Before modern inventions and conveniences, humans had ingenious ways of solving problems. So how exactly did humans survive before fridges, without clothes or before surnames were invented? Find out the answers to these questions and more, right here. Hosted by Ollie Guillou.
Send us Fan Mail 💬 Were humans always conscious? And why did ancient people seem to constantly report encounters with the gods? One theory by Julian Jaynes - the Bicameral Mind hypothesis - suggests that, as recently as 3,000 years ago, the normal state for the human mind was very different to today - that for most of human history, consciousness as we know it today did not exist at all. ⚡ In this episode we hear from Brian J. McVeigh, anthropologist, cultural psychologist and psychoth...
28 Oct 2026
White Lead Workers: The Victorian Job That Slowly Poisoned You
Send us Fan Mail 💬 White paint was used everywhere in Victorian Britain. The trouble was, the pigment that made this paint so useful was deadly. For the people working in the white lead factories, this job was said to be deadlier than being a soldier. Early chemical jobs were notoriously hazardous, but white lead workers are said to have had it worst of all. We’ve known about white lead’s toxic and deadly qualities for thousands of years. Despite this people - like Queen Elizabeth I - wore it...
26 Oct 2026
The "Wizard" Who Brought Gas Lighting to Britain – And Its Dark Side
Send us Fan Mail 💬 What was life like before gas lighting? Just over 230 years ago, even the wealthiest homes were poorly lit by modern standards. But when a Scottish engineer began experimenting with gas, he sparked a revolution that would transform everyday life. ⚡ In this episode we hear from Russell Thomas, Technical Director at WSP and gas historian. We discover how William Murdoch earned a reputation as the “Wizard of Cornwall”, why Victorian gasworks were such dangerous and unpleasant ...
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