Best Observable Stream Podcasts (2025)

101
Texas floods and forecasting cuts: a sign of things to come? 16:49

Play Pause

5d ago16:49

16:49

In the days since the deadly floods in the Texas Hill Country, speculation has grown about whether cuts to US weather agencies may have contributed to the the number of casualties. Ian Sample talks to the meteorologist and climate journalist Eric Holthaus to find out whether this narrative stacks up and what the consequences could be for extreme we…

1
What are microplastics doing to our health? 15:58

6d ago15:58

15:58

The actor recently posted a photo of himself undergoing a £10,000 procedure at a London clinic that claims to remove microplastics, forever chemicals and herbicides from the blood. But how settled is the science around the health risks of microplastics? To find out, Ian Sample speaks to Dr Stephanie Wright, associate professor of environmental toxi…

1
Why British women are freezing their eggs abroad 18:26

11d ago18:26

18:26

The number of women choosing to freeze their eggs has increased sharply, according to figures from the UK’s Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA). The number deciding to embark on the process abroad also appears to be rising. Madeleine Finlay speaks to the Guardian journalist Lucy Hough, who recently travelled to Brussels to freeze he…

1
What does it take to make a nuclear weapon? 15:54

13d ago15:54

15:54

In an interview last weekend, Iran’s ambassador to the UN said his country’s nuclear enrichment ‘will never stop’ because it is permitted for ‘peaceful energy’ purposes. It is the latest development in an escalation of tensions over Iran’s nuclear programme, which erupted when Israel targeted the country’s nuclear facilities in June. To understand …

1
The Power of Story: Building Community Through Conversation 23:21

18d ago23:21

23:21

In this episode, host Jarrod A. Clabaugh, CAE, chats with motivational speaker and improv comedian James Robilotta about the power of authentic conversations. Together, they explore how curiosity deepens human connection, why storytelling builds community, and the importance of prioritizing mental health and work-life balance. With humor and honest…

51
‘Huge advances in cancer and rare diseases’: 25 years of the human genome 18:33

18d ago18:33

18:33

It has been 25 years since Bill Clinton announced one of humanity’s most important scientific achievements: the first draft of the human genome. At the time, there was a great deal of excitement about the benefits that this new knowledge would bring, with predictions about curing genetic diseases and even cancer. To find out which of them came to p…

1
OpenSearch 3.0 Unveiled: Vector DB on Steroids and More - OpenObservability Talks S6E01 1:04:14

19d ago1:04:14

1:04:14

OpenSearch has become a cornerstone of open source search and observability, empowering developers and organizations to derive meaningful insights from unstructured data at scale. The past year marks a significant milestone in its journey, with OpenSearch officially joining The Linux Foundation, further cementing its position in the open source eco…

1
Can a revolutionary new telescope solve the mystery of planet nine? 15:10

20d ago15:10

15:10

Ever since Pluto was demoted from planet to dwarf planet in 2006, astronomers have been wondering whether Neptune really is the most distant planet from the sun. Now, a new telescope could uncover what lies in the farthest reaches of the solar system. The Vera C Rubin Observatory released its first images this week, and soon the world’s most powerf…

101
Do medicinal mushroom products actually work? 18:41

25d ago18:41

18:41

More of us are turning to products containing mushroom extracts, with the medicinal fungi market now worth billions of pounds. Promises of benefits to mental and physical health have seen its popularity spill over from wellness influencers to the shelves of Marks & Spencer – but is there any scientific evidence behind these claims? Ian Sample chats…

1
Does the UK need nuclear to reach net zero? 15:14

28d ago15:14

15:14

The chancellor, Rachel Reeves, has promised £14bn of investment to build the Sizewell C nuclear power plant, kicking off what the energy secretary, Ed Miliband, says will be a ‘golden age for clean energy abundance’. But for critics, the technology’s high costs and lengthy construction times have always eclipsed the benefits of abundant low-carbon …

