Podcasts

Hapsburg Inbreeding with Dr. Adam Rutherford

One of Early Modern Europe’s most powerful families, the Hapsburgs shared a physical trait so distinctive that it came to be regarded as a badge...

The Nazi Massacre at Rumbula

What would it be like to discover that your grandfather was a Nazi? For decades, generations of Germans have been grappling with the legacies of...

Deep-Sea Submersibles & the Titan Disaster

The Titan submersible implosion was a tragic example of marine exploration going wrong. Today Dallas speaks to one of the world's leading marine...

Liangzhu: Cradle of Chinese Civilisation?

Where do you begin to understand the origins of Chinese civilization? Located near the Yangtze River, the treasures of the Liangzhu culture can be...

Europe's 1848 Revolutions

In 1848, Europe was wracked by a series of revolutions that turned the established political order on its head. Across the continent populations...

How to Spot Magic in Medieval Buildings

In the Middle Ages, people made marks and concealed many objects in their buildings to protect themselves from harmful magic. Dead cats, horse...

Cleopatra to Jane Austen: Perfumes of Powerful Women

Why did Cleopatra soak the sails of her ship in jasmine? How did Queen Elizabeth smell? And why was perfume an essential tool of power for women...

The Mexican-American War

In 1848, after almost two years of fighting, the US annexation of former Mexican territory was signed into a treaty.

Mexico lost a third of...

Michelangelo

At 31, Michelangelo was considered the finest artist in Italy, perhaps the world. Long before he died at almost 90, he was widely believed to...

Medusa

This episode contains references to sexual assault.

Medusa stands as one of the most iconic yet misconstrued figures of Greek...

Chichén Itzá

One of the new Seven Wonders of the World, Chichen Itza is home to monumental pyramids, temples, and is a treasure trove of archaeological...

Patriarchy

Why are men in charge? Who invented Patriarchy?

Was it chest-thumping primate ancestors? Was it spear-wielding hunter gatherers? Was it at...