en-us Thu, 04 Dec 2008 06:33:00 -0500 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20081204-1133a.mp3 Melvyn Bragg explores the history of scientific ideas about heat. His guests this week are Simon Schaffer, Professor of History of Science at the University of Cambridge and Fellow of Darwin College; Hasok Chang, Professor of Philosophy of Science at University College London; and Joanna Haigh, Professor of Atmospheric Physics at Imperial College London. Thu, 04 Dec 2008 14:12:50 -0500 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20081204-1133.mp3 1506064 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20081127-1132a.mp3 Mevlyn Bragg discusses the Great Reform Act of 1832, a landmark on the road to British democracy. Melvyn is joined by Dinah Birch, Professor of English at Liverpool University; Michael Bentley, Professor of Modern History at the University of St Andrews; and Catherine Hall, Professor of Modern British Social and Cultural History at University College London. Sat, 29 Nov 2008 05:56:33 -0500 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20081127-1132.mp3 1495630 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20081120-1130a.mp3 Melvyn Bragg discusses the Baroque - a term used to describe a vast array of painting, music, architecture and sculpture from the 17th and 18th centuries. His guests this week are Tim Blanning, Professor of Modern European History and Fellow of Sidney Sussex College, University of Cambridge; Nigel Aston, Reader in Early Modern History at the University of Leicester; and Helen Hills, Professor of Art History at the University of York. Fri, 21 Nov 2008 05:28:04 -0500 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20081120-1130.mp3 1482437 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20081113-1020a.mp3 Melvyn Bragg opens up the mind and delves into the complex world of the brain in this discussion about neuroscience. His guests this week are Martin Conway, Professor of Psychology at the University of Leeds; Gemma Calvert, Professor of Applied Neuroimaging at Warwick Manufacturing Group, University of Warwick; and David Papineau, Professor of Philosophy of Science at King’s College London. Sat, 15 Nov 2008 21:12:06 -0500 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20081113-1020.mp3 1470571 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20081106-1130a.mp3 Melvyn Bragg discusses Aristotle's 'Politics' - a two and a half thousand year old collection of notes that have cast a very long shadow in political philosophy. He is joined by Angie Hobbs, Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of Warwick; Paul Cartledge, AG Leventis Professor of Greek Culture at the University of Cambridge; and Annabel Brett, Senior Lecturer in History at the University of Cambridge. Thu, 06 Nov 2008 12:40:05 -0500 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20081106-1130.mp3 1458469 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20081030-1130c.mp3 Melvyn Bragg discusses the Spanish American liberator, Simon Bolivar. He is joined by Anthony McFarlane, Professor of Latin American History at the University of Warwick; John Fisher, Professor of Latin American History at the University of Liverpool; and Catherine Davies, Professor in the Department of Spanish, Portuguese and Latin American Studies at the University of Nottingham. Thu, 30 Oct 2008 19:52:02 -0400 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20081030-1130.mp3 1447747 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20081023-1130a.mp3 Melvyn Bragg delves into the depths of Dante's medieval poetic vision of hell. He is joined by Margaret Kean, University Lecturer in English and College Fellow at St Hilda’s College, University of Oxford; John Took, Professor of Dante Studies at University College London; and Claire Honess, Senior Lecturer in Italian at the University of Leeds and Co-Director of the Leeds Centre for Dante Studies. Sat, 25 Oct 2008 11:28:08 -0400 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20081023-1130.mp3 1435007 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20081016-1130c.mp3 Melvyn Bragg discusses the theory of Vitalism, the quest for the spark of life that ranged over centuries. He is joined by Patricia Fara, Fellow of Clare College and Affiliated Lecturer in the Department of History and Philosophy of Science at Cambridge University; Andrew Mendelsohn, Senior Lecturer in the History of Science and Medicine at Imperial College, University of London; and Pietro Corsi, Professor of the History of Science at the University of Oxford. Fri, 17 Oct 2008 11:04:06 -0400 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20081016-1130.mp3 1423199 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20081009-1130a.mp3 Melvyn Bragg grapples with the inconsistencies of mathematics as revealed by the Austrian mathematician Kurt Godel in 1930; a discovery which changed the perception of maths forever. He is joined by Marcus du Sautoy, Professor of Mathematics at the University of Oxford; John Barrow, Professor of Mathematical Sciences at the University of Cambridge and Gresham Professor of Geometry; and Philip Welch, Professor of Mathematical Logic at the University of Bristol. Fri, 10 Oct 2008 18:32:02 -0400 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20081009-1130.mp3 1413851 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20081002-1130a.mp3 Melvyn discusses the monumental impact of the Graeco-Arabic translation movement which began in the 8th century in Baghdad. His guests this week are Peter Adamson,Reader in Philosophy at King's College London; Amira Bennison, Senior Lecturer in Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies at the University of Cambridge; and Peter Pormann, Wellcome Trust Assistant Professor in Classics and Ancient History at the University of Warwick. Thu, 02 Oct 2008 17:56:08 -0400 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20081002-1130.mp3 1399523 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20080925-1130a.mp3 Melvyn Bragg discusses the