Best Recesion Podcasts (2025)

1
S8 Ep269: SHOW 12-30-25 CBS EYE ON THE WORLD WITH JOHN BATCHELOR THESDHOW BEGINS WITH DOUBTS ABOUT THE PURPOSE OF WAR-MAKING AS EXPRESSED MOURNFULLY BY HECTOR'S WIFE ANDROMACHE... SHOW 12-30-25 CBS EYE ... 6:06

Play Pause

6m ago6:06

6:06

SHOW 12-30-25 CBS EYE ON THE WORLD WITH JOHN BATCHELOR THESDHOW BEGINS WITH DOUBTS ABOUT THE PURPOSE OF WAR-MAKING AS EXPRESSED MOURNFULLY BY HECTOR'S WIFE ANDROMACHE... SHOW 12-30-25 CBS EYE ON THE WORLD WITH JOHN BATCHELOR TRANSLATION AND THE SEARCH FOR TROY Colleague Professor Emily Wilson. John Batchelor interviews Professor Emily Wilson about …

1
S8 Ep268: THE WOMEN OF THE JULIO-CLAUDIAN DYNASTY Colleague Daisy Dunn. Dunn profiles the powerful women of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Livia is portrayed as Augustus's essential political partner and ... 10:10

25m ago10:10

10:10

THE WOMEN OF THE JULIO-CLAUDIAN DYNASTY Colleague Daisy Dunn. Dunn profiles the powerful women of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Livia is portrayed as Augustus's essential political partner and diplomat. The segment covers the tragic life of Julia, the lechery of Caligula, and the notorious reputation of Messalina. Finally, Agrippina the Younger is de…

1
S8 Ep268: ANTONY, FULVIA, AND CLEOPATRA'S END Colleague Daisy Dunn. The conversation turns to Mark Antony's unpopular affair with Cleopatra and his wife Fulvia, who instigated a war in Italy to counter ... 9:30

7m ago9:30

9:30

ANTONY, FULVIA, AND CLEOPATRA'S END Colleague Daisy Dunn. The conversation turns to Mark Antony'sunpopular affair with Cleopatra and his wife Fulvia, who instigated a war in Italy to counter Octavian. Dunn highlights the Roman propensity for public emotion and early marriage. Following Antony's botched suicide, Cleopatra takes her own life to avoid…

1
S8 Ep268: CLEOPATRA AND CAESAR Colleague Daisy Dunn. Dunn describes Cleopatra's dramatic entrance from a rug to meet Caesar and secure her rule in Egypt. Despite her intelligence and linguistic skills ... 8:19

32m ago8:19

8:19

CLEOPATRA AND CAESAR Colleague Daisy Dunn. Dunn describes Cleopatra's dramatic entrance from a rug to meet Caesar and secure her rule in Egypt. Despite her intelligence and linguistic skills, the Romans viewed her with suspicion and distaste, labeling her a "whore queen." Dunn challenges the Hollywood image of Cleopatra's beauty, noting coin portra…

1
S8 Ep268: CORNELIA AND SERVILIA: MOTHERS OF ROME Colleague Daisy Dunn. This segment focuses on Cornelia, the educated "one-man woman" who raised the reforming Gracchi brothers to challenge the Roman elite ... 9:30

12m ago9:30

9:30

CORNELIA AND SERVILIA: MOTHERS OF ROME Colleague Daisy Dunn. This segment focuses on Cornelia, the educated "one-man woman" who raised the reforming Gracchi brothers to challenge the Roman elite. Dunn notes Cornelia's heartbreak as she tried to dissuade her second son from following his assassinated brother's path. The discussion shifts to Servilia…

1
S8 Ep268: DIDO AND THE FOUNDING OF CARTHAGE Colleague Daisy Dunn. Dunn recounts the story of Dido, the clever founder of Carthage who tricked a local king to secure land. When Aeneas abandons her to fulfill ... 7:00

