35 Best NPR Science Podcasts

1. Short Wave

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New discoveries, everyday mysteries, and the science behind the headlines — in just under 15 minutes. It's science for everyone, using a lot of creativity and a little humor. Join hosts Emily Kwong and Regina Barber for science on a different wavelength. If you're hooked, try Short Wave Plus. Your subscription supports the show and unlocks a sponsor-free feed. Learn more at plus.npr.org/ shortwaveMORE Hosts Regina G. Barber, Emily Kwong
Producer/Network NPR
Email ****@npr.org
Estimated listeners
Apple Rating 4.7/5Apple Reviews 6.5KFacebook 7.8MTwitter 8.2MInstagram 8.1M Avg Length 14 min Format Short form Get Email Contact Get access to full database of 2.7M podcastsCreate podcast lists, export in spreadsheet or CSV file with email contacts and start your podcast outreach in minutes.Sign Up for Free with Email Continue with Google

2. Science Friday

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Covering the outer reaches of space to the tiniest microbes in our bodies, Science Friday is the source for entertaining and educational stories about science, technology, and other cool stuff.MORE Hosts Ira Flatow, Flora Lichtman
Producer/Network Science Friday and WNYC Studios
Email ****@sciencefriday.com
Estimated listeners
Apple Rating 4.3/5Apple Reviews 6.1KFacebook 7.8MTwitter 8.2MInstagram 8.1M Avg Length 19 min Format Short form Get Email Contact

3. Blue Dot

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Blue Dot, named after Carl Sagan's famous speech about our place in the universe, features interviews with guests from all over the regional, national and worldwide scientific communities. Host Dave Schlom leads discussions about the issues science is helping us address with experts who shed light on climate change, space exploration, astronomy, technology and much more. Dave asks us to remember: from deep space, we all live on a pale, blue dot.MORE Hosts Dave Schlom, Matt Fidler
Producer/Network Dave Schlom, Matt Fidler
Email ****@corninghs.org
Estimated listeners
Apple Rating 4.8/5Apple Reviews 24Facebook 7.8MTwitter 8.2MInstagram 8.1M Avg Length 52 min Format Long form Get Email Contact

4. Invisibilia

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Unseeable forces control human behavior and shape our ideas, beliefs, and assumptions. Invisibilia—Latin for invisible things—fuses narrative storytelling with science that will make you see your own life differently.MORE Hosts Yowei Shaw, Kia Miakka Natisse
Producer/Network NPR
Email ****@gmail.com
Estimated listeners
Apple Rating 4.5/5Apple Reviews 28.5K Avg Length 39 min Format Medium form Get Email Contact

5. Cool Science Radio

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Cool Science Radio is a weekly, hour-long program that focuses on the latest developments and discoveries in the fields of science and technology. Co-hosts Lynn Ware Peek and Scott Greenberg decipher what's new with science and technology experts in an entertaining, amusing and accessible way.MORE Producer/Network Lynn Ware Peek, Katie Mullaly
Email ****@kpcw.org
Estimated listeners
Apple Rating 4.9/5Apple Reviews 8Facebook 7.8MTwitter 8.2MInstagram 8.1M Avg Length 42 min Format Long form Get Email Contact

6. Creature Comforts

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Each week , Libby Hartfield, Retired Director of the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science , brings a specialist into the studio to answer your questions about various animals we see in Mississippi. And of course, D r. Troy Majure, Veterinarian at the Animal Medical Center of Jackson answers your pet questions. Each week, you'll learn more about the animals that live in our homes and the animals who live in the world around us. You'll also find out more about family-friendly exhibits and events at the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science in Jackson...MORE Hosts Kevin Farrell, Dr. Troy Majure, Libby Hartfield
Producer/Network Jason Klein
Email ****@mpbonline.org
Estimated listeners
Apple Rating 4.9/5Apple Reviews 14Facebook 7.8MTwitter 8.2MInstagram 8.1M Avg Length 44 min Format Long form Get Email Contact

