Podcasts about Escape pod

Author : Rati Mehrotra Narrator : Joe Moran Host : Mur Lafferty Audio Producer : Adam Pracht The Library of the Apocalypse was first published in Clarkesworld, May 2025, Issue 224. Includes death and cursing. The Library of the Apocalypse By Rati Mehrotra Hunter's Moon rises fat and golden over the burned-out husk of the […] Source

Listener Kevin Towers asks: what the if the internet made everyone use their real, traceable name? No usernames. No masks. No hiding behind a clever handle at 2am. In this universe, every comment you fire off comes permanently stapled to your actual identity, your job, and your reputation. Would all that sunlight finally make us kind? Or would we go quiet, too nervous to ever post again? There's a crash course in why we turn feral online, a trip back to the dial-up Stone Age, and a rowdy brawl over whether forced honesty saves us or sinks us. So log in as your true self and come hang out where everybody finally knows your name. —— When she's not studying zombie fungus at Harvard or helping us break the universe every week, our very own Gaby Paniccia writes science fiction. Her short story "The Automatic Grocery Store" is now featured on the popular podcast Escape Pod! Listen here: https://escapepod.org/2026/02/19/escape-pod-1033-the-automatic-grocery-store/ —— Check out our membership rewards! Visit us at Patreon.com/Whattheif —— Got an IF of your own? Want to have us consider your idea for a show topic? Send YOUR IF to us! Visit https://whattheif.com/contact and let us know what's in your imagination. No idea is too small, or too big! Keep On IFFin', Philip, Matt & Gaby

Author : James Dick Narrator : Abra Staffin-Wiebe Host : Tina Connolly Audio Producer : Summer Brooks “EDIE” was first published in Analog Science Fiction & Fact (January/February 2023) Don't miss Part 1: Escape Pod 1046: EDIE (Part 1 of 2) EDIE (Part 2) by James Dick EDIE was a smart machine, but every machine, […] Source

Author : James Dick Narrator : Abra Staffin-Wiebe Host : Tina Connolly Audio Producer : Summer Brooks “EDIE” was previously published in Analog Science Fiction & Fact (January/February 2023) EDIE (Part 1) by James Dick High above Europa, a lonely traveller reached the end of her journey. A spacecraft the size of a school bus, […] Source

What the if Lamarck was right? Stanford historian Jessica Riskin, author of "The Power of Life," is our guide into a universe where living things aren't passive passengers waiting for evolution to happen to them, but the active architects of their own bodies, their offspring, and the world around them. The line between creature and environment dissolves. Even the smallest beings turn out to be busy reshaping the planet. Stretch your neck. Reshape your descendants. Welcome to the Lamarckian universe. Want more Jessica? Grab her book at https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/763654/the-power-of-life-by-jessica-riskin/ Find her at Stanford here: https://history.stanford.edu/people/jessica-riskin —————————————————— In the show, I mentioned a wonderful note from longtime listener Steve Scalici about our recent "no gasoline" episode. Here's Steve's full message: —————————————————— From: Steve Scalici Subject: No gasoline, phase 2 "Maybe THE best IFisode I've heard, perhaps because I've been noodling with that inevitable coming world without petroleum…how'd we function, how would society break down, would we be in a Soylent Green-scape? "Seems to me that this too was a corollary of the IF I sent in regarding an aeroplane-less world. My supposition culminated with small self-supporting cities of a certain drivable radius from the city limits. "But overlaying the petro-less factor into the equation, we would devolve berryyyyy quickly to an agrarian localized world perhaps reminiscent of sometime in the 1800s. "The curveball to this is the Industrial Revolution would not, could not be. No power source! This leads me back to my Malthusian philosophy is coming: population does invariably increase when the means of subsistence increase. "Well then the opposite is true…population would curtail as our means of food harvesting ebbs. And it'd happen rather quickly as our food stocks diminish and famine would occur. "Back to the Middle Ages of castles, moats, bows and arrows, and self-sustained populations. "So my newer IF is 'how and what would a powerless world happen, assuming a stasis occurs in, say, 20 years?' "Shout out to my grandson Matteo here as we drive to a gas station to fill up, he posed a mini-IF: where does the gas come from. Tough to explain to a 5-year-old, but then last week's IF struck and I listened to it multiple times with my wife hearing it replayed and yelled 'WTF!'" —— When she's not studying zombie fungus at Harvard or helping us break the universe every week, our very own Gaby Paniccia writes science fiction. Her short story "The Automatic Grocery Store" is now featured on the popular podcast Escape Pod! Listen here: https://escapepod.org/2026/02/19/escape-pod-1033-the-automatic-grocery-store/ —— Check out our membership rewards! Visit us at Patreon.com/Whattheif —— Got an IF of your own? Want to have us consider your idea for a show topic? Send YOUR IF to us! Visit https://whattheif.com/contact and let us know what's in your imagination. No idea is too small, or too big! Keep On IFFin', Philip, Matt & Gaby

