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Comment by hswolff | Hacker News Reader

WNYC's Radiolab: http://www.wnyc.org/shows/radiolab/

Absolutely brilliant in every way. Has the highest production quality of any podcast I've ever listened to. Please give it a listen as soon as you can.

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Radiolab is great. However, it presents topics much in the same way that I imagine people who visit this site do- they love to explore interesting surface-level explanations of everything from the multiverse to the nature of consciousness. Don't get me wrong: Radiolab is very good at this, and since it's in audio form, it's the perfect way to learn while commuting, for example. I'm just saying that I have already learned a lot of the stuff they explore on the show, and I suspect a lot of hackers will have, too.

I also find their presenting style annoying sometimes, as they cut in and out of the subject talking and the hosts telling the story, and occasionally the hosts' banter seems forced for interest.

On the whole though, highly recommended!

Edit: It's worth confirming the high quality. I listen on 2x speed and it is almost 100% natural to listen to. Amazing.

I second that. One ethe best radio shows ever - an interdisciplinary popular science program produced like a radio play.

I love the stories they tell, but I can't listen to it. They're constantly interrupting the flow of the podcast with sound effects and pointless frills. I also can't stand how they often talk over interviewees.

It was much worse in the earlier podcasts, the new ones are pretty solid. Don't download the big torrent you can find on Isohunt but download the latest ~20 podcasts. I found the effects irritating too at first but now I kinda like them.

thirded

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