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  3. In Our Time
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In Our Time episodes available now on BBC iPlayer

(433 programmes)

  1. The Silk Road

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    Available since Thursday.

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the Silk Road, the trade routes which spanned Asia.

  2. A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man

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    Available since Thu, 26 Nov 2009.

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss James Joyce's A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man.

  3. The History of Sparta

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    Available since Thu, 19 Nov 2009.

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the Ancient Greek city-state of Sparta.

  4. The Discovery of Radiation

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    Available since Thu, 12 Nov 2009.

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the discovery of radiation, from radio waves to gamma rays

  5. The Siege of Munster

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    Available since Thu, 5 Nov 2009.

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the Siege of Munster in 1534-35.

  6. Schopenhauer

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    Available since Thu, 29 Oct 2009.

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the pessimistic philosophy of Arthur Schopenhauer.

  7. The Geological Formation of Britain

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    Listen now (45 minutes)

    Available since Thu, 22 Oct 2009.

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the geological formation of Britain.

  8. The Death of Elizabeth I

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    Available since Thu, 15 Oct 2009.

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the death of Queen Elizabeth I.

  9. The Dreyfus Affair

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    Available since Wed, 14 Oct 2009.

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the Dreyfus Affair, which tore France apart in the 1890s.

  10. Akhenaten

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    Available since Thu, 8 Oct 2009.

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the Pharaoh Akhenaten.

  11. The Invention of Calculus

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    Available since Thu, 1 Oct 2009.

    The dispute between Sir Isaac Newton and Gottfried Leibniz over who invented calculus.

  12. St Thomas Aquinas

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    Available since Thu, 24 Sep 2009.

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss St Thomas Aquinas.

  13. Ediacara Biota

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    Available since Thu, 9 Jul 2009.

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the Ediacara Biota.

  14. Logical Positivism

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    Available since Thu, 2 Jul 2009.

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the radical philosophy of the Vienna Circle.

  15. Sunni and Shia Islam

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    Available since Thu, 25 Jun 2009.

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the origins of the split between Sunni and Shi'ite Muslims

  16. Elizabethan Revenge

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    Available since Thu, 18 Jun 2009.

    Melvyn Bragg discusses why revenge tragedy was so popular with Elizabethan theatre goers.

  17. The Augustan Age

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    Available since Thu, 11 Jun 2009.

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the Augustan Age in Rome.

  18. The Trial of Charles I

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    Available since Thu, 4 Jun 2009.

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the trial of Charles I.

  19. St Paul

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    Available since Thu, 28 May 2009.

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the influence of St Paul on the early Christian church.

  20. The Whale - A History

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    Available since Thu, 21 May 2009.

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the evolutionary history of the whale.

  21. The Siege of Vienna

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    Available since Thu, 14 May 2009.

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the 1683 siege of Vienna by the Ottoman Army.

  22. The Magna Carta

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    Available since Thu, 7 May 2009.

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the Magna Carta.

  23. The Vacuum of Space

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    Available since Thu, 30 Apr 2009.

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the Vacuum of Space.

  24. The Building of St Petersburg

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    Available since Thu, 23 Apr 2009.

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the building of St Petersburg.

  25. Suffragism

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    Available since Thu, 16 Apr 2009.

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss suffragism, the movement for women's voting rights.

  26. Brave New World

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    Available since Thu, 9 Apr 2009.

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Aldous Huxley's dystopian 1932 novel Brave New World.

  27. Baconian Science

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    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the Jacobean thinker Francis Bacon and Baconian Science.

  28. The School of Athens

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    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Raphael's depiction of Plato and Aristotle.

  29. The Boxer Rebellion

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    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the Boxer Rebellion in the summer of 1900.

  30. The Library of Alexandria

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    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the Library of Alexandria.

  31. The Measurement Problem in Physics

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    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the measurement problem in physics.

  32. The Wasteland and Modernity

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    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss TS Eliot's seminal poem The Wasteland.

  33. The Observatory at Jaipur

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    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the observatory at Jaipur.

  34. The Destruction of Carthage

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    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the Destruction of Carthage

  35. The Brothers Grimm

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    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the fairy tales collected by the Brothers Grimm.

  36. Swift's A Modest Proposal

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    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Jonathan Swift's satirical 1729 pamphlet A Modest Proposal

  37. A History of History

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    Melvyn Bragg discuss how the writing of history has changed over the years.

