140. The Birth of the Railways

What triggered the Hungarian Revolution in 1956? Was Stalinism still the major political force in Hungary, even after the paranoid dictator’s death? And, how did the revolution almost bring down the Soviet Empire during the peak of the Cold War? Join Dominic and Tom as they delve ...  Show more

What role did France, Russia, America and Israel play in the Suez Crisis of 1956? Did the Egyptian leader, President Gamal Abdel Nasser, respond to the foreign invasion with military force? And, how did the debacle unfold? Join Dominic and Tom as they embark upon the final, drama ...  Show more

Tom Standage traces technological advances in transport, from the invention of the wheel to the rise of the car Tom Standage, author of A Brief History of Motion, speaks to Jon Bauckham about technological advances in transport, from the invention of the wheel to the rise of the ...  Show more

The story of Britain's railways isn't just about steam engines and steel tracks—it's about the people who built them, worked on them, and sometimes fought for their rights along the way.To mark the 200th anniversary of the first modern passenger railway in 2025, this episode expl ...  Show more

It is one of the most pivotal inventions in human history - the wheel.

New research suggests that the wheel was first created by prehistoric miners in the Carpathian Mountains to transport copper. Tristan Hughes speaks to the team behind this fascinating theory; arch ...