By Dennis D. McDonald

Here are another 5 podcasts I like a lot:

1. Filmspotting. Radio personalities Adam Kempenaar and Matty Robinson talk about films new and old, make up and discuss movie lists of all kinds, and generally geek out on films. Lots of fun.
2. Are We Alone? - Science Radio for Thinking Species. Seth Shostak and Molly Bentley of the SETI Institute host stimulating discussions about science, life on other worlds and our own, physics, and astronomy. Programs range from the overly cute to resoundingly profound. Always entertaining. Favorite quote (from Molly): “Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.”
3. Binge Thinking History. Tony Cocks provides thoughtful discussions of history with a distinctly British perspective. His series on the Royal Navy is terrific. Another favorite of mine is the Battle of Britain (where a Merlin flying by at low altitude serves as a really neat segment separator).
4. In Our Time With Melvyn Bragg. The BBC may have a multitude of programs but this one stands out. Bragg takes advantage of the plethora of universities on the British Isles and brings in academics and authors for intelligent but plain-English discussions about a vast range of topics. My favorites include  the ancient library at Alexandria, the Samurai, and Leibniz vs. Newton.
5. Weta Cast - a bug in the workshop.A recent discovery. Weta employees Magnus Hjert and Daniel Falconer walk around Weta in New Zealand interviewing people about various aspects of movie set design, miniature production, collectibles, makeup, science fiction vehicles and weapons design, and various obscure details of film and TV production magic. If you’re a Lord of the Rings or District 9 fan, you’ll enjoy this series (though the accents take a bit or work to understand at times). I’m looking forward to what they eventually have to say about Weta’s involvement with James Cameron’s Avatar.

 Copyright (c) 2010 by Dennis D. McDonald