What is a Podcast?
The word "podcast" is a hybrid of two words: "pod" is short for "Portable On Demand" content, and "cast" comes from the word "broadcast". Specifically, a podcast is digital media file (usually audio, video and PDF), that is distributed over the Internet for playback on personal computers and portable media players.1

How are Podcasts Used to Communicate Science?
Podcasting is an ideal platform for education because it is an inexpensive way to quickly deliver information to anyone with a computer and Internet access, including:

• Lectures and presentations
• Course work and assignments
• Interviews
• Debates

Video podcasts are especially usefully for sharing information that requires visual input, such as highly technical lab protocols and procedures.

How Do I Access a Podcast?
Now that you know what a podcast is, let's talk about how you can access one.

Depending on the "podcaster" (the author of a podcast), audiences may have several options when accessing a podcast:

Download: the audience goes to the podcaster's website and downloads the podcast to a personal computer for review

Streaming: the audience goes to the podcaster's website to access the podcast live, through technology provided by the podcaster's website

Web Feed: the audience member uses a special type of software, called an aggregator, to subscribe to a podcast(s). Aggregators alert the audience member when a new podcast is available from a subscribed source.

Where Can I Find Science Podcasts?
Two podcasts worth reviewing are from Science and New Scientist . Both are syndicated weekly and cover a wide range of topics within science and technology. These website are also very user friendly, allowing the audience to access podcasts by live streaming, manual download or subscription through web feeds.

If you have never accessed a podcast before, try live streaming or manual download first: they're more intuitive than web feed technology.

How Do I Create a Podcast?
In order to create a podcast, you will need some basic hardware and software:

What You Need:

• A computer
• A computer microphone
• Access to the Internet
• Audio-recording software (try Audacity, a free, open-source software)

Creating a Podcast:

Step 1: Attach a microphone to your computer
Step 2: Download audio recording software from the Internet
Step 3: Record your podcasting session
Step 4: Save the file as an MP3 file on your computer
Step 5: Upload your podcast to your website
Step 6: Syndicate your podcast

Additional details about creating a podcast, including recommendations regarding file size and syndicating your podcast are available through the following links:

Five Steps to Free Podcasting (by Digitalpodcast.com)

Make Your First Podcast or Make A Podcast (MIT)

Creating Video Podcasts on Windows (Apple Inc.)

Creating Video Podcasts on MAC OSX (Apple Inc.)

References:
1. "Podcast" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pod_cast