The Essential

A chance to hear extracts from some of our most thought provoking broadcasts.

World Service,96 episodes

Episodes

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The Inquiry: Is Retirement Over?
David Blake says young people today will have to work until they drop
31 Aug 2016,5 mins
More or Less: Death Penalty abolition
The story behind the countries that have not executed anyone for 10 years
30 Aug 2016,5 mins
BBC Trending: Cash For Catastrophes?
Meet the people who buy and sell viral videos of news events for thousands of dollars.
29 Aug 2016,5 mins
From Our Own Correspondent: Gibraltar's Neanderthal Traces
Melissa Hogenboom visits a site where some of the earliest humanoids in Europe once lived
25 Aug 2016,5 mins
The Inquiry: Would Donald Trump Be a Dangerous President?
Elaine Kamarck says a US President’s power is limited, whoever they are
24 Aug 2016,5 mins
The Why Factor: Why do Pet Videos go Viral?
Why have pets become the unlikely stars of the internet?
23 Aug 2016,5 mins
BBC Trending: China’s Tampon Taboo
Swimmer Fu Yuanhui got China talking by saying her performance was affected by her period
22 Aug 2016,5 mins
From Our Own Correspondent: A Targeted Profession
Why are lawyers being killed in Pakistan - and particularly in the Baluchistan region?
18 Aug 2016,5 mins
The Inquiry: Why Don’t Cities Want the Olympics?
Judith Grant Long puts forward a radical solution to guarantee the future of the Olympics
17 Aug 2016,5 mins
More or Less: Swimming World Records
Why are swimming world records frequently being broken?
16 Aug 2016,5 mins
BBC Trending: The Filipino Prisoners Who Want To Stay In Jail
Photos of a crowded jail have gone viral, but some prisoners feel ‘lucky’ to be there.
15 Aug 2016,5 mins
From Our Own Correspondent: Merkel's Standing Firm
Damien McGuinness argues international media have overdone reports of panic in Germany
11 Aug 2016,5 mins
Inquiry: Has Russia Won In Ukraine?
Anna Arutunyan explains why Putin has limited control
10 Aug 2016,5 mins
The Why Factor: Fear vs Fact
Are we living in an age where messages of fear dominate and the truth goes unheard?
09 Aug 2016,5 mins
BBC Trending: The Porn Star Who Went To Iran For A Nose Job
Candy Charms has put a spotlight on the Islamic republic as a destination for rhinoplasty
08 Aug 2016,5 mins
From Our Own Correspondent: Slow Train to Melbourne
Petroc Trelawny lets the train take the strain on a multi-stop journey from Sydney
04 Aug 2016,5 mins
The Inquiry: How Did We Save the Ozone Layer?
Former director of Friends of the Earth describes the impact of targeting aerosol use
03 Aug 2016,5 mins
More or Less: Odd Socks and Algorithms
How can the techniques of computer science help us in everyday life?
02 Aug 2016,5 mins
From Our Own Correspondent: No Deal in the Niger Delta
In Gbaramatu, Nigeria, a palace and university lie in ruins, symbols of dashed hope
28 Jul 2016,5 mins
The Inquiry: Can Colombia Reintegrate The FARC?
Ex-fighter Boris Forero describes his journey from left wing guerrilla to psychologist
27 Jul 2016,5 mins
The Why Factor: Violence
Why are men more violent than women?
26 Jul 2016,5 mins
From Our Own Correspondent: Time of the Mayfly
Diarmaid Fleming joins the anglers flocking to fish trout in Western Ireland's loughs
21 Jul 2016,5 mins
The Inquiry: Is Brexit Inevitable?
John Harris says Britain cannot wriggle out of Brexit without provoking dangerous anger
20 Jul 2016,5 mins
More or Less: Violence, shootings and the police in the US
Tim Harford investigates the numbers surrounding police shootings in the USA.
19 Jul 2016,5 mins
From Our Own Correspondent: Paris, Left and Right
Hugh Schofield looks at the social and political divides of through the French capital
14 Jul 2016,5 mins
The Inquiry: Can Trump Win?
Campaign veteran Scott Jennings on why candidates need money
13 Jul 2016,5 mins
The Why Factor: Newspapers
Digital news is threatening newspapers, so why do they survive and what is their future?
12 Jul 2016,5 mins
From Our Own Correspondent: New Pastures for Democracy
How journalism can help democracy in South Sudan and across Africa
07 Jul 2016,5 mins
The Inquiry: Can You Make Bankers Behave Better?
Dutch regulator Wijnand Nuijts on using psychologists to improve bankers' behaviour
06 Jul 2016,5 mins
More or Less: Old versus young Brexit voters
The effect of young voters on the referendum
05 Jul 2016,5 mins