The 33 Best Science Podcasts (2026)

Ira Flatow has been hosting Science Friday since 1991, making it one of the longest-running science programs in American media. The podcast version, co-hosted with Flora Lichtman, releases daily segments that run 12 to 30 minutes each, drawn from the longer weekly radio broadcast on WNYC. The format is interview-based: Flatow and Lichtman talk with scientists, researchers, and engineers about current discoveries, emerging technologies, and the natural world. With 1,200 episodes in the podcast feed and a 4.4-star rating from over 6,000 reviews, the show covers an extraordinary range of scientific ground. Flatow has a warm interviewing style that puts experts at ease, and his decades of experience mean he knows how to translate jargon into plain language without losing accuracy. The shorter episode lengths make Science Friday ideal for commuters or anyone who wants their science in digestible pieces rather than multi-hour deep-dives. Topics span from microbiology to astrophysics, and the show does a particularly good job of covering environmental science and climate research with both urgency and nuance. It is the kind of show that has earned its audience through decades of consistency rather than viral moments, and that reliability is exactly the point. When a major scientific story breaks, Science Friday is usually among the first to explain it clearly.

Wendy Zukerman has a very specific talent: she can take a hot-button topic that everyone has strong opinions about and calmly walk through what the actual evidence says. Science Vs, produced by Spotify Studios, has been doing this since 2015 across 317 episodes, and the formula still works. Fad diets, wellness trends, gun control, happiness research — if people are arguing about it, Wendy and her team are reading the papers.

The format is part interview, part investigative journalism. Wendy talks to researchers and experts, but the show also layers in original reporting, sound design from Bobby Lord, and music that gives each episode a distinct personality. Episodes run 35-50 minutes, releasing weekly, and they're marked explicit because the show doesn't shy away from direct language about sensitive subjects. That willingness to be blunt is part of its charm.

The audience reception is split along predictable lines. Listeners who value evidence-based analysis rate it highly — the research is thorough and well-sourced. Critics argue the show occasionally picks sides or frames topics through a particular lens. That tension is probably inevitable for any show that fact-checks popular beliefs. The 4.4-star rating from nearly 12,000 reviewers reflects both camps.

Recent episodes have tackled the science of relationships and the physiological effects of tear gas. The show goes where the questions are, and Wendy's Australian-accented delivery keeps even heavy topics from feeling grim. If you want a podcast that actually reads the studies instead of just citing headlines, Science Vs delivers.

Scientific American's quick-hit format takes one scientific question or discovery per episode and gives you the essential answer in minutes. The brevity doesn't sacrifice accuracy - they're just efficient about getting to the point. Each episode is a focused, well-researched micro-lesson. Good for maintaining scientific literacy without dedicating major time to it. Stack a few episodes and you've got a week's worth of science education in less time than a typical podcast interview. Quick and genuinely informative. The name delivers.

Brains On! nails something that a lot of kids' science shows get wrong -- it treats young listeners like they're actually smart. Host Molly Bloom pairs up with a different kid co-host every week, and together they tackle questions sent in by real children. The questions range from silly ("why do feet stink?") to genuinely philosophical ("do dogs know they're dogs?"), and the answers always involve talking to actual scientists who take the questions seriously.

The show has been at it since 2012 and has built up nearly 400 episodes. Each one features a Mystery Sound segment that gets kids guessing, plus original songs that are surprisingly catchy. The rotating kid co-hosts keep things fresh, and Bloom has a warm, enthusiastic style that never feels forced or condescending. She asks follow-up questions that a curious kid would ask, which is exactly the point.

With 13,600 ratings and a 4.5-star average on Apple Podcasts, Brains On! has earned its spot as one of the top educational podcasts for kids anywhere. Episodes drop weekly and run about 25 to 35 minutes. The show is part of the broader Brains On Universe (which also includes Smash Boom Best and Forever Ago), and the whole family of shows is distributed by Lemonada Media. They're even doing a live tour in 2026. If your kid has a habit of asking "but why?" about everything, this podcast will feel like it was made just for them.

