Podcasts by Four Thought

What I've Learned from Four Thought from 2023-02-22T20:45

In the final episode of Four Thought, Sheila Cook reflects on what she has learned from producing it for eleven years.

Sheila, who left the BBC in 2022, produced around 150 episodes on Fou...

Life Without Chilli from 2023-02-15T20:45

Three years on from her first appearance on Four Thought, Dr. Dina Rezk returns to Four Thought. Her first talk was about the shocking and unexpected death of her mother; this time, as she descr...

Care to Care from 2023-02-08T20:45

Farrah Jarral explains why she believes we need to put care at the centre of our society.

Sharing a story about how her beloved grandmother's lifetime of caring for others - family members...

Turning to Art from 2023-02-01T20:45

Ted Harrison argues that only art can truly capture the essence of spirituality.

Ted is a former journalist who, close to turning sixty, decided to turn away from using words and instead c...

Stand Up for Irish Travellers from 2023-01-25T21:00

Martin Warde is the first Irish Traveller to become a professional comedian. In this talk he recounts his early years travelling before his family settled down and he and his brothers attended s...

I'm not having children to save the planet from 2023-01-18T21:00

Sarah Williams always wanted to become a mum. But the more she learnt about the climate crisis, the more she questioned her decision. In this talk Sarah explains why she's chosen not to have chi...

Life after 'life-changing' from 2023-01-11T21:00

Martin Hibbert's life changed forever in 2017. He survived the Manchester Arena bomb but was left with life-changing injuries. Now a wheelchair user, Martin says he doesn't dwell on his old life...

I love gaming, but gaming doesn't always love me from 2023-01-04T21:00

Meg Sunshine, a 21 year old professional gamer is dedicated to becoming one of the best in the industry. Gaming is her life. But her journey has not been an easy one. She’s experienced threats ...

Moral Animals from 2022-12-21T21:00

Philosopher Virginie Simoneau-Gilbert describes a change in how philosophers are beginning to think about the moral capacity of animals, and asks us to think differently about our pets. Beginnin...

On Regret from 2022-12-14T21:00

Author Rachel Genn describes her fascination with regret. Rachel tells stories of regret, beginning in her earliest childhood. “An early adopter of regret,” she says, “I was displaying the prodi...

After a Parent Dies by Suicide from 2022-12-07T21:00

Anna Wardley argues that we should better support children whose parents kill themselves.

Beginning her talk in the dark waters of the English Channel as she attempts to swim non-stop arou...

Piracy on the Page from 2022-11-30T20:45

Author Joe Nutt argues we need to fight back against what he calls 'linguistic piracy'.

Joe is concerned that activists are challenging the commonly-understood meaning of words. "The trust...

From Care to Cambridge from 2022-10-12T20:00

Kasmira Kincaid opens up about the challenges of her childhood and her experiences of the care system. Despite her many personal challenges Kasmira found solace in learning and successfully grad...

Baldness, Beauty and Me from 2022-10-05T20:00

After an incident at school which shattered Lizi Jackson-Barrett’s confidence in her appearance, she spent much of her life chasing what society thinks of as beautiful. Only when she suffered fr...

From Bradford with Love from 2022-09-28T20:00

Crime writer Amit Dhand shares his experiences of growing up in Bradford in the 1980s. His family actively integrated with the local community.

“We simply had to integrate; to talk to the ...

What I learnt from Reality TV from 2022-09-21T20:00

Former Love Island contestant Malin Andersson reflects on how reality TV changed her outlook on life and her relationship with social media. In an honest and open talk, Malin shares what led her...

A Friendship from 2022-08-26T10:18

Novelist Richard Owain Roberts shares a story about a friendship.

Producer: Giles Edwards

Who Tells the Story? from 2022-08-17T19:46

Chloe Juliette welcomes the movement for those with 'lived experience' of public services to share their stories, but says more stories are needed.

In this extraordinary talk Chloe, a soci...

Somewhere, not Nowhere from 2022-08-03T19:46

Jonathan Evershed argues that we should re-imagine how we think of the Irish Sea.

Jonathan is a political anthropologist who has been studying the relationship between Ireland and his nati...

Meeting Up from 2022-08-03T19:46

Laura Simpson argues that online meetings have good for individuals and companies, and that we should be wary of returning to the status quo.

The meeting, says Laura, is the fundamental un...

Asking the right questions about crime from 2022-07-27T08:30

Criminologist Dr Laura Bui wants us to ask the right questions when it comes to crime. The popular genre of ‘true crime’ may be popular but is it helping us better understand the origins of crim...

Cities made for our mental health from 2022-07-20T08:45

Dr Layla McCay asks us to think again about how our buildings and towns can both benefit and harm our mental health. As a trained psychiatrist and head of the Centre for Urban Design she has bro...

Making Time from 2022-07-13T09:00

Watchmaker Rebecca Struthers shares her passion for the art and science of horology. She warns that this traditional skill and its allied trades to make and restore watches, are endangered in Br...

Grief: A Practical Guide from 2022-07-06T19:45

James Helm gives a practical guide to dealing with grief and sudden single parenthood. Following the early death of his wife Charlotte, he found himself without the love of his life and single-h...

Valuing Care from 2021-12-28T09:45

Ai-jen Poo argues that we should all value caring, and carers.

Ai-jen, a MacArthur Fellow, is Director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance, an advocacy organisation in the United Sta...

Brain Matters from 2021-12-21T09:45

Beth Stevens talks about the brain cells most people have never heard of, and suggests what they might have to teach us.

Beth is a neuroscientist and associate professor at Harvard Medical...

Painting a different history from 2021-12-14T09:45

Tara Munroe reveals what she learned when she rescued some badly damaged paintings which were due to be thrown out.

Tara is an arts curator and researcher. Ten years ago she found a pile o...

Prison Sentence from 2021-12-07T09:45

Philippa Greer discusses the imprisonment of people convicted of genocide.

Philippa is a human rights lawyer who has worked around the world. In this powerful talk she tells the story of a...

The Power of Doubt from 2021-10-06T08:45

Nicola Reindorp, who once doubted her own abilities to be a CEO, says we should rehabilitate doubt as a strength rather than a weakness in leaders. "I'd seen my own doubts as negative, disquali...

Leaving Your Homeland from 2021-09-29T08:45

Eva Hnizdo reflects on the impulses which drive people to emigrate - or not, drawing on her Czech Jewish family's experience of the Holocaust and her own as a political asylum seeker. "Whenever...

