PODCAST · technology
Observable Podcast
by Observable, Inc.
On building a computational notebook and the things people do with it. We believe in looking at code.
Episodes
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What do you learn from vibecoding an explanation?
We explore two notebooks by Ricky Reusser: (1) Toiletpaperfullerenes and Charmin Nanotubes (2020) https://observablehq.com/@rreusser/toiletpaperfullerenes-and-charmin-nanotubes and (2) Geodesics in Kerr Spacetime (2026) https://rreusser.github.io/notebooks/kerr-geodesics/ (self-hosted using...
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Julio’s bookshelf
If you point to a random book in Julio’s picture-perfect background, has he read it? How many biographies does he read per American president? And is reading dying?
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Never don’t rewrite
Last week, Observable launched a total rewrite of notebooks. Contra Joel Spolsky’s advice, Mike Bostock has done many rewrites, from TiVo to Protovis to D3, and itches to do many more. Why?
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Seven classic moments in visualization research
Toph recounts seven moments in visualization history, in no particular order: 1923’s gestalt theory, 2025’s graph embeddings, 1933’s map–territory relation, 1975’s splines, 2016’s acquired code of meaning, 2020’s bridging code and interaction, and 1973’s conversation analysis. For sources, see...
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Browsing the new notebook community
Visnu and Toph give a preview of the new notebook listings and editor by surveying some trending community notebooks and highlighting the tiny touches that make the new experience simpler, faster, and more robust.
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Three eras of Observable AI
Visnu and Toph reflect on three eras of building Observable features atop LLMs, from a notebook sidebar (2023) to Canvases (2025) to a new experimental prototype, Observable Chat.
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What even is Observable?
Julio joins Mike to explain Observable’s mission to make computation universally accessible and understandable. They talk about the value of open source and community, the challenge of designing social collaboration platforms, and the promise and risks of AI.
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Reactivity in vanilla JavaScript
Mike and Toph return for the second episode to talk reactivity and making code easier for humans to understand. They show the quirky syntax of Notebooks 1.0, and how Notebooks 2.0 brings reactivity to standard (vanilla) syntax.
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Does Next.js have too much magic?
In this inaugural (practice?) episode of the Observable Podcast, Mike and Toph share reflections on building with Next.js and how React has evolved over the years. They are excited by, and a little scared of, the magic of React Server Functions.
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
On building a computational notebook and the things people do with it. We believe in looking at code.
HOSTED BY
Observable, Inc.
CATEGORIES
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Observable Podcast have?
Observable Podcast currently has 9 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Observable Podcast about?
On building a computational notebook and the things people do with it. We believe in looking at code.
How often does Observable Podcast release new episodes?
Observable Podcast has 9 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Observable Podcast?
You can listen to Observable Podcast on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Observable Podcast?
Observable Podcast is created and hosted by Observable, Inc..
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