1
How to Save the Amazon part 3: ask the people that know – podcast 25:00

1M ago25:00

25:00

As a companion to the Guardian’s Missing in the Amazon podcast, global environment editor Jon Watts goes in search of answers to the question Dom Phillips was investigating when he was murdered: how can we save the Amazon? In the final episode of a three-part series, Jon encounters a radical new view of the Amazon’s history being uncovered by archa…

1
How to save the Amazon part two: the magic and mystery 24:28

1M ago24:28

24:28

As a companion to the Guardian’s Missing in the Amazon, Jon Watts, global environment editor, goes in search of answers to the question Dom Phillips was investigating when he was murdered: how can we save the Amazon? In episode two, Jon meets the people trying to make sure the rainforest is worth more standing than cut down – from a government mini…

1
How to save the Amazon part one: the stakes 28:03

1M ago28:03

28:03

As a companion to the Guardian’s Missing in the Amazon, the global environment editor Jon Watts goes in search of answers to the question Dom Phillips was investigating when he was murdered: how can we save the Amazon? In episode one of a three-part series, Watts explores what’s at stake if we fail to act in time. He hears about the crucial role of…

1
Missing in the Amazon: the disappearance – episode 1 26:50

1M ago26:50

26:50

The British journalist Dom Phillips and the Brazilian indigenous defender Bruno Pereira vanished three years ago while on a reporting trip near Brazil’s remote Javari valley. The Guardian’s Latin America correspondent, Tom Phillips, investigates what happened to them in a six-part podcast series. Find episode 2 and all future episodes by searching …

1
Into the photic zone: does a darkening ocean threaten marine life? 14:32

1M ago14:32

14:32

Vast areas of the ocean are getting darker, according to research based on satellite imaging. Marine ecosystems are governed by faint light changes – from mass nightly migrations to coral spawning cycles – so what happens when that light begins to fade? Ian Sample talks to Prof Tim Smyth from the Plymouth Marine Laboratory about why this darkening …

1
The incredible world of animal medicine 16:24

1M ago16:24

16:24

Ian Sample meets Jaap de Roode, professor of biology at Emory University in Atlanta, and author of the book Doctors by Nature: How Ants, Apes and Other Animals Heal Themselves. De Roode explains how a chance discovery got him interested in animal medicine, the amazing ways that creatures use toxins to fight parasites and pathogens, and what humans …

1
Smarter Tech, Human Touch: AI in the Association Space 24:32

2M ago24:32

24:32

In this episode, host Jarrod A. Clabaugh, CAE, sits down with tech expert and keynote speaker Beth Ziesenis, affectionately known in the association world as "your nerdy best friend." Together, they explore Beth’s journey into the association space and dive into her latest book, "Real People, Real AI," which showcases the unexpected and creative wa…

1
Your microbiome questions answered: part two 18:08

2M ago18:08

18:08

Ian Sample is joined by Dr James Kinross, colorectal surgeon and author of the book Dark Matter: The New Science of the Microbiome, to answer all your questions about gut health. In episode two, Kinross explains what else, beyond antibiotics, can damage our microbiome, how we can start to repair it, and gives his top tips for keeping our gut microb…

1
ClickHouse: Breaking the Speed Limit for Observability and Analytics - OpenObservability Talks S5E12 58:27

2M ago58:27

58:27

The ClickHouse® project is a rising star in observability and analytics, challenging performance conventions with its breakneck speed. This open source OLAP column store, originally developed at Yandex to power their web analytics platform at massive scale, has quickly evolved into one of the hottest open source observability data stores around. It…

1
Your microbiome questions answered: part one 17:38

2M ago17:38

17:38

Ian Sample is joined by James Kinross, colorectal surgeon and author of the book Dark Matter: The New Science of the Microbiome, to answer all your questions about gut health. In episode one, James explains how the gut microbiome gets set up, how it impacts our early development, and the effect antibiotics can have on our microbes. Help support our…