37m ago7:00

7:00

DIDO AND THE FOUNDING OF CARTHAGE Colleague Daisy Dunn. Dunn recounts the story of Dido, the clever founder of Carthage who tricked a local king to secure land. When Aeneas abandons her to fulfill his destiny, Didocurses him, foreshadowing the Punic Wars between Rome and Carthage. The segment explores her tragic suicide on a pyre, noting the societ…

1
S8 Ep268: ETRUSCANS AND THE WOMEN OF EARLY ROME Colleague Daisy Dunn. Dunn discusses the Etruscans, noting their advanced dentistry and the shock Greeks felt at Etruscan men and women dining together openly ... 12:40

11m ago12:40

12:40

ETRUSCANS AND THE WOMEN OF EARLY ROME Colleague Daisy Dunn. Dunn discusses the Etruscans, noting their advanced dentistry and the shock Greeks felt at Etruscan men and women dining together openly. Transitioning to Rome, they recount the violent founding myth of the Rape of the Sabine Women. The segment details the tragedy of Lucretia, whose rape a…

1
S8 Ep268: SAPPHO OF LESBOS Colleague Daisy Dunn. Dunn explores the life of Sappho, debunking myths about her appearance and suicide. She explains that Sappho was exiled due to her family's aristocratic ... 8:05

12m ago8:05

8:05

SAPPHO OF LESBOS Colleague Daisy Dunn. Dunn explores the life of Sappho, debunking myths about her appearance and suicide. She explains that Sappho was exiled due to her family's aristocratic background during a time of political revolution. The conversation covers Sappho's disapproval of her brother's relationship with the courtesan Doricha and he…

1
S8 Ep268: FEMALE AUTHORSHIP AND THE TROJAN WOMEN Colleague Daisy Dunn. Daisy Dunn discusses the legend of Phantasia, a rumored female source for Homer, and the myth of Leda and the Swan. She argues that ... 9:44

25m ago9:44

9:44

FEMALE AUTHORSHIP AND THE TROJAN WOMEN Colleague Daisy Dunn. Daisy Dunn discusses the legend of Phantasia, a rumored female source for Homer, and the myth of Leda and the Swan. She argues that the Trojan Warlikely reflects real historical conflicts at the site of Hisarlik. The segment highlights key female figures: Andromache, who offers military a…

1
S8 Ep268: GRIEF, GAMES, AND ACCEPTANCE Colleague Professor Emily Wilson. After Hector's death, Achilles finds a form of healing through funeral games, which offer a non-lethal model of competition. He ... 7:00

6m ago7:00

7:00

GRIEF, GAMES, AND ACCEPTANCE Colleague Professor Emily Wilson. After Hector's death, Achilles finds a form of healing through funeral games, which offer a non-lethal model of competition. He even awards Agamemnon a prize without a contest, possibly as a slight. The poem concludes not with victory, but with a "humanitarian pause" for Hector's funera…

1
S8 Ep268: THE DEATH OF PATROCLUS AND HECTOR Colleague Professor Emily Wilson. The tragedy culminates with Patroclus ignoring Achilles' warning, leading to his death by Hector and the loss of Achilles ... 12:40

43m ago12:40

12:40

THE DEATH OF PATROCLUS AND HECTOR Colleague Professor Emily Wilson. The tragedy culminates with Patroclus ignoring Achilles' warning, leading to his death by Hector and the loss of Achilles' armor. Wilson describes Achilles' terrifying return to battle, equipped with new armor from Hephaestus, and his slaughter of Trojans. The segment covers the fi…

1
S8 Ep268: THE GORE AND GLORY OF BATTLE Colleague Professor Emily Wilson. Wilson discusses translating the Iliad's vivid violence, drawing on insights from combat veterans regarding the trauma of battlefield ... 7:15

36m ago7:15

7:15

THE GORE AND GLORY OF BATTLE Colleague Professor Emily Wilson. Wilson discusses translating the Iliad'svivid violence, drawing on insights from combat veterans regarding the trauma of battlefield death. A central theme is the treatment of corpses; possessing and stripping a dead enemy's armor is the ultimate sign of dominance. The conversation touc…