Freedom Is a Must from 2021-09-22T08:45

Robyn Travis believes that labelling children as criminals is counterproductive in the fight against violence. He says they need to be freed from the mentality that keeps them as "prisoners to t...

And They Said We'd Be Glowing from 2021-09-15T08:45

Laura Dockrill describes her frightening experience of post partum psychosis after giving birth to her son. She calls for a wider conversation about risks to parental mental health and for help ...

Mum... again from 2021-09-08T08:45

Angela Frazer-Wicks tells her extraordinary story of being a mother.

Years ago, Angela's sons were taken into care and adopted, and in this powerful talk she describes her heartbreak as th...

Who Owns Space? from 2021-09-01T08:45

Simon Morden argues that we should resist the privatisation of space.

Simon is a scientist and science fiction writer, and in this talk he reflects on what science fiction has taught us. "...

And His Wife from 2021-08-25T08:45

Jessica Barker argues that we should rediscover overlooked sculptures of women.

She didn't know it at the time, but as a child Jessica spent part of every Christmas day looking at a famous...

200 Days from 2021-08-18T08:45

Steven Dowd's life changed in an instant one spring morning in 2016. In this inspiring talk, Steven describes what happened, and how a promise to his wife enabled him to regain control of the ch...

Fear of Finance from 2021-08-11T08:45

Professor Atul Shah draws on his background as a Jain to argue that we need a healthier relationship with finance: people often feel afraid of money matters because they lack knowledge and are p...

What is it to Hear? from 2021-08-04T08:45

Joe Friedman, who grew up with deaf parents, reflects on what it means to hear. As a young psychotherapist, treating one particularly challenging client taught him the difference between listeni...

The Tyranny of Positivity from 2021-07-28T08:45

Sian Ejiwunmi-Le Berre argues against the tyranny of positivity which forms part of a culture of "performative wellness", which she says sees illness as a form of personal failure. When extrapol...

The Power of Classical Music from 2021-07-21T08:45

Leon Bosch reflects on the power of classical music to transform lives, beginning with his own. He overcame the obstacles of racism in apartheid era South Africa to study the classical double ba...

When We Were Young from 2021-07-14T08:45

Luke Rigg argues that more young magistrates will improve justice.

When Luke told his friends and family he wanted to be a magistrate aged just 20, they all had one question: "Why are you ...

Virtually Immortal from 2021-07-07T20:00

Tracey Follows explores how virtual assistants can help us survive after death.

Tracey is a futurist who has become fascinated by the memories of people after they die, and in this talk sh...

Mums in Prison from 2021-06-30T08:45

Dr Shona Minson argues that we shouldn't punish children if their parents go to prison.

Years ago, as a barrister specialising in care cases, Shona was familiar with the Children Act, and ...

Climate Consultations from 2021-06-23T08:45

Dr. Tamsin Ellis is a GP who looks for ways to improve her patients' health and the environment.

Welcoming us into her consulting room to meet her patients, Tamsin describes her journey to...

The Meaning of Statues from 2021-06-16T08:45

Jak Beula says statues and memorials matter because they show who a society values. His organisation is working to erect more to honour people of colour, including a new statue which he has desi...

What's In a Name? from 2021-06-09T08:45

Helena Goodwyn interrogates the near universal practice of giving children their father’s - not their mother’s - surname. She and her husband plan to buck the trend in a stand against structural...

Defeat Don't Repeat from 2021-06-02T08:45

Sergeant Rhys Rutledge of the Welsh Guards explains why he thinks people deserve a second chance after turning his own life around from convicted drug dealer to successful soldier. He's set up a...

Making a Friend of Fear from 2021-05-26T08:45

Dina Rezk describes how she made a friend of fear following the murder of her mother. The trauma of her mother's violent sudden death risked leaving her with a crippling sense of fear which she ...

Ed Yong: The Philosophy of Bacteria from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

Science journalist and blogger Ed Yong explores the physical and philosophical implications of being host to billions of microbes. He reports the latest science showing how the bacteria we come ...

Kate Fox: Understanding Alcohol from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

Social anthropologist Kate Fox argues that we need to re-learn much of what we think we know about the effects of alcohol. Alcohol does not make us disinhibited, violent or anti-social, she says...

Cindy Gallop: Embracing Zero Privacy from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

Advertising guru Cindy Gallop argues that if as businesses and individuals we define what we stand for and stay true to it, we could embrace a world of zero privacy. Cindy describes her own embr...

Matthew Goodwin: An Electable Far Right? from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

Matthew Goodwin says supporters of the far right are generally neither irrational nor isolated, and that a far right party without extremist baggage could be electable in Britain. He has spent m...

Our Lost Food Culture from 2020-11-25T09:00

Alastair Hendy explains why he thinks we've lost our food culture and how we can rediscover it. Remembering the seventies when convenience food was less available and it was normal to cook from ...

Being a Carer from 2020-11-18T09:00

Penny Wincer reflects on what it means to be a carer, drawing on her own and other people’s experiences. Especially during the pandemic when support services have been unavailable, it’s time, sh...

Coffee with an Imam from 2020-11-11T09:30

As one of Britain’s youngest imams, Sabah Ahmedi, of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community, is on a mission to overcome Islamophobia. Conversation, he believes, is the way to tackle misconceptions and...

Seeing Differently from 2020-11-04T21:00

Adam Morse, who is registered blind, explains how he directed an award winning film by seeing differently. When he was diagnosed at the age of nineteen with a rare eye condition, he feared at f...

Selfhood from 2020-10-28T21:00

Ranjit Saimbi explains why he doesn't want to be defined by his cultural heritage.

In this talk, by turns intimate, by turns expansive, Ranjit describes the disconnect he felt from the Sik...

The Empathy Equation from 2020-10-21T20:00

Anne-Marie Douglas discusses her own experience of empathy-infused services, and why we need to see more of them.

Anne-Marie's charity, Peer Power, works with children, young people and ad...

More Than a Game from 2020-10-14T20:00

Lydia Furse looks at the personal and political benefits of playing women's rugby.

Lydia has long played rugby, and in this passionate talk discusses the harmony of bodies working together...

Class of 2020 from 2020-10-07T08:45

Rufaro Mazarura discusses what the graduating class of 2020 have learned from the pandemic.

A year ago, Rufaro carefully marked 23rd March in her diary - the day on which she'd be printing...

Reading Outside Your Comfort Zone from 2020-09-30T08:15

Ann Morgan, who read a book from every country in the world to broaden her homogeneous reading habits, commends the challenge of reading outside your comfort zone. "When you break out of that h...

