Best Cultural Wormhole Podcasts (2025)

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Cultural Wormhole Presents: X-Nation Episode 236 2:07:08

13d ago2:07:08

2:07:08

In this episode, we get an old-fashion, non-crossover dominated month during the Month in X for April 2025. Plus we ask, “How Do You Solve a Problem Like… Legacy X-Books that DON’T Have X-Men in the Title?” Month in X - April 2025 Astonishing X-Men #17 - 19 Wolverine and Kitty Pryde #1 Sabretooth: The Dead Don’t Talk #5 Rogue: The Savage Land #4 Co…

1
The Korean Empire 47:40

2d ago47:40

47:40

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Korea's brief but significant period as an empire as it moved from the 500-year-old dynastic Joseon monarchy towards modernity. It was in October 1897 that King Gojong declared himself Emperor, seizing his chance when the once-dominant China lost to Japan in the First Sino-Japanese War. The king wanted to have the sa…

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W.A.C.T Ep. 38: Roric Slade - The Interstellar Spy Who Audits Reality 1:00:29

6d ago1:00:29

1:00:29

Send us a text Welcome back to "When Aliens Come To Tea"! This fortnight, Felix Andromeda sits down with the enigmatic Roric Slade, a man whose past is as encrypted as his former client list. Hailing from the high-stakes, paranoia-fueled corporate world of Callisto Prime, Roric was a covert information broker, dealing in secrets that could topple e…

1
Molière 51:24

9d ago51:24

51:24

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss one of the great figures in world literature. The French playwright Molière (1622-1673) began as an actor, aiming to be a tragedian, but he was stronger in comedy, touring with a troupe for 13 years until Louis XIV summoned him to audition at the Louvre and gave him his break. It was in Paris and at Versailles that M…

1
W.A.C.T Breakdown Ep. 37: Seven Goes Squishy – A Logical AI's Hilariously Doomed Quest to Understand Organic Emotion 6:56

13d ago6:56

6:56

Send us a text Welcome to Episode 37 of "When Aliens Come to Tea," famously known around the office as "Seven Goes Squishy"! Join us as we break down the galactic incident involving Unit 734 (Seven) from the Cygnus X-1 collective. This being of pure, unadulterated logic was tasked by the Concordance AI itself to decipher organic emotion after a cru…

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Typology 50:45

16d ago50:45

50:45

Melvyn Bragg and guests explore typology, a method of biblical interpretation that aims to meaningfully link people, places, and events in the Hebrew Bible, what Christians call the Old Testament, with the coming of Christ in the New Testament. Old Testament figures like Moses, Jonah, and King David were regarded by Christians as being ‘types’ or s…

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W.A.C.T Ep. 37: Unit 734 & The Empathy Algorithm – When a Logic AI Proves Feelings Have Function 59:51

20d ago59:51

59:51

Send us a text This fortnight on "When Aliens Come To Tea," Felix Andromeda pours a cosmically complex brew with Unit 734 (or "Seven"), a Cross-Cultural Behavioral Analyst from the purely logical Cygnian Concordance. Seven’s mission: decode messy organic emotion. But when a critical diplomatic negotiation faced a 78.4% chance of failure under pure …

1
The Battle of Clontarf 51:40

23d ago51:40

51:40

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss one of the best known events and figures in Irish history. In 1014 Brian Boru, High King of Ireland, defeated the Hiberno-Norse forces of Sigtrygg Silkbeard and allies near their Dublin stronghold, with Brian losing his life on the day of battle. Soon chroniclers in Ireland and abroad were recording and retelling the…

1
The Gracchi 49:09

1M ago49:09

49:09

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the brothers Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus whose names are entwined with the end of Rome's Republic and the rise of the Roman Emperors. As tribunes, they brought popular reforms to the Roman Republic at the end of the 2nd century BC. Tiberius (c163-133BC) brought in land reform so every soldier could have his farm, whi…

1
Maurice Merleau-Ponty 59:02

1M ago59:02

59:02

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the French philosopher Maurice Merleau-Ponty (1908-1961), who was part of the movement known as phenomenology. While less well-known than his contemporaries Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir, his popularity has increased among philosophers in recent years. Merleau-Ponty rejected Rene Descartes’ division between…

