Best AZPM Podcasts (2025)

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The documentary "Final Vows" looks at a way of life that is disappearing. 27:24

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3d ago27:24

27:24

Also on Arizona Spotlight: Retired Tucson architect Paula Holmes celebrates 100 years; and "Stories that Soar!" shares an amphibious love story.By AZPM

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Episode 464:Seeing the tiniest objects in the human body 5:26

8d ago5:26

5:26

Nanotechnology is allowing scientists to go beyond the microscope to see the smallest structures.By AZPM

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The A.R.F.F. Program: How shelter dogs are helping people living with aphasia. 40:53

10d ago40:53

40:53

Also on Arizona Spotlight: Sharing memories of "The Twilight Zone" with Joseph Dougherty, author of "Rod Serling at 100".By AZPM

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Episode 463:Exploring the lives of the earliest humans 5:26

15d ago5:26

5:26

Neanderthals existed at the same time as Homo sapiens hundreds of thousands of years ago.By AZPM

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The art of "Kindred Spirits: Honoring Animals in Death". 27:21

17d ago27:21

27:21

Also on Arizona Spotlight: Katrina Kerstetter shares how she brought back things she learned in South Korea to help make Southern Arizona a better place.By AZPM

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Episode 462:Building the next generation of 3-dimensional imaging 5:26

22d ago5:26

5:26

Scientists are finding ways to improve pictures to better align with the way our eyes see them.By AZPM

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"Everything You've Got": Sometimes it takes seven billion years to find yourself. 29:33

24d ago29:33

29:33

Also on Arizona Spotlight: The connection between Alcatraz prison and the Hopi tribe of Arizona; The Tucson Pink Pistols make a comeback; and the former owner of Colette's remembers Tucson's queer nightlife in the '80s.By AZPM

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Episode 461:Tracking solar storms through tree ring research 5:26

29d ago5:26

5:26

Some of the most traumatic highlights in Earth's history can be found in ancient tree rings.By AZPM

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BONUS: Is Arizona's economy facing a deceleration? 23:08

29d ago23:08

23:08

AZPM's Navigating Our Financial Times is taking over our feed this week, taking a deep dive with them into Arizona's economic outlook. What will be the impact of tariffs, immigration crackdowns on labor, and changing economic policies on sectors like housing, tourism, manufacturing, and healthcare? AZPM's Nicole Cox is joined by guest experts Linda…

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"It's the New Zoo Revue, comin' right at you!": A conversation with the hosts of the beloved 1970s kids' show. 27:21

30d ago27:21

27:21

Also on Arizona Spotlight: Mike Stark shares the natural history "Starlings: The Curious Odyssey of a Most Hated Bird"; and "Stories that Soar!" asks that we look for beauty beyond the screen.By AZPM

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Episode 460:Exploring the mystery of dark energy 5:26

1M ago5:26

5:26

Dark energy can't be seen but space scientists say it can be measured through the outward movement of supernovae and galaxies.By AZPM

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Ending the silence about mental health in Southern Arizona. 27:32

1M ago27:32

27:32

Also on Arizona Spotlight: Tucson youth explores emotion and expectations in his book "The Weight of Tomorrow"; and how Ability Dogs of Arizona pairs those in need with canine companions.By AZPM

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Meet Ms. Holmes and Ms. Watson. 27:20

1M ago27:20

27:20

Get a behind the scenes view at what it is like to win on Jeopardy, and a new 10 minute drama that explores what stepping on a crack in the pavement can really do.By AZPM

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Episode 459:Tracking advances in endoscopic technology 5:26

2M ago5:26

5:26

Researchers are revolutionizing medical imaging by creating extremely small devices that can see inside the human body.By AZPM

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Stories of Hope and Renewal 27:37

2M ago27:37

27:37

Poet and author Liza Porter, storyteller Carmelene Siani and artist Tim H. Murphy share how they're able to look to the future without despair.By AZPM

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Episode 458: Studying the natural partnerships occurring among and between plant and animal species 5:30

2M ago5:30

5:30

Scientists are studying the biological connections within and between species that benefit both. University of Arizona evolutionary biologist Judith Bronstein identifies examples of mutualism, ranging from bacterial organisms to plant pollinators.By AZPM

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Southern Arizona's role in “Peace Through Deterrence” 39:44

2M ago39:44

39:44

Titan missile silos once surrounded the area, and from churches to plant nurseries, the remnants are everywhere.By AZPM

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How the The Master - Apprentice Program is helping preserve women in mariachi 28:07

