Podcast Episodes

Tenzing Norgay conquers Everest

Sherpa Tenzing Norgay had tried to climb Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world, six times before his successful climb with Edmund Hillary in 1953.

His son, Jamling Norgay, spoke to Louise…

Published on 2 years, 6 months ago

Edmund Hillary conquers Everest

On 29 May 1953 Edmund Hillary, climbing with sherpa Tenzing Norgay, became the first people to reach the summit of Everest.

The two men instantly became famous all over the world.

Edmund Hillary’s so…

Published on 2 years, 6 months ago

The deadliest glacial avalanche in the world

On 31 May 1970, the Huascarán avalanche, caused by the Ancash earthquake, destroyed the town of Yungay, in Peru.

Only 400 people, out of a population of 18,000, survived.

A clown, named Cucharita, sav…

Published on 2 years, 6 months ago

Trying to unite Africa

On 25 May 1963, leaders of 32 newly-independent African nations came together for the first time in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa.

At stake was the dream of a united Africa.

In 2013, Alex Last spo…

Published on 2 years, 7 months ago

Chasing the world’s biggest tornado

On 31 May 2013, a huge tornado hit an area close to El Reno in the US state of Oklahoma.

It was the widest tornado ever recorded and produced extreme winds of more than 400 kilometres an hour.

Eight pe…

Published on 2 years, 7 months ago

Fikret Alić

In August 1992, a shocking photograph of a starving, emaciated man behind a barbed wire fence of a Bosnian concentration camp stunned the world.

The picture, taken from an ITN TV report was of Bosni…

Published on 2 years, 7 months ago

The sergeants' coup in Suriname

In 1980, a group of 16 army sergeants, led by Dési Bouterse, seized power in the small South American country of Suriname, overthrowing the government in a swift and violent coup d’état.

The coup cam…

Published on 2 years, 7 months ago

Pippi Longstocking

In Stockholm in 1941, Astrid Lindgren made up a story for her seven-year-old daughter, Karin, about a young girl who lived alone and had super-human strength.

Karin named her Pippi Långstrump, or Pip…

Published on 2 years, 7 months ago

Creating New Zealand's national walking trail

In 2011 a 3,000 km long walking trail was opened in New Zealand.

Geoff Chapple had spent years lobbying for the creation of Te Araroa. He’d written articles in newspapers and tested out routes in the…

Published on 2 years, 7 months ago

The Dambusters

In the early hours of 17 May 1943 a bold World War II attack destroyed two dams in the Ruhr Valley in Germany's industrial heartland, causing 1,600 casualties and catastrophic flooding which hampered…

Published on 2 years, 7 months ago