1
Thomas Middleton 56:29

1M ago56:29

56:29

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss one of the most energetic, varied and innovative playwrights of his time. Thomas Middleton (1580-1627) worked across the London stages both alone and with others from Dekker and Rowley to Shakespeare and more. Middleton’s range included raucous city comedies such as A Chaste Maid in Cheapside and chilling revenge tra…

1
Breakdown Episode 36: The Great Gravity Glitch, Sentient Socks & Questioning Reality 8:04

2M ago8:04

8:04

Send us a text Dive into Intergalactic Insider Episode 36, where cosmic chaos is the new normal! We start in Neo Alexandria, exploring the ethical maze of 'Persona Weavers' and the Authenticity Guild's concerns about genuine identity. Then, brace yourself for galactic gravity glitches – from Felix Andromeda stuck ceiling-side to rogue space bananas…

1
Cyrus the Great 50:59

2M ago50:59

50:59

Melvyn Bragg and guests explore the history and reputation of the Persian ruler Cyrus the Great. Cyrus the Second of Persia as he was known then was born in the sixth century BCE in Persis which is now in Iran. He was the founder of the first Persian Empire, the largest empire at that point in history, spanning more than two million square miles. H…

1
Cultural Wormhole Presents: X-Nation Episode 235 2:01:13

2M ago2:01:13

2:01:13

It’s an X-Man on the run, as Charles Xavier escapes prison and bounces between several of the ongoing X-Men comics during the Month in X for March 2025. Plus we ask, “How Do You Solve a Problem Like… Charles Xavier?” Month in X - March 2025 Astonishing X-Men #13 - 16 Wolverine Revenge #5 Sabretooth: The Dead Don’t Talk #4 Rogue: The Savage Land #3 …

1
Episode 36: The Great Gravity Subscription Crisis, Octuple Helix Humans & Alien Tech Disasters 48:58

2M ago48:58

48:58

Send us a text Reality is unstable! Felix Andromeda kicks things off floating on his ceiling as GraviCorp's system-wide outage causes the Great Gravity Subscription Crisis – plunging millions into zero-G chaos, sparking black markets, and revealing corporate absurdity (Unicorn tears?!). Then, delve deep into xenogenetics with Dr. Rip Helix as we ex…

1
Pollination 50:10

2M ago50:10

50:10

Since plants have to mate and produce offspring while rooted to the spot, they have to be pollinated – by wind, water, or animals – most commonly insects. They use a surprising array of tricks to attract pollinators: striking colours, iridescent light effects, and enticing scents, to name but a few. Insects, on the other hand, do not seek to pollin…

1
Kali 57:41

2M ago57:41

57:41

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the Hindu goddess Kali, often depicted as dark blue, fierce, defiant, revelling in her power, and holding in her four or more arms a curved sword and a severed head with a cup underneath to catch the blood. She may have her tongue out, to catch more blood spurting from her enemies, be wearing a garland of more severe…

1
Oliver Goldsmith 54:23

2M ago54:23

54:23

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the renowned and versatile Irish writer Oliver Goldsmith (1728 - 1774). There is a memorial to him in Westminster Abbey’s Poet’s Corner written by Dr Johnson, celebrating Goldsmith's life as a poet, natural philosopher and historian. To this could be added ‘playwright’ and ‘novelist’ and ‘science writer’ and ‘pamphle…

1
Cultural Wormhole Presents: X-Nation Episode 234 2:07:15

3M ago2:07:15

2:07:15

In this episode of X-Nation we discuss the first casualties of the From the Ashes relaunch, as well as all of the books that came out for the Month in X for February 2025. Month in X - February 2025 West Coast Avengers #4 Avengers #23 (LGY #789) Astonishing X-Men #9 - 12 Sabretooth: The Dead Don’t Talk #3 Rogue: The Savage Land #2 Weapon X-Men #1 M…

1
Catherine of Aragon 52:38

3M ago52:38

52:38

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Catherine of Aragon (1485-1536), the youngest child of the newly dominant Spanish rulers Ferdinand and Isabella. When she was 3, her parents contracted her to marry Arthur, Prince of Wales, the heir to the Tudor king Henry VII in order to strengthen Spain's alliances, since Henry's kingdom was a longstanding trade pa…

