The Documentary

Investigating global developments, issues and affairs.

World Service,2048 episodes

Episodes

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A23a: Biography of an iceberg
Glaciologist Catherine Walker explores the birth, life and death of megaberg A23a
03 Sep 2026,26 mins
The price of peace
Can Colombia find ways to heal after its army murdered 7000 innocent civilians?
29 Aug 2026,49 mins
LA: Rising from the ashes
Jonathan Glancey meets architects leading LA’s recovery from 2025’s catastrophic fires
27 Aug 2026,26 mins
Israel and the Palestinians: From 2010 to the present
The back-story of the Middle East conflict from 2010 to the start of the Gaza war
26 Aug 2026,26 mins
China: The rise of a science superpower
Roland Pease analyses why China is on the brink of global scientific dominance
22 Aug 2026,49 mins
Special forces on trial
Was a detective murdered to cover up the alleged crimes of South Africa’s special forces?
20 Aug 2026,26 mins
How did we get here: Israel and the Palestinians
Jonny Dymond and guests explore the complicated back-story of the Middle East conflict
19 Aug 2026,26 mins
Tree of diplomacy
How botany has kept the US and China talking for decades
13 Aug 2026,26 mins
How did we get here: Israel and the Palestinians
Jonny Dymond and guests explore the complicated back-story of the Middle East conflict
12 Aug 2026,26 mins
The Engineers: Flying at the Edge
Engineers Kelly Latimer, Rob Miller, Daniel Moczydlower discuss their pioneering work
08 Aug 2026,49 mins
How did we get here: Israel and the Palestinians
Jonny Dymond and guests explore the complicated back-story of the Middle East conflict
05 Aug 2026,26 mins
The sound of soft power
Does the world still need international radio as a tool of soft power?
01 Aug 2026,49 mins
A battle that changed Ireland
How a World War One battle still affects people and communities
30 Jul 2026,26 mins
Israel and the Palestinians: 6: Israel’s early years to the Six Day War
Jonny Dymond and guests explore the complicated back-story of the Middle East conflict
29 Jul 2026,26 mins
Driving across the divide
Israeli volunteers meet ill Palestinians at checkpoints to drive them to hospital.
25 Jul 2026,49 mins
The teenagers who wired Romania
How Romanian teenagers built a daring DIY internet network that inspired telecoms giants
23 Jul 2026,26 mins
Israel and the Palestinians: 5. From WW2 to the First Arab-Israeli war
Jonny Dymond and guests explore the complicated back-story of the Middle East conflict
22 Jul 2026,26 mins
Love on trial: India’s age of consent controversy
Brishbhanu Baruah examines India's Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act
16 Jul 2026,26 mins
The Chinese Fentanyl King
How did a graduate from China’s top university become an alleged drug kingpin in Mexico?
16 Jul 2026,26 mins
Israel and the Palestinians: 4. The Balfour Declaration to the Arab Revolt
Jonny Dymond and guests explore the complicated back-story of the Middle East conflict
15 Jul 2026,26 mins
Secrets of the ant trade
The multi-million-dollar ant trade and the enthusiasts stamping out illegal ant smuggling
09 Jul 2026,26 mins
Israel and the Palestinians: 3. From the 19th Century to World War One
Jonny Dymond and guests explore the complicated back-story of the Middle East conflict
08 Jul 2026,26 mins
A history of the United States in 100 objects: 1. The Century Safe
In 1876, Americans filled an iron safe with objects meant to tell their story
04 Jul 2026,26 mins
Israel and the Palestinians: 2. From the Muslim conquest to the 19th Century
The establishment of Arab rule, the Crusades and the Muslim commander Salah ad-Din
01 Jul 2026,26 mins
Israel and the Palestinians: 1. From earliest times to the Romans
Jonny Dymond and guests explore the complicated back-story of the Middle East conflict
24 Jun 2026,26 mins
Agony and ecstasy: A history of penalty shootouts
What makes a penalty shootout so dramatic?
18 Jun 2026,26 mins
Sheba: Just like us?
Primate experimentation: we have the need, but do we have the right?
17 Jun 2026,49 mins
The Russian dream
Meet the Westerners moving to Russia on Putin’s “anti-woke” visa
11 Jun 2026,26 mins
Manosphere messiahs: Kenya
The rise of the global manosphere, including Kenyan influencer Andrew Kibe
04 Jun 2026,26 mins
Manosphere messiahs: Mexico
The real-world impact of the global manosphere including Mexican influencer El Temach
28 May 2026,26 mins