Best Smithsonian Institution Podcasts (2025)

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From Black Spots to Black Feet with Adrienne Crosier of the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute 41:14

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18d ago41:14

41:14

Today, the Safari heads back to the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute to sit down with Adrienne Crosier, Curator of Carnivores at the Front Royal campus. We talk carnivores, but we mostly focus on the conservation of black footed ferrets, something the facility is heavily involved in. EPISODE LINKS: @smithsonianzoo on so…

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It's Season 12! 1:48

1h ago1:48

1:48

Sidedoor returns for its twelfth season on Wednesday, November 26th!By Smithsonian Institution

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What a BIIIIIIIIIIG Yawn! with Theresa, Katie, and Ann of ZooAmerica 1:15:02

6h ago1:15:02

1:15:02

Today, the Safari heads to Hershey, PA, not for chocolate (ok, there was some chocolate) but for a visit to ZooAmerica, an AZA-accredited facility located right at Hershey Park. We sit down with three staff members at the zoo to talk about wolves, otters, bears, conservation efforts, how being a part of the Hershey organization makes a difference, …

1
AMSE Science Report with Simon Cordrey 4:01

6h ago4:01

4:01

Author Simon Cordrey discusses the early days of the railroad and how that changed America.

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AMSE Science Report with Jay Feldman 4:01

19h ago4:01

4:01

Author Jay Feldman and Alan Lowe, Director of the AMSE Foundation discuss his book, When the Mississippi Ran Backwards.

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Rossifari Zoo News 11.14.25 - The Big Child Satan Bee Edition! 38:42

10h ago38:42

38:42

Dateline: November 14, 2025. Rossifari Zoo News is back with a round up of the latest news in the world of zoos, aquariums, conservation, and animal weirdness! We start off with an update about my life, including getting real about a challenging aspect of doing this and being a touring musician. We then have a headline story from the Smithsonian's …

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Planetary Defense 101 with Dr. Robin Andrews 36:35

6h ago36:35

36:35

Alan Lowe is joined in this episode of AMSEcast by Dr. Robin Andrews, volcanologist, science journalist, and author of How to Kill an Asteroid. Dr. Andrews explores how modern planetary defense blends cutting-edge detection networks, such as NASA's NEO Surveyor, with active deflection efforts like the DART mission, which successfully shifted an ast…

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The 40 Most Loved Animals in the World - Tree Kangaroo Workshop Episode Recap featuring Mac from Roger Williams Park Zoo, Bree from the Minnesota Zoo, and Elaina from Friends University! 1:04:48

8d ago1:04:48

1:04:48

Today, the Safari heads to Lincoln Children's Zoo for the Tree Kangaroo Workshop! We talk to multiple people from the workshop, and I give my experiences there as well. The Tree Kangaroo Workshop is THE best example of the incredible lengths people in this field go to for their animals, and I'm so excited to share it with y'all! EPISODE LINKS: @tre…

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HOWARD GORDON & DANIEL PEARLE on THE BEAST IN ME, AI & The Future of Storytelling 17:38

9d ago17:38

17:38

“How do you render something interior filmically? How do you communicate the details of the lost child, of the amount of time of the stuck creative process, and even the exterior, or the externalization of the house as a kind of hellish thing that's barely staying together—literally flooding with waste—and that you can't afford? So those are the de…

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On Mind Games, Power & Obsession - Showrunner HOWARD GORDON & Writer DANIEL PEARLE - Highlights 17:38

10d ago17:38

17:38

“How do you render something interior filmically? How do you communicate the details of the lost child, of the amount of time of the stuck creative process, and even the exterior, or the externalization of the house as a kind of hellish thing that's barely staying together—literally flooding with waste—and that you can't afford? So those are the de…

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The Beast in Me starring CLAIRE DANES - Behind the Scenes w/ HOWARD GORDON & DANIEL PEARLE 46:26

10d ago46:26

46:26

“And I think there's also just something about an unfettered or uncensored id that is so captivating. We all have that fantasy of doing exactly what we want with no consequences and sort of letting that go. I think when you see an athlete at the peak of their game, doing that embodied thing and living that dream, or when someone has actually done h…

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Rossifari Zoo News 11.7.25 - The Dia De Los Muertos Edition 36:30