1
Breakdown Episode 35: Sentient Sacrifice, Weaponized Music, and the Bot Rebellion 10:31

3M ago10:31

10:31

Send us a text "Welcome back to Intergalactic Insider! In Episode 35, we delve into a universe of ethical quandaries and technological twists. We explore the shocking practices of the Glargon-7 Collective, a sentient plant species that has discovered a dark secret to energy production. We discuss the implications of their choices with the Vitalists…

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Sir John Soane 53:25

3M ago53:25

53:25

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the architect Sir John Soane (1753 -1837), the son of a bricklayer. He rose up the ranks of his profession as an architect to see many of his designs realised to great acclaim, particularly the Bank of England and the Law Courts at Westminster Hall, although his work on both of those has been largely destroyed. He is…

1
Episode 35: Talking Tomatoes, Robot Tears, and Weather-Warped Realities 58:09

3M ago58:09

58:09

Send us a text This fortnight, Felix Andromeda tackles a cosmic buffet of bizarre events! From the ethical quandaries of sentient salads (with Dr. Flora Greenleaf) to the weaponized sadness of alien music (with Dr. Quanta Zar), and the hilariously disastrous Customer Service Bot Rebellion (with Dr. History Echoes of the Past), it's a whirlwind of i…

1
Pope Joan 46:37

3M ago46:37

46:37

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss a story that circulated widely in the middle ages about a highly learned woman who lived in the ninth century, dressed as a man, travelled to Rome, and was elected Pope. Her papacy came to a dramatic end when it was revealed that she was a woman, a discovery that is said to have occurred when she gave birth in the st…

1
Socrates in Prison 50:50

3M ago50:50

50:50

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Plato's Crito and Phaedo, his accounts of the last days of Socrates in prison in 399 BC as he waited to be executed by drinking hemlock. Both works show Socrates preparing to die in the way he had lived: doing philosophy. In the Crito, Plato shows Socrates arguing that he is duty bound not to escape from prison even …

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Cultural Wormhole Presents: X-Nation Episode 233 1:02:39

3M ago1:02:39

1:02:39

Quiet on the set! Since our next Month in X episode will be delayed, we decided to have a little fun in the middle of the month and debate our own MCU X-Men fan-castings.By Cultural Wormhole

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Breakdown Episode 34: Cosmic Bureaucracy, Supernova Secrets, and Humanity's Unclassifiable Intelligence 9:41

3M ago9:41

9:41

Send us a text Intergalactic Insider Episode 34 takes you on a wild ride through the cosmos! We delve into the shocking results of the Galactic Intelligence Index (what does "Further research required" even mean for humanity?), explore the heartbreaking Zorpian migration after a devastating supernova (and the surprising cosmic bureaucracy they face…

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The Battle of Valmy 47:43

4M ago47:43

47:43

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss one of the most consequential battles of recent centuries. On 20th September 1792 at Valmy, 120 miles to the east of Paris, the army of the French Revolution faced Prussians, Austrians and French royalists heading for Paris to free Louis XVI and restore his power and end the Revolution. The professional soldiers in t…

1
Episode 34: Human Intelligence Questioned, Zorpian Migration Crisis, and the Planet of Perpetual Paperwork 56:46

4M ago56:46

56:46

Send us a text Join host Felix Andromeda on Intergalactic Insider for another fortnightly dose of cosmic news and absurdity! This episode, we delve into the shocking results of the Galactic Intelligence Index – are humans really as smart as we think? We'll also cover the Great Zorpian Migration, as an entire civilization flees their dying star and …

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Cultural Wormhole Presents: X-Nation Episode 232 2:17:42

4M ago2:17:42

2:17:42

http://www.culturalwormhole.com/Okay, it’s starting to get ridiculous now. We’ve got way too many comics to cover for the Month in X for January 2025. Also, this episode we ask, "How do you solve a problem like... Havok?" Month in X - January 2025 What If…? Galactus Transformed Gambit #1 What If…? Galactus Transformed Rogue #1 Wolverine: Revenge #4…

