It's tempting to blame misinformation on social media, but it turns out fake news has been around for longer than you'd think.

From Slate, the history podcast One Year recaps the moments that transformed politics, culture, science and religion in one year from American history. In the fourth, and latest, season the series covers 1942, a year when inflation threatened to sink America, a worker revolt changed music forever and disinformation was rampant.

And, whether or not you enjoy it, working from home does have its benefits. We'll listen in on an episode from advice show Work Appropriate that tackles the great remote work debate.

We'll showcase those stories and several more this week and make sure your 2023 begins with the very best podcasting has to offer.

Podcasts featured this week:

One Year: 1942: "Every season of One Year tells the story of one year in history, and this season is focused on 1942. In this episode, host Josh Levin tells the story of the propaganda war that played out on radio waves during the Second World War."

Work Appropriate: "Author Anne Helen Petersen invites guest experts in the world of work to answer listener questions and give advice about navigating modern working life. In this clip, Anne and her guest Jessica Grose unpack the tension around returning to the office post-lockdown, and why it's particularly hard on working parents."

The Prince: "In this series from The Economist, host Sue-Lin Wong takes listeners through the life of Chinese president Xi Jinping, from the son of a political outcast to the most powerful man in the world."

Pop Chat: "How come horror movies never seem to win any Oscars? Since the first Academy Awards in 1929, only six have even been nominated for best picture."

If Books Could Kill: "Each week on If Books Could Kill, hosts Michael Hobbes and Peter Shamshiri break down "the airport bestsellers that captured our hearts and ruined our minds." In their first episode they take aim at the 2005 book Freakonomics."

Pale Blue Pod: "Pale Blue Pod is an astronomy podcast for people who are overwhelmed by the universe but want to be its friend. Astrophysicist Dr. Moiya McTier and comedian/science educator Corinne Caputo demystify space one topic at a time with open eyes, open arms, and open mouths (from so much laughing and jaw-dropping). By the end of each episode, the cosmos will feel a little less "ahhh, too scary!" and a lot more "ohhh, so cool!" New episodes every Monday."