Rebecca Solnit is an award-winning American writer and activist whose incisive work explores feminism, democracy, climate change and social justice. In this episode, she joins Mythili Rao to argue that, despite today's anxieties about democratic backsliding, technological disruption and environmental crisis, the past four decades have seen extraordinary social progress. From civil rights and environmental protection to LGBTQI+ equality and women's rights, many of the freedoms and values we now t...
Jun 28, 2026•54 min•Season 1Ep. 3462
Emmanuel Macron. Demis Hassabis. Volodymyr Zelenskiy. George Soros. Mark Carney. Christine Lagarde. Ray Dalio. Leena Nair. Few journalists have spent more time questioning the people who shape the global economy than Francine Lacqua . As Editor-at-large at Bloomberg and host of Leaders with Francine Lacqua on Bloomberg TV, Lacqua has interviewed many of the most influential political and business leaders of our time. Across hundreds of conversations with presidents, CEOs, central bankers and fou...
Jun 27, 2026•38 min•Season 1Ep. 3461
Emmanuel Macron. Demis Hassabis. Volodymyr Zelenskiy. George Soros. Mark Carney. Christine Lagarde. Ray Dalio. Leena Nair. Few journalists have spent more time questioning the people who shape the global economy than Francine Lacqua . As Editor-at-large at Bloomberg and host of Leaders with Francine Lacqua on Bloomberg TV, Lacqua has interviewed many of the most influential political and business leaders of our time. Across hundreds of conversations with presidents, CEOs, central bankers and fou...
Jun 25, 2026•36 min•Season 1Ep. 3460
The English Renaissance is often remembered as an age of Shakespeare, exploration and cultural flourishing. But it was also shaped by encounters with the Americas. From tobacco in London playhouses to silver from South America and stories of lost cities of gold, the New World became an increasingly powerful presence in English life and imagination. In this episode, historian Caroline Dodds Pennock speaks with historian Lauren Working about her new book How the Americas Transformed Renaissance En...
Jun 23, 2026•37 min•Season 1Ep. 3459
In September 2022, a series of underwater explosions tore through the Nord Stream pipelines beneath the Baltic Sea. The destruction of this $20 billion pipeline severed a major artery of Russian gas supplies to Europe, disrupted economies and triggered a manhunt that strained relations within the NATO alliance. In this episode, journalist Hannah Lucinda Smith speaks with Wall Street Journal Chief European Political Correspondent Bojan Pancevski about his investigation into this seismic act of sa...
Jun 21, 2026•38 min•Season 1Ep. 3458
Long before Putin's invasion of Ukraine, conflict was simmering on Europe's borders. In overlooked territories in eastern Europe, the eastern Mediterranean and the Caucasus –from the Balkans and Cyprus to Abkhazia on the fringes of Georgia – local disputes spiral into regional crises, global alliances are forged and broken, and power is brokered while the West looks elsewhere. In this episode, acclaimed correspondent Hannah Lucinda Smith joins Adam McCauley to discuss her new book Hinterlands: J...
Jun 20, 2026•1 hr 5 min•Season 1Ep. 3457
This is an episode of Hotels with History, produced by Intelligence Squared on behalf of Perowne International. We’re in midtown Manhattan to kick off Series 2, at the very heart of New York society: the Waldorf Astoria. An icon born from family rivalry which evolved into the unofficial palace of the city; from Gilded Age ambition and Art Deco grandeur to revolutionary ideas about service, the Waldorf doesn’t just reflect New York’s history... it helped define it. Check into The Waldorf Astoria...
Jun 18, 2026•32 min•Season 1Ep. 3456
As the main intelligence and security agency of the Soviet Union from 1954 to 1991, the KGB instilled fear across Russia and sought to sow discord abroad. This network of government spies was notorious for the often brutal methods it used to keep enemies, loyalists and common people under the thumb of the state. And far from fading as the USSR old guard fell from power, the operatives, methods and networks of the KGB remain at the heart of the Russian state today. Putin himself was a KGB officer...
Jun 16, 2026•34 min•Season 1Ep. 3455
As the main intelligence and security agency of the Soviet Union from 1954 to 1991, the KGB instilled fear across Russia and sought to sow discord abroad. This network of government spies was notorious for the often brutal methods it used to keep enemies, loyalists and common people under the thumb of the state. And far from fading as the USSR old guard fell from power, the operatives, methods and networks of the KGB remain at the heart of the Russian state today. Putin himself was a KGB officer...
Jun 14, 2026•36 min•Season 1Ep. 3454
From cannabis legalisation in the United States to the rise of psychedelics as wellness and productivity tools, the global politics of drugs is being rapidly transformed. But who really benefits from the legalisation of recreational drugs? In this episode, journalist and author Atossa Araxia Abrahamian speaks with Kojo Koram, Professor of Law and Political Economy at Loughborough University, about his new book The Next Fix . Drawing on reporting from Colombia, Ghana, Scotland and the United Stat...
