In Our Time
BBC Radio 4
Spanning history, religion, culture, science and philosophy, In Our Time from BBC Radio 4 is essential listening for the intellectually curious. In each episode, host Misha Glenny and expert guests explore the characters, events and discoveries that have shaped our world.
History fans can learn about pivotal wars and societal upheavals, such as the rise and fall of Napoleon, the Sack of Rome in 1527, and the political intrigue of the Russian Revolution. Those fascinated by the lives of kings and queens can journey to Versailles to meet Marie Antoinette and Louis XIV the Sun King, or to Ancient Egypt to meet Cleopatra and Nefertiti. Or perhaps you're looking to explore the history of religion, from Buddhism's early teachings to the Protestant Reformation.
If you're interested in the stories behind iconic works of art, music and literature, dive in to discussions on the artistic genius of Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel and Van Gogh's famous Sunflowers. From Gothic architecture to the works of Shakespeare, each episode of In Our Time offers new insight into humanity's cultural achievements.
Those looking to enrich their scientific knowledge can hear episodes on black holes, the Periodic Table, and classical theories of gravity, motion, evolution and relativity. Learn how the discovery of penicillin revolutionised medicine, and how the death of stars can lead to the formation of new planets.
Lovers of philosophy will find episodes on the big issues that define existence, from free will and ethics, to liberty and justice. In what ways did celebrated philosophers such as Mary Wollstonecraft and Karl Marx push forward radical new ideas? How has the concept of karma evolved from the ancient Sanskrit texts of Hinduism to today? What was Plato's concept of an ideal republic, and how did he explore this through the legend of the lost city of Atlantis?
In Our Time celebrates the pursuit of knowledge and the enduring power of ideas.
History fans can learn about pivotal wars and societal upheavals, such as the rise and fall of Napoleon, the Sack of Rome in 1527, and the political intrigue of the Russian Revolution. Those fascinated by the lives of kings and queens can journey to Versailles to meet Marie Antoinette and Louis XIV the Sun King, or to Ancient Egypt to meet Cleopatra and Nefertiti. Or perhaps you're looking to explore the history of religion, from Buddhism's early teachings to the Protestant Reformation.
If you're interested in the stories behind iconic works of art, music and literature, dive in to discussions on the artistic genius of Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel and Van Gogh's famous Sunflowers. From Gothic architecture to the works of Shakespeare, each episode of In Our Time offers new insight into humanity's cultural achievements.
Those looking to enrich their scientific knowledge can hear episodes on black holes, the Periodic Table, and classical theories of gravity, motion, evolution and relativity. Learn how the discovery of penicillin revolutionised medicine, and how the death of stars can lead to the formation of new planets.
Lovers of philosophy will find episodes on the big issues that define existence, from free will and ethics, to liberty and justice. In what ways did celebrated philosophers such as Mary Wollstonecraft and Karl Marx push forward radical new ideas? How has the concept of karma evolved from the ancient Sanskrit texts of Hinduism to today? What was Plato's concept of an ideal republic, and how did he explore this through the legend of the lost city of Atlantis?
In Our Time celebrates the pursuit of knowledge and the enduring power of ideas.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Jul 3, 2008 • 42min
Dante's Inferno
Melvyn Bragg and guests dive into Dante's 'Inferno', discussing the intricate symbolism of demons, punishments, and classical encounters in medieval spirituality. They explore Dante's condemnation of fraud, corrupt politicians in Florence, and the lasting influence of his vivid imagination on global audiences.
Jun 26, 2008 • 42min
The Arab Conquests
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the Arab conquests - an extraordinary period in the 7th and 8th centuries when the tribes of the Arabian Peninsula conquered the Middle East, Persia, North Africa and Southern Europe and spread the ideas of the Islamic religion. In 632 the prophet Muhammad died and left behind the nascent religion of Islam among a few tribes in the Arabian Desert. They were relatively small in number, they were divided among themselves and they were surrounded by vast and powerful empires. Yet within 100 years Arab armies controlled territory from Northern Spain to Southern Iran and Islamic ideas had begun to profoundly refashion the societies they touched. It is one of the most extraordinary and significant events in world history that began the slow and profound transformation of Greek and Persian societies into Islamic ones. But how did the Arab armies achieve such extensive victories, how did they govern the people they conquered and what was the relationship between the achievements of the Arabs and the religious beliefs they carried with them?With Hugh Kennedy, Professor of Arabic at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London; Amira Bennison, Senior Lecturer in Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies at the University of Cambridge and Robert Hoyland, Professor in Arabic and Middle East Studies at the University of St Andrews
Jun 19, 2008 • 42min
The Music of the Spheres
Explore the ancient concept of 'music of the spheres' and its ties to mathematics and music, from Pythagorean theory to celestial harmony. Delve into the mystical world of planetary movement creating celestial music and the pragmatic astronomy of Ptolemy. Discover how music can influence the mind according to Ficino and the transition from Copernicus to Kepler in understanding cosmic harmony.
