Best Wprb Princeton Podcasts (2025)

1
Seniority 40:07

17d ago40:07

40:07

WPRB News and Culture: The Pidgin has growing pains, and we can feel ourselves aging like fine wine, so today we’re talking seniority – in all the meanings of the word. We talk about the elders in our lives, and our communities, but we’re also thinking about chapters ending and beginning. Ariel Chen starts us off by reporting on this past week’s Ma…

1
Brainrot 56:00

1M ago56:00

56:00

This week, The Pidgin keeps its wits about it and takes on something that's been plaguing our online spaces, and how we interact with them: brainrot. Mind-numbing and addictive, born on TikTok and leaking into real life, brainrot has come to be a quintessential part of contemporary culture. And we're turning it on its head. For our community sectio…

1
Radio On Radio On Radio On 57:42

1M ago57:42

57:42

WPRB News and Culture: The Pidgin is dedicating an entire episode to the beauty of the radio. Independent radio enables the Pidgin’s existence, and does so much more than bring audio to our car speakers. First, Natalia Maidique and Teo Grosu host a LIVE interview with Dr. Jeff Dror from Florida University about what’s behind this medium – radio wav…

1
Peace & Quiet 42:01

2M ago42:01

42:01

The Pidgin knows what you truly want: some gosh darn peace and quiet… We are still working on bringing that to you, but we did the next best thing: talked about it! Our show today opens with its Community segment, in which Ariel Chen and Maggie Stewart report on the long-standing silent protests that the Society of Friends (and their friends) have …

1
Roasted, Brewed, Pulled 54:46

2M ago54:46

54:46

Today, we on The Pidgin ask if we can take you out for a coffee... episode. First up, Ariel Chen and Lucy McWeeny peer inside your cup and ask ‘how did it get there’? You’ll hear their conversation with the world’s youngest Q-grader, who draws from her experience of having her own coffee line to give us an insider’s view of what it takes to grow, a…

1
Decisions 37:41

3M ago37:41

37:41

WPRB News and Culture: The Pidgin has been noticing lately that a lot of our decisions are being made for us: algorithms decide what we watch, AI decides what we do, and lawmakers decide how we live. The Pidgin wants to learn more about those decisions today, and what they mean for each of us. First, Maggie Stewart and I talk about a recent court c…

1
Lovebirds 46:49

3M ago46:49

46:49

For Valentine's Day, The Pidgin spreads its wings and goes looking for love. Natalia Maidique peeks inside Princeton’s community to find a pair of lovebirds who are still in school. For our culture section, Isabel Jacobson has a conversation with singer-songwriter Kate Short about love songs. And our science segment ends this episode with Teo Grosu…

1
Little Red Dots 59:27

5M ago59:27

59:27

This week, the Pidgin is talking about little red dots. Teo Grosu has a conversation with a researcher at Princeton University about new astrophysical discoveries coming from the James Webb Space Telescope, learning how a few little red dots on a telescope image can actually disrupt our understanding of how old the universe is. Hosted and produced …

1
Kicking & Screaming 48:25

5M ago48:25

48:25

This week, the Pidgin’s theme is kicking and screaming. Inside of each of us, there’s a little kid who wants to fly into a rampage when things just aren’t going right – so we’re gonna be digging into those times where you just want to put up a fight, give it your all, and lose control. First, Lauren Kim and Ariel Chen set the tone by talking to us …

1
Dissonance 50:38

6M ago50:38

50:38

Today, we’re talking Dissonance – but no, we won’t be sharing tips on how to navigate political conversations with difficult people. Instead, we’re talking about dissonance in music and in our inner worlds, to help us all remember how dissonance can sometimes be a great thing. First, Brianna Dai asks composers about how dissonant sounds can add emo…

1
11/11 15:46

6M ago15:46

15:46

On 11/11, The Pidgin has stories about superstitions, wishes and symmetry. Something about the date being a palindrome, the same read forwards or backwards (or upside down), makes it feel like anything can happen. Lucy McWeeny and Cynthia Torres revisit middle school crushes and angel numbers. Then, Izzy Jacobson looks at how random alignments can …

1
Sound Waves 37:17

7M ago37:17

37:17

WPRB News and Culture: The Pidgin sends out sound waves about sound waves this week. Sena Chang and Brianna Dai learn how wind ensembles are created, and listen in on one. Next, Sophie Leheny discusses the benefits of talking to herself. And finally, Teo Grosu hears about asteroseismology, the study of the sounds stars make in outer space. Hosted a…

