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 podcast episode of "In Our Time" features Melvyn Bragg and three experts—Michele Dougherty, Leigh Fletcher, and Carolin Crawford—discussing the planet Jupiter. The discussion covers Jupiter's discovery by Galileo, its composition as a gas giant, the formation and arrangement of elements including metallic hydr...

Elizabeth Anscombe

20 Jul 2023

54m

AI processed

This episode of "In Our Time" features Melvyn Bragg and guests Rachael Wiseman, Constantine Sandis, and Roger Teichmann discussing the life and philosophical contributions of Elizabeth Anscombe. The discussion covers Anscombe's early life, her relationship with Wittgenstein, her critique of non-cognitivism and conseque...

Death in Venice

13 Jul 2023

48m

AI processed

This BBC podcast episode of "In Our Time" features Robert Douglas-Fairhurst leading a discussion with Karolina Watroba, Erica Wickerson, and Sean Williams about Thomas Mann's novella, "Death in Venice." The discussion covers Thomas Mann's background, the plot and autobiographical elements within the novella, the charac...

Oedipus Rex

06 Jul 2023

54m

Mitochondria

29 Jun 2023

52m

AI processed

This BBC Radio 4 podcast episode of "In Our Time" features a discussion about mitochondria, the power packs of cells, with experts Florence Camus, Mike Murphy, and Nick Lane. The conversation covers the structure, function, and origin of mitochondria, including their role in energy production (ATP), their unique DNA, a...

Louis XIV: The Sun King

22 Jun 2023

47m

AI processed

This BBC podcast episode of "In Our Time" features a panel discussion with host Robert Douglas-Fairhurst and three historians: Catriona Seth, Guy Rowlands, and Penny Roberts, who delve into the reign of Louis XIV, the Sun King. The discussion covers Louis XIV's early life and ascension to the throne, France's political...

Virgil's Georgics

15 Jun 2023

49m

The Shimabara Rebellion

08 Jun 2023

48m

The Dead Sea Scrolls

01 Jun 2023

48m

AI processed

This BBC podcast episode of "In Our Time" features Melvyn Bragg and three guests—Sarah Pearce, Ian Carden, Charlotte Hempel, and George Brooke—discussing the Dead Sea Scrolls. The discussion covers the discovery of the scrolls, their range and content (including biblical texts, legal documents, and community rules), an...

Walt Whitman

25 May 2023

49m

AI processed

This BBC podcast episode of "In Our Time" features a panel discussion about Walt Whitman's life and work, particularly focusing on his collection "Leaves of Grass." The discussion covers Whitman's family background, early career in journalism, the influence of Ralph Waldo Emerson, and the development of Whitman's free ...

Linnaeus

18 May 2023

50m

AI processed

This BBC podcast episode of "In Our Time" features Melvyn Bragg and three guests—Steve Jones, Stella Sandford, and Staffan Muller-Wille—discussing the life and work of Carl Linnaeus. The discussion covers Linnaeus's early life and education, his contributions to taxonomy and the development of binomial nomenclature, hi...