What the if you were born on the Moon and Earth was the alien planet? Picking up from last month's cliffhanger, our travelers from the lunar surface finally touch down — and nothing about this place is what they expected. There's some physics, some biology, a detour through ancient Greece, and a first encounter with the locals that nobody could have prepared for. The view from another world makes home look stranger than it has any right to. Settle in for the second half of a two-part thought experiment about what it's like to visit the planet everyone else calls home. —— When she's not studying zombie fungus at Harvard or helping us break the universe every week, our very own Gaby Paniccia writes science fiction. Her short story "The Automatic Grocery Store" is now featured on the popular podcast Escape Pod! Listen here: https://escapepod.org/2026/02/19/escape-pod-1033-the-automatic-grocery-store/ —— Check out our membership rewards! Visit us at Patreon.com/Whattheif —— Got an IF of your own? Want to have us consider your idea for a show topic? Send YOUR IF to us! Visit https://whattheif.com/contact and let us know what's in your imagination. No idea is too small, or too big! Keep On IFFin', Philip, Matt & Gaby

Author : Frank Baird Hughes Narrator : Jairus Durnett Host : Valerie Valdes Audio Producer : Adam Pracht Escape Pod 1045: The Graduates of Formost 891c is an Escape Pod original. Contains examples of animal surgical modification. The Graduates of Formost 891c By Frank Baird Hughes They say that in Texas, the best jobs go […] Source

Listener Helina asks: what the if we just pumped the last drop of gasoline? The answer goes well beyond empty parking lots and quiet highways. Along the way there's some chemistry, some geology, a detour through ancient history, and a look at how a single resource quietly weaves through agriculture, manufacturing, transportation, and the food on your plate. Join us for this super fun thought experiment with some genuinely surprising science along the way. —— When she's not studying zombie fungus at Harvard or helping us break the universe every week, our very own Gaby Paniccia writes science fiction. Her short story "The Automatic Grocery Store" is now featured on the popular podcast Escape Pod! Listen here: https://escapepod.org/2026/02/19/escape-pod-1033-the-automatic-grocery-store/ —— Check out our membership rewards! Visit us at Patreon.com/Whattheif —— Got an IF of your own? Want to have us consider your idea for a show topic? Send YOUR IF to us! Visit https://whattheif.com/contact and let us know what's in your imagination. No idea is too small, or too big! Keep On IFFin', Philip, Matt & Gaby

Author : S. L. Myers Narrator : Dani Daly Host : Alasdair Stuart Audio Producer : Summer Brooks Escape Pod 1044: Rhona's Tavern and Spacetime Portal is an Escape Pod original. Occasional use of harsh language Escape Pod is proud to say that we have partnered with Sleepphones headphones to provide a special Escape Pod […] Source

Luke's off to the BFI (Boxing Face Institute) and Pete might have recently participated in the worst conversation to have ever happened. At least Sammy the dog is no longer rubbing his balls on Pete's head. Count your blessings.Plus, a look back at Radio 6 Music and pompous DJs, parking machines in the middle of nowhere and, lo and behold, the transparency of Russell Brand's grift has reached new levels.Send us your latest stories, questions and comments here: hello@lukeandpeteshow.com.The Luke and Pete Show is the sometimes ridiculous, always funny podcast with Luke Moore and Pete Donaldson: two men who have time on their hands and a good idea of how to waste it. Subscribe to get your comedy podcast fix every Monday and Thursday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Author : Sierra Bibi Narrator : Laurice White Host : Mur Lafferty Audio Producer : Adam Pracht Escape Pod 1043: The Smokejumpers is an Escape Pod original. Includes wildfires and peril. The Smokejumpers By Sierra Bibi When Fern jumps from the plane into the smoke for the very first time, she believes she has nothing […] Source

What the if you had to invent the alphabet from scratch? The Pharaoh hands you a stone tablet, a chisel, and an impossible assignment: condense every sound a human mouth can make into a handful of squiggles. Where do you even start? How do you decide what makes the cut? And once you do, how do you convince anyone else to use the thing? Linguist Danny Bate, author of "Why Q Needs U", takes us into the chaotic, contingent workshop of the ancient world's most consequential project, and the strange, very human accidents that shaped the 26 symbols you're reading right now. Want more Danny? Visit his home base at https://dannybate.com and grab his book at https://geni.us/WhyQNeedsU. —— When she's not studying zombie fungus at Harvard or helping us break the universe every week, our very own Gaby Paniccia writes science fiction. Her short story "The Automatic Grocery Store" is now featured on the popular podcast Escape Pod! Listen here: https://escapepod.org/2026/02/19/escape-pod-1033-the-automatic-grocery-store/ —— Check out our membership rewards! Visit us at Patreon.com/Whattheif —— Got an IF of your own? Want to have us consider your idea for a show topic? Send YOUR IF to us! Visit https://whattheif.com/contact and let us know what's in your imagination. No idea is too small, or too big! Keep On IFFin', Philip, Matt & Gaby