The best TED talks on science and medicine collected, contextualized, and delivered in podcast form. Cutting-edge researchers explaining their work at the level TED demands - accessible enough for general audiences, substantial enough to actually learn from. Each episode represents the best available communication of complex scientific and medical ideas. If you want to feel genuinely smarter about health and science without the time investment of reading papers, this concentrates the highest-quality explanations available.

Hosted by Dacher Keltner, an award-winning psychologist at UC Berkeley, this show comes straight out of the Greater Good Science Center and it shows. Each biweekly episode pairs real research on compassion, gratitude, awe, and mindfulness with actual exercises you can try yourself. What makes it stand apart is the "Happiness Break" segments scattered throughout the catalog. These are short, guided practices (think breathing exercises, gratitude reflections, or body scans) that give you something concrete to walk away with rather than just abstract ideas. Keltner has a warm, curious interview style that puts his guests at ease, and the show regularly features researchers and practitioners who are doing original work on what makes life feel meaningful. Recent seasons have explored the science of love from every angle: romantic partnerships, friendships, grief, and even our connection to the natural world. With 321 episodes and a solid 4.5 rating from over 1,800 reviews, it has built a loyal audience. The production, co-handled by PRX, is clean and professional without feeling overproduced. Episodes typically run 20 to 35 minutes, which makes them easy to fit into a lunch break or commute. This is a great pick if you want practical takeaways backed by peer-reviewed studies, not just feel-good advice.

Scientific American's discussion podcast brings their editorial reputation to conversations about the major science stories of the moment. Interviews with researchers and analysis of what new discoveries actually mean in context. The brand carries weight because Scientific American has been doing this since 1845, and that commitment to getting things right shows in the careful, substantive discussions. Not flashy, not simplified. Science journalism for adults who want accuracy and depth. When you need to trust the source, this name delivers.

When the journal Science makes a podcast, you're hearing discussions of the research they actually publish - which means cutting-edge science discussed by the people who reviewed and published it. Sarah Crespi interviews researchers about their breakthrough studies, giving you direct access to the source rather than filtered interpretation. As close to the frontier of scientific knowledge as a podcast can get. For people who want to understand what's actually happening in science this week, not what happened and got simplified three times.

Dr. Ginger Campbell has been interviewing neuroscientists since 2006, making her one of the longest-running science podcast hosts around. She brings researchers on to discuss their actual work - consciousness, memory, neuroplasticity, the stuff that makes brains fascinating and weird. The conversations go deeper than most science podcasts dare, but Ginger's skill is making that depth accessible to non-experts who are willing to pay attention. Dense material, rewarding payoff. Not casual listening - this is the podcast you put on when you actually want to think. For the genuinely curious.

Bill Nye answers science questions from listeners with the enthusiasm that made him a childhood icon and the depth that his actual engineering background provides. He's genuinely knowledgeable - the TV persona was always built on real expertise. The format lets listeners drive the curiosity, and Bill meets every question with genuine excitement regardless of how basic or advanced it is. Never condescending, always engaged. If your inner kid still gets excited about science, Bill Nye still has the ability to amplify that excitement.

Husband-and-wife team Lindsay Patterson (science journalist) and Marshall Escamilla (teacher) created Tumble as a way to make science discovery feel like storytelling, and 302 episodes later, it's become one of the most respected kids' science podcasts around. It's a Common Sense Media Selection and AAAS Kavli Award winner, which sounds impressive but what actually matters is whether it holds a kid's attention in the backseat. It does.

Episodes run 16-29 minutes and typically start with a listener question that spirals into an investigation. The show interviews actual working scientists across fields like marine biology, planetary science, animal behavior, and cognitive research, and Patterson and Escamilla are skilled at translating complex ideas into accessible conversation without condescending to their audience. The questions themselves come from kids, so the topics are things children genuinely wonder about rather than what adults think they should learn.

