In Our Time

In Our Time

BBC Radio 4

17 episodes

Episodes

Archive: The Measurement of Time
Oct 12, 2026 · 42m
This episode explores the history of time measurement, tracing its evolution from ancient celestial observations to modern atomic clocks.
Archive: Trinity
Oct 8, 2026 · 44m
This In Our Time episode explores the Christian doctrine of the Trinity, examining its historical origins, theological debates, and cultural impact.
Archive: Emma
Oct 1, 2026 · 50m
In this episode of In Our Time, Melvyn Bragg discusses Jane Austen’s *Emma* with guests John Mullen, Janet Todd, and Emma Cleary.
Archive: The War of 1812
Sep 24, 2026 · 44m
This In Our Time episode examines the War of 1812, analyzing its causes such as British impressment and trade restrictions, and its impact on the United States, Canada, and Indigenous peoples.
Archive: Rosalind Franklin
Sep 17, 2026 · 51m
This episode explores the life and scientific contributions of Rosalind Franklin, highlighting her pivotal role in determining DNA's structure through X-ray crystallography.
Archive: Plato's Republic
Sep 10, 2026 · 50m
This episode of In Our Time explores Plato’s Republic, featuring guests Angela Hobbs, M.
In Our Time Returns for a New Series
Sep 7, 2026 · 2m
In Our Time is a BBC Radio 4 podcast where Melvyn Bragg and three guests explore a single subject each week, ranging from mathematics and history to science and philosophy.
Archive: Empress Dowager Cixi
Sep 3, 2026 · 51m
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Empress Dowager Cixi, who dominated the Qing court for nearly 50 years during a period of intense crisis.
Archive: Plate Tectonics
Aug 27, 2026 · 44m
Melvin Bragg and guests Joe Kahan, Lynn Frostick, and Richard Caulfield discuss the revolutionary theory of plate tectonics.
Archive: Hatshepsut
Aug 20, 2026 · 47m
Melvin Bragg discusses Hatshepsut, the female pharaoh who ruled ancient Egypt as a king, with experts Elizabeth Frude, Kate Spence, and Campbell Price.
Archive: Coffee
Aug 13, 2026 · 56m
Melvyn Bragg hosts historians Jonathan Morris, Markman Ellis, and Judith Hawley to explore coffee’s global history.
Archive: Aphra Behn, pioneering playwright and spy.
Aug 6, 2026 · 52m
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Aphra Behn, the first English woman to earn a living from writing.
Seashells
Jul 30, 2026 · 53m
Melvyn Bragg discusses the biology, evolution, and cultural significance of seashells with experts Suzanne Williams, Liz Harper, and Helen Scales.
Vigée Le Brun
Jul 23, 2026 · 56m
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the life and career of Elisabeth Vigée Le Brun, the 18th-century portraitist who painted Marie Antoinette roughly 30 times.
The Delian League
Jul 16, 2026 · 54m
Host Melvyn Bragg discusses the Delian League with historians Leah Lazar, Polly Lowe, and Paul Cartledge.
Machado de Assis
Jul 9, 2026 · 53m
Host Misha Glenny discusses the life and literary legacy of Machado de Assis, considered Brazil’s greatest writer, with experts Ana Claudia Suriani…
The Evolution of Trees
Jul 2, 2026 · 54m
Melvyn Bragg is joined by Jenny McIlwain, Christopher Berry, and Bill Baker to explore the evolutionary history of trees.
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