Documentaries

The Next Global Killer
Can we predict the next deadly pandemic? Alok Jha investigates.
26 Nov 2013,38 mins
Would You Eat an Alien?
Alien Persons
Christine Nicol explores the meaty problem of eating aliens. What if they are like people?
30 Dec 2015,28 mins
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The Israeli Hostages
Anna Foster talks to people who survived the 7 October attacks in Israel by Hamas.
30 Jan 2024,28 mins
Heads Up! The First Head Transplant
A doctor wants to perform the first human head transplant. Will US surgeons license him?
29 Jul 2015,28 mins
The Art of Immersion
Artist and sceptic Adham Faramawy uncovers virtual reality's dark and fantastical spaces.
23 Apr 2018,28 mins
Roald Dahl: A Gremlin in the Works
Cartoonist Gerald Scarfe tells the story of one of the greatest movies never made.
07 Jul 2016,30 mins
Greening the Military
Angus Crawford asks whether the army can do its job whilst respecting the environment.
06 Aug 2012,28 mins
The Unswayables: Trump's Loyal Army
Michael Goldfarb is in Pennsylvania hearing the reasons Americans are voting Trump.
31 Oct 2016,28 mins
Ziggy Stardust Came from Isleworth
How the British-born singer Vince Taylor inspired David Bowie's mythical rock star.
19 Aug 2010,30 mins
Family Matters
Urbanisation
Environment has always influenced human behaviour
20 Dec 2001,12 mins
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The RSC at 50
The New Theatre
James Naughtie follows the struggle to create a new theatre for the RSC in Stratford.
19 Apr 2011,30 mins
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Lenin in Letchworth
Why did the steely Russian revolutionary reputedly visit the first English garden city?
20 Mar 2013,28 mins
Why Become a Doctor?
Junior Doctors: A Matter of Life and Death
Dr Kevin Fong explores how doctors cope when things go wrong.
30 Aug 2016,28 mins
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The Chinese Nureyev
Li Cunxin, Madame Mao's favourite dancer, tells Darcey Bussell about his amazing journey.
17 May 2011,30 mins
The Foghorn: A Celebration
Peter Curran celebrates the powerful role of the humble foghorn.
22 Feb 2011,30 mins
A Century of Hope
Greg Proops looks back at the life of Bob Hope, whose career spanned the 20th century.
11 Oct 2014,30 mins
Effective Altruism
Giles Fraser explores the movement that aims to make charitable giving most effective.
13 May 2018,28 mins
What Were They Thinking?
Mark Lawson examines how four cultural hits from 1999 have stood up to the test of time
26 Dec 2019,28 mins
On and Off the Valley Lines
Tomorrow
Stories of the people who live along the south Wales valleys rail network.
21 Jun 2018,28 mins
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Monogamy and the Rules of Love
Does true love have to be monogamous? We hear three very modern love stories.
19 Aug 2013,28 mins
France and Germany: Divided They Stand
Could the 'Rhine Divide' between France and Germany threaten the EU more than Brexit?
30 Jul 2019,37 mins
Scotland’s Uncivil War
Dani Garavelli tells the story of a deep schism at the heart of Scottish politics.
18 Aug 2020,37 mins
The DNA of History
How is DNA science transforming the study of ancient history, and where might it take us?
10 Aug 2021,28 mins
Am I Too Old to Drive?
Julia Langdon explores the issues around the regulation of elderly drivers.
04 Mar 2019,28 mins
The Design Dimension
Series 3
Panic Button
Tom considers how we protect our personal space through design.
26 Apr 2016,28 mins
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The Art of Relativity
Einstein's theory of relativity revolutionised science. But how did it transform the arts?
29 Aug 2023,28 mins
Magic Consultants
From Here to Eternity?
Can consultants remain relevant and attractive in a new socially conscious world?
25 Apr 2023,14 mins
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The Edge
Mark Urban investigates whether the west is losing its military edge.
14 Apr 2015,38 mins
The Lobotomists
Why were tens of thousands of people lobotomised in the 1940s and 50s in the UK and US?
07 Nov 2011,28 mins
Roger, the Eagle Has Landed
Mark Radcliffe recalls the influential life of cult DJ and club promoter Roger Eagle.
31 Dec 2012,28 mins