Chas & Melina discuss Lots of Scalps!, The Annals of Leavittism, and Why You Shouldn't Elect A Juvenile Psychopathic Bully WARNING: This episode of PEP may contain explicit language. Timestamps: 0:00 - Introducing: Melina Wicks 2:58 - Grateful (NBA, Late 80s Escape Pod) 9:57 - Updates (Shutdown, Congressional Sackings) 23:58 - Eric Swalwell 1:11:45 - Dave's Grateful 1:15:42 - Prediction Markets 2:00:58 - Virginia Redistricting 2:35:38 - Chavez-DeRemer Sacking 2:49:54 - Pope v Trump Round 2 3:00:54 - Unleashed (Pope Misleading Stories) 3:15:33 - Policy Time (401K Investments, Medical Marijuana, Mail-In Ballots) Homework: * 'Hold On' by The Models - https://bitly.cx/lc542 * Polymarket homework - https://bitly.cx/AI0QA SHOW LINKS: *Chat with the PEPpers on the Discord Server: https://discord.com/invite/WxDD2PPvaW THE (UPDATED) DR DAVE BOOK CLUB MASTERLIST: Connie Willis - Doomsday Book & To Say Nothing of the Dog (Mentioned 4:26, Ep 244) Richard Yates - Revolutionary Road  (Mentioned 1:48:45, Ep 240) Michael Lewis - Who Is Government? (Mentioned 2:19:59, Ep 235) Orlando Whitfield - All That Glitters (Mentioned 2:34:37, Ep 232) John Lyons - Balcony Over Jerusalem (Mentioned 2:45:26, Ep 231) Yukio Mishima - Spring Snow (Mentioned 2:35:12, Ep 227) John Steinbeck - Cannery Row (Mentioned 02:39, Ep 226) David Simon & Ed Burns - The Corner: A Year in the Life of an Inner-City Neighborhood (Mentioned 2:21:40, Ep 225) William Appleman Williams - The Tragedy of American Diplomacy (Mentioned 2:11:23, Ep 222) Mahmood Mamdani - Good Muslim, Bad Muslim (Mentioned 2:07:14, Ep 220) Carlo Rovelli - The Order Of Time (Mentioned 06:36, Ep 220) Carlo Rovelli - Reality Is Not What It Seems (Mentioned 06:36, Ep 220) Ryszard Kapuściński - Shah of Shahs (Mentioned 2:21:27, Ep 217) Ervand Abrahamian - Khomeinism (Mentioned 2:23:19, Ep 217) Anthony Seldon - Truss at 10 (Mentioned 1:36:09, Ep 215) Steven Teles - The Conservative Legal Movement (Mentioned 2:12:12, Ep 215) Amin Maalouf - The Crusades Through Arab Eyes (Mentioned 4:32, Ep 214) Geoffrey Blainey - The Causes Of War (Mentioned 43:49, Ep 198) Margaret Levi - Of Rule And Revenue (Mentioned 1:11:16, Ep 195) Margaret Levi - Consent, Dissent, and Patriotism (Mentioned 1:11:16, Ep 195) Sayaka Murata - Convenience Store Woman (Mentioned 2:14, Ep 194) Sid Meier - Sid Meier's Memoir! (Mentioned 16:30, Ep 178) David Simon & Ed Burns - The Corner (Mentioned 8:40, Ep 178) Maurice O. Wallace - King's Vibrato (Mentioned 14:26, Ep 164) Edward S. Herman and Noam Chomsky - Manufacturing Consent - (Mentioned 32:12, Ep 164) Robert Plunket - My Search For Warren Harding (Mentioned 1:49:12, Ep 158) Ian Lambot & Greg Girard - City of Darkness Revisited (Mentioned 39:25, Ep 157) Max Chafkin - The Contrarian (Mentioned 32:18, Ep 155) Claire Conner - Wrapped In The Flag (Mentioned 31:42, Ep 155) Rita Abrahamsen, Mike Williams et al - Global Right (Mentioned 31:12, Ep 155) Philip Gorski and Samuel Perry - The Flag And The Cross (Mentioned 30:49, Ep 155) Cynthia Miller-Idriss - Hate In The Homeland (Mentioned 30:10, Ep 155) Cory Doctorow & Rebecca Giblin - Chokepoint Capitalism (Mentioned 34:55, Ep 150) Elizabeth Ingleson - Made In China (Mentioned 31:50, Ep 150) John Corrigan - Religious Intolerance, America, and the World (Mentioned 1:16:18, Ep 141) Gérard Prunier - From Genocide to Continental War (Mentioned 48:18, Ep 141) Liu Cixin, - The Three Body Trilogy (Mentioned 1:11:04, Ep 136) Tilman Allert - The Hitler Salute (Mentioned 22:03, Ep 134) Philip Roth - Nemesis (Mentioned 1:56, Ep 133) Joshua Cohen - The Netanyahus Zeke Faux - Number Go Up Michael Paul Rogin - The Intellectuals and McCarthy Cathy Kramer - The Politics of Resentment Naomi Klein - Doppelganger Maria Bamford - Sure, I'll Join Your Cult Wendy Brown - States Of Injury Corey Robin. - The Reactionary Mind Patricia Lockwood - No One Is Talking About This David Cay Johnston - The Making of Donald Trump Jane Mayer - Dark Money Harry Frankfurt - On Bullshit Stephen King - The Dead Zone Elle Hardy - Beyond Belief Federico Finchelstein - From Fascism to Populism in History Robert Jervis - Why Intelligence Fails Alex Haley and Malcolm X - The Autobiography of Malcolm X Jonathan Haidt - The Righteous Mind David Graeber - Debt: The First 5000 Years Jerry L. Mashaw - Creating The American Administrative Constitution Brian Balogh - A Government Out of Sight Paul Connerton - How Societies Remember Paul Connerton - How Modernity Forgets Catherine Green and Sarah Catherine Gilbert - Vaxxers John Zaller - The Nature and Origins of Mass Opinion Matthew Karp - This Vast Southern Empire Robert Fatton - The Guise of Exceptionalism Anatol Lievin - Climate Change and the Nation State: The Realist Case James Alfred Aho - The Politics of Righteousness The substack that Dr Dave apparently plagiarises liberally from! https://luke.substack.com/ James Beverley - God's Man in the White House Jane Chi Hyun Park - Yellow Future Matthias Gardell - In The Name of Elijah Muhammad Gosta Esping-Andersen - The Three Worlds of Welfare Capitalism Suzanne Mettler - The Submerged State Brendon O'Connor - Anti-Americanism and American Exceptionalism James Morone - Hellfire Nation Nathan Kalmoe - With Ballots and Bullets Winnifred Fallers Sullivan - The Impossibility of Religious Freedom Mary L. Trump - Too Much And Never Enough Richard Cooke - Tired of Winning Jon Ronson - So You've Been Publicly Shamed Rodney Tiffen, Ross Gittins, Anika Gauja, David Smith, Brendon O'Connor - How America Compares Tony Horwitz - Confederates In the Attic Ghassan Hage - White Nation George Lakoff - Women, Fire and Dangerous Things George Lakoff - Metaphors We Live By Michelle Alexander - The New Jim Crow Alex S. Vitale - The End of Policing Dave Cullen - Parkland: Birth of a Movement Thomas Sugrue - The Origins of the Urban Crisis Rick Pearlstein - The Invisible Bridge Rick Pearlstein - Before the Storm Rick Pearlstein - Nixonland Brian Doherty - Radicals for Capitalism Leon Festinger, Henry W. Riecken, Stanley Schachter - When Prophecy Fails Nancy L. Rosenblum & Russell Muirhead - A Lot Of People Are Saying Benjamin Moffitt - The Global Rise of Populism Jon Krakauer - Missoula THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER!

