Best Digital Universe Theory Podcasts (2025)

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The Happy Pod: Sending my mother's ashes around the world 28:38

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1h ago28:38

28:38

The woman fulfilling her mother's dreams of travel by launching her ashes out to sea in a bottle. It's brought her happiness amid her grief. Also: Thailand's tigers bounce back; and making hospitals happier for children. Presenter: Nick Miles. Music composed by Iona HampsonBy BBC

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Antarctic Midwinter Broadcast 2025 41:45

8h ago41:45

41:45

It’s the 70th anniversary of this unique BBC radio programme aimed at just a few dozen listeners: The team of scientists and support staff isolated at British research stations in the Antarctic midwinter. Hosted by Cerys Matthews, the show features messages from family and friends at home, music requests from Antarctica and a specially recorded mes…

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Iranians and Israelis 25:44

13h ago25:44

25:44

Since Israel launched its attack on Iran, targeting the country’s nuclear capabilities, air strikes by both sides have killed and injured people in both countries. We hear from three Iranians living abroad who tell us about their concerns for family and friends in Iran. Two friends – one Israeli and one Iranian – join us to explain their search for…

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Gaza aid deaths: Why does this keep happening? 35:20

13h ago35:20

35:20

Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry says more than 400 Palestinians have been killed near aid sites since late May. The Israeli military has repeatedly said it will investigate such reports. We ask why this keeps happening.By BBC

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'Making Tax Digital' and Bank Charges 25:11

14h ago25:11

25:11

Hundreds and thousands of sole traders and landlords are facing a significant change in how they file their tax returns. In less than a year 800,000 people with a turnover of above £50,000 who fill out self assessment tax returns will have to fill out summaries four times a year, and then do their final self assessment too. It's all part of somethi…

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Why are global markets so quiet? 28:15

15h ago28:15

28:15

Global markets, including the US, have been quietly calm, although there have been warning signs of looming risks and uncertainty after Donald Trump’s “liberation day” tariffs announcement. What’s behind such market “silence”? Roger Hearing hears from Gillian Tett, the chair of the Editorial Board of the Financial Times and the Provost of Kings Col…

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MPs back assisted dying bill, sending it to House of Lords 40:47

15h ago40:47

40:47

MPs have backed the legalisation of assisted dying by a majority of 23. The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill will now progress to the House of Lords where it'll face further scrutiny and amendments. We spoke to campaigners outside Parliament as the votes were cast and two members of the House of Lords who will now shape the Bill. The BBC ha…

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Iran-European talks debate Tehran's nuclear programme 48:57

16h ago48:57

48:57

Iran agrees to a second day of talks in Geneva over the fate of its nuclear programme. Their meeting marked the first face-to-face dialogue between Tehran and western governments since Israel first attacked Iran a week ago. Also on the programme, witnesses say Israeli military kills 23 Palestinians near aid site in Gaza; and, 50 years since 'Jaws' …

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20/06/2025 12:58

19h ago12:58

12:58

Writer: Katie Hims Director: Pip Swallow Editor: Jeremy Howe Brian Aldridge…. Charles Collingwood Jolene Archer…. Buffy Davis Kenton Archer…. Richard Attlee Pip Archer…. Daisy Badger Lilian Bellamy…. Sunny Ormonde Alice Carter…. Hollie Chapman Justin Elliott…. Simon Williams Miranda Elliott…. Lucy Fleming Martyn Gibson…. Jon Glover Jakob Hakansson……

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Dead Ringers: Ep1. Greta, Trump and Eau de Farage 28:42

19h ago28:42

28:42

The Dead Ringers team are back to train their vocal firepower on the week’s news with an armoury of impressive impressions. This week: Greta Thunberg floats her boat at Rachel Reeves, Trump and Elon couple up on Love Island, and Gary Lineker tries something new. Cast: Jan Ravens, Jon Culshaw, Jess Robinson, Kieran Hodgson and Duncan Wisbey. The epi…

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Time for a rethink on debt? 26:28

