Best Clean Cut Audio Podcasts (2025)

1
Move Over Fireworks—Drone Shows Are Taking to the Skies 16:06

2d ago16:06

16:06

Drone shows are replacing fireworks for summer celebrations. They’re safer and more environmentally friendly but complicated to program and run. A recent preprint paper proposes an algorithmic solution that can take some technical challenges out of drone operators’ hands and give engineers more creative control. Host Rachel Feltman speaks with rese…

1
Talking to the Host of Drilled about the Legal Battles around Standing Rock 13:06

3d ago13:06

13:06

Protests around the construction of the now complete Dakota Access Pipeline brought national attention to Energy Transfer, the company that built and owns the pipeline and funded private security against the protestors. Energy Transfer sued the nonprofit Greenpeace for hundreds of millions of dollars. The company claimed that the Standing Rock move…

1
SLAY Episode 101: Duct Tape 42:15

5d ago42:15

42:15

Lincoln’s leg wound hasn’t healed, yet he’s gunning for the gang to head for the Alnwick Poison Gardens before Callista realizes the reason for Mercutio’s abduction. Will he push too hard, too soon? As for Callista, she wants answers. She thinks Icepick might be the culprit. She demanded the bounty hunter’s presence at her club – how will his secon…

1
DEEP CUTS Episode 57: Rob and Scott Celebrate 100 Episodes of SLAY! 28:18

7d ago28:18

28:18

SLAY started as a Scott Sigler joint. A dozen episodes in Scott called in reinforcements, in the form of one Rob Otto. This episode, they celebrate the touchstone of 100 episodes with us! Deep Cuts is created by Scott Sigler and A B Kovacs Produced by Steve Riekeberg Production Assistance by Allie Press Copyright 2025 by Empty Set Entertainment Rob…

1
How to Fight Bird Flu If It Becomes the Next Human Pandemic (Part 3) 32:51

7d ago32:51

32:51

Creating a bird flu vaccine requires several layers of bioprotective clothing and typically a whole lot of eggs. H5N1 avian influenza infections have gone from flocks of chickens to herds of cattle and humans. Scientists at the Texas Biomedical Research Institute are taking their best guess at the strains of the virus that could spread and are crea…

1
Bird Flu’s Jump to Cattle Took Dairy Farmers by Surprise (Part 2) 22:58

9d ago22:58

22:58

Dairy cattle have become an intermediary between avian influenza found in wild birds and the handful of recorded H5N1 bird flu cases in humans. Senior news reporter Meghan Bartels took a trip upstate to Cornell University’s Teaching Dairy Barn. Early last year Texas dairy farmers noticed lethargic cows producing off-color milk. One of them sent Cor…

1
DEEP CUTS Episode 56: A’s Brother Jude Joins Us for a Chat! 32:58

9d ago32:58

32:58

This year’s StokerCon was in Stamford, Connecticut, which is just up the road from where A grew up! A’s brother Jude joined us for the livestream. Deep Cuts is created by Scott Sigler and A B Kovacs Produced by Steve Riekeberg Production Assistance by Allie Press Copyright 2025 by Empty Set Entertainment Guys, my brother Jude is the best. We should…

1
We're Celebrating 10 Years of Podcasting Today! 25:58

10d ago25:58

25:58

We've officially been podcasting for TEN years! We feel old, but also extremely grateful! Join us for a short chat, and a horror story. If you enjoy our story here and maybe don’t know about what else we create, check out the Don't Mind anthology for mysterious spine chillers, The White Vault for arctic frights, and Dark Dice for a horror fantasy. …

1
Episode 32: Bottom trawling bans, oyster restoration and the High Seas Treaty 57:20

11d ago57:20

57:20

Was the UN Ocean Conference in France a success? Why are oysters a great coastal climate solution? And what, exactly, is bottom trawling?Find out in the new episode of edie's Sustainability Uncovered podcast, which is all about the ways in which we can conserve and restore our oceans - whether we're business leaders, academics or athletes. Your co-…

1
How Bird Flu Went from an Isolated Avian Illness to a Human Pandemic Threat (Part 1) 31:17

11d ago31:17

31:17

Bird flu outbreaks in poultry and cattle have caused concern for public health officials. There have been few reported cases of human transmission, but the growing risks of H5N1 avian influenza have virologists on alert. Researchers at the St. Jude Center of Excellence for Influenza Research and Response take an annual visit to Delaware Bay to coll…

