Witness History Podcast
History told by the people who were there. For nine minutes every weekday, Witness History takes you back to moments which have shaped our world.
Witness History is a short 麻豆社 World Service podcast about history that takes you inside big moments from the past through first-hand testimony and archive. Each weekday, in around nine minutes, we revisit one moment that helped shape the world and hear it through the voice of someone who was there. Scientists, artists, campaigners, soldiers, leaders and everyday people tell their true stories.
When you subscribe to Witness History, you鈥檒l be taken inside turning points in world affairs, from West Africa鈥檚 fight back against Boko Haram in 2015, to the behind-closed-doors talks that led to the US-Cuba 鈥渢haw鈥� and the surprise announcement of restored relations.
You鈥檒l discover what it was like to experience disasters and how people recovered from them, including the Tabasco floods in Mexico, Portugal's worst train disaster, and the huge clean-up after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster.
You鈥檒l explore culture and ideas too: Sweden鈥檚 Expedition Robinson, often credited as the first modern reality TV game show; the friendship between The Beatles鈥� George Harrison and Indian sitarist Ravi Shankar; and the night a tiger attack brought Las Vegas superstars Siegfried and Roy鈥檚 show to a sudden end.
And if you鈥檙e curious about inventions, we鈥檒l tell you how air fryers, BlackBerry, YouTube, Alexa, GPS, superglue, the shopping cart (shopping trolley) and bubble tea were created.
If you鈥檙e new to Witness History, the appeal is simple: real voices, one strong true story, and a fresh way to understand today through events from history 鈥� all in the time it takes to enjoy a cup of tea or a walk around the block. Join millions of 麻豆社 World Service podcast listeners around the globe and enjoy the insight, context and detail Witness History will bring you.
Episodes to download
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The last eruption of Mount Vesuvius
Fri 15 Mar 2024
Vesuvius is famous for burying Pompeii but it last erupted in 1944, during World War II.
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Winifred Atwell: The honky-tonk star who was Sir Elton John鈥檚 hero
Thu 14 Mar 2024
The forgotten story of Winifred Atwell, the pianist from Trinidad who broke sales records
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Paraguay adopts its second language
Wed 13 Mar 2024
How Guarani was officially recognised in Paraguay鈥檚 new constitution
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Finding the longest set of footprints left by the first vertebrate
Tue 12 Mar 2024
In 1992 a student found a set of fossilised footprints from the earliest vertebrate
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11M: The day Madrid was bombed
Mon 11 Mar 2024
Nearly 200 died when Spanish commuter trains were bombed in 2004
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MH370: The plane that vanished
Fri 8 Mar 2024
Ghyslain Wattrelos' wife and two children were on MH370, the plane that disappeared.
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Rehabilitating Kony's child soldiers in Uganda
Thu 7 Mar 2024
In 2002, a nun was sent to northern Uganda to help those suffering from a bloody conflict
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The Carnation Revolution in Portugal
Wed 6 Mar 2024
In 1974, a 41-year regime was overthrown in a day
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French child evacuees of World War Two
Tue 5 Mar 2024
In World War Two, tens of thousands of children left Paris to escape the threat of bombs
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Uruguay v the tobacco giant
Mon 4 Mar 2024
In 2010, Uruguay was taken to court by a tobacco company for its trailblazing smoking ban
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The Whisky War: Denmark v Canada
Fri 1 Mar 2024
Beginning in 1984, a dispute over an island was marked by geniality, and bottles of booze
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The discovery of the Lord of Sipan in Peru
Thu 29 Feb 2024
In 1987, the looting of an ancient pyramid led to an extraordinary golden discovery
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The lost Czech scrolls
Wed 28 Feb 2024
The Torah scrolls stolen by the Nazis, rescued by an London Jewish community.
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Whistler: Creating one of the world鈥檚 biggest ski resorts
Fri 23 Feb 2024
In 2003, Whistler Blackcomb won its bid to host the Winter Olympics
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Columbus Lighthouse
Thu 22 Feb 2024
A memorial for the ashes of Christopher Columbus opened in the Dominican Republic in 1992
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Trans murder in Honduras
Wed 21 Feb 2024
The 2009 murder of Vicky Hernandez forced recognition of transgender rights in Honduras
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Icelandic women's strike
Tue 20 Feb 2024
In 1975, 90% of all women in Iceland took part in a massive nationwide protest
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The Soviet scientist who made two-headed dogs
Mon 19 Feb 2024
Soviet scientist Vladimir Demikhov shocked the world with his two-headed dog experiments
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Supermalt: The malt drink created after the Nigerian civil war
Fri 16 Feb 2024
In 1972, a Danish brewery created Supermalt
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The small Irish town known as 鈥楲ittle Brazil鈥�
Thu 15 Feb 2024
How Gort in the west of Ireland became home to so many Brazilians
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The Juliet letters
Wed 14 Feb 2024
Since the 1990s the Juliet Club has answered letters to the Shakespearian heroine
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Patty Hearst: Rebel heiress
Tue 13 Feb 2024
In 1974, a kidnapped socialite joined forces with her captors
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The WW2 escape line that fooled the Nazis
Mon 12 Feb 2024
In 1940 a rescue operation helped Allied servicemen escape from Nazi-occupied France
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The Battle of Versailles: Catwalk clash of American and French fashion
Fri 9 Feb 2024
In 1973 a fashion show was held in France which the media dubbed the Battle of Versailles
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How Rosa Parks took a stand against racism
Thu 8 Feb 2024
Rosa Parks' refusal to give up her bus seat helped end segregation in the United States
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Lucha Reyes: Peruvian music star
Wed 7 Feb 2024
She overcame poverty, health problems and racism to become one of Peru鈥檚 greatest singers
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A young mother saved from death by stoning
Tue 6 Feb 2024
In 2003, human rights lawyer Hauwa Ibrahim defended Amina Lawal from death by stoning
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Queen of the 'fro
Mon 5 Feb 2024
In 1986, Charlotte Mensah went to work in the UK's first luxury Afro-Caribbean hair salon