22h ago26:28

26:28

Economists have been brought together by the Vatican to tackle a global debt crisis. So, is it time to rethink how we help poorer nations in need? Vladimir Putin says Russia's economy is thriving... but as a country under sanctions and at war, how true can this be? In the race for AI dominance, a company called Croq with a Q says its chips can outp…

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How different will the Rwanda-DRC peace deal be? 28:40

22h ago28:40

28:40

There is a glimmer of hope that three decades of conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo could end after the government agreed a draft peace deal with Rwanda, a country accused of funding the M23, a group that has taken over some significant towns in the east of DRC. Representatives of the two countries will formally sign the agreement next we…

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European ministers to hold talks with the Iranian foreign minister 46:56

23h ago46:56

46:56

UK, French and German foreign ministers will hold talks with their Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, in Geneva today as part of efforts to ease the Israel-Iran conflict. Also on the programme: lawmakers in the UK hold a crucial vote on legalising assisted dying; and as Italian classical singer Andrea Bocelli releases a duet with the men's tennis…

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European ministers hold talks with Iran as conflict continues 28:58

23h ago28:58

28:58

As the conflict between Israel and Iran enters its second week, European ministers are meeting Iran's top diplomat as part of efforts to end the fighting. Also; Spain's political crisis and the tigers making a comeback.By BBC

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First skull of mysterious human ancestor; Decoding whale language; Heatwaves 20x more likely to happen 36:18

24h ago36:18

36:18

Episode 308 An ancient skull discovered in China has been confirmed to belong to a Denisovan. It’s been tough to study this mysterious human ancestor, as we’ve only ever found a finger and jaw bone - so this new discovery could reshape our understanding of them. After being kept secret for decades, the “dragon man” skull is opening up a new window …

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A grieving wife told to examine her husband to confirm he was dead says it should never happen to anyone again 1:20:46

1d ago1:20:46

1:20:46

Also - Nolan talks to Dr Joanne McClean from the PHA about the new Covid strain.By BBC

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Reworking a future: Buddhist revival in Mongolia 29:19

1d ago29:19

29:19

Cambridge anthropologist David Sneath is in Mongolia to find out how Buddhism continues to make a comeback after years of persecution under Communism. David tells the story of how a young Mongolian boy has recently been recognised as the new reincarnation in a lineage of major Buddhist leaders, once known in the country as ‘Holy Emperor’. The 10-ye…

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Trump to decide if US will attack Iran 'within two weeks' 30:52

1d ago30:52

30:52

The White House says Trump will decide whether to attack Iran within two weeks because there is a "substantial chance of negotiations". Also: why killing a Lithuanian bear outraged hunters, and the search to name storms.By BBC

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Trump says he’ll decide whether to strike Iran within two weeks 49:13

1d ago49:13

49:13

US President Trump will make a decision on whether to join Israeli strikes against Iran in the next two weeks, according to the White House Press Secretary. Karoline Leavitt cites a “substantial chance of negotiations” over Iran’s nuclear programme. We speak to former US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel and examine the legality of British involveme…

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How war with Iran impacts Israel’s economy 28:48

1d ago28:48

28:48

A war with Iran has been harming Israel, not just in the physical effect of missile strikes but also the impact of the conflict and instability on Israel's economy. Roger Hearing hears about how the country’s economy is coping with this. Greenland's minister for business and mineral resources, Naaja Nathanielsen, tells us how she deals with threats…

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Trump to make decision on Iran attack within 2 weeks 48:29

1d ago48:29

48:29

In Washington DC earlier, President Trump said he would decide within the next two weeks whether or not to take military action against Iran. The US leader is reported to have agreed a potential plan of attack targeting Iran's nuclear facilities. The BBC’s Nomia Iqbal joins us from Washington to discuss what Trump might be thinking. We also get the…

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Once lost now found: half a universe 41:41

1d ago41:41

41:41

How half of the normal matter in the universe is finally confirmed to exist, not that most of us knew it wasn’t. Also, why the next big collider should be muon-muon, and a spider that hangs out around underwater methane seeps. The universe is thought to consist of 70% Dark Energy, 25% Dark Matter, and just 5% Baryonic matter which is the atoms that…

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19/06/2025 13:08

2d ago13:08

13:08

The pressure is on for Stella, and Alice opens up.By BBC

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Central bankers wait and see 27:21

