Culture

Lions in the Suburbs and 4 Other Must-Hear Podcast Getaways

Flesh-eating beetles, a radio drama broadcast from the Eiffel Tower, and a horror story told through voicemails. Here are the podcasts to hear this week.
Lion Cubs First Birthday At Taronga Zoo
Getty Images

Ready to escape the daily commute? Get away to a suburb in Australia with lions on the loose, or a variety show broadcast from a ballroom at the top of the Eiffel Tower. These podcasts will still get you back in time for work — and you’ll feel grateful your job doesn’t involve flesh-eating beetles, haunted letters, or John Hodgman’s teen insecurities.

  • Image may contain Advertisement and Poster
    Dead Pilots Society

    Dead Pilots Society, “Only Child”

    In the autobiographical “Only Child”, a 14-year-old John Hodgman navigates a band practice romance, the pot-smoking guidance counselor who lives in his house, and the question of why his parents won’t allow him to have his own apartment. Host Ben Blacker (*Thrilling Adventure Hour*) interviews Hodgman about the TV pilot that somehow never got made --- and Hodgman acts as himself in a table read, cast alongside 14-year-old co-stars. Listen [here](http://www.maximumfun.org/dead-pilots-society/episode-2-only-child-written-john-hodgman).
  • Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

    The Real Thing, “Backyard Lion Safari”

    What would you do if you found your dog in the mouth of a lion? This podcast from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation tells bizarre true stories from the country’s residents, and this tale of escaped lions on the loose in the suburbs offers all you hoped for from a childhood in Australia. Hear from kids who grew up next door to the lions, who sprinkle their stories with Australian slang, imitations of their neighbors eating dinner, and the tale of a dog’s tragic end. Listen [here](http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/realthing/lion-escape-bullen-african-lion-safari-warragamba/7677760).
  • Mabel

    Mabel, “The Letters”

    Ana Limón has been working as a caretaker for Sally, an elderly woman, for six months. And eerie things have started to happen, perhaps because of a powerful box of letters. Ana doesn’t have anyone to turn to except Sally’s estranged granddaughter, Mabel, who won’t return her calls. Told through Ana’s increasingly panicked voicemails for Mabel, this fictional drama is creepy and personal. Listen [here](http://mabelpodcast.com/episodes/).
  • Ah, the sound of 20,000 beetles gnawing at owl flesh. In this episode of *Here Be Monsters*, learn about the “museum volunteers” who help curators prepare macaws and jaguars for natural history exhibits in record time (less than 24 hours to clean a squirrel-sized animal!). Hear the beetles at work and be grateful you don’t see them --- or smell anything. As curator Chris Stinson says, “You have no idea what a rotting skull smells like.”
  • Julian hopes to be a part of it all: the ventriloquism lessons, the cricket translation machine, the bird who plays every instrument in an orchestra save the viola. But *Orbiting Human Circus (of the Air)*, a fictional variety radio show broadcast from a ballroom at the top of the Eiffel Tower, has no place for a lonely, bumbling janitor. Told by Julian’s imaginary friend---or at least, imaginary narrator---the latest project from the *Welcome to Nightvale* team is as delightfully strange as you’d expect.
Charley Locke is a writer for WIRED covering culture and photography. ... Read more
Writer
Read More
How to Advocate for Trans Rights in Your Community
Want to push back against the bigoted attacks targeting trans and gender-nonconforming people? Here are specific ways you can help—with your time, money, and everyday actions.
The Best Home Treadmills to Maintain Your Mileage
Putting a treadmill in your home can help you stick to your workout plan. We ran for miles and miles on the most popular models to help your choose the best one for you.
15 Best Gifts for Men, Manly Men, and Menly Man Men
When you need something that's as mannishly masculinized as you can get for the Man™ in your life, we have you covered.
How to Buy a Bike Helmet
What is rotational impact? When do you have to replace your helmet? Here’s what to look for when shopping for a bike helmet.
The Best Read-It-Later Apps for Curating Your Longreads
With the popular app Pocket going away, you'll need a new way to catch up on those articles you've been meaning to read. Here are the best options.
A New Law of Nature Attempts to Explain the Complexity of the Universe
A novel suggestion that complexity increases over time, not just in living organisms but in the nonliving world, promises to rewrite notions of time and evolution.
The Dell 14 Plus Tries Its Best To Reset Dell’s Laptops
Dell's rebranding efforts officially kick off with the Dell 14 Plus. Is it more than just a fresh coat of paint?
Bill Atkinson, Macintosh Pioneer and Inventor of Hypercard, Dies at 74
Atkinson’s gleeful brilliance helped people draw on computer screens and access information via links.
24 Best Deals on Father's Day Gifts
Get Dad a WIRED-approved weather station, pair of headphones, or treadmill for less.
The Best Backpacking Tents for Getting Away From It All
The right shelter makes all the difference in the backcountry. Here are the best tents we’ve tested and love.
Tech Up Your Sourdough With These Upper-Crust Baking Gadgets
Sourdough bread is one of the most wonderful things you can make with your hands, but it can be fussy and hard to perfect. Now technology takes out most of the pesky guesswork.
Which Samsung Galaxy Phone Should You Buy?
From flagship and budget to flipping and folding, Samsung’s Galaxy range spans the breadth of the smartphone cosmos. WIRED’s here to help you make your choice.