7h ago36:30

36:30

Dateline: November 7, 2025. Rossifari Zoo News is back with a round up of the latest news in the world of zoos, aquariums, conservation, and animal weirdness! We start off with an update from the Tree Kangaroo Workshop! We then have a headline story looking at a really cool thing some zoos are doing to say goodbye to beloved animals, including plac…

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In the Presence of the DALAI LAMA - Doc. Director of WISDOM OF HAPPINESS - Highlights 14:08

13d ago14:08

14:08

“I can change my mind. I can reduce anger, hatred. Nothing to do with religion. All religions carry the message of love, loving kindness, and tolerance. With different views, there is a possibility to synthesize new ideas. If majority of the world leaders become female, world become safer. I feel that. Compassion is the key factor. Non-violence, co…

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In the Presence of the DALAI LAMA - Doc. Director of WISDOM OF HAPPINESS - Highlights 14:08

13d ago14:08

14:08

“I can change my mind. I can reduce anger, hatred. Nothing to do with religion. All religions carry the message of love, loving kindness, and tolerance. With different views, there is a possibility to synthesize new ideas. If majority of the world leaders become female, world become safer. I feel that. Compassion is the key factor. Non-violence, co…

1
In the Presence of the DALAI LAMA - Doc. Director of WISDOM OF HAPPINESS - Highlights 14:08

13d ago14:08

14:08

“I can change my mind. I can reduce anger, hatred. Nothing to do with religion. All religions carry the message of love, loving kindness, and tolerance. With different views, there is a possibility to synthesize new ideas. If majority of the world leaders become female, world become safer. I feel that. Compassion is the key factor. Non-violence, co…

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WISDOM OF HAPPINESS - Heart-to-Heart w/ DALAI LAMA - Conversation w/ Director Barbara Miller 43:34

13d ago43:34

43:34

“ Everybody wants happiness, joyfulness, peaceful world. Our 21st century will not be easy century. Fear, anger, hatred. In our mind we created distinctions. Different nationality, different color, different religion. Strong concept of “we” and “they”. Brothers and sisters of this small planet, we are same human beings. Meanwhile, global warming is…

1
WISDOM OF HAPPINESS - Heart-to-Heart w/ DALAI LAMA - Conversation w/ Director Barbara Miller 43:34

13d ago43:34

43:34

“ Everybody wants happiness, joyfulness, peaceful world. Our 21st century will not be easy century. Fear, anger, hatred. In our mind we created distinctions. Different nationality, different color, different religion. Strong concept of “we” and “they”. Brothers and sisters of this small planet, we are same human beings. Meanwhile, global warming is…

1
WISDOM OF HAPPINESS - Heart-to-Heart w/ DALAI LAMA - Conversation w/ Director Barbara Miller 43:34

13d ago43:34

43:34

“ Everybody wants happiness, joyfulness, peaceful world. Our 21st century will not be easy century. Fear, anger, hatred. In our mind we created distinctions. Different nationality, different color, different religion. Strong concept of “we” and “they”. Brothers and sisters of this small planet, we are same human beings. Meanwhile, global warming is…

1
Fat Sand Dollars? with Dr. Grace Fuller of the Detroit Zoo and AZA's Animal Welfare Committee 52:18

7d ago52:18

52:18

Today, the Safari brings you an episode recorded at the AZA Annual Conference, featuring Dr. Grace Fuller of the Detroit Zoo and the AZA's Animal Welfare Committee. We talk all about the commitment to animal welfare that the AZA has, and how the committee helps to ensure that all AZA facilities have best practices for the welfare of their animals. …

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AMSE Science Report with Author Michele Gelfand 4:01

3d ago4:01

4:01

Michele J. Gelfand is the John H. Scully Professor of Cross-Cultural Management Professor of Organizational Behavior and Psychology at Stanford Graduate School of Business. Her book, RULE MAKERS, RULE BREAKERS: How Tight and Loose Cultures Wire Our World takes readers on a journey through a variety of human cultures, exploring unique a multi-facete…

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Rossifari Zoo News 10.31.25 - SPECIAL EDITION: The Trouble Flies Off featuring Dani Larson! 51:06

