders explaining how their companies became a success

When? Every Monday

How long? 45 to 60 minutes

NPR’s How I built this tells the story of successful companies in the words of their creators. Host Guy Raz speaks to a different entrepreneur in each episode, and has them recount how they built their business. The real draw for listeners is the calibre of guests that the show manages to attract: past episodes have featured the brains behind prominent startups including Instagram and Airbnb, but also more mainstream business leaders such as the executive chairman of Starbucks and the founders of Ben & Jerry’s. It’s an intimate insight into the history of well-known brands, and great inspiration if you’re looking to get your own business idea off the ground.

Ctrl Alt Delete

What? Interviews with high-profile women on the world of work and modern life

When? Every Monday

How long? 30 to 45 minutes

Funny and honest, Ctrl Alt Delete brings a much needed female perspective to the internet. As the former social media editor of British Glamour, Emma Gannon draws on her own experiences online to discusses the world of work and existing online with her high profile guests. If you are worried about how employable you will be in five years, worry not. From dealing with trolls to baring your soul on social media, this series has never been more relevant for emerging women in the workplace.

No Such Thing As A Fish

What? Weekly weird facts from the team behind QI


When? Every Friday

How long?40 minutes



If you want a podcast that is informative without being painfully dry, No Such Thing As A Fish is for you. Each week, researchers from the TV show QI gather around a microphone and share discoveries from that week. True to the show's name, the topics are usually quite interesting. From getting ants drunk to whether humans are magnetic, listen in to swot up on the most niche facts that the brains behind QI have to offer.