Dec 12, 2016 7:00 AM

Conspiracy Theories, Russian Cowboys, and 3 More Must-Hear Podcasts

Hoaxes from NASA, cocaine from the CDC, and sanctimony from Enid Strict.

Ah, it's the most wonderful time of the year—if you’re ready for the endless Christmas jingles and cold winds of December. Whether or not you’re feeling Grinchy, let these podcasts of Russian cowboys herding cattle with bicycle bells and an urgent murder mystery carry you from the subway to your door. And if you’re looking to listen to a holiday classic as you decorate the tree, opt for a heartwarming tale of love found through a 1966 computer the size of a van—or the story behind that old favorite anthem of love and vegetables, "Choppin’ Broccoli."

NPR
Hidden Brain, “Panic in the Streets”
A murder victim with a deadly, contagious disease. Blood tests bought with bribes. Cocaine provided by the Centers for Disease Control. In the latest episode of *Hidden Brain*, hear the unbelievably true story of the team that had to track down potentially infected killers, before one death-by-stabbing turned into a full-scale ebola epidemic—including finding a gang member named Time Bomb in Monrovia. [Listen here.](http://www.npr.org/podcasts/510308/hidden-brain)
NPR
Planet Money, "The Russian Rodeo"
Want a porterhouse steak from Russian steers? To create a viable beef industry, the Miratorg company imported grass from Europe and horses from America, but there was one problem: hapless Russian cowboys. So they flew in Sean Weeks, a fourth generation American cowboy, to teach the "cow operators" how to lasso and conduct yourself at a rodeo—and that you should not herd cattle with a bicycle bell. [Listen here.](http://www.npr.org/sections/money/2016/11/25/503158885/episode-738-the-russian-rodeo)

WTF
WTF with Marc Maron, "Dana Carvey"
Before he was Jimmy Stewart swearing at a waiter or Enid Strict offering sanctimonious advice or Garth Algar making moves to "Foxy Lady," Dana Carvey was a funny kid in a tough household. On *WTF*, Carvey talks with Marc Maron about his upbringing, his auditions for *Saturday Night Live*, how black teeth enamel gave Hans and Franz their smug grins, and why he “did a Heisman with fame.” You’ll be humming "Choppin’ Broccoli" all week. [Listen here.](http://www.wtfpod.com/podcast/episode-765-dana-carvey)
Computer dating has always led to cringe-worthy stories—even when the device in question was an early IBM model the size of a van. In 1966, 50 years before Tinder, four Harvard students created Operation Match, a computer-based dating service designed to help nerds move beyond the awkwardness of going to a mixer and, you know, approaching each other. *Undone* has an unlikely success story (involving a male corset) from the service, and the tale of how Operation Match’s model of questionnaires has changed to the game-based model favored by today’s nerds looking for love.

Relay FM
Ungeniused, "Flat Earth Societies"
Yeah, the past few months have introduced some scary conspiracy theories that fall flat—but none as obtuse as those espoused by the Flat Earth Society. Based on an 1849 experiment on a very straight, still river in England, these true believers stand tall against that famous liar, Galileo, and the globularists spreading hoaxes of a spherical planet over at NASA, publishing headlines like "The Sun Does Not Set" and "Australia Not Down Under." Stare out at the setting sun and hear a conspiracy theory that’ll have you laughing instead of grimacing, for a change. [Listen here.](https://www.relay.fm/ungeniused/13)