Podcast roundup: Our picks for the week, from The Art Newspaper to Ezra Klein Show, and Lore

Podcasts have seen a rapid upsurge in popularity in recent years. From true crime to design, popular culture and modern relationships, fiction to in-depth reportage, podcasts have proliferated to the point where no matter how esoteric the subject, there’s bound to be a show that deals with it. Amid this cornucopia of audio delights, however, how do you pick the podcast that’s most worth your while? This is where our weekly curated playlist steps in; it’s a lowdown on the best episodes from a selection of podcasts that deserve a listen. Ready to tune in? *** —  The Art Newspaper Weekly Rembrandt special: the complete artist About the podcast: Hosted by  Ben Luke, the weekly podcast delves into the art world’s biggest stories — from breaking news to insights into the exhibitions and the events around the world — with the help of special guests. About the episode: As numerous exhibitions open marking the 350th anniversary of the Old Master’s death, Luke speaks to Taco Dibbits, the director of the Rijksmuseum about the museum’s blockbuster shows and its imminent public restoration of The Night Watch. The podcast also looks at a masterpiece in the Dulwich Picture Gallery, and at his prints and drawings in the British Museum. Runtime: 54 minutes Listen to the episode here.

—  The Ezra Klein Show Life after climate change, with David Wallace-Wells About the podcast: Vox’s founder and editor-at-large,  Ezra Klein, presents far-reaching conversations about hard problems, big ideas, illuminating theories, and cutting-edge research. About the episode: David Roberts (filling in for Klein) sits down with author and journalist David Wallace-Wells (The Uninhabitable Earth: What Climate Change Means) to discuss the latest science of climate change, the way that political and scientific reticence have caused us to underestimate it and his hopes for the future. Runtime: 72 minutes Listen to the episode  here.

—  Lore Episode 109: Assumption About the podcast: Simply put, Lore is a podcast about true life scary stories. Created and hosted by  Aaron Mahnke, it exposes the darker side of history, exploring the creatures, people, and places of wildest nightmares. About the episode: There’s a lot in life we can count on. Death, taxes, the sunrise, and political turmoil — these are all guaranteed, safe bets. But outside that, everything else is an assumption. And sometimes we get it tragically, horribly wrong. Salem has a rich history beyond the infamous witch trials of the 17th century. In this episode, Mahnke tells a fascinating and intricate tale of a murder set in the town in the year 1830. Runtime: 34 minutes Listen to the episode here.

—  The Tip Off Ep.28 W1G About the podcast: Hosted by Maeve McClenaghan, the podcast takes you behind the scenes of some of the best investigative journalism from recent years. Each episode digs into an investigative scoop — hearing from the journalists behind the work as they discuss the leads, the dead-ends and the tip-offs. About the episode: What connects a wide-screen TV in the toilet, a faked blockbuster film and an elaborate Las Vegas heist? Turns out… it’s one address in central London. In this episode,  Oliver Bullough discusses how he followed a tangle of financial crimes back to the source, discovering a far-from-transparent system on the way. You can read Bullough’s investigative piece discussed in the episode, Offshore in central London: the curious case of 29 Harley Street, here. Runtime: 18 minutes Listen to the episode  here.

—  Proof Natural Vs. Artificial Flavors

 About the podcast: Proof, a podcast from America’s Test Kitchen, investigates the foods we love and don’t love, asks the big questions (where do food cravings come from?), and aims to uncover the elusive backstories behind it all.

About the episode: You’ve seen them on labels, but what are natural and artificial flavours anyway? Reporter Sara Joyner explains the difference and why going natural might not always be the best option. Runtime: 9 minutes Listen to the episode