Craftivism: Gentle Protest from 2020-09-23T08:05

Sarah Corbett explains the power of 'craftivism', a form of activism which uses craft to create gentle protest. Activists craft objects which communicate respectful messages calling for social c...

In Defence of Embarrassment from 2020-09-16T08:30

Tiffany Atkinson rehabilitates the concept of embarrassment, seeing its potential to be a positive force in social encounters, in contrast to the negative power of shame. "Sometimes shame may b...

Writing Black British History from 2020-09-09T08:45

Stephen Bourne thinks we are short changing young people by failing to teach them about the history of black Britons, especially their contribution in the armed forces and on the home front when...

Telford, Little Yugoslavia from 2020-09-02T08:30

Jelena Sofronijevic tells a story of Serbia, Yugoslavia - and Telford.

In this talk Jelena explores questions of diasporic identity through her family's connection with Yugoslavia, a count...

The Other Mother from 2020-08-26T09:00

Claire Lynch describes how she navigated motherhood.

When Claire arrived at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit shortly after the birth of her daughters, the nurse on duty looked alarmed, the...

The Craft of Surgery from 2020-08-19T09:00

Sam Gallivan examines the similarities between surgery and sculpture.

Sam is an orthopaedic surgeon, and in this talk takes us into the operating theatre to experience how it sounds, and h...

War on Two Wheels from 2020-08-12T09:50

Lois Pryce argues that bicycles need to be reclaimed as simply a mundane means of transport - and cycling needs to be uncool again.

As a passionate advocate of two-wheeled transport, wheth...

The Power of Mentoring from 2020-08-05T09:00

Reggie Nelson believes in the importance for young people of finding a mentor and tells the extraordinary story of how he found his own. Presenter: Olly Mann Producer: Sheila Cook

Embracing Uncertainty from 2020-07-29T09:00

Caoilinn Hughes discovers the power of embracing uncertainty instead of always fearing it. In her work as a writer and in life, she commends a little more leaping into the unknown.

Present...

Ending Ageism from 2020-07-22T08:44

Carl Honoré believes we're all missing out by stereotyping older people as "over the hill". He argues for recognition of the positive sides of ageing, and thinks everyone would benefit from more...

Change Through Engagement from 2020-07-15T09:00

Mahamed Hashi draws on his experience as a teacher, youth worker, councillor and victim of a stabbing and shooting to speak out against racist stereotyping. He explains why he thinks community o...

Making Sense of the World from 2020-07-09T08:45

Nwando Ebizie describes the world she senses: one of glowing lines and shapes; whizzing, fizzing dots; and auras around people, trees and stars. Nwando's experiences with a condition called 'Vis...

Good and Clever from 2020-07-01T08:59

Sammy Wright asks why we put such weight on exam results.

Sammy is a deputy headteacher of a large secondary school. He spends his days teaching students knowledge which will uplift and en...

Depolarizing from 2020-06-24T08:45

Ali Goldsworthy explains why campaigns which succeed by polarising people can cause long-term harm, and suggests ways we might tackle the resulting damage.

Ali was a top digital campaigner...

Fit and Finished from 2020-06-17T08:45

Emma Hayes explains why the fit of our clothes matters, particularly for women. Inviting us to join her journey from fitting rooms to advising on the latest innovations in technology, Emma descr...

Digital Sadness from 2020-01-29T09:45

Alice Moloney discusses how best to express negative emotions in the digital realm.

When Alice's father was diagnosed with cancer, she found herself at a loss as to how to communicate with...

A Boy Who Died from 2020-01-22T09:45

Andrew Hankinson tells the story of a boy who died, and his parents, who wanted him alive.

Recorded at the Shambala Festival in 2019, this is also an extraordinary story about Andrew's que...

Living With Gods from 2020-01-15T09:45

Anna Della Subin takes a journey with a man once worshipped as a living god.

Anna Della has been writing a book about people inadvertently turned into gods, and in this bewitching talk she...

Tidying Up from 2020-01-08T09:45

Sarah Gristwood is worried that the vogue for tidying will make history harder to uncover.

Sarah is an historian herself, and in writing her books has relied heavily on documents which mig...

The Pen Is Mightier Than The Sword from 2020-01-01T10:00

Ashley Hickson-Lovence says his powerful mother and his love of reading kept him out of gangs while growing up on an estate in East London. As a former English teacher and now a debut novelist,...

The Romance of Train Travel from 2019-12-25T21:00

Monisha Rajesh says the romance of train travel is not dead. After exploring the railways of India, she travelled across continents to research her book "Around the World in 80 Trains", discove...

Recovery After Rape from 2019-12-18T09:30

Winnie M Li talks about her traumatic experience as a survivor of sexual violence, describing its lasting impact. She also charts her recovery through writing and activism.

Life In Transit from 2019-12-11T10:00

Louise Doughty, whose novels include Apple Tree Yard, explains why Peterborough railway station, the setting of her latest novel, has particular significance in her life as a place of transit. A...

Grief, and Starscape from 2019-10-23T08:45

Lora Stimson uses sky and starscape to navigate her grief.

In this beautiful and emotional talk, recorded at the Green Man Festival in mid-Wales, appropriately enough an internationally-ce...

Digging Deep from 2019-10-16T08:30

Rabab Ghazoul makes the case for Wales as a place of post-colonial possibility.

Rabab has been living in Wales for more than thirty years, and in this talk reflects on Wales's position as ...

Working Class Women from 2019-10-09T08:45

Rachael Gibbons discusses class, social mobility and Imposter Syndrome.

In a talk recorded at the Green Man Festival in mid-Wales, Rachael discusses her experiences as a working-class woma...

Politics Fans from 2019-10-02T08:30

Penny Andrews argues that thinking of political supporters as fans helps explain the current state of politics.

Penny is an academic and a serial fan - covering everything from David Bowie...

An Empathy Machine from 2019-09-25T08:45

Emmanuel Ordóñez-Angulo asks whether Virtual Reality (VR) could be an 'empathy machine', and whether that would be a good thing.

Emmanuel is a former film-maker, and current philosopher, a...

The P Word from 2019-09-18T08:45

Richard Lynch-Smith argues that social workers need to be more open in acknowledging the role that poverty plays in the lives of the families with which they work.

Introducing us to severa...

Life in Letters from 2019-09-11T08:45

Helen Cullen makes the case for the art of letter writing.

