From internet trends to rabbit holes, check out these new podcasts

Zach Mack and his dad are living in separate realities, and it's tearing their family apart. Like so many Americans, Zach's dad has gotten swept up in conspiracy theories. After years of circular arguments, the father challenged his son to a bet: $10,000 on ten politically apocalyptic predictions that would all happen in 2024. In this three-part series, we follow Zach on an intimate journey to bring his father back from the rabbit hole. Start listening to part one, "Alternate Realities: A Strange Bet."

Ever wonder where the internet stops and IRL begins? Close All Tabs breaks down how digital culture shapes our world through thoughtful insights and irreverent humor. From internet trends to AI slop to the politics of memes, Close All Tabs covers it all. How will AI change our jobs and lives? Is the government watching what I post? Is there life beyond TikTok? Host Morgan Sung pulls from experts, the audience, and history to add context to the trends and depth to the memes. And she'll wrestle with as many browser tabs as it takes to explain the cultural moment we're all collectively living. Listen to, "TikTok's Vibe Shift."

Sgt. Tibbs, a beloved indoor/outdoor cat, goes missing on the streets of Manchester, New Hampshire. His owner fears the worst. But when she finds out her cat was never missing at all, the truth turns out to be worse than she feared. From the Document team at New Hampshire Public Radio, a four-part series about what we owe our pets – and what we owe our neighbors. Start listening to part one, "Chicken Livers."

The way football is played and who plays it — from the pee-wees to the pros — tells us so much about race, labor and power in the United States. Code Switch breaks all this down in their latest three-part series about America's most popular sport. In this conversation with cultural anthropologist Tracie Canada, they explore how starting from young ages, Black players are nudged towards more physically taxing positions that require more strength, athleticism, speed. That affects who gets injured, how they're cared for and how they get paid. Start listening to part one, "What football tells us about race, labor and power."

Why is Wisconsin so important to U.S. politics? Season 2 explores why the nonpartisan Wisconsin Supreme Court race feels so partisan and why it matters. Start listening to episode one, "Welcome to court."

What can be done to reverse cycles of violence and retaliation when shooters value their reputation over their own lives. We know where this violence occurs, we know what drives it. How can we start Living For We and decrease the violence? We'll talk with people who are navigating streets where gun violence is normalized – seen as no big deal, while at the same time ruining lives. We'll listen to those fighting for their children and their communities, putting in work to uplift their neighborhoods and create meaningful change. Start listening to episode one, "Both Sides of the Gun."

For most of our planet's existence, the Earth was quiet. The boisterous sounds of life we know today are a recent development, one that the growing field of bioacoustics is helping us understand and interpret. In this episode, we travel to Australia to listen to dolphins and meet the microbes that helped usher in life on the planet. Start listening to episode one, "The Slime of Life."

Fumed is an investigative podcast about two stubborn Texans trying to salvage what's left of their working-class community. That's a problem, though, because they live in East Harris County, where the petrochemical industry calls the shots — and where pushing back can be dangerous. A four-part series from Public Health Watch. Start listening to part one, "River on Fire."

Sometimes, the only way to make an impact is to be loud. This hour, three female performers talk about the rewards — and consequences — that come from speaking out and making people feel uncomfortable. Guests include comedian Lilly Singh, Pussy Riot co-founder Nadya Tolokonnikova and actor, playwright and director Sarah Jones. Listen to, "Unapologetically loud women who push boundaries — but not without pushback."