Author : Premee Mohamed Narrator : Dani Daly Host : Mur Lafferty Audio Producer : Summer Brooks “More Tomorrow” was first published in Automata Review, March 2018, and previously published as Escape Pod 713, in January 2020. A few grade-A curses. More Tomorrow By Premee Mohamed DAY 5 Anyway, it turns out trilobites aren't very […] Source

Picture this: you're a moon baby, born and raised underground on Luna, and you've just landed on Earth for the very first time. Meet the loonies, a civilization of moon-born humans who cook up rocket fuel from lunar ice and travel between worlds in spacecraft that might just include a pickleball court. Along the way we dig into the real science of rocket propulsion, tidal locking, G-forces on the human body, and why atmospheric reentry is the single hardest part of coming home. Where will the first crewed mission choose to touch down, and what will they make of a planet where the sky is blue and vast dark patches keep swallowing their probes whole? —— When she's not studying zombie fungus at Harvard or helping us break the universe every week, our very own Gaby Paniccia writes science fiction. Her short story "The Automatic Grocery Store" is now featured on the popular podcast Escape Pod! Listen here: https://escapepod.org/2026/02/19/escape-pod-1033-the-automatic-grocery-store/ —— Check out our membership rewards! Visit us at Patreon.com/Whattheif —— Got an IF of your own? Want to have us consider your idea for a show topic? Send YOUR IF to us! Visit https://whattheif.com/contact and let us know what's in your imagination. No idea is too small, or too big! Keep On IFFin', Philip, Matt & Gaby

Author : Sharon Joss Narrator : Torin Andrus Host : Valerie Valdes Audio Producer : Adam Pracht Love in the Time of Dust and Venom originally appeared in 2013 Fiction River – Time Travelers. Includes a form of assisted suicide. Sponsored by Mixtape Stories Love in the Time of Dust and Venom By Sharon Joss Using […] Source

"Andrea's Explanation of Rain" by Tony DunnellManawaker Patreon: https://patreon.com/manawaker/Manawaker store: https://payhip.com/ManawakerManawaker Discord: https://discord.gg/zjzA2pY9f9More info / Contact CB Droege: https://cbdroege.taplink.wsThe Flash Fiction Podcast Theme Song is by Kevin McCleodThe Producer, Editor, and Narrator of the podcast is CB DroegeBio for this weeks author: Tony Dunnell is an English writer living in a Peruvian jungle town on the edge of the Amazon rainforest, where the people are happy and the insects are big. His fiction has appeared in Escape Pod, Fusion Fragment, Fission and other publications. Find him at tonydunnell.com.

Author : S. C. Mills Narrator : Hugo Jackson Host : Valerie Valdes Audio Producer : Summer Brooks Escape Pod 1040: Gods and Spirits Our Witnesses is an Escape Pod original. Loss of an infant Sponsored by Mixtape Stories Gods and Spirits Our Witnesses by S. C. Mills We met in a public-access data booth […] Source

