Understand Podcast
NEW in Understand - The Growth Conundrum
Every UK government says it wants strong and sustained economic growth. But for almost 20 years none have managed it. Ben Chu asks why generating growth seems so difficult?
Episodes to download
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8. Sorry?—Rinsed
Wed 20 May 2026
8/13 New legislation promises to slash the sewage released into rivers, but will it become law?
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7. The Eureka Moment—Rinsed
Tue 19 May 2026
7/13 The data scientist, the ex-detective and the politician trying to clean up our rivers.
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5. The Camel's Humps—Rinsed
Fri 15 May 2026
5/13 Rivers work when everything is in balance, but what happens when that’s disrupted?
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4. Inkblot—Rinsed
Thu 14 May 2026
4/13 We can all look the same picture, but what you make of it depends on who you are.
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3. Turd Nerds—Rinsed
Wed 13 May 2026
3/13 The 'Dossier of Despair' that reveals what's happening to some of Britain’s rivers.
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2. Water Works—Rinsed
Tue 12 May 2026
2/13 The centuries-old battle between public good and private profit still being fought today.
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1. The Bridge—Rinsed
Mon 11 May 2026
1/13 After watching their local river grow murky and lifeless, two neighbours fight back.
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Trailer—Rinsed
Wed 6 May 2026
1/13 A sewage scandal and a centuries old battle between public good and private profit
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3. How Reading Made Our Politics—How Reading Made Us
Mon 23 Mar 2026
3/3 Did reading create democracy? And what does it mean for our politics if reading dies out?
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2. How Reading Made Our Feelings—How Reading Made Us
Mon 16 Mar 2026
2/3 Did reading make us lonely, set us free, and even end torture? James Marriott investigates
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1. How Reading Made Our Brains—How Reading Made Us
Mon 9 Mar 2026
1/3 Did learning to read rewire your brain? With James Marriott.
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Trailer—How Reading Made Us
Thu 5 Mar 2026
1/3 The story of how reading made us and what might happen if we stop - with James Marriott.
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4. Life and Liberty—An American Journey
Mon 9 Feb 2026
4/4 The idea of freedom is foundational to America, but whose freedom, and what kind?
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3. Establishing Justice—An American Journey
Mon 2 Feb 2026
3/4 How has 'justice' been understood by different generations of Americans?
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2. A More Perfect Union—An American Journey
Mon 26 Jan 2026
2/4 What does it mean to be an American?
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5. The Bush Doctrine—US Foreign Policy in Five Doctrines
Fri 23 Jan 2026
5/5 How the September 11 attacks led to conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan.
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4. The Reagan Doctrine—US Foreign Policy in Five Doctrines
Thu 22 Jan 2026
4/5 How US policy changed towards the Soviet Union and the challenge of communism.
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3. The Nixon Doctrine—US Foreign Policy in Five Doctrines
Wed 21 Jan 2026
3/5 How did the Vietnam War change America’s foreign policy?
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2. The Truman Doctrine—US Foreign Policy in Five Doctrines
Tue 20 Jan 2026
2/5 What impact did WWII have on US policy towards the rest of the world?
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1. The Pursuit of Happiness—An American Journey
Mon 19 Jan 2026
1/4 How have Americans understood the connection between economic and democratic freedom?
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1. The Monroe Doctrine—US Foreign Policy in Five Doctrines
Mon 19 Jan 2026
1/5 What is the 1823 doctrine, and how has it been used since by US presidents?
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Trailer—US Foreign Policy in Five Doctrines
Fri 16 Jan 2026
1/5 Justin Webb looks at five big US foreign policy shifts, from Monroe to Trump.
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10. Unknown unknowns—The Trip
Mon 1 Sep 2025
10/10 What more is there to learn about psychedelics? Tim Hayward makes a case for curiosity.
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9. Sacred plants for sale—The Trip
Mon 1 Sep 2025
9/10 Who stands to profit from the commercialisation of psychedelics?
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8. A tipping point?—The Trip
Mon 11 Aug 2025
8/10 Significant barriers exist for research looking at psychedelics. Is that about to change?
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7. Fascination and taboo—The Trip
Mon 11 Aug 2025
7/10 Psychedelic drugs have a chequered history. How did wonder turn to fear?
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6. Critical periods—The Trip
Mon 11 Aug 2025
6/10 Can psychedelics help the brain to learn things anew?
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1. Altered States—The Trip
Mon 4 Aug 2025
1/10 Tim Hayward looks at the science, culture, history - and future - of psychedelics.
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5. Message in a bottle—The Trip
Mon 4 Aug 2025
5/10 Tim Hayward travels into the past to better understand today’s psychedelic research.