2d ago27:21

27:21

How do you solve a problem like price rises? That's the question central banks around the world are grappling with... and we've seen a flurry of decisions coming out of central banks around the world this week on interest rates. Also, we go to Denmark, where military drones are big business at Europe’s biggest flying tech show. Namibia is rolling o…

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Israeli hospital hit by Iranian missile 31:51

2d ago31:51

31:51

An Iranian missile hits a hospital in the Israeli town of Beersheba. Israel vows revenge. Also: Australia's poison mushroom trial draws to a close, and the archaeologists solving a 2000 year old jigsaw puzzle.By BBC

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Iranian minister warns US not to join in Israeli attacks 49:05

2d ago49:05

49:05

In a rare interview with the Iranian government from inside Tehran, Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh tells the BBC's Lyse Doucet it would be "a big mistake" for President Trump to join Israel's bombing campaign. It's a view shared by many of Mr Trump's most loyal supporters; we assess what's at stake, militarily and politically. Also in th…

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Nigeria: What's behind Benue state attacks? 38:37

2d ago38:37

38:37

Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu has ordered security agencies to bring an end to the wave of killings in Benue state. It's believed that more than 200 people were killed in attacks across various communities. What's behind the increase in violence? Also, a young man from the DRC is on the path to sainthood in the Catholic Church. Who was he and wha…

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Assaults on police - are the sentences adequate? Should jail time be mandatory? 1:19:45

2d ago1:19:45

1:19:45

Also, a health service department senior leader is working from France 3 weeks each monthBy BBC

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Paul von Hindenburg 52:09

2d ago52:09

52:09

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the life and role of one of the most significant figures in early 20th Century German history. Paul von Hindenburg (1847-1934) had been famous since 1914 as the victorious commander at the Battle of Tannenberg against Russian invaders, soon burnishing this fame on the Western Front and Hindenburg was to claim he woul…

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The copper kingdom 28:41

3d ago28:41

28:41

The world is electrifying, and central to our decarbonisation drive is copper. The red metal is second only to silver as the best conductor of electricity and it is critical in the manufacture of wind turbines, electric cars and solar panels. Reporter Robin Markwell travels through Chile, where the reserves of some of the world’s largest copper min…

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Trump keeps world guessing on Iran strikes 33:01

3d ago33:01

33:01

US president meets national security team again to discuss next steps on Iran. Also: once called the Russian Davos, the St Petersburg International Economic Forum fails to attract western business leaders.By BBC

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Trump on Iran strikes: “I may do it, I may not do it” 39:34

3d ago39:34

39:34

President Donald Trump has struck an ambiguous tone when asked whether the US would join in Israel in launching strikes against Iran, telling reporters, "I may do it, I may not do it.” We hear from retired general David Petraeus about the President’s military options and ask whether the war could split Republican voters. Also on the programme: The …

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Israel-Iran conflict drives up shipping insurance costs 30:10

3d ago30:10

30:10

Will he or won’t he? Trump says he’s not decided if he’ll pull the US into Israel’s strikes on Iran. A shipping insurance expert explains how the conflict is driving up premiums for vessels in the region. We’ll hear about a landmark deal between streaming giant Netflix and a French TV network. And the toy company taking on Trump. The head of an Ill…

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Will the US get directly involved against Iran? 47:27

3d ago47:27

47:27

Will the US get directly involved in Israel's military campaign against Iran? We hear from former CIA director and US commander in Afghanistan and Iraq, General David Petraeus. Also: low attendance and low morale at FIFA's Club World Cup; and mounds of clothing turn up in protected conservation sites in Ghana, (Photo: U.S. President Donald Trump sa…

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18/06/2025 13:15

3d ago13:15

13:15

Brian finds himself on the spot, and Lilian makes an unexpected bond.By BBC

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What is the real state of Russia's wartime economy? 27:24

3d ago27:24

27:24

We hear from Russia where Vladimir Putin has been briefing journalists ahead of a major economic forum. What is the real state of Russia's wartime economy right now? Also, we're in Tehran hearing from local citizens who've messaged us on the human and economic fallout of the current bombardment they're facing. And the rise and rise of Netflix, as t…

