Best Polar Regions Podcasts (2024)

1
Antarctic science or polar oil exploration? Prof. Klaus Dodds on Russia’s grey zone activities in the Weddell Sea 40:59

1h ago40:59

40:59

Reports of Russia’s discovery of huge oil reserves in Antarctic waters has caused concern in some quarters over (frozen) territorial claims and the future of the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty, which permanently bans mining in and around the continent. Prof. Klaus Dodds, whose recent testimony for a UK parliamentary in…

1
This Kernel Is Gooey (Disco S5E8) 1:10:29

28m ago1:10:29

1:10:29

When Disco jumps to the Badlands, they find a Hogwarts library where checking out the next clue KOs Captain Burnham. But when the Breen show up and get their library card revoked, Michael’s journey through the labyrinth finally makes her a little more relatable. What’s involved in podcast pre-production? Who runs DS9 in the 32nd century? Does Moll …

1
Big Dog Dick Fingers (Disco S5E7) 1:09:39

34m ago1:09:39

1:09:39

When the Breen Primarch shows up in a haunted house ship, President T’Rina tries to negotiate and only gets an hour for Captain Burnham. But when an unmovable bluff meets an unstoppable bluff, Rayner starts talking and Book finally gets to do something useful for the mission. Which raw materials are available on Betazed? Should all comm badges have…

1
Power & Development | Raul Sanchez de la Sierra 1:11:09

2h ago1:11:09

1:11:09

What is the role of narratives within the political economy of development? In this episode, we speak with Professor Raul Sanchez de la Sierra, an Assistant Professor at the University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy and Faculty Affiliate of the Pearson Institute. His research tackles problems in the economics of development, political …

1
The Mofongo of Lies (Disco S5E6) 1:08:12

5d ago1:08:12

1:08:12

When the scientist behind the next can koozie puzzle clue leads Discovery to a dusty green planet, Burnham and Tilly beam down just in time to request a sugar cube fun run to the high tower. But when winning the race means becoming the sacrifice, the Prime Directive gets fired into the sun to save a different new Star Trek show. How do you get kick…

1
#66 Saturn’s largest moon Titan is an incredible place, but could anything live there? Canadian Astrobiologist Dr Catherine Neish led a study on Titan’s habitability. She joins us for a fascinating chat ... 23:46

17d ago23:46

23:46

Titan. The largest moon in the Saturnian system has been a candidate as a habitable world ever since NASA’s Cassini mission sent back the first radar images of its surface in 2004. Astrobiologist Dr. Catherine Neish of Western University in Canada has spent years studying Titan, and has just published a study on the habitability of Titan. Catherine…

1
These Colors, This Smokey Eye, These Criminals Don’t Run (Disco S5E5) 1:03:05

10d ago1:03:05

1:03:05

When a humiliated nepo-baby no-call, no-shows his job, all his choices have lead to becoming trapped in a transparent case of emotion with Michael Burnham. But when the flashbacks finally get to the bottom of Moll and L'ak’s partnership, it becomes clear why no one can be left behind. Which drinking games are best to play with babies? Where is the …

1
Fleshlight for a Chode (Disco S5E4) 1:07:35

25d ago1:07:35

1:07:35

When Adira brings a bug aboard the Disco after hanging out with their ex, Captain Burnham and Commander Rayner narrowly avoid being Tuvix-ed when they attempt to blurp out of her ready room. But when a groggy future version of Zora lays out the stakes for the rest of the season, they’ll have to Quantum Leap their way through some of Star Trek: Disc…

1
Securitization dynamics: Greenland’s pivotal place in the Arctic security configuration 1:26:27

1M ago1:26:27

1:26:27

“Greenland is the most dynamic piece in the new Arctic security jigsaw puzzle”, according to a new book that applies the international relations theory of securitization to analyze the security and geopolitics of Greenland and the Arctic. Marc Jacobsen, Ole Wæver and Ulrik Pram Gad, co-editors and authors of Greenland in Arctic Security: (De)securi…

1
Measure From the Polar Region (Disco S5E3) 1:21:47

1M ago1:21:47

1:21:47

When the poem leads an away team to the milk caves on Trill, Culber is way too eager to be inhabited by Jinaal Bix. But while Burnham and Book prove their worthiness in the quarry, Rayner learns Discovery’s crew members are surprisingly verbose. Where is there never any palace intrigue? What’s the first thing you want to do in Wilson Cruz’s body? H…

1
Polarization in a Region of Turmoil | Daniel Brumberg 59:31

1M ago59:31

59:31

What factors hindered Tunisia's democratic transition after the Arab Spring? In this episode, we speak with Professor Daniel Brumberg, a Professor in the Department of Government at Georgetown University and co-founder of its Democracy and Governance Master’s program. We discuss Tunisia’s political landscape and how polarization impacted its own de…