curious, wonderful and sacred history of miracles in this first programme of the new series of 'In Our Time'. He is joined by Justin Champion, Professor of the History of Early Modern Ideas at Royal Holloway, University of London; Martin Palmer, Director of the International Consultancy on Religion, Education, and Culture; and Janet Soskice, Reader in Philosophical Theology at Cambridge University. Sat, 27 Sep 2008 09:32:06 -0400 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20080925-1130.mp3 1388306 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20080710-1130.mp3 In this final programme in the current series of 'In Our Time', Melvyn Bragg explores the decadence and political corruption of Imperial Rome, as seen through the eyes of the ancient Roman historian, Tacitus. His guests this week are Catharine Edwards, Professor of Classics and Ancient History at Birkbeck, University of London; Ellen O’Gorman, Senior Lecturer in Classics at the University of Bristol; and Maria Wyke, Professor of Latin at University College London. Fri, 11 Jul 2008 04:28:18 -0400 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20080710-1130.mp3 1264815 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20080703-1130.mp3 Melvyn Bragg discusses the intriguing group of 17th century writers, the metaphysical poets, with a particular focus on John Donne. Melvyn is joined by Tom Healy, Professor of Renaissance Studies at Birkbeck College, University of London; Julie Sanders, Professor of English Literature and Drama at the University of Nottingham; and Tom Cain, Professor of Early Modern Literature at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne. Sat, 05 Jul 2008 20:12:14 -0400 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20080703-1130.mp3 1254678 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20080626-1130.mp3 Melvyn Bragg discusses the mighty Arab conquests of the 7th century with his guests Hugh Kennedy, Professor of Arabic at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London; Amira Bennison, Senior Lecturer in Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies at the University of Cambridge; and Robert Hoyland, Professor in Arabic and Middle East Studies at the University of St Andrews. Thu, 26 Jun 2008 11:20:09 -0400 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20080626-1130.mp3 1244339 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20080619-1130.mp3 Melvyn Bragg considers the celestial harmonies of the planets, a Pythagorean concept which fascinated astrologists, artists and mathematicians for centuries. He is joined by Peter Forshaw, Postdoctoral Fellow at Birkbeck, University of London Jim Bennett, Director of the Museum of the History of Science at the University of Oxford; and Angela Voss, Director of the Cultural Study of Cosmology and Divination at the University of Kent, Canterbury. Thu, 19 Jun 2008 18:56:13 -0400 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20080619-1130.mp3 1233515 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20080612-1130.mp3 Melvyn Bragg discusses the complexities of Anglo-German relations through the 19th century and in the build up to the First World War. He is joined by Richard Evans, Professor of Modern History at the University of Cambridge; Rosemary Ashton, Quain Professor of English Language and Literature at University College London; and Tim Blanning, Professor of Modern European History at Cambridge University. Fri, 13 Jun 2008 02:40:10 -0400 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20080612-1130.mp3 1223461 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20080605-1130.mp3 Melvyn Bragg discusses the Russian scientist, Trofim Lysenko, and the far-reaching effects his pseudo-science had on the Soviet Union. Melvyn's guests this week are Robert Service, Professor of Russian History at the University of Oxford; Steve Jones, Professor of Genetics at University College London; and Catherine Merridale, Professor of Contemporary History at Queen Mary, University of London. Tue, 10 Jun 2008 10:28:05 -0400 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20080605-1130.mp3 1211675 This podcast has been relaunched. If you receive this message, then you will need to resubscribe to get future episodes. You can find the new version and more information about subscribing at bbc.co.uk/podcasts Thu, 05 Jun 2008 02:04:14 -0400 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/rmhttp/downloadtrial/radio4/inourtime/inourtime_20070824-1300_40_pc.mp3 1210068 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20080529-1137.mp3 Melvyn Bragg explores the mathematical concept of probability with his three guests: Marcus du Sautoy, Professor of Mathematics at the University of Oxford; Colva Roney-Dougal, Lecturer in Pure Mathematics at the University of St Andrews; and Ian Stewart, Professor of Mathematics at the University of Warwick. Thu, 29 May 2008 09:28:08 -0400 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20080529-1137.mp3 1201202 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20080522-1115.mp3 Melvyn Bragg discusses the Black Death with Miri Rubin, Professor of Medieval and Early Modern History at Queen Mary, University of London; Samuel Cohn, Professor of Medieval History at the University of Glasgow; and Paul Binski, Professor of the History of Medieval Art at Gonville and Caius College, University of Cambridge. Thu, 22 May 2008 16:56:54 -0400 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20080522-1115.mp3 1191514 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20080515-0755.mp3 Melvyn Bragg discusses the amazing discovery of the Library at Nineveh and the Assyrian Empire. He is joined by Eleanor Robson, Senior Lecturer at Cambridge University and Vice-Chair of the British Institute for the Study of Iraq; Karen Radner, Lecturer in the Ancient Near Eastern History at University College London; and Andrew George, Professor of Babylonian at the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London. Fri, 16 May 2008 00:40:19 -0400 