BBC Radio 4 · Education

In Our Time

A world-class seminar, every week. In Our Time explores the ideas, people and discoveries that have shaped our world, spanning history, philosophy, religion, science, literature, art and culture. On Thursdays, hear brand-new episodes hosted by Misha Glenny and leading academics. On Mondays, discover Misha's Archive Picks: classic conversations from the In Our Time archive, originally presented by Melvyn Bragg. Recent episodes have featured topics as wide-ranging as the Roman Arena, Handel's Messiah, John Keats, On Liberty and the Mariana Trench, bringing expert insight to pivotal events, influential thinkers and remarkable discoveries. Throughout the archive, you can hear discussions on historical figures such as Marie Antoinette, Nefertiti, Mary Wollstonecraft, Karl Marx and Albert Einstein; explore great works of literature such as Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Nineteen Eighty-Four, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and the poetry of John Donne; uncover the stories behind cultural masterpieces including Van Gogh's Sunflowers and Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel; or journey from Jupiter and the death of stars, to the theories of Plato and Aristotle. In Our Time celebrates the pursuit of knowledge and the enduring power of ideas.

Episodes

This BBC Radio 4 "In Our Time" episode features Melvyn Bragg leading a discussion with three experts—Emma Bunce, David Rothery, and Carolin Crawford—about the planet Mercury. The conversation spans from ancient observations and Mercury's role in understanding our solar system to the findings of space missions like Mari...

Bertolt Brecht

23 May 2024

59m

Napoleon's Hundred Days

16 May 2024

58m

AI processed

In this episode of "In Our Time" from BBC Radio 4, Martha Clokie leads a discussion with Katherine Astbury, Zack White, and Michael Rowe about Napoleon Bonaparte's Hundred Days. The panel explores Napoleon's escape from Elba, his return to France, the political and military strategies employed by both Napoleon and the ...

Lysistrata

09 May 2024

55m

Nikola Tesla

02 May 2024

52m

AI processed

This BBC Radio 4 podcast episode of "In Our Time" discusses the life and work of Nikola Tesla, focusing on his contributions to the electrification of America and the world. The panel explores Tesla's early life and education in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, his rivalry with Edison over AC versus DC power, his invention...

The Kalevala

25 Apr 2024

50m

AI processed

In this episode of "In Our Time" from BBC Radio 4, host Robert Douglas-Fairhurst leads a discussion with Daniel Abondolo, Thomas Dubois, and Rita Balayavi about "The Kalevala," the Finnish epic poem compiled by Elias Lernroot. The panel explores Lernroot's background, the historical context of the Finnish language, and...

Julian the Apostate

18 Apr 2024

50m

The Waltz

11 Apr 2024

52m

AI processed

In this episode of "In Our Time" from BBC Radio 4, host Robert Douglas-Fairhurst leads a discussion with Susan Jones, Derek Scott, and Theresa Buckland about the history, social impact, and cultural significance of the waltz. They explore its origins in Germanic lands, its revolutionary close embrace, and its spread th...

The Mokrani Revolt

04 Apr 2024

57m

Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle

28 Mar 2024

58m

AI processed

This BBC Radio 4 podcast episode of "In Our Time" features a discussion on Werner Heisenberg and his Uncertainty Principle. Host Robert Douglas-Fairhurst, along with theoretical physicists Fay Dowker, Harry Cliff, and Frank Close, explore Heisenberg's background, the quantum theory before his contributions, and the rev...

The Sack of Rome 1527

21 Mar 2024

46m

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

14 Mar 2024

49m

AI processed

This podcast episode features a panel discussion about Lewis Carroll's "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland." The panelists delve into Carroll's early life, his mathematical background, and the origins of the Alice story, which emerged from storytelling sessions with the Liddell children. They explore the key themes of th...

Hormones

07 Mar 2024

50m

AI processed

This podcast episode features Robert Douglas-Fairhurst in conversation with Andrew Bicknell, Rebecca Reynolds, and Sadaf Farooqi, who delve into the complex world of hormones. They discuss the nature and function of hormones, their production within the body, and the intricate regulatory systems governing their release...