1
SLAY Episode 100: Torn Between 43:32

12d ago43:32

43:32

The aftermath of the attack on Callista’s club leaves a bullet-ridden Lincoln scrambling to heal in time for Phase II of Dante’s plan. Icepick is about to hear from a very unhappy employer. And through it all, the ticking time bomb that is Lincoln’s family finally goes “boom.” Created by Scott Sigler and Rob Otto Written and performed by Scott Sigl…

1
What No One Tells You about Testosterone Replacement Therapy 12:14

14d ago12:14

12:14

Testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) is exploding in popularity among men. TRT has been touted online as a cure-all for everything from low energy to poor mood and even as a way to increase masculinity itself. But how much of the buzz is backed by science? Host Rachel Feltman talks with journalist Stephanie Pappas about the realities behind the t…

1
DEEP CUTS Episode 55: Interview with the Scream Kings Podcast 29:46

16d ago29:46

29:46

While at this year’s StokerCon, Scott sat down with Nathaniel Darkish and N.J. Gallegos, two hosts of the Scream Kings podcast. Deep Cuts is created by Scott Sigler and A B Kovacs Produced by Steve Riekeberg Production Assistance by Allie Press Copyright 2025 by Empty Set Entertainment Ghosts, ghouls and dark horror always leaves me with something …

1
Why Your Gut Loves a Good Workout 9:51

16d ago9:51

9:51

Host Rachel Feltman explores the surprising connection between exercise and the gut microbiome with Scientific American contributing editor Lydia Denworth. Drawing from her latest reporting, Denworth explains how aerobic activity can influence the microbial ecosystems in our digestive tract—boosting diversity, reducing inflammation, and even suppor…

1
CDC Vaccine Panel Fired by RFK, Jr., Oceans Grow More Acidic, and Pangolins Threatened by Hunting 10:14

18d ago10:14

10:14

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., has fired the experts on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s vaccine advisory panel, sparking concern among public health officials. Ocean acidification has crossed a critical threshold, posing serious risks to marine life around the globe. And pangolins face growing threats from increased hunting, complicating …

1
SLAY Episode 99: Get in the Van 47:23

19d ago47:23

47:23

The gang is after Callista’s lover, Mercutio, who has a magical key embedded in his heart. They need that key to get into a vault hidden away in Alnwick, England. Magda’s pitch-black, cursed armor attacked Callista in her club and threw Mercutio into a wall of liquor bottles behind one of the club’s three bars. Is he hurt? Is he dying? Lincoln, Gar…

1
These Adorable Hamster Dads Take Fatherhood Seriously 13:22

21d ago13:22

13:22

Most mammalian dads are pretty absent from their offspring’s lives. That sets the Djungarian hamster apart from its fellow fathers. These hamster dads are involved in the birth of their pups, care for them in infancy and even provide food during weaning. They also let the mother hamster go on cooldown walks outside of the burrow, which professor of…

1
What ‘Immortal’ Jellyfish and Famously Old Tortoises Tell Us about Aging 14:27

23d ago14:27

14:27

Animals’ lifespans can be far shorter or much longer than those of humans. Scientists are researching creatures such as “immortal” jellyfish and long-lived tortoises and digging deep into genetic codes to figure out why animals age—and what we can do to improve longevity in humans. João Pedro de Magalhães, chair of molecular biogerontology at the U…

1
DEEP CUTS Episode 54: 2025 Summer Movie Chatfest 39:18

24d ago39:18

39:18

This summer has so many movies we want to see, we just had to talk about it. There’s going to be so much popcorn, you guys. So much popcorn. Deep Cuts is created by Scott Sigler and A B Kovacs Produced by Steve Riekeberg Production Assistance by Allie Press Copyright 2025 by Empty Set Entertainment Goodness gracious, I’m so excited about this summe…

1
Cosmic Coin Toss, Record Heat in the North Atlantic and Living Worm Towers 8:51

25d ago8:51

8:51

New simulations suggest the Milky Way’s long-predicted collision with Andromeda might be less of a cosmic certainty than we thought. A massive marine heat wave in 2023 sent North Atlantic temperatures soaring—equal to two decades’ worth of typical warming—with weak winds and climate change largely to blame. And researchers reveal that the planet’s …