In this talk, recorded at the Larmer Tree Festival, Helen reveals how writing letters has been a constant throughout her life and...

A Pleasure Culture of War from 2019-09-04T19:45

Historian Kasia Tomasiewicz discusses how to commemorate war.

Reporting for her first day shadowing the curatorial team at the Imperial War Museum, Kasia found herself conflicted. Feeling ...

How poker teaches decision making from 2019-08-28T09:00

Liv Boeree explains why the thinking skills required for good poker playing translate so well to the real world. "As any of us who have studied a science, or ran a business or raised a family kn...

Preserving the Home Visit from 2019-08-21T09:00

Dr Mark Williams believes we need to preserve the traditional GP home visit. Alongside new acute visiting services and an emerging role for artificial intelligence, he thinks the traditional ho...

Taking Humour Seriously from 2019-08-14T09:00

Harriet Beveridge says we don't take humour seriously enough and thinks it's a "woefully misunderstood and underused tool". She extols its power in managing human relationships, dealing with ad...

The Inside of Being from 2019-08-07T09:00

Bex Burch, who plays and composes for the Ghanaian xylophone, explores the difference between 'doing' and 'being' as a source of creativity, and shows how it works in her music. "A great example...

House Buying Agony from 2019-07-31T09:00

Kevin Carr charts the agony of the first-time house buyer: is it worth the pain to avoid a lifetime of paying rent? "As you know, a mortgage is a loan where property is used as collateral. The ...

Social Media Snooping from 2019-07-24T09:00

Millennial Harleen Nottay says we should stop snooping and spying via social media on our partners, past and present, for the sake of our mental health. "It's clear that we are creating a cult...

Facing Death Creatively from 2019-07-17T09:00

R.M. Sánchez-Camus describes how art can be used as a language with which to communicate the fear of death and dying. Drawing on his experience as a Social Practice Artist working in a hospice, ...

Identity Through Reading from 2019-07-10T09:12

Author Zoë Strachan charts her journey of self-discovery through reading. She describes how fiction helped her to find her identity as a gay woman and explains why she believes that access to bo...

The Last Poets from 2018-10-11T11:14

The Last Poets discuss why they're still performing after 50 years.

The Last Poets were borne out of the origins of the civil rights movement in the United States. They have been writing a...

Play the game, lads from 2018-10-03T19:59

Sunday league football is played up and down the country. The writer Ewan Flynn says that forging a team spirit against the odds can bring out the best in people.

Recorded at the Shambala ...

Rediscovering Human Connections from 2018-09-26T19:59

Julia Unwin asks whether we've lost the human touch in a world of automation and technology.

Touch screens, contactless cards and e-tickets are supposed to make our lives so much easier an...

All The Music We'll Never Hear from 2018-09-12T20:00

Ian Brennan is a Grammy award-winning music producer. He and his wife have travelled the world discovering music that most people have never heard. He argues that the 'West' and in particular En...

Back to the Land from 2018-09-05T20:00

John Connell speaks about how the connection to land and animals can heal the modern urban soul

John Connell returned home to his native Ireland after years abroad living and working in ci...

The Magic of the Forest from 2018-08-29T20:00

Mari Kalkun comes alive in forests. The folk singer and Estonian native has been inspired and revived by them from a young age.

Estonians are connected to the forest in a way most other n...

Going sober from 2018-08-22T20:00

Clare Pooley was a working mum and loved a bottle of wine...or three. Her love of drink began to get in the way of her love of life.

The realisation that alcohol was no longer her best-fr...

Future First from 2018-07-18T20:00

Sophie Howe explains how she tries to get politicians in Wales to put the future first.

Sophie is the first Future Generations Commissioner for Wales, an independent role in which she has ...

Mental Health Crisis? from 2018-07-11T20:00

Ann John examines the current discussion around young people's mental health.

A Professor of Public Health and Psychiatry at Swansea University, Ann thinks the current focus is welcome in ...

Belonging, On Hold from 2018-06-27T20:00

Author Lloyd Markham shares a dystopian tale about belonging - and not belonging.

Recorded at Swansea's Volcano Theatre as part of the BBC's Biggest Weekend, Lloyd has the audience hanging...

To Absent Friends from 2018-06-13T20:00

Belfast blogger Gemma Louise Bond better known as 'That Belfast Girl' thinks about how we grieve the end of friendship, why we have no words or traditions for this process when it can completely...

Thinking Differently about Difference from 2018-06-06T20:00

Maura Campbell asks us to think differently about difference, she argues now is the time to retire the village 'idiot' and think about the language around learning disabilities.

For exampl...

A Toast To The Bridesmaids from 2018-05-30T20:00

Actress and comedian Diona Doherty says we need a big rethink about who we allow to make a speech at weddings. She tells us why if we want true equality it all starts with letting the bridesmaid...

Aesthetic Labour from 2018-05-23T20:00

Chris Warhurst reveals how good looking you are may determine whether you get a job.

Should looks be relevant to your employment prospects if you're a plumber or a shop assistant? As Direc...

Married Life from 2018-05-16T20:00

Laiba Husain discusses life before, and after, marriage.

A Fulbright Scholar from Michigan, Laiba studies at Birmingham University and has recently got married. She discusses how educated ...

Exceptional from 2018-05-09T20:00

David Baker asks what happens to the families of people shot by the police.

Over the years, he has spent time with many such families - bereaved, grieving, often angry - in the UK and over...

Screened out? from 2018-05-02T20:00

Felicity Boardman discusses genetic screening for 'serious conditions'.

But what, she asks, is a 'serious condition'? The answer to that question will vary, and might increase as genomic m...

Being a Muslim Dad from 2018-04-25T20:00

Zia Chaudhry reflects on his role as a Muslim Dad to help his children to feel British, recalling his own father's focus on education as the path to success and integration. Schools could help, ...

Learning Outdoors from 2018-04-18T20:00

Julie White shares her passion for young children learning outdoors in the natural world as the best way for them to achieve wellbeing and develop resilience. "I think there is a big divide betw...

The AI Ethics Challenge from 2018-04-11T20:00

David Reid warns of the dangers of encoding unconscious bias into artificial intelligence. "It's tempting, but extremely perilous, to outsource our moral responsibilities to machines...I believe...

The Invisible Entrepreneurs - Women from 2018-04-04T20:00

Maggie O'Carroll calls for action to encourage more women to become entrepreneurs. She contrasts the "palpable positive culture towards entrepreneurship and for female entrepreneurs" of the US w...