Welcome to Multiverse News, Your source for Information about all your favorite fictional universesMarvel head of streaming, television, and animation, Brad Winderbaum, confirmed that a second season of Marvel Zombies is underway. While being interviewed on The Escape Pod podcast, Winderbaum said he had seen some animatics already and called it “crazy” and that it “delivers…an MCU thing that has never really happened before..”.“Wowie zowie” - The Super Mario Galaxy Movie delivered huge numbers at the box office last weekend, opening to $372.5 million globally, making it the number one debut this year and the fifth largest all-time opening for an animated film. Project Hail Mary took a respectable dip of 43 percent, and A24's film The Drama, starring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson, came in third at $14.1 million. The live-action Dungeon Crawler Carl TV series is now officially in development at Peacock, Variety has learned. Based on the book series of the same name by Matt Dinniman, the project was originally acquired by Universal International Studios in early 2025, though no network or streamer was attached at that time. As previously reported, Chris Yost will write and executive produce the series, with Seth MacFarlane set to executive produce.Ryan Gosling has exited Daniel's upcoming event film due to scheduling conflicts. Gosling's casting in the lead role of the project had been announced last week.Jake Schreier, who has been tapped to reboot the X-Men for the MCU, told Collider that he has enlisted “Beef” creator Lee Sung Jin and “The Bear” co-showrunner Joanna Calo to take a pass on the latest draft of the film. The move reunites Schreier, Lee and Calo after last year's “Thunderbolts.”On Easter, Robert Downey Jr. shared a piece of Easter-themed Avengers: Doomsday art, including a basket of painted Easter eggs adorned with Marvel logos via his Instagram.Zach Cregger and Zach Shields will write the screenplay for the upcoming prequel to the critically acclaimed horror hit Weapons, which is officially in development. The New Line and Warner Bros. project's current working title is Gladys.According to Deadline, James Gunn began testing last week for the role of Maxima in the DCU, a warrior queen and love interest and antagonist of Superman. According to sources, Adria Arjona, Sydney Chandler, Grace Van Patten, and Eva De Dominici among those who tested for the role.An Animorphs TV series is in early development at Disney+, Variety has learned exclusively. Bayan Wolcott is attached to write and executive produce the adaptation, with Ryan Coogler executive producing on behalf of Proximity Media. Animorphs was a popular book series that ran from 1996-2001 across 54 books.Andy Serkis confirmed for the first time that the role of Aragorn will be played by a new actor in his upcoming The Lord of the Rings prequel, The Hunt for Gollum. Serkis also confirmed that he is currently in the casting process for the role.Adult Swim has released a trailer for season 9 of animated series Rick and Morty exclusively to the Hollywood Reporter. After airing its season eight finale in July, Rick and Morty is set to launch season nine on May 24. After its latest pickup, the show has been renewed through season 12.Netflix has officially titled One Piece season 3 as “One Piece: The Battle of Alabasta," and has announced that the season will begin streaming in 2027. On Sept. 29, the series will expand with a two-part animated Lego special that will retell the events of the first two seasons.Peter Dinklage has joined the cast of FX's Alien: Earth for its upcoming second season.

What the if microbes held a grudge? We're thrilled to welcome Ethan Rappaport, theoretical ecologist at the University of Maryland, to take us inside the tiny turf wars happening in your gut. We imagine bacteria sharing grudges like social media reposts, passing weaponized DNA to their neighbors through tiny genetic pamphlets called plasmids. Before you know it, whole microbial nations could be declaring war on your intestinal lining until you hand over the cotton candy. So maybe skip the diet and keep those gut buddies happy! —— When she's not studying zombie fungus at Harvard or helping us break the universe every week, our very own Gaby Paniccia writes science fiction. Her short story "The Automatic Grocery Store" is now featured on the popular podcast Escape Pod! Listen here: https://escapepod.org/2026/02/19/escape-pod-1033-the-automatic-grocery-store/ —— Check out our membership rewards! Visit us at Patreon.com/Whattheif —— Got an IF of your own? Want to have us consider your idea for a show topic? Send YOUR IF to us! Visit https://whattheif.com/contact and let us know what's in your imagination. No idea is too small, or too big! Keep On IFFin', Philip, Matt & Gaby

Author : Tim Pratt Narrator : Isabel J. Kim Host : Tina Connolly Audio Producer : Summer Brooks “The Many Rebirths of Karina Morita” first appeared in 2025 on Tim's Patreon Sponsored by Mixtape Stories The Many Rebirths of Karina Morita by Tim Pratt My problems all started when I died. People didn't die too […] Source

Author : ace tilton ratcliff Narrator : Jordan Kurella Host : Mur Lafferty Audio Producer : Summer Brooks Escape Pod 1038: Meet the Mets is an Escape Pod original. Contains brief moments of violence and bigotry towards a transgender character Sponsored by Mixtape Stories Meet the Mets by Ace Tilton Ratcliff 1964 Bobby didn't know […] Source

PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/YouShouldKnowPodcast YSK UNPLUGGED: https://www.youtube.com/@YSK.UNPLUGGED FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/people/You-Should-Know-Podcast/61552092953106/ NEW TWITCH CHANNEL: https://m.twitch.tv/peytonhardin/home 00:00 Intro 1:35 CAM JOINS! 4:19 RETURN OF THE FORBIDDEN DRINK 7:03 LISP IN FRONT OF CELEBS 17:59 SET UP BY AN OLD MAN 23:00 WHO LOVES WHO MORE? 26:56 DINOSAUR DOCUMENTARY 33:24 HELLO FRESH 34:49 FRUIT AI DRAMA 42:11 STRANGEST THING THAT GETS YOU GOING 46:33 BOYS RELATIONSHIP THERAPY 57:55 HIMS 59:16 POP CULTURE: DOLPHIN UNDERWATER CITY 1:06:44 ESCAPE POD & LEO SKEPI 1:09:10 ANNOUNCEMENTS 1:11:03 DO PLANTS BREATHE? Todays Sponsors: Hello Fresh - Go to https://HelloFresh.com/ysk10fm to Get 10 free meals + a FREE Zwilling Knife (a $144.99 value) on your third box. Hims - To get simple, online access to personalized, affordable care for ED, Hair Loss, Weight Loss, and more, visit https://Hims.com/ysk FOLLOW PEYTON: https://instagram.com/psh8?igshid=ZDg1NjBiNjg= JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/V5WYhSte2R Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Author : Kelly Robson Narrator : Ibba Armancas Host : Alasdair Stuart Audio Producer : Adam Pracht We Who Live in the Heart originally appeared in Clarkesworld, May 1, 2017. Quantum Superposition https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_superposition Cloudward Ho https://dimension20.fandom.com/wiki/Category:Cloudward,_Ho! Void Merch https://voidmerch.threadless.com/collections/escape-artists-inc-x-voidmerch-1 We Who Live in the Heart (Part 3 of 3) By Kelly Robson (…Continued from Part […] Source

