Podcasts that are out of this world
Are you wondering what is out there? (We are too)
The final frontier has been gaining in popularity within the podcasting world as of late — or, at least, it seems that way. Some of the most compelling audio I have heard recently has been about the space beyond our planet. Maybe that is because our world seems to be in absolute chaos and we want to escape this insanity. Maybe we figured out how to get into space through audio. More likely, though, I just followed that which interested me in my ever-changing need for mental stimulation.
In order to fill my need for the cosmic, I asked the Bello Slack channel what I should be listening to and found some on my own. Here is a list of the the best of what I found:
- Orbital Path is a show that does not get the love it deserves. Michelle Thaller has brought excellent discussion and interesting topics every single episode. My personal favorite is from November 2016: In Search of Planet 9.
- Twenty Thousand Hertz recently released an episode on sound in space, entitled Space, which was a perfect introduction to the audio that exists within our solar system.
- The Ends has started a miniseries on the Russian space program. Every topic that is on this podcast turns to gold, and this is no exception.
- Radiolab made an episode about space in its second season. It is typical Radiolab in that it is a great episode. The best part of it is hearing Neil Degrasse Tyson explain how insignificant humanity truly is in the scale of the universe.
- Space Rocket History is a podcast that has been around for over 200 episodes and is a great chronicle of the technology and lives that have left this planet.
- Offshore is really good at presenting controversies in Hawaii from all of the angles and their second season is focusing on the building of high powered telescopes on the slope of Mauna Kea. Although it isn't directly about space, the series is capturing the controversial Mauna Kea telescopes and the great rift this causing between science and spirituality.
- Cosmic Vertigo: ABC (Australian Broadcasting Co) has been putting out great shows for years. And this audio tour of space that starts with our moon and expands outward is great. The hosts are two astronomers who explain in the plainest English possible how the universe works and what exactly is there.
- BBC World Service made a miniseries on space at the beginning of the year. I listened to their episode on extraterrestrial life and it was extremely interesting and engaging. When I get a chance, I will for sure binge on the rest of the series
- 99% Invisible: I geeked out so hard when I heard the black hole (Editor’s note: I can vouch for this!). You know the sound: a couple of whoops and a ringing. Okay, maybe you don’t, but that doesn’t mean that the gravitational waves from two black holes colliding a billion years ago is not the coolest piece of audio ever captured.
May these sounds take you as far as they took me.
The Bello Collective is a publication + newsletter about podcasts and the audio industry. Our goal is to bring together writers, journalists, and other voices who share a passion for the world of audio storytelling.
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