Dreams of Public Resting Spaces from 2018-01-31T21:00

Theatre maker Raquel Meseguer, who lives with chronic pain, has a vision for public resting spaces. Challenging our etiquette and perceptions of people lying down, she imagines how our cultural ...

Achieving Dreams from 2018-01-24T21:00

Young entrepreneur Bejay Mulenga tells the story of his youthful business success and shares his vision for helping other young people overcome the barriers to achieving their dreams. "I believ...

Philosophy on the Battlefield from 2018-01-17T21:00

Former army intelligence officer Andy Owen explains why he thinks philosophy can help soldiers cope in complex war zones like Iraq and Afghanistan. "There's much on the counter-insurgency battl...

Gardening, Roses and Cultural Identity from 2018-01-10T21:00

Artist Zarah Hussain recalls her father's love of gardening and growing roses as a link to his native Pakistan. She reflects on the rose as a symbol of British national identity while also havin...

Am I a Gentrifier? from 2018-01-03T21:00

Karen Chapple discusses gentrification and how to keep our cities diverse.

As she explains while telling two stories about finding a place to live, she has often found herself asking 'Am I...

Socially Mobile? from 2017-11-29T21:00

Michael Merrick challenges how we think about social mobility.

Sharing his own story, Michael makes the case that social mobility often involves pressure on individuals to move away - both...

Being Muslim in America from 2017-11-22T20:45

Dalia Elmelige tells the story of her life as a Muslim in America after 9/11.

'I didn't get to celebrate my little brother's first birthday', begins Dalia, as she describes her life as a M...

Truth and Reality from 2017-11-16T12:45

Geoff Colman discusses truth and reality in acting.

As Head of Acting at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London, Geoff has an unparalleled view of the shifting worlds of ac...

You're A Musician Too from 2017-08-29T20:00

Dan Mayfield, founder of the School of Noise, explains why he believes everyone is capable of making music, and why the right kind of music education is so important to encourage young people's ...

How to Be Optimistic (Despite Everything) from 2017-08-23T20:00

Comedian Nick Revell explains why he manages to be optimistic - despite all the evidence.

"These days it's perhaps easier than ever to get pessimistic at the state of the world; I've had p...

The Power of Singing Together from 2017-08-16T20:00

Natalie Maddix, founder of the House Gospel Choir, explains why she believes in the power of singing together. She gets the audience at WOMAD to join in to prove her point.

"Singing reall...

The Sound of Syria from 2017-08-09T20:00

Syrian qanun virtuoso Maya Youssef explains why - to her - music is "the opposite of death" in this powerful and poignant talk.

"I played a concert in a refugee centre in Aalborg, Denmark,...

Get Fit, Do Good from 2017-08-02T20:00

Ivo Gormley tells the story of his bright idea to combine getting fit with doing good in the community, at a time of growing social isolation. Recorded at the Phoenix Artist Club.

Present...

Being Bereaved from 2017-07-26T20:00

Annie Broadbent shares her experience of being bereaved, and thinks we should overcome the taboos that surround talking about grief.

"If we have the courage to change our way of feeling a...

Cash Not Card from 2017-07-20T09:35

Andrew Martin explains his passion for using cash in the face of the advancing tide of electronic payments. An aid to thrift, it also spares him from feeling that every purchase is being recorde...

Understanding Drug Addiction from 2017-07-12T20:00

Hanna Pickard says we need to understand the reasons why desperate people become addicted to drugs, seeing them neither as "victims of a neurobiological disease", nor as "selfish, lazy hedonists...

Being Transgender from 2017-07-05T20:00

Juno Dawson thinks we should get over our prurient obsession with transgender people and value them like any other individuals, in her case as a writer of young adult fiction. "All any of us can...

Intelligent Kindness in Healthcare from 2017-06-28T20:00

John Ballatt calls for a new approach to supporting the NHS, using "intelligent kindness" to transform the culture of healthcare.

"Simplistic faith in industrialisation and procedural rul...

Fragmented Landscape from 2017-06-21T20:00

Hugh Warwick charts the fragmentation of the British landscape by the lines which cross it, and he calls for urgent reconnection to allow our flora and fauna to flourish. "I believe we need to r...

The Cyber Effect from 2017-06-14T20:00

Cyberpsychologist Dr Mary Aiken warns of the risk to human development posed by our obsession with cyberspace. Millions of babies round the world deprived of eye contact and proper attention, be...

Captain Trouble from 2017-05-16T14:26

Richard Gillis explains how a mistake at the 2014 Ryder Cup explains a trend across our society.

Richard is a sports and business writer who believes that the leadership industry is bolste...

Regulation Nation from 2017-05-10T20:00

Josie Appleton argues that petty rules stifle our human responses and damage society.

Josie is Director of The Manifesto Club, which campaigns against state intrusion into everyday life. I...

Football for Good from 2017-04-26T19:59

Andrea Cooper argues that football is an 'electric currency', and explains why she believes it can change the world for the better.

Andrea is Head of the Liverpool Football Club Foundation...

A Speck of Dust from 2017-04-19T20:00

Jay Owens argues that dust is a lot more interesting than we think, and we ought to pay more attention to it.

Jay has spent years researching dust, and produces a popular newsletter on the...

Capturing Moonlight from 2017-02-22T21:00

Astrid Alben explains how only art and science together can help us appreciate complicated phenomena like moonlight.

Astrid is a poet and founder of the arts and science organisation, the ...

A Good Book from 2017-02-15T21:00

Daniel Hahn, a judge for this year's Man Booker International Prize, asks what really makes a good book.

Producer: Giles Edwards.

Building for a new life from 2017-02-01T21:00

Mark Breeze asks why architects haven't done more to design shelter for refugees. An architect himself, he tells us that his training was aimed at helping him come up with solutions to the tough...

The Curse of Confidence from 2017-01-25T21:00

Rowland Manthorpe explains why he thinks the quality of confidence is overrated and is more of a curse than a blessing.

"Far from being good for everything, confidence comes with its own s...

Co-Art from 2017-01-18T21:00

Ellen Mara De Wachter says collaborative art or "co-art" offers new insights into human relationships and the role of sharing in society.

"The co-artists who were successful in their colla...

Stereotypes from 2017-01-11T21:00

Franklyn Addo describes how witnessing a murder transformed his life. It made him all the more determined to help other young people from underprivileged backgrounds go to top universities, as h...

Ghost Stories from 2017-01-04T21:00

Writer Jonathan Stroud explains why he thinks ghost stories are good for you.