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20080515-0755.mp3 1181537 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20080508-1130.mp3 Melvyn Bragg delves into the long and varied history of the brain with his three guests -Vivian Nutton, Professor of the History of Medicine at University College London; Jonathan Sawday, Professor of English Studies at the University of Strathclyde; and Marina Wallace, Professor at the University of the Arts, London, Central St Martin’s College of Art and Design. Sat, 10 May 2008 16:20:09 -0400 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20080508-1130.mp3 1169692 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20080501-1130.mp3 Melvyn Bragg discusses the Enclosures of the 18th century that underpinned the agricultural revolution. He is joined by Rosemary Sweet, Director of the Centre for Urban History at the University of Leicester; Murray Pittock, Bradley Professor of English Literature at the University of Glasgow and Mark Overton, Professor of Economic and Social History at the University of Exeter. Thu, 01 May 2008 07:28:13 -0400 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20080501-1130.mp3 1159177 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20080424-1130.mp3 Melvyn Bragg explores the philosophical concept of materialism with his guests this week - Anthony Grayling, Professor of Philosophy at Birkbeck College, University of London; Caroline Warman, Fellow of Jesus College, Oxford; and Anthony O’Hear, Professor of Philosophy at the University of Buckingham. Thu, 24 Apr 2008 14:52:02 -0400 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20080424-1130.mp3 1148682 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20080417-1142.mp3 Unfortunately, for copyright reasons, this week's edition of the programme is not available to download. However, if you want to listen to it again, you can find 'In Our Time' on the radio 4 website at www.bbc.co.uk/radio4 Sat, 19 Apr 2008 06:40:02 -0400 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20080417-1142.mp3 1139947 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20080410-1130.mp3 Melvyn Bragg discusses the Norman Yoke: the idea that the Battle of Hastings sparked the cruel oppression of Anglo-Saxon liberties by a foreign ruling class. He is joined by Sarah Foot, Regius Professor of Ecclesiastical History at Christ Church, Oxford; Richard Gameson, Professor in the Department of History at Durham University and Matthew Strickland, Professor of Medieval History at the University of Glasgow. Fri, 11 Apr 2008 06:20:14 -0400 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20080410-1130.mp3 1126061 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20080403-1130.mp3 Melvyn Bragg discusses Newton's Laws of Motion - the three fundamental laws of physics that put man on the moon. He is joined by guests Simon Schaffer, Professor in History and Philosophy of Science at the University of Cambridge and Fellow of Darwin College; Raymond Flood, University Lecturer in Computing Studies and Mathematics and Senior Tutor at Kellogg College, University of Oxford and Rob Iliffe, Professor of Intellectual History and History of Science at the University of Sussex. Sat, 05 Apr 2008 22:04:02 -0400 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20080403-1130.mp3 1116434 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20080327-1130.mp3 Melvyn Bragg discusses the momentous historical event of the dissolution of the monasteries during the reign of Henry VIII with his guests: Diarmaid MacCulloch, Professor of the History of the Church at Oxford University; Diane Purkiss, Fellow and Tutor at Keble College, Oxford; and George Bernard, Professor of Early Modern History at the University of Southampton. Thu, 27 Mar 2008 12:48:13 -0400 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20080327-1130.mp3 1104203 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20080320-1130.mp3 Melvyn Bragg discusses the rich and radical ideas of the 19th century Danish philosopher, Soren Kierkegaard, with John Lippitt, Professor of Ethics and Philosophy of Religion at the University of Hertfordshire; Clare Carlisle, Lecturer in Philosophy at the University of Liverpool; and Jonathan Ree, Visiting Professor at Roehampton University and at the Royal College of Art. Sat, 22 Mar 2008 04:32:04 -0400 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20080320-1130.mp3 1093149 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20080313-1130.mp3 Melvyn Bragg delves into the rich and complex world of Greek mythology. He is joined by Nick Lowe, Senior Lecturer in Classics at Royal Holloway, University of London; Richard Buxton, Professor of Greek Language and Literature at the University of Bristol and Mary Beard, Professor of Classics at Cambridge University. Fri, 14 Mar 2008 04:13:05 -0400 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20080313-1130.mp3 1082541 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20080306-1245.mp3 Melvyn Bragg explores the life and achievements of Ada Lovelace, daughter of Byron and prophet of the computer age. With him to discuss the "enchantress of numbers" are Patricia Fara, Fellow of Clare College and an Affiliated Lecturer in the Department of the History and Philosophy of Science at Cambridge University; Doron Swade, Visiting Professor in the History of Computing at Portsmouth University and John Fuegi, Research Fellow in Media and Gender Studies at the Universities of Stanford and Maryland. Sat, 08 Mar 2008 19:48:17 -0500 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20080306-1245.mp3 1074034 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20080228-1120.mp3 Melvyn Bragg explores the dramatic themes and history behind one of Shakespeare's greatest tragedies, "King Lear". He is joined by Jonathan Bate, Professor of English Literature at the University of Warwick; Katherine Duncan-Jones, Tutorial Fellow in English at Somerville College, Oxford; and Catherine Belsey, Research Professor in English at the University of Wales, Swansea. Thu, 28 Feb 2008 11:20:16 -0500 