1
SLAY Episode 98: Let’s Dance 33:52

26d ago33:52

33:52

Linc and the gang had weeks of prep planned for their raid on Callista’s subterranean lair in England, but Icepick’s hunt for Dante — and his rousting Dillon Cantrell for information on the goblin’s whereabouts — meant the gang had to move up the schedule dramatically. To break into Callista’s anemone-chamber vault, where she keeps a piece of her s…

1
Is the National Weather Service Ready for an Extreme Summer? 14:21

28d ago14:21

14:21

The dedicated staff of the National Weather Service are responsible for the data that underpin your weather forecast and emergency alerts. DOGE Service cuts to the NWS are putting the collection and communication of those data at risk right as we enter a dangerous season of hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires and extreme heat in the U.S. Senior sustai…

1
DEEP CUTS Episode 53: AI-Assisted Book Publishing Is Here 43:11

1M ago43:11

43:11

A company called “Spines” is publishing 8,000 AI-assisted books this year. How does that work? What does this mean for the industry? It’s money-grabbing vanity press again, but now “assisted” by AI. We cover the Spines offerings, price points, and debate if this is good for authors. Deep Cuts is created by Scott Sigler and A B Kovacs Produced by St…

1
Megalodon Diets, Teeth Sensitivity and a Bunch of Vaccine News 8:00

1M ago8:00

8:00

The measles outbreak in West Texas is slowing. Health officials think an increase in vaccination rates contributed to the slowdown, but Texas lawmakers have pushed a new bill to make it even quicker and easier for parents to exempt their children from vaccines. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention goes counter to the American College of O…

1
SLAY Episode 97: Proper Etiquette 31:20

1M ago31:20

31:20

Icepick is at Callista’s, hoping for an audience with her so he can ask about the tracksuit-wearing goblin Dante Oganov, who tried to have Callista killed back in SLAY Season One. But before Icepick can talk to the Queen of Fire, he'll have to get through her first line of defense — Gariginald “Gary” Satyr, the club’s highly efficient, slightly jud…

1
Are You Flourishing? This Global Study Has Surprising Takeaways 18:16

1M ago18:16

18:16

Are you flourishing? It’s a more understated metric than happiness, but it can provide a multidimensional assessment of our quality of life. Victor Counted, an associate professor of psychology at Regent University and a member of the Human Flourishing Program at Harvard University, joins host Rachel Feltman to review the first wave of results from…

1
Episode 31: Fashion resale, circular economy standards and U-turns on plastic packaging targets 52:19

1M ago52:19

52:19

Why are so many big brands watering down their packaging sustainability commitments, including pledges on recycled plastic? How can we build trust in the circular economy? And in an increasingly crowded market, what does it take to run a successful fashion resale and recycling business?Find out in the new episode of edie's Sustainability Uncovered …

1
Diagnosing Male Infertility with a Mechanical Engineering Twist 10:39

1M ago10:39

10:39

Male infertility is undercovered and underdiscussed. If a couple is struggling to conceive, there’s a 50–50 chance that sperm health is a contributing factor. Diagnosing male infertility is getting easier with at-home tests—and a new study suggests a method for testing at home that would be more accurate. Study co-author Sushanta Mitra, a professor…

1
DEEP CUTS Episode 52: Memorial Day: Writers Who Died In Combat 33:40

1M ago33:40

33:40

Memorial Day in the US is to honor the men and women who died serving in the armed forces. This episode, Scott & A reflect on several authors who gave the ultimate sacrifice while serving their country. Deep Cuts is created by Scott Sigler and A B Kovacs Produced by Steve Riekeberg Production Assistance by Allie Press Copyright 2025 by Empty Set En…

1
SLAY Episode 96: Date Night 48:43

1M ago48:43

48:43

Lincoln and Dante have put together a team that can break into the underground fortress at Alnwick, where Callista keeps a piece of her soul and uses it to channel magical energy from a hideous anemone polyp farm. Dante is on the run from both Callista and the powerful mage Vestinian. Vestinian hired Icepick to see if Dante is in Lumencia, and to k…