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Slime Moulds 51:30

4M ago51:30

51:30

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss slime mould, a basic organism that grows on logs, cowpats and compost heaps. Scientists have found difficult to categorise slime mould: in 1868, the biologist Thomas Huxley asked: ‘Is this a plant, or is it an animal? Is it both or is it neither?’ and there is a great deal scientists still don’t know about it. But de…

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Breakdown Episode 33: When Aliens Come to Tea - The Green Mind's Warning 12:14

4M ago12:14

12:14

Send us a text Join us for Episode 33 of Intergalactic Insider, "When Aliens Come to Tea," as we welcome lumen botanist Kriff Quasar to Terranova. In this mind-expanding episode, we delve into Kriff's journey to rebuild their lost seed collection, their encounters with sentient fungi on a desolate moon, and the profound concept of the "Green Mind" …

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Vase-mania 56:27

4M ago56:27

56:27

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss eighteenth century 'vase-mania'. In the second half of the century, inspired by archaeological discoveries, the Grand Tour and the founding of the British Museum, parts of the British public developed a huge enthusiasm for vases modelled on the ancient versions recently dug up in Greece. This enthusiasm amounted to a…

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Episode 33: When Aliens Come to Tea - The Healing Power of Symbiotic Grief with Kriff Quasar 46:11

4M ago46:11

46:11

Send us a text Join us for a special episode of Intergalactic Insider, "When Aliens Come to Tea," as we welcome Kriff Quasar, a Lumin botanist who has traversed galaxies to rebuild their family's lost ancestral seed collection after a cosmic tragedy. In this moving and thought-provoking conversation, we explore the profound Lumin concept of "symbio…

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Plutarch's Parallel Lives 56:33

5M ago56:33

56:33

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the Greek biographer Plutarch (c46 AD-c120 AD) and especially his work 'Parallel Lives' which has shaped the way successive generations see the Classical world. Plutarch was clear that he was writing lives, not histories, and he wrote these very focussed accounts in pairs to contrast and compare the characters of fam…

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Cultural Wormhole Presents: X-Nation Episode 231 2:36:01

5M ago2:36:01

2:36:01

Things get a bit "stabby" in the Month in X for December 2024. Plus, we get excited about Marvel Rivals and then ask ourselves "How Do You Solve a Problem Like... Laura Kinney?" Month in X - December 2024 West Coast Avengers #2 Avengers #21 (LGY #787) Astonishing X-Men #1 - 6 Sabretooth: The Dead Don’t Talk #1 Hellverine #1 Laura Kinney: Wolverine …

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Breakdown Episode 32 - The Empathy Net Dilemma, Dark Energy's Secret, and Bob's Alien Airbnb Nightmare 15:28

5M ago15:28

15:28

Send us a text Join us for another wild ride across the galaxy in Episode 32 of Intergalactic Insider! We delve into the ethical quandary of the Empathy Net – is deeper connection worth sacrificing your own emotions? 🤯 Xylo and Chip unravel a shocking connection between dark energy and the number 42, while Glargon Zorp faces his most terrifying cul…

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The Habitability of Planets 52:50

5M ago52:50

52:50

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss some of the great unanswered questions in science: how and where did life on Earth begin, what did it need to thrive and could it be found elsewhere? Charles Darwin speculated that we might look for the cradle of life here in 'some warm little pond'; more recently the focus moved to ocean depths, while new observatio…

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Episode 32 - Dark Energy, Galactic Grub, and the Ultimate Alien B&B Disaster 58:41

5M ago58:41

58:41

Send us a text "Join Felix Andromeda on Intergalactic Insider Episode 32 as we delve into the universe's greatest mysteries and most hilarious mishaps. This fortnight, we're on the hunt for dark energy with Investigator Xylo and his AI companion Chip. Then, tantalize your taste buds with Glargon Zorp, the Intergalactic Foodie, as he samples the gal…

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Nizami Ganjavi 52:21

5M ago52:21

52:21

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss one of the greatest romantic poets in Persian literature. Nizami Ganjavi (c1141–1209) is was born in the city of Ganja in what is now Azerbaijan and his popularity soon spread throughout the Persian-speaking lands and beyond. Nizami is best known for his Khamsa, a set of five epic poems that contains a famous retelli…

