At 8.15am on 6 August 1945, an atomic bomb exploded over Hiroshima. It was an event that changed the course of history, but it was also one driven by individuals. Here, in conversation with Spencer Mizen, Iain MacGregor tells this story through the eyes of people whose lives were forever shaped by the quest to build the bomb – and those affected by its devas ... Show More
Mar 29
Captured by Barbary corsairs: an Englishwoman's extraordinary tale
In 1756, Elizabeth Marsh set sail from Gibraltar to Britain with the intention of meeting her fiancé. Instead, she was captured by Barbary corsairs – effectively pirates operating from north Africa, carrying off their victims into slavery – and taken to a Moroccan prince. But cou ... Show More
33m 22s
Mar 29
Was Elizabeth I's reign really a 'golden age'?
As Elizabeth I entered the final chapter of her reign, questions of ageing, succession, and legacy loomed large. In this final episode of our four-part Sunday Series on the Tudor monarch, Rachel Dinning is joined by historian Nicola Tallis to explore the queen’s later years, her ... Show More
28m 57s
Aug 2025
The Hiroshima and Nagasaki Bombings
In May 1945, the Second World War ended in Europe, but Japan refused to surrender - despite seemingly facing inevitable defeat. So, confronted by the prospect of drawn-out and costly fighting, Washington sought to bring the conflict in the East to an end as quickly as possible. M ... Show More
56m 33s
Sep 2024
First-Hand Account of Hiroshima: Before, During, and After the Atomic Bomb Drop
Over the past few years, much has been written and created around Oppenheimer and the Manhattan Project, but little attention is paid to those whose lives were ended or forever changed when the bombs dropped in Japan.<br><br>In this episode, we delve into the experiences of the < ... Show More
39m 42s
Oct 2025
Hiroshima's atomic plague
In the wake of the nuclear attacks on Japan, the official Allied line was that radiation sickness was not a danger. Yet, as this Long Read written by Steve O'Hagan reveals, the first Western journalist to witness the effects on the people of Hiroshima told a very different story. ... Show More
16m 31s