Jun 19, 2008 • 42min
The Metaphysical Poets
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the Metaphysical poets, a diffuse group of 17th century writers including John Donne, Andrew Marvell and George Herbert. Mourning the death of a good friend in 1631, the poet Thomas Carew declared: “The Muses' garden, with pedantic weeds O'erspread, was purg'd by thee; the lazy seeds Of servile imitation thrown away, And fresh invention planted.”The gardener in question was a poet, John Donne, and from his fresh invention blossomed a group of 17th century writers called the metaphysical poets. Concerned with sex and death, with science and empire, the metaphysical poets challenged the conventions of Elizabethan poetry with drama and with wit. And they showed that English, like Italian and French, was capable of true poetry.Unashamedly modern, they were saluted by another great modernist, T.S. Eliot, who admired their genius for imagery, the freshness of their language and the drama of their poetic character. But what do we mean by metaphysical poetry, how did it reflect an age of drama and discovery and do poets as different as John Donne, Andrew Marvell and George Herbert really belong together in the canon of English literature? With Tom Healy, Professor of Renaissance Studies at Birkbeck College, University of London; Julie Sanders, Professor of English Literature and Drama at the University of Nottingham; and Tom Cain, Professor of Early Modern Literature at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne
Jun 12, 2008 • 42min
The Riddle of the Sands
Discussing the intrigue of 'The Riddle of the Sands' novel revealing a German military plot against Britain. Exploring the cultural exchanges and perceptions between Germany and Britain. Delving into contrasting views on cultural richness and political oppression. Examining themes of warfare cruelty and revenge post-Waterloo. Highlighting Prince Albert's influence on Anglo-German relations. Tracking the shifting attitudes towards Germany pre and post-World War I.
Jun 5, 2008 • 42min
Lysenkoism
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Trofim Lysenko, a geneticist in Stalin's Russia whose controversial ideas distorted science. Lysenko's influence on Soviet agriculture, the suppression of dissent, and the lasting impact of Lysenkoism on the Soviet Union's trajectory are explored in this intriguing podcast.
May 29, 2008 • 42min
Probability
Explore the origins and evolution of probability theory, from ancient dice games to modern applications. Delve into strategies for decision-making with the Monty Hall problem and discover Jacob Bernoulli's contributions. Uncover the intriguing nature of probability through examples like sharing birthdays and the laws of large numbers in gambling. Dive into models of determinism and the implications of misinterpreting probabilities in real-life scenarios.
May 22, 2008 • 42min
The Black Death
Explore how the Black Death reshaped Medieval Europe with its devastating impact, killing over a third of the population in just 4 years. Uncover the societal chaos, economic implications, and cultural transformations that followed this catastrophic plague. Delve into the macabre imagery, societal responses, and rise of new institutions in the aftermath of the Black Death, showcasing a paradigm shift in Europe's history.
May 15, 2008 • 42min
The Library at Nineveh
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the Library at Nineveh, a treasure house of Assyrian ideas from the 7th Century BC. In 1849 a young English adventurer called Henry Layard started digging into a small hill on the banks of the River Tigris in Northern Iraq. Underneath it he found the ancient city of Nineveh. Layard unearthed extraordinary things - wonderful carved reliefs, ancient palace rooms and great statues of winged bulls. He also found a collection of clay tablets, broken up, jumbled around and sitting on the floor of a toilet. It was the remnants of a library and although Layard didn’t know it at the time, it was one of the greatest archaeological finds ever made.Conceived to house the sum of all human knowledge the library was built in the 7th century BC as the grand Assyrian Empire entered its last years. The clay tablets have proved to be a window into all aspects of Assyrian life, its literature, politics, religion and medicine – practises that are both deeply alien to us and alluringly familiar. With Eleanor Robson, Senior Lecturer at Cambridge University and Vice-Chair of the British Institute for the Study of Iraq; Karen Radner, Lecturer in the Ancient Near Eastern History at University College London; Andrew George, Professor of Babylonian at the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London
23 snips
May 8, 2008 • 42min
The Brain
Exploring the history of ideas about the brain from ancient times to the 17th century, including Hippocrates and Aristotle's views. The shift in perceptions of the brain's importance and functions over the centuries. The Renaissance fascination with the internal exploration of the human body. Thomas Willis's innovative techniques in brain anatomy mapping. Literary views on the brain in 16th-century literature. The evolving understanding of the brain and life in the 17th and 18th centuries. The mysteries of phrenology and brain research, including Paul Broca's language research.