1
Echo Peeper 607s (Disco S5E2) 1:02:12

27d ago1:02:12

1:02:12

When Michael is left to decide who will take over for Saru as Number One, she makes the startling realization that everyone else is very pro Book Burnham. But when the dirt bike rental owner calls for the 10th time in a row to collect damages, the crew decides they're better off skipping town to chase Moll and L'ak than footing the bill. Doth the B…

1
The Post Death Squat (Disco S5E1) 1:21:45

1M ago1:21:45

1:21:45

When Captain Burnham and the Discovery get assigned a red directive mission, she and Captain Rayner don’t quite sync up. But when Book is called in to help with The Chase, they track down the thieves and learn that this season’s MacGuffin was already opened by Fred. Why don’t more parents register for airline chair? What’s required to rent a shield…

1
From the Barents Sea to the Bering Strait: Arctic geopolitics at the regional and local levels 40:24

1M ago40:24

40:24

In this episode of the Polar Geopolitics podcast, recorded live at the 2024 Arctic Frontiers conference in Tromsø, Norway, host Eric Paglia interviews Andreas Østhagen of the Fridtjof Nansen Institute and Kelsey Frazier from the Ted Stevens Center for Arctic Security Studies. The discussion ranges from global trends affecting the geopolitical posit…

1
#65 Spaghettification? This really is a thing. It happens if you get too close to a black hole, but what is it? And how did it get that name? 6:46

1M ago6:46

6:46

Space and cosmology throws up some strange effects sometimes, none stranger than spaghettification. Stephen Hawking coined the term for the stretching out that happens when you get close to a black hole. Let's take a look at what it really is, how it works, and if we should have anything to fear from spaghettification... Follow Cosmic Coffee Time o…

1
Hard Pipe Hitting Cylon (Pilot Season: Battlestar Galactica Part 2) 1:12:08

1M ago1:12:08

1:12:08

When Galactica is trapped in a Paulson-style nebula, they make a scary as hell jump to get ammunition for the war. But when President Rosalind suggests running instead of fighting the Cylons, Commander Adama is convinced that hope will save what’s left of humanity. Which actor gives two characters for the price of one? What’s the most likely name f…

1
My Medusans Are Up Here, Gentlemen (TOS S3E5) 59:25

2M ago59:25

59:25

When the Enterprise beams some mysterious riders aboard, it’s a less than 5-star rating by the time they reach their destination. But when the ugliest person in the room uses Spock as a meat sack, navigating home is easy but escaping space madness requires the help of a beautiful Doctor. What are the options for fixing a bent wick? Who is Scotty Ba…

1
Drugstore Godzilla Suit (TOS S1E19) 59:09

2M ago59:09

59:09

When Kirk beams down for a house party on Cestus III, what he finds instead is an aerial bombardment and one very angry outpost survivor. But when the Enterprise gives chase and the Metrons sense violent intent, a broadcast death match is the only suggestion for conflict resolution. Are Spock and McCoy capable of effectively insulting each other? W…

1
Ep. 28. Mughals, Merchants, Marauders & Henry Every's Heist of the Century 2:13:47

2M ago2:13:47

2:13:47

Everybody loves a good heist story – especially a successful one. Chuck in corrupt politicians, corporate gangsters and billionaire warlords and you’ve got yourself a winning formula. Set your story in the 17th century, make your protagonist a handsome, mutinous pirate on the run and you’re looking at a sure-fire Hollywood blockbuster. Except that …

1
Northern Flank: Arctic-Baltic security interconnections since the NATO accession of Sweden and Finland 1:04:34

2M ago1:04:34

1:04:34

To analyze the transformed security environment in Northern Europe since the NATO accession of Sweden and Finland, this episode features an interview with Minna Ålander, research fellow at the Finish Institute of International Affairs in Helsinki. The in-depth discussion, at time when the Nordic countries have been engaged with their NATO partners …

1
Reams of Paper Porn (Pilot Season: Battlestar Galactica Part 1) 1:37:39

2M ago1:37:39

1:37:39

When it’s time to make a museum out of the Battlestar Galactica, the ship’s decommissioning ceremony turns into an even busier day for Commander Adama. But when the Cylons magically split the trolly and send it down both tracks, President Rosalind enters into a power struggle with the new leader of the Colonial fleet. What’s the dream move during a…

1
In Space Nobody Can Hear Your Leather Squeak (Pilot Season: Andromeda) 1:18:58

2M ago1:18:58

1:18:58

When the Andromeda is betrayed by one of their own, the surviving crew make for the nearest black hole to try and escape. But when Capt Kevin Sorbo is the only survivor salvaged from the singularity, everyone he’s ever known is gone. Did somebody find the keys to Gene Roddenberry secret script cabinet? Do captains get to choose their own ship AIs? …

