Custodians of Wonder

Ambition. We celebrate it, chase it, and reward it. But for many of us, ambition has become a double-edged sword—fueling overwork, perfectionism, and self-neglect. What if the problem isn’t having ambition, but where it’s coming from? Executive coach Amina AlTai has worked with e ... Show More

How code became the most powerful spell humans have ever cast. 📱 Follow The Next Big Idea Daily on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen 📩 Want more bite-sized insights from the best new nonfiction delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for our Book of the Day news ... Show More

Life changes can sneak up on all of us, and sometimes they hit pretty hard. Cassidy Krug spent 20 years training to be one of the best divers in the world. She made it to the Olympics. And then, in a single moment, her lifelong dream ended—with no medal, no encore, just the quiet ... Show More

What does culture mean to you? Is it the art we create, the traditions we carry, or the values we hold dear? In this mini episode of Our World, Connected, Christine Wilson, Director of Research and Insight at the British Council, delves deeper into the multifaceted nature of cult ... Show More

Hannah Durkin is a historian whose new book, Survivors: The Lost Stories of the Last Captives of the Atlantic Slave Trade, shines a light on the final years of a pivotal yet deeply troubling period in US and global history. The Clotilda, the subject of Durkin's book, was the last ... Show More

How did the world’s greatest cities become just that – great? Was it location, determination or simple serendipity? This is the question behind History’s Greatest Cities, from HistoryExtra. Join travel writer and history buff Paul Bloomfield for the latest series, as he ventures ... Show More

Send us a Text Message.In this episode of the Level: Asian podcast, we share our favourite things about Asian culture! Of course there’s food, the arts and travel, but what are the values and day-to-day nuances that we hold closest to our hearts? From the language we use to show ... Show More

Kirsty Young asks the writer and podcaster Malcolm Gladwell what advice he would give his younger self.Gladwell's writing, in books such as The Tipping Point and Outliers, successfully distil complex ideas for a mass audience, and he has worked as a staff writer for The New Yorke ... Show More

Travel, reading, cinema and psychedelic drugs are all means people have used to try to escape. But do they ever really lead us where we want them to? With the election looming, Glastonbury in full swing and lists of beach read suggestions starting to appear -Matthew Sweet discuss ... Show More

How was Edinburgh transformed from an ancient defensive site on top of a volcanic crag into a major centre of power, faith, commerce, and learning? In this second of our two festive bonus episodes, travel writer and history buff Paul Bloomfield is joined by historian Rosemary Gor ... Show More

The narrative of ancient tribes around the world regularly using ayahuasca and magic mushrooms in healing practices is a popular one. Is it true? By Manvir Singh. Read by Sebastián Capitán Viveros. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod 

Are you an overthinker? Prone to thought spirals? Do you wonder why, despite living in the "Information Age," life only seems to be making less sense? From extreme celebrity worshippers to people with master’s degrees basing their real-life choices on Mercury’s whereabouts, there ... Show More