Combat boredom with these 8 unusual podcasts – from interviews with objects to the weird wide web

Beat the doldrums with our list of unique podcasts thriving on the absurd and transporting listeners to enthralling worlds where there’s rarely a dull moment. Interviews with inanimate objects? Conversations with humanity’s most seedy and sublime individuals. Definitely. Or for your daily dose of laughter, hear about sketchy dealings in a neighborhood as told by a self-appointed, friendly neighborhood investigator in California.

For an assortment of true stories that might make you feel the unexpected and learn about different human experiences, tune into “the memory palace.” In another series, travel to a world where livestock news is the top priority or traipse through some worldly horrors in 2 fiction podcasts. Learn about the darkest corners of the internet, and hear interviews from those involved in “Darknet Diaries.” Scroll through to find these fascinatingly unusual podcasts and more on our round-up.

the memory palace

Nate DiMeo hosts Radiotopia’s “the memory palace,” sharing a wide variety of stories from the past. The grab bag of stories might surprise, shock, or make you laugh. Stream over 200 short episodes running less than 30 minutes each in any order.

The Beef and Dairy Network

Did you know that at the Beef Solstice Festival, the Northern Lights smell like meat? This is kind of grade A news we’ll hear from MaximumFun.org’s “The Beef and Dairy Network,” a comedic podcast hosted by Benjamin Partridge bringing listeners through the world of animal products and the livestock industry. You’ll hear from guests like comedians Mike Wozniak, Tom Crowley, Nick Offerman, and Josie Long as they join to share bizarre news bulletins, bust medical myths, and dole out documentary topics in episodes.

Everything is Alive

Radiotopia’s “Everything is Alive” is an unscripted interview series chatting with inanimate objects. Each episode builds a world filled with life stories from things like a lamp post, a sock, bagpipes, a chainsaw and more as told in their own words.

Darknet Diaries

Join host Jack Rhysider’s journey through the chilling world of cyber crime in “Darknet Diaries.” Hear about data breaches, election rigging, hacking, cyber attacks, and deep-dives into the dark side of the internet. Jack interviews people involved with each story and delivers a compelling narrative to complete each episode.

Love and Radio

On “Love and Radio,” host Nick van der Kolk shares personal journeys and interviews unexpected guests ranging “from the seedy to the sublime.” You’ll hear about human experiences from a bioartist focusing on DNA manipulation and genetic modification, to a taxidermist, a bank robber/almost-Olympic athlete, and many more in over 100 episodes. The fan-favorite Secrets Hotline is back and now has its own podcast feed for callers to share whatever is on their mind.

The White Vault

Get transported to Realm’s “The White Vault,” a journey through worldly horrors from a repair team’s records to Outpost Fristed in Svalbard. What’s lurking in the ice? Start the bingeable drama from episode 1 to let the full story unfold.

Valley Heat

From Starburns Audio comes “Valley Heat,” a comedy series centering on freelance insurance adjuster Doug Duguay’s personal investigative skills to explore sketchy activity in his Burbank neighborhood, Rancho Equestrian District. Stay tuned for songs in the podcast from the band Cephalopods Are People.

Hello From The Hallowoods

William A. Wellman’s “Hello From The Hallowoods” is a bittersweet sci-fi series exploring queer identity, horror tropes, and hope in humanity’s final moments. Trek through the Hallowoods with a “cosmic narrator” and the forest’s residents in creepy episodes.