1
My Astronaut Diaper Is Super Full (Pilot Season: Farscape) 1:20:37

2M ago1:20:37

1:20:37

When a test pilot’s propulsion experiment takes him much farther than expected, his shock on the other side makes him seem a little dumb. But when his guild of alien adventurers needs a handwritten equation to escape, John Crichton comes through with a rollerball mouse and earns their respect through math. Who was Farscape made for? How do you know…

1
Colonizing Kashmir | Hafsa Kanjwal 40:53

2M ago40:53

40:53

What is the history of Kashmir’s path to self-determination? In this episode, we speak with Dr. Hafsa Kanjwal, an assistant professor of South Asian History at Lafayette College. We talk about Dr. Kanjwal’s new book Colonizing Kashmir: State-building Under Indian Occupation. The book interrogates how Kashmir was made "integral" to India through a s…

1
The Shoot Scream Years (Pilot Season: Stargate SG-1) 1:29:39

2M ago1:29:39

1:29:39

When a bunch of men in large snake heads suddenly jump out of a relic of alien technology housed deep within Cheyenne Mountain, General Hammond decides to call Richard Dean Anderson with a haircut out of retirement. But when they discover that the gate is less like two cans on a string and more like a touchtone phone, it’s going to take an ensemble…

1
#64 The Odysseus Moon Lander. The first private moon lander has touched down, but is it still ok? 6:19

3M ago6:19

6:19

Houston-based aerospace company Intuitive Machines produced the first private mission to land on the moon. The Odysseus lander is just 300 km from the lunar south pole, investigating water ice and demonstrating the capabilities of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services program (CLPS). But space is difficult and not many projects go perfectly firs…

1
David Cronenberg Friendship Bracelet (Pilot Season: Earth Final Conflict) 1:16:33

3M ago1:16:33

1:16:33

When Captain Boone has the worst possible day at work, he’s offered a job by the aliens he doesn’t trust. But when his wife gets Final Destination‘d and his best friend lures him into the resistance, Boone calmly agrees to become a souped-up inside man. What’s the turn-around time on a custom headstone? Do surgeons ever take their tools home? Where…

1
Why Does It Smell Like Miracle Grow in Here? (Pilot Season: Sliders) 1:36:33

3M ago1:36:33

1:36:33

When a teen genius spends too much time in his basement making home videos, his ideas about holes are purely theoretical. But once he convinces himself to take the first slide, his experiment becomes a slippery slope of interdimensional tropes. What ever happened to all the aspirational teen spaces from the 80s and 90s? How did DoppelQuinn get so m…

1
Snow Widows 44:06

3M ago44:06

44:06

Alok Jha revisits one of Antarctica’s most enduring tales of exploration with author and journalist Katherine MacInnes. Her book 'Snow Widows' tells the story of the race for the South Pole, from the perspective of the women whose lives would be forever changed by it: the wives and mothers that Sir Robert Falcon Scott and his expedition team left b…

1
Philosophies of Research | Austin Wright 1:33:12

3M ago1:33:12

1:33:12

What kind of ethical concerns should researchers think about when deciding to take on a project? In this episode, we speak with Professor Austin Wright, an Assistant Professor of Public Policy at The University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy and a faculty affiliate of the Pearson Institute and Empirical Studies of Conflict Project. We …

1
Cold Upper Lip (Pilot Season: Space Precinct) 1:11:11

3M ago1:11:11

1:11:11

When Lieutenant Brogan gets shuffled over to Demeter City, it’s all hot dogs and police misconduct while on patrol with Officer Haldane. But when they get an important babysitting assignment for an unusual eyewitness puppet, the DCPD demonstrates its need for additional training. Where do 8-year-old Ben and 8-year-old Adam part ways? What’s the blu…

1
The Space Gardener 31:48

4M ago31:48

31:48

Alok Jha talks to NASA astro-botanist Jess Bunchek about growing vegetables in Antarctica – and outer space. Jess started as a botanist and agronomist and, after completing her masters, worked as an astro-botanist at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, where she researched space crop production and supported “Veggie” – a vegetable production ch…

1
Telepathic Pants (Pilot Season: Babylon 5) 1:19:41

4M ago1:19:41

1:19:41

When a very large space station is rotten with ambassadors, the mousse budget is astronomical and the surfaces are very smooth. But when Commander Sinclair defies orders to keep the peace, Londo is the only one who doesn’t believe his nephew’s hostage video. Why isn’t there more science fiction tv? What’s the steel-to-person ratio of Babylon 5? How…

1
Ian Bremmer on Antarctica and the geopolitics of the polar regions 23:20

4M ago23:20

23:20

Dr. Ian Bremmer, president and founder of Eurasia Group and GZERO Media, joins the podcast to discuss Antarctica and the short- and long-term impacts of climate change and the emerging green transition on the geopolitics of the polar regions. Dr. Bremmer, who recently returned from a trip to Antarctica, also explains how the six-decade success stor…

