Best Asylum Studios Podcasts (2025)

1
Colombia's Salt Cathedral 10:35

Play Pause

8h ago10:35

10:35

In 1995, a cathedral was built 180m underground in the Zipaquirá Salt Mine in Colombia. The idea came from the miners building makeshift altars in the mine in the 1930s, to pray for their safety before starting their shifts. It’s now a major tourist attraction, attracting more than 600,000 visitors a year. Rachel Naylor speaks to the engineer behin…

1
Toy Story: the first digitally-animated feature film 10:47

14m ago10:47

10:47

Released in 1995, this buddy movie about a cowboy doll and a toy astronaut was the first to use entirely computer-generated images. The story, about a group of toys who come alive when humans are not around, appealed to audiences around the world. In 2017, animator Doug Sweetland spoke to Ashley Byrne about his work on the Pixar film. This was a Ma…

1
MAFS, Relationships & Chameleons: Keye Luke 53:39

2d ago53:39

53:39

In this episode, we sit down with Keye, the breakout star of Married at First Sight UK whose humour, honesty, and emotional depth have made him one of the show’s most unforgettable personalities. From navigating a painful divorce in his early twenties to rebuilding his identity after a mental health crisis, Keye opens up with disarming wit about re…

1
Episode 14: Bloody Oranges/The Day Of The Locust 1:37:34

4d ago1:37:34

1:37:34

We Own the Dark is back with a bloody new episode! This time we're engaging in a rousing discussion about political satire and Hollywood criticism. Jerry's choice of the French dark horror/comedy from director Jean-Christophe Meurisse, Bloody Oranges (2021), is paired perfectly by Jason with John Schlesinger's 1975 adaptation of Nathanael West's se…

1
Cigar Lounge #73 - Shop Talk w/ Apostate Cigars 1:17:05

4d ago1:17:05

1:17:05

The Hollow Down Cigar Lounge, Episode #73. Cigar: Various. Topics: Historical Representations, Utah Laws, Oveja Negra, Artistic Marketing, and more!

1
How the Bosnian war ended 10:12

3d ago10:12

10:12

The Dayton Peace Accords were signed on the 21 November 1995, ending the three-and-a-half-year war in Bosnia. The war was part of the break-up of Yugoslavia; it is estimated that 100,000 people were killed. In 2010, Lucy Williamson spoke to Milan Milutinović who was one of the leading negotiators for the Serbian delegation about the final 24 hours …

1
The best of the greatest hits of the Wobo Show: physical theater meets child's play. 38:48

5d ago38:48

38:48

Also on Arizona Spotlight: A new book commemorates the 50th anniversary of the wreck of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald; storyteller Curt Beall shares about his AIDS experience and finding new hope in Tucson; and some voices from the All Souls Procession.By AZPM

1
The Spanish king reclaims his throne 10:38

4d ago10:38

10:38

In 1975, the death of General Francisco Franco was announced in Spain, bringing to an end 36 years of dictatorship. Franco had already chosen his successor: Prince Juan Carlos, grandson of the last monarch, Alphonso XIII. This was the man who - Franco thought - would continue his authoritarian, anti-democratic and deeply conservative regime. But Ju…

1
Shabana Mahmood: Racism, Asylum and Me 49:07

5d ago49:07

49:07

Why is the Home Secretary warning against leaving space for "darker forces"? Shabana Mahmood sits down with Nick off the back of announcing sweeping changes to the asylum system in the UK. Why did she decide to quote explicit racial abuse in the House of Commons? And how does she intend to avoid "ceding the territory of asylum to the far right"? Th…

1
The death of Franco 10:32

5d ago10:32

10:32

General Francisco Franco died in November 1975, ending 36 years of dictatorship over Spain. The general had been in power since 1939 after winning the country’s bloody civil war, and his death followed a long illness. He was mourned by conservative Spaniards but those on the left celebrated, calling him a fascist who had once been an ally of Hitler…