1
The extraordinary promise of gene editing 16:55

2M ago16:55

16:55

Doctors in the US have become the first to treat a baby with a customised gene-editing therapy after diagnosing the child with a severe genetic disorder that kills about half of those affected in early infancy. Ian Sample explains to Madeleine Finlay how this new therapy works and how it paves the way for even more complex gene editing techniques. …

1
The latest twist in a Canadian medical mystery 19:27

2M ago19:27

19:27

In March 2021, the Toronto-based reporter Leyland Cecco heard about a memo sent by New Brunswick health officials that warned about a possible unknown neurological syndrome thought to be affecting about 40 people. Since then the story has taken many twists and turns, most recently with a peer-reviewed study that concludes there is no mystery illnes…

1
Is it time to try geoengineering? 14:20

2M ago14:20

14:20

Geoengineering, the controversial set of techniques that aim to deliberately alter the Earth’s climate system, may be inching a step closer to reality with the announcement that UK scientists will be conducting real-world experiments in the coming years. To understand what’s happening, Ian Sample is joined by the Guardian environment editor Damian …

1
Have we got the appendix all wrong? 13:26

2M ago13:26

13:26

For a long time the appendix was considered disposable. After all, millions of people have theirs removed each year and go on to live healthy lives. But as Heather F Smith, a professor of anatomy at Midwestern University tells Ian Sample, researchers are increasingly understanding what this small worm-shaped organ may be bringing to the table in te…

1
Surviving 200 snake bites, decoding ancient scrolls and the countries ‘flourishing’ 21:22

2M ago21:22

21:22

Science correspondent Hannah Devlin joins Ian Sample to discuss three intriguing science stories from the week, from a global study that puts the UK third from bottom when it comes to flourishing, to a man who intentionally suffered more than 200 snake bites in the quest to find a universal antivenom and a breakthrough in the quest to understand th…

1
Cinema Reborn, The Narrow Road to the Deep North & Dying for Sex 47:00

2M ago47:00

47:00

This week on Primal Screen, Flick Ford is joined by Vyshnavee Wijekumar for a jam-packed episode! First up, we preview Cinema Reborn, an annual film festival dedicated to the restoration and celebration of cinema history. Flick chats with festival organisers Grace Boschetti and Digby Houghton about this year’s program and the importance of film pre…

1
How old are we really? What a test can tell us about our biological age 16:24

2M ago16:24

16:24

Direct to consumer tests that claim to tell us our biological – as opposed to chronological – age are getting a lot of attention, but what can they really tell us about our health? Science editor Ian Sample talks to Dr Brian H Chen, an epidemiologist at the California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute, who has conducted research into a vari…

1
Why did Spain and Portugal go dark? 16:29

2M ago16:29

16:29

Authorities are still trying to understand what triggered the massive power outage that left the majority of the Iberian Peninsula without electricity on Monday. To understand what might have been at play, and whether there’s any truth to claims that renewable energy sources were to blame, Ian Sample hears from Guardian energy correspondent Jillian…

1
Balancing High Tech and High Touch: Elevating the Member Experience 25:02

3M ago25:02

25:02

In this episode, host Jarrod A. Clabaugh, CAE, chats with keynote speaker and Black Tie Experience founder Bob Pacanovsky about the critical balance between technology and human connection in today's digital landscape. Bob shares how his personal journey led him to the nonprofit world and a deeper understanding of what makes interactions truly memo…

1
Why did Just Stop Oil just stop? 18:27

3M ago18:27

18:27

Just Stop Oil, the climate activism group behind motorway blockades, petrol station disruption and tomato soup attacks on major artworks, has disbanded after staging a final action in London this weekend. To find out why the group has decided to hang up the famous orange high-vis, Madeleine Finlay hears from our environment correspondent Damien Gay…

1
The best political satire of the century (and its stage adaptation) plus review of 'Crossing' 44:57

3M ago44:57

44:57

This week we welcome back our beloved host, Flick Ford! Joined by guests Thomas Caldwell and Cerise Howard. We review Levan Akin’s deeply touching film Crossing, about a retired teacher searching for her estranged niece, a trans woman, with the help of a young man as her translator. It raises challenging issues – particularly around people whose id…

