CATEGORIES

We decide for ourselves who we think we are - and museums are central to that

In his new BBC Radio 4 series, curator and broadcaster Neil MacGregor explores the changing role of Britain's museums. He explains to Matt Elton why these venues are more vital now than ever

THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF BRITAIN

Charles I was dead, Oliver Cromwell was on the rise, and a nation was grappling with a strange new reality - one without a monarchy. Anna Keay tells the story of the 1650s, through the eyes of three of the people who helped shape Britain's republican decade

The brutish empire

ALEX VON TUNZELMANN considers a global investigation into the intrinsic connection between racialised violence and the history of the world's largest-ever empire

1942 CHURCHILL'S DARKEST HOUR

If 1940 was the year in which Winston Churchill's reputation was forged, 1942 was the one in which it was almost destroyed. Taylor Downing chronicles a terrible period for the prime minister - both on the battlefield and in the court of public opinion

How Napoleon (almost) destroyed the French Revolution

The Corsican general proclaimed himself a defender of republican ideals – while doing all he could to dismantle them

An Island Mystery

Three centuries ago, when European explorers first sighted the Pacific island of Rapa Nui, it was home to a thriving population and hundreds of haunting moai statues. But, within a few generations, the landscape was decimated and its population in sharp decline. So what happened? Cat Jarman untangles

Mirroring Multicultural Britain

From its inception the BBC has featured entertainers of colour, but they were often reduced to "exotic” attractions. David Hendy explores how the corporation tried to include diverse voices, from the 1930s to the postwar years

ON THE PROWL

Hunting witches was a lucrative profession, giving plucky vigilantes the opportunity to earn high wages and gain social standing within communities gripped by fear and worry

A CAULDRON OF CULTURES

Professor Ronald Hutton reveals how ancient civilisations helped shape early modern beliefs about witches and witchcraft

ISLAND OF THE DEAD

In Haiti and the Dominican Republic, some people still claim they have the ability to practise magic and command zonbi spirits. Professor Lauren Derby explores the history behind this unique form of Caribbean sorcery

FACT OR FICTION?

Most people's knowledge of 'witches' stems from popular horror tropes involving warty-faced women stirring cauldrons, or innocent young girls being drowned in ponds. But how much of this is based on pure mythology? Professor Owen Davies addresses eight popular misconceptions about the history of witchcraft in Europe

ROUGH INJUSTICE

Professor Marion Gibson reveals how England's early modern legal system dealt with suspected 'witches'

SEEING DOUBLE

As German aircraft attacked Paris during WWI, one man had an idea: what if you could fool the enemy into dropping their bombs elsewhere? Gavin Mortimer tells the story behind an audacious wartime ruse...

SARAH BIFFIN Artist, writer, trailblazer

Nige Tassell explores the life and career of the disabled English painter whose work is set to be the focus of a major new exhibition later this vear

WHAT GREAT PAINTINGS SAY

Vincent van Gogh's stark portrayal of physical and mental ill-health carries an important message of hope and determination

WHAT IF...THE OTTOMANS HAD WON AT LEPANTO?

Professor Marc David Baer talks to Jonny Wilkes about the infamous 1571 naval battle, and whether or not an Ottoman victory against the Catholic Holy League would have made a substantial a difference to the empire's ambitions anyway

WICCA'S WORLD

Claire Slack reveals how a new magical movement flourished in the 20th century

PENTAGON LAUNCHES NEW UFO OFFICE

A new office in the Pentagon will investigate sightings of unidentified flying objects – but longtime extraterrestrial enthusiasts are sceptical

MYSTERIES OF THE UNIVERSE : WHAT DISTURBED A DISTANT STAR SYSTEM?

Astronomers are a step closer to understanding how our Solar System formed, all thanks to a chance encounter

HOW TO SPOT THE INTERNATIONAL

The International Space Station can be seen from Earth; You just need to know where and when to look

GALAXY PROFILE THE LARGE MAGELLANIC CLOUD

This nearby dwarf galaxy is a satellite in orbit around our own

FINDING AND DEFINING EXOMOONS

As our catalogue of exoplanets grows, the hunt is on for moons around distant worlds

COMPLETE GUIDE TO NASA

IT’S AN ORGANISATION KNOWN THE WORLD OVER, WITH ITS AMBITIOUS GOALS INSPIRING OTHERS TO DREAM OF TRAVELLING AMONG THE STARS. HERE’S YOUR DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO THE HISTORY OF NASA

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SATURN

With its moon system, rings of dust and ice and occasionally tempestuous atmosphere, there’s more to this gas giant than meets the eye

NASA ASTRONAUT VICTOR GLOVER “BEING IN SPACE IS LIKE LIVING A DREAM”

Serving as a pilot on SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule, the astronaut reveals the most scary thought that’s entered his head, his thoughts on spacewalking and returning to Earth during a pandemic

COLD, DAMP MARS MAY HAVE HOSTED AN ANCIENT OCEAN

Northern parts of the Red Planet could have supported bodies of liquid 3 billion years ago

“We have believed the Normans' view of themselves for too long”

JUDITH A GREEN talks to David Musgrove about her new book, which takes readers far beyond the familiar story of 1066, and provides a richer understanding of the Normans’ complex place in the wider history of Europe

“THE WEEK THAT CHANGED THE WORLD”

Following years of icy silence between the US and China, on 21 February 1972 president Richard Nixon arrived in Beijing for an unprecedented diplomatic mission. Rana Mitter explores how the two sides viewed an encounter that augured China’s entrance onto the global stage

The secrets of the stones

Where did Stonehenge’s megaliths come from? Were they transported to Wiltshire by glacier or human hand? And how long did this Neolithic building project take? As a major exhibition on Stonehenge opens at the British Museum, Mike Pitts uses the latest research to answer the big questions about the construction of this ancient wonder

MY HISTORY HERO

Actor, comedian and BBC DJ Craig Charles chooses