1
Emperor Penguins 33:06

4M ago33:06

33:06

Alok Jha talks to Dr Peter Fretwell, award-winning cartographer and leading scientist at the British Antarctic Survey, about Antarctica’s most iconic residents – Emperor penguins – and the threats they’re facing from climate change. Peter pioneered the use of satellite imagery to find and monitor polar wildlife – a project that has led to him disco…

1
#63 Space Ethics. How do we navigate the ethical challenges of our journey beyond Earth? 5:56

4M ago5:56

5:56

So we pollute the upper atmosphere with rocket exhaust, is it worth the benefits of communications satellites and GPS? What about space junk? the garbage of earth orbit. Or mining asteroids? who owns the asteroids, can should they be able to sell the minerals asteroids provide? These are questions that would never have been asked before space trave…

1
Plug My Hole, Mommy (Pilot Season: SeaQuest DSV) 1:25:24

4M ago1:25:24

1:25:24

When Admiral Paris cons Brody out of the Caribbean and back onto his own ship, there are fewer majestic shots than you’d expect from Star Trek in the sea. But when a disgraced former captain joins George the Dog in a plot for revenge, only a talking dolphin can save the ship from rebel attack. Who is the Argyle of SeaQuest? What does Darwin keep in…

1
Into the Dark Antarctic Night 39:04

4M ago39:04

39:04

Alok Jha talks to journalist and author Julian Sancton about the harrowing and epic survival story of The Belgica: an early polar expedition gone terribly wrong – with a ship frozen in ice and its crew trapped inside for months of endless polar night. Julian is an editor at The Hollywood Reporter. His writing has appeared in Vanity Fair, Esquire, G…

1
Ep. 27 Desert Queen: The Extraordinary Life of Adventurer Gertrude Bell 3:17:35

4M ago3:17:35

3:17:35

Most people have heard of Lawrence of Arabia, and the romantic tale of his involvement in the revolution that liberated the middle East from Ottoman rule during World war One. But few people are aware that behind TE Lawrence there stood an even greater champion in the cause for freedom. And no, it wasn’t some moustached army general or cigar chompi…

1
A Thousand Things At Once (Patrick Stewart on Bullseye) 1:13:45

4M ago1:13:45

1:13:45

When Jesse Thorn joins Ben and Adam to relive a conversation with P-Stew, the intro runs almost as long as the interview itself. But when foundational SNL sketches differ, the resulting questions go from glib to sincere and Jesse offers up remote pod viewing directly into his adolescence. If NPR is Godzilla, what is PRI? Where do public radio and S…

1
Dinosaurs in Antarctica 34:12

4M ago34:12

34:12

Dr Susannah Maidment, Principal Researcher in fossil reptiles at London’s Natural History Museum, takes us 100 million years back in time to when Antarctica was a rainforest and home to some of the biggest creatures to ever walk the earth – the dinosaurs! Susannah has a PhD in vertebrate palaeontology from the University of Cambridge and, prior to …

1
Weaving the Blanket as We're Flying It (with Adam Ragusea) 1:01:27

4M ago1:01:27

1:01:27

When Ben and Adam need to Q their A’s, Adam Ragusea stops by the pod to lend a hand. But when the trio wants Bonita Applebum and instead they get Apples and Bananas, it looks like things may be off to a rocky start. Where has Kevin been hiding all these years? Is it crenellation or castellation? Does Instacart deliver to the D quad? It’s the episod…

1
Polar Preet 38:34

4M ago38:34

38:34

Alok Jha talks to Guinness World Record-breaking polar explorer Preet Chandi MBE – known as Polar Preet – about her extraordinary, inspiring and boundary-breaking achievements in Antarctica. In 2022, Preet became the ninth woman in history to ski solo to the South Pole and the first woman of colour to complete a solo expedition on the continent. Th…

1
Gendered Dimensions of Conflict | Maliha Chishti 55:25

4M ago55:25

55:25

How do war and conflict give rise to gender-based violence? In this episode, we speak with Dr. Maliha Chishti, an assistant instructional professor at the Divinity School and an associate of The Pearson Institute. Her core research interests are international peacebuilding, security, and development, as well as gender and human rights in post-confl…

1
Sustainable development, community resilience and regional security in a globally connected Arctic with Anu Fredrikson, Executive Director of Arctic Frontiers 32:25

4M ago32:25

32:25

Anu Fredrikson, Executive Director of Arctic Frontiers and former director of the Arctic Economic Council, joins the podcast to discuss sustainable development, economic opportunities and the Green Transition that is taking place in the Arctic alongside structural changes in the regional security environment. With the annual Arctic Frontiers confer…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Polar Regions Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

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