Best Al Monitor Podcasts (2025)

1
Episodes we love: Artist Known — Illustrator for 'A Wrinkle in Time' gets long-overdue credit 46:10

Play Pause

24m ago46:10

46:10

New to Endless Thread? Wooooo! We're revisiting some favorites from our archives to welcome you. First up: The cover art for the 1976 paperback edition of Madeleine L'Engle's classic, spooky sci-fi/fantasy novel "A Wrinkle in Time" — featuring a rainbow-winged centaur and a green, glowering, red-eyed face — is iconic. And yet, for nearly 50 years, …

1
Hidden Levels Ep. 6: Segagaga 40:38

3d ago40:38

40:38

The final episode of Hidden Levels explores the story of SEGA developer Tez Okano and the bizarre, meta-game he created: Segagaga. Okano joined SEGA in 1992, witnessing firsthand the company's tumultuous experience in the "console wars" against Nintendo and Sony. In the mid-1990s, SEGA struggled to make hardware that kept up with its rivals. The SE…

1
Hidden Levels Ep. 5: Press B to Touch Grass 41:47

5d ago41:47

41:47

Video games are arguably the antithesis of nature; highly constructed worlds, synthetic, inorganic. If you grew up gaming, you may recall grown-ups telling you to shut down the console, go outside, and touch some grass. These days, though, touching grass isn’t something you have to do outside. As gaming has grown into a 200 billion dollar industry,…

51
Surgical Precision: One doctor's quest to show how video games can save lives 24:34

6d ago24:34

24:34

Dr. James "Butch" Rosser was a pioneer in minimally invasive surgery in the 1990s. When he credited his surgical skills to video games, people dismissed him. The prevailing narrative was that kids who played video games became killers, not doctors. So Butch set out on quest: to show how video games can help make better doctors. Show notes: The impa…

1
Why a full repeal of US sanctions is essential for Syria's suffering to end 21:04

8d ago21:04

21:04

Vittorio Maresca di Serracapriola, lead sanctions expert at Karam Shaar Advisory, unpacks the current status of international sanctions over Syria and what they mean for its people after 14 years of civil war and 60 years of repression by the Assad regime. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art1…

1
Rosie Jones | Class A Drugs & Bullying At School 34:31

7d ago34:31

34:31

Comedian, Rosie Jones, speaks to Al about Class A drugs, encountering ablism, and about her experience of proudly not being bullied at school. Find Dadsnet on Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/TheDadsnet⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Join the Dadsnet community to have your say: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/298654160327022⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices.…

51
Hidden Levels Ep. 4: Machinima 45:08

9d ago45:08

45:08

Machinima — a portmanteau of “machine” and “cinema” — refers to movies filmed inside video games. The art form had a renaissance in the 1990s, and many thought it had a future in Hollywood. Among the early pioneers were the New York animation collective the Ill Clan, who puppeteered characters in real-time inside the video game Quake, bypassing tra…

101
Hidden Levels: Choose Your Player (Side Quest) 31:25

10d ago31:25

31:25

Today, Stef Sanjati is a creator on YouTube with over half a million subscribers. Her content mostly focuses on her two greatest loves — makeup and gaming — often combining the two with her otherworldly video game-inspired beauty tutorials. Growing up in small-town Ontario, though, Stef was a quiet, introverted kid who was bullied a lot. For one th…

101
Hidden Levels Ep. 3: This Game Wants YOU 44:10

13d ago44:10

44:10

For decades, the U.S. Army has been on edge about recruitment, hitting its goals for a few years, only to miss them again. As part of their strategy to combat recruiting concerns, the Army has turned its focus online: to the world of gaming and competitive eSports. With nearly 80% of Americans between the ages of 13 and 28 playing video games weekl…

1
Shutters Up | Business and Fatherhood 41:44

14d ago41:44

41:44

Ashley and Ross from Shutters Up talk to Al about owning and running a business while being husbands and fathers. It's a tricky path to navigate, but these guys are smashing it! Find Dadsnet on Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/TheDadsnet⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Join the Dadsnet community to have your say: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/298654160327022⁠⁠⁠…

1
Hidden Levels Ep. 2: Stick It to 'Em 41:36

17d ago41:36

41:36

In this second episode of Hidden Levels, Amory traces the history of the humble-yet-genius joystick — from early 20th century aviation, to 1970s video game consoles like the Atari 2600, to the Nintendo 64 thumbstick in the 1990s, to what some consider the joystick's greatest implementation: the dual-thumbstick controller. This optimal interface has…

1
Steve Backshall | Kids Are Like Wild Animals 39:51

18d ago39:51

39:51

Steve Backshall returns to the Dadsnet Podcast to share his latest parenting fails, how kids are just like wild animals, and to talk about his new tour - Deadly Live. Grab your tickets to see Deadly Live presented by Steve Backshall at DeadlyLiveTour.com Find Dadsnet on Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/TheDadsnet⁠⁠⁠⁠ Join the Dadsnet communit…

