IN COLOR: November 2026 podcast playlist

Color seems like one of the most ordinary parts of our world, but look a little closer and it becomes surprisingly complicated. Why was purple once reserved for royalty? How do insects shape the colors we see around us? Can a color be both a scientific phenomenon and a cultural invention? This playlist explores color through the lenses of science, art, history, technology, and human perception, revealing how something we often take for granted shapes the way we experience—and understand—the world.

This playlist was curated by Maree, leader of the Northern Virginia PBC chapter.

Podcast Playlist on COLOR

Get the full playlist on your podcast player of choice using these platforms:

* Listen Notes allows you to quickly download all of the episodes using a variety of podcast apps. Here is a quick demo video.

Inner Cosmos with David Eagleman: “Ep116 ” What is Color? Part 2: Why royals wear purple”” (August 2025, 38 min)
How does the brain create our experience of color, and why can’t we imagine a color we’ve never seen? Explore the science of color perception and discover how purple became a symbol of wealth and royalty.
Stories in Colour: “How bugs turned the world red” (June 2025, 59 min)
Some of history’s most prized red pigments came from tiny insects. Discover how these natural dyes transformed art, textiles, trade, and the pursuit of wealth.
Emergence Magazine Podcast: “Museum of Color – Stephanie Krzywonos” (September 2025, 47 min)
The history of color is filled with fascinating materials, surprising discoveries, and sometimes disturbing origins. Explore the stories behind pigments made from everything from precious minerals to unexpected natural sources.
Big Picture Science: “In Living Color” (November 2023, 54 min)
Color isn’t just beautiful; it can help living things survive, communicate, and attract mates. Discover how animals use color and why the world may look very different to other species than it does to us.
Long Now: “Adam Rogers: Full Spectrum: The Science of Color and Modern Human Perception” (February 2023, 58 min)
From ancient pigments to synthetic dyes and digital displays, humans have continually expanded the colors available to us. Science journalist Adam Rogers explores how technology, commerce, and our understanding of perception have shaped the colorful world we inhabit.

Bonus podcast episodes:

• Art Slice – A Palatable Serving of Art History: “Pink w/ Stuart Semple – Art Slice Museum Laboratories Division of Color Theory & Color Studies” (November 2023, 1 hr 22 min)
  Pink has a rich history that goes far beyond its modern associations with femininity. Artist Stuart Semple explores the color’s place in art and culture, examining how its meanings have shifted over time.
• Patented: History of Inventions: “Vantablack: The Darkest Material On Earth” (August 2022, 31 min)
  What happens when scientists create a material that absorbs almost all the light that hits it? Discover the technology behind Vantablack and the controversy that erupted when its extraordinary properties entered the art world.
• Distillations | Science History Institute: “Can Color Heal Us?” (June 2024, 39 min)
  For centuries, people have claimed that colors and colored light can improve health and well-being. This episode investigates the history of color therapy and examines what scientific evidence can tell us about its potential benefits.

Conversation Starter Questions:

1. Is color really “out there,” or is it all in our heads?
2. How much of a color’s meaning is cultural?
3. Would you pay more for a color if you knew it was rare or difficult to produce?
4. Should anyone be allowed to own or control a color?
5. If you could change one thing about how you perceive color, would you?”