The dynamic between the two hosts keeps things moving. Patterson brings the journalistic curiosity while Escamilla contributes the classroom-tested instinct for what explanations actually land with young minds. They release episodes biweekly, there's a Spanish-language version called Tumble en Espanol for bilingual families, and a Tumble+ subscription tier offers ad-free listening. With 2,600+ ratings at 4.3 stars, the audience is loyal and engaged. For road trips, the episode length is ideal for stretches between stops, and the content sticks. Your kids might actually remember what they learned three states later.

Theoretical physicist Sean Carroll interviews scientists, philosophers, writers, and other big thinkers about the biggest ideas in human knowledge. The conversations are intellectually demanding and deeply rewarding if you're willing to engage. Carroll's own brilliance means he asks questions that lesser interviewers wouldn't think of, and his guests respond at a level they can't reach in most media appearances. Consciousness, quantum mechanics, morality, the nature of time - the topics are as big as they get. Not easy listening. Profoundly satisfying listening.

Jonathan Messinger created serialized science fiction for kids that doesn't talk down to them. Finn and his crew explore uncharted planets with genuine creativity in the storytelling - imaginative aliens, real problems to solve, and humor that lands for kids without making adults groan. The serialization teaches kids that stories can continue and develop over time. Smart, warm, and proof that children's science fiction can be as creative as anything for adults.

Seth Shostak and Molly Bentley from the SETI Institute host a science show that manages to be smart without disappearing up its own academic backside. Topics range wildly - astrobiology one week, human psychology the next, climate science after that. They bring on real researchers who can actually explain their work to normal people, and there's enough humor woven in to keep things from getting dry. The SETI connection means space and alien life topics get special attention, obviously. Good science communication for curious adults who don't have PhDs. Consistently enjoyable.

The Planetary Society's podcast covers space exploration with the passion of people who genuinely believe humanity's future involves other planets. Interviews with astronauts, mission scientists, engineers building the hardware, and policy makers deciding what gets funded. If you look up at the sky and feel something, this podcast channels that feeling into knowledge. The guests have actually built things that left Earth's atmosphere. Space coverage that's both inspiring and technically substantial. For anyone whose childhood dream involved rockets and whose adult self still feels it.

The Science Friday team's visual content - experiments, demonstrations, and science stories that genuinely benefit from being seen rather than just heard. The same editorial quality and genuine curiosity as the main show, applied to video format where visual evidence matters. Not just the audio show with pictures. Distinct content designed for visual consumption. Good for visual learners or topics where seeing the science makes it click in ways that description alone can't achieve.

Dr. Kiki, Justin, and Blair cover the week's science news with humor and genuine expertise. They make complex discoveries accessible without dumbing anything down, and the chemistry between hosts keeps it entertaining even when the science is dense. Long-running show with consistent quality. For people who want their science news delivered by people who actually understand it and genuinely love talking about it.

Science news covered with enough depth to actually teach you something and enough clarity to not lose you in the process. Weekly updates on research, discoveries, and the big questions science is still wrestling with. Not trying to break news. More like a thoughtful weekly summary that helps you understand the significance of what's happening in science rather than just knowing it happened. Good curation for people who want to stay scientifically informed without reading papers or following every science journalist on social media.

Evidence-based strategies for achievement drawn from actual psychology and neuroscience research, not motivational platitudes someone recycled from a self-help book. The host interviews researchers about what genuinely works versus what just sounds inspiring at conferences. No fluff, no rah-rah energy - just science applied to the question of how people actually improve. I find this refreshing because so much success content is just confident people repeating unfalsifiable claims. Here you get studies, data, and honest discussion of what the evidence does and doesn't support. For people who want proof before they commit.

Same brilliant format as In Our Time History but focused on scientific topics. Melvyn Bragg brings three academics together to discuss everything from quantum mechanics to antibiotic resistance to dark matter. The conversations are dense but accessible because the experts are chosen for their ability to explain, not just their credentials. Genuine academic debates sometimes break out between panelists, which is riveting if you're into that sort of thing. BBC Radio 4 at its absolute finest. One of the most intellectually rewarding podcasts available in any subject.

