Documentaries

Reaction Time
Stories about love straight from the smartphones of Radio 4 listeners.
11 Feb 2016,28 mins
Greece: Warehouse of Souls
Maria Margaronis explores worlds of hope and chaos for refugees and islanders in Greece.
27 Jun 2016,28 mins
My Head
A true story of brain injury, recovery and discovery.
27 May 2015,28 mins
From Dunkirk to D-Day
Charles Wheeler recalls the epic of strategic success that made victory possible.
05 Jun 2004,45 mins
Sister Aimee
The story of the glamorous woman who invented broadcast evangelism.
29 Dec 2014,28 mins
Goliath: How Monopolies Came to Be
Will Hutton considers the ironies and tensions central to modern monopolies.
09 Apr 2019,37 mins
Copyright or Wrong
Richard Taylor charts the story of copyright and asks if the law is overreaching itself.
21 Apr 2017,28 mins
Stalking under Scrutiny
A look at the support provided for victims of stalking and ways to stop stalkers.
03 Aug 2016,28 mins
Parkinson's Law Revisited
Matthew Sweet re-examines Parkinson's Law. Does work expand to fill the time allocated?
17 Jun 2013,28 mins
From Enlightenment to Entanglement
Science writer Stuart Clark explores the relationship between scientists and computers.
01 Sep 2015,28 mins
Birds and the Bees 2.0
Is a new era in Relationships and Sex Education set to begin in English secondary schools?
03 Sep 2019,37 mins
The Origins of War
Is war a uniquely human act, or can its origins be found in our evolutionary past?
19 May 2015,28 mins
The Latte Linguists and Other Espresso Entrepreneurs
Documentary exploring the increasing popularity of coffee shops as places to work from.
20 Apr 2015,28 mins
The Fast Furniture Fix
Venetia La Manna explores the rise of fast furniture, asking if and how it can slow down.
12 Jun 2023,28 mins
The Communications Revolution
Communication Technology and Influence
First broadcast in 2006. Looking at why communications technologies emerge
04 Sep 2006,22 mins
More episodes
Just William… and Richmal
A centenary celebration of Richmal Crompton’s Just William books.
01 May 2022,28 mins
Rocky Hard Place
Moulid Hujale on life in Dadaab, one of the world's largest refugee camps.
15 Dec 2017,30 mins
The Future Will Be Synthesised
Omnibus
Henry Ajder examines our synthetic future, starting with deepfake origins in pornography.
10 Jun 2022,57 mins
More episodes
The Art of Australia
Episode 3
The impact of the Australian landscape on the country's popular culture.
15 Dec 2016,30 mins
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Waking Up to World Debt
Borrowing levels have soared during recent global crises. Will there be a reckoning?
27 Nov 2023,28 mins
Foes Reunited
Why are youths in Northern Ireland using social networking sites to spread sectarianism?
18 May 2009,30 mins
"Right", Said Ted and Myles
How did comedy actor Bernard Cribbins become a Top 10 pop star?
02 Mar 2004,30 mins
The Business of Film with Mark Kermode
The Business of Showing
Opening weekend is crucial to a film, but there are pitfalls to watch out for.
08 Mar 2015,30 mins
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The Voter's Voice
James Naughtie hosts discussion about Scotland's future, from the Edinburgh Festival.
13 Aug 2014,45 mins
The Environmental Impact of Travel and Tourism
Why tourism is encouraged in the developing world, but doesn't always see the profits
13 Mar 2001,28 mins
Mao's Golden Mangoes
Benjamin Ramm explores one of the strangest chapters in China’s history - mango mania.
12 Feb 2016,30 mins
Millennium Goals
The Environment and Economics
Is the UN's goal of improving access to clean water wildly unrealistic?
20 Mar 2003,14 mins
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From Birmingham to Beijing: The Lure of a Chinese Career
The stories of graduates finding work internships far afield in China.
01 Oct 2011,30 mins
The Devolutionaries: Powering Up England's Cities
Steph McGovern explores proposals to devolve more powers to England's cities.
13 Oct 2014,28 mins
The Problem of Pain - A Slow Motion Catastrophe
Dr Sarah Goldingay explores groundbreaking research into relieving chronic pain.
15 Jul 2015,28 mins