28 Best Science History Podcasts

1. The Disappearing Spoon: a science history podcast with Sam Kean

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A topsy-turvy science-y history podcast by Sam Kean. I examine overlooked stories from our past: the dental superiority of hunter-gatherers, the crooked Nazis who saved thousands of American lives, the American immigrants who developed the most successful cancer screening tool in history, the sex lives of dinosaurs, and much, much more. These are charming little tales that never made the history books, but these small moments can be surprisingly powerful. These are the cases where history gets inverted, where the footnote becomes the real story.MORE Host Sam Kean
Producer/Network Sam Kean, Bleav
Email ****@gmail.com
Estimated Monthly Listeners 10k-50k
Apple Rating 3.9/5Apple Reviews 1.3K Avg Length 19 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. The Episodic Table of Elements

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A podcast about the fascinating true stories behind each element on the periodic table.
Host Thomas R. Appleton
Producer/Network T. R. Appleton
Email ****@gmail.com
Estimated Monthly Listeners 1k-10k
Apple Rating 4.8/5Apple Reviews 483Twitter 112 Avg Length 27 min Format Medium form Since Oct 2017 Get Email Contact

3. Lost Women of Science

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For every Marie Curie or Rosalind Franklin whose story has been told, hundreds of female scientists remain unknown to the public at large. In this series, we illuminate the lives and work of a diverse array of groundbreaking scientists who, because of time, place and gender, have gone largely unrecognized. Each season we focus on a different scientist, putting her narrative into context, explaining not just the science but also the social and historical conditions in which she lived and worked. We also bring these stories to the present, painting a full picture of how her work endures.MORE Hosts Katie Hafner, Carol Sutton Lewis
Producer/Network Lost Women of Science
Email ****@gmail.com
Estimated Monthly Listeners 10k-50k
Apple Rating 4.8/5Apple Reviews 296Facebook 3.5KTwitter 2.4KInstagram 8.3K Avg Length 32 min Format Medium form Video Podcast YouTube
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4. Distillations | Science History Institute

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Distillations is the Science History Institute's critically acclaimed flagship podcast. We take deep dives into stories that range from the serious to the eccentric, all to help listeners better understand the surprising science that is all around us. Hear about everything from the crisis in Alzheimer's research to New England's 19th-century vampire panic in compelling, sometimes-funny, documentary-style audio stories.MORE Hosts Alexis Pedrick, Mariel Carr, Rigoberto Hernandez
Producer/Network Science History Institute
Email ****@sciencehistory.org
Estimated Monthly Listeners 1k-10k
Apple Rating 4.5/5Apple Reviews 111Facebook 39.8KTwitter 23.2KInstagram 9.2K Avg Length 35 min Format Medium form Get Email Contact

5. Science History Podcast

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Monthly interviews on important moments in the history of science.
Host Frank A. von Hippel
Email ****@gmail.com
Estimated Monthly Listeners 1k-10k
Recent Guest Mike Pitts
Apple Rating 4.8/5Apple Reviews 98Twitter 715 Avg Length 87 min Format Long form Since Dec 2017 Get Email Contact

6. Notable Nobels

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Notable Nobels is a podcast about the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine is awarded to scientists who have made notable discoveries in the fields of Life Science and Medicine, and these discoveries have a history of profoundly influencing society and civilization. Each episode covers the prize awarded for a particular year, and with over 100 years of prizes, there's a lot to talk about!MORE Host Harrison Dulin
Email ****@ucr.edu
Estimated Monthly Listeners 100-1k
Apple Rating 5/5Apple Reviews 65 Avg Length 29 min Format Medium form Get Email Contact

7. The History of Chemistry

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Chemistry is everywhere, and involves everything. But how did chemistry get to be what it is? I'm Steve Cohen, a chemist and writer, bringing you The History of Chemistry. This podcast explores the development of chemistry from prehistoric times to the present, including the people and societies who made chemistry what it is today. The History of Chemistry is for you, whether you hated chemistry in high school, or got a PhD in inorganic chemistry. We'll explore how chemistry affected art, music, language, politics and vice-versa...MORE Host Steve Cohen
Email ****@historyofchem.com
Estimated Monthly Listeners 1k-10k
Apple Rating 4.6/5Apple Reviews 53 Avg Length 22 min Format Medium form Get Email Contact

