In Our Time Podcast
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the ideas, people and events that have shaped our world.
Spanning history, religion, culture, science and philosophy, In Our Time from ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Radio 4 is essential listening for the intellectually curious. In each episode, host Melvyn Bragg and expert guests explore the characters, events and discoveries that have shaped our world.
History fans can learn about pivotal wars and societal upheavals, such as the rise and fall of Napoleon, the Sack of Rome in 1527, and the political intrigue of the Russian Revolution. Those fascinated by the lives of kings and queens can journey to Versailles to meet Marie Antoinette and Louis XIV the Sun King, or to Ancient Egypt to meet Cleopatra and Nerfertiti. Or perhaps you’re looking to explore the history of religion, from Buddhism’s early teachings to the Protestant Reformation.
If you’re interested in the stories behind iconic works of art, music and literature, dive in to discussions on the artistic genius of Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel and Van Gogh’s famous Sunflowers. From Gothic architecture to the works of Shakespeare, each episode of In Our Time offers new insight into humanity’s cultural achievements.
Those looking to enrich their scientific knowledge can hear episodes on black holes, the Periodic Table, and classical theories of gravity, motion, evolution and relativity. Learn how the discovery of penicillin revolutionised medicine, and how the death of stars can lead to the formation of new planets.
Lovers of philosophy will find episodes on the big issues that define existence, from free will and ethics, to liberty and justice. In what ways did celebrated philosophers such as Mary Wollstonecraft and Karl Marx push forward radical new ideas? How has the concept of karma evolved from the ancient Sanskrit texts of Hinduism to today? What was Plato’s concept of an ideal republic, and how did he explore this through the legend of the lost city of Atlantis?
In Our Time celebrates the pursuit of knowledge and the enduring power of ideas.
Episodes to download
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Judas Maccabeus
Thu 24 Nov 2011
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the revolutionary Jewish leader Judas Maccabeus.
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Ptolemy and Ancient Astronomy
Thu 17 Nov 2011
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss Ptolemy and ancient astronomy.
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The Continental-Analytic Split
Thu 10 Nov 2011
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the Continental and Analytic philosophical traditions.
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The Moon
Thu 3 Nov 2011
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the origins, science and mythology of the moon.
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The Siege of Tenochtitlan
Thu 27 Oct 2011
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the Siege of Tenochtitlan and fall of the Aztec Empire
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Delacroix's Liberty Leading the People
Thu 20 Oct 2011
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss Delacroix's painting Liberty Leading the People.
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David Hume
Thu 6 Oct 2011
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the work of the Scottish philosopher David Hume.
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The Etruscan Civilisation
Thu 29 Sep 2011
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the Etruscan civilisation.
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The Minoan Civilisation
Thu 7 Jul 2011
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the Minoan Civilisation of Bronze Age Crete.
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Tennyson's In Memoriam
Thu 30 Jun 2011
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss Alfred, Lord Tennyson's poem In Memoriam.
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Wyclif and the Lollards
Thu 16 Jun 2011
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss John Wyclif and the Lollards.
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The Origins of Infectious Disease
Thu 9 Jun 2011
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the origins of infectious disease.
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The Battle of Stamford Bridge
Thu 2 Jun 2011
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the Battle of Stamford Bridge.
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Xenophon
Thu 26 May 2011
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the ancient Greek historian and soldier Xenophon.
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Custer's Last Stand
Thu 19 May 2011
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the Battle of the Little Bighorn, Custer's Last Stand.
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The Anatomy of Melancholy
Thu 12 May 2011
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss Robert Burton's book The Anatomy of Melancholy.
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Islamic Law and its Origins
Thu 5 May 2011
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the origins of Islamic law.
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Cogito Ergo Sum
Thu 28 Apr 2011
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss Rene Descartes' famous statement.
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The Pelagian Controversy
Thu 21 Apr 2011
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss one of the church's most significant doctrinal disputes.
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The Neutrino
Thu 14 Apr 2011
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the neutrino, the so-called 'ghost particle'.
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Octavia Hill
Thu 7 Apr 2011
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the Victorian social reformer Octavia Hill.
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The Bhagavad Gita
Thu 31 Mar 2011
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the Bhagavad Gita, a key text of Hinduism.
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The Medieval University
Thu 17 Mar 2011
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the foundation of the medieval universities.
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In Our Time podcasts
Download programmes from the huge In Our Time archive.
The In Our Time Listeners' Top 10
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