Best Science News Podcasts?

scienceListener asks: "As an avid radio listener with an interest in science and technology communication, I'm really excited about podcasts. I've found many that I like, and many more that are just terrible. One of the areas I find very lacking is science news podcasting. Aside from some very good podcasts that are really repackaged radio shows (NPR's Science Friday and their aggregated Health and Science, Canada's Quirks and Quarks, Australia's The Science Show, and a few others), and a couple produced by science centers (the Current Science & Technology Podcast from Boston's Museum of Science and the Redshift Report from the Ontario Science Centre -- which is good but isn't really about science news), I haven't found any independently-produced science podcasts worth listening to. Is anyone doing science news without the help of a major organization and doing it well?"

No! You can't get that for free!

[syousef]

No noone is doing science news well without backing by a major organisation. Just like no one is mass producing cars very well without backing from a major organisation. In both cases there's a lot that has to happen behind the scenes before that science show (or car) can be put together. A good science show generally requires a team doing research - and not just library research, though that's required, but going out and talking to scientists. The interviewer also has to build a reputation with the science community to get scientists to agree to interviews and take them seriously.

If you want some college kid giving you their un-informed or one dimensional opinion on current science, you can get that for nearly nothing without any kind of backing. If you want good science journalism you need a team of well trained people each doing their bit to get the facts, get the interviews etc.