"While it may seem odd that it's pleasurable to be frightened, it's actually - like other activities that get...

Digital Millennial from 2016-12-28T21:00

Jonnie Bayfield reflects on being the last generation to grow up in an analogue childhood.

"Looking back, I can see that no-one had any idea what the chemical, biological, or social ramifi...

Performance Teaching from 2016-12-21T21:00

Matt Hood says we need to raise the standards of teaching by treating it like a performance profession where techniques are honed in rehearsal rather than tried out "live" in front of a class. <...

Listening to Street Children from 2016-12-14T21:00

Sarah Thomas de Benitez says our image of childhood has skewed our attitude towards street children and it's time to listen to them.

"We listened, learned and found that the most important...

Dealing With Dementia from 2016-12-07T21:00

Tommy Whitelaw, who was his late mother's carer, calls for more support and respect for people living with dementia. "If we really are going to make a difference to each other we have to change ...

Straight from the Root from 2016-12-07T14:38

VV Brown explains why after years of relaxing, weaving and extending it, she has embraced her natural hair.

A singer-songwriter, model and record producer, VV has long needed to take care ...

A Lonely Society from 2016-12-07T14:27

Lucy Hurst-Brown asks why so many learning disabled people are so lonely.

Having worked with learning disabled people for 25 years, Lucy describes a system which has moved a very long dist...

Magazine Renaissance from 2016-11-30T21:00

Jeremy Leslie explains why reports of magazines dying have been greatly exaggerated.

Jeremy has spent years working in the print magazine industry, and runs the shop and website magCulture...

Sensitive Souls from 2016-11-23T20:59

Hannah Jane Walker makes the case for being a bit sensitive.

As a child Hannah was told to toughen up, not to be so sensitive, but now she says her sensitivity is who she is, and it's how ...

Change for the Better from 2016-11-16T21:00

Katz Kiely argues that we should all learn to better manage change.

Katz has advised governments, companies and international bodies on managing change. She says she is always surprised by...

Property Ownership from 2016-11-09T21:00

Chris Pierson makes the case for a radical rethinking of private property.

Arguing that we are currently in the midst of a property crisis, Chris challenges us to go back to basics, to ask...

Supporting Mothers from 2016-11-02T14:11

Kerry Littleford argues that mothers who have multiple children taken into care need help to stop it happening again.

As she shares her own story, Kerry makes the case for focusing not jus...

Stories with Food from 2016-10-26T13:18

Annie Zimmerman and James Wheale argue that food is the perfect storytelling medium.

Working together as Understory, they are developing foods which go beyond taste and nutrients, but whic...

Other People's Stories from 2016-10-19T20:00

Anna Derrig asks who has the right to tell someone else's story.

Anna has worked in the media, in international development and in social and community work telling stories, and now she is...

Liberating Men from 2016-10-12T20:00

Dave Pickering makes the case for a men's liberation movement.

Sharing experiences from his own life, he argues that it is not just women who need liberation from 'the patriarchy', but men...

The Art of Diary Writing from 2016-10-05T20:00

Sally Bayley traces the art of diary writing from Samuel Pepys to today's culture of blogging.

"In an age of practically universal web access, the diary represents an old fashioned sense ...

The Pull of the Land from 2016-09-28T20:00

Nick Ivins explains how the pull of the land turned him from a city dweller into a homesteader.

"We discovered that great pleasure that is putting food, by one's own hand, on to the family...

Funny Politics from 2016-09-21T20:00

Former political adviser and stand up comedian Ayesha Hazarika explains why she thinks humour is such an important part of our political discourse.

"It can be a weapon to attack, or a cloa...

In Praise of Parks from 2016-09-16T14:25

Travis Elborough explores the role of public parks in British life and urges us to cherish them as institutions for the people.

"The best public parks, as artfully contrived areas of gree...

The Social Media Poet from 2016-09-07T20:00

Brian Bilston, who accidentally became a poet through Twitter, explains the power of social media for poetry.

"Poetry on social media is more than a never-ending stream of haiku concernin...

Are Pornographers Anti-Sex? from 2016-08-31T20:00

Melissa Raphael argues that if people are shocked by contemporary pornography it's not because they are prudes but because, on the contrary, they actually enjoy sex. Pornography, she says, gets ...

Father and Son from 2016-08-24T20:00

Laurence Anholt describes how his dying father revealed the traumatic experiences of his early life, explaining his failure to be a loving parent to his son.

"I recalled the nightmares an...

Being Turkish from 2016-08-17T20:00

After the coup attempt in Turkey writer Elif Shafak describes how being Turkish means worrying about your country all the time "as though she were an eccentric relative one could neither fully t...

Citizen Diplomacy from 2016-06-15T20:00

Tom Fletcher, former British Ambassador to Lebanon and known as the 'naked diplomat' for his direct, unvarnished approach, argues that the future of diplomacy will be citizen-led.

Speaking...

The Muslim Soldier from 2016-04-29T12:47

Adnan Sarwar, who spent ten years as a soldier, describes how the Army respected his identity as a Muslim, even though he is not religious.

"I was a Pakistani kid in the Army recruitment o...

Dead White Composers from 2016-04-20T20:00

Simon Zagorski-Thomas thinks we fail to treat the study of popular music with the seriousness it deserves because we overvalue classical music studies.

"It seems to be up to the younger un...

Spice In Prison from 2016-04-06T20:00

Stuart J. Cole, a writer and drugs counsellor - with past personal experience of addiction and prison - warns of a crisis in our prisons caused by "spice", a synthetic cannabis. He advocates a c...

Healing Minds from 2016-03-30T20:00

Rachel Kelly draws on her experience of depression, and the healing power of poetry, to explain why she believes we need a more nuanced approach to treating mental illness.

The first in a...

The Meaning of North from 2016-01-27T21:00

Alex Beaumont questions the meaning of 'The North'.

Growing up in the North of England, in his youth Alex wanted nothing more than to leave for the South. Now he lives in one part of the N...

Best of Four Thought: Hinge Moments in History from 2016-01-27T20:45

Another chance to hear three of the best recent episodes of Four Thought, each addressing hinge moments in the history of war and terror, and re-assessing the response of the West.

Hashi M...

Reaching Out from 2016-01-27T11:00

Charlie Howard argues that public services should find their users, not wait to be found.

Charlie started the charity MAC-UK to provide specialist mental health services to gang members an...

Positively Medieval from 2016-01-13T21:00

Lucy Allen argues that the way in which medieval society is often presented - as indifferent to sexual violence against women - is wrong.