1
S8 Ep268: AGAMEMNON'S FAILURE AND DIVINE POLITICS Colleague Professor Emily Wilson. This segment details the plot's catalyst: Agamemnon seizing Briseis from Achilles, causing the hero to withdraw from ... 10:34

13m ago10:34

10:34

AGAMEMNON'S FAILURE AND DIVINE POLITICS Colleague Professor Emily Wilson. This segment details the plot's catalyst: Agamemnon seizing Briseis from Achilles, causing the hero to withdraw from battle. Wilson explains the divine politics, including Hera trading three Greek cities to Zeus to ensure Troy's destruction. They analyze Agamemnon's flawed le…

1
S8 Ep268: APHRODITE, PATROCLUS, AND TROPHY WOMEN Colleague Professor Emily Wilson. Wilson examines Aphrodite's intervention on the battlefield and her representation of baser instincts like lust. The discussion ... 7:20

13m ago7:20

7:20

APHRODITE, PATROCLUS, AND TROPHY WOMEN Colleague Professor Emily Wilson. Wilson examines Aphrodite's intervention on the battlefield and her representation of baser instincts like lust. The discussion shifts to Briseis, a "trophy" of war, and her relationship with Patroclus, whom Wilson refuses to classify as a "beta male" despite his kindness. Pat…

1
S8 Ep268: TRAGIC COUPLES AND DIVINE INTERVENTION Colleague Professor Emily Wilson. The segment explores key character pairings, starting with Helen's complex view of Paris and her weaving as a metaphor ... 12:25

5h ago12:25

12:25

TRAGIC COUPLES AND DIVINE INTERVENTION Colleague Professor Emily Wilson. The segment explores key character pairings, starting with Helen's complex view of Paris and her weaving as a metaphor for the story. Wilsonanalyzes the tragic relationship between Hector and Andromache, emphasizing Hector's choice of duty over family. They discuss the gods' r…

1
S8 Ep268: HOMER'S NARRATIVE CHOICES AND ORAL TRADITION Colleague Professor Emily Wilson. Wilson discusses the "Homeric Question," noting that oral stories existed for centuries before the alphabet arrived ... 8:25

5h ago8:25

8:25

HOMER'S NARRATIVE CHOICES AND ORAL TRADITION Colleague Professor Emily Wilson. Wilsondiscusses the "Homeric Question," noting that oral stories existed for centuries before the alphabet arrived in the 8th century BCE. She highlights the Iliad's sophisticated narrative structure, which omits famous events like the Apple of Discord and the Trojan Hor…

1
S8 Ep268: TRANSLATION AND THE SEARCH FOR TROY Colleague Professor Emily Wilson. John Batchelor interviews Professor Emily Wilson about her new iambic pentameter translation of the Iliad. They discuss the ... 9:24

8m ago9:24

9:24

TRANSLATION AND THE SEARCH FOR TROY Colleague Professor Emily Wilson. John Batchelor interviews Professor Emily Wilson about her new iambic pentameter translation of the Iliad. They discuss the historical location of Troy in modern Turkey and the archaeological layers discovered by Schliemann, who wrongly believed he found Agamemnon's mask. Wilson …

1
S8 Ep267: GEOENGINEERING, ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION, AND DECOUPLING GROWTH FROM DESTRUCTION Colleague Gaia Vince. Vince outlines technological solutions for restoring the planet, such as ocean fertilization ... 7:10

1h ago7:10

7:10

GEOENGINEERING, ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION, AND DECOUPLING GROWTH FROM DESTRUCTION Colleague Gaia Vince. Vince outlines technological solutions for restoring the planet, such as ocean fertilization, which adds iron to oceans to boost algae growth and sequester carbon, mimicking natural cycles previously aided by whales. She also describes enhanced weat…

1
S8 Ep267: A UNITED NATIONS AGENCY FOR MIGRATION AND THE FUTURE OF FOOD Colleague Gaia Vince. Batchelor and Vince discuss a vision for managed migration where a new United Nations agency allocates migrants ... 13:30