  38. Thoreau and the American Idyll

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    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the philosopher and naturalist Henry David Thoreau.

  39. The Consolations of Philosophy

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    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the consolation of Philosophy.

  40. The Physics of Time

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    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the physics of time.

  41. The Great Fire of London

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    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the Great Fire of London and the rebuilding of the city.

  42. Heat

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    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the history of scientific ideas about Heat.

  43. The Great Reform Act

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    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the Great Reform Act of 1832.

  44. The Baroque Movement

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    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the culture of the Baroque.

  45. Neuroscience

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    Melvyn Bragg and discusses Neuroscience, the relationship between the mind and the brain.

  46. Aristotle's Politics

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    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Aristotle’s ‘Politics’.

  47. Simon Bolivar

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    Melvyn Bragg discussess Simon Bolivar, the liberator of South America

  48. Dante's Inferno

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses Dante’s ‘Inferno’, a medieval journey through Hell’s nine circles

  49. Vitalism

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses Vitalism, the 18th and 19th century quest for the spark of life

  50. Godel's Incompleteness Theorems

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    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the mathematician Kurt Godel and his work.

  51. The Translation Movement

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    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss classical Greek ideas in the Arabic and the Islamic world.

  52. Miracles

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the history of miracles.

  53. Tacitus and the Decadence of Rome

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the Roman historian Tacitus, a chronciler of Roman decadence

  54. The Metaphysical Poets

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the Metaphysical poets, including John Donne and Andrew Marvell.

  55. The Arab Conquests

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the Arab conquests which helped communicate Islam to the world.

  56. The Music of the Spheres

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the ancient astrological idea of the music of the spheres.

  57. The Riddle of the Sands

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the ‘The Riddle of the Sands’ about Anglo-German relations

  58. Lysenkoism

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the destructive career of the Soviet geneticist Trofim Lysenko.

  59. Probability

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the strange mathematics of probability.

  60. The Black Death

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the Black Death and its effect on medieval society.

  61. The Library at Nineveh

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the Library at Nineveh, a treasure house of Assyrian ideas.

  62. The Brain

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the cultural and medical history of the human brain.

  63. The Enclosures of the 18th Century

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the enclosure movement that fenced in the British countryside.

  64. Materialism

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    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Materialism in Philosophy.

  65. WB Yeats and Irish Politics

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the poet W.B. Yeats and Irish politics.

  66. The Norman Yoke

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    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss ‘the Norman Yoke'.

  67. The Laws of Motion

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    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Isaac Newton’s Laws of Motion.

  68. The Dissolution of the Monasteries

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses Henry VIII and the Dissolution of the Monasteries.

  69. Soren Kierkegaard

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the rich and radical ideas of Soren Kierkegaard.

  70. The Greek Myths

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the Greek myths from Achilles to Zeus.

  71. Ada Lovelace

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the Victorian ‘enchantress of numbers’ Ada Lovelace.

  72. King Lear

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses Shakespeare’s bloodthirsty tragedy, King Lear.

  73. The Multiverse

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    Melvyn Bragg and guests explore the Multiverse.

  74. The Statue of Liberty

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    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the Statue of Liberty. .

  75. The Social Contract

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the Social Contract – a key idea in political philosophy.

  76. Emperor Rudolph II

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses Rudolph II and his Renaissance Court in Prague.

  77. Plate Tectonics

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses plate tectonics, a theory that transformed our idea of the earth.

  78. The Fisher King

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    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the enigmatic myth of the Fisher King.

  79. The Charge of the Light Brigade

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    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the Charge of the Light Brigade.

  80. Albert Camus

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the Algerian-French writer and philosopher, Albert Camus.

  81. The Nicene Creed

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the Nicene Creed which established the Divinity of Christ.

  82. The Four Humours

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the four humours in medical history.

  83. The Sassanid Empire

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the Sassanian Empire in Persia from the 3rd to the 7th century AD.

  84. Genetic Mutation

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses mutation in genetics and evolution.

  85. The Fibonacci Sequence

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the mathematical and cultural mysteries of the Fibonacci Sequence.

  86. The Prelude

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    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss William Wordsworth’s poem The Predule.

  87. The Discovery of Oxygen

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the discovery of Oxygen by Joseph Priestly and Antoine Lavoisier.

  88. The Islamic philosopher Avicenna

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the Persian Islamic philosopher Avicenna.