What the if you could read minds — but only when someone's nearby? Congratulations, your subway commute just became a psychic nightmare. Babies would blast unfiltered emotional chaos straight into your skull, your dog would telepathically loop images of a full food bowl at you around the clock, and predators might evolve to psychically lure prey into their mouths. But here's the thing — telepathy might also unlock a kind of empathy we've never experienced before, letting us truly feel the world through someone else's mind. Tinfoil hats optional — tune in and find out why you might actually want one! Want to explore how Darwin catalogued every possible gradation of animal communication and emotion? Check out these resources mentioned in the episode: Janet Browne's award-winning two-volume biography of Darwin: https://www.amazon.com/Charles-Darwin-Biography-Vol-Voyaging/dp/0691026068 The Darwin Correspondence Project, where you can read Darwin's notebooks and journals yourself: https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/ —— When she's not studying zombie fungus at Harvard or helping us break the universe every week, our very own Gaby Paniccia writes science fiction. Her short story "The Automatic Grocery Store" is now featured on the popular podcast Escape Pod! Listen here: https://escapepod.org/2026/02/19/escape-pod-1033-the-automatic-grocery-store/ —— Check out our membership rewards! Visit us at Patreon.com/Whattheif —— Got an IF of your own? Want to have us consider your idea for a show topic? Send YOUR IF to us! Visit https://whattheif.com/contact and let us know what's in your imagination. No idea is too small, or too big! Keep On IFFin', Philip, Matt & Gaby

Right now, billions of particles are popping in and out of existence in your pocket. That's not a metaphor — that's quantum mechanics. Inspired by a YouTube video from Anton Petrov about virtual particles turning into real matter, this week's thought experiment asks: what the if virtual particles were the size of badgers? What happens when those badgers start spontaneously appearing at faculty meetings and first dates? Turns out empty space is a lot busier than it looks! Check out Anton Petrov's video that inspired this episode, "Actual Evidence of Virtual Particle Turning Into Real Matter!": https://youtu.be/VXdbffgTMVs?si=uL1hXd5ie4VfU2zq —— When she's not studying zombie fungus at Harvard or helping us break the universe every week, our very own Gaby Paniccia writes science fiction. Her short story "The Automatic Grocery Store" is now featured on the popular podcast Escape Pod! Listen here: https://escapepod.org/2026/02/19/escape-pod-1033-the-automatic-grocery-store/ —— Check out our membership rewards! Visit us at Patreon.com/Whattheif —— Got an IF of your own? Want to have us consider your idea for a show topic? Send YOUR IF to us! Visit https://whattheif.com/contact and let us know what's in your imagination. No idea is too small, or too big! Keep On IFFin', Philip, Matt & Gaby

Patreon: https://patreon.com/dadbatchpod email: dadbatchpod@gmail.com Subscribe to The Dad Batch on YouTube Get The Dad Batch merch: https://shop.thedadbatch.com   Social media: instagram.com/dadbatchpod Follow the hosts on social media: instagram.com/stevie.kickz instagram.com/alphaignition instagram.com/sithing.aint.easy Instagram.com/tech.badbatch instagram.com/pabufrik instagram.com/leftcoastavenger  

Author : Kelly Robson Narrator : Ibba Armancas Host : Alasdair Stuart Audio Producer : Adam Pracht We Who Live in the Heart originally appeared in Clarkesworld, May 1, 2017. We Who Live in the Heart (Part 2 of 3) By Kelly Robson (…Continued from Part 2) Ricci got into my notes. I don't keep […] Source