7. This Green Earth

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This Green Earth is a weekly, hour-long program that focuses on the environment and environmentalism. Co-hosts Christopher Cherniak and Claire Wiley explore the science, politics, economics and ethics behind the environment, natural resources and sustainability.MORE Hosts Chris Cherniak, Claire Wiley
Producer/Network Chris Cherniak, Claire Wiley
Email ****@cherniakenvironmental.com
Estimated listeners
Apple Rating 5/5Apple Reviews 6Facebook 7.8MTwitter 8.2MInstagram 8.1M Avg Length 35 min Format Medium form Get Email Contact

8. Outside/In

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Outside/In: Where curiosity and the natural world collide. Look around, and you'll find everything is connected to the natural world. At Outside/In, we explore that idea with boundless curiosity. We report from disaster zones, pickleball courts, and dog sled kennels, and talk about policy, pop culture, science, and everything in between. From the backcountry to your backyard, we tell stories that expand the boundaries of environmental journalism. Outside/In is a production of NHPR. Learn more at outsideinradio.orgMORE Host Nate Heygi
Producer/Network NHPR
Email ****@nhpr.org
Estimated listeners
Apple Rating 4.7/5Apple Reviews 1.6KFacebook 7.8MTwitter 8.2MInstagram 8.1M Avg Length 30 min Format Medium form Get Email Contact

9. Living on Earth

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As the planet we call home faces a climate emergency, Living on Earth is your go-to source for the latest coverage of climate change, ecology, and human health. Hosted by Steve Curwood and brought to you by PRX.MORE Host Steve Curwood
Producer/Network World Media Foundation
Email ****@loe.org
Estimated listeners
Apple Rating 4.6/5Apple Reviews 495Facebook 16.8KTwitter 4.3KInstagram 1.7K Avg Length 52 min Format Long form Get Email Contact

10. The Point

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WCAI's award-winning public affairs program. Tuesday through Thursday, Mindy Todd hosts a lively and informative discussion on critical issues for Cape Cod, the Islands and the South Coast. Every Friday is the News Roundup, as CAI News Director Steve Junker speaks with news editors and reporters from around the region.MORE Producer/Network Mindy Todd , Steve Junker
Email ****@capeandislands.org
Estimated listeners
Apple Rating 4.8/5Apple Reviews 23Facebook 7.8MTwitter 8.2MInstagram 8.1M Avg Length 50 min Format Long form Get Email Contact

11. The Pulse

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Go on an adventure into unexpected corners of the health and science world each week with award-winning host Maiken Scott. The Pulse takes you behind the doors of operating rooms, into the lab with some of the world's foremost scientists, and back in time to explore life-changing innovations. The Pulse delivers stories in ways that matter to you, and answers questions you never knew you had.MORE Host Maiken Scott
Producer/Network NPR
Email ****@whyy.org
Estimated listeners
Apple Rating 4.6/5Apple Reviews 306Facebook 6.8KTwitter 7.8KInstagram 84.6K Avg Length 47 min Format Long form Get Email Contact

12. Living Permaculture

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Join us every third Monday of the month for Living Permaculture, KDNK's exploration of agriculture, horticulture, and natural science through the lens of Permaculture Design. Permaculture is a design system based on observing Nature and intelligently utilizing multifunctional elements to self-propel your designs. Each month we feature a guest and topic pertinent to sustainability and environmental stewardship in the Roaring Fork Valley of Colorado and the world...MORE Hosts Vanessa Harmony, Jerome Osentowski
Producer/Network Jerome Osentowski, Vanessa Harmony
Email ****@kdnk.org
Estimated listeners
Apple Rating 5/5Apple Reviews 4Facebook 7.8MTwitter 8.2MInstagram 8.1M Avg Length 28 min Format Medium form Get Email Contact

13. Looking Up

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Join Dean Regas, astronomer, author, and space expert on a journey through the stars! Guests from all over the globe bring their knowledge and passion about today's latest scientific discoveries and advancements. From eclipses to supernovas, from rockets to rovers; there's a whole universe to explore! Dean is the author of 'How to Teach Grown-Ups About Pluto' and '100 Things to See in the Night Sky' and was the longtime host of PBS' Stargazers television program. Looking Up is a production of Cincinnati Public Radio.MORE Host Dean Regas
Producer/Network Dean Regas
Email ****@gmail.com
Estimated listeners
Apple Rating 4.8/5Apple Reviews 75Facebook 7.8MTwitter 8.2MInstagram 8.1M Avg Length 17 min Format Short form Get Email Contact

