Can you recommend history and science podcasts for learning something new in long-form audio?

Absolutely — if you want long-form audio that teaches you something new, here are solid history and science podcasts that are informative without feeling too shallow.

History podcasts

1. Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History

• Very long episodes, deeply researched, narrative style
• Best for major historical events and big-picture context
• Great if you like immersive, almost documentary-like storytelling

2. The History of Rome

• A classic series that walks through Roman history in order
• Clear, accessible, and surprisingly engaging
• Excellent if you want a structured learning experience

3. Revolutions

• Also by Mike Duncan
• Covers major political revolutions across history in sequence
• Strong for understanding how societies change over time

4. The Rest Is History

• Broad, conversational, and smart
• Covers lots of topics across eras and regions
• Good mix of depth and accessibility

5. Noble Blood

• Shorter than some others, but still educational and well told
• Focuses on dramatic royal and aristocratic history
• Good if you want history through people and stories

Science podcasts

1. Radiolab

• Story-driven science and philosophy episodes
• Explores surprising questions in a highly polished way
• Great for learning through narrative

2. Sean Carroll’s Mindscape

• Long-form interviews with scientists and thinkers
• Excellent for physics, cosmology, and broader science topics
• Best if you like detailed, thoughtful conversations

3. Ologies with Alie Ward

• Each episode focuses on one “-ology” and interviews an expert
• Very accessible, funny, and genuinely informative
• Great for broad curiosity across many scientific fields

4. Science Vs

• Evidence-based look at common claims and controversies
• More concise than some others, but still educational
• Good if you want science explained clearly and critically

5. The Infinite Monkey Cage

• Science discussion with humor and expert guests
• Covers many topics in an entertaining but substantive way
• Great balance of learning and fun

If you want the most “long-form” feel

Try these first:

• Hardcore History
• Sean Carroll’s Mindscape
• Radiolab
• Revolutions

If you want something easy to start with

Try:

• The Rest Is History
• Ologies
• Science Vs
• Noble Blood

If you want, I can also make you a shorter top 10 list tailored to your interests — for example:

• ancient history
• military history
• modern history
• physics/cosmology
• biology/medicine
• weird obscure topics