This month brings a shower of new podcasts for your playlist. The NPR One team gathered a few returning favorites as well as some fresh releases from across public media.

The podcast episode descriptions below are from podcast webpages and have been edited for brevity and clarity.

Short Wave – NPR

Short Wave just released a three-part mini-series on the science of drugs like ketamine and psychedelics. Researchers are studying psychedelics and ketamine for a long list of conditions. But scientists still don’t know exactly how they work. The answer to that question could help inform the future of research and innovation in the field, and how the healthcare industry approaches mental health treatment. Each episode in the series covers a different aspect of the science behind these drugs: Including how some researchers are making new compounds inspired by psychedelics … without a trip.

Start listening to part one, “Why it’s hard to study the neuroscience of psychedelics.”

Manufacturing Danger: The BioLab Story – GPB

When a chemical fire broke out at the BioLab facility in Conyers, Georgia in 2024, a plume of smoke blanketed the area, triggering evacuations and urgent warnings to stay indoors. But for many residents, this wasn’t just an isolated emergency — it was part of a larger pattern of industrial incidents that raised serious concerns about safety and oversight. In Manufacturing Danger: The BioLab Story, Pamela Kirkland investigates what led to the fire, how officials and the company responded, and the lingering questions about its impact on the community. Through firsthand accounts, expert analysis and newly uncovered details, this series explores the broader implications of chemical safety, regulation, and corporate responsibility — while giving voice to those living with the consequences.

Start listening to episode one, “Chemical Smoke Everywhere.”

This is My Thing – KUT

This Is My Thing explores the ways we find and bring joy into our lives. It’s about the things we do not because it’s a job or a necessity, but simply because we love to do them. You’ll meet a guy who finds satisfaction in using his metal detector to find other people’s lost objects and you’ll hear from a group of retired ladies who started a ukulele band just because it sounded fun. And that’s just the start.

Listen to, “Lumber Milling!”

Making: Stories Without End – WBEZ

Soap operas are the foundation of American television storytelling. From early radio days in the 1930s to the invention of TV to streaming, soaps have endured by telling intergenerational family stories. Daytime dramas are an important part of American television history and popular culture. It’s been said that television is socially ahead of movies. Soap operas take that social consciousness a step further. Rape, abortion, AIDS, LGBTQ+ storylines — before primetime or even mainstream America was ready. But soaps have been written off as low-brow drivel for women. For decades, soaps routinely pushed serious social issues the general public didn’t even know about because they weren’t paying attention to them. Take this journey to learn the history of soaps, the innovative creators who pushed social impact and how the genre was the moneymaker for networks for decades. This is television’s unique immersive storytelling.

Start listening to, “Meet Irna Phillips: The Queen of Daytime.”

Hyphenación – KQED

Hey, que onda? Welcome to Hyphenación, a podcast hosted by Xorje Andrés Olivares where conversation and cultura meet. What kind of no sabo word is Hyphenación? For us, it’s about living within a hyphenation. Like being a third-gen Mexican-American from the Texas border now living that Bay Area Chicano life — like Xorje! Each week we bring together a couple of hyphenated Latinos to talk all about personal life choices: family, careers, relationships, belonging … everything is on the table. We love listening to shows about culture and identity like Tamarindo, It’s Been a Minute, Latina to Latina, Vibe Check, Locatora Radio and Dear Millennial. If you like them, too, then you’ll enjoy Hyphenación! So start listening!

Listen to, “Who Gets to Be Latino?”

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Terrestrials – WNYC

This spring, we’re diving into the wonderfully weird. Get ready to meet some of the fiercest, strangest creatures on Earth — from Hawaiian jungle goblins to New York City’s elusive sewer beasts to nine-foot-tall misunderstood snow monsters. When we take a closer look at the creatures we usually fear, we often discover a little magic, wonder, even friendship! Join host Lulu Miller and Songbud Alan Goffinski for our wildest season yet — a nature walk packed with jaw-dropping stories, unforgettable guests, and original music. Listen with your family, or just by yourself. Either way, you’re in for an adventure. New episodes drop every Thursday — keep your eyes on the feed!

Start listening to, “The Shadow Creature: Rats Who Save Human Lives.”

How Curious – KGOU

It’s almost impossible to imagine life without the shopping cart today. However, it was invented less than a hundred years ago. Rachel Hopkin explores how it came about, its pervasive impact, and the role that the Oklahoma inventor/entrepreneur/philanthropist Sylvan Goldman played in its success.

Listen to, “Was the shopping cart invented in Oklahoma?”

NPR’s Jessica Green and Jack Mitchell curated and produced this piece.