2M ago28:07

28:07

Explore how the Master-Apprentice program offered by the Southwest Folklife Alliance is preserving not just mariachi music, but the involvement of women in mariachi. Also: Sound Fiction returns with James Mustard's "Homestead on Bellatrix Prime"; celebrating the return of the Elegant Trogon to Madera Canyon; and "A Book I Love" from Cyclovia Tucson…

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Episode 457: Discovering the most distant galaxies 5:23

2M ago5:23

5:23

Astronomers are focusing on the smallest and most distant galaxies in the universe. University of Arizona researcher David Sand describes how he locates dwarf galaxies through digital sky surveys and gathers information about them using ground-based telescopes in the Southern Hemisphere.By AZPM

1
Student filmmakers confess "I Dream in Widescreen" 27:56

2M ago27:56

27:56

Also on Arizona Spotlight: Film essayist Chris Dashiell; remembering James Mercer, a Pima County Ranger killed in action in 1914; and "Stories That Soar!" celebrates the sun.By AZPM

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It's Dry Out There: What one of the driest winters ever means for Arizona 27:45

2M ago27:45

27:45

To say the recently ended winter was dry would be a bit of an understatement. The Tucson area experienced its second driest winter ever, with about a quarter of an inch of rain. That's roughly a 10th of the area's average. Mountain snowpack around the state isn't proving much better. This week, we look at how this extremely dry winter will affect A…

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Episode 456: Fueling airborne transportation with transmitted electricity 5:26

2M ago5:26

5:26

Now that people are driving electric cars and buses, researchers are working on the feasibility of all-electric airplanes.By AZPM

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Journeys in space and mind. 27:26

2M ago27:26

27:26

On Arizona Spotlight: Join Pati Jinich as she explores "Panamericana"; and Tibetan Buddhist Lama Lodu Rinpoche visits Tucson to share ancient wisdom about our inner space.By AZPM

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Arizona Treasurer Kimberly Yee 28:07

3M ago28:07

28:07

Kimberly Yee has less than two years left in her second term as Arizona Treasurer. Her time in the office has seen notable growth in Arizona's economy, a restructuring of state income taxes, and new duties assigned to her office. The Buzz spoke with her about her job, new initiatives, and financial literacy.…

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Episode 455: Studying medical science at Biosphere 2 5:26

3M ago5:26

5:26

Visitors imagine Biosphere 2 as a place for large scale research on plant life and ocean biology.By AZPM

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Crystal Gayle sings songs of the heart. 29:26

3M ago29:26

29:26

Also on Arizona Spotlight: This month's storyteller shares about the one thing in life he cannot resist; and a new segment of "A Book I Love."By AZPM

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Episode 454: Examining the health benefits of copper 5:26

3M ago5:26

5:26

Arizona's ties to copper go back to the territorial era, but the mineral also plays a big part in human health.By AZPM

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Willcox community members talk about the AMA 29:06

3M ago29:06

29:06

People express trepidation and hope about the future of water in northern Cochise County following the establishment of an Active Management Area in the Willcox basin.By AZPM

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Going the Distance! 27:50

3M ago27:50

27:50

Meet Bruce Gungle an ultamarathon runner; learn about the University of Arizona women's triathlon team from triathlete Laura Holanszky; and hear about what it's like to bike almost every street in Tucson.By AZPM

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Episode 453: Why do certain plants respond better to extreme weather events? 5:26

3M ago5:26

5:26

Plants and their pollinators work together to promote successful natural growth.By AZPM

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Wildfire and home insurance 28:06

3M ago28:06

28:06

A report from The Consumer Federation of America shows insurance rates in Arizona went up by 48% between 2021 and 2024, the third highest rate in the nation. And as wildfires grow in frequency, some homeowners say they are losing their insurance entirely.By AZPM

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April events that bring the Tucson community closer together. 29:06

3M ago29:06

29:06

Learn about the All In for Autism Dino Day and Walk; Pima Community College's Climate Community Day; John Coinman returns to the 40th Annual Tucson Folk Festival; and a new "Stories That Soar!" with some 1st grade humor.By AZPM

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Episode 452: How our brains can cause us to forget our memories 5:26

3M ago5:26

5:26

People coping with clinical amnesia provide a window to the importance of memory.By AZPM

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"Adelante, Grijalvistas:" The legacy of longtime Southern Arizona Congressman Raúl Grijalva 29:00

3M ago29:00

29:00

This week, we remember the life and legacy of former Southern Arizona Congressman Raúl Grijalva. We hear from people whose lives were touched by him, from his daughter Adelita Grijalva, to friends and constituents.By AZPM

