Preview: Master the medieval art of knowing yourself
How can the past help us live better, happier, healthier and more productive lives today? That's the question at the heart of our series Life Lessons from History, which is back for a new run – and to...
22 Aug 13min
Have we got ancient women's sexuality all wrong?
You might assume that women were prevented from pursuing sexual pleasure in the classical world. However, as Dr Jean Menzies discusses with Lauren Good, this is not the case. They explore how women we...
20 Aug 35min
Adultery, assassination and Agatha Christie: the dark side of the hotel
Hotels, have perhaps surprisingly, played a large role in our history. They have found themselves in divorce papers, inspired a new genre of fiction – and even facilitated murder. Speaking to Lauren G...
18 Aug 35min
Hedy Lamarr: life of the week
Hedy Lamarr starred in dozens of movies, but her life may have been more dramatic than any of them. She was the teenage actor who portrayed the first character to have an on-screen orgasm. The Austria...
17 Aug 50min
How WW2 transformed Asia
For decades, the history of the Second World War has been told through predominately western eyes. That, writes historian Hans van de Ven, simply has to change. Hans's new book, Blood Dawn, sets out t...
16 Aug 37min
Preview: Was Jack the Ripper Queen Victoria's grandson?
As recent years attest, royal scandals have a habit of coming to light. But what if the mother of all royal scandals is still waiting to be revealed? Could it be that an heir to the British throne, Pr...
15 Aug 13min
How opium became a powerful global commodity
Opium has been a painkiller, a vice and the fuel for at least two wars. But what makes it such a powerful global commodity? Benjamin Robert Siegel takes Isabel King through this complex history, explo...
13 Aug 44min
A wild history of partying
For hundreds of years, people have gathered after dark to drink, dance and escape the pressures of everyday life. But how did 'going out' become a habit across the world? Jon Bauckham chats to Imogen ...
11 Aug 40min
