It seems that everyone has a podcast these days, from celebrities such as Anna Faris to Shaquille O’Neal. Podcasts are a great addition to a daily commute. They are also great for remaining updated about any topic like the news or to learn something new. If you are new to podcasts and are not sure where to start, here is a list of 10 podcasts that are a great starting point. All of these podcasts are available on iTunes or the Podcast app on your phone.
Serial
This is the podcast that made podcasts popular. The first season of Serial is the most famous one, focused on the murder of Hae Min Lee. Her boyfriend Adan Syed was convicted for her murder. But he has always stated he is innocent. Throughout the season the host Sarah Koenig grapples with the question of who really killed Hae Min Lee? Is Adan Syed innocent as he claims?
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This American Life
This American Life picks a new theme every week, where they explore different stories on that theme. Every episode brings a new opportunity to learn something new and offers an insight into the human condition. Episodes can make you laugh, cry, sometimes all in the same episode.
S-Town
S-Town is a podcast from This American Life and Serial. It is best not to know a lot about it when listening to it. The gist of it is, a man asks a reporter from This American Life to come to his Alabama town to investigate a crime. According to him, the wealthy son of a powerful family murdered someone and got away with it. The story starts there, but it doesn’t end there. It’s the heartbreaking story about a man’s life riddled with mystery.
Criminal
According to their website, Criminal takes a look at, “Stories of people who’ve done wrong, been wronged, or gotten caught somewhere in the middle”. One of their very first episodes is about owls, and how an owl might have been the culprit of a crime (episodes are often as weird as they sound).
Sawbones: Marital Tour of Misguided Medicine
This podcast is hosted by a couple, one half is a doctor while the other is not. Together they delve into different medical treatments that have existed over time for various ailments, such as scarlet fever, heartburn, and nosebleeds. Each episode is hilarious and teaches you a lot about medical history.
This Won’t Hurt a Bit
Another medical Podcast! This medical podcast is hosted by different doctors, such as an emergency doctor. Each episode focuses on a different topic, like influenza or parasites. The hosts dive into different cases they have had and how they dealt with them.
Revisionist History
This podcast produced and hosted by Malcolm Gladwell dives into a different topic each episode. As he writes on his website, “[Each episode] Revisionist History will go back and reinterpret something from the past: an event, a person, an idea. Something overlooked. Something misunderstood”.
99% Invisible
99% Invisible focuses on design, specifically on the details that are often ignored by the average person. The podcast offers a look into the history and exposes flaws in design in the world that surrounds us.
Duolingo Spanish Podcast
If you want to learn a new language or want to freshen up on your skills, these next two podcasts are a great way to go. The Duolingo Spanish Podcast tells a story every episode that is read slowly for learners to understand. Stories are told by native Spanish speaker and a host interrupts every once in a while to make sure listeners understand the story.
Coffee Break French
The Coffee Break French podcast is also a great way to freshen up on your language skills. Each episode is only about 15 minutes in length and it has two hosts. One of the hosts already knows French, while the other is learning French along with the listener.