14. Attribution with Bob McKinnon

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Why do some people make it, while others don't? How do the facts of our lives differ from our perception of it? And how does our psychology shape how we view ourselves and others? Attribution is, where people from all walks of life, reflect on who and what has contributed to where they ended up. Our hope is after each episode, you feel a little more inspired, grateful, or supported, than when you first hit play.MORE Host Bob McKinnon
Producer/Network Bob McKinnon
Email ****@galewill.com
Estimated listeners
Apple Rating 4.5/5Apple Reviews 12Facebook 3.6KTwitter 275 Avg Length 54 min Format Long form Get Email Contact

15. NOVA Now

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From the PBS science series NOVA, a biweekly podcast digging into the science behind the headlines. Alok Patel takes you behind the scenes with the people—scientists, engineers, technologists, mathematicians and more—working to understand our world. Now it's more critical than ever to distinguish fact from fiction and find science-based answers to the most pressing questions of our time.Subscribe, and learn more by visiting pbs.org/novanowpodcast.MORE Producer/Network GBH
Email ****@prx.org
Estimated listeners
Apple Rating 4.3/5Apple Reviews 242Facebook 16.8KTwitter 33.8KInstagram 8.2K Avg Length 19 min Format Short form Get Email Contact

16. Are We There Yet?

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Your weekly podcast journey into the latest news, missions, and stories shaping space exploration.
Host Brendan Byrne
Producer/Network Central Florida Public Media
Email ****@wmfe.org
Estimated listeners
Apple Rating 4.4/5Apple Reviews 397Facebook 11.9KTwitter 6.5KInstagram 2.9K Avg Length 28 min Format Medium form Get Email Contact

17. Petrie Dish

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Why does a new study on depression have people asking their doctors about their SSRI medications? Will sequencing the human genome soon be affordable for almost everyone? On Petrie Dish, join host and veteran reporter Bonnie Petrie for deep dives into a wide range of bioscience and medicine stories.MORE Host Bonnie Petrie
Producer/Network Bonnie Petrie
Email ****@tpr.org
Estimated listeners
Apple Rating 5/5Apple Reviews 39Facebook 62.9KTwitter 20.2KInstagram 34.6K Avg Length 9 min Format Bite size Get Email Contact

18. Arizona Science

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From astronomy to cancer research and beyond, explore the latest scientific and technological innovations taking place in Arizona.
Host Leslie Tolbert
Producer/Network AZPM
Email ****@arizona.edu
Estimated listeners
Apple Rating 3.5/5Apple Reviews 5Facebook 28KTwitter 2.5KInstagram 8K Avg Length 9 min Format Bite size Get Email Contact

19. Teen Scientist

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Teen Scientist with host Abigail Wood brings you groundbreaking innovation in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines--entirely from a teenage perspective. The program highlights local, regional, and national stories with young people and respected experts in their fields. Teen Scientist has been recipient of three Excellence in Broadcasting Awards from the PA Association of Broadcasters (2021, 2023, 2024) and a Keystone Media Award from the PA News Media Association (2024).MORE Producer/Network WDIY 88.1 FM
Email ****@wdiy.org
Estimated listeners
Apple Rating 5/5Apple Reviews 2Facebook 7.8MTwitter 8.2MInstagram 8.1M Avg Length 31 min Format Medium form Get Email Contact

20. The Loh Down on Science

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The Loh Down on Science is the fun way to get your daily dose of science -- in less than two minutes! Writer/performer and Caltech alumna Sandra Tsing Loh explains the world of science with a dash of humor. It's a program for those who love science as well as for those who avoid it!MORE Host Sandra Tsing Loh
Producer/Network LAist 89.3
Email ****@scpr.org
Estimated listeners
Apple Rating 4.5/5Apple Reviews 77Facebook 91.1KTwitter 111.9KInstagram 25.8K Avg Length 1 min Format Bite size Get Email Contact