1
Angela Merkel suspends EU asylum rules in 2015 10:47

8d ago10:47

10:47

In the summer of 2015, there was a surge in the number of people from Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq, seeking asylum in Europe. Social Democrat politician Aydan Özoğuz was Angela Merkel's minister of state concerned with immigration, refugees and integration from 2013 to 2018. She describes to Josephine McDermott visiting her father's home city of Kil…

1
Improv, Modern Gay Life & Hey Big Guy: Jake Cornell 40:02

8d ago40:02

40:02

In this episode, we sit down with comedian and writer Jake Cornell, the quick-witted mind behind Hey Big Guy and one of the most refreshing queer voices in comedy today. From coming out at 16 to finding his community later in life, Jake opens up about identity, shame, body image, dating, and the hilarious chaos of gay adulthood. We dive deep into w…

1
Reagan and Gorbachev: The Geneva Summit 10:18

9d ago10:18

10:18

Forty years ago, in November 1985, two of the world’s most powerful leaders met for the first time. With Cold War tensions running high and the nuclear arms race dominating global politics, US President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev came together for the first time at the Geneva Summit. Using archive recordings, Megan Jones expl…

1
When Maldives' ministers met underwater 10:51

12d ago10:51

10:51

On 17 October 2009, the Maldives’ top government officials donned their scuba gear for the world’s first underwater cabinet meeting. Fish floated around while ministers communicated with hand gestures, white boards and special underwater pencils. Meanwhile on the surface, journalists jostled to see what was happening. The watery meeting was filmed …

1
'I'm preparing for government': Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth 38:48

12d ago38:48

38:48

Can Plaid Cymru replace Labour as the party of power in Wales next year? Rhun ap Iorwerth, the party's leader, thinks so. Rhun ap Iorwerth joins Nick in the Political Thinking studio to talk about how his parents' passion for Welsh heritage and language formed the basis for his vision for the country. They explore Welsh identity and the anti-monarc…

1
273 | "The Karen Chronicles" 1:32:24

12d ago1:32:24

1:32:24

This week on Casual Nerds, Jonni and Juac go off the rails in all the right ways. We accidentally solve a Storage Wars crime, give Zachary Levi yet another reason to block us, Michael Jackson impersonator chaos, and a completely unnecessary deep dive into who should never play Black Panther. I F••k Wit It!: Down Cemetary Road Pluribus NEED MERCH?!:…

1
What role did the Southwest region play in The American Revolution? 30:06

12d ago30:06

30:06

Also on Arizona Spotlight: "We Walk in Beauty: Native American Photographs and Words"; Chris Dashiell on the Mexican film "No Nos Moveran"; and musician Clay Dudash talks about his band The Manor Born, and the DUSK Music Festival.By AZPM

1
Bataclan attack in Paris 10:33

13d ago10:33

10:33

On 13 November 2015, 90 people were shot dead by gunmen at the Bataclan theatre in France during an Eagles of Death Metal concert. A further 40 people were killed in co-ordinated terror attacks by jihadists across the city on the same night. Rachel Naylor speaks to British couple Justine Merton-Scott and Tony Scott, who managed to escape the venue …

1
Prosecuting Nazis at the Nuremberg Trials 11:09

14d ago11:09

11:09

In November 1945, the first major war crimes trial in history opened in the German city of Nuremberg. Senior Nazis who had committed atrocities during World War Two were prosecuted by the victorious Allied powers of Britain, the USA, France and the Soviet Union. In 2014, Louise Hidalgo spoke to Benjamin Ferencz, who helped unearth evidence of mass …

1
Cigar Lounge #72 - Black Works Studio Intergalactic Event Horizon & Graffiti 1:03:07

14d ago1:03:07

1:03:07

The Hollow Down Cigar Lounge, Episode #72. Cigar: Black Works Studio Intergalactic Event Horizon. Topics: Underground, NFG, First Cigars, Texas Whiskey Fest, and more!