  89. Guilt

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    Melvyn Bragg and guests take a long hard look at the idea of guilt.

  90. Taste

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    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the 18th century obsession with taste.

  91. The Legends of the Arabian Nights

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the myths, tales and legends of the Arabian Nights.

  92. The Divine Right of Kings

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the idea that kingly authority derives from God.

  93. Antimatter

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses Antimatter in particle physics and cosmology.

  94. Socrates

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    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the iconic Greek philosopher, Socrates.

  95. The Trial of Madame Bovary

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the 1857 trial of Gustave Flaubert's novel, Madame Bovary

  96. The Pilgrim Fathers

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses what the Pilgrim Fathers and the Mayflower mean to Americans.

  97. The Permian-Triassic Boundary

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the Permian-Triassic boundary in evolutionary history.

  98. Common Sense Philosophy

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    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss common sense philosophy.

  99. Renaissance Astrology

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    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Renaissance Astrology.

  100. Siegfried Sassoon

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    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the war poet Siegfried Sassoon.

  101. Ockham's Razor

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the ideas of William Ockham including Ockham's Razor.

  102. The Siege of Orléans

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses Joan of Arc's role in the 1428 Siege of Orléans.

  103. Gravitational Waves

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    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the physics of Gravitational Waves.

  104. Victorian Pessimism

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the high pessimism of Victorian culture.

  105. Baruch Spinoza

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the Dutch, Jewish and Christian Philosopher, Baruch Spinoza.

  106. Greek and Roman Love Poetry

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    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Greek and Roman love poetry.

  107. Symmetry

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the idea of symmetry in art and nature.

  108. The Opium Wars

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the 19th century Opium Wars between Britain and China.

  109. St Hilda

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the 7th century abbess, St Hilda.

  110. Anaesthetics

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    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the history of anaesthetics.

  111. Otto Von Bismarck

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the original Iron Chancellor, Otto Von Bismarck.

  112. Epistolary Literature

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses epistolary literature from Aphra Benn to Les Liaisons Dangereuses

  113. Microbiology

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the history of microbiology, the study of microscopic life.

  114. The History of Optics

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the history of the science of optics

  115. William Wilberforce

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    Melvyn Bragg examines the life of anti-slavery campaigner, William Wilberforce.

  116. Heart of Darkness

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses Joseph Conrad’s novel, Heart of Darkness.

  117. Karl Popper

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the Anglo-Austrian philosopher Karl Popper.

  118. Genghis Khan

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses Genghis Khan and the Mongol Empire.

  119. Archimedes

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the Greek mathematician Archimedes and his famous cry of “eureka!”

  120. The Jesuits

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the Jesuits, “the school masters of Europe”.

  121. Mars

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the planet Mars, a source of endless fascination in human history

  122. Jorge Luis Borges

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the Argentinian writer Jorge Luis Borges.

  123. The Siege of Constantinople

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the 1453 siege of Constantinople which ended the Byzantine Empire.

  124. The History of Hell

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the history of Hell and its representation in the arts.

  125. Indian Mathematics

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the 5000 year long story of Indian Maths.

  126. Anarchism

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the political creed of Anarchism.

  127. The Speed of Light

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the speed of light, lynchpin of Einstein’s universe

  128. Altruism

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses philosophical and evolutionary arguments over altruism.

  129. The Peasants’ Revolt

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the 1381 Peasants’ Revolt

  130. Alexander Pope

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the brilliant, acerbic and unpopular poet Alexander Pope.

  131. The Poincaré Conjecture

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the Poincaré Conjecture and the mathematics of topology.

  132. The French Encyclopédie

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the French encyclopédie; the Enlightenment in book form.

  133. The Needham Question

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the Needham Question; why Europe, not China made modern technology

  134. The Diet of Worms

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the Diet of Worms, an event that helped trigger the Reformation

  135. The Islamic Philosopher, Averroes

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the 12th century Islamic philosopher, Averroes

  136. Alexander Von Humboldt

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the Prussian naturalist and explorer, Alexander Von Humboldt.

  137. Comedy in Ancient Greek Theatre

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses comedy in Ancient Greek theatre including Aristophanes and Menander

  138. Pastoral Literature

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses pastoral literature from Virgil to Dylan Thomas

  139. Galaxies

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the creation and destruction of galaxies.

