Sulawesi's historic cave art and the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls

October 3, 2026 · 1 hr 1 min

Max Pearson presents a collection of this week's Witness History interviews from the BBC World Service. Our guest is Dr. April Nowell, a paleolithic archaeologist and professor of anthropology at the University of Victoria in Canada. We…
Manchester's racially inclusive nightclub and the artist who portrayed Nelson Mandela from life

September 26, 2026 · 1 hr 0 min

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week's Witness History episodes from the BBC World Service. We dedicate this edition to Manchester, in England. We hear about the man who opened the city's first racially inclusive nightclub in…
Norway's teacher resistance and Ireland's deadly nightclub fire

September 19, 2026 · 1 hr 0 min

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week's Witness History episodes from the BBC World Service. We hear how Norwegian teachers resisted peddling Nazi propaganda during the German occupation of the Second World War and our guest, Dr…
The mysteries of the Bayeux Tapestry and surviving 9/11

September 12, 2026 · 1 hr 3 min

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week's Witness History episodes from the BBC World Service. We hear how a French curator uncovered lost documents showing that the Nazis researched the Bayeux Tapestry during World War Two. Our…
E.T. the Extra Terrestrial and the creator of Star Wars toys

September 6, 2026 · 1 hr 1 min

Max Pearson presents a collection of science fiction themed Witness History stories from the BBC World Service. Our guest is Lisa Yaszek, Regents' Professor of Science Fiction Studies at Georgia Tech in the USA. Actor Peter Coyote looks…
Voting for water and surviving a hurricane

August 29, 2026 · 1 hr 0 min

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week's Witness History episodes. We learn why, in 2004, Uruguayans voted to enshrine water as a human right in their constitution - the first country in the world to do so. And environmental…
The battle of Mandalay and the New World screwworm

August 22, 2026 · 1 hr 0 min

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week's Witness History episodes from the BBC World Service. Our guest is Dr Elisabeth Fondren, Associate Professor of Journalism at St John's University in New York, USA. We start by hearing some…
The Mau Mau uprising and man-eating lions

August 15, 2026 · 1 hr 1 min

Max Pearson presents a collection of the week's Witness History episodes focussing on Kenya. We hear about Muthoni Kirima, one of the last Mau Mau fighters to come out of hiding and lay down her arms. Caroline Elkins, Professor of History…