1
Birth of the G7 10:35

15d ago10:35

10:35

In November 1975, a summit took place at Rambouillet, France, where the heads of six of the world’s most industrialised nations and their finance ministers came together. The leaders of the US, France, Germany, Britain, Japan and Italy hoped to solve the ongoing economic crisis. The summit marked the birth of an institution now known as the G7. Fra…

1
Femininity, Grief & Re-Defining Sexuality: Alexis & Liam 1:04:20

15d ago1:04:20

1:04:20

In this episode, we sit down with married couple Alexis & Liam, whose relationship has existed across identities, labels and multiple “coming outs.” Alexis shares her true timeline: first identifying as straight, then gay, then trans, then returning to gay, then finally stepping into womanhood again, this time for herself, not to make the world mor…

1
Breaking the sound barrier 10:30

16d ago10:30

10:30

On 14 October 1947, American Chuck Yeager became the first pilot to fly faster than the speed of sound. Despite having two broken ribs, Chuck reached Mach 1.06 – a speed of more than 1,100km per hour. He flew an orange, single-seated, rocket-powered Bell X-1, 13,000m above the Mojave Desert in California. Produced and presented by Rachel Naylor, in…

1
Discovering the largest dinosaur ever 10:41

19d ago10:41

10:41

In 2012, a shepherd uncovered a bone belonging to a new species of dinosaur on a ranch in Patagonia, in Argentina. A team from the Museum of Paleontology Egidio Feruglio found more than 150 bones, belonging to six skeletons. The Patagotitan, a type of titanosaur, was 40 metres long, 20 metres tall and weighed 77 tonnes. Rachel Naylor spoke to Dr Di…

1
'I like it when people underestimate me': Lib Dem leader Ed Davey 47:39

19d ago47:39

47:39

Ed Davey warns Starmer against handing Reform UK 'the keys into 10 Downing Street' Producer: Daniel KraemerResearch: Chloe DesaveSound: Ged Sudlow and Andrew MillsEditor: Giles EdwardsBy BBC Radio 4

1
"Stop putting us through this": The Tucson community copes with the food insecurity crisis. 27:25

19d ago27:25

27:25

Also on Arizona Spotlight: A hit-and-run acident takes the lives of three UA students;William Shatner brings "The Wrath of Khan" to Tucson; and remembering Diane Ladd.By AZPM

1
The ‘father of e-books’ 10:22

20d ago10:22

10:22

In 1971, an American historical document typed out on a university computer played a vital role in the digital revolution of electronic books. It became the foundation of Project Gutenberg. Michael Hart, the visionary behind the project, later became known as the ‘father of e-books’. His close friend, Greg Newby, who was Project Gutenberg’s CEO and…

1
The creation of Miffy 10:47

20d ago10:47

10:47

It's 70 years since Miffy was created. The little rabbit with two dots for eyes and an X for a mouth went on to feature in 32 books translated into more than 50 languages. The Dutch author and illustrator Dick Bruna reveals in his own words from the BBC archive that in the beginning, his black outlined illustrations with bold colours were controver…

1
President Clinton is impeached 10:48

22d ago10:48

10:48

In 1999, the US Senate chamber in Washington DC was turned into a court to put President Bill Clinton on trial, after he admitted lying about an affair with an intern called Monica Lewinsky. In 2011, Bill Clinton’s former press secretary spoke to Neil Razzell. Joe Lockhart recounted the impeachment and the fight to save his presidency. Eye-witness …

1
Faith, Drag & Religious Books | Jeza Belle 1:00:33

22d ago1:00:33

1:00:33

In this episode, we sit down with Jeza Belle: drag queen, author, comedian and the first drag queen in history to publish a Christian devotional, for one of the most surprising, thoughtful and moving conversations. ✨ We talk queer spirituality, reconciling religion and sexuality, grace, and why faith doesn’t belong to bigots. Jeza opens up about gr…