  140. Spanish Inquisition

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the Spanish Inquisition, defenders of medieval orthodoxy.

  141. Carbon.

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    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the science of Carbon.

  142. Uncle Tom's Cabin

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the anti slavery novel, 'Uncle Tom's Cabin'.

  143. The Heart

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the history of ideas about the heart.

  144. Mathematics and Music

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the mathematical structures that lie within the heart of music.

  145. John Stuart Mill

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the great political philosopher John Stuart Mill.

  146. The Cultural History of Fairies

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses a 5000 year cultural history of fairies.

  147. Astronomy and Empire

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the relationship between astronomy and British Imperial Expansion.

  148. The Great Exhibition of 1851

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the 1851 Great Exhibition housed in the magnificent Crystal Palace.

  149. Immunisation

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses immunisation and Edward Jenner’s breakthrough with vaccination.

  150. The Oxford Movement

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the Oxford Movement in the 19th century Church of England.

  151. Johann Wolfgang Goethe

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the great German polymath, Johann Wolfgang Goethe.

  152. The Carolingian Renaissance

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the Emperor Charlemagne and the Carolingian Renaissance.

  153. The Royal Society

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the origins of the Royal Society, the oldest scientific academy.

  154. Don Quixote

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    Melvyn Bragg examines the importance of the 17th century Spanish novel Don Quixote.

  155. Negative Numbers

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses negative numbers, a history of mystery and suspicion.

  156. Friendship

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the concept of friendship, ‘a single soul dwelling in two bodies’.

  157. Catherine the Great

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses Catherine the Great who transformed and modernized Russia.

  158. Human Evolution

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the story of human evolution.

  159. Geoffrey Chaucer

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses Geoffrey Chaucer, the father of English literature.

  160. The Abbasid Caliphs

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the Abbasid Caliphs, rulers of the Islamic world for 200 years.

  161. Seventeenth Century Print Culture

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses controversy, argument and scandal in 17th century print culture.

  162. Relativism

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses Relativism, a philosophy with no absolute truths.

  163. Prime Numbers

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    Melvyn Bragg examines prime numbers and their mysterious role in the universe of numbers.

  164. The Oath

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the importance of the oath in the Classical World.

  165. The Oresteia

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the ‘Oresteia’, the seminal trilogy of tragedies by Aeschylus.

  166. Heaven

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses ideas of heaven and the afterlife.

  167. The Peterloo Massacre

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the 1819 Peterloo Massacre and the brutality of the British state.

  168. Artificial Intelligence

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses artificial intelligence; can a computer imitate the human mind?

  169. Thomas Hobbes

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the great 17th century philosopher Thomas Hobbes.

  170. The Graviton

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the search for the Graviton particle in physics.

  171. Pragmatism

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the American philosophy of pragmatism.

  172. Greyfriars and Blackfriars

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the religious orders of the Dominicans and the Franciscans.

  173. Asteroids

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the unique properties of asteroids.

  174. Samuel Johnson and his Circle

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses Samuel Johnson, a giant of 18th century literature.

  175. Cynicism

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the Cynics, the performance artists of philosophy.

  176. The Rise of the Mammals

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the rise of the mammals which began 65 million years ago.

  177. The Field of the Cloth of Gold

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the Field of the Cloth of Gold, and Tudor conspicuous consumption.

  178. Magnetism

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the history of magnetism.

  179. Karl Marx

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses Karl Marx who changed the world with his Communist Manifesto.

  180. Christopher Marlowe

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the glittering Elizabethan playwright Christopher Marlowe.

  181. Merlin

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses Merlin, prophet, magician, king maker and the mad man of the woods.

  182. The KT Boundary

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the KT Boundary and the extinction of the dinosaurs.

  183. Paganism in the Renaissance

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the return of classical pagan thought in the Renaissance.

  184. The Scriblerus Club

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the satirical 18th century Scriblerus Club.

  185. Renaissance Maths

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses Renaissance Mathematics, when maths moved from an art to a science.

  186. The Terror during the French Revolution

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the reign of terror during the French Revolution.

  187. Beauty

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the qualities of beauty and the history of aesthetics.

  188. Abelard and Heloise

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses Abelard and Heloise, a tale of love, philosophy and scandal.

  189. Perception and the Senses

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    Melvyn Bragg examines perception: how the brain reacts to the mass of data crowding it.