1
CNCF Ambassadors Share the Best of KubeCon EU 2025 - OpenObservability Talks S5E11 1:02:54

3M ago1:02:54

1:02:54

KubeCon Europe 2025 in London has wrapped up, and we’re bringing you all the highlights, trends, and behind-the-scenes insights straight from the show floor! In this special recap episode, I’m joined by two CNCF Ambassadors and community powerhouses: Kasper Borg Nissen, the Co-Chair of this KubeCon as well as of the KubeCon 2024 editions, and a Dev…

1
Boy Week! Reviews of Warfare, Sinners, and The Rehearsal 41:55

3M ago41:55

41:55

It’s Boy Week on Primal Screen, as guest host Alice McShane is joined by Will Cox and Maudie Osborne to take us through discussions and reviews of the boy-heavy releases Warfare, Sinners, and The Rehearsal. Warfare is the latest film from A24, with director Alex Garland (Civil War, Ex Machina) turning his attention to the war genre. Following a squ…

1
Evidence of alien life, a clue about the rise of bowel cancer, and a new colour? 20:43

3M ago20:43

20:43

Madeleine Finlay and Ian Sample discuss three intriguing science stories from the week. From a hint at alien life on a distant planet to a clue in the search for answers over why colon cancer rates are rising in the under 50s, and news from scientists who claim to have found a colour no one has seen before. Help support our independent journalism a…

1
Is ‘de-extinction’ really possible? 16:26

3M ago16:26

16:26

The American biotech company Colossal Biosciences recently made headlines around the world with claims it had resurrected the dire wolf, an animal that went extinct at the end of the last ice age. But does what the company has done amount to ‘de-extinction’ or should we instead think of these pups as genetically modified versions of the grey wolves…

1
RFK Jr’s mixed messages on vaccines 17:53

3M ago17:53

17:53

As a measles outbreak expands across the US, comments by health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr have come under scrutiny. Kennedy has said that the best way to prevent measles is to get vaccinated – but he has also caused alarm among paediatricians, vaccine experts and lawmakers by promoting vitamin A and nutrition as treatments for measles and quest…

1
What 40 years as Observer science editor has taught Robin McKie 19:43

3M ago19:43

19:43

Robin McKie reflects on his 40 years as science editor for the Observer and tells Madeleine Finlay about the game-changing discoveries and scientific controversies that he’s reported on during that time. He describes how the discovery of the structure of DNA revolutionised science, what he learned about misinformation from the HIV/AIDS pandemic and…

1
Merle Oberon’s lifelong secret, Michael Haneke’s deceptively humanistic cinema and a piercing Magdalene Laundries drama 49:16

3M ago49:16

49:16

Eloise Ross jumped into the host seat this week to interview Australia’s unofficial Merle Oberon expert, Rohan Spong. In light of the recent book, Love, Queenie: Merle Oberon, Hollywood’s First South Asian Star and a new creative project Rohan is working on, they discuss Oberon’s contribution to Hollywood. She was the first person of South Asian de…

1
Streams of medicines: how Switzerland cleaned up its act 15:54

3M ago15:54

15:54

Switzerland is leading the world in purifying its water of micropollutants, a concoction of chemicals often found in bodies of water that look crystal clear. They include common medicines like antidepressants and antihistamines, but have unknown and potentially damaging consequences for human and ecosystem health. In the second of a two-part series…

1
Holiday makers, studio heads, and unicorns! The White Lotus, The Studio, and Death of a Unicorn in Review. 52:09

3M ago52:09

52:09

This week, we're diving into three titles that, in their own unique ways, critique capitalist systems and corruption through humor and satire. Join Anthony Carew, Alice McShane, and Will Cox for their reviews of THE WHITE LOTUS, THE STUDIO and DEATH OF A UNICORN. THE WHITE LOTUS has just aired its third season finale, and we have a lot to discuss. …

