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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Pliny's Natural History
Thu 8 Jul 2010
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Pliny's Natural History, one of the first encyclopedias.
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Athelstan
Thu 1 Jul 2010
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the reign of Athelstan, the first king of all England.
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Antarctica
Thu 24 Jun 2010
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the history of the Antarctic and its exploration.
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The Neanderthals
Thu 17 Jun 2010
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the evolution and characteristics of the Neanderthals.
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al-Biruni
Thu 10 Jun 2010
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the Central Asian scientist and historian al-Biruni.
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Edmund Burke
Thu 3 Jun 2010
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the philosopher, politician and writer Edmund Burke.
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Giorgio Vasari's Lives of the Artists
Thu 27 May 2010
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Giorgio Vasari's Lives of the Artists.
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The Cavendish Family in Science
Thu 20 May 2010
Melvyn Bragg and guests explore the scientific achievements of the Cavendish family.
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William James's 'The Varieties of Religious Experience'
Thu 13 May 2010
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss The Varieties of Religious Experience by William James.
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The Zulu Nation's Rise and Fall
Thu 15 Apr 2010
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the rise and fall of the Zulu Nation.
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William Hazlitt
Thu 8 Apr 2010
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the life and works of the essayist William Hazlitt.
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The City - a history, part 2
Thu 1 Apr 2010
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the history of the city.
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The City - a history, part 1
Thu 25 Mar 2010
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the rise of the city, from its Bronze Age origins to 1800.
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Munch and The Scream
Thu 18 Mar 2010
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Edvard Munch and his most famous painting, The Scream.
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The Infant Brain
Thu 4 Mar 2010
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss what new research reveals about the infant brain.
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Calvinism
Thu 25 Feb 2010
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the ideas of John Calvin and their impact.
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The Indian Mutiny
Thu 18 Feb 2010
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the Indian Mutiny of 1857 and the rebellion which followed
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Mathematics' Unintended Consequences
Thu 11 Feb 2010
Melvyn Bragg and guests explore the unintended consequences of mathematical discoveries.
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Ibn Khaldun
Thu 4 Feb 2010
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the 14th-century Arab philosopher of history Ibn Khaldun.
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Silas Marner
Thu 28 Jan 2010
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss George Eliot's 1861 novel Silas Marner.
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The Frankfurt School
Thu 14 Jan 2010
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the ideas and influence of the Frankfurt School.
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The Royal Society and British Science: Episode 4—The Royal Society and British Science
Thu 7 Jan 2010
The more discreet role played by the Society in the 20th century.
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The Royal Society and British Science: Episode 3—The Royal Society and British Science
Wed 6 Jan 2010
The 19th century blooms scientifically with numerous alternative, specialist societies.