1
Could We Speak to Dolphins? A Promising LLM Makes That a Possibility 19:07

1M ago19:07

19:07

Dolphins have a broad vocabulary. They vocalize with whistles, clicks and “burst pulses.”This varied communication makes it challenging for scientists to decode dolphin speech. Artificial intelligence can help researchers process audio and find the slight patterns that human ears may not be able to identify. Reporter Melissa Hobson took a look at D…

1
Do Mitochondria Talk to Each Other? A New Look at the Cell’s Powerhouse 27:04

1M ago27:04

27:04

Mitochondria are known as the powerhouse of the cell—but new research suggests they might be far more complex. Columbia University’s Martin Picard joins Scientific American’s Rachel Feltman to explore how these tiny organelles could be communicating and what that might mean for everything from metabolism to mental health. Check out Martin Picard’s …

1
DEEP CUTS Episode 51: How Do Writers and Creatives Relax? 39:36

2M ago39:36

39:36

Lots of folks have creative hobbies that help them relax and blow off steam. But what if you’re a creator by trade? What if you are paid for your creativity? Scott and A chat hobbies, downtime, and the importance of having a hobby, no matter how much you like your job. Deep Cuts is created by Scott Sigler and A B Kovacs Produced by Steve Riekeberg …

1
How to Make Gold, Flamingo Food Tornado, and Kosmos-482 Lands 8:09

2M ago8:09

8:09

Soviet-era spacecraft Kosmos-482 lands, though no one is certain where. Physicists turn lead into gold. Overdose deaths are down, in part thanks to the availability of naloxone. Flamingos make underwater food tornadoes. Chimps use leaves as a multi-tool. Recommended reading: A New, Deadly Era of Space Junk Is Dawning, and No One Is Ready https://ww…

1
SLAY Episode 95: Are You In or Are You Out? 47:05

2M ago47:05

47:05

At Ariella’s behest, Lincoln and Billy traveled to Israel, to the Hospitaller Commandery of Saint-Jean-d'Acre, and acquired the Cursed Armor of Sir Arnault the Pure. Magda can control the armor as if she were inside of it through the ear cuff Lincoln took after killing the Lich from Lynchburg. An agoraphobic trapped inside the Old Stone Church for …

1
Could Freezing Arctic Sea Ice Combat Climate Change? 25:29

2M ago25:29

25:29

The year-round sea ice in the Arctic is melting and has shrunk by nearly 40 percent over the past four decades. Geoengineering companies such as Real Ice are betting big on refreezing it. That may sound ridiculous, impractical or risky—but proponents say we have to try. The U.K. government seems to agree, investing millions into experimental approa…

1
Sidelined After Service: What Federal Cuts Mean for Veterans 31:47

2M ago31:47

31:47

Veterans and advocates are sounding the alarm as massive federal job cuts and plans to eliminate 83,000 positions at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs — championed as “efficiency reforms” by the Trump administration — threaten to strip away critical services. In this episode, we take an in-depth look at the human toll of sweeping layoffs and …

1
How a West Texas Outbreak Threatens Measles Elimination Status 10:00

2M ago10:00

10:00

Measles was technically “eliminated” in the U.S. in 2000 thanks to high measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccination rates. While prior outbreaks have made headlines, a slew of cases in West Texas is more than just newsworthy—it could cause the U.S. to lose elimination status. Associate health and medicine editor Lauren Young explains what eliminat…

1
DEEP CUTS Episode 50: Celebrating 50 Episodes! 41:57

2M ago41:57

41:57

After 50 episodes, Scott and A chat about the last five years of livestreaming and the evolution to DEEP CUTS. A look back, a look ahead, and a great big thank you for joining us! Deep Cuts is created by Scott Sigler and A B Kovacs Produced by Steve Riekeberg Production Assistance by Allie Press Copyright 2025 by Empty Set Entertainment We couldn’t…

1
Sinking Cities, Waving Cuttlefish and Falling Spacecraft 8:17

2M ago8:17

8:17

A 1970s Soviet spacecraft is hurtling down from space—and no one knows where it will land. All 28 of the most populous cities in the U.S. are slowly sinking. Investments and overconsumption make the wealthiest 10 percent of the global population responsible for two thirds of climate-change-related warming. Recommended reading: Cuttlefish May Commun…