1
Streams of medicines: what’s hiding in the UK’s waterways? 15:55

3M ago15:55

15:55

The UK is known for its national parks: areas of outstanding natural beauty with rolling hills and crystal-clear streams and lakes. But research has shown that England’s most protected rivers are full of pharmaceuticals. In episode one of a two-part series, biodiversity reporter Phoebe Weston tells Madeleine Finlay about the problem of chemical pol…

1
‘Parasites should get more fame’: the nominees for world’s finest invertebrate 18:16

3M ago18:16

18:16

Invertebrates don’t get the attention lavished on cute pets or apex predators, but these unsung heroes are some of the most impressive and resilient creatures on the planet. So when the Guardian opened its poll to find the world’s finest invertebrate, readers got in touch in their droves. A dazzling array of nominations have flown in for insects, a…

1
Keto: what’s the science behind the diet? 17:16

3M ago17:16

17:16

While other diet fads come and go, the ultra low carbohydrate Keto diet seems to endure. But as scientists begin to understand how the diet works, more is also being discovered about its risks. To find out more, Madeleine Finlay speaks to Javier Gonzalez, professor in the department of health at the University of Bath, with a special interest in pe…

1
The Business of Travel: Marketing, Funding, and the Future of Ohio Tourism 26:58

4M ago26:58

26:58

In this episode, host Jarrod A. Clabaugh, CAE, sits down with Melinda Huntley, executive director of the Ohio Travel Association, to explore her journey in the travel economy and association management. They discuss how early engagement with associations shaped her career, the impact of federal funding cuts on Ohio tourism, and the challenges of ec…

1
Richard Gere and Paul Schrader reunite; Looney Tunes hits us with nostalgia; and an observational doco for cat lovers 43:48

4M ago43:48

43:48

This week we reviewed three films that all opened in Australian cinemas last week, but otherwise have little else in common. Our guest host Thomas Caldwell was joined by Silvi Vann-Wall and Vyshnavee Wijekumar. They discuss Richard Gere’s reunion with American Gigolo writer and director Paul Schrader in Oh, Canada (also starring Uma Thurman and Jac…

1
Observability for Mobile with OpenTelemetry - OpenObservability Talks S5E10 1:03:02

4M ago1:03:02

1:03:02

Observability into mobile native applications presents unique challenges, from capturing real user interactions to dealing with network constraints and battery efficiency. In this episode of OpenObservability Talks, we explore the special characteristics of client-side telemetry, and how OpenTelemetry helps generate mobile client telemetry for real…

1
The rise and fall of DNA testing company 23andMe 21:49

4M ago21:49

21:49

The genetic testing firm 23andMe has filed for bankruptcy, another twist in the story of a company that promised a pioneering approach to precision health. Now users are scrambling to delete their personal data, with the future ownership of the firm uncertain. To understand the highs and lows of 23andMe’s journey, Madeleine Finlay hears from the Gu…

1
Where do our early childhood memories go? 18:37

4M ago18:37

18:37

It’s a mystery that has long puzzled researchers. Why can’t we remember our early childhood experiences? Freud called the phenomenon infantile amnesia, and for many years scientists have wondered whether it’s a result of failure to create memories or just a failure to retrieve them. Now new research appears to point to an answer. To find out more, …

1
What a dark energy discovery means for the fate of the universe 16:08

4M ago16:08

16:08

Dark energy, the mysterious force powering the expansion of the universe, appears to be weakening over time, according to a major cosmological survey that has thrown the laws of modern physics into doubt. Ian Sample tells Madeleine Finlay how this new finding could shed light on the ultimate fate of the cosmos, and Saul Perlmutter, who won a Nobel …

1
A mysterious millionaire and the quest to live under the sea 16:02

4M ago16:02

16:02

Before billionaires dreamed of setting up communities on Mars, the ocean was seen as the next frontier in human habitation. Reviving this dream is Deep, a project backed by an anonymous millionaire to the tune of more than £100m that aims to establish a ‘permanent human presence’ under the sea from 2027. Guardian Seascape editor Lisa Bachelor visit…