Understand Podcast
NEW in Understand: Rinsed
What's happened to our rivers is a real stinker of a scandal. Kate Lamble investigates.
Understand from BBC Radio 4 - unravelling the complexities of the biggest stories and subjects that really matter right now.
Episodes to download
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2. Water Works—Rinsed
Tuesday
2/13The centuries-old battle between public good and private profit still being fought today.
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1. The Bridge—Rinsed
Last Monday
1/13After watching their local river grow murky and lifeless, two neighbours fight back.
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Trailer—Rinsed
Wed 6 May 2026
1/13A sewage scandal and a centuries old battle between public good and private profit
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3. How Reading Made Our Politics—How Reading Made Us
Mon 23 Mar 2026
3/3Did reading create democracy? And what does it mean for our politics if reading dies out?
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2. How Reading Made Our Feelings—How Reading Made Us
Mon 16 Mar 2026
2/3Did reading make us lonely, set us free, and even end torture? James Marriott investigates
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1. How Reading Made Our Brains—How Reading Made Us
Mon 9 Mar 2026
1/3Did learning to read rewire your brain? With James Marriott.
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Trailer—How Reading Made Us
Thu 5 Mar 2026
1/3The story of how reading made us and what might happen if we stop - with James Marriott.
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4. Life and Liberty—An American Journey
Mon 9 Feb 2026
4/4The idea of freedom is foundational to America, but whose freedom, and what kind?
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3. Establishing Justice—An American Journey
Mon 2 Feb 2026
3/4How has 'justice' been understood by different generations of Americans?
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5. The Bush Doctrine—US Foreign Policy in Five Doctrines
Fri 23 Jan 2026
5/5How the September 11 attacks led to conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan.
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4. The Reagan Doctrine—US Foreign Policy in Five Doctrines
Thu 22 Jan 2026
4/5How US policy changed towards the Soviet Union and the challenge of communism.
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3. The Nixon Doctrine—US Foreign Policy in Five Doctrines
Wed 21 Jan 2026
3/5How did the Vietnam War change America’s foreign policy?
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2. The Truman Doctrine—US Foreign Policy in Five Doctrines
Tue 20 Jan 2026
2/5What impact did WWII have on US policy towards the rest of the world?
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1. The Pursuit of Happiness—An American Journey
Mon 19 Jan 2026
1/4How have Americans understood the connection between economic and democratic freedom?
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1. The Monroe Doctrine—US Foreign Policy in Five Doctrines
Mon 19 Jan 2026
1/5What is the 1823 doctrine, and how has it been used since by US presidents?
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Trailer—US Foreign Policy in Five Doctrines
Fri 16 Jan 2026
1/5Justin Webb looks at five big US foreign policy shifts, from Monroe to Trump.
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10. Unknown unknowns—The Trip
Mon 1 Sep 2025
10/10What more is there to learn about psychedelics? Tim Hayward makes a case for curiosity.
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9. Sacred plants for sale—The Trip
Mon 1 Sep 2025
9/10Who stands to profit from the commercialisation of psychedelics?
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8. A tipping point?—The Trip
Mon 11 Aug 2025
8/10Significant barriers exist for research looking at psychedelics. Is that about to change?
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7. Fascination and taboo—The Trip
Mon 11 Aug 2025
7/10Psychedelic drugs have a chequered history. How did wonder turn to fear?
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6. Critical periods—The Trip
Mon 11 Aug 2025
6/10Can psychedelics help the brain to learn things anew?
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1. Altered States—The Trip
Mon 4 Aug 2025
1/10Tim Hayward looks at the science, culture, history - and future - of psychedelics.
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5. Message in a bottle—The Trip
Mon 4 Aug 2025
5/10Tim Hayward travels into the past to better understand today’s psychedelic research.
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4. Looking for a cure—The Trip
Mon 4 Aug 2025
4/10Tim Hayward investigates why people are travelling abroad seeking a psychedelic cure.
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3. Stranger things—The Trip
Mon 4 Aug 2025
3/10Tim Hayward visits the outer reaches of cutting edge psychedelic research.
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2. When the drugs take hold—The Trip
Mon 4 Aug 2025
2/10Tim Hayward investigates the anatomy of a trip.
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Introducing The Trip—The Trip
Wed 30 Jul 2025
1/10Tim Hayward looks at the science, history - and future - of psychedelics.
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9. You Can Do One—Derailed: The Story of HS2
Thu 24 Jul 2025
9/10Rishi Sunak is faced with the decision of what to do about HS2's future.
