logo
episode-header-image
Mar 2023
55m 48s

Vital Electricity

Bbc Radio 4
About this episode

Greg Jenner is joined by guests Prof Iwan Rhys Morus and comedian Olga Koch in the 17th century to learn all about "vital electricity". From elaborate party tricks to questionable medicinal claims, we’ll explore the downright bizarre ways that the force of electricity has been harnessed and developed throughout the years.

Research by Roxy Moore Written by Emma Nagouse, Roxy Moore and Greg Jenner Produced by Emma Nagouse and Greg Jenner Assistant Producer: Emmie Rose Price-Goodfellow Project Management: Isla Matthews Audio Producer: Steve Hankey

You’re Dead To Me is a production by The Athletic for BBC Radio 4.

Up next
Yesterday
Jane Austen: the life of a Regency literary icon
Greg Jenner is joined in Regency England by historian Dr Lucy Worsley and actor Sally Phillips to learn all about the life and works of literary legend Jane Austen on the 250th anniversary of her birth in December 1775. It is a truth universally acknowledged that Austen is one of ... Show More
56m 8s
Oct 8
Hannah Fry and Dara Ó Briain introduce Curious Cases
Hello, You’re Dead to me listener. Hannah Fry and Dara Ó Briain here, we thought you might like to know we have a brand-new series of Curious Cases. To start things off we look into the world of crabs and look into the possibility of us all eventually turning into crab like being ... Show More
31m 23s
Oct 3
Marie Antoinette: last French queen before the Revolution
Greg Jenner is joined in the eighteenth century by historian Professor Katherine Astbury and comedian Jen Brister to learn about French queen Marie Antoinette. Born an Austrian princess, Marie Antoinette went on to be the last queen of France before the Revolution and the aboliti ... Show More
57m 43s
Recommended Episodes
Apr 2024
Thomas Edison
Thomas Edison loved electricity almost as much as he loved publicly electrocuting animals.Scumbags of History is a production of Voyage Media and Enthusiast Gaming. The series is produced by Nat Mundel, and Dan Benamor (Voyage Media), J.B. Elliott, Roarke Boes, and Amanda Scherke ... Show More
34m 20s
Jul 2022
Dead Ringers - 17th June
Since the last series there’s been Sue Gray’s report, tractorgate, a war in Europe, 1970s-style inflation, Liz Truss has become foreign secretary and Michael Gove still exists. Such calamities are the life blood of satirists. The supply chain of human folly is functioning better ... Show More
27m 52s
Oct 2019
5G: Welcome to the Revolution?
How should we feel about 5G? Is it a breakthrough technology that will revolutionize our world, or in a bid to get new gadgets, are we risking our health? To find out, we spoke with electrical engineer Prof. Jeff Andrews, biologist Prof. Henrik Mouritsen, radiology safety expert ... Show More
39m 6s
Dec 2023
10. Epidurals, Embroidery, Play, Death
Joining Kiri this week are historian Dr Paul Craddock who unravels how vascular surgery owes a debt to 19th century Parisian embroiderer Marie-Anne Leroudier, historian Subhadra Das unearthing stories of death prevention, comedian Ria Lina pushing epidurals as the best medicine, ... Show More
28m 38s
May 2022
A Mystery in the Air
When a little girl, Ella Kissi-Debrah, suddenly got sick and landed in the hospital, doctors were stumped. In this episode, her mom, Rosamund, takes on the fight to find out what exactly happened to Ella. And the answer has BIG implications — for us all. We’ll hear from Rosamund ... Show More
40m 39s
Feb 2024
Egyptian Mummies
Brian Cox and Robin Ince peel back the layers to explore mummification and the science of Ancient Egypt. They are joined by comedians Russel Kane, Lucy Porter and bio-medical Egyptologists Rosalie David and Lidija McKnight from the University of Manchester, as they learn about th ... Show More
42m 24s
Oct 2023
Being Blonde
What links “the British Marilyn” Diana Dors, the last women to be hanged in Britain Ruth Ellis, the artist Pauline Boty and the soap and film star Barbara Windsor? Professor Lynda Nead is giving a series of lectures this Autumn exploring Blondes, attitudes to desire and technolog ... Show More
44m 46s
Feb 2024
S20 Ep19: NoSleep Podcast S20E19
It’s Episode 19 of Season 20. Come join us around the campfire for tales about scary schooling. “Detention” written by Jordan Underhill (Story starts around 00:03:25) Produced by: Phil Michalski Cast: Narrator – Kyle Akers, Mr. Thompson – Atticus Jackson “Moooooooooom… Something ... Show More
1h 9m