1
The brains behind Thunderbirds 10:41

23d ago10:41

10:41

In 1965, a groundbreaking children's show using cutting-edge puppets first blast onto television screens. Thunderbirds was set in 2065 and followed the antics of secret organisation ‘International Rescue’ which was manned by Jeff Tracy, his team of five sons and agent Lady Penelope. Set up to save humanity, the characters travelled in futuristic ve…

1
Emerante de Pradines: Haiti’s musical trailblazer 10:02

26d ago10:02

10:02

Emerante de Pradines was a Haitian singer, dancer and folklorist who became the first person from her country to sign a record deal. She was dedicated to de-demonising vodou music and folklore and went on to teach dance at some of America’s most prestigious universities. Her son Richard Morse speaks to Emma Forde about his mother’s life and her leg…

1
Life after Labour: Zarah Sultana on Palestine, Farage and 'Your Party' 47:57

26d ago47:57

47:57

How a trip to the West Bank in her teens set the Coventry MP on a path into politics. Zarah Sultana joins Nick in the studio a few weeks before the launch of her new party with Jeremy Corbyn. In the interview, they discuss her positions on NATO, the state of Israel, seeking power, and why she likened her relationship with Corbyn to the Gallagher br…

1
272 | "The Gold House" 1:06:42

26d ago1:06:42

1:06:42

This one’s messy—in the best way. We talk AI videos that look like drunk fever dreams, Miami Vice getting dragged out the grave again, and Jared Leto popping into an empty theater like a sad magician. There’s yelling at ChatGPT, and the usual Gen Z slander (apparently “thank you” is canceled now?). Basically, it’s dumb news, smart jokes, and just e…

1
Orson Welles broadcasts The War of the Worlds 10:22

26d ago10:22

10:22

The night before Halloween in 1938, 23-year-old Orson Welles and his Mercury Theatre on the Air performed a radio adaptation of HG Wells’s The War of the Worlds. It would become one of the most notorious radio broadcasts in history. In their own words, from the BBC's archive, Orson Welles, producer John Houseman and writer Howard Koch describe how …

1
Cigar Lounge #71 - Shop Talk w/ Madison Money at Ohana Nui 1:16:43

27d ago1:16:43

1:16:43

The Hollow Down Cigar Lounge, Episode #71. Cigar: Various. Topics: Underground, NFG, First Cigars, Texas Whiskey Fest, and more!

1
Tucson Roller Derby might not be the safest sport, but it is a safe space 28:20

27d ago28:20

28:20

Also on Arizona Spotlight: The Rogue Theatre defies expectations with "Cloud Nine"; and remembering Tucson artist and Holocaust survivor Chris Tanz.By AZPM

1
Srebrenica massacre 10:17

28d ago10:17

10:17

It's 30 years since a massacre of Bosnian Muslims during the war in the former Yugoslavia. The Srebrenica massacre, recognised by the United Nations as a genocide, was the shocking climax of the war in Bosnia. In 2014, Louise Hidalgo talked to Hasan Nuhanović whose father, brother and mother were among the 8,000 Bosnians killed. Eye-witness account…

1
The invention of the balloon-expandable stent 10:35

29d ago10:35

10:35

An estimated 2 million stents are implanted into people’s hearts around the world each year – making it one of the key treatments for heart disease. The treatment was invented by Argentinian doctor Julio Palmaz, who credits a piece of metal being left by a construction worker in his home as inspiration for the structure of the stent. Collaborating …

1
I Kissed a Girl, Owning “Lesbian” & Toxic Labels: Georgia Robert 47:12

29d ago47:12

47:12

In this episode, we sit down with Georgia Robert, a standout from I Kissed a Girl Season 1 and semi-pro footballer for a raw, funny and unexpectedly emotional conversation about identity, labels, sport and self-acceptance. 🌈 We get into why the word lesbian felt impossible to say, how school culture shaped shame, and why doing the show flipped ever…