8. The Complete History of Science

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A podcast exploring the history of science from the beginning. We will cover all of the most important scientific discoveries from Archimedes to Newton to Einstein. The aim is to give a complete overview of how science evolved and how it shaped the modern world. Support the show and keep it going: https://buymeacoffee.com/completehistoryofscience Follow me on BlueSky for updates: https://bsky.app/profile/gethinrichards.bsky.social YouTube: https://youtube.com/@thecompletehistoryofscience Music credit:Folk Round Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3..MORE Host Gethin Richards
Email ****@gmail.com
Estimated Monthly Listeners 1k-10k
Recent Guest Johannes Kepler
Apple Rating 5/5Apple Reviews 34 Avg Length 29 min Format Medium form Get Email Contact

9. Smart Tea

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Who are the people behind the discoveries that have changed our lives? Join Aarati as she spills the tea on scientists and inventors throughout history!
Producer/Network Aarati Asundi & Maria Sisneroz
Email ****@gmail.com
Estimated Monthly Listeners 1k-10k
Recent Guest Andrew Robertson
Apple Rating 5/5Apple Reviews 33 Avg Length 59 min Format Long form Get Email Contact

10. History and Philosophy of the Language Sciences

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History and Philosophy of the Language Sciences explores the history of the study of language in its varied social and cultural contexts.
Producer/Network James McElvenny
Email ****@mailbox.org
Estimated Monthly Listeners 100-1k
Apple Rating 4.9/5Apple Reviews 20Facebook 736Twitter 1.3K Avg Length 33 min Format Medium form Get Email Contact

11. Math! Science! History!

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Math! Science! History! is about the history of people, theories, and discoveries that have moved our scientific progress forward and spurred us on to unimaginable discoveries. Join Gabrielle Birchak for a little math, a little science, and a little history. All in a little bit of time.MORE Host Gabrielle Birchak
Email ****@mathsciencehistory.com
Estimated Monthly Listeners 1k-10k
Recent Guest Gillen D'Arcy Wood
Apple Rating 4.7/5Apple Reviews 19Facebook 1.3KInstagram 10.1K Avg Length 13 min Format Short form Get Email Contact

12. Pratidhvani - Humanizing Science

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Namaste, Hola, & Welcome from G.V. Pavan Kumar. Pratidhvani (ಪ್ರತಿಧ್ವನಿ/प्रतिध्वनि) means reflection or resonance (of sound). Here, the aim is to resonate with knowledge & humanize science. The podcast conversation has two themes: 1) Intellectual journey of scientists, philosophers and historians of science; 2) History & Philosophy of Physical Sciences & Technology I am a Professor of Physics at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune, India. I run this podcast in my personal capacity...MORE Host G V Pavan Kumar
Email ****@gmail.com
Estimated Monthly Listeners 100-1k
Recent Guest Venki Ramakrishnan
Apple Rating 5/5Apple Reviews 10Twitter 3.5K Avg Length 63 min Format Long form Get Email Contact

13. Perspectives on Science

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A new public events series from the Consortium for History of Science, Technology and Medicine brings historical perspective to contemporary issues and concerns.In the public forums, historians and other specialists speak about culturally relevant topics in front of a live audience at Consortium member institutions. Forum subjects range from medical consumerism to public trust in science and technology...MORE Producer/Network Consortium for History of Science, Technology and Medicine
Email ****@chstm.org
Estimated Monthly Listeners 100-1k
Recent Guest Christa Kuljian
Apple Rating 5/5Apple Reviews 6Facebook 4.7KTwitter 4K Avg Length 60 min Format Long form Get Email Contact

14. New Books in the History of Science

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This podcast is a channel on the New Books Network. The New Books Network is an academic audio library dedicated to public education. In each episode you will hear scholars discuss their recently published research with another expert in their field. Discover our 150 channels and browse our 28,000 episodes on our website: ⁠newbooksnetwork.com⁠ Subscribe to our free weekly Substack newsletter to get informative, engaging content straight to your inbox: ⁠https://newbooksnetwork.substack.com/⁠ Follow us on Instagram and Bluesky to learn about more our latest interviews: @newbooksnetworkMORE Producer/Network New Books Network
Email ****@newbooksnetwork.com
Estimated Monthly Listeners 100-1k
Recent Guests Mike Jay, Dr. Howard Alan Israel +9 more
Apple Rating 5/5Apple Reviews 9 Avg Length 63 min Format Long form Get Email Contact