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20080228-1120.mp3 1060448 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20080221-1130.mp3 Melvyn Bragg considers the mind-blowing concept of the Multiverse with his guests: Martin Rees, President of the Royal Society and Professor of Cosmology and Astrophysics at the University of Cambridge; Fay Dowker, Reader in Theoretical Physics at Imperial College and Bernard Carr, Professor of Mathematics and Astronomy at Queen Mary, University of London. Thu, 21 Feb 2008 18:56:06 -0500 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20080221-1130.mp3 1049586 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20080214-1130.mp3 Melvyn Bragg examines the history and the meaning behind one of the world's best known icons, the Statue of Liberty. He is joined by Robert Gildea, Professor of Modern History at Oxford University; Kathleen Burk, Professor of American History at University College London and John Keane, Professor of Politics at the University of Westminster. Fri, 15 Feb 2008 02:32:05 -0500 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20080214-1130.mp3 1038745 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20080207-1128.mp3 Melvyn Bragg discusses the varying perceptions of the social contract theory - including the ideas of Hobbes, Locke and Rousseau - with his guests Melissa Lane, Senior University Lecturer in History at Cambridge University; Susan James, Professor of Philosophy at Birkbeck College, University of London and Karen O’Brien, Professor of English Literature at the University of Warwick. Tue, 12 Feb 2008 10:20:25 -0500 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20080207-1128.mp3 1025354 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20080131-1300.mp3 Melvyn Bragg reveals the marvel and scientific endeavor of the Renaissance court of Rudolf II in Prague. He is joined by Peter Forshaw, Postdoctoral Fellow at Birkbeck, University of London and an Honorary Fellow of the University of Exeter; Howard Hotson, Lecturer in Modern History at the University of Oxford and Adam Mosley, Lecturer in the Department of History at the University of Wales, Swansea. Fri, 01 Feb 2008 17:52:11 -0500 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20080131-1300.mp3 1014426 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20080124-1130.mp3 Melvyn Bragg explores plate tectonics - the revolutionary scientific theory which made geologists (and many more besides) profoundly re-think what the Earth was, how it worked and how it related to all the things in it. Melvyn is joined by Richard Corfield, Senior Lecturer in Earth Sciences at the Open University; Joe Cann, Senior Fellow in the School of Earth and Environment at the University of Leeds and Lynne Frostick, Director of the Hull Environment Research Institute and Professor of Physical Geography at the University of Hull. Sat, 26 Jan 2008 01:28:16 -0500 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20080124-1130.mp3 1004897 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20080117-1130.mp3 Melvyn Bragg ponders the complex character of The Fisher King - the keeper of the Holy Grail, he's been Christian and pagan, tragic and enduring,a fertility god and a symbol of sexual fear and desire. With Melvyn to discuss The Fisher King are Carolyne Larrington, Tutor in Medieval English at St John’s College, Oxford; Stephen Knight, Distinguished Research Professor in English Literature at Cardiff University and Juliette Wood, Associate Lecturer in the Department of Welsh, Cardiff University and Director of the Folklore Society. Fri, 18 Jan 2008 01:04:25 -0500 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20080117-1130.mp3 990434 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20080110-1115.mp3 Melvyn Bragg discusses the legendary battle in the Crimean War, the Charge of the Light Brigade. He is joined by Mike Broers, Lecturer in Modern History at the University of Oxford and a Fellow of Lady Margaret Hall; Trudi Tate, Fellow of Clare Hall, Cambridge and Saul David, Visiting Professor of Military History at the University of Hull. Sat, 12 Jan 2008 16:48:20 -0500 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20080110-1115.mp3 980074 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20080103-1130.mp3 Melvyn Bragg considers the life and work of the French writer and philosopher, Albert Camus. His guests are Peter Dunwoodie, Professor of French Literature at Goldsmiths, University of London; David Walker, Professor of French at the University of Sheffield and Christina Howells, Professor of French at Wadham College, University of Oxford. Fri, 04 Jan 2008 16:20:30 -0500 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20080103-1130.mp3 969216 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20071227-1200.mp3 Melvyn Bragg explores the meaning and origins of the Nicene Creed, a statement of essential faith spoken for over 1600 years in Christian Churches. He is joined by Martin Palmer,director of the International Consultancy on Religion, Education, and Culture; Caroline Humfress, Reader in History at Birkbeck College, University of London and Andrew Louth, Professor of Patristic and Byzantine Studies at the University of Durham. Fri, 28 Dec 2007 23:48:04 -0500 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20071227-1200.mp3 961076 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20071220-1130.mp3 Melvyn Bragg discusses the theory of the Four Humours -yellow bile, blood, choler and phlegm in the original theory of everything. He is joined by David Wootton, Anniversary Professor of History at the University of York; Vivian Nutton, Professor of the History of Medicine at University College London and Noga Arikha, Visiting Fellow at the Institut Jean-Nicod in Paris. Thu, 20 Dec 2007 23:20:05 -0500 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20071220-1130.mp3 949538 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20071213-1245.mp3 Melvyn Bragg discusses the mighty Sassanian Empire with his guests Hugh Kennedy, Professor of