Our March episode has been delayed. To mark International Women’s Day 2026, here's a bonus episode in which Ben passes on recommendations of women to read if you like Terry Pratchett – mostly from listeners like you! You can find all the authors and podcasts mentioned in this episode below. The official home of International Women's Day is unwomen.org – don't let Google etc tell you otherwise. (00:02:41) The Grab Bag – authors recommended by one listener, in alphabetical order Charlie Jane Anders Margaret Atwood Lauren Buekes Kaliane Bradley Lois McMaster Bujold Stephanie Burgis C. J. Cherryh Robin Hobb India Holton Gabby Hutchinson Crouch Eleanor Janega N. K. Jemisin Karen Joy Fowler Tanith Lee R. A. MacAvoy C. L. Moore Audrey Niffenegger Andre Norton Rebecca Roanhorse Kristine Kathryn Rusch K. B. Spangler J. A. Stevens Sue Townsend Catherine Webb (00:20:05) Liz's Picks in no particular order – and note you can also read Liz's own writing! Agatha Christie (we’ll try and find the previous episode Ben mentions with the Christie recommendation, though it might be a bonus subscriber-only episode) Shirley Jackson Diana Wynne Jones (00:23:32) Pratchat Guests – also in alphabetical order Stephanie Convery (#Pratchat2, #Pratchat42, #Pratchat80) Claire G. Coleman (#Pratchat25) Karen K Carlisle (#Pratchat79) Kat Clay (#Pratchat92) Dr Kat Day (#Pratchat59) Freya Daly Sadgrove (#Pratchat76) Amy Gray (#Pratchat15) Amie Kaufman (#Pratchat9, #Pratchat66) Gabrielle Kent (#Pratchat74) – Ben forgot to include Gabrielle! Dr Laura Jean McKay (#Pratchat81) Marlee Jane Ward (#Pratchat13) Dr Tansy Rayner Roberts (#PratchatNA7, #Pratchat79, #Pratchat83) Rhianna Pratchett (#Pratchat74) Lili Wilkinson (#Pratchat20) Cal Wilson (#Pratchat1, #Pratchat3, #Pratchat50) (00:25:32) Ben's Picks – ones also recommended by listeners first Naomi Novik Susannah Clarke C. M. Waggoner Tamsyn Muir (00:31:25) The Big Ones – authors recommended by multiple listeners, in ascending order of how many recommendations we got for them Emily Tesh Anne McCaffery Arkady Martine Jessica Townsend Mary Robinette Kowal Theodora Goss Ursula Le Guin Becky Chambers Seanan Maguire Martha Wells T. Kingfisher (00:44:38) Other Book Podcasts as sources of further recommendations PsuedoPod (and, though Ben didn't mention them, its Escape Artists stablemates: Escape Pod for sci-fi; PodCastle for fantasy; and Cast of Wonders for YA speculative fiction) Fiction Fans Trash or Treasure The Truth Shall Make Ye Fret (and Joanna Hagan's own books) What Would Danbury Do? We'll be back in April with #Pratchat93, our episode about The Folklore of Discworld – get your questions in now if you haven’t already! Want to help us get to the end of our six(ish) year mission and read every Pratchett book – and more? You can support us with a tip, or a subscription for as little as $2 a month, and that's cuttin' our own throats! See our Support Us page for details.

Author : Kelly Robson Narrator : Ibba Armancas Host : Alasdair Stuart Audio Producer : Adam Pracht We Who Live in the Heart originally appeared in Clarkesworld, May 1, 2017. We Who Live in the Heart By Kelly Robson Ricci slipped in and out of consciousness as we carried her to the anterior sinus and […] Source

What the if humans moved in schools — not classrooms, but like fish? Inspired by Carl Zimmer's New York Times article on how misinformation spreads among schooling fish, this episode explores a world where you can't go anywhere without your tightly synchronized pod. From navigating modern city life to figuring out what spooks a school of humans in the first place, things get weird fast. And the real science behind why fish school — and what happens when one of them panics for no reason — might just change how you think about your own posse. Based on "For Real, A Natural History of Misinformation" by Carl Zimmer, published in The New York Times on Dec. 9, 2025. Read the full article for free with this gift link: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/09/science/evolution-fish-misinformation.html?unlocked_article_code=1.PVA.RPcb.12w09kjCOLlu&smid=url-share —— When she's not studying zombie fungus at Harvard or helping us break the universe every week, our very own Gaby Paniccia writes science fiction. Her short story "The Automatic Grocery Store" is now featured on the popular podcast Escape Pod! Listen here: https://escapepod.org/2026/02/19/escape-pod-1033-the-automatic-grocery-store/ —— Check out our membership rewards! Visit us at Patreon.com/Whattheif —— Got an IF of your own? Want to have us consider your idea for a show topic? Send YOUR IF to us! Visit https://whattheif.com/contact and let us know what's in your imagination. No idea is too small, or too big! Keep On IFFin', Philip, Matt & Gaby

Author : Jacob Seinemeier Narrator : Elie Hirschman Host : Mur Lafferty Audio Producer : Summer Brooks Escape Pod 1034: “An Honour to be Nominated…” is an Escape Pod original. Mild profanity “An Honour to be Nominated…” by Jacob Seinemeier TRANSGALACTIC NEWS- straight from the feed to your screed! “…and how exciting to be gathered […] Source

Author : G. M. Paniccia Narrator : Christiana Ellis Host : Valerie Valdes Audio Producer : Adam Pracht Escape Pod 1033: The Automatic Grocery Store is an Escape Pod original. The Automatic Grocery Store By G. M. Paniccia It took thirty-six days, four hours, twelve minutes, and fifty-five seconds after the Glorious Revolution for Automatic […] Source

We weren't able to record this past week (because...reasons) but, luckily, we had a new ESCAPE POD episode in our pack pockets (almost) ready to release! In this episode, Geeky Dads Marc and Brien join up with Chris and Tristan Ham from the Get Your Shine Box Podcast to talk all things geeky that we liked and disliked in 2025 and we talk all about the geeky things we're looking forward to in the coming year! We're calling ourselves The TRIBBLE ALLIANCE...we would be honored if you would join us!

Author : Victoria N. Shi Narrator : Tatiana Grey Host : Tina Connolly Audio Producer : Summer Brooks “milt” first apeared in Fission #5 by the British Science Fiction Association (June 2025) Contains Injury/body horror, climate grief, implied sexual behavior milt by Victoria N. Shi The others believe there's no pulling Yobé out of his […] Source

Author : Filip Hajdar Drnovšek Zorko Narrators : David D. Levine and S.B. Divya Hosts : Alasdair Stuart and Tina Connolly Audio Producers : Summer Brooks and Adam Pracht Escape Pod 1031: The Anatomy of Miracles (Flashback Friday) is an Escape Pod original. Escape Pod branded SleepPhones Kameron Hurley – The Last Few Years Broke […] Source