17m ago13:30

13:30

A UNITED NATIONS AGENCY FOR MIGRATION AND THE FUTURE OF FOOD Colleague Gaia Vince. Batchelor and Vince discuss a vision for managed migration where a new United Nations agency allocates migrants to specific cities and industries based on labor needs. Vince suggests that migrants could initially work in essential sectors, such as green energy or car…

1
S8 Ep267: RETHINKING BORDERS AND THE ECONOMIC NECESSITY OF HUMAN MOBILITY Colleague Gaia Vince. Vince argues that while humans have migrated for hundreds of thousands of years, modern borders currently ... 6:14

19m ago6:14

6:14

RETHINKING BORDERS AND THE ECONOMIC NECESSITY OF HUMAN MOBILITY Colleague Gaia Vince. Vince argues that while humans have migrated for hundreds of thousands of years, modern borders currently restrict the world's most valuable economic resource: human labor. She suggests that removing these barriers could significantly boost global GDP, noting that…

1
S8 Ep267: THE FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE ANTHROPOCENE AND THE INEVITABILITY OF CLIMATE MIGRATION Colleague Gaia Vince. John Batchelor and Gaia Vince discuss her book, Nomad Century, which argues that climate ... 9:20

12m ago9:20

9:20

THE FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE ANTHROPOCENE AND THE INEVITABILITY OF CLIMATE MIGRATION Colleague Gaia Vince. John Batchelor and Gaia Vince discuss her book, Nomad Century, which argues that climate migration is already underway and inevitable. Vince illustrates this reality through Abel Cruz, a Peruvian farmer forced to migrate to a slum in Lima after dr…

1
266: CLIMATE CHANGE, FIRE MANAGEMENT, AND THE FUTURE OF ADAPTATION Colleague Danielle Clode. Looking toward the future, Clode warns that climate change and El Niño patterns are increasing the frequency ... 5:10

17h ago5:10

5:10

CLIMATE CHANGE, FIRE MANAGEMENT, AND THE FUTURE OF ADAPTATION Colleague Danielle Clode. Looking toward the future, Clode warns that climate change and El Niño patterns are increasing the frequency and severity of fire seasons, threatening both wildlife and expanding urban populations in bushland interfaces. She contrasts fire management philosophie…

1
S8 Ep266: HOME PREPAREDNESS AND SURVIVAL TACTICS DURING WILDFIRES Colleague Danielle Clode. Clode details essential preparedness strategies for those living in fire-prone areas, emphasizing that home design ... 14:30

1h ago14:30

14:30

HOME PREPAREDNESS AND SURVIVAL TACTICS DURING WILDFIRES Colleague Danielle Clode. Clodedetails essential preparedness strategies for those living in fire-prone areas, emphasizing that home design features like sealed underfloor spaces are critical to prevent ignition from embers. She clarifies that ember attacks, described as "red rain," are often …

1
S8 Ep266: THE SCIENCE OF COMBUSTION AND FIRE-ADAPTED VEGETATION Colleague Danielle Clode. The discussion turns to the science of combustion, focusing on fire-adapted vegetation like Eucalyptus and Mountain ... 7:40

40m ago7:40

7:40

THE SCIENCE OF COMBUSTION AND FIRE-ADAPTED VEGETATION Colleague Danielle Clode. The discussion turns to the science of combustion, focusing on fire-adapted vegetation like Eucalyptus and Mountain Ash, which rely on fierce fires and sunlight to regenerate. Clode addresses common misconceptions about ignition, stating that while arson accounts for so…

1
S8 Ep266: INDIGENOUS FIRE MANAGEMENT AND THE HISTORY OF AUSTRALIAN WILDFIRES Colleague Danielle Clode. In this interview, Danielle Clode discusses the historical context of Australian wildfires, noting ... 10:10

41m ago10:10

10:10

INDIGENOUS FIRE MANAGEMENT AND THE HISTORY OF AUSTRALIAN WILDFIRES Colleague Danielle Clode. In this interview, Danielle Clode discusses the historical context of Australian wildfires, noting that early European explorers like Captain Cook frequently observed fires along the coast, which they often viewed merely as signs of habitation. Clode explai…