  190. The Aeneid

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses ‘The Aeneid’, Virgil's great epic poem about Rome.

  191. Archaeology and Imperialism

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the link between archaeology and imperialism.

  192. Alfred and the Battle of Edington

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses King Alfred and the defeat of the Vikings at Battle of Edington.

  193. John Ruskin

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the life and work of the art critic John Ruskin.

  194. Angels

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the heavenly host of Angels.

  195. Dark Energy

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses 'dark energy' and its effects on the universe.

  196. Modernist Utopias

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the mad, bad world of modern utopias.

  197. Stoicism

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses Stoicism, the most influential philosophy in the Ancient World.

  198. Alchemy

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses Alchemy, the ancient science of transformations.

  199. The Cambrian Period

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the Cambrian period, when there was an explosion of life on Earth.

  200. The Mind/Body Problem

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the history of thought about the mind/body problem in philosophy.

  201. The Assassination of Tsar Alexander II

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the assassination of Tsar Alexander II in 1881.

  202. The Roman Republic

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the rise and fall of the Roman Republic.

  203. Faust

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the myth of Faustus and temptation by evil.

  204. The Second Law of Thermodynamics

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the Second Law of Thermodynamics from steam to the Big Bang.

  205. Machiavelli and the Italian City States

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the political philosopher Niccolo Machiavelli.

  206. Carl Jung

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the extraordinary mind of the psychiatrist Carl Gustav Jung.

  207. The Venerable Bede

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the Venerable Bede who revolutionised history and scholarship.

  208. Higgs Boson

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the Higgs Boson; the God particle.

  209. Electrickery

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the dawn of the age of electricity.

  210. Rhetoric

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses Rhetoric; supported by Aristotle but reviled by Plato.

  211. Witchcraft

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses witchcraft in Reformation Europe.

  212. The Han Synthesis

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the Han Synthesis philosophies of China.

  213. Jean-Paul Sartre

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the French writer and philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre.

  214. Politeness

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the cultural effect of the eighteenth century idea of Politeness.

  215. The Origins of Life

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses when and how life on earth originated.

  216. Agincourt

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the English army's defeat of the French at Agincourt in 1415.

  217. The Odyssey

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the monster filled epic, Homer’s Odyssey.

  218. Pi

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the history of the longest and most detailed number in nature.

  219. George Washington and the American Revolution

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the first President of the US and what drove him to revolution.

  220. Renaissance Magic

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the Renaissance obsession with Magic.

  221. Empiricism

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the 17th century idea that all knowledge arises from experience.

  222. Babylon

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the truth behind the empire of Babylon.

  223. The Planets

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses our knowledge of the planets in both our and other solar systems.

  224. Toleration

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the politics behind the rise of religious freedom in England.

  225. Zero

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the number between 1 and -1, once denounced as the devil's work.

  226. Heroism

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses what defines a hero, and their place in classical society.

  227. Tea

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses tea, the first truly global commodity.

  228. Hysteria

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses how emotional experiences can become physical symptoms.

  229. The Later Romantics

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the poetry, tragedy and idealism of Byron, Shelley and Keats.

  230. The Fall

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the concept of original sin and its influence in Christian Europe.

  231. The Warring States Period

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the astonishing productivity of the Chinese Golden Age.

  232. Theories of Everything

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the 30 year search to solve all the biggest questions in physics.

  233. The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the causes of the fall of the Roman Empire in the 5th century.

  234. The Norse Gods

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the myths and theology that inspired the Vikings.

  235. Dreams

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the function and interpretation of dreams.

  236. The Mughal Empire

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses how much the British Raj owed to the Mughal Emperors.

  237. Ernest Rutherford

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses Ernest Rutherford, the father of nuclear science.

  238. The Sublime

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses a transcendental idea that took hold on the Age of Enlightenment.

  239. The Battle of Thermopylae

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the Battle of Thermopylae, a defining clash between East and West.

  240. Cryptography

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the origins and history of codes.

  241. Lamarck and Natural Selection

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses Jean-Baptiste Lamarck, the 18th century French precursor to Darwin.

  242. The Alphabet

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses how sounds turned into signs and signs became the alphabet.

  243. The Devil

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses how the Devil became an established figure in Christianity.

  244. Wittgenstein

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the life, work and legacy of the 20th century philosopher.

  245. St Bartholomew's Day Massacre

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the infamous St Bartholomew’s Day Massacre in 1572.

