In a way, Facebook with its 3 billion users has simply become a reflection of the worst in humanity. Then again, as this podcast series based on a leak of internal documents shows, even when its executives know how to address certain issues, they often choose not to. Every episode is worth listening to, but if you only have time for one episode, try #3: How Facebook is being used as a platform for human trafficking and how it makes money along the way. now. (There might be a popup telling you that you need to subscribe, but you can just close it. Alternatively, you can listen to the podcast on Spotify)

On a lighter note: This is the perfect podcast to listen to while you’re doing other things. Based on true events — with a bit of added spice, humour and imagination — it tells the story of Edith Wilson, «the first female President of the United States». When President Woodrow Wilson suffers a severe stroke, the first lady, Edith, starts running the country. Fun and bingeworthy.

Even if you tried really hard, it was almost impossible to get through this pandemic without increased reliance on food delivery (your Friday delivery of a delicious Filet not included). The Land of the Giants podcast which I have recommended before, has just completed a super interesting miniseries of 6 episodes on the food delivery industry — you’ll learn about early movers, shady tactics, cloud kitchens, and why even in 2020, none of the big players made a profit. now. (the overview page is a bit confusing — you can start with the trailer, called «Delivery Wars», or the first episode, «The Cost of Convenience»).

One man’s quest to invent the perfect pasta shape. What makes a pasta shape perfect, you ask? It scores high on all relevant criteria, 1. sauceability, 2. forkability and 3. toothsinkability. Spans over five episodes, 30 minutes each, scores high on bingeability. Start listening now.

After going deep on Amazon and Netflix, season 3 of the Land of the Giants podcast is all about Google. Learn how Google became an arbiter of human knowledge and arguably the most powerful tech giant of all, from its academic beginnings to the latest controversies

Among all first world problems, this surely ranks among the worst: You discover a great new show, binge on it…only to realise that the last episode isn’t available yet. Happened to me with the podcast The Apology Line this week — couldn’t wait for the finale. Lucky you: All episodes are now available. Is it worth it? I’ll say this: I listen to a lot of podcasts, and never since the first season of Serial has one gripped me as much as this one. Listen to the trailer and prepare to get hooked.

An excellent episode from the BBC’s The Documentary Podcast. On the importance of maps (for, among other things, fighting epidemics), and why so much of Africa is still not mapped properly. Listen to it here.

This week, I re-listened to Gimlet’s Startup podcast, in which founder Alex Blumberg documents the first steps of what would become his podcast company (it’s even more interesting to listen to now with the hindsight knowledge that Gimlet was recently acquired by Spotify for more than $200 million.) I realised that I had missed one episode when it came out, which to me is the standout episode in an already outstanding first season: It’s the episode in which they report on a time when several employees are on the brink of burning out. Highly recommended.