Podcast Episodes

When disposable nappies were invented

In 1947, after the birth of her third child, Valerie Hunter Gordon, from Surrey decided she was sick of the drudgery of cloth nappies. She came up with a solution – a reusable outer garment, initiall…

Published on 2 years, 5 months ago

Inventing Rubik’s Cube

In 1974, a Hungarian architect, Ernő Rubik invented his very popular puzzle.

Nearly 50 years later, more than 450 million Rubik’s Cubes have been sold worldwide.

In 2015, Ernő told Dina Newman how he…

Published on 2 years, 5 months ago

Invention of the ballpoint pen

In 1938, László Bíró, a Hungarian journalist, invented the ballpoint pen, because he was sick of smudging the ink from his fountain pen.

Inspired by the rollers of the printing press at his newspaper,…

Published on 2 years, 5 months ago

A right royal night out

The tale of an extraordinary night at a legendary British gay pub.

Princess Diana, disguised as a man, along with star broadcaster Kenny Everett and Queen singer Freddie Mercury enjoyed a drink in Lon…

Published on 2 years, 5 months ago

When tourism came to the Maldives

In 1972 the first tourists arrived in the Maldives.

They stayed in humble lodgings in three houses, looked after by young Maldivians including Ahmed Naseem, Mohamed Umar Maniku and their friends.

Perfe…

Published on 2 years, 5 months ago

The National Health Service begins

On 5 July 1948, the UK’s National Health Service began as part of a series of reforms with the aim of supporting and protecting Britain's citizens from the “cradle to the grave”.

The architect of the …

Published on 2 years, 5 months ago

Longest-serving democratically elected communist government

In 1977 what was to become the world’s longest-serving democratically elected communist government came to power in eastern India.

Poverty and absolute rule by the central government led to West Benga…

Published on 2 years, 5 months ago

The trial of John Demjanjuk

In 1986 a car factory worker from the United States was accused of being ‘Ivan the Terrible’, a notorious concentration camp guard at Treblinka during the Holocaust.

John Demjanjuk was extradited from…

Published on 2 years, 5 months ago

I made Lady Gaga's meat dress

On 12 September 2010 Lady Gaga, won the MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year.

She accepted the award in a dress made entirely out of beef.

13 years later Franc Fernandez, the man behind the m…

Published on 2 years, 5 months ago

The 'graveyard' for communist statues

The Hungarian city of Budapest's communist statue 'graveyard' opened on 29 June 1993.

Statues representing communism were not destroyed, instead they were relocated to a specially designed park on th…

Published on 2 years, 5 months ago