If I listen to a podcast on let's say, algorithms. They discuss an algorithm I'm currently working on and some research papers on said algorithms. If I didn't

If I listen to a podcast on let's say, algorithms. They discuss an algorithm I'm currently working on and some research papers on said algorithms. If I didn't know about those research papers I now have more knowledge than I had before and can improve more than someone who didn't have said knowledge. Replace algorithm with framework, design pattern, type of software etc... It alone doesn't make you better just like reading a boom wouldn't make you a better software developer. Actually absorbing the information and using it to improve would. The same can be said for every single one of the fields you mentioned. Sharing knowledge using spoken word is no different from sharing knowledge using any other media.