Main content

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鈥檚 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.

Updated: weekly
Episodes available: indefinitely

Episodes to download

  •

    Metamorphosis

    Thu 2 Mar 2000

    Melvyn Bragg explores the enduring appeal of the Roman poet Ovid鈥檚 work Metamorphoses.

  • Grand Unified Theory

    Thu 24 Feb 2000

    The 20th century pursuit in physics for the ultimate theory of everything.

  • Reading

    Thu 17 Feb 2000

    The history of the politics, practice and process of reading.

  • Goethe and the Science of the Enlightenment

    Thu 10 Feb 2000

    Melvyn Bragg assesses the scientific legacy of the 18th century German poet Goethe.

  • Republicanism

    Thu 3 Feb 2000

    Melvyn Bragg examines how English republicanism has developed from Cromwell to today.

  • Economic Rights

    Thu 27 Jan 2000

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the relationship between democracy and capitalism.

  • Masculinity in Literature

    Thu 20 Jan 2000

    Melvyn Bragg investigates the changing ideals of masculinity in 20th century literature.

  • Information Technology

    Thu 13 Jan 2000

    Melvyn Bragg explores the social and economic consequences of the information revolution.

  • Climate Change

    Thu 6 Jan 2000

    Melvyn Bragg examines predictions and solutions for global warming and rising sea levels.

  • Time

    Thu 30 Dec 1999

    Melvyn Bragg examines the history of mankind鈥檚 attempt to understand the nature of time.

  • Prayer

    Thu 23 Dec 1999

    Melvyn Bragg examines the purpose and effects of prayer.

  • Medical Ethics

    Thu 16 Dec 1999

    Melvyn Bragg examines the technological advances and ethics of modern medicine.

  • Childhood

    Thu 9 Dec 1999

    Melvyn Bragg looks at how perceptions of childhood have changed over the last 100 years.

  • Tragedy

    Thu 2 Dec 1999

    Melvyn Bragg examines whether the ancient genre of tragedy has a place in our own time.

  • Consciousness

    Thu 25 Nov 1999

    Melvyn Bragg examines why ideas about consciousness preoccupy philosophers and scientists.

  • Progress

    Thu 18 Nov 1999

    Melvyn Bragg examines whether mankind has made as much moral as material progress.

  • The Novel

    Thu 11 Nov 1999

    Melvyn Bragg and guests consider the development and the future of the novel.

  • Education

    Thu 4 Nov 1999

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the history and the modern purpose of education.

  • Atrocity in the 20th Century

    Thu 28 Oct 1999

    Melvyn Bragg examines the widespread and chilling inhumanity of the 20th century.

  • The Individual

    Thu 21 Oct 1999

    Melvyn Bragg explores the concept of the individual from the Renaissance to today.

  • The Nation State

    Thu 14 Oct 1999

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss whether it is appropriate to think of the UK as a nation.

  • Utopia

    Thu 7 Oct 1999

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss why we are as enthralled as ever by the idea of a Utopia.

  • Maths and Storytelling

    Thu 30 Sep 1999

    Melvyn Bragg examines whether it is possible to apply mathematical logic to literature.

  • Genetic Determinism

    Thu 23 Sep 1999

    Melvyn Bragg explores the part genes play in our personalities.

  • Pain

    Thu 22 Jul 1999

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the causes and our mechanisms of coping with pain.

  • Truth, Lies and Fiction

    Thu 15 Jul 1999

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss whether it matters if memoirs aren鈥檛 entirely truthful.

  • Africa

    Thu 8 Jul 1999

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the roots of Africa's current political and social crises.

  • Intelligence

    Thu 1 Jul 1999

    Melvyn Bragg explores the origins, manifestations and possibilities of intelligence.

  • Capitalism

    Thu 24 Jun 1999

    Melvyn Bragg examines the history of capitalism from Marx to the collapse of Communism.

  • The Great Disruption

    Thu 17 Jun 1999

    Melvyn Bragg looks at the 20th century shift from industrial to information society.

  2. 1
  3. …
  4. 34
  5. 35
  6. 36
  7. 37
  8. 38

In Our Time podcasts

Download episodes from the huge In Our Time archive.

The In Our Time Listeners' Top 10

If you鈥檙e new to In Our Time, this is a good place to start.

This podcast belongs to