  246. Ageing the Earth

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    Melvyn Bragg discuses the age of the Earth and its division into four great Eons.

  247. Duty

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses duty, a concept that has excited philosophers through history.

  248. Sensation

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the novels of sensation, a Victorian literary phenomenon.

  249. Robin Hood

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the centuries old myth of the most romantic noble outlaw.

  250. Infinity

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the nature and existence of mathematical infinity.

  251. The Schism

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses events surrounding the medieval division of the Christian Church.

  252. Bohemianism

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the 19th century Parisian philosophy of life lived for art.

  253. James Clark Maxwell

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the work and legacy of the often overlooked 19th century scientist.

  254. The Apocalypse

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses how this powerful narrative of judgement and retribution evolved.

  255. Nature

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the attempt to define humanity’s part in the natural world.

  256. Vulcanology

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the formation and eruption of volcanoes.

  257. The East India Company

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the private trading company that helped forge the British Empire.

  258. The Aristocracy

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the origins, power and eventual decline of the British aristocracy.

  259. The Art of War

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the history and philosophy of warfare throughout the ages.

  260. The Lunar Society

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses an 18th century group of pioneering scientists and engineers.

  261. Memory

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the function and significance of memory.

  262. Blood

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses blood from medical progress to the link to the divine.

  263. The Holy Grail

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the sacred allure of the Holy Grail.

  264. The Jacobite Rebellion

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the disastrous and tragic Jacobite Rebellion.

  265. Roman Britain

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the Romans in Britain, a history of 400 years of occupation.

  266. Youth

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the history of concepts and ideas on youth from antiquity to today.

  267. Proust

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the life and work of 19th century French novelist Marcel Proust.

  268. The Spanish Civil War

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the causes, events and repercussions of the Spanish Civil War.

  269. The Life of Stars

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the life cycle of stars.

  270. Originality

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the creative force of originality.

  271. Redemption

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses Redemption, crucial for Judeo-Christian thought.

  272. Meteorology

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the fascinating science of meteorology.

  273. The Aztecs

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the creation, power and legacy of the Aztec Empire.

  274. The Lindisfarne Gospels

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the manuscripts that united Celtic and Roman cultures in England.

  275. Chance and Design

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the question and theories of a grand design in the universe.

  276. The Epic

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the history of the epic, from Homer’s Odyssey to Joyce’s Ulysses.

  277. The Calendar

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the ancient origins of our Gregorian calendar.

  278. Man and Disease

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses how humans have understood and fought disease throughout history.

  279. The Scottish Enlightenment

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the emergence and impact of the Scottish Enlightenment.

  280. Imagination

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the creatives forces of the imagination.

  281. Muslim Spain

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses Muslim Spain, a culture that lasted 700 years.

  282. Victorian Realism

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses Victorian realism and its focus on the ordinariness of life.

  283. Human Nature

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the vexing issue of human nature.

  284. Architecture and Power

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses what ideas architecture expresses about our past and identity.

  285. The Scientist

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the origin of the concept and historical role of the scientist.

  286. Slavery and Empire

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses British imperialism and its captives, both slaves and Britons.

  287. History of Heritage

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the relationship between heritage culture and the study of history.

  288. Psychoanalysis and Democracy

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the impact of politics on psychoanalysis.

  289. Freedom

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses what it is to be free and how freedom became such a powerful value.

  290. Cultural Imperialism

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses how a dominant power can exert a cultural influence on its empire.

  291. Richard Wagner

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the position of Richard Wagner and his music in German culture.

  292. The American West

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the myths and harsh reality of the 19th century American pioneers.

  293. The Soul

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the history of thought on immortality, the self and the afterlife.

  294. The Grand Tour

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the origins and cultural impact of 18th century tourism.

  295. A History of Drugs

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the role of narcotics and stimulants in the history of medicine.

  296. Order or Chaos?

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses how Chaos Theory has affected our understanding of the universe.

  297. The Examined Life

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses how our preoccupations about how to live have altered over time.

  298. The Physics of Reality

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the attempt to reconcile Quantum Theory and classical physics.

  299. Tolstoy

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the life and work of the 19th century Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy.

  300. Bohemia

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the history of the former centre of the Holy Roman Empire.

  301. Extra Terrestrials

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses our chances of ever discovering life on another planet.

  302. The Artist

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the history and changing the status of the artist.

