Podcast Episodes
Back to SearchIntervision Song Contest
In 1980, Finnish singer Marion Rung won the Intervision Song Contest.
Born in the 1960s, Intervision was the Eastern Bloc’s answer to Eurovision. It …
9 months, 3 weeks ago
Rescuing Palmyra’s treasures from the Islamic State group
In May 2015, when the ancient city of Palmyra in Syria was about to fall to jihadist fighters, a group of men risked their lives to load centuries-ol…
10 months ago
VE Day celebrations
The end of the Second World War in Europe came on 8 May 1945, after more than five years of conflict.
British Prime Minister Winston Churchill announc…
10 months ago
Sinking of the Lusitania
On 7 May 1915, the British ocean liner, the Lusitania, was sunk by a German submarine off the Irish coast, as it sailed from New York to Liverpool.
Th…
10 months ago
The invention of the automatic electric rice cooker
In 1955, entrepreneur and engineer Yoshitada Minami came up with a way to liberate women from two to three hours of housework a day.
When his water-he…
10 months ago
Conclave: How a new pope is chosen
In April 2005, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger became Pope Benedict XVI following the death of Pope John Paul II.
The new leader of the Catholic Church was …
10 months ago
Snake: Popularising mobile gaming
In 1998, the Snake game made its debut on mobile phones. It is known for its simple yet addictive gameplay and played a major role in popularising …
10 months, 1 week ago
Ten countries join the EU in one night
On 1 May 2004, the European Union went through its biggest ever enlargement. 10 countries joined including eight from the former Soviet Union’s spher…
10 months, 1 week ago
The Cu Chi tunnels of the Vietnam War
During the Vietnam War, North Vietnamese VietCong guerrillas built a vast network of tunnels in the south of the country as part of the insurgency ag…
10 months, 1 week ago
Surviving the fall of Saigon in 1975
When South Vietnam fell to communist forces in 1975, most could not escape.
In the last days, the United States airlifted its remaining personnel and…
10 months, 1 week ago