Wendy Zukerman has a very specific talent: she can take a hot-button topic that everyone has strong opinions about and calmly walk through what the actual evidence says. Science Vs, produced by Spotify Studios, has been doing this since 2015 across 317 episodes, and the formula still works. Fad diets, wellness trends, gun control, happiness research — if people are arguing about it, Wendy and her team are reading the papers.

The format is part interview, part investigative journalism. Wendy talks to researchers and experts, but the show also layers in original reporting, sound design from Bobby Lord, and music that gives each episode a distinct personality. Episodes run 35-50 minutes, releasing weekly, and they're marked explicit because the show doesn't shy away from direct language about sensitive subjects. That willingness to be blunt is part of its charm.

The audience reception is split along predictable lines. Listeners who value evidence-based analysis rate it highly — the research is thorough and well-sourced. Critics argue the show occasionally picks sides or frames topics through a particular lens. That tension is probably inevitable for any show that fact-checks popular beliefs. The 4.4-star rating from nearly 12,000 reviewers reflects both camps.

Recent episodes have tackled the science of relationships and the physiological effects of tear gas. The show goes where the questions are, and Wendy's Australian-accented delivery keeps even heavy topics from feeling grim. If you want a podcast that actually reads the studies instead of just citing headlines, Science Vs delivers.

David Barr Kirtley and friends discuss science fiction across literature, film, and TV with the encyclopedic knowledge of true devotees. Author interviews are a particular highlight - hearing writers discuss their own work and influences gives you a deeper appreciation for the genre. The discussions go beyond surface-level reviews into the themes, craft, and cultural impact of sci-fi. If you've ever argued passionately about whether a book adaptation was faithful enough, or debated the plausibility of a time travel plot, these are your people. Smart, nerdy, and completely comfortable with it.

The Guardian's science podcast covers the week's biggest stories with the journalistic standards of a major newspaper and the accessibility of a good conversation. Expert commentary adds depth without adding jargon. The editorial judgment about which stories matter and which are noise is consistently good. Not as flashy as some science podcasts but more reliable than most. If you want a weekly science update from journalists you can trust to get it right, The Guardian's science team has been doing this well for years.

BBC World Service's weekly science show covers global scientific developments with the thoroughness and international perspective that the BBC does better than anyone. Stories from research institutions worldwide rather than just the usual American and British labs. Concise, authoritative, and reliably informative. The global scope means you hear about breakthroughs and discoveries that English-language science media centered on the US and UK consistently misses. Science is international, and the coverage should be too.

Science communication done right - covering research and discoveries across disciplines with the dual commitment of being accurate AND understandable. The hosts respect both the science and the audience, refusing to oversimplify but also refusing to hide behind jargon. Topics span biology, physics, psychology, climate science, and everything between. The interviews with researchers go deeper than press-release summaries. Good science journalism for the genuinely curious who don't have science degrees but want to understand the world at a higher level.

How children learn to read turns out to be way more contested and fascinating than you'd expect, and this podcast digs into the research with genuine rigor. The reading wars between whole language and phonics approaches have real consequences for real kids, and understanding the evidence matters enormously. Essential for teachers, literacy coaches, and parents who want to make informed decisions about how their children are being taught. The episodes are substantive without being impenetrable. Education research that actually changes practice.

If you train regularly and want to understand the science behind why certain things work, this delivers. Muscles, nutrition, sleep, recovery, performance optimization - all explored through actual research rather than bro-science. The host breaks down studies and translates them into practical takeaways you can apply to your own fitness routine. Not beginner stuff necessarily, but you don't need a biology degree either. Good for the curious athlete who's past the 'just lift heavy' phase and wants to understand the mechanisms. Evidence-based fitness in a listenable format.