  303. Marriage

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the history of marriage from ancient Greek times to today.

  304. The Buddha

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the life of Siddhartha Gautama and the legacy of his teachings.

  305. Virtue

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the meaning and purpose of the philosophical concept of virtue.

  306. The Celts

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses what we really know about the Celts of pre-Roman Britain.

  307. Anatomy

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the history of mankind’s quest to understand the human body.

  308. W B Yeats and Mysticism

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the strange and mystical world of the Irish poet W B Yeats.

  309. Happiness

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses whether ‘happiness’ means living a life of pleasure or of virtue.

  310. Catharism

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the Cathars, a medieval European Christian sect accused of heresy.

  311. Nuclear Physics

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the 20th century development of nuclear physics as a science.

  312. Sensibility

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the philosophy of the 18th century literary cult of sensibility.

  313. The Story of Food

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the history of food in Modern Europe.

  314. Genetics

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the development of the science of genetics.

  315. Oscar Wilde

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses Oscar Wilde and the Aesthetes.

  316. Third Crusade

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the highs and lows of the Third Crusade.

  317. Oceanography

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the science of Oceanography.

  318. Surrealism

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses surrealism, the art of the unconscious.

  319. The British Empire

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the ethos and legacy of the British Empire.

  320. Confucius

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the philosophy of Confucius.

  321. Napoleon and Wellington

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the histories of Napoleon and the Duke of Wellington.

  322. Democracy

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the origins of democracy.

  323. Byzantium

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the culture, history and legacy of the eastern Byzantine Empire.

  324. Charles Dickens

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the achievements and legacy of Charles Dickens.

  325. The Origins of the Earth

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the origins of the Earth.

  326. Existentialism

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the 20th century philosophy of existentialism

  327. The Sonnet

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the Sonnet, the most enduring form in the poet’s armoury.

  328. The Legacy of the French Revolution

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the legacy of the French Revolution.

  329. Evil

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the notion of evil in western philosophy.

  330. Literary Moderism

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses literary modernism: revolutionary or just obscure?

  331. The Glorious Revolution

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the the Glorious Revolution of 1688.

  332. Black Holes

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses Black Holes, the ghosts of massive stars.

  333. The Fall of the Roman Empire

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the causes of the fall of the Roman Empire in the 5th century.

  334. The Philosophy of Love

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the philosophy of love.

  335. Fossils

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the significance of fossils.

  336. The Life of William Shakespeare

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the enigma of the life of William Shakespeare

  337. Money

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the power of Money.

  338. Quantum Gravity

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the 20th century attempts to understand the Quantum world.

  339. The Restoration

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the reign of Charles II and the consequences of the Restoration.

  340. Humanism

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the history and legacy of classical Humanism, invented by Cicero.

  341. Imperial Science

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    Melvyn Bragg examines whether agriculture or trade drove 19th century British imperialism.

  342. Science and Religion

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the areas of conflict and agreement between science and religion.

  343. The British Enlightenment

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the role of British thinkers in the 18th century Enlightenment.

  344. Mathematics and Platonism

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses whether mathematics is a process of invention or of discovery.

  345. Gothic

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the origins and significance of the 18th century Gothic movement.

  346. Nihilism

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the history of the philosophy that claims that truths are illusory.

  347. Psychoanalysis and Literature

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the role of Freudian analysis in understanding literature.

  348. Evolutionary Psychology

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the basis and context for the ideas of Evolutionary Psychology.

  349. The Tudor State

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the re-shaping of England as a modern state by the Tudor dynasty.

  350. Laws of Nature

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses whether what is true in physics is true in all areas of existence.

  351. The Romantics

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the ideals, exponents and legacy of Romanticism.

  352. Hitler in History

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    Melvyn Bragg examines Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany though historiographical theories.

  353. London

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the history of London from its Neolithic origin to the present day.

  354. Imagination and Consciousness

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses how neuroscience can explain the enigmas of consciousness.

  355. Biography

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    Melvyn Bragg examines why the public is fascinated with the private lives of individuals.

  356. Inspiration and Genius

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the true meaning of genius and whether it is born or made.

  357. The Renaissance

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    Melvyn Bragg explores the veracity of modern claims about the culture of the Renaissance.

  358. The American Ideal

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    Melvyn Bragg examines the ideals that underwrite the idealism of America.

