All eyes have been on the Vatican in recent days, as the conclave have decided who will be the next pope. But how does the process today compare to that of past centuries? What have been some of the most dramatic papal elections down the centuries? And was there ever really a female pope? Matt Elton caught up with expert in papal history Rebecca Rist to find ... Show More
Yesterday
Nationalism: everything you wanted to know
Human beings tend to identify with being in a group, and, historically, few groupings have been more potent than the idea of the nation. But when did people first embrace the idea of the nation state? Is nationalism predominantly a right-wing creed? And does it thrive during peri ... Show More
45m 17s
Aug 22
Preview: The forgers who faked a fortune
In 1775, a respectable lady, a mild-mannered apothecary and his fast-living identical twin stood accused of pulling off a scam that had earnt them a fortune. But as their trial unfolded, the defendants turned on one another, and the plot thickened – who was the real orchestrator ... Show More
8m 52s
Aug 21
From dodos to 'lost' tribes: a history of extinction
After causing the extinction of the dodo, humans soon realised that we had the power to destroy entire species – and we continue to reckon with that power. Speaking to James Osborne, Sadiah Qureshi discusses her new book Vanished, which looks at the connections between extinction ... Show More
35m 6s
Aug 17
Introducing The Pope and the Führer: The Secret Vatican Files of World War II with Michael Knowles
Pope Pius XII, the man who led the Church through WWII, has been maligned by history as the Pope that could have stood against Hitler, but remained silent. Recent archival revelations, however, tell a different story. What is the truth? How did he respond to the Nazi threat? And ... Show More
1m 57s
Aug 17
Introducing The Pope and the Führer: The Secret Vatican Files of World War II with Michael Knowles
Pope Pius XII, the man who led the Church through WWII, has been maligned by history as the Pope that could have stood against Hitler, but remained silent. Recent archival revelations, however, tell a different story. What is the truth? How did he respond to the Nazi threat? And ... Show More
1m 42s