1
Death of a priest 10:12

30d ago10:12

10:12

The 1977 murder of Father Rutilio Grande sent shockwaves through El Salvador. The 48-year-old Jesuit priest was an outspoken champion of the poor in the deeply divided central American nation. In the immediate aftermath of his murder, the Archbishop of San Salvador, Oscar Romero, took the unprecedented step of holding just one single mass, ordering…

1
"Si Pudiera Quedarme" (If I Can Stay) tells the story of two women seeking asylum from deportation 32:23

1M ago32:23

32:23

Also on Arizona Spotlight: "Golden Girls: The Laughs Continue" brings a new spin to beloved characters; understanding the needs of native plants during drought; and Diane Keaton remembered.By AZPM

1
The man who invented the scratch card 10:12

1M ago10:12

10:12

In May 1974, scratch cards went on sale for the first time in the US State of Massachusetts. Free giveaway and coupon games from stores had been commonplace across the USA during the 1950s and '60s – but players could easily cheat. The mathematician John Koza was hired to make the games more secure; he succeeded in making the modern-day scratch car…

1
Gaza, Trump and me: UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher 48:43

1M ago48:43

48:43

Driving through Gaza is like "driving through the ruins of Hiroshima, or Stalingrad, or Dresden" Tom Fletcher has been the United Nations humanitarian chief for almost a year and speaks to Nick two weeks into his organisation's efforts to get as much aid as possible into the Gaza Strip. He gives a behind-the-scenes account of how he works with the …

1
GLP-1: A breakthrough for diabetes and obesity 10:37

1M ago10:37

10:37

In the 1980s, scientists made a discovery that would eventually lead to the development of drugs now used worldwide to treat diabetes and to help people manage obesity through weight loss injections. One of the key scientists behind this breakthrough was Svetlana Mojsov. She discovered that a hormone called GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) plays an …

1
The UK’s first black-owned music studio 9:59

1M ago9:59

9:59

Sonny Roberts, a Jamaican carpenter, arrived in Britain in the 1950s. It was a time of racial disharmony, including the Notting Hill riots and the murder of Kelso Cochrane. In this tense atmosphere, black musicians struggled to make a name for themselves. Then in 1961, Roberts set up the UK’s first black-owned music studio, Planetone, in a basement…

1
Wangari Maathai: The first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize 10:52

1M ago10:52

10:52

In 2004, the Kenyan ecologist Wangari Maathai became the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize. Wangari Maathai founded the Green Belt Movement in 1977, a grass-roots organisation empowering local women to plant trees. It spread to other African countries and contributed to the planting of over 30 million trees. In 2016, Alex Last spoke …

1
Cigar Lounge #70 - Asylum Schizo Maduro & Inconsistencies 1:12:54

1M ago1:12:54

1:12:54

The Hollow Down Cigar Lounge, Episode #70. Cigar: Asylum Schizo Maduro. Topics: Mechanic Pains, New Fatherhood, Cuban Sandwiches, and more!

1
Conversion Therapy, Dating & Iron Fists: Eman Akwafo 46:07

1M ago46:07

46:07

In this episode, we sit down with actor, writer and producer Eman, whose work and lived experience confronts the intersections of queerness, faith and Black masculinity. From award-nominated stage work (For Black Boys…) to creating his upcoming play Limp Wrist & The Iron Fist, Eman shares the real story behind his art: including assault, silence, c…

1
The British oil tanker sunk in Indonesia 10:47

1M ago10:47

10:47

In 1958, the British oil tanker, SS San Flaviano, was sunk in the harbour of Balikpapan, Indonesia, while a rebellion was underway against President Ahmed Sukarno. It’s reported the bomb was dropped by a CIA pilot authorised to aid the rebels, but confirming their involvement has required some investigating. Megan Jones has been looking into it and…