Radiolab

It's time to share one of internet's best kept secrets: the Radiolab archives! THE MOST inspiring, interesting, accessible, science-flavoured story telling action around!

These days I spend a few hours a week crossing the Wiltshire countryside by bus and unfortunately, it seems I have lost the pleasure of reading books on these proud motorised stallions.

I think my car sickness issues began when I was 13 and I spent most of my summer holiday in France playing the gameboy in the back seat of my aunt's car. Ever since I found reading in cars nauseating, but buses were blissfully exempt up until now. My vestibulocochlear apparatus is just not what it used to be... So, to distract myself from the overpowering fragrance of chemically-enhanced industrial strength manure and to be able to appreciate the lush green rolling hills said manure helps to sustain, I turned to listening.

I stream Radiolab podcasts onto my iPhone and tune in just as I get on the coach. It is my secret to coping with infrequent, overpriced, slow and unreliable public transport. In fact I am the only one at work who does not commute by car, and yet I seem the happiest upon arrival.

Radio Lab is why!

Here's just a sample:

Loops

Limits

Please let us know what you think!

Procrastinatio... n

Painfully accurate radio reportage on the self-affliction that is procrastination. DO NOT put off listening to it! ;-)

Helping Hamlet: Can Science Cure Procrastination?

"Scientists estimate that up to 20 per cent of the world's population are chronic procrastinators who put off completing tasks to the last minute and damage their wealth, health and happiness in the process. Can chronic procrastinator Rowan Pelling find a solution to her problem by talking to experts and fellow sufferers?"

First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 11:00AM Tue, 28 Aug 2012

Duration 28 minutes

Available until 11:32AM Tue, 4 Sep 2012 

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I'll find a picture for this post tomorrow...

This American Life: House on Loon Lake

The house on Loon Lake is one of my favourite This American Life episodes. Whole hour devoted to an intriguing story of a boy who breaks into a seemingly abandoned house frozen in time. Tune in for the incredible haunting story that will remind you of the kid sleuth you always wanted to be!

Remember - you can stream all TAL archive episodes for free! Hundreds of hours of the best stories in North America. Brilliant. Addictive.

Radio roll!

Ok, here's another radio reccomendation: Stephen Fry's show on the subject of brevity. Musing over telegrams, tweets, aphorisms and epitaphs - a witty, succinct, informative earful!

Fry's English Delight
Series 4 Episode 2: Brevity
30min
BBC Radio 4

This American Life: Episode 428

"Oh you shouldn't have": the best This American Life episode I've heard in a long long while! Lock yourself away in a quiet room for an hour and tune in - prepare to be outraged, amused, angered, relieved and maybe even a bit tearful...?(!)

British stereotypes exploited much to my amusement

_______________________ If you are British (and please don't argue that there is no such thing as "being British" because you'll immediately qualify for one of the aforementioned stereotypes!) or have lived in the UK at any point, you will be delighted by this episode of BBC Radio 4's mock phone-in show Down the Line (Series 3, Episode 2)! Unfortunately I cannot vouch for the availability of free streaming from the BBC iPlayer site for people residing outside of the UK (the said episode is available here for the next few days). But you can always try your luck on YouTube - so far I found the Credit Crunch Special there (part 1, part 2, part 3) which is also really good!

Let me just say that in this episode members of the British public phone in with suggestions to name a newly discovered planet. What could go wrong you ask? That's for me to know and for you to find out!

On Air!

It's time to share my pick of the Internet radio goodness with you!





First off a cute local radio station from Lancaster UK - I like the philosophy behind the shows! Anyone in the local community can call up, get training and run their own show!:D And so you get a good mix of music with a hip-twist.


Second is the absolute gem from the American public radio (NPR) - This American Life! It is possibly the most interesting radio show ever made! Amusing stories from the people of the colonies! All episodes available to stream for free from their episode archive!:D


Finally, I'm giving it up for my uni radio station. Sadly, it doesn't appear to be working at the minute... What a surprise.