1
SLAY Episode 94: Cantrell & Cantrell 33:26

2M ago33:26

33:26

Lincoln needs to acquire assets for the great caper of stealing a piece of Callista’s soul. But before he and the Old Stone Church crew assemble the pieces of that puzzle, Aunty Juanita told him that his bounty hunting days are over, and she tasked him with sharing that information with another legendary bounty hunter. Speaking of bounty hunters, I…

1
How Do We Respond to Attacks on Public Media, DEI and Democracy? 56:00

2M ago56:00

56:00

The San Francisco Public Press on April 30, 2025, hosted a fireside chat recorded for this “Civic” episode about attacks on diversity, democracy and media with Ricardo Sandoval-Palos, the public editor at PBS, and Lila LaHood, executive director of the San Francisco Public Press.In addition to discussing how journalists can do better covering issue…

1
This Podcast Was Recorded Inside a Particle Collider 18:11

2M ago18:11

18:11

We’re taking a field trip to the U.S.’s only particle collider, the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC), housed at Brookhaven National Laboratory. Staff scientist Alex Jentsch takes listeners through some basic terminology and interconnected technologies that help Brookhaven researchers probe questions about our unseen universe. The RHIC is wind…

1
Rejecting Toxic Fitness Culture with Casey Johnston 17:56

2M ago17:56

17:56

Casey Johnston is not your typical health and fitness influencer. She joins host Rachel Feltman to discuss how finding joy in strength training changed her relationship to fitness, food and body image. Johnston’s new book, A Physical Education, reflects on engaging with exercise in a balanced way. Recommended reading: You can get Johnston’s book A …

1
DEEP CUTS Episode 49: Should Copyright be Abolished? 53:55

2M ago53:55

53:55

Recently, several tech billionaires have suggested that copyright should be abolished, at least for individual creators like Scott. What help, if any, is that to the creator? How might it benefit you personally? Is this just another power play by billionaire tech bros? We discuss all these questions and more on this DEEP CUTS. Deep Cuts is created …

1
Jupiter’s Cyclones, Amazon’s Satellites and T. rex Collagen 9:01

2M ago9:01

9:01

The congressionally mandated National Climate Assessment grinds to a halt. Amazon launches its first round of Internet satellites. The European Space Agency launches a satellite to measure the biomass of Earth’s trees. New data from NASA’s Juno spacecraft offer insights into Jupiter and Io. Claims of Tyrannosaurus rex leather are, predictably, misl…

1
Short Horror Story: Rainy Day 22:59

2M ago22:59

22:59

“Rainy Day” is a short story written for the upcoming charity anthology “Dread Coast, A Collection of SoCal Horror Stories,” which will benefit individuals and families directly impacted by the LA wildfires. Written and performed by Scott Sigler Production Assistance by Allie Press Copyright 2025 by Empty Set Entertainment Theme music is the song “…

1
The Fungi Facing Extinction and the Conservationists Working Hard to Protect Them 12:07

2M ago12:07

12:07

Conservationists are ringing the alarm about the fungi facing extinction. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List features vulnerable pandas and endangered tortoises, but it also highlights more than 400 fungi species that are under threat. Gregory Mueller, chief scientist emeritus at the Chicago Botanic Garden and coordi…

1
Griefbots Offer AI Connections with Deceased Loved Ones 16:18

2M ago16:18

16:18

Griefbots, artificial intelligence chatbots that mimic deceased loved ones, are increasingly in popularity. Researcher Katarzyna Nowaczyk-Basińska reflects on what death, grief and immortality look like in the digital age. She shares insights from a project that she is leading as a AI2050 Early Career Fellow: Imaginaries of Immortality in the Age o…

1
Ronna Medical: The Robotic System Transforming Neurosurgery 16:30

2M ago16:30

16:30

Ronna Medical is an advanced technology company revolutionizing neurosurgery with advanced robotic systems. These robots assist in making surgeries such as biopsies more accurate, safe and efficient. The RONNA (short for Robotic Neuro-Navigation) robotic arm is controlled remotely by the surgeon and is able to make the surgeries more cost-effective…

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