Lucy is an academic at Cambridge University, and s...

The Whirlpool Economy from 2016-01-06T23:04

Charles Leadbeater argues that we are living in a whirlpool economy, where we are moving faster but seem to be standing still. And he suggests some changes we could make to break out of it.

Big Charity, Big Business from 2016-01-06T22:25

David Russell asks whether backing big charities is the best way of improving the world.

Producer: Beth Sagar-Fenton.

The End of the Age of Ideas from 2016-01-06T22:21

Robert Rowland Smith argues that we are coming to the end of the Age of Ideas. He examines how different 'ages' - of superstition, religion, reason and ideas - have emerged and gradually been ec...

Passports for a Price from 2016-01-06T22:19

Katy Long argues that we should think differently about citizenship. She compares how citizenship and passports are bought and sold, and explores the ethical implications.

Producer: Katie...

National Pride from 2016-01-06T22:04

Alex Marshall, fresh from writing a book about national anthems, discusses nationalism and patriotism.

Alex tells stories of meeting self-described patriots and nationalists from Japan to ...

On Being Ignored from 2016-01-06T22:00

John Osborne tells a story of waiting for a bill in a cafe, and explores how a proliferation of new ways of communicating can mean we end up feeling ignored.

Producer: Katie Langton.

Democratising Education from 2016-01-06T21:57

Rachel Roberts argues that education needs a democratic revolution.

Rachel describes her own experiences in democratic schools - as a student, teacher, and now educational consultant. And ...

Economists' Lost Literary Touch from 2016-01-06T21:53

Adam Kelly discusses the sometimes surprising relationship between literature and economics, and argues that economics needs to get back in touch with its literary side.

Exploring the lite...

A Boat of One's Own from 2016-01-06T21:00

Michelle Madsen makes the case for the life of a continuous cruiser on Britain's rivers and canals. Michelle is a poet and journalist who has spent the last two years living aboard a boat, and d...

D Is for Diagnosis from 2016-01-06T18:54

Ann York discusses diagnoses - and how receiving one of her own has made her think differently about giving them to others.

Ann is a world-renowned child and adolescent psychiatrist, whose...

Stories of Terrorism from 2016-01-06T18:51

Benedict Wilkinson challenges how we think about terrorism and uses stories of two very different terrorists to make the case for a different approach.

Benedict is a senior research fellow...

Changing Laws of War from 2016-01-06T18:47

Muna Baig argues that forced displacement should be taken seriously as a war crime.

Muna is a lawyer who has spent time working with refugees and with international lawyers. She calls forc...

Lessons in Development from 2015-12-09T20:45

Alpa Shah argues that tribal people need a better development model.

Alpa is an anthropologist who has spent years with tribal Adivasi people, in Jharkhand, in eastern India. In recent yea...

Trust Me, I'm a Magician from 2015-10-14T20:00

Paul Hyland is a writer and a magician - but, as he explains in this entertaining essay, he is not a trickster. At least, not a dishonest one. "Did the painter trick you when his reclining nude ...

The Best of Four Thought: Matt Haig, Tim Meek, Adjoa Andoh from 2015-10-10T22:00

Another chance to hear three great talks combining personal stories and new ideas.

Adjoa Andoh talks movingly about raising a transgender child, and about what really defines who we are or...

Why Run? from 2015-10-07T20:00

In this thoughtful essay Adharanand Finn provides a subtle answer to a simple question: why do we run? After all, he says, "running is hard. It requires effort. And after all the pain you usuall...

A Scaredy-Cat's Guide to Moving Abroad from 2015-09-30T20:00

Sarah Bennetto is now an established comedian but, not so long ago, she was a lonely Australian trying - against the odds - to make a new life for herself in London. It wasn't easy. "Heroes find...

The Unequal Past from 2015-09-23T20:00

Jim Smallman examines the attitude of society to our pasts and argues that men and women are treated very differently.

"I am not proud of my past," he says, "I'm massively ashamed of huge...

Saving the Skyline from 2015-09-16T20:00

Barbara Weiss says we need to act fast to save London's skyline from the indiscriminate building of ugly tower blocks.

"Many of them are being built in highly inappropriate and sensitive l...

Cold Calling from 2015-09-09T12:18

Ian McDowell experiences misery working in a cold calling centre to raise money for charities and questions this method of fund-raising.

"How much of this do the charities, who spend milli...

The Power of Dreams from 2015-09-02T20:00

Shane McCorristine thinks we are losing out by no longer talking about our dreams, in contrast to our ancestors.

"This collapse in the democratic dream-archive may well have implications ...

Writing Myself into the Script from 2015-08-26T20:00

The playwright Bola Agbaje on why black women are still under-represented on British TV.

"If people don't see people like me, how will they understand me?" she says. "I quit drama school ...

Matt Haig from 2015-06-24T20:00

In this powerful edition of Four Thought, recorded at the Hay Festival, the writer Matt Haig describes how words helped him live with depression.

"You have to believe there is a point of t...

Amanda Palmer from 2015-06-17T20:00

In the third of four editions from this year's Hay Festival a pregnant Amanda Palmer talks about the prospect of reconciling art and motherhood.

"And right now, at 24 weeks pregnant, all I...

Caroline Ingraham from 2015-06-10T20:00

In the second of four editions recorded at the Hay Festival, Caroline Ingraham explains why we should give animals choices. She is the founder of a new approach to animal welfare which gives dom...

Tim Meek from 2015-06-03T20:00

In the first of four editions from this year's Hay Festival, Tim Meek explains why he and his family have left their old life behind them for a year of adventure on the road.

"We believe t...

Brian Lobel from 2015-06-01T11:08

Brian Lobel who was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 20 says surviving cancer does not mean you have to be heroic.

"I thought there must be something for the other 50% or 20% or 90% wh...

Huda Jawad from 2015-05-20T20:00

Huda Jawad describes reconciling her deeply-held Islamic faith with her feminism, arguing that the Qur'an does not sanction the oppression of women.

"I was enraged to hear that Islam was ...

Baraa Shiban from 2015-05-13T20:01

Baraa Shiban - stranded in London by the conflict in Yemen - describes how the revolution driven by young people in his country changed the course of his life and why he believes a revolution is...

John Williams: Unexpected Joy from 2015-05-06T20:00

Comedian John Williams finds unexpected joy in his autistic son's view of life, despite the inevitable struggles.

"I have learnt far far more about the human condition, and what it truly ...