Jun 13, 2026•43 min•Season 1Ep. 3453
In this episode, journalist Kamal Ahmed was joined by Jon Sopel, Dimple Ahluwalia and Matt Rowe to explore how cybersecurity has moved from a technical concern to a central force shaping economic growth, national security and public trust in an age of boundless intelligence. They examine why cyber resilience must go beyond reactive defence, and how stronger security can protect essential industries such as finance, healthcare and critical infrastructure while enabling innovation and confidence i...
Jun 11, 2026•59 min•Season 1Ep. 3452
In this episode, science broadcaster Dr Güneş Taylor speaks with endocrinologist Dr Saira Hameed about her new book Signals: The Inside Story of Our Hormones . From exhaustion and infertility to appetite, mood and libido, Hameed explores the vast and often misunderstood hormonal system that regulates almost every aspect of human life. Drawing on patient stories and recent medical research, Hameed explains how hormones act as the body’s internal signalling network — and what happens when those si...
Jun 09, 2026•44 min•Season 1Ep. 3451
From Brexit negotiations and the Cuban Missile Crisis to elections, auctions and everyday decision-making, game theory can offer powerful insights into how we navigate a world shaped by competing interests, cooperation and strategic choices. In this episode, Professor Michael Wooldridge joins Carl Miller to explore the surprising life lessons hidden within one of mathematics' most influential fields. Drawing on ideas from his new book Life Lessons from Game Theory: The Art of Thinking Strategica...
Jun 07, 2026•43 min•Season 1Ep. 3450
Professor Turi King , Director of the Milner Centre for Evolution at the University of Bath, is known for leading the genetic investigation identifying Richard III and advising on the Mary Jane Kelly case (the last victim of Jack the Ripper). She co-presents the BBC’s D NA Family Secrets with Stacey Dooley and is the author of a new book, The Secrets of Our DNA , which takes us through some fascinating true stories to show how DNA has solved mysteries and shapes our world today. In this episode,...
Jun 06, 2026•52 min•Season 1Ep. 3449
This debate was part of the ‘Think Again’ series in which two leading thinkers present alternative answers to a difficult societal question. The book and series published by The Bodley Head. --- What happens when life becomes unbearable — when suffering is unrelenting, dignity is stripped away, and the end is inevitable? Those who support legalising assisted dying argue that autonomy doesn’t stop at the threshold of death. For individuals facing terminal illness, the current law is not a protect...
Jun 04, 2026•37 min•Season 1Ep. 3448
This debate was part of the ‘Think Again’ series in which two leading thinkers present alternative answers to a difficult societal question. The book and series published by The Bodley Head. --- What happens when life becomes unbearable — when suffering is unrelenting, dignity is stripped away, and the end is inevitable? Those who support legalising assisted dying argue that autonomy doesn’t stop at the threshold of death. For individuals facing terminal illness, the current law is not a protect...
Jun 03, 2026•34 min•Season 1Ep. 3447
Douglas Stuart is one of the most successful writers in Britain today. He is celebrated globally for his honest portrayals of human relationships and working-class life. In 2020 he won the Booker Prize for his debut novel Shuggie Bain, a searingly honest novel set in 1980s Glasgow about a boy named Shuggie trying to save his mother, Agnes, from alcoholism and poverty. His second novel Young Mungo, a story of the dangerous first love of two young men, was released in 2022 and became a number one ...
May 31, 2026•35 min•Season 1Ep. 3446
Douglas Stuart is one of the most successful writers in Britain today. He is celebrated globally for his honest portrayals of human relationships and working-class life. In 2020 he won the Booker Prize for his debut novel Shuggie Bain, a searingly honest novel set in 1980s Glasgow about a boy named Shuggie trying to save his mother, Agnes, from alcoholism and poverty. His second novel Young Mungo, a story of the dangerous first love of two young men, was released in 2022 and became a number one ...
May 31, 2026•39 min•Season 1Ep. 3445
In this episode, journalist Hannah Lucinda Smith speaks with economists Soumaya Keynes and Chad Bown about our new era of global trade wars. Drawing on their new book How to Win a Trade War , Keynes and Bown shed light on the historical roots of our modern trade infrastructure and how tariffs, export controls and supply chain battles are drastically reshaping the global economy. The conversation examines the increasingly fraught economic relationship between the US and China, the growing use of ...
May 28, 2026•36 min•Season 1Ep. 3444
What do we lose when a language dies? Roughly 7,000 languages are spoken around the world today. Over half of them are expected to vanish in the next century – along with the wealth of information they contain, the family ties they represent, and the psychological benefits they confer. In May 2026 journalist Sophia Smith Galer joined us live to explore how this mass extinction event is one of the most urgent cultural emergencies we’re facing today. Drawing on her globe-spanning investigation, Ho...
