Descartes' Daughter

Philip Ball goes back to the 17th century to tell the story of Descartes' 'daughter'.

• 28 mins

Hypatia: The Murdered Mathematician

Naomi Alderman's story is of Hypatia - the mathematician murdered by a mob in Alexandria.

• 28 mins

Mary Anning and Fossil Hunting

Naomi Alderman tells the story of Mary Anning, who discovered many important fossils.

• 28 mins

Eddington's Eclipse and Einstein's Celebrity

Philip Ball tells the story of Arthur Eddington's confirmation of general relativity.

• 28 mins

Lucretius, Sheep and Atoms

Naomi Alderman's story is of Lucretius, sheep and atoms

• 28 mins

Kepler's Snowflakes

Philip Ball's tale is of Kepler's Snowflakes, a New Year's gift and of crystallography.

• 28 mins

Lady Mary Montagu's Smallpox Experiment

Naomi Alderman on how Lady Mary Montagu used her own child to prove smallpox inoculation.

• 28 mins

Ibn al-Haytham and How We See

Philip Ball's story is of Ibn al-Haytham, the first scientist, and how we see.

• 28 mins

Galileo's lost letter

Galileo's lost letter questions how he challenged the Church. With Philip Ball.

• 28 mins

Series 9

Madame Lavoisier's Translation of Oxygen

Philip Ball tells the story of Madame Lavoisier, the translator of oxygen.

• 28 mins

Series 9

Ignaz Semmelweiss: The Hand Washer

Lindsey Fitzharris tells the story of Ignaz Semmelweiss, the hand washer.

• 28 mins

Series 9

Ramon Llull: the medieval prophet of computer science

Philip Ball tells the story of Ramon Llull, the medieval prophet of computer science.

• 28 mins

Series 9

Alexis Carrel and the immortal chicken heart

Philip Ball tells the tale of Alexis Carrel's immortal chicken heart.

• 28 mins

Mary Somerville, pioneer of popular science writing

Naomi Alderman tells the story of Mary Somerville, pioneer of popular science writing

• 28 mins

Sophia Jex-Blake, first woman doctor in Scotland

Naomi Alderman tells the story of Sophia Jex-Blake, first woman doctor in Scotland.

• 28 mins

Isaac Newton and the story of the apple

Did Newton's theory of gravity really come to him after seeing an apple fall?

• 28 mins