Arabic in the Faculty of Languages and Cultures at the School of Oriental and African Studies; Vesta Sarkhosh Curtis, Curator of Iranian and Islamic Coins in the British Museum and James Howard-Johnston, University Lecturer in Byzantine Studies at the University of Oxford. Sat, 15 Dec 2007 14:56:12 -0500 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20071213-1245.mp3 938519 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20071206-1130.mp3 Melvyn Bragg discusses genetic mutation with his guests Steve Jones, Professor of Genetics in the Galton Laboratory, University College London; Adrian Woolfson, lectures in Medicine at Cambridge University and Linda Partridge, Weldon Professor of Biometry at University College London. Thu, 06 Dec 2007 06:32:08 -0500 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20071206-1130.mp3 926499 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20071129-1130.mp3 Melvyn Bragg examines The Fibonacci Sequence, an infinite string of numbers named after, but not invented by, the 13th century Italian mathematician Fibonacci. His guests are Marcus du Sautoy, Professor of Mathematics at the University of Oxford; Jackie Stedall, Junior Research Fellow in History of Mathematics at Queen’s College, Oxford; and Ron Knott, Visiting Fellow in the Department of Mathematics at the University of Surrey. Thu, 29 Nov 2007 14:04:17 -0500 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20071129-1130.mp3 915292 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20071122-1400.mp3 Melvyn Bragg and his guests -Rosemary Ashton, Quain Professor of English Language and Literature at University College London; Stephen Gill, University Professor of English Literature and Fellow of Lincoln College, Oxford and Emma Mason, Senior Lecturer in English at the University of Warwick - discuss William Wordsworth's epic autobiographical poem, "The Prelude". Thu, 22 Nov 2007 21:28:07 -0500 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20071122-1400.mp3 905260 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20071115-1132.mp3 Melvyn Bragg and his guests -Simon Schaffer, Professor in History and Philosophy of Science at the University of Cambridge; Jenny Uglow, Honorary Visiting Professor at the University of Warwick and Hasok Chang, Reader in Philosophy of Science at University College London - discuss the discovery of oxygen. Fri, 16 Nov 2007 05:04:24 -0500 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20071115-1132.mp3 894980 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20071108-1100.mp3 Melvyn Bragg and his guests Peter Adamson, Reader in Philosophy at King's College London; Amira Bennison, Senior Lecturer in Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies at the University of Cambridge and Nader El-Bizri, Affiliated Lecturer in the History and Philosophy of Science at the University of Cambridge discuss the great 11th century Persian philosopher, Avicenna. Sat, 10 Nov 2007 20:48:07 -0500 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20071108-1100.mp3 885255 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20071101-1136.mp3 Melvyn Bragg and his guests - Miranda Fricker, Senior Lecturer in the School of Philosophy at Birkbeck, University of London; Stephen Mulhall, Fellow and Tutor in Philosophy at New College, Oxford and Oliver Davies, Professor of Christian Doctrine at King’s College London - examine the complex sentiment of guilt. Thu, 01 Nov 2007 12:04:07 -0400 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20071101-1136.mp3 871284 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20071025-1130.mp3 Melvyn Bragg and his guests -Amanda Vickery, Reader in History at Royal Holloway, University of London; John Mullan, Professor of English at University College London and Jeremy Black, Professor of History at the University of Exeter - discover how new ideas of taste artfully redecorated the living rooms, literature and social politics of the 18th century. Sat, 27 Oct 2007 03:48:32 -0400 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20071025-1130.mp3 860570 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20071018-1130.mp3 Melvyn Bragg turns his gaze onto the cornucopia of stories that is The Arabian Nights. He is joined by Robert Irwin, Senior Research Associate at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London; Marina Warner, Professor in the Department of Literature, Film and Theatre Studies at the University of Essex and Gerard van Gelder, Laudian Professor of Arabic at the University of Oxford. Fri, 19 Oct 2007 03:28:07 -0400 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20071018-1130.mp3 850418 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20071011-1245.mp3 Melvyn Bragg considers the theory of the divine right of kings with Justin Champion, Professor of the History of Early Modern Ideas at Royal Holloway, University of London; Tom Healy, Professor of Renaissance Studies at Birkbeck College, University of London and Clare Jackson, Lecturer and Director of Studies in History at Trinity Hall, Cambridge. Sat, 13 Oct 2007 19:12:07 -0400 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20071011-1245.mp3 838402 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20071004-1100.mp3 Melvyn Bragg talks to Val Gibson, Reader in High Energy Physics at the University of Cambridge; Frank Close, Professor of Physics at Exeter College, University of Oxford and Ruth Gregory, Professor of Mathematics and Physics at the University of Durham about the elusive opposite of Matter, Antimatter. Fri, 05 Oct 2007 18:48:10 -0400 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20071004-1100.mp3 826219 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20070927-1028.mp3 Melvyn Bragg discusses the life and legacy of one of the world's greatest philosophers, Socrates, with Angie Hobbs, Associate Professor of Philosophy at Warwick University; David Sedley, Laurence Professor of Ancient Philosophy at Cambridge University and Paul Millett, Senior Lecturer in Classics also at Cambridge University. Sat, 29 Sep 