Start the Week

In this enlightening discussion, Marcus du Sautoy, a Professor of Mathematics at Oxford and author of 'Blueprints', reveals the surprising links between math and art, showcasing how numbers shape creative expression. Sophie Pavelle, author of 'To Have or To Hold', dives into nature's symbiotic relationships, unraveling the vital connections that sustain ecosystems. Meanwhile, Alfred Haft, curator of the British Museum's 'Hiroshige' exhibition, explores the legacy of the renowned 19th-century Japanese artist, emphasizing his influence on both nature and art through breathtaking landscapes.

Cultural historian Tiffany Jenkins explores the evolution of privacy from Ancient Athens to today, arguing that understanding its history is key to protecting it in our tech-driven world. Novelist Geoff Dyer shares nostalgic anecdotes from his working-class childhood, reflecting on the formative impact of the 11-plus exam. Journalist Lanre Bakare highlights untold stories of Black Britain, emphasizing the need for broader representation in national narratives. Together, they dive into the interplay of personal and public life, touching on historical, cultural, and social dynamics.

Jonas Olofsson, a neuroscientist and author of 'The Forgotten Sense,' dives into the science behind our underappreciated sense of smell. Ali Lukes, a PhD in Olfactory Ethics, explores how aroma can reveal deeper meanings in literature and provoke societal discussions. Alan Chalmers, a professor focused on virtual reality, shares groundbreaking research on integrating smell into gaming for a more immersive experience. Together, they highlight the vital role of olfaction in memory, culture, and enhancing everyday experiences.

Robert Macfarlane, an author exploring the bonds between humans and nature, discusses his idea that rivers are living beings deserving respect, not just resources. Monica Feria-Tinta, a barrister for environmental rights, shares her landmark case protecting cloud forests and the growing movement for nature's legal rights. Meanwhile, Patrick Galbraith challenges notions of access to the countryside, advocating for wildlife's tranquility. Together, they engage in a thought-provoking dialogue about our interconnectedness with the natural world.

Bijan Omrani, an academic and barrister, argues that Christianity is foundational to England’s identity. Lamorna Ash, a writer and journalist, dives into the fascinating revival of faith among youth, exploring their paths to Christianity through diverse experiences. The Right Reverend Helen-Ann Hartley, Bishop of Newcastle, discusses the Anglican Church's vital role in supporting communities while advocating for modern reforms and governance changes. Together, they reflect on the evolving relationship between faith, society, and the enduring impact of Christianity in Britain.

The lawyer Philippe Sands weaves together a story of historical crimes, impunity and the law in his latest book, 38 Londres Street. He uncovers the links between a Nazi hiding in plain sight in Patagonia and the military dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet, and the failed attempts to bring either to justice. Kenneth Roth has led Human Rights Watch for the last three decades, overseeing investigations into violence and oppression in countries all over the world. In Righting Wrongs he tells the stories of the wins and the losses, and the ongoing fight to uncover, and prosecute, abuses.The BBC’s former Syria correspondent Lina Sinjab was forced into exile more than a decade ago after threats from President Bashar al-Assad’s government. She could only watch as death and destruction ripped through her country, and those in power appeared to act with impunity. She looks at how Syria is faring since the fall of al-Assad’s brutal regime.Producer: Katy Hickman

In 1967 a group of writers in the US pulled off an ingenious hoax – the publication of a so-called top secret document detailing how global peace would destroy American society. Even when the deception was revealed, many groups on the left and right argued it was true, or that it revealed truths about the ‘deep state’. Phil Tinline takes up the story in Ghosts of Iron Mountain, showing how what started as satire gained currency, as trust in government and institutions collapsed. During the Covid-19 lockdown the comedian Rosie Holt began a series of satirical videos in which she spliced together actual footage from news interviews with her play-acting the role of a politician. Many of her parodies caused outrage as viewers thought she was a real MP. The statistician and epidemiologist Professor Adam Kucharski is interested in how people establish fact from fiction. In Proof: The Uncertain Science Of Certainty he explores how truth emerges, but warns against building a society that distrusts and doubts everything.Producer: Katy Hickman

The celebrated artist, Sir Grayson Perry, has a new exhibition of work, Delusions of Grandeur, made in direct response to the masterpieces at the Wallace Collection in London (until 26th October). He candidly admits he initially found the Collection’s opulence difficult to work with, until he created an alter-ego artist, Shirley, who was inspired by the aesthetic.In recent years museums and art galleries have become a regular battleground in the culture wars. One of today’s anti-woke warriors is the writer Lionel Shriver. Her latest satirical novel, Mania, imagines a world where intellectual meritocracy is heresy; the words 'stupid' and 'smart' are no longer acceptable, and novels like The Idiot and My Brilliant Friend are banned.In Shriver’s imaginative world language and thought is heavily policed, speech is free only if it doesn’t offend. The academic Fara Dabhoiwala has written about the emergence of this contested idea, in What Is Free Speech? He shows in the shifting story of the last three hundred years that freedom of speech is not an absolute from which different societies have drifted or dissented, but a much more mercurial, complicated matter.Producer: Katy Hickman

Abdulrazak Gurnah won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2021 ‘for his uncompromising and compassionate penetration of the effects of colonialism.’ In his latest novel, Theft, he returns to the streets of his childhood home in Zanzibar, to trace the intertwined lives of three young people in a story of love, betrayal and kindness. The Possibility of Tenderness is a memoir by the prize-winning poet Jason Allen-Paisant as he moves from his family home in the rural Jamaican hills, to Oxford’s gleaming spires, to the woodlands of Leeds. It’s a story about the transformative power of plants and the legacy of dreams. Language, music and food are at the heart of Samantha Ellis’s new book, Chopping Onions On My Heart: On Losing and Preserving Culture. The daughter of Iraqi-Jewish refugees, she grew up surrounded by the noisy, colourful sounds of Judeo-Iraqi Arabic, a language in danger of being lost forever. Producer: Katy Hickman

Five years ago, in response to the Covid pandemic, the government mandated a series of lockdowns, with the closure of schools and businesses and social distancing. Tom Sutcliffe is joined by guests to discuss how such a monumental event could have had affected brain cognition, and whether there have been lasting effects on young people. But he also hears tales of resilience among neurodiverse communities.The neuroscientist Daniel Yon looks at the cognitive impact of unprecedented events in his forthcoming book, A Trick of the Mind - How the Brain Invents Your Reality (published, June 2025). He explains how times of instability and uncertainty upset the brain’s ability to understand the world, and make people more susceptible to conspiracy theories. The Covid-19 Social Study was the largest study exploring the psychological and social effects of the pandemic on the UK population. Dr Daisy Fancourt, Associate Professor of Psychobiology and Epidemiology at University College London explains what they learnt about the impact of social isolation. The developmental psychologist at Cambridge University, Professor Claire Hughes, has looked more closely at families with young children, across six different countries, with very different lockdown policies. Although there was a link between family stress related to the pandemic and child problem behaviours, more recent work questions whether the lockdown has had longer term effects. The artist and zinemaker Dr Lea Cooper has co-curated a new exhibition at the Wellcome Collection, Zines Forever! DIY Publications and Disability Justice (until 14th September). Zines are self-published works, and Dr Cooper says several on display were created during lockdown, and showcase personal stories of resistance and self-expression.Producer: Katy HickmanPart of BBC Radio 4's series of programmes exploring Lockdown’s Legacy