May 26, 2026•36 min•Season 1Ep. 3443
What do we lose when a language dies? Roughly 7,000 languages are spoken around the world today. Over half of them are expected to vanish in the next century – along with the wealth of information they contain, the family ties they represent, and the psychological benefits they confer. In May 2026 journalist Sophia Smith Galer joined us live to explore how this mass extinction event is one of the most urgent cultural emergencies we’re facing today. Drawing on her globe-spanning investigation, Ho...
May 24, 2026•35 min
How can changing the way we breathe lower stress and blood pressure? Why is touch so important for premature babies and ICU patients? And what can our organs teach us about staying healthy? Dr Giulia Enders, author of the multimillion-selling Gut , returns with a new book, Organ Speak — an exploration of the lungs, skin, immune system, muscles and brain, and the extraordinary ways our organs work together to keep us alive and well. In this episode, she joins science communicator Dr Emma Yhnell t...
May 23, 2026•41 min•Season 1Ep. 3441
Are we really alone in the universe? The question of whether there is extraterrestrial life is one of our oldest questions. And few nations on Earth are more captivated by the prospect of life on Mars than the United States. President Barack Obama recently made headlines by stating he believes aliens are real. And around 41% of Americans believe aliens have made contact with planet Earth. In May 2026, Orwell Prize-winning journalist Daniel Lavelle joined acclaimed filmmaker and podcaster Jon Ron...
May 21, 2026•36 min•Season 1Ep. 3440
Are we really alone in the universe? The question of whether there is extraterrestrial life is one of our oldest questions. And few nations on Earth are more captivated by the prospect of life on Mars than the United States. President Barack Obama recently made headlines by stating he believes aliens are real. And around 41% of Americans believe aliens have made contact with planet Earth. In May 2026, Orwell Prize-winning journalist Daniel Lavelle joined acclaimed filmmaker and podcaster Jon Ron...
May 19, 2026•36 min•Season 1Ep. 3439
Has far-right thinking entered mainstream politics in the UK? In 2025, Britain saw its largest-ever far-right rally, following a summer of flag-waving protests. Then, in May 2026, local elections reshaped England’s political landscape: Labour and the Conservatives suffered heavy losses, while Reform UK surged in popularity. In this episode, author and journalist Daniel Trilling joins academic Sophie Scott-Brown to examine the rise of populist rightwing nationalism and its growing influence on ma...
May 17, 2026•48 min•Season 1Ep. 3438
What does it mean to mourn a shared life? In this episode, essayist and novelist Siri Hustvedt speaks to book critic Mythili Rao about Ghost Stories. Her most personal work yet, it is a searing and intimate meditation on grief, memory and enduring love, written in the aftermath of the death of her husband, writer, poet and filmmaker Paul Auster. Weaving together journal entries, letters, emails and fragments of Auster’s final writing, Hustvedt reflects on four decades of love, intellectual compa...
May 16, 2026•40 min•Season 1Ep. 3437
World famous astronomer Neil deGrasse Tyson joins Dr Radha Modgil to discuss his new book Take Me to Your Leader , exploring the science of alien life, humanity’s obsession with UFOs, and what first contact might actually look like. From Area 51 to Star Wars , Tyson blends humour, science and big existential questions in a conversation about whether we’re truly alone in the universe. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices...
May 15, 2026•48 min•Season 1Ep. 3436
Patrick Radden Keefe is an award winning writer known for his ability to tell complex stories in ways that are compelling and revealing. Author of the bestsellers Empire of Pain —a shocking exposé of the Sackler family and their involvement in the opioid crisis—and Say Nothing , his award-winning account of The Troubles in Northern Ireland and the murder of Jean McConville by the IRA, Keefe has built a global reputation for meticulous reporting, moral clarity, and gripping storytelling. In May 2...
May 12, 2026•33 min•Season 1Ep. 3435
Patrick Radden Keefe is an award winning writer known for his ability to tell complex stories in ways that are compelling and revealing. Author of the bestsellers Empire of Pain —a shocking exposé of the Sackler family and their involvement in the opioid crisis—and Say Nothing , his award-winning account of The Troubles in Northern Ireland and the murder of Jean McConville by the IRA, Keefe has built a global reputation for meticulous reporting, moral clarity, and gripping storytelling. In May 2...
May 10, 2026•34 min•Season 1Ep. 3434
What do our Google searches reveal about who we really are? For a new book, What We Ask Google , data analyst Simon Rogers explores the world’s biggest dataset - billions of searches carried out over two decades - to provide a revealing portrait of our collective brain. In this episode, he speaks to Carl Miller about what the data reveals—from how we process grief and loneliness, to how we seek to understand our health, to “nowcasting” and how our search data can anticipate future trends. Along ...
May 09, 2026•38 min•Season 1Ep. 3433
