There may be a seemingly endless supply of podcasts available today, but it can be difficult to find ones that toe the line between style and substance.
They do exist, though. Here’s a shortlist of fact-filled podcasts that are interesting, informative, and—best of all—entertaining.
You’ll laugh. You’ll learn. And you’ll be glad you added them to your podcast player.
Stuff You Should Know
With a name like Stuff You Should Know, this podcast better deliver. Thankfully, it does.
New episodes drop nearly daily, last around 45 minutes, and run the gamut of topics: artificial banana flavoring, nose jobs, mysterious crimes, even a breakdown of Rodney Dangerfield’s act.
Curiosity Daily
If you’re looking to cram as many fun facts as you can in as little time as possible, Curiosity Daily is right up your alley.
As the name implies, this is a once-daily podcast. It covers a wide range of subjects—a few per episode—and lands at about 15 minutes a pop. It’s a great vehicle for ingesting a bunch of fun facts without spending too much time doing it.
TED Radio Hour
If you like TED Talks, you’ll love TED Radio Hour.
This weekly podcast features episodes that average about 50 minutes and tackle deep-thought issues put forth by big thinkers. If you’re looking to not only learn but also expand your horizons at the same time, this is a good place to start.
Good Job, Brain!
Good Job, Brain! bills itself as “part quiz show, part offbeat trivia, and all awesome.” That’s a pretty good description for this weekly podcast, which features episodes that last about and hour and covers a truly dizzying array of topics spanning science, history, language, and beyond. It’s unpredictable, it’s weird, and it’s fun.
Discovery
Looking to lean a little toward the science-y side of things? The BBC’s Discovery podcast is a must-listen.
Episodes surface weekly and last about a half hour each, covering topics such as why people’s hair turns white, how Wi-Fi works, what’s next for space travel, and much more.
It’s a wonderfully informative look at past, present, and future issues—all presented in easily accessible, well-produced episodes.
Smart People
Smart People is an interview-style podcast with two hosts who pick the brains of—you guessed it—smart people.
Episodes appear each week, last between 45 minutes and an hour, and feature a great mix of compelling questions after which the hosts get out of the way so their guests can shine.
Topics lean ever so slightly toward self-help without being too cheesy about it. You’ll learn a bunch of cool stuff about health, business, and other matters, and perhaps even better yourself in the process.
I Should Have Known
The perfectly-named podcast I Should Have Known offers up engaging tidbits—with a twist. The podcast’s trio of hosts tackles a single issue, unraveling a series of facts about it. However, one of the facts is always a lie. It’ll keep you on your toes for sure.
Episodes last about 15 minutes and come out once a week.
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