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Good podcast but too many adds

The concept of this show is great, but it’s too short and has too many commercials.

My initial thought after listening to my first episode was ‘I WANT MORE’ and said episode wasn’t long enough! But no, I quickly realized this could be by design and that I’ll be able to dip my toes in many different areas that I may not normally be exposed to. SUCH a refreshing find.

I like the research and content, but have had to stop listening due to the production choices to use sound effects and foley, especially the eating and drinking ones. If you have misophonia you can regularly, suddenly be triggered by some unnecessary sound ( if you don’t have misophonia, just to understand, it activates fight or flight, makes me want to jump out of my skin. Think nails on a chalkboard.)

I’ve been listening for awhile and I always wonder where does he find his ideas for shows. I love the way science is made even more interesting with his additional info.

I’ve been a fan of Sam Kean’s work for years. Science is not my best subject, and science history can often be a bit dry, but Sam is amazing at sharing the history of science in a fun and interesting way. This podcast and all his books are wonderful!

Quite informational and intriguing! Many of the more disparaging reviews are attributed to ad breaks; but there are, frankly, only two per episode, which can be easily skipped.

I LOVE this podcast and the work you put into it! People in the reviews are driving me NUTS with complaining about the ads. Do you all realize you get this podcast for FREE? You have a fast forward button it takes like 5 seconds to skim through the ads, it’s bogus to give this wonderful podcast 1 star because of two sets of ads conveniently placed in the show. They put so much work into creating interesting, short, easily digestible podcasts that are at no cost to us, I can easily look over having to lift a finger a couple times to skip over and ad or two. Seriously y’all don’t even HAVE to listen to them unlike when you watch live tv, it’s crazy to be complaining that much and lowering the ratings for this stellar show. Thank you to Sam, from a science history loving young girl in the US :) I appreciate the hard work and the amazing stories!

Love the show. It’s very exciting and interesting. I’ve learned so much about things I interact with on a daily basis. But the ads are ridiculous. I can handle the ones at the beginning and end of the podcast. But the ones in the middle drive me bonkers. They cut off the host in mid sentence and/or thought. And then go for 2 minutes. It’s hard to catch back up to where the conversation was going. Plus, if you are listening to several of these at a time, you can tell it’s the same ads over and over. I think there’s about six minutes of ads now for a 18 minute segment.

The quantity of ads is beyond obnoxious.

omg please heed the reviews!! this used to be my favorite podcast but the ads are unbearable. I’ve listened to hundreds and this is by far the worst now.

Join Sam Kean for each episode about a weird and interesting story from the world of science. Fun, snappy presentation and narration. Definitely recommend.

Always excited to get new episodes in my feed. Great narration, amazing stories and tidbits I share constantly with my family (many eye rolls from my kids follow) I also enjoy the audiobooks.

Interesting and well produced podcast. Stories are intriguing and the narrator is excellent. But the ads are out of control. Four to six minutes per episode. Set your fast forward to a minute.

Fascinating podcast but too many ads.

Kean is truly terrific. The podcasts are exactly like his books, packed with rare moments of history and facts you’ve never heard of. Why don’t schools teach this? Haven’t heard an episode that wasn’t thoroughly enjoyable and a perfect length for lunchtime listening! If you’re a fan of revisionist history, this is right up your alley… at the intersection of fascinating and forgotten. Sam… keep it going.

Too long of the SAME advertisement for a 20 min episode. Sam Kean I live your books but please do your fans a favor and fix your podcasts and the amount of advertising. It’s over the top.

I would enjoy it more if half the episodes didn't randomly cut off a few minutes before the end. Please fix this. I shouldn't have to go to your website just to hear the last three minutes of the story.

Really love listening to these! Wish we could get more on a consistent basis.

Great information but the ads are killing me. Unbelievable. Worst podcast ever ad-wise.

This podcast always hits on the most interesting topics. The storyline is always engaging and Sam is a wonderful storyteller. I would recommend to all ages. Great for students that are showing interest in math, science, and science history.

I love your work and want to become a patrion, but the website you give only takes me to an advertisement. Please help me.

I love Sam Kean’s books and the content of this podcast. Wish they were consistently 5-10 minutes longer. As someone who reads a lot of science history, Kean does a great job of telling stories which are repeated often but also stories I’ve never heard.

I really like Sam’s books but these episodes are too short and full of advertisements.

Can’t wait for new episodes! Always fascinating.

Fascinating and easy to listen to, highly recommended if you love history and science in storytelling form!! I love it!!