1
"It's the New Zoo Revue, comin' right at you!": A conversation with the hosts of the beloved 1970s kids' show. 32:39

3M ago32:39

32:39

Also on Arizona Spotlight: "A SandHill Day" by nature writer Rebekah Doyle; and the final essay from "The Class of 2024" about how teens help each other through difficult times.By AZPM

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Episode 451: Communicating with alien intelligence 5:26

4M ago5:26

5:26

Exchanging messages with aliens is the source material for science fiction stories, but scientists have been trying to communicate with outer space intelligence for decades.By AZPM

1
The new film "Corina" offers a compassionate look at living with anxiety 27:45

4M ago27:45

27:45

Also on Arizona Spotlight: "A Book I Love" from the 2025 Tucson Festival of Books; "The Class of 2024" continues; and Mary Jo Pollack shares the story of earning her driver's license in 1964.By AZPM

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Episode 450: Can computers recognize human feelings? 5:26

4M ago5:26

5:26

Scientists are say the ability to recognize emotion is essential for advanced human-computer communication.By AZPM

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The Tucson Festival of Books 27:28

4M ago27:28

27:28

The annual Tucson event brings around 130,000 people together to celebrate literature. Join us as we chat with the festival organizer, a featured author, and an attendee about one of the largest book festivals in the United States.By AZPM

1
"Back to the Heart" - Gabrielle Pietrangelo celebrates the end of a 4-year journey with a new album. 26:58

4M ago26:58

26:58

Also on Arizona Spotlight: Tucson architect Paula Holmes at 100, a woman always ahead of her time; and Lilliona from "The Class of 2024" shares an essay about growing up in the digital age.By AZPM

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Episode 449: What science tells us about bilingual communication 5:26

4M ago5:26

5:26

Diverse languages and cultures interact every day in Southern Arizona. University of Arizona Speech and Cognitive Science professor Genesis Arizmendi discusses how being bilingual shapes how we communicate and connect within our communities.By AZPM

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Preventing catastrophic wildfires 27:59

4M ago27:59

27:59

Arizona's last two rainy seasons have been subpar and have left much of the wildland around the state in severe danger of wildfire. Climate change is exacerbating the situation. So what are state and federal crews doing to help combat the problem?By AZPM

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Two new books that bring important histories to light. 27:32

4M ago27:32

27:32

Kirsten Miller talks about her novel "Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books"; and Mike Stark shares the natural history "Starlings The Curious Odyssey of a Most Hated Bird".By AZPM

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How public media is dealing with funding threats 31:56

4M ago31:56

31:56

This week we interview the Chair of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Ruby Calvert, to explore how proposed cuts to public media funding could hit rural and tribal stations the hardest, threatening vital news and emergency broadcasts.By AZPM

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The Class of 2024: Student essays about graduating in a time of uncertainty. 27:42

4M ago27:42

27:42

Also on Arizona Spotlight: TIHAN provides kindness and support to those living with HIV or AIDS; and a new Ten-Minute Drama "Haricot Verts."By AZPM

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Mental healthcare in the Pima County Jail 34:07

4M ago34:07

34:07

The Buzz partners with Arizona Luminaria to tell the story of how one man and his family navigate complex mental health and justice systems.By AZPM

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Rogue Theatre's "Marjorie Prime" creates a conversation about what it means to be human in the age of AI. 29:06

5M ago29:06

29:06

Also on Arizona Spotlight: Understanding canyons on the moon; and more voices from The Class of 2024.By AZPM

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Episode 448: Tracking the seasons on Mars 5:26

5M ago5:26

5:26

Scientists have long known Mars has annual seasons just like Earth. University of Arizona planetary scientist Shane Byrne describes how 20 years of observations by the U-of-A built HiRISE orbiting camera have given researchers new insight into what happens on the surface during the 687 Earth-day Martian year.…

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Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne 27:39

5M ago27:39

27:39

The topic of K-12 education has been a major issue for Arizonans for years. Despite recent increases, the state remains near the bottom for per-pupil funding, and teachers routinely talk about having to have second jobs or side hustles to get by. The state has increased spending on schools since the Red For Ed movement began nearly a decade ago, bu…

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Bill Medley of The Righteous Brothers brings songs of love to Tucson 27:09

5M ago27:09

27:09

Listen to stories from a 60-year career largely spent helping people in love build everlasting memories. Bill Medley has one of the most distinctive voices in music history, and now at age 84 is still singing the songs the people love, continuing the legacy of The Righteous Brothers. Also: Marquez Price's new book "The Backcourt"; and "The Class of…