2007 02:20:16 -0400 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/iot/iot_20070927-1028.mp3 817971 In January 1857 a man called Ernest Pinard stood up in a crowded courtroom and declared, "Art that observes no rule is no longer art; it is like a woman who disrobes completely. To impose the one rule of public decency on art is not to subjugate it but to honour it". Pinard was no grumbling hack, he was the imperial prosecutor of France, and facing him across the courtroom was the writer Gustave Flaubert. Flaubert’s work had been declared "an affront to decent comportment and religious morality". It was a novel called Madame Bovary. The trial became an argument about art and morality, about sex and marriage, it caused a sensation in Paris and forged Madame Bovary’s reputation as one of the greatest novels in the French language. Sun, 15 Jul 2007 05:54:17 -0400 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/rmhttp/downloadtrial/radio4/inourtime/inourtime_20070712-0900_40_pc.mp3 718401 Every year on the fourth Thursday in November, Americans go home to their families and sit down to a meal. It’s called Thanksgiving and it echoes a meal that took place nearly 400 years ago, when a group of English religious exiles sat down, after a brutal winter, to celebrate their first harvest in the New World. They celebrated it in company with the American Indians who had helped them to survive. These settlers are called the Pilgrim Fathers and although they were not the first and certainly not the largest of the early settlements, they have retained a hold on the American imagination far out of proportion to their historical significance. Thu, 05 Jul 2007 20:23:08 -0400 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/rmhttp/downloadtrial/radio4/inourtime/inourtime_20070705-0900_40_pc.mp3 706247 250 million years ago, in the Permian period of geological time, the most ferocious predators on earth were the Gorgonopsians? Up to 95% of all life died with them. It’s the greatest mass extinction the world has ever known and it marks what is called the Permian-Triassic boundary. But what caused this catastrophic juncture in life, what evidence do we have for what happened and what do events like this tell us about the pattern and process of evolution itself? Sat, 30 Jun 2007 11:57:28 -0400 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/rmhttp/downloadtrial/radio4/inourtime/inourtime_20070628-1400_40_pc.mp3 696837 In the second century BC the Roman statesman Cicero claimed “There is no statement so absurd that no philosopher will make it”. Indeed, in the history of Western thought, philosophers have rarely been credited with having much common sense. Samuel Johnson picked up the theme with characteristic pugnacity in 1751 declaring that “the public would suffer less present inconvenience from the banishment of philosophers than from the extinction of any common trade.” But as Samuel Johnson scribbled his pithy knockdown in the Rambler magazine, the greatest philosophers in Britain were locked in a dispute about the very thing he denied them: Common Sense. It was a dispute about the nature of knowledge and the individuality of man, from which we derive the idea of common sense today. But what is Common Sense Philosophy, who were its proponents and how did it emerge from the tides of scepticism, empiricism and rational enquiry running through 18th century Europe? Mon, 25 Jun 2007 03:33:16 -0400 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/rmhttp/downloadtrial/radio4/inourtime/inourtime_20070621-0900_40_pc.mp3 686723 In Act I Scene II of King Lear, the ne’er do well Edmund steps forward and rails at the weakness and cynicism of his fellow men: This is the excellent foppery of the world, that, when we are sick in fortune, - often the surfeit of our own behaviour, - we make guilty of our disasters the sun, the moon, and the stars: as if we were villains by necessity. The focus of his attack is astrology and the credulity those who fall for its charms. But the idea that earthly life was ordained in the heavens ran deep in the Renaissance mind, offering succour to the lowliest farmhands and exercising the highest faculties of theologians and philosophers. When Elizabeth I wanted to establish a propitious date for her coronation, she asked her own astrologer, Dr John Dee. But why did astrological ideas flourish in the period, how did astrologers interpret and influence the course of events and what new ideas eventually brought the astrological edifice tumbling down? Fri, 15 Jun 2007 18:43:21 -0400 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/rmhttp/downloadtrial/radio4/inourtime/inourtime_20070614-0900_40_pc.mp3 676221 In 1916 the Military Cross was awarded to Siegfried Sassoon, a captain in the Royal Welch Fusiliers, for "conspicuous gallantry during a raid on the enemy's trenches". The citation noted that he had braved "rifle and bomb fire" and that "owing to his courage and determination, all the killed and wounded were brought in". Yet a year later Sassoon publicly denounced the conduct of the war in which he had fought so well. A man of contradictions, Sassoon had a long and eventful life after surviving the trenches. It included a string of homosexual affairs, a failed marriage, a religious conversion and several tumultuous arguments with literary friends. And he continued to write poetry until his death, from cancer, in 1967. But how significant a poet is Siegfried Sassoon, what version of Englishness did this half-Jewish, homosexual cricket lover invent for himself and how do you reconcile a man who opposed the First World War so vehemently, yet fought in it with such ferocity? Sun, 10 Jun 2007 10:33:02 -0400 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/rmhttp/downloadtrial/radio4/inourtime/inourtime_20070607-0900_40_pc.mp3 664239 In the small village of Ockham stands a church. Made of grey stone with a pitched roof and an unassuming church tower it dates back to the 13th century. This means they would have been standing when the village witnessed the birth of one