Podcast Episodes

The Flint water crisis

Flint was once one of the richest cities in the United States. But in the 1980s, it was badly affected by the downturn in car manufacturing and by 2014 it was nearly bankrupt. To save money, the city…

Published on 1 year, 6 months ago

The first Aboriginal MP

A warning for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander listeners - this programme contains the names and voices of people who have died.

In 1971, Neville Bonner became the first Aboriginal person to beco…

Published on 1 year, 6 months ago

The first ever quintuplets

Ninety years ago, the first surviving quintuplets were born in a small village in northern Canada.

The Dionnes grew up in a specially-adapted nursery where millions of people could visit them.

But, ye…

Published on 1 year, 6 months ago

Carlos Lamarca: From army captain to Brazil's 'most wanted'

In 1964, João Goulart, the president of Brazil, was overthrown in a military coup.

In the repression which followed, hundreds of people were disappeared or killed, and many more detained and tortured…

Published on 1 year, 6 months ago

How Air Jordans were created

In 1984, Nike signed rookie basketball player Michael Jordan and created a shoe in his name – the Air Jordan.

The unprecedented deal would change sports marketing forever.

Former executive Sonny Vaccar…

Published on 1 year, 7 months ago

Imelda Marcos's famous shoe collection

In 2001, more than 700 pairs of Imelda Marcos’s shoes were put on display at the Marikina Shoe Museum in the Philippines.

The wife of the dictator President Ferdinand Marcos, became famous for buying…

Published on 1 year, 7 months ago

Adi Dassler's sports shoe obsession

How the Dassler brothers created two global sportswear firms.

In 1948, Adi and Rudi Dassler who lived in a small German town fell out. They went on to set up Adidas and Puma.

Adi Dassler played a cruc…

Published on 1 year, 7 months ago

How a Brazilian flip-flop took over the world

In 1962, a new brand of footwear launched that would become one of Brazil’s most successful and best-known exports: Havaianas. As the country’s footwear industry started to expand, one company wanted…

Published on 1 year, 7 months ago

Bata: Pioneering shoemakers

Bata was a Czech company which pioneered assembly line shoemaking and sold affordable footwear around the world.

The factory near London was opened in 1933 and it became key to its expansion.

In 2018…

Published on 1 year, 7 months ago

When Cuban spy Ana Montes was caught

In 2001, the American Ana Montes, who was working for the United States Defense Intelligence Agency was arrested for espionage.

Although the FBI knew that there was a spy they didn't know who it was. …

Published on 1 year, 7 months ago