Agata Pyzik from 2015-04-29T20:00

Agata Pyzik, Polish cultural critic and author of "Poor But Sexy", reflects on divisions between Eastern Europe and the West and the prejudice she sees against Eastern European migrants. "I don'...

Peter Bleksley from 2015-04-22T20:00

Peter Bleksley, a former undercover policeman fighting drugs crime and an ex-drug addict, argues that the only answer in the so-called "war on drugs" is to legalise and license them. "It's about...

Jamie Bartlett from 2015-04-15T20:00

Jamie Bartlett finds out that internet trolls can be surprisingly human. The author of "The Dark Net", he says that demonising people behind shocking and hidden online subcultures may not be the...

Amy Golden from 2015-04-08T20:00

Amy Golden, who is seriously disabled - she can move only her right arm and cannot speak - shares what life is like through her eyes. In an essay read by actor Rhiannon Neads, she reveals her fr...

Keeping It Personal from 2014-12-31T21:00

Darren Harris, a double paralympic athlete and mathematics graduate, draws similarities between people and prime numbers: each is indivisible and unique. In the age of big data, he makes the cas...

Art, Design and Politics from 2014-12-24T21:00

Paola Antonelli explores the politics in art and design.

The curator of design at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, Paola uses examples from a recent exhibition to show how curato...

The Shadow of the Cold War from 2014-12-17T21:00

Jeffrey Sachs argues that many of today's global problems are hangovers from bad, ungenerous decisions at the end of previous conflicts.

Professor Sachs is one of the world's leading econo...

Black in America from 2014-12-10T21:00

Professor Christina Greer asks what it means to be black in America today.

Speaking at McNally Jackson Books in New York City, Professor Greer describes herself as a 'JB' - 'just black' - ...

Writing for a Living from 2014-12-03T20:59

Elizabeth Wurtzel, author of the seminal memoir book Prozac Nation, revisits the process of writing the book. And on the twentieth anniversary of its publication, she explores the relationship b...

Esther Woolfson from 2014-11-26T21:00

Is it time to radically re-think pet ownership? In this highly challenging and thought provoking Four Thought the writer Esther Woolfson argues that a lifetime spent sharing her home with a vari...

Kenneth Steven from 2014-11-19T21:00

Author, poet and translator, Kenneth Steven, draws on the magical experience of a long dreamed for trip to Greenland to consider the dangers of cruise ship tourism. While Kenneth understands the...

Andy Kirkpatrick from 2014-11-12T21:00

Andy Kirkpatrick - acclaimed mountaineer, author and stand-up - challenges us to let our children be exposed to greater risk. He argues that we shouldn't be wrapping up children in cotton wool, ...

Claire Cunningham from 2014-11-05T21:00

Acclaimed disabled dancer and choreographer, Claire Cunningham, offers up a starkly honest and intriguing challenge to anyone who's ever just assumed that someone with a disability would want to...

Killing the Consumer from 2014-10-29T21:00

Jon Alexander argues that consumer power has become an idea which from parenting to politics is damaging society.

He argues that the age of the internet offers an alternative path, but tha...

Risk and Reward from 2014-10-22T20:00

Entrepreneur Robyn Scott tells the remarkable story of her transformative work with murderers and other violent criminals in one of South Africa's most notorious jails, and she argues that accep...

Migration, Separation and Wales from 2014-10-15T20:00

Wyn James tells the story of the Welsh settlements in Patagonia. On their 150th anniversary, he asks what lessons they might offer about migration and integration.

Wyn blends stories from ...

High Street Revival from 2014-10-08T20:00

We are trying to revive our high streets the wrong way, argues Clare Richmond.

Clare has many years' experience in helping to revive the fortunes of high street shops. But she has grown di...

Making Drugs Today from 2014-10-01T20:00

Sunil Shaunak argues that pharmaceuticals could, and should, build social capital.

Arguing that the twin risks of rampant infectious disease and resistance to antibiotics represent a grave...

A World for Children from 2014-09-24T19:59

Daniel Hahn argues that as a society we would benefit from having more children's books translated into English.

A translator himself, and author of a major book about children's literatur...

Judgement at Last from 2014-09-17T19:59

Tiffany Jenkins argues that we need more judgement about quality in art, culture and life.

Tiffany's field of expertise is the arts. She says that judgement about quality is unfashionable ...

Creative Women from 2014-09-10T20:00

Anna Beer asks why we don't hear more music composed by women.

She argues that many creative women still live, as they have for centuries, in the shadow of the courtesan. Using the stories...

The Trouble with Paradise from 2014-09-03T20:00

Carrie Gibson argues that we need to re-think what we mean by paradise.

Carrie has recently completed a major history of the Caribbean, and in this talk she explores the complicated interw...

In Defence of Anger from 2014-08-27T20:00

Philosopher Amia Srinivasan makes the case for anger, arguing that it can be a huge source of strength and power, particularly for the apparently weak and powerless.

Using the personal exp...

A New Currency of Commitment from 2014-08-20T20:00

Comedian Rosie Wilby proposes the end of monogamy. She first discussed the idea in a show at last year's Edinburgh festival, since when it has taken an unexpectedly serious turn. That show promp...

Americans Abroad from 2014-08-13T20:00

Mara Oliva argues that we need to think differently about ordinary Americans' views and the making of their nation's foreign policy.

Mara has spent countless hours in US presidential archi...

Philip North from 2014-08-06T20:00

When Revd Philip North was tending the spiritual needs of people on an estate in Hartlepool he saw at close range the way a poor community could become self-sufficient.

But in the years si...

Adjoa Andoh from 2014-07-30T20:00

Actor Adjoa Andoh's son sensed from a very young age that although he inhabits the body of a girl, he was born a boy. "In the imperfect language we have to describe people," she says, "we call h...

Rupert Goodwins from 2014-07-23T20:00

Technology writer Rupert Goodwins was an early user of internet message boards which he idealistically thought would bring the world closer together. The truth hit him when he waded into a forum...

Noreena Hertz from 2014-07-16T20:00

When economist Noreena Hertz became very ill she confronted a difficult question: who should she trust?

The answer was much more complicated than it first appeared and her quest to find ou...

Jasper Fforde from 2014-07-09T20:00

Jasper Fforde explains why he is concerned that humans have reached the limits of intellectual creative thought.

Four Thought is a series of thought-provoking talks in which speakers air t...

Serena Kutchinsky from 2014-07-02T20:00

Serena Kutchinsky explains the impact an obsession with the Faberge egg had on her family and why she now believes such priceless objects should belong to all