7d ago51:06

51:06

Today, we have a special edition of Rossifari Zoo News: an interview with Dani Larson all about a recent fly off with one of the birds she was training at Southwick's. We go into every detail of what happened, what worked, what didn't, what the team was feeling, and so much more! We also sidebar into an interesting discussion about social media as …

1
Herping and Inverting with Bradley Lawrence of The Phoenix Zoo featuring Natali Berry 59:14

10d ago59:14

59:14

Today, the Safari heads to Phoenix to welcome The Phoenix Zoo to the Rossifari Family! We talk to Bradley Lawrence, one of the curators of the zoo, about herps, horses, and so much more! We also welcome back a previous guest from multiple episodes, Natali Berry, who serves as a co-host of sorts because she is Bradley's wife! EPISODE LINKS: @phoenix…

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Rossifari Zoo News 10.24.25 - The Carl Perkins is my Taylor Swift, but Taylor Swift Helps Sea Otters Edition 43:32

19d ago43:32

43:32

Dateline: October 24, 2025. Rossifari Zoo News is back with a round up of the latest news in the world of zoos, aquariums, conservation, and animal weirdness! We start off with an update about my life and way too much discussion about a new album I'm excited about. We have a headline story looking at two things that happened in the anti-zoo movemen…

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"Everything is Art. Everything is Politics." AI WEIWEI'S TURANDOT Dir. MAXIM DEREVIANKO - Highlights

28d ago

—

“So when we decided to do a documentary to follow Ai Weiwei, we knew, of course, it wouldn't be just a simple opera, and we knew he would bring his own very special and original vision. Because, of course, he is not an opera director. From his point of view, it's a challenge, but from another perspective, it’s probably an enrichment for the opera a…

1
"Everything is Art. Everything is Politics." AI WEIWEI'S TURANDOT Dir. MAXIM DEREVIANKO - Highlights

28d ago

—

“So when we decided to do a documentary to follow Ai Weiwei, we knew, of course, it wouldn't be just a simple opera, and we knew he would bring his own very special and original vision. Because, of course, he is not an opera director. From his point of view, it's a challenge, but from another perspective, it’s probably an enrichment for the opera a…

1
"Everything is Art. Everything is Politics." AI WEIWEI'S TURANDOT Dir. MAXIM DEREVIANKO - Highlights

28d ago

—

“So when we decided to do a documentary to follow Ai Weiwei, we knew, of course, it wouldn't be just a simple opera, and we knew he would bring his own very special and original vision. Because, of course, he is not an opera director. From his point of view, it's a challenge, but from another perspective, it’s probably an enrichment for the opera a…

1
AI WEIWEI'S TURANDOT 59:36

28d ago59:36

59:36

“Everything is Art. Everything is Politics. I think art competes with reality. And art will give you the last words.” –Ai Weiwei The renowned artist and activist Ai Weiwei has used sculpture, photography, documentaries, and large-scale installations to challenge authoritarian power for decades. But his project at the Rome Opera House, directing Puc…

1
AI WEIWEI'S TURANDOT 59:36

28d ago59:36

59:36

“Everything is Art. Everything is Politics. I think art competes with reality. And art will give you the last words.” –Ai Weiwei The renowned artist and activist Ai Weiwei has used sculpture, photography, documentaries, and large-scale installations to challenge authoritarian power for decades. But his project at the Rome Opera House, directing Puc…

1
AI WEIWEI'S TURANDOT 59:36

28d ago59:36

59:36

“Everything is Art. Everything is Politics. I think art competes with reality. And art will give you the last words.” –Ai Weiwei The renowned artist and activist Ai Weiwei has used sculpture, photography, documentaries, and large-scale installations to challenge authoritarian power for decades. But his project at the Rome Opera House, directing Puc…

1
Listening to the Planet - Writers' Perspectives on Nature, Place & Interconnectedness 12:31

1M ago12:31

12:31

How do our environments shape who we are and how we care for the world and each other? There are many solutions to climate change, inequality, and poverty around the world. How can we learn from them and transform our society? Eiren Caffall (All the Water in the World) discusses the importance of embracing complexity and emotional flexibility in fa…