1
Hidden Levels Ep. 1: Mr. Boomshakalaka 37:16

20d ago37:16

37:16

Welcome to our all-new collaborative series, "Hidden Levels," in which we team up with 99% Invisible to explore how the world of video games has impacted the world beyond. We’ll dive deep into how games are made and designed, exploring everything from the history of the joystick to the faithful recreation of nature in digital spaces. Whether you ar…

1
Announcing 'Hidden Levels': how the videogame world has changed the world beyond videogames 5:08

21d ago5:08

5:08

Have you ever jumped on something as you're moving through the real world, and heard that Mario bouncy sound in your head? Or maybe seen someone acting like an NPC when they're a real person? Maybe you know that the first real "in-app" purchase was actually a weapons store in an arcade game version of Double Dragon 3. Wherever you go in the real wo…

1
A fork (still) in the road: Three members of r/fednews share their stories 30:42

24d ago30:42

30:42

You've heard of the "Freshman 15"... how about the "DOGE 15"? This is how some federal employees have referred to the stress associated with the establishment of the Department of Government Efficiency back in January and the "restructurings, realignments, and reductions in force" that came with it, as announced in an email sent to nearly all feder…

1
Rising fears of ethnic cleansing, sexual violence as Sudan's RSF closes in on El Fasher 21:42

26d ago21:42

21:42

Weam Fadul, a Sudanese feminist and activist, blames outside forces for fueling the conflict and says the Sudanese people should be left to decide their own fate. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

1
Jason Byrne | Teenagers Can Be Cruel! 35:31

26d ago35:31

35:31

Comedian Jason Byrne talks about how his kids take the mick out of him, gives his advice for parenting (with help from his therapist) and about how wonderful it is when your boys turn into men and you can chat with them like adults. Jason's 'Head In The Clouds' show is on now until the end of November '25 - get your tickets at JasonByrne.ie Find Da…

1
Bridezillas and quiz traps: Petty stories from Reddit 27:49

1M ago27:49

27:49

Ben and Amory share stories about potential pettiness from Reddit. Ben shares a post from r/weddinshaming post about a bride who changed her wedding to a weekday in another state. Amory counters with a teacher who used AI to foil his student's cheating. Petty or just? You be the judge. Credits: This episode was produced by Frannie Monahan. It was c…

1
US hosts Syria's ruling fmr. Al Qaeda leader amid sectarian violence at home 57:20

1M ago57:20

57:20

The new President of Syria, Ahmed al-Sharaa, aka Mohammed al-Jolani, is in New York for what is widely being described as the first visit by a sitting Syrian president to the US in nearly six decades. But even more significant is another fact: it’s also the first state visit to the US by a leading veteran of Al Qaeda and ISIS. Just last year, al-Sh…

1
What happened to Jenna Marbles? 37:00

1M ago37:00

37:00

In 2020, Jenna Marbles — one of the most popular YouTube creators of all time —posted her last video. Five years later, her devoted fanbase still wonders: where is she, and is she okay? We investigate the mystery behind one of YouTube's biggest disappearances, and why people still care so much. Show notes: r/JennaMarbles (Reddit) The Best, Fakest, …

1
How Trump saved Armenia from war with Azerbaijan & Russian hegemony 36:34

1M ago36:34

36:34

US President Donald Trump's foray into the Caucasus is among his most successful so far, says analyst Eric Hacopian of Armenia's CivilNet. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

1
Why Turkey and Damascus will eventually accept Kurdish self-rule 37:52

1M ago37:52

37:52

Turkey and the interim Syrian government fiercely oppose Kurdish self-rule. Researcher Meghan Bodette argues that the current dynamics will force them into changing tack, with all sides reaping the benefits of compromise. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.…

1
Message in a laptop 24:24

2M ago24:24

24:24

What is your relationship with the trash heap of digital history? Can you still connect your old hard drives? Still sifting through your old photos in the cloud? Do you ever low key snoop in the old electronics of other people, searching for treasure? That's what Noah Simmons was doing a while back when he discovered something compelling in its sim…

1
2.4: Adventurer, writer and wild swimmer, Al Humphreys 51:25

2M ago51:25

51:25

In this episode we're logging off, to, well, log on? It'll make sense when you listen to our conversation with the brilliant Al Humphreys. He's an adventurer, writer, champion for connecting with and cleaning up the great outdoors, and an ambassador for The Rivers Trust. Find out more and get involved: ⁠⁠⁠Find your local Rivers Trust⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Sign up …