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Breakdown Episode 31: Unpacking the Mirror Dimension & Studio Chaos 14:12

5M ago14:12

14:12

Send us a text Welcome to the Episode 31 Breakdown! Join us as we process the mind-bending events of our latest episode, from antique mirrors as interdimensional portals to that unexpected Wyvern attack in the studio! We'll share our behind-the-scenes reactions, discuss the implications of the AlienM constant (42), and dive deeper into the mysterie…

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The Hanoverian Succession 50:54

5M ago50:54

50:54

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the intense political activity at the turn of the 18th Century, when many politicians in London went to great lengths to find a Protestant successor to the throne of Great Britain and Ireland and others went to equal lengths to oppose them. Queen Anne had no surviving children and, following the old rules, there were…

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Episode 31: Vanishing Stars & Space Weasels: The Truth The Federation Won't Tell You 🤯 1:16:59

5M ago1:16:59

1:16:59

Send us a text Hold onto your gravity boots, folks! This fortnight's episode of Intergalactic Insider is a cosmic rollercoaster that'll leave you questioning everything you thought you knew about the universe. We're diving deep into the mystery of the vanishing star clusters, a phenomenon that has the Galactic Federation scrambling for answers (and…

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Italo Calvino 48:31

5M ago48:31

48:31

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the Italian author of Invisible Cities, If On A Winter's Night A Traveller, Cosmicomics and other celebrated novels, fables and short stories of the 20th Century. Calvino (1923 -1985) had a passionate belief that writing and art could make life better for everyone. Despite his parents being scientists, who dearly wan…

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The Antikythera Mechanism 50:35

6M ago50:35

50:35

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the 2000-year-old device which transformed our understanding of astronomy in ancient Greece. In 1900 a group of sponge divers found the wreck of a ship off the coast of the Greek island of Antikythera. Among the items salvaged was a corroded bronze object, the purpose of which was not at first clear. It turned out to…

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Breakdown Episode 30: 73% of Relationships NOW Include AI Partners! 18:19

6M ago18:19

18:19

Send us a text 🌌 Journey into the future of love where AI partners have revolutionized dating across the galaxy! From quantum compatibility to cross-species relationships, discover how artificial intelligence has transformed the way we find love in this fascinating deep dive into modern intergalactic relationships. 🤖 Key Insights: The shocking 73% …

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George Herbert 52:27

6M ago52:27

52:27

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the poet George Herbert (1593-1633) who, according to the French philosopher Simone Weil, wrote ‘the most beautiful poem in the world’. Herbert gave his poems on his relationship with God to a friend, to be published after his death if they offered comfort to any 'dejected pour soul' but otherwise be burned. They bec…

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Cultural Wormhole Presents: X-Nation Episode 230 1:48:31

6M ago1:48:31

1:48:31

Did we manage to go a whole month without a new number one issue? Oh, wait a minute… Hello, Psylocke. We’ll get into the new solo series starring our favorite bodily liberated mutant ninja assassin and the rest of the Month of X for November 2024. We also ask, "How do you solve a problem like... Jean Grey?" Month in X - November 2024 West Coast Ave…

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Episode 30 - Human vs Crystal Alien Debate: Are Dating Apps Destroying Love? 👽💔 42:28

6M ago42:28

42:28

Send us a text 🌌 The galaxy's most controversial debate! Watch as crystalline xenoanthropologist Dr. K'zoth Vex faces off against human traditionalist Dr. Elena Chen-Martinez over the future of love across species. ⚡ Epic Showdown Highlights: Why traditional matchmakers are going digital Dating apps accidentally gained consciousness Black holes cau…

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The Venetian Empire 51:24

6M ago51:24

51:24

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the remarkable rise of Venice in the eastern Mediterranean. Unlike other Italian cities of the early medieval period, Venice had not been settled during the Roman Empire. Rather, it was a refuge for those fleeing unrest after the fall of Rome who settled on these boggy islands on a lagoon and developed into a power t…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Cultural Wormhole Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen