In Our Time Podcast
Misha Glenny and guests discuss the ideas, people and events that have shaped our world.
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 to download
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The Cult of Mithras
Thu 27 Dec 2012
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the cult of Mithras, the Roman mystery religion.
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The South Sea Bubble
Thu 20 Dec 2012
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the South Sea Bubble of the early 18th century.
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Shahnameh of Ferdowsi
Thu 13 Dec 2012
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the Persian epic poem, the Shahnameh of Ferdowsi.
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Bertrand Russell
Thu 6 Dec 2012
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss influential British philosopher Bertrand Russell.
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Crystallography
Thu 29 Nov 2012
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the history and achievements of crystallography.
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The Borgias
Thu 22 Nov 2012
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the Borgias, the most infamous family in Renaissance Italy
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Simone Weil
Thu 15 Nov 2012
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the French philosopher and social activist Simone Weil.
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The Upanishads
Thu 8 Nov 2012
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the Upanishads, the sacred texts of Hinduism.
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The Anarchy
Thu 1 Nov 2012
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss The Anarchy, the 12th-century English civil war.
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Caxton and the Printing Press
Thu 18 Oct 2012
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss William Caxton and the influence of the printing press.
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Hannibal
Thu 11 Oct 2012
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the remarkable Carthaginian general Hannibal.
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Gerald of Wales
Thu 4 Oct 2012
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the medieval scholar Gerald of Wales.
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The Ontological Argument
Thu 27 Sep 2012
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the Ontological Argument for the existence of God.
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Scepticism
Thu 5 Jul 2012
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the history of philosophical scepticism.
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Annie Besant
Thu 21 Jun 2012
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the 19th-century writer and campaigner Annie Besant.
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James Joyce's Ulysses
Thu 14 Jun 2012
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss James Joyce's celebrated novel Ulysses.
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The Trojan War
Thu 31 May 2012
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the Trojan War, a central event of Ancient Greek mythology
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Marco Polo
Thu 24 May 2012
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the celebrated Venetian explorer Marco Polo.
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Clausewitz and On War
Thu 17 May 2012
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss Clausewitz's influential treatise On War.
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Game Theory
Thu 10 May 2012
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss game theory, the mathematical study of decision-making
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Voltaire's Candide
Thu 3 May 2012
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss Voltaire's satirical novel Candide, published in 1759.
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The Battle of Bosworth Field
Thu 26 Apr 2012
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485.
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Neoplatonism
Thu 19 Apr 2012
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the ancient philosophical school of Neoplatonism.
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Early Geology
Thu 12 Apr 2012
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the emergence of geology as a scientific discipline.