of the greatest philosophers in Medieval Europe. His name was William and he became known as William of Ockham. In the following 63 years William of Ockham managed to offend the Chancellor of Oxford University, disagree with his own ecclesiastical order and get excommunicated by the Pope; he also declared that the authority of rulers derives from the people they govern and was so brutally reductive with the theories of his colleagues that ‘Ockham’s Razor’ remains a philosophical principle today. But why is William of Ockham significant in the history of philosophy, how did his turbulent life fit within the political dramas of his time and to what extent do we see his ideas in the work of later thinkers such as Thomas Hobbes and even Martin Luther? Fri, 01 Jun 2007 01:33:41 -0400 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/rmhttp/downloadtrial/radio4/inourtime/inourtime_20070531-0900_40_pc.mp3 653836 Charles VI, a madman and the King of France, was dead and his kingdom hung in the balance. The French aristocracy were at war with each other, English soldiers occupied Paris and Charles’ crown was up for grabs, contested by his own son, the Dauphin, and the seven-year-old King of England, Henry VI. But as the English army pressed down through France, the only thing that seemed to stand between the English King and the French Crown was the city of Orleans. Looking back on the events that followed, the Duke of Bedford wrote to King Henry VI and declared "all things prospered for you till the time of the siege of Orleans, taken in hand God knoweth by what advice". But what happened at the siege of Orleans, did Joan of Arc really rescue the city and how significant was the battle in changing the course of the 100 Years' War and the subsequent histories of England and France? Fri, 25 May 2007 08:57:03 -0400 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/rmhttp/downloadtrial/radio4/inourtime/inourtime_20070524-0900_40_pc.mp3 644572 The rather un-poetically named star SN 2006gy is roughly 150 times the size of our sun. Last week it went supernova, creating the brightest stellar explosion ever recorded. But among the vast swathes of dust, gas and visible matter ejected into space, perhaps the most significant consequences were invisible On 1 September 1851 the poet Matthew Arnold was on his honeymoon. Catching a ferry from Dover to Calais, he sat down and worked on a poem that would become emblematic of the fears and anxieties of a generation of Victorians. It is called Dover Beach and it finishes like this: "Ah, love, let us be true To one another! for the world, which seems To lie before us like a land of dreams, So various, so beautiful, so new, Hath really neither joy, nor love, nor light, Nor certitude, nor peace, nor help for pain; And we are here as on a darkling plain Swept with confused alarms of struggle and flight, Where ignorant armies clash by night". But was Arnold’s pessimism shared by his fellow Victorians? What events and ideas were driving it on and were any of their concerns about race and religion, class and culture borne out as the 19th century drew to a close? Sun, 13 May 2007 07:43:17 -0400 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/rmhttp/downloadtrial/radio4/inourtime/inourtime_20070510-0900_40_pc.mp3 622742 For the radical thinkers of the Enlightenment, he was the first man to have lived and died as a true atheist. For others, including Samuel Taylor Coleridge, he provides perhaps the most profound conception of God to be found in Western philosophy. He was bold enough to defy the thinking of his time, yet too modest to accept the fame of public office, despite numerous offers, and he died, along with Socrates and Seneca, one of the three great deaths in philosophy. His name is Baruch Spinoza, a Dutch Jewish philosopher from the 17th century, who can claim influence on both the Enlightenment thinkers of the 18th century and great minds of the 19th, notably Hegel, and his ideas were so radical that they could only be fully published after his death. But what were the ideas that caused such controversy in Spinoza’s lifetime, how did they influence the generations after, and can Spinoza really be seen as the first philosopher of the rational Enlightenment? Thu, 03 May 2007 23:04:20 -0400 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/rmhttp/downloadtrial/radio4/inourtime/inourtime_20070503-0900_40_pc.mp3 612013 Greek and Roman love poetry is the source of many of the images and metaphors of love that have survived in literature through the centuries. Heartfelt imploring by Sappho and other writers led poetry away from the great epics of Homer and towards a very personal expression of emotion. These outpourings would have been sung at intimate gatherings, accompanied by the lyre and plenty of wine. The style fell out of fashion only to be revived first in Alexandria in the third Century BC and again by the Roman poets starting in the 50s BC. Catullus and his peers developed the form, employing powerful metaphors of war and slavery to express their devotion to their Beloved Symmetry defines many of the most perfect forms in nature, from the snowflake and the butterfly, to our perceptions of beauty in the human face. There's symmetry in most of the laws that govern our physical world. The Greek philosopher Aristotle described symmetry as one of the greatest forms of beauty to be found in the mathematical sciences, while the French poet Paul Valery went further, declaring; ''The universe is built on a plan, the profound symmetry of which is somehow present in the inner structure of our intellect''. The story of symmetry tracks an extraordinary shift from its role as an aesthetic model to becoming a key tool to understanding how the physical world works. It provides a major breakthrough in mathematics with the development of group theory in the 19th century. And it is the unexpected breakdown of symmetry at sub-atomic level that is so tantalising for contemporary quantum physicists. So why is symmetry so prevalent and appealing in both art and nature? Sat, 