15. The Inventing HerStory podcast

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Who actually invented the first computer program, discovered the first complete dinosaur fossil, and so much more!? She did! The Inventing Herstory podcast explores the lives of influential women scientists and inventors (who you've maybe never heard about) and their world-changing inventions and discoveries (which you DEFINITELY know about)! Join us as we learn all about HerStory.MORE Producer/Network Valentina Furlanetto and Amy Bondy
Estimated Monthly Listeners 100-1k
Apple Rating 5/5Apple Reviews 7 Avg Length 45 min Format Long form Get Email Contact

16. The Cognition Project

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How can we study the mind, something we can never see or touch? This podcast tells the story of how psychologists, neuroscientists, computer scientists, linguists, and philosophers worked together to create a new science of the mind. Each episode is an interview with one of the people who played a role in this process, providing an oral history of cognitive science. Created and hosted by Tom Griffiths, professor of psychology and computer science at Princeton University. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.MORE Email ****@newschool.edu
Apple Rating 5/5 Avg Length 46 min Format Long form Get Email Contact

17. The Rearview

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Jacob Koshy and Sobhana K Nair guide you on a scenic route through the history of science. Filled with fascinating anecdotes, deep archival dives, and a closer look at the quirky minds behind groundbreaking ideas.MORE Hosts Jacob Koshy, Sobhana K Nair
Email ****@thehindu.co.in
Avg Length 38 min Format Medium form Get Email Contact

18. The Discovery Dialogues Podcast

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Welcome to the Discovery Dialogues podcast, where we take a deep dive into the history of groundbreaking discoveries in the life sciences. I am your host Ani Deshpande. Each episode we will uncover some incredible, insightful, and often just insane stories behind the breakthroughs in medicine. Join us as we journey through the twists and turns of scientific history. One breakthrough at a time.MORE Host Ani Deshpande
Email ****@sbpdiscovery.org
Estimated Monthly Listeners 100-1k
Apple Rating 5/5 Avg Length 38 min Format Medium form Get Email Contact

19. Good in Theory

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Good in Theory is a podcast about brilliant scientific theories—that just happened not to be true. Join Rita and Sofie as they dive headfirst into disproven theories across biology, chemistry, physics, and medicine. They'll unpack what made the ideas so compelling, where they spectacularly failed, and how they still managed to leave a fascinating mark on science and culture. Have a listen if you want to learn about wacky, wrong, and weirdly impactful science history alongside two enthusiastic guides!MORE Email ****@sheffield.ac.uk
Avg Length 26 min Format Medium form Get Email Contact

20. Making Science with Tom Whipple

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What connects 200 hand-holding monks, a lump of gold hidden in a beaker, and irradiated cocktails? Welcome to Making Science with Tom Whipple, Science Editor at The Times and Sunday Times. This is the podcast where history, innovation, and the unexpected collide, as we uncover jaw-dropping stories behind the scientific discoveries we take for granted. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.MORE Email ****@news.co.uk
Estimated Monthly Listeners 100-1k
Avg Length 10 min Format Bite size Get Email Contact

21. The Mad Scientist Podcast

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The Mad Scientist Podcast is a comedy show about the history and philosophy of science and pseudoscience. Hosted by Chris and Marie, join our intrepid hosts as they talk about all the weird stuff your science textbook left out. Because sometimes, the best way to learn how to think like a scientist is to talk about all the bad science floating around out there!MORE Hosts Marie Mayhew, Christopher Cogswell
Producer/Network Evergreen Podcasts | Killer Podcasts
Email ****@gmail.com
Estimated Monthly Listeners 1k-10k
Apple Rating 4.5/5Apple Reviews 288Facebook 1.7KTwitter 6.5KInstagram 1.1K Avg Length 52 min Format Long form Get Email Contact

