In Our Time
BBC Radio 4
Spanning history, religion, culture, science and philosophy, In Our Time from BBC 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.
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
Mentioned books
Feb 19, 2004 • 28min
Rutherford
Ernest Rutherford, the father of nuclear science, is discussed in this podcast. Topics include his pioneering work in identifying atomic components, transforming platinum into gold, and his significant role in shaping big science in the 20th century. The podcast also delves into his alchemical pursuits, experiments on atomic structure, leadership in nuclear research, and challenges faced in the evolving field of science.
Feb 12, 2004 • 42min
The Sublime
Melvyn Bragg and guests delve into the concept of the sublime, discussing its evolution from Longinus to the 18th century, its impact on literature, art, and science, and its influence on perceptions of beauty, awe, and transcendence. They explore the role of language, landscapes, and emotions in evoking the sublime, as well as its engagement with gender, identity, and imagination in the works of Gothic writers, Blake, and Kant.
Feb 5, 2004 • 42min
Thermopylae
Delve into the Battle of Thermopylae and its significance in the clash between East and West, exploring themes of courage, freedom, and democracy. Discover the cultural and political implications of the Greek revolt against Persian rule, and the strategic brilliance of the Greek army at Plataea. Uncover contrasting ideals between Greeks and Persians, and the formation of Greek identity in the face of Persian dominance.
Jan 29, 2004 • 42min
Cryptography
Delve into the fascinating world of cryptography and its historical significance, from Mary Queen of Scots' trial to modern encryption methods. Explore the evolution of ciphers, the power of one-time pads, and the intricacies of cryptographic randomness. Uncover the secrets of historical encryption techniques and the advancement of secure communication methods, shedding light on the hidden world of code-breaking.
Dec 24, 2003 • 57min
Lamarck and Natural Selection
Melvyn Bragg discusses Lamarck and Natural Selection with guests. They explore Lamarck's impact on Darwin, scientific fraud in genetics, challenging Darwinism in human evolution, Lysenko's controversial methods, and unraveling DNA mysteries.
Dec 18, 2003 • 42min
The Alphabet
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the feat of astonishing intellectual engineering which provides us with millions of words in hundreds of languages. At the start of the twentieth century, in the depths of an ancient Egyptian turquoise mine on the Sinai peninsular, an archaeologist called Sir Flinders Petrie made an exciting discovery. Scratched onto rocks, pots and portable items, he found scribblings of a very unexpected but strangely familiar nature. He had expected to see the complex pictorial hieroglyphic script the Egyptian establishment had used for over 1000 years, but it seemed that at this very early period, 1700 BC, the mine workers and Semitic slaves had started using a new informal system of graffiti, one which was brilliantly simple, endlessly adaptable and perfectly portable: the Alphabet. This was probably the earliest example of an alphabetic script and it bears an uncanny resemblance to our own.Did the alphabet really spring into life almost fully formed? How did it manage to conquer three quarters of the globe? And despite its Cyrillic and Arabic variations and the myriad languages it has been used to write, why is there essentially only one alphabet anywhere in the world? With Eleanor Robson, historian of Ancient Iraq and Fellow of All Souls College, Oxford; Alan Millard, Rankin Professor Emeritus of Hebrew and Ancient Semitic Languages at the University of Liverpool; Rosalind Thomas, Professor of Greek History at Royal Holloway, University of London.
Dec 11, 2003 • 28min
The Devil
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the history of the Devil. In the Gospel according to John he is ‘a murderer from the beginning’, ‘a liar and the father of lies’, and Dante calls him ‘the ill Worm that pierces the world’s core’. But Milton’s description of him as a powerful rebel was so attractive that William Blake declared that Milton was ‘of the Devil’s party, without knowing it’. To ordinary folk the Devil has often been regarded as a trickster, a tempter, sometimes even a figure of fun rather than of fear. How did this contradictory character come into being? Why did it take so long for him to become an established figure in Christianity? And if the Devil did not exist, would we have had to invent him? With Martin Palmer, theologian and Director of the International Consultancy on Religion, Education and Culture; Alison Rowlands, Senior Lecturer in European History at the University of Essex; David Wootton, Professor of Intellectual History at Queen Mary, University of London.
10 snips
Dec 4, 2003 • 42min
Wittgenstein
Join Ray Monk, a renowned professor and Wittgenstein biographer, alongside philosophers Barry Smith and Marie McGinn, as they delve deep into Ludwig Wittgenstein's revolutionary thoughts on language. They highlight his transformative journey from Vienna to Cambridge and discuss how his ideas on atomic facts and language games reshaped philosophy. Explore how Wittgenstein's philosophy challenged Descartes' views and address his profound influence beyond the realm of philosophy, touching psychology and contemporary culture.
Nov 27, 2003 • 28min
St Bartholomew's Day Massacre
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the infamous St Bartholomew’s Day Massacre. In Paris, in the high summer of 1572, a very unusual wedding was happening in the cathedral of Notre Dame. Henri, the young Huguenot King of Navarre, was marrying the King of France’s beloved sister, Margot, a Catholic. Theirs was a union designed to bring together the rival factions of France and finally end the French Wars of Religion. Paris was bustling with Huguenots and Catholics and, though the atmosphere was tense, the wedding went off without a hitch. And as they danced together at the Louvre, it seemed that the flower of French nobility had finally come together to bury its differences.That wasn’t to be: on St Bartholomew’s Day, four days after the ill-starred nuptials, so many Protestants were killed in the streets of Paris that the River Seine ran red with their blood. Was the wedding a trap? Who was to blame for the carnage and what impact did it have on the Reformation in Europe?With Diarmaid MacCulloch, Professor of the History of the Church at Oxford University and author of a new book: Reformation: Europe’s House Divided 1490-1700; Mark Greengrass, Professor of History at the University of Sheffield; Penny Roberts, Lecturer in History at the University of Warwick.
Nov 20, 2003 • 28min
Ageing the Earth
Exploration of Earth's age from initial beliefs to modern geological estimates of 4.5 billion years. Discussion on deep time, geological classifications, and challenges in interpreting the rock record. Insights into Earth's formation, evolution of life, mass extinctions, and dating methods using fossils and isotopes. Discovery at Bottachani Gorge in Italy and origins of life 3.8 billion years ago.