21 Apr 2007 22:13:02 -0400 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/rmhttp/downloadtrial/radio4/inourtime/inourtime_20070419-0900_40_pc.mp3 592077 The Opium Wars between Britain and China forced China to open its doors to trade with the western world. The Chinese had banned opium in its various forms several times but the prohibition was ignored. The East India Company and private British traders continued to smuggle large quantities of opium into China. The opium trade became a way of balancing a trade deficit brought about by Britain's own addiction to tea. The Chinese protested against the flouting of the ban, leading to a crackdown by Lin Tse-Hsu, China's Drugs Czar. He confiscated and destroyed opium from the British traders. The British military response was severe, leading to the Nanking Treaty. The peace didn't last long and a Second Opium War followed. The Chinese fared little better in this conflict, which ended with another humiliating treaty. So what were the main causes of the Opium Wars? What were the consequences for the Qing dynasty? And how did the punitive treaties affect future relations with Britain? Sun, 15 Apr 2007 05:37:06 -0400 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/rmhttp/downloadtrial/radio4/inourtime/inourtime_20070412-0900_40_pc.mp3 582401 The seventh century saint, Hilda, or Hild as she would have been known then, wielded great religious and political influence in a volatile era. The monasteries she led in the north of England were known for their literacy and learning and produced great future leaders, including five bishops. The remains of a later abbey still stand in Whitby on the site of the powerful monastery she headed there. So what contribution did she make to establishing Christianity in the north of England? How unusual was it for a woman to be such an important figure in the Church at the time? How did her double monastery of both men and women operate on a day-to-day basis? And how did she manage to convert a farmhand into England's first vernacular poet? Wed, 11 Apr 2007 05:03:10 -0400 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/rmhttp/downloadtrial/radio4/inourtime/inourtime_20070405-1600_40_pc.mp3 575526 The seventh century saint, Hilda, or Hild as she would have been known then, wielded great religious and political influence in a volatile era. The monasteries she led in the north of England were known for their literacy and learning and produced great future leaders, including five bishops. The remains of a later abbey still stand in Whitby on the site of the powerful monastery she headed there. So what contribution did she make to establishing Christianity in the north of England? How unusual was it for a woman to be such an important figure in the Church at the time? How did her double monastery of both men and women operate on a day-to-day basis? And how did she manage to convert a farmhand into England's first vernacular poet? Sat, 07 Apr 2007 12:53:07 -0400 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/rmhttp/downloadtrial/radio4/inourtime/inourtime_20070404-1400_40_pc.mp3 568550 The suffering experienced by patients in the age before anaesthetics is almost unimaginable. In the 19th Century, a simple fracture often led to amputation carried out on a conscious patient, whose senses would be dulled only by brandy or perhaps some morphine. Many patients died of shock. The properties of gases like nitrous oxide or “laughing gas” held out hope. But it wasn't until the 1840s that there was a major breakthrough in anaesthetics, when an enterprising dentist in Boston managed to anaesthetize a patient with ether. Ether had its drawbacks and the search for a suitable alternative continued until chloroform was tried in 1847, winning many admirers. So why did it take so long for inhaled gases to advance from providing merely recreational highs to providing an essential tool of humane surgery? What role did the development of the atomic bomb play in the development of anaesthetics? And how have society's changing attitudes to pain informed the debate? Fri, 30 Mar 2007 21:12:07 -0400 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/rmhttp/downloadtrial/radio4/inourtime/inourtime_20070329-0900_40_pc.mp3 557613 http://feeds.gigavox.com/~r/gigavox/channel/itconversations/~3/104943757/detail1735.html <p><center><img src='http://assets.gigavox.com/showimages/1735.jpg' border='0'></center></p>Do you apply an engineering mindset to your cooking? On this edition of IEEE Spectrum Radio, consider the catastrophic culinary implications of weighing flour before or after it has settled in a cup. Also, learn about the wide ranging benefits of emerging green roofs in New York and Chicago, and meet two people who spend their time debunking the extensive artistic liberties taken with physics and science by Hollywood directors. <div class="feedflare"><a href="http://feeds.gigavox.com/~f/gigavox/channel/itconversations?a=kNVxdlmw"><img src="http://feeds.gigavox.com/~f/gigavox/channel/itconversations?i=kNVxdlmw" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.gigavox.com/~f/gigavox/channel/itconversations?a=vJwhvi13"><img src="http://feeds.gigavox.com/~f/gigavox/channel/itconversations?i=vJwhvi13" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.gigavox.com/~f/gigavox/channel/itconversations?a=9BHstsI0"><img src="http://feeds.gigavox.com/~f/gigavox/channel/itconversations?i=9BHstsI0" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.gigavox.com/~f/gigavox/channel/itconversations?a=nX0fZTF6"><img src="http://feeds.gigavox.com/~f/gigavox/channel/itconversations?i=nX0fZTF6" border="0"></img></a></div><img src="http://feeds.gigavox.com/~r/gigavox/channel/itconversations/~4/104943757" height="1" width="1"/> Fri, 30 Mar 2007 21:07:40 -0400 GigaVoxMedia-1735 555153 This Week: A profile of Glenn Horowitz, "Winterton Blue" by Trezza Azzopardi, "Tales From the Torrid Zone" by Alexander Frater and best seller news. News Fri, 30 Mar 2007 21:05:58 -0400 http://podcasts.nytimes.com/podcasts/2007/03/23/24bookupdate.mp3 550135