Staff Picks Reviewer: Rachael

Invisibilia by National Public Radio [Online Resource]

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Bernie Krause was a successful musician as a young man, playing with rock stars like Jim Morrison and George Harrison in the 1960s and ’70s. But then one day, Bernie heard a sound unlike anything he’d ever encountered and it completely overtook his life. He quit the music business to pursue it and has spent the last 50 years following it all over the earth.

If this description of a recent episode intrigues you, you will want to check out a podcast called Invisibilia. Produced by National Public Radio, Invisibilia explores the underlying forces that influence our behavior, ideas, and assumptions. Topics are wide-ranging and are told in an engaging and narrative fashion. One recent episode discussed a city councilor candidate who insists he is black, while his opponent accuses him of pretending to be black. The podcast asks “If race is simply a social construct and not a biological reality, how do we determine someone’s race? And who gets to decide?”

Stuff You Should Know by Josh Clark and Charles W. [Online Resource]

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It can be a challenge to find a podcast that is very educational and informative, and at the same time is really funny. It can also be a challenge to find a podcast that appeals to the older and younger generations. Stuff You Should Know is a free podcast that fits the bill.

The podcast is hosted two good friends, hosted by Josh Clark and Charles W. “Chuck” Bryant, both writers at HowStuffWorks. Each adds their own charming, clever, and sometimes serious take on a wide variety of issues. Thousands of episodes are available on this weekly podcast that started in 2008.

Check out this sampling of topics from 2017:

• How Dictators Work
• Are Artificial Sweeteners Really Bad for You?
• How Pacifism Works (and could it?)
• The Black Panther Party
• Pain Scales – Yeeow!
• Why Isn’t the US on the Metric System?
• How Foreign Accent Syndrome Works
• Is A Head Transplant a Real Thing?

Most of the podcasts are an hour, but Chuck and Josh offer short segments as well. Check it out On iHeartRadio or wherever you go for Podcasts. You’ll have a lot more fun on your exercycle and even learn a few things.