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How Cameroon's Anglophone Crisis affects education 28:11

3d ago28:11

28:11

The Anglophone Crisis in Cameroon is severely impacting education. With widespread school closures and displacement of teachers and students. Over 200,000 students are reportedly out of school. Is China’s recent offer to extend zero-tariff treatment to almost all African countries a reason to celebrate? And why Kenyan smallholder farmers went to co…

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Iran warns Trump against joining war with Israel 29:04

3d ago29:04

29:04

Iran’s supreme leader says he will never surrender to Israel and warned the US not to intervene in the war. Also: More people killed in Gaza near an aid centre, and the tennis legend Martina Navratilova on her career.By BBC

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Iran’s Supreme Leader rejects call for surrender 47:27

3d ago47:27

47:27

Iran's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, has warned that any US military intervention in his country will "cause irreparable damage for them". Speaking on state television, the Ayatollah decried what he called "threatening and ridiculous" comments from President Trump, who on Tuesday said Iran should surrender. As Israel's air bombardment of Iran conti…

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English in a Minute: Verbs to use with 'theory' 1:05

3d ago1:05

1:05

What is a theory and which verbs are commonly used with it? In this podcast, you'll learn what 'formulate a theory' means and lots more. Learn collocations with Georgie. TRANSCRIPT Find a free transcript for this episode and more programmes to help you with your English at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/features/english_in_a_minute FIND BBC…

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What’s Iran’s IRGC? 28:08

3d ago28:08

28:08

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the Quds force and the Basij militias are back in the news due to the conflict between Israel and Iran. What are they, how do they operate and how have they become so influential? In this episode, we look at the origins, the branding and the ideological blueprint of the Tehran-led influence network that has be…

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Belfast man lifted by ICE immigration police and thrown into detention in America - his parents contact Nolan 1:19:38

3d ago1:19:38

1:19:38

Also - Iran/Israel attacks - Security Expert Professor Anthony Glees gives analysis.By BBC

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Could your colleague be a North Korean in disguise? 23:46

4d ago23:46

23:46

Recently several videos from recruiters on LinkedIn have gone viral. The videos appear to show recruiters conducting routine job interviews over a video call, but something is up with the candidates. Their faces are blurred, and they appear to be using some sort of a filter. After some strange interaction with the recruiter, they drop off the call.…

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Trump demands Iran's 'unconditional surrender' 31:07

4d ago31:07

31:07

Donald Trump has demanded Iran's "unconditional surrender" and is said to be deciding if the US will join Israeli strikes on Iran. Also: offloading e-waste in Thailand, and how a 3D printed face changed a man's life.By BBC

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17/06/2025 37:52

4d ago37:52

37:52

In depth reporting, intelligent analysis and breaking news from a global perspectiveBy BBC

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The G7 minus Donald Trump 29:19

4d ago29:19

29:19

Donald Trump has left the G7 in Alberta, Canada, early as the situation between Israel and Iran in the Middle East intensifies. We look at how his early departure might impact discussions leaders were looking to have on tariffs. With western carmakers claiming that China's biggest car manufacturer, BYD, is only thriving due to government subsidies,…

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President Trump demands Iran’s “surrender” 47:58

4d ago47:58

47:58

President Trump demands Iran’s unconditional surrender as Israel and Iran continue their attacks on each other. Also in the programme: Iranian Nobel laureate, Narges Mohammadi on fleeing Tehran; and we pay tribute to the piano virtuoso, Alfred Brendel. (Photo: Smoke plumes over the Tehran skyline. Credit: Reuters.)…

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17/06/2025 13:15

4d ago13:15

13:15

Joy comes to the rescue, and Kate assumes responsibility.By BBC

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US-China trade tensions may benefit South East Asia 27:37

4d ago27:37

27:37

The countdown continues to trade deals with Washington. Ahead of President Trump's threatened tariff hikes next month, we're hearing from South East Asia, and looking at complaints that Chinese firms may be dumping goods, undermining regional economies. Also in the show, the disruption to aviation from the Iran-Israel conflict. And why Chinese offi…