The botanists of besieged Leningrad

What has prompted humans throughout history to risk life and limb to conquer some of the world's highest mountains? Author and climber Daniel Light talks to Rachel Dinning about why humans have always been drawn to mountains, the evolution of mountaineering as a sport, and the stories of the individuals who risked everything to make it to the top of nature’s most formidable peaks. (Ad) Daniel Light is the author of The White Ladder: Triumph and Tragedy at the Dawn of Mountaineering (Oneworld, 2024). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-white-ladder%2Fdaniel-light%2F9780861548163. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

13 Mai 37min

Showbusiness, spying and civil rights - the extraordinary life of Josephine Baker had it all. From difficult beginnings, Baker transformed herself into the world's first black superstar, before turning her talents to espionage on behalf of the French Resistance. Hanna Diamond tells Ellie Cawthorne more about Baker's showbiz lifestyle, tireless campaigning, troupe of 12 adopted children and pet cheetah. (Ad) Hanna Diamond is the author of Josephine Baker's Secret War: The African American Star Who Fought for France and Freedom (Yale University Press, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Josephine-Bakers-Secret-War-American/dp/0300279981/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

12 Mai 47min

From rainmaking queens to dogged isolationists, the lives and reigns of Africa’s female rulers have long been shrouded in mystery, misunderstanding and misogyny. Over the centuries and throughout the continent, these individuals navigated the rigid traditions of their own cultures to wield power – even to the detriment of their subjects. Speaking to Danny Bird, Paula Akpan traces the lives of 12 influential African women, challenging prevailing narratives to reveal a continent shaped by matriarchy and contested memories. (Ad) Paula Akpan is the author of When We Ruled: The Rise and Fall of Twelve African Queens and Warriors (Trapeze, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/When-We-Ruled-African-Warriors/dp/1398719897/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

11 Mai 41min

It's considered to be the bloodiest civil war in history, but there's a fair chance you've never heard of it. The Taiping Rebellion convulsed China from 1850 to 1864, leading to over 20 million deaths and severely weakening the Qing dynasty, but it remains little known outside of China today. Speaking to Rob Attar, Professor Stephen R Platt answers listener questions about the rebellion and explains why it hasn't received the attention it deserves. EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/hepod Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

10 Mai 58min

All eyes have been on the Vatican in recent days, as the conclave have decided who will be the next pope. But how does the process today compare to that of past centuries? What have been some of the most dramatic papal elections down the centuries? And was there ever really a female pope? Matt Elton caught up with expert in papal history Rebecca Rist to find out more. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

8 Mai 40min

Nazi Germany had finally been defeated. And, for 24 hours, Britons could let their hair down and celebrate. But not everyone was in the mood to party. As 2025 marks the 80th anniversary, John Willis tells the story of VE Day via the experiences of ordinary Britons who lived through it. Here, in conversation with Spencer Mizen, he discusses what these testimonies reveal about the state of mind of a nation after six long years of war. (Ad) John Willis is the author of The People’s War: Unheard Voices: Life on the Battlefront and at Home in World War II (BBC Books, 2025). Buy it now from Waterstones: https://go.skimresources.com?id=71026X1535947&xcust=historyextra-social-histboty&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.waterstones.com%2Fbook%2Fthe-peoples-war%2Fjohn-willis%2F9781785949005. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

6 Mai 29min

Nikola Tesla is remembered as an enigmatic, eccentric genius who harnessed the power of electricity. But if we strip away some of this myth, what can we really say about the inventor's life and legacy? For this Life of the Week episode, Iwan Morus joins Ellie Cawthorne to reveal how Tesla believed he could invent a death ray, whether he was really a recluse, and how he would feel about Elon Musk's company using his name today. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

5 Mai 40min

In the 1840s, famine hit Ireland with devastating consequences. But what were the circumstances that turned a potato blight into a catastrophe that shattered societal structures and caused around a million deaths? Padraic X Scanlan speaks to Ellie Cawthorne about the causes and impact of the famine, linking the disaster to the economic structures of the British empire. (Ad) Padraic X Scanlan is the author of Rot: A History of the Irish Famine (Basic Books, 2025). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rot-History-Padraic-X-Scanlan/dp/1472146875/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyextra-social-histboty. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

4 Mai 44min