  359. Chemical Elements

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses chemistry’s ongoing mission to understand irreducible substances.

  360. The Wars of the Roses

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the 15th century wars of the royal Houses of Lancaster and York.

  361. The Work of William Shakespeare

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    Melvyn Bragg examines what it is about Shakespeare’s work that makes it universal.

  362. Death

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    Melvyn Bragg examines the development of Western rituals and attitudes to death.

  363. Human Origins

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the evolution of the human species.

  364. Englishness

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the characteristics of the English identity.

  365. New Wars

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    Melvyn Bragg examines whether we are in a new era in the history of modern warfare.

  366. The Natural Order

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    Melvyn Bragg examines the science of taxonomy; the classification of the natural world.

  367. Lessons from History

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    Melvyn Bragg examines whether we can ever predict the future by understanding the past.

  368. Materialism and the Consumer

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the development and future of material culture.

  369. Lenin

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses what drove the Soviet leader Lenin, and enabled his successes.

  370. The Age of Doubt

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    Melvyn Bragg examines the spread of religious doubt over the last three centuries.

  371. Metamorphosis

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the enduring appeal of the Roman poet Ovid’s work Metamorphoses.

  372. Grand Unified Theory

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses 20th century Physics’ quest for the ultimate theory of everything.

  373. History of Reading

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the history, politics and practice of reading.

  374. Goethe and the Science of the Enlightenment

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

  375. Republicanism

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

  376. Economic Rights

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the relationship between democracy and capitalism.

  377. Masculinity in Literature

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

  378. Information Technology

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

  379. Climate Change

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

  380. Time

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the history of mankind’s attempt to understand the nature of time.

  381. Prayer

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    Melvyn Bragg examines the purpose and effects of prayer.

  382. Medical Ethics

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

  383. Childhood

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

  384. Tragedy

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

  385. Consciousness

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

  386. Progress

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

  387. The Novel

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the development and the future of the novel.

  388. Education

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the history and the modern purpose of education.

  389. Atrocity in the 20th Century

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

  390. The Individual

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

  391. The Nation State

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses whether it is appropriate to think of the UK as a nation.

  392. Maths and Storytelling

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

  393. Genetic Determinism

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    Melvyn Bragg explores the part genes play in our personalities.

  394. Pain

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

  395. Truth, Lies and Fiction

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses whether it matters if memoirs aren’t entirely truthful.

  396. Africa

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the roots of Africa’s current political and social crises.

  397. Intelligence

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

  398. Capitalism

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

  399. The Great Disruption

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

  400. The Monarchy

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the enduring strengths and current role of the British monarchy.

  401. Just War

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    Melvyn Bragg examines where the idea of a just war originated and if it can still exist.

  402. Memory

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    Melvyn Bragg examines how our collective and individual ways of remembering have changed.

  403. The Origins of the Universe

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    Melvyn Bragg examines the history of what we know about the origins of the universe.

  404. Multiculturalism

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the 20th century’s vast shifts of population, cultures and peoples.

  405. Mathematics

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    Melvyn Bragg examines the importance of mathematics in relation to other sciences.

  406. Artificial Intelligence

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    Melvyn Bragg examines whether we are near to achieving the thinking, feeling computer.

  407. Fundamentalism

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the roots and the consequences of religious fundamentalism.

  408. Evolution

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    Melvyn Bragg examines the future of gene therapy and advances in evolutionary biology.

  409. Writing and Political Oppression

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    Melvyn Bragg examines whether writers have a political role in modern society.

  410. Good and Evil

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses how we judge good and evil in modern western civilisation.

  411. 20th Century Architecture

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses what the architecture of the 20th century says about the age.

  412. Animal Experiments and Rights

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the role of animals in humankind’s search for knowledge.

  413. Shakespeare and Literary Criticism

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the enduring popular and academic appeal of Shakespeare.

  414. The Decline and Fall of the 20th Century Avant Garde

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    Melvyn Bragg examines the history and legacy of 20th Century Avant Garde painting.

  415. Space in Religion and Science

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses how cyberspace has introduced a new concept of space in our world.

  416. Language and the Mind

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses whether the formation of language is innate or cultural.

  417. The Legacy of Psychoanalysis

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the relevance of psychoanalysis at the end of the 20th century.

  418. Ageing

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    Melvyn Bragg discusses the ethical, economic and biological implications of living longer.

  419. Modern Culture

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