1
Encore: The truth about seagulls, the internet's most hated bird 39:47

2M ago39:47

39:47

As summer fades away, we bring you an encore episode about you shoreline companions and occasional bullies — gulls. Gulls are not beloved creatures. Consult social media, where they are deemed relentless, dirty pests who steal our food and crowd our beaches. As one TikTok user puts it, "Seagulls are the worst animals to ever exist." Such hatred ove…

1
Saudi Arabia would play peacemaker between Damascus and the Kurds — if Syria's Sharaa agreed 35:24

2M ago35:24

35:24

Saudi Arabia has emerged as a critical ally for Syria's new interim government. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman played a key role in getting the United States to lift many sanctions on Syria. Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa has made it clear that he wants the kingdom to have a big say in his country's affairs that would go beyond helping it finan…

1
Sam Holland | Cooking for Uni Students 24:18

2M ago24:18

24:18

Sam Holland joins Al to talk about his new book, Kitchen Kickstart, all about budget-friendly and quick-to-cook recipes that's perfect for new cooks and students. Pick up your copy here. Check out Dadsnet on YouTube for reviews, jokes and loads more: ⁠⁠https://shorturl.at/cinZ1⁠⁠ Or head to Facebook: ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/TheDadsnet⁠⁠ Join the…

1
Introducing 'Jaws Island': 50 years of loving, fearing, and revering "Jaws" 31:46

2M ago31:46

31:46

Dun dun... This week, on Endless Thread... dun dun... something new is here... dun dun dun dun... a podcast mini-series about the 50th anniversary of the cinematic classic... DUN dun dun dun DUN dun dun dun..."Jaws!" Part 1 of this mini-series, Jaws Island, is right here, right now, and it's all about the "finatics" (yes, that's what they call them…

1
2.3: Sewage in rivers - mapping, monitoring, and the citizen scientists making change 48:38

2M ago48:38

48:38

Sewage pollution in our rivers is never far from the headlines. We're digging deep into the topic of the stinky stuff in this episode (not literally) and asking; how is sewage getting into our waters? Why might treated sewage present an even bigger problem for rivers than the raw stuff? How do we map, monitor, and fix the broken system? What does i…

1
What the violent showdown among the Talabanis spells for the future of the PUK and Iraqi Kurdistan 19:50

2M ago19:50

19:50

Last week’s arrest of Lahur Talabani in a violent raid that left four dead set a dangerous precedent, one that could undermine PUK leader Bafel Talabani and the Kurdistan region as a whole, says independent analyst Shayan Talabany. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell…

1
From bedtime stories to couples therapy: How AI is changing relationships 30:12

2M ago30:12

30:12

What happens when we outsource aspects of our most personal moments to machines? In the second installment of our two-part series on AI and relationships, we hear from Rhiannon Williams, a reporter for MIT Technology Review who spoke to people all over the world about how they're using AI to relate to their loved ones, including a man who turns to …

1501
French monitor: Ukraine, NATO provoked Russia in Donbas war 1:35:20

2M ago1:35:20

1:35:20

Benoit Paré is a former French defense ministry analyst who worked as an international monitor in eastern Ukraine from 2015 to 2022. In his first interview with a US outlet, Paré speaks to The Grayzone's Aaron Maté about the hidden reality of the Ukraine war in the Donbas region, where the US-backed Kyiv government fought Russia-backed rebels follo…

1
Robot hosts, real relationships: How AI is changing human connection 28:12

2M ago28:12

28:12

Amir Mizroch spent years deconstructing fairy tales for his children — and thinking that maybe, he could create something out of his analysis and storytelling for a wider audience. In the first episode of our two-part series on AI and relationships, we hear what Amir finally created, and explore the questions it raises about connection in the digit…

1
2.2: Olympic Rower, Dr Imogen Grant, MBE 38:54

3M ago38:54

38:54

She’s an Olympic champion boasting a gold medal from Paris 2024, she’s a sustainability guru striving to make her sport and her community greener, she’s a passionate advocate for cleaner waterways, she’s a junior doctor with the NHS, and she’s a Rivers Trust Ambassador. Is there nothing Imogen Grant can’t do? This week, Emma and Matthew chat with I…

1
Bootcamp for Men: from betas to alphas 27:28

3M ago27:28

27:28

In the past few years, videos from a new kind of camp have begun circulating the internet. They feature men participating in a variety of bizarre activities: from aggressively digging holes under floodlights, to collectively wailing in a pool of water. These are man camps, where men can pay up to $18,000 to undergo extreme boot-camp-like conditioni…

1
Kisscams, ratcams, Barbra Streisand 24:45

3M ago24:45

24:45

On this week's Endless Thread, host Ben Brock Johnson and producer Grace Tatter bring us two stories about the power of livestreams – one from the Coldplay concert box seats, and another from a notorious rat corridor in Brooklyn, NYC. Show notes: What's the deal with "Astronomer" CEO and CPO affair? (Reddit) A Crown Heights Building's Rat Infestati…