21. A Moment of Science

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A Moment of Science is a daily audio podcast, public radio program and video series providing the scientific story behind some of life's most perplexing mysteries.
Hosts Don Glass, Yael Ksander
Producer/Network Indiana Public Media
Email ****@gmail.com
Estimated listeners
Apple Rating 4.8/5Apple Reviews 36Facebook 8.4KTwitter 15.9K Avg Length 3 min Format Bite size Get Email Contact

22. WXPR All Things Outdoors

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From hunting to hiking and snowmobiling to water skiing, there's no shortage of outdoor recreation opportunities in the Northwoods.In WXPR's All Things Outdoors, we talk with DNR Conservation Warden Tim Otto about what you need to know to stay safe and have fun while out in the woods.MORE Producer/Network WXPR Public Radio
Email ****@wxpr.org
Estimated listeners
Facebook 7.8MTwitter 8.2MInstagram 8.1M Avg Length 6 min Format Bite size Get Email Contact

23. Western Slope Skies

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Website Apple
A bi-weekly short feature on astronomy, produced by members of the Black Canyon Astronomical Society.Link for podcast apps:https://www.kvnf.org/podcast/western-slope-skies/rss.xml
Host Jeff Reynolds
Producer/Network Unknown
Email ****@kvnf.org
Estimated listeners
Facebook 7.8MTwitter 8.2MInstagram 8.1M Avg Length 4 min Format Bite size Get Email Contact

24. WXPR Field Notes

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On the second Tuesday of every month, we hear from our contributors in the field. Susan Knight and Gretchen Gerrish both work for the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Center for Limnology at Trout Lake Station. Scott Bowe is the Director of Kemp Natural Resources Station.MORE Producer/Network WXPR Public Radio
Email ****@wxpr.org
Estimated listeners
Facebook 7.8MTwitter 8.2MInstagram 8.1M Avg Length 5 min Format Bite size Get Email Contact

25. ADAPT

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In the ADAPT podcast, host Brendan Rivers talks with six people who are working to help Northeast Florida adapt to sea level rise and climate change. Guests include Florida's first-ever Chief Resilience Officer and an environmental psychologist who teaches people how to talk about climate change. The ADAPT podcast comes from WJCT Public Media in Jacksonville, Florida, which is also behind the digital magazine ADAPT, at adaptflorida.org.MORE Producer/Network WJCT Public Media
Email ****@wjct.org
Estimated listeners
Apple Rating 5/5Apple Reviews 8Facebook 7.8MTwitter 8.2MInstagram 8.1M Avg Length 24 min Format Medium form Get Email Contact

26. Natural Selections

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Conversations about the natural world with Dr. Curt Stager and Martha Foley, from member-supported North Country Public Radio.
Producer/Network NCPR: North Country Public Radio
Email ****@ncpr.org
Estimated listeners
Apple Rating 4.9/5Apple Reviews 12Facebook 7.8MTwitter 8.2MInstagram 8.1M Avg Length 6 min Format Bite size Get Email Contact

27. Science on the Radio

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Website Apple
'Science on the Radio' is a 90-second science information segment featuring Marvin Druger, retired chair of the Department of Science Teaching and professor of biology and science education at Syracuse University.MORE Producer/Network Unknown
Email ****@syr.edu
Estimated listeners
Apple Rating 5/5Apple Reviews 1Facebook 7.8MTwitter 8.2MInstagram 8.1M Avg Length 2 min Format Bite size Get Email Contact

28. Higher Ground

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Climate change is already here. Rising tides, extreme weather, and heatwaves: Higher Ground tells the stories of communities exploring solutions that may give them the best chance at survival and help save the places millions of people call home.MORE Hosts J.D. Allen, Sabrina Garone
Producer/Network J.D. Allen, Sabrina Garone
Email ****@stonybrook.edu
Estimated listeners
Apple Rating 4.8/5Apple Reviews 13Facebook 4.4KTwitter 2.2KInstagram 4K Avg Length 25 min Format Medium form Get Email Contact