1
Listening to the Planet - Writers' Perspectives on Nature, Place & Interconnectedness 12:31

1M ago12:31

12:31

How do our environments shape who we are and how we care for the world and each other? There are many solutions to climate change, inequality, and poverty around the world. How can we learn from them and transform our society? Eiren Caffall (All the Water in the World) discusses the importance of embracing complexity and emotional flexibility in fa…

1
The Arrogant Ape: The Myth of Human Exceptionalism & Why it Matters with CHRISTINE WEBB

1M ago

—

“There are many ways in which I think human exceptionalism has seeped into the sciences, but one of the many ways is through the methodologies we use when we compare the intelligence of humans and other species. In particular, in my field, I’m a primatologist by training, comparing the cognitive abilities of humans with the abilities of our closest…

1
The Arrogant Ape: The Myth of Human Exceptionalism & Why it Matters with CHRISTINE WEBB

1M ago

—

“There are many ways in which I think human exceptionalism has seeped into the sciences, but one of the many ways is through the methodologies we use when we compare the intelligence of humans and other species. In particular, in my field, I’m a primatologist by training, comparing the cognitive abilities of humans with the abilities of our closest…

1
Rossifari Zoo News 10.17.25 - The Lincoln Joey's Zoo Edition! 36:04

22d ago36:04

36:04

Dateline: October 17, 2025. Rossifari Zoo News is back with a round up of the latest news in the world of zoos, aquariums, conservation, and animal weirdness! We start off with an update about my life and some really cool podcast milestones! Then it's time for Zoo News stories from Smithsonian's National Zoo, ZooAtlanta, ABQ BioPark, the Dallas Zoo…

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Invention and Exploration at the Smithsonian Institution 42:21

22d ago42:21

42:21

Host Alan Lowe continues AMSEcast's exploration of 250 years of American innovation with Smithsonian experts Harold Wallace Jr., Dr. Eric Hintz, and Tim Pula. Together, they trace invention from Benjamin Franklin's experiments to modern breakthroughs, highlighting the Smithsonian's exhibitions, collections, and hands-on learning at Spark!Lab. The d…

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AI & The Future of Life with RISTO UUK, Head of EU Policy & Research, FUTURE OF LIFE INSTITUTE 1:02:34

1M ago1:02:34

1:02:34

“The Future of Life Institute has been working on AI governance-related issues for the last decade. We're already over 10 years old, and our mission is to steer very powerful technology away from large-scale harm and toward very beneficial outcomes. You could think about any kind of extreme risks from AI, all the way to existential or extinction ri…

1
Will AI Lead to a More Fair Society, Or Just Widen Inequities? - RISTO UUK Head of EU Policy & Research, FUTURE OF LIFE INSTITUTE 1:02:34

1M ago1:02:34

1:02:34

“The Future of Life Institute has been working on AI governance-related issues for the last decade. We're already over 10 years old, and our mission is to steer very powerful technology away from large-scale harm and toward very beneficial outcomes. You could think about any kind of extreme risks from AI, all the way to existential or extinction ri…

1
Entering the Spreadsheet Habitat with Kelly Salamone of the San Diego Zoo and SAFE Red Panda 54:16

25d ago54:16

54:16

Today, the Safari sits down with one of the true unsung heroes of the zoo world: Kelly Salamone. In her work at the San Diego Zoo and with SAFE Red Panda, Kelly does SO much that I can't even describe it all here. Just listen...she's a star. This is a completely different side of the zoo world than you've heard about on here yet, and that's even be…

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Guggenheim Abu Dhabi: Innovation, Culture, Legacy - Highlights 13:31

1M ago13:31

13:31

“At Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, I work with a very international team—people from all over the world, around 50 nationalities in this museum. I’ve never worked in such an environment, and it’s inspiring. When you talk to someone from a different country, you can’t help but be inspired. The most important thing for me is to feel fulfilled, and I find fulf…

1
Guggenheim Abu Dhabi: Innovation, Culture, Legacy - Highlights 13:31

1M ago13:31

13:31

“At Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, I work with a very international team—people from all over the world, around 50 nationalities in this museum. I’ve never worked in such an environment, and it’s inspiring. When you talk to someone from a different country, you can’t help but be inspired. The most important thing for me is to feel fulfilled, and I find fulf…