"Bee of Ganymede" by Brandon CaseManawaker Patreon: https://patreon.com/manawaker/Manawaker store: https://payhip.com/ManawakerManawaker Discord: https://discord.gg/zjzA2pY9f9More info / Contact CB Droege: https://cbdroege.taplink.wsThe Flash Fiction Podcast Theme Song is by Kevin McCleodThe Producer, Editor, and Narrator of the podcast is CB DroegeBio for this weeks author: Brandon Case is a golden retriever who writes of unsettling worlds. He has recent work in Escape Pod, Flash Fiction Online, and Small Wonders, among others. You can follow his alpine adventures on social media @BrandonCase101 or connect at www.brandoncase.net 

Author : Rodrigo Culagovski Narrator : Julia Rios Host : Mur Lafferty Audio Producer : Adam Pracht Escape Pod 1030: The Smell of the Planet I Was Born On is an Escape Pod original. The Smell of the Planet I Was Born On By Rodrigo Culagovski There are two moons visible, a large one right […] Source

Author : Myna Chang Narrator : Amanda Ching Host : Valerie Valdes Audio Producer : Adam Pracht Graduated Justice originally appeared in Translunar Travelers Lounge, February 2025. Graduated Justice: An Amelia Li Mystery By Myna Chang I was leaning against my desk in the Mars Dome cop shop, rubbing nano-repair gel on my prosthetic leg, when […] Source

Patreon: https://patreon.com/dadbatchpod email: dadbatchpod@gmail.com Subscribe to The Dad Batch on YouTube Get The Dad Batch merch: https://shop.thedadbatch.com   Social media: instagram.com/dadbatchpod Follow the hosts on social media: instagram.com/stevie.kickz instagram.com/alphaignition instagram.com/sithing.aint.easy Instagram.com/tech.badbatch instagram.com/pabufrik instagram.com/leftcoastavenger  

Author : Aimee Ogden Narrator : Isaac Harwood Host : Tina Connolly Audio Producer : Summer Brooks Copious helpings of harsh language descriptors found here. Don't miss Parts 1 and 2: Escape Pod 1026: What Any Dead Thing Wants (Part 1 of 3), Escape Pod 1027: What Any Dead Thing Wants (Part 2 of 3) […] Source

Author : Aimee Ogden Narrator : Isaac Harwood Host : Tina Connolly Audio Producer : Summer Brooks Copious helpings of harsh language descriptors found here. Don't miss Part 1: Escape Pod 1026: What Any Dead Thing Wants (Part 1 of 3) What Any Dead Thing Wants (Part 2) by Aimee Ogden Quiet is a rare […] Source

Author : Aimee Ogden Narrator : Isaac Harwood Host : Tina Connolly Audio Producer : Summer Brooks “What Any Dead Thing Wants” originally appeared in Psychopomp (February 2024) Copious helpings of harsh language descriptors found here. What Any Dead Thing Wants (Part 1) by Aimee Ogden The third week of a planetary exorcism is the […] Source

Author : Diana Wynne Jones Narrator : Emma Newman Hosts : Mur Lafferty and Alasdair Stuart Audio Producers : Adam Pracht and Mat Weller Samantha's Diary originally appeared in Stories: All-New Tales Edited by Neil Gaiman and Al Sarrantonio and on Escape Pod, episode 427 on December 22, 2013. Samantha's Diary By Diana Wynne Jones Recorded on BSQ SpeekEasi […] Source

Author : Laura Pearlman Narrator : Laura Pearlman Hosts : Alasdair Stuart and Summer Fletcher Audio Producer : Summer Brooks This story was originally published in Mothership Zeta, May 2016, and republished in Escape Pod 650: Some Things I Probably Should Have Mentioned Earlier (LIVE) This is a live reading from Worldcon 2018. Some Things […] Source

Author : David DeGraff Narrator : Brian Lieberman Host : Tina Connolly Audio Producer : Summer Brooks “Mackson's Mardi Gras Moon Race” originally appeared in the Winter 2024 issue of The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. Mackson's Mardi Gras Moon Race by David DeGraff Turtles were built for short-haul Lunar prospecting, not treks across […] Source

Author : Kal M Narrators : Valerie Valdes, Eric Valdes, Dominick Rabrun and Alasdair Stuart Host : Valerie Valdes Audio Producer : Adam Pracht Butter Side Down originally appeared in Writers of the Future (volume 40) – May 2024. Butter Side Down (Part 2 of 2) By Kal M   (…Continued from Part 1)   […] Source

Author : Kal M Narrators : Valerie Valdes, Eric Valdes, Dominick Rabrun and Alasdair Stuart Host : Valerie Valdes Audio Producer : Adam Pracht Butter Side Down originally appeared in Writers of the Future (volume 40) – May 2024. Butter Side Down (Part 1 of 2) By Kal M DEPARTMENT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT CASE FILE […] Source

Author : Natalia Theodoridou Narrator : Ibba Armancas Host : Alasdair Stuart Audio Producer : Summer Brooks When They Come Back was originally published in Crossed Genres (Issue 22), in October 2014, and in Escape Pod Episode 550 Frank though not explicit reference to human sexual anatomy When They Come Back by Natalia Theodoridou They […] Source

Author : Renan Bernardo Narrator : Ben Gideon Host : Tina Connolly Audio Producer : Adam Pracht Escape Pod 1019: Baron Quits The Payloaders is an Escape Pod original. Death of loved ones. Baron Quits The Payloaders By Renan Bernardo This story starts with a gig. Half a million people from all corners of the […] Source