29. Chronic Catastrophe

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Chronic Catastrophe is a four-episode podcast about the impacts of cumulative climate change-induced disasters on our minds, bodies and spirits. Ultimately, we ask the question: Is it worth the risk to our mental and physical health, and to our psyches, to continue to live in a place where disaster is unrelenting?Over the past four years, Sonoma County has seen a 100-year flood, a historic drought and six major wildfires that have killed 114 people, destroyed more than 18,000 buildings, caused more than half the county to evacuate their homes, and subjected us to months of bad air days and r..MORE Producer/Network Chronic Catastrophe
Email ****@gmail.com
Estimated listeners
Apple Rating 5/5Apple Reviews 47 Avg Length 44 min Format Long form Get Email Contact

30. Science Diction

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What does the word 'meme' have to do with evolutionary biology? And why do we call it 'Spanish flu' when it was never Spanish? Science Diction is a podcast about words—and the science stories within them. If you like your language with a side of science, Science Diction has you covered. Brought to you by Science Friday and WNYC Studios.MORE Host Johanna Mayer
Producer/Network Science Friday and WNYC Studios
Email ****@sciencefriday.com
Estimated listeners
Apple Rating 4.7/5Apple Reviews 661Facebook 22.1KTwitter 7.4KInstagram 6.9K Avg Length 18 min Format Short form Since Feb 2020 Get Email Contact

31. InHospitable

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Phoenix — America's hottest and fastest-growing big city — is on the frontlines in the fight against drought, extreme heat, and wildfire. We bring you stories of how these global problems affect real Arizonans, and what is being done to solve them. This podcast series is supported by the Arizona Community Foundation and Intel.MORE Producer/Network Hear Arizona
Email ****@rioradio.org
Estimated listeners
Apple Rating 5/5Apple Reviews 12Facebook 7.8MTwitter 8.2MInstagram 8.1M Avg Length 40 min Format Long form Get Email Contact

32. Manu Minute

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Need a break in your day? Whether you're in your car or still in bed, Manu Minute brings you rich sounds from Hawai'i's native forests and shorelines. Each week, we feature a different Hawaiʻi bird and its unique song, and talk about its environment and conservation.Manu Minute is a collaboration between HPR and the LOHE Bioacoustics Lab at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo. It is hosted by Patrick Hart, the lab's principal investigator, and produced by HPR's Savannah Harriman-Pote and UH Hilo's Ann Tanimoto-Johnson.MORE Host Patrick Hart
Producer/Network Hawaiʻi Public Radio
Email ****@hawaiipublicradio.org
Estimated listeners
Apple Rating 5/5Apple Reviews 17Facebook 36.9KTwitter 8.7KInstagram 19.1K Avg Length 2 min Format Bite size Get Email Contact

33. Living Downstream

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Living Downstream
Host Steve Mencher
Email ****@gmail.com
Estimated listeners
Facebook 7.8MTwitter 8.2MInstagram 8.1M Get Email Contact

34. WXPR The Stream

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So many of us live in Wisconsin's Northwoods or Michigan's Upper Peninsula because we love what surrounds us every day. We love the clear water, the clean air, and the lush forests. WXPR's environmental reporting as part of our expanded series, The Stream, focuses on the natural world around us. The Stream is now about more than just water: it brings you stories of efforts to conserve our wild lands and lakes, scientific studies of animal and plant life, and potential threats to our environment...MORE Host Katie Thoresen
Producer/Network WXPR Public Radio
Email ****@wxpr.org
Estimated listeners
Facebook 5KTwitter 956Instagram 1.8K Avg Length 5 min Format Bite size Get Email Contact

35. The Environment Report

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The Environment Report, hosted by Lester Graham and other Michigan Public reporters, explores the relationship between the natural world and the everyday lives of people in Michigan.
Host Lester Graham
Producer/Network Lester Graham
Email ****@michiganradio.org
Estimated listeners
Facebook 2.7KTwitter 10.4K Get Email Contact