1
Building 15:44

7M ago15:44

15:44

WPRB News and Culture: The Pidgin dives into a local building controversy this week. Natalia Maidique goes on a tour of Princeton's historic Jugtown neighborhood and learns about the affordable housing development proposal at 344 Nassau Street. Hosted and produced by Natalia Maidique. Reported, recorded, and produced by Natalia Maidique. All music …

1
Rejection 40:14

8M ago40:14

40:14

WPRB News and Culture: The Pidgin grapples with rejection this week. Lucy McWeeny and Annie Wang some local canvassers about the many, many, many times a day they are ignored and sent away. Next, Sena Chang and Brianna Dai learn how artists handle rejection, when their work is both an extension of themselves and how they make a living. And finally,…

1
Patience 29:22

8M ago29:22

29:22

WPRB News and Culture has been patiently waiting for this season's first episode. Navani Rachumallu talks to ecological researchers, whose work depends on observing an animal that may or may not show up, and hears how they deal with that time in between. Natalia Maidique finds out about the hidden guild of people making lace all around us, and how …

1
Continued: The second day of protests at Princeton 11:31

1y ago11:31

11:31

WPRB News and Culture brings you an update from the scene at Princeton University, where protesters have occupied McCosh Courtyard for multiple days.

1
Continued: Faculty and students speak about a legacy of activism at Princeton 7:34

1y ago7:34

7:34

WPRB News and Culture continues its coverage of the ongoing sit-in protest actions at Princeton University, with a short segment focusing on the educational efforts at the sit-in. This is a developing story, and WPRB News and Culture will be covering these events as they continue.

1
Continued – the first day of Princeton's pro-Palestinian sit-in 13:08

1y ago13:08

13:08

WPRB News and Culture takes you inside the first day of the pro-Palestinian sit-in protest at Princeton University, where more than a hundred students have occupied McCosh Courtyard desiring the university's divestment from Israel and its war in Gaza. We speak to Professor Max Weiss, who led a walkout of his lecture course "History of Palestine/Isr…

1
Breaking News - Protests emerge on Princeton campus (12pm 4/25) 5:31

1y ago5:31

5:31

WPRB News and Culture reports on the ground from the emerging protest and counter-protest actions on the Princeton University campus, in response to the ongoing war and humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and to the developing protest situations at universities across the United States. Reported, recorded and produced by Laura Robertson, Navani Rachumallu…

1
Stuff 43:16

1y ago43:16

43:16

WPRB News and Culture loves stuff. From little knick-knacks to things that arrive at your front door in big boxes, we are ready to explore it all. First, Helen Heuer speaks to members of her community about the things that they collect. Next, Stephanie Yen investigates the world of jewelry, its significance, and its creation. Finally, in a story fr…

1
Secrets 38:38

1y ago38:38

38:38

WPRB News and Culture delves into some deep secrets. First, Navani Rachumallu and Alvaro Basso speak to an archivist at the Institute for Advanced Study about the role of secrecy in her work. Then, Stephanie Yen surveys some fast food chain workers about "secret menus." And finally, Sophie Leheny and Natalie Hahn read aloud some listener-submitted …

1
Waiting 31:01

1+ y ago31:01

31:01

News and Culture starts our Spring season with stories about anticipation. Helen Heuer visits local businesses in Princeton, New Jersey. Natalie Hahn speaks to a professional astrologer. And Adam Sanders gathers his two friends to visit the Princeton Airport as they explore the minds and worlds of the aerophile. Hosted by Natalie Hahn. Reported, re…

1
Cultivation 46:16

1+ y ago46:16

46:16

WPRB News and Culture shrugs off the December chill with three stories about the toils of growing and the fruits of summer soil. Natalia Maidique speaks to a beekeeper who forged her own path to master the hive. Adam Sanders learns about the power of seeds. And Anna Hiltner speaks to a farmer with spiritual insights into how best to let things grow…

1
Through the Grapevine 41:43

1+ y ago41:43

41:43

News and Culture embraces our inner love of gossip – with stories from the grapevine and about the very foundations of the whispering urge. Natalia Maidique and Navani Rachamallu speak to bartenders about the ways gossip shapes their job. Sophie Leheny and Synai Ferrell learn about the psychological and human roots of our snarkiest, most whispery i…

1
Halloween People 32:23

1+ y ago32:23

32:23

WPRB News and Culture puts on a scary mask and knocks on your door with three stories sweet enough to make your teeth hurt, thinking about the kind of people who make Halloween what it is. First up, Adam Sanders and Izzy Jacobson visit a Halloween superstore to understand the mechanics behind the costume-and-décor industrial complex. Then, in a sto…