Your most recent episode seems to be pitching Lamarckianism. This is just bad science, a disservice to your listeneners, and a sensationalist misrepresentation of how evolution works.

Each topic is a great way to start your science class. Each topic will peak your students interest and show how science can be interesting and how scientists are real ordinary people.

Really enjoying this so far! Give it a listen if you like shorter factual pods but with a unique spin. Haven’t heard a lot of these topics elsewhere which is nice!

Think Lore, but focusing on science history. The topics range from obscure people who’ve been left behind by the history books to science-y discoveries. Great storytelling with interesting topics. I hope this podcast blows up in popularity because I can’t wait for more episodes!

I love the vagaries of history and science that Sam tells in these stories. Incidental, accidental, but ultimately consequential. PS I highly recommend his excellent book, Bastard Brigade.

I don't listen to a science history podcast to hear the host's political views. I turn to science to escape the constant politics, but Sam just couldn't help himself. I unsubscribed.

Science stories, expertly told

I absolutely LOVE Sam Kean! I think he’s an incredible storyteller and it’s so fun to experience that in a different form than his books. The Violinist’s Thumb inspired me to become a biochemistry major in college and I am so excited to see whatever Mr. Kean is up to next. Thank you!

I love the topics. He makes mundane historical people and events pertinent and fascinating. Through meticulous research, good production and enthralling storytelling he made me a fan from my first listen.

Rich in info. Allows me to research deeper on my own after listening. Great stuff, Sam!

Really enjoy Sam and his story telling. Would recommend!

I picked up Sam Kean’s book, The Disappearing Spoon, a few years ago and have been a fan ever since. Found the podcast this summer and have really enjoyed the stories- Sam is such a great story teller! I would have to agree with other reviews that the politics in the last episode were a turn off. I’ll continue listening and hope to just hear great stories- without politics.

The last episode really annoyed me due to the political lies. Fauci flipped flopped so much, blame him.

I read the book and this podcast is like an extra few chapters which is great.

I used to really enjoy this podcast and the twists and turns in the stories. It’s obviously well researched..... and then it had to get political. I listen to this podcast as a brief refuge from everything going on in the world, and now we can’t even have that. Sadly, you lost me as a listener.

This podcast was a pleasure to listen to for a while, but Sam Kean couldn't keep his politics as second to the story. He, at first, did a good job of telling stories about history in science. In a hyper-political America, he kept his bias to a measured amount evidenced only in how he selected and framed stories. But the stories, not the politics, were the center. The last episode destroyed that and sold out the story to serve a narrative. To be clear: the Tesla/John Trump episode was a good story with valid points, that Kean spoiled by pushing it hard to the political. If you are leftist, you probably will love this podcast since it will affirm your worldview. But if you are not, the podcast will be spoiled because you will see another area where you wanted to engage history/science be poisoned by the religion of politics.

I really enjoy the stories, history, and science of this podcast, but the last episode really turned me off. Too much political hate and hyperbole in the world today. I didn’t expect to find it in this podcast too. Taking a break for a couple months. I hope to come back to less partisanship and more good content.

Science and history done interestingly.

I LOVE THIS PODCAST! Disappearing Spoon is non-fiction storytelling at its best. It always feels like engaging in a breathless orgy with historical presumption, empirical evidence, the people who gently guide something into being, and the overwhelming, unreasonable, sometimes laughable things that stand in the way of a rational outcome. Sam Kean’s podcast is a masterpiece. Every time there’s a new episode, I'm thrilled and listening ASAP. In my opinion, it’s ONE of very FEW good things on the internet. - Grace Potter

I have been a fan of his books since the Disappearing Spoon. This podcast is very interesting, short and fun!

Thank you so much for your work and passion. I love all the stories. I look forward to each one. I appreciate the sound effects, puts a smile on my face. I have always thought that bringing a book to audio or story telling could include the atmospheric sounds. I recommend your podcast and website to everyone. Peace and gratitude.

Quick and entertaining podcast. Interesting to my whole family. Love the sound effects. Adds humor and a drama. Highly recommend. 😊

The Disappearing Spoon quickly became one of my top 3 favorite books, even before I finished reading it. Though it’s wonderfully written and a fantastic balance between science and what sometimes seems like fiction, it can be slightly arduous to read in parts. I’m no Scientist, so perhaps therein lies the twinge of disconnect but this podcast makes up for it in every way! Stories and science mix together again in an effortless, easy listen that will keep your brain updated without putting it on scientific overload! Well done! Please keep making more.