Did you ever wish you were smarter? It would be great to be able to absorb information but where are you going to get the time? The day is only 24 hours long and you’re going to spend a good chunk of that time in bed anyway. For the rest of the time, you’ll probably be doing some vacant task like walking, driving or ironing. That’s no kind of life! Do you want to look back on all of those hours and cry tears of regret for all of the things you could have been learning? Of course you don’t – so why not make a change? For all of those moments when you’re not using your ears, fill them with knowledge!
There are hundreds of educational podcasts out there and, to tell you the truth, the bulk of them are just excellent insomnia cures. It’s easy to gather together a list of educational podcasts but where are you going to find a catalogue of podcasts that are actually worth listening to? Luckily for you, kind reader, your friends at Growth Engineering have cobbled together the best of the bunch. Here are 7 of the most interesting, most entertaining and most educational podcasts to help turn you into the trivia-monger you always knew you could be. So when you take a break from your online learning courses to walk the dog, potter around the garden or chop onions, load up one of these bad boys and continue your learning journey:
1. The QI Podcast
Did you know that your favourite font of quite interesting facts also has a podcast? No Such Thing As A Fish, to give it its full title, is a weekly podcast presented by the QI Elves, the cogs that run the QI research engine. Expect the same heady mixture of LOL and OMG!
2. Stuff You Should Know
This podcast is presented by Chuck & Josh (Charles W. Bryant & Josh Clark), two senior editors of howstuffworks.com, a giant in the world of educational websites and a great place to go if you want to find out how stuff works!
3. Cracked Podcast
Cracked.com is a reluctant teacher masquerading as America’s Only Humor Site. In the podcast, the top contributors come together to discuss issues of history, science or pop culture with their usual irreverent sprinkling of juvenile humour and liberal cursing.
4. Little Atoms
Featuring guests as diverse as Noam Chomsky, Christopher Hitchens and Tim Minchin, Little Atoms is the go-to radio show for rationalists, atheists and sceptics. Check Little Atoms out for frequent discussions on the social impact of science, the ethics of medicine and the power of reason.
5. The Memory Palace
If you don’t have a whole hour to spare, why not squeeze in an enlightening historical anecdote? These monthly little snapshots of history won’t keep you more than ten minutes but the chances are you’ll be thinking about them for the rest of the day.
6. The Futility Closet
Here’s a great place to learn about some of the more quirky tales from the more obscure corners of history.
7. Intelligence Squared
For those with a taste for debate, Intelligence Squared is the podcast for you. Each episode tackles a topical burning question and the argument is fought out by such skilled orators as Stephen Fry, Richard Dawkins and Germaine Greer.
Click here for Part 2
Because these podcasts are entertaining as well as educational, you can share them on social media without feeling like too much of a nerd. Millions of people are reaping the benefits of social learning every day without even realising it. To find out more about the power of social learning, click this link.