Kristen Truempy started this podcast with a straightforward mission: take the academic research from positive psychology and make it actually enjoyable to listen to. She has a background in the field and was frustrated that so much valuable research about wellbeing, gratitude, meaning, and character strengths was locked behind dry academic writing that nobody outside universities would ever read. The show mixes solo episodes where Truempy breaks down a single concept with interview episodes featuring researchers and practitioners. Topics range from the science of gratitude and savoring positive experiences to body image, emotional first aid, and the role of rituals in everyday happiness. With 134 episodes, the catalog is more focused than some of the bigger shows, which actually works in its favor. You can browse by topic and find targeted, well-researched episodes without wading through hundreds of entries. The show has a 4.3-star rating from 258 reviews and a loyal niche audience. The pace of new episodes has slowed considerably since the show's most active years between 2014 and 2021, so don't expect a packed weekly schedule. But the existing library holds up well, and the content has not aged in the way that trend-chasing wellness shows tend to. If you have any interest in positive psychology as an actual academic discipline rather than just a marketing label, this is one of the few podcasts that treats the subject with real rigor.

BBC Radio 5 Live's science crew makes the week's biggest science stories actually interesting without dumbing anything down. The presenters have good chemistry and genuine banter that keeps things moving between segments. They bring on actual researchers to explain their own work, which means you're getting it from the source instead of through three layers of simplification. Covers everything from space missions to bizarre animal behaviour to medical breakthroughs. The tone hits that sweet spot between nerdy enthusiasm and accessibility. Good background listen for curious people.

Buffer's podcast keeps episodes short and focused on social media strategies you can actually implement today. Algorithm changes, content trends, platform-specific tactics - all covered without the theoretical bloat that makes most marketing podcasts feel like college lectures. I appreciate that they get to the point quickly. If you manage social accounts for a business or you're trying to build an audience online, the practical focus saves you from wading through ninety minutes of philosophy to find ten minutes of useful advice. Actionable over theoretical, every single episode. That consistency is surprisingly rare.

Ryan and Justin discuss science with the combination of genuine research knowledge and bar-conversation humor that makes for surprisingly good listening. They cover published research, science news, and the random scientific rabbit holes that catch their attention. Not polished. Not trying to be. The casual approach makes dense material feel accessible without dumbing it down. Good for people who want their science served with personality rather than authority. Two smart guys being curious out loud. Sometimes that's the best format for learning.

Greg Nuckols and Eric Trexler built something rare with this podcast: a show where two people who actually read the full text of research papers sit down and explain what the findings mean for your training. Nuckols is one of the most respected voices in strength sports, holding elite-level powerlifting totals and running the StrongerByScience.com website that's become a go-to resource for evidence-based lifters. Trexler brought his own chops as a researcher with a Ph.D. in exercise science, making the two of them a genuinely credible duo.

The format was straightforward but effective. Each episode tackled recent studies on strength training, nutrition, and body composition, with the hosts breaking down methodology, pointing out limitations, and translating findings into practical advice. They weren't afraid to say when a study was poorly designed or when the hype around a finding outpaced the evidence. A regular research review segment and listener Q&A rounded things out, and the conversational banter between the two kept episodes from feeling like lectures.

Over 165 episodes, the show earned a 4.6-star average on Apple Podcasts from nearly 850 ratings. Episodes typically ran 60 to 90 minutes, giving topics the room they needed. It's worth noting that Trexler eventually departed, and the show's regular production wound down in 2024 after changes to the Stronger By Science team. The back catalog remains incredibly valuable though. If you're the kind of person who wants to understand why a training method works rather than just being told it does, these episodes hold up extremely well.

Dr. Quirk and AI assistant Claudia highlight scientific discoveries and the researchers behind them, focusing on scientists who don't get mainstream attention. The unsung scientists angle gives the show perspective that typical science coverage misses. For people interested in how science actually happens day-to-day rather than just the breakthrough headlines. The AI co-host concept is gimmicky but the science is solid.