1
Turkey and the UAE's fight for regional influence: Who's winning? 33:40

3M ago33:40

33:40

Jalel Harchaoui, an expert on Gulf and North African power dynamics, unpacks the evolving relationship between the two regional rivals. While ties have improved dramatically since 2021, he warns that lingering rivalries across Africa could reignite tensions. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://ar…

1
2.1: Habitat decline in rivers - understanding and reversing it with innovative techniques 47:27

3M ago47:27

47:27

To start this series of Rambling about Rivers, we’re tackling river habitat decline: what’s driving it, how it’s impacting our rivers, and most importantly, what’s being done to reverse the damage. From degraded peatlands and invasive species to the straightening and deepening of river channels, we explore the historic and ongoing pressures on our …

1
Rambling About Rivers... is BACK! 1:33

3M ago1:33

1:33

You’ve probably heard a lot about rivers in the past few years. In the new podcast series from The Rivers Trust, we’re laying bare the state of rivers in the UK and Ireland, getting up close and personal with some of the issues that they face, and discussing what needs to be done to bring rivers back to life. The first episode lands on Thursday. Jo…

1
Thinking Outside the Dox: What 'consensual doxing' can teach us about internet privacy 29:34

3M ago29:34

29:34

Kristen Sotakoun (@notkahnjunior on TikTok) says she has always been 'the FBI of the friend group' – that person you can count on to dig up the juicy details on anyone's social media. It's a skillset that has earned her millions upon millions of views on TikTok in a series she has dubbed 'consensual doxing.' In her videos, Kristen completes challen…

1
How Syria's tribes hold the key to power 27:10

3M ago27:10

27:10

Haian Dukhan, a leading expert on Syria’s tribal dynamics, unpacks the stakes in the latest surge of violence between Sunni Bedouin tribes and the Druze minority in Suwayda. Retaining tribal support is essential for the country’s post-Assad regime. The government’s failure to quell clashes that have left more than 1,000 people dead has ignited Sunn…

1
Russell Kane | Making time for date nights and the importance of sleep. 18:47

3M ago18:47

18:47

Russell Kane is back again for a chinwag with Al. He chats about his latest tour. Offers up some advice on making time for your relationship whilst parenting and talks about the importance of sleep, that thing we all want more of. Check out Dadsnet on YouTube for reviews, jokes and loads more: ⁠https://shorturl.at/cinZ1⁠ Or head to Facebook: ⁠https…

1
There's a new emoji for sadness :( 24:11

3M ago24:11

24:11

What does the thumbs-up emoji mean to you? Or the wilted rose? The meanings of emojis are limitless and can differ across social groups or generations. On this episode of Endless Thread, Ben and Amory discuss two stories about how certain emojis have taken on surprising meanings. Show notes:* Here’s why the Aerial Tramway Emoji is suddenly in every…

1
Why the PKK and its campaign for Kurdish rights are not history 41:08

3M ago41:08

41:08

On July 11, a group of PKK fighters burned their weapons in a ceremony marking the end of their forty-year-long armed campaign against the Kurdish state. Aliza Marcus, a leading expert on the militant group, says it is too early to determine whether the PKK will abandon armed struggle completely and that much depends on what steps Ankara is prepare…

1
Will Israel attack Iran again and what can it achieve? 22:08

3M ago22:08

22:08

Professor Mohsen Milani, the author of the recently published, "Iran's Rise and Rivalry with the U.S. in the Middle East," explains that airpower alone cannot dislodge Iran's clerical regime. With Iran capable of relaunching its nuclear program, the risk of further Israeli attacks is real. The outcome would likely be regional chaos. See Privacy Pol…

1
Why it feels like it rains every weekend 21:37

4M ago21:37

21:37

If you feel like it's been raining a lot on the weekends this summer, you're not alone. A couple months ago, we noticed a thread on r/boston asking why? So, we enlisted the help of one of our WBUR colleagues, Climate and Environment Corespondent Barbara Moran to clear things up once and for all. Show notes: Rain Every Weekend??? (Reddit) OMG, why i…

1
Turkey's military might will never open doors to EU membership, says Euro-MP Nacho Sánchez Amor 23:21

4M ago23:21

23:21

Nacho Amor is the European Parliament's rapporteur on Turkey. Speaking to Al-Monitor, he blasts EU leaders for their silence over Turkey's appalling human rights record, including the jailing of more than a dozen democratically elected mayors from the main opposition CHP party. He also warns the country's Kurds — who are in the process of negotiati…

1
Episodes We Love: How to Fight a Shark 37:08

4M ago37:08

37:08

This episode originally aired on July 12, 2024. It has been updated to more clearly represent communication with Kayleigh Grant about a conversation with Kristian Parton. When Endless Thread producer Grace Tatter heard a friend assert that she could ward off a shark because of TikTok, Grace was both concerned for her friend's safety, and curious. W…