With more than 2 million podcasts worldwide available to download and only 525,600 minutes in a year, it can be hard to know where to start or which shows are worth pressing play on.
We searched the podcast universe to find shows that will keep you interested and entertained, whether you’re on a road trip, heading out for that dreaded-but good-for-you run, making dinner or sorting your sock drawer.
Here are 10 podcasts that should be on every engineer’s playlist.
1. Engineering Heroes
Engineering Heroes delves into the engineering challenges facing us today. Founded and hosted by Melanie and Dominic De Gioia, each week the pair chat to a different engineer about their career and area of expertise.
Its fourth season wrapped up last year, but this Australian podcast is still worth a listen as it looks at topics from the problem with space junk to ethics in AI and overcoming imposter syndrome. There’s even an episode with Sean Brady, host of the next podcast on this list.
2. Engineering leaders podcasts
In case you missed it as part of World Engineering Day, this podcast considers international perspectives in engineering.
Aligning with each of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, young engineers and future leaders share what they are doing to make a difference in the world.
3. 99% Invisible
Design is all around us, but we don’t always notice it. This weekly podcast from producer Roman Mars is about all the thought that goes into the things we don’t think about — the unnoticed architecture and design that shape our world.
With more than 400 episodes covering everything from who invented ringtones, to why metal fire escapes are mostly found on older buildings, and how superstition shapes architecture around the world, this show is 100% fascinating. Can’t get enough? There’s also a book.
4. Houston We Have a Podcast
Fascinated by space? Then you won’t want to miss the official podcast of the NASA Johnson Space Center. Tune in to go behind the scenes and hear from some of the brightest minds in the universe, from astronauts to engineers, scientists and program leaders. At 171 episodes and counting, this weekly podcast covers everything you’ll ever want to know about space.
5. Board Level
Want to hear from some of Australia’s most influential leaders? This series from the The Australian Institute of Company Directors shares insights from such leaders, hence the name.
Take a listen to the episode featuring Dr Marlene Kanga on lifting STEM expertise across the board. Recognised in the 2022 Queen’s Birthday Honours, Kanga discusses why women go into engineering and what the industry can do to increase diversity on boards.
6. Cautionary Tales
While unsettling fairy tales teach lessons to children, Cautionary Tales is for the education of adults, told by Tim Harford.
Stories of human error, tragic catastrophes and hilarious fiascos feature, with a moral emerging out of psychology, economics or design. From ‘How Britain invented, then ignored, Blitzkrieg’ to ‘How to end a pandemic’, this series will have you hooked.
Like what you hear? For more from the same host, you could also try More or Less, a podcast devoted to the powerful, sometimes beautiful world of numbers, or 50 Things That Made the Modern Economy, which features stories of inventions and innovations that helped create the modern economic world.
7. Engineering Reimagined
From Egyptian pyramids and Roman viaducts, to aeroplanes and skyscrapers, engineers have played a significant role in history’s greatest developments. But what does the future hold for engineers?
To meaningfully contribute in today’s society, engineering needs to be reimagined, by combining smart thinking with digital technologies and a focus on human-centred outcomes.
Will engineers be the rock stars of the future? Do our universities need to change? How can art and engineering create meaning in our lives? Do we take good design for granted?
This podcast from engineering consultancy firm Aurecon explores how people from all walks of life are reimagining the future and their leadership roles in it.
8. Radiolab
Radiolab began in 2002 as an exploration of science, philosophy and ethics, but has evolved into a platform for long-form journalism and storytelling. Topics range from upending myths about falling cats to how research into light and sound might retrieve lost memories.
With an archive of hundreds of episodes, adding Radiolab to your podcast app will keep you entertained for hours, while Radiolab for Kids will keep younger minds engrossed, too.
9. Stuff You Should Know
Over the last 12 years, Stuff You Should Know hosts Chuck and Josh have covered everything from planned obsolescence in consumer goods to why the US isn’t on the metric system. But you don’t need us to convince you to listen — it’s consistently at the top of the podcast charts for a reason.
10. Unprofessional Engineering
This quirky show breaks down topics like the engineering behind battlebots and computational fluid dynamics in an easy-to-understand way, so you’ll be able to switch it on even before you’ve had your morning coffee. Engineers themselves, the hosts are passionate about the importance of engineering in society, and the episodes are the right mix of funny and informative.
Did we miss one of your favourite podcasts? Get in touch with your recommendations or leave them in the comments below.