logo
episode-header-image
Sep 2021
54m 20s

Medieval Science

Bbc Radio 4
About this episode

There's a school of thought out there that, following the fall of the Roman Empire around Europe, there's a decline in knowledge, technologies, and economics. But is this true?

Greg Jenner and his guests look at a range of discoveries spanning a thousand of years, widely known as the Medieval period. How was knowledge and scientific findings shared across a world with its countless languages and regions before the internet? Looking at essential scholars of the time like Ibn Al Hytham, the 'father of modern optics', and the evolution of compasses and maps, this episode picks up some of the weird and wonderful advancements of the period that we still use today - Medieval Science.

Greg is joined by Dr Seb Falk, a historian of Medieval Science, an expert on astronomy and mathematics and the author of the book The Light Ages, which was voted Book of the Year 2020 by the The Times and The Telegraph. Alongside Dr Falk, we have the multi-award-winning comedian, writer, podcaster and filmmaker, Josie Long, who has alsp appeared on 8 Out Of 10 Cats, Have I Got News For You and House of Games.

Research - Rosanna Evans Script- Emma Nagouse, Rosanna Evans and Gregg Jenner Project Manager - Siefe Miyo Edit Producer - Cornelius Mendez

The Athletic production for BBC Radio 4

Up next
Aug 22
Kellogg Brothers: a family feud and the creation of a cereal empire
Greg Jenner is joined in nineteenth-century America by historian Dr Vanessa Heggie and comedian Ed Byrne to learn all about the feuding Kellogg Brothers. John and Will Kellogg were born into a large family in Battle Creek, Michigan, in the middle of the 1800s. Following a childho ... Show More
59m 9s
Aug 15
Alexandre Dumas: author of The Three Musketeers
Greg Jenner is joined in nineteenth-century France by historian Professor Olivette Otele and comedian Celya AB to learn about acclaimed novelist Alexandre Dumas. Alexandre was born to an innkeeper’s daughter and a legendary Black general who fought for Napoleon. After his father’ ... Show More
56m 7s
Aug 8
Empress Matilda: civil war in medieval England
Greg Jenner is joined in twelfth-century England by Dr Gabrielle Storey and comedian Cariad Lloyd to learn all about Empress Matilda and the medieval civil war known as the Anarchy. A granddaughter of William the Conqueror, Matilda was born into England’s new Norman royal family. ... Show More
57m 16s
Recommended Episodes
Jun 2016
Greg Jenner, “A Million Years in a Day: A Curious History of Everyday Life from Stone Age to Phone Age” (St. Martin’s Press, 2016)
Greg Jenner’s A Million Years in a Day: A Curious History of Everyday Life from Stone Age to Phone Age (St. Martins Press, 2016), explores the history of the modern material world through the lens of a typical Saturday in the twenty first century. Jenner gives his readers a fasci ... Show More
1h 9m
Oct 2022
Who were the Africans in Medieval Britain?
Earlier this month, it was reported that DNA analysis of the skeleton of a 10-year-old girl buried in Kent in the 7th century showed she was of West African descent. Thirty-three per cent of her DNA suggests that the girl’s grandfather or great-grandfather was probably from the E ... Show More
30m 47s
Feb 2023
Medieval Leaders and Queens: Aethelfled, Hildegard & Jadwiga.
Aethelfled, a warrior queen who crushed the Vikings, Jadwiga, the first Queen Regent of Poland and Hildegard of Bingen, an 11th-century polymath abbess who became a 20th-century feminist icon and saint. Art and cultural historian Dr Janina Ramirez joins Dan on today's episode to ... Show More
36m 47s
Oct 2023
Origins of Medieval Universities
The University of Vienna is one of the oldest in the world. Founded by Rudolph IV Habsburg in 1365, it has been teaching students for centuries. But what can Vienna’s story tell us about the origins of medieval universities and what medieval people were actually taught? In this e ... Show More
41m 11s
Aug 2023
Marie Curie
In a leaky shed in Paris, Marie Curie turned two tons of pitchblende (aka special rocks) into a single test tube of radium chloride - its green glow lighting up the walls. It must have been a magic...if radioactive!...moment.Today on Patented we talk with Patricia Fara about Mari ... Show More
38m 5s
Apr 2022
Medieval Sex
*WARNING this episode includes explicit language and adult themes* What were your medieval ancestors getting up to in the bedroom? Join sex historian Kate Lister, Betwixt the Sheets, to find out. Medievalist and George Michael super-fan Dr Eleanor Janega is on the podcast to chat ... Show More
42m 56s
Dec 2022
Robin Ince and the joy of popular-science books
Our traditional end-of-year episode will give you some holiday reading ideas 
26m 32s
Oct 2021
112. Medieval Science
The word ‘medieval’ is often used to mean backward, benighted, unscientific. But is this fair? Historian of science Seb Falk joins Tom and Dominic to explore how the Middle Ages shaped and influenced the development of science. *The Rest Is History Live Tour 2023*: Tom and Domini ... Show More
52m 11s
Jun 2023
Medieval Trans Saints & Sex Workers
In this episode of Gone Medieval for Pride Month, Matt Lewis takes a look at some transgender stories from the Middle Ages. Marinos was a 5th century monk mentioned in the trial of Joan of Arc. They shaved their head and changed into men's clothes to live in a monastery with thei ... Show More
47m 7s
Oct 2023
Kings of Medieval Ethiopia
Overseeing a rich and diverse kingdom, Ethiopia’s medieval monarchs consolidated their power by claiming descent from the Biblical King Solomon. But why did they pursue long-distance diplomatic contacts with Latin Europe?  In this episode of Gone Medieval, Dr. Eleanor Janega meet ... Show More
38m 22s