22. Inside the Breakthrough - How Science Comes to Life

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In Season 2 of the series we will share a new collection of surprising and unusual stories from the history of science.In each episode we will feature two seemingly unrelated stories from the past. Then, Dan Riskin will connect the dots between those stories and offer insight into how that history impacts modern medical research.We are learning from the past so we can understand the present, and inform the future.Along the way we will learn how a professor at Stanford turned mild mannered young men into cruel vicious prison guards, and how the Irish Potato Famine really had nothing to do wit..MORE Host Dan Riskin
Producer/Network SciMar with Dan Riskin
Email ****@rogers.com
Estimated Monthly Listeners 100-1k
Apple Rating 4.6/5Apple Reviews 235 Avg Length 24 min Format Medium form Get Email Contact

23. My Nuclear Life

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On July 16, 1945, in a New Mexico desert, the Trinity Test ushered in the Nuclear Age. No other piece of technology has penetrated the American consciousness like the nuclear bomb and found a place in everything from culture to medicine. This podcast explores how nuclear science has impacted and changed our world in both beneficial and destructive ways. We explore the intersection of nuclear science and society using interviews with historians, policymakers, experts in their fields, and first-hand accounts to weave a picture of your nuclear life.MORE Host Shelly Lesher
Email ****@protonmail.com
Estimated Monthly Listeners 1k-10k
Recent Guest Mark Walker
Apple Rating 4.9/5Apple Reviews 49 Avg Length 48 min Format Long form Get Email Contact

24. Scientific Tales: A Science History Podcast

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Are you interested in scientific concepts? Ideas? methods? Are you curious about the history of an idea or discovery and say to yourself: I wonder how this idea got here? You are in the right place. Scientific Tales is a science podcast that explores the story behind important scientific findings and research. Scientific Tales will be published every month! Dive deep into the fascinating stories of science and the journeys behind scientific discoveries through our science history podcast! Scientific Tales is where science is explored through the lens of history...MORE Producer/Network Scientific Tales
Recent Guest Svante Pääbo
Avg Length 24 min Format Medium form Get Email Contact

25. Sweet Defiance - Stories of Remarkable Women in Science

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Welcome to Sweet Defiance, the podcast where we pair delicious sweets with compelling stories of forgotten historic women who made great achievements in science.Each episode, we explore the life and work of a different female scientist, sharing their remarkable stories and delving into the science and impact of their discoveries. We pair each episode with a carefully chosen treat to appease our sweet tooth. Don't forget to subscribe to never miss an episode! ⁠https://sweetdefiance.org/index.htmlMORE Producer/Network Eva, Béatrice
Email ****@sweetdefiance.org
Twitter 43Instagram 21 Avg Length 17 min Format Short form Get Email Contact

26. In Our Time: Science

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Scientific principles, theory, and the role of key figures in the advancement of science.
Host Melvyn Bragg
Producer/Network BBC Radio 4
Email ****@bbc.co.uk
Estimated Monthly Listeners 10k-50k
Recent Guests Merlin Sheldrake, Jo Marchant +6 more
Apple Rating 4.6/5Apple Reviews 2.1K Avg Length 53 min Format Long form Get Email Contact

27. Toxic History!

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Toxic History! is a narrative medicine lecture series where medical experts tell you stories from the history of poison. Human beings have known about poison substances that harm and even kill for thousands of years. Poisons have been seen as mysterious, supernatural, and enigmatic. What are these plants, mixtures, and elements with such powerful properties? It is only in the past century that science has begun to demystify these chemicals and explain how they work...MORE Estimated Monthly Listeners 100-1k
Apple Rating 4.9/5Apple Reviews 7 Avg Length 22 min Format Medium form Get Email Contact

28. The OTHERHOOD: IQ and Race Pseudoscience

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Welcome to The Otherhood: Race Pseudoscience Podcast, where we unravel the complex and often troubling history of scientific racism and eugenics. Join your host Christopher Maute, a former student of the esteemed Dr. Bill Tucker, as he delves deep into the pages of academic literature to expose the pseudoscience that has shaped societal views on race for centuries. In each episode, Christopher invites a special guest to explore specific characters, concepts, and historical events that highlight the insidious nature of scientific racism. Our inaugural episode focuses on Dr...MORE Avg Length 41 min Format Long form Get Email Contact