The Best Podcasts for Everyone

A podcast is a sound file similar to a radio broadcast, which can be downloaded and listened to on a computer or iPod. You can find a podcast about almost anything these days, but you might need a helping hand to find the podcasts worthy of your ear. Our expertly chosen list will entertain and educate you, whether you’re doing the dishes, working out, or relaxing in the bath.

1. Revisionist History

In this mix of strange stories, Malcolm Gladwell, a famous writer, handles misunderstood events and rarely discussed ideas, covering subjects like Toyota’s car recall and even the firebombing of Tokyo at the end of World War II. Gladwell freely mixes research and opinion and enjoys challenging conventional views, but every episode serves up facts and stories you have likely never heard before.

2. The Read

Kid Fury and Crissle West, famous comedians, review the latest pop culture news and offer their opinions on everything. Funny and challenging, these conversations run for a couple of hours, covering recent events and frequently touching on social justice, mental health and race.

3. Forever35

Forever35 started as a physical self-care podcast but expanded to discuss mental health, relationships, and any other topic that appeals to writers Doree Shafrir and Kate Spencer. They go from chatting about skin creams to seasonal emotional disorder—but always in a fun, inclusive, and down-to-earth way.

4. Hidden Brain

An absorbing deep dive into human behavior related to brains with the help of scientists, Hidden Brain is packed with informative messages. The host, National Public Radio’s accomplished science journalist Shankar Vedantam, makes complex ideas accessible.

5. The Infinite Monkey Cage

This show, hosted by physicist Brian Cox and comedian Robin Ince, raises questions like “Does time exist?”—which are then debated by a diverse panel of three guests, usually a mix of experts and entertainers. Definite answers are in short supply, but it’s always accessible, enthusiastic, and makes audience think deeply.

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The latest data shows the population of wild Asian elephants in southwest China’s Yunnan Province has increased from around 150 to more than 300 from the 1980s to the end of 2021, according to the National Forestry and Grassland Administration.

With the growth in the elephant population, conflicts between humans and elephants have become frequent. In order to fundamentally and peacefully solve the issue and protect the elephant’s habitat at the same time, construction of the Asian elephant National Park is picking up speed. Experts suggest that national parks are not meant to be entirely free of people. Instead, they should offer a method for coexistence.

Asian elephants play an important role as engineers of the rainforest, said the expert. Their migration(迁徙) can speed up the replacement of forest ecosystems along the way. Elephant waste remains not only a delicacy for insects, but also attracts insectivorous birds, allowing plant seeds to spread. Therefore, protecting the elephants and their habitats guarantees the shelter to other wildlife in forest ecosystems.

To cope with human-elephant conflicts, Yunnan took the lead in introducing a commercial insurance model into its compensation(补偿) system: local residents will be paid with the amount of money for the crops destroyed by the elephants by the insurance company. In the past 10 years, Yunnan has paid a total of 173 million yuan for losses caused by Asian elephants.

“The standard of compensation is constantly being adjusted, and the amount of insurance coverage for compensation is also increasing,” said Yang Hua from the Forestry and Grass Bureau of Yunnan Province. “At present, the insured amount in Pu’er City and Xishuangbanna Prefecture alone has already gone beyond 50 million.”

Cities are difficult to navigate (导航) at the best of times, but for people with disabilities they can be like courses with hurdles and bring inconvenience to disabled people.

A UK national travel survey found that adults with mobility difficulties took 39% fewer trips than those with no disability in 2017. Yet that could change as devices and cities grow smarter. Assistive tech is playing a big role in the transformation. The global value of the industry is expected to increase from $14 billion in 2015 to $30.8 billion in 2024, according to Zion Market Research.

One of the things that could transform lives is a smart walking stick designed by engineers from Young Guru Academy (YGA) in Turkey. The WeWalk stick has a sensor that detects hurdles above chest level and uses vibrations (振动) to warn the user. It can be paired with a smartphone to help navigation, and is connected with a voice assistant and Google Maps.

Ceylan, who has been blind since birth, says that connecting the stick to the Internet of Things and smart city solutions makes it user-friendly. “As a blind person, when I am at the Metro station I don’t know which is my exit ... I don’t know which bus is approaching ... which stores are around me. That kind of information can be provided with the WeWalk,” he says.

“The smart walking stick is really an exciting initiative that will make a huge difference to some people,” says Anna Lawson, the director of the Center for Disability Studies at Leeds University in the United Kingdom. “But they are very expensive ... they’re not going to be available to the vast majority of disabled people,” she added.

Bryan Matthews, a lecturer at the Institute for Transport Studies at the University of Leeds, shares the concerns about cost. He says there should also be a focus on inclusive design, and anything that helps people navigate their environment is positive.