1
A Night at the Movies 32:22

1+ y ago32:22

32:22

WPRB News and Culture pops some popcorn and buys a ticket to an episode at the movies. First up, Sophie Leheny and Navani Rachumallu speak to the folks at the Princeton Garden Theatre to understand their idea of the nonprofit-cinema renaissance. Then, Tommy Goulding breaks down the hubbub around the new Napoleon trailer, and why it has historians i…

1
Fashion 34:41

1+ y ago34:41

34:41

News and Culture tries to sound fashionable. Natalia Maidique and Navani Rachumallu explore the sounds, style, and usability of shoes. Adam Sanders speaks to Lisa Shepherd-Stewart, the proprietor of Cultured Expressions, an African fabric shop and studio in Rahway. And Clara McWeeny and Helen Heuer give you all the thrifting tips you never knew you…

1
The End of Summer 35:10

1+ y ago35:10

35:10

As hot days cool into chilly autumn evenings, WPRB News and Culture returns to tell the tales of summer. Sophie Leheny and Natalie Hahn visit Asbury Park to learn about New Jersey's classic Shore boardwalks. Mollika Jai Singh explores what it means for parents to drop off their kids at summer camp. And in a story from our archive, Adam Sanders visi…

1
Plans 32:06

2y ago32:06

32:06

News and Culture thinks long-term, with three stories about planning, organizing, and the travails in between. Sophie Leheny and Pat Grate visit a tarot card reader and learn the mechanics of learning about the future. Adam Sanders speaks to student labor organizers at Temple University about their plans for unionization. And in a story from our ar…

1
Arts in Your Backyard 54:06

2y ago54:06

54:06

WPRB News and Culture takes a look into the artistic experiences and projects happening right here in New Jersey. Ellie Diamond learns about the Trenton Circus Squad, a nonprofit whose afterschool workshops teach kids and tweens the ropes of the circus – literally. Sophie Leheny and Mira Ho-Chen visit the Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton, New Jers…

1
Endings 52:02

2+ y ago52:02

52:02

News and Culture starts our Spring season at the very end of some stories. Clara McWeeny and Anna Salvatore visit an estate sale. Natalia Maidique and Navani Rachumallu speak to Anthony Grafton, retiring professor of history at Princeton University. Tommy Goulding and Henry Moses talk about their favorite endings in novels. Mollika Jai Singh explor…

1
Resilience 49:39

2+ y ago49:39

49:39

News and Culture brings you four stories of persistence and resilience. Alan Plotz and Claire Kaneshiro learns about the intricacies of the American asylum system with Gabriel Samcam Vargas, a Princeton student and human rights advocate. Reina Coulibaly explores how fiber arts have woven the lives of Black women together for centuries. Mollika Jai …

1
Gratitude 27:21

2+ y ago27:21

27:21

On the day after Thanksgiving, News and Culture takes a moment to meditate on gratitude, with three stories that stretch and test the bounds of our comfort with thankfulness. Mollika Jai Singh explores Princeton University's tradition of 'Annual Giving.' Izzy Jacobson looks back on the gratitude journal she keeps. And Natalia Maidique and Navani Ra…

1
Comings and Goings 53:20

2+ y ago53:20

53:20

On 11/11, News and Culture thinks about moments in our day: commutes, routines, junction points, stories from years past and new stories alike. From the archives, Elizabeth Shwe interviews an EMT about a day in the life - saving lives. Henry Moses and Luke Carroll bring us a new story of people at a junction, literally, speaking to folks in the mid…

1
Spooky Stories 53:04

2+ y ago53:04

53:04

In our first-ever Halloween special, News and Culture tells spooky stories sure to give you a fright. Navani Rachamallu and Natalia Maidique tell a classic Gothic story, 'The Tell-Tale Heart' by Edgar Allan Poe. Izzy Jacobson and Mira Ho-Chen crowdsource some ghostly tales. Charlie Nuermberger and Henry Moses speak to an expert on the mythical Jers…

1
Changemakers in our Community 54:52

2+ y ago54:52

54:52

News and Culture dedicates this Very Special Episode® to those in our community who strive to make it a better place for everyone involved – in the radically freeform way we know how. Ashley Olenkiewicz and Julian Hartman-Sigall explore the mechanics of a congressional campaign in Pennsylvania's competitive 1st District, just across the Delaware Ri…

1
Metamorphosis 40:12

2+ y ago40:12

40:12

News and Culture continues its second Fall season by pointing the microphone not at a genesis or an ending, but rather at three stories in the middle of their journeys of transformation. Abani Ahmed and Daniel Yeo speak to the developers and planners seeking to revitalize Trenton, New Jersey's capital city. Natalia Maidique and Navani Rachamallu ex…

1
Genesis 59:59

2+ y ago59:59

59:59

News and Culture returns for the Fall season with four stories on beginnings – starts informed by faith, technology, crisis, and community. Charlie Nuermberger and Henry Moses speak to art critic and writer Dean Kissick about the rise of AI-generated art, and what this new path could mean for artistry and creation in the digital age. Clara McWeeny …

1
Summer Dispatch #4 33:51

2+ y ago33:51

33:51

In our last Summer Dispatch, we celebrate the end of our radically-freeform summer by tying up some loose ends. Charlie Nuermberger finishes his exploration of an abandoned mansion in western Maryland, purportedly home to an infant poltergeist. Hannah Lee explores what makes a great summer read. And Tommy Goulding muses on melancholic wanderings in…

1
Summer Dispatch #3 50:00

3y ago50:00

50:00

In the third summer dispatch, in the wake of a massive heat-wave, News and Culture reporters venture to the limits of possibility. Charlie Nuermberger explores the story of an infant ghost in an abandoned mansion in western Maryland. Henry Moses speaks to New Jersey writer Bud Smith, acclaimed author of the new novel "Teenager." Alan Plotz learns a…

1
Summer Dispatch #2 38:36

3y ago38:36

38:36

In our second Summer Dispatch, the day after Independence Day, we hear stories uniquely American in their separation from U.S. soil. Hannah Lee explores the experience of international students and their names in the United States. Alan Plotz learns about a project aiming to catalogue the oral histories of religious refugees. Tommy Goulding shares …

1
Shenanigans 31:52

3y ago31:52

31:52

News and Culture celebrates April Fool's Day... one week late. Reporters do pranks, learn about pranks, talk about cryptocurrency, and discover the secrets of a very special fox. Reported, recorded, and produced by Adam Sanders, Reina Coulibaly, Izzy Jacobson, Hannah Lee, Alan Plotz, Tommy Goulding, Henry Moses, and Anna Salvatore.…

1
Mistakes 42:52

3y ago42:52

42:52

News and Culture learns about mistakes, happy accidents, mishaps, and major errors. Reporters Izzy Jacobson and Clara McWeeny talk to a self-described "accident." Alan Plotz and Ashley Olenkiewicz do a deep dive into New Jersey's eviction law errors. Kat Ivkovic and Charlie Nuermberger discover the many mistake-makers around the Princeton, New Jers…

1
Little Kids, Big Things (from the Archive) 52:07

3y ago52:07

52:07

Rebroadcast - December 16, 2019 This is an episode from the News and Culture archives. Oliver and Anna caught up with Professor Casey Lew-Williams, one of the directors of Princeton University's Baby Lab. Casey and his fellow researchers study development in children whose ages range from a couple months to 7 years old. We talked to Casey because h…

1
Love Letters 47:21

3+ y ago47:21

47:21

News and Culture celebrates Valentine's Day with an episode devoted to professing your love. We hear from couples just starting to date and those who've already tied the knot, at ages different than you might expect. Reporters ask some guests to tell their loved ones *just* how much they care. An archivist lets us know the inside scoop on some hist…

1
The Return 37:46

3+ y ago37:46

37:46

News and Culture returns to the airwaves with a show about returns. What happens to your books when they go back to the library? How has a local grocery store managed to keep its workforce despite the "Great Resignation"? What's going on in the returns line at Target? And why have some people returned to using the typewriter? This episode was direc…

1
Sisyphus 1:05

5y ago1:05

1:05

Brittani Telfair wrote a poem about a day in her life. Here it is.By WPRB Princeton News & Culture

1
The Dinky Conductor 4:05

5y ago4:05

4:05

There's a small train, appropriately called the Dinky, that takes people from the Princeton train station to Princeton Junction. Andy Latoni talks with the woman who collects those tickets that get people from P to PJ.By WPRB Princeton News & Culture

1
The EMT 7:52

5y ago7:52

7:52

Elizabeth Shwe talks to a professional emergency medical technician (EMT). This is one heck of a day in the life.By WPRB Princeton News & Culture

1
The Farmer 18:42

5y ago18:42

18:42

Anna Hiltner talks to a local farmer about her day in the life. Here's a word to keep in mind while listening: biodynamics.By WPRB Princeton News & Culture

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Wprb Princeton Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen