Engines of Our Ingenuity is a daily radio and podcast series from Houston Public Media, founded and hosted by John Lienhard, telling stories of technology and culture. The feed lists 100 episodes of about four minutes each. Downloads are estimated at 2,000 to 8,000 per episode, with an estimated host-read rate of $40 to $200. Episodes are numbered, and the transcripts date to 1988.
A daily, four-minute public radio history of invention with a long-running loyal audience
- Publishes a new episode almost every day, giving a sponsor frequent, short placements.
- Has run since 1988, with 184 Apple Podcasts ratings averaging 4.8 stars.
- Distributed through Houston Public Media and carried on public radio, so reach extends beyond podcast apps.
Brand fit report
Content
- Formats
- solo monologue, narrative
- Tone
- curious, educational
- Language
- English
- Production
- Clean, edited audio
- Typical length
- 3 to 4 minutes
Audience
Commercial
- Brands seen
- University of Houston
- Categories promoted
- higher education
- Affiliate links
- Yes
The description says the content is sponsored by the University of Houston, and the feed carries a Houston Public Media donate link.
Suitability GARM Brand Safety Floor + Suitability
Family friendly
The feed is not flagged explicit and titles such as 'Dams' and 'A Better Spacesuit' are educational.
We classify content, never people. No age, gender, ethnicity, religion or political views are inferred about the creator. Audience figures are estimates unless marked verified. Creators can correct anything on their profile.
Where to listen
| Platform | Link |
|---|---|
| Website | uh.edu/engines/ |
| Apple Podcasts | podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id121493645 |
| RSS feed | cdn.houstonpublicmedia.org/podcasts/engines-of-o… |
Benchmark score: 34 / 100
Public rule, same for everyone. How it works.
Recent episodes
| Episode | Date | Length |
|---|---|---|
| The Engines of Our Ingenuity 1643: Athanasius Kircher | 2026-10-17 | 4 min |
| The Engines of Our Ingenuity 1642: Halley’s Comet | 2026-10-16 | 4 min |
| The Engines of Our Ingenuity 3420: Dams | 2026-10-15 | 4 min |
| The Engines of Our Ingenuity 3419: A Better Spacesuit | 2026-10-14 | 4 min |
| The Engines of Our Ingenuity 3418: King and Mboya | 2026-10-13 | 4 min |
| The Engines of Our Ingenuity 1641: Aaron Montgomery Ward | 2026-10-11 | 4 min |
Last six episodes from the show's feed, latest 2 days ago, a new one about every 1 days.
The story of technological progress is one of drama and intrigue, sudden insight and plain hard work. Let’s explore technology’s spectacular failures and many magnificent success stories. This content is in service of Houston Public Media’s education mission and is sponsored by the University of Houston. It is not a product of our news team.
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About Engines of Our Ingenuity
Engines of Our Ingenuity is a short-form series about how human creativity shapes technology and culture. According to its website, it was founded by John Lienhard, who wrote and hosted it with other contributors, and it is produced by Houston Public Media. Recent episodes cover subjects such as dams, Halley's Comet and a better spacesuit, each told as a brief solo story.
The feed shows a daily cadence and a median episode length of about 3 minutes 46 seconds. Apple Podcasts lists 184 ratings with a 4.8 average. The website says transcripts exist for episodes since 1988.
Starbooked estimates 2,000 to 8,000 downloads per episode, with low confidence, since podcasts do not publish download numbers. At Starbooked's rate, a host-read mid-roll would cost about $40 to $200 per episode. The description says the show is sponsored by the University of Houston, so any sponsorship would need to fit a public media setting. It suits education, books and STEM brands.
Written from the show's public RSS feed, its Podcast Index listing and episode titles. Numbers updated 2026-10-19. Engines of Our Ingenuity can edit or remove this page at any time.
Questions about Engines of Our Ingenuity
How much does Engines of Our Ingenuity charge for a podcast sponsorship?
Starbooked estimates a host-read mid-roll at about $40 to $200 per episode, based on an estimated 2,000 to 8,000 downloads. The show does not publish rates, so the real price may differ.
What is Engines of Our Ingenuity about?
It is a daily, roughly four-minute series from Houston Public Media about technological progress, covering inventors, failures and successes, and how creativity shapes culture. John Lienhard founded it, according to the show's website.
How do I contact Engines of Our Ingenuity about sponsoring an episode?
The show's contact email unlocks on Starbooked for $0.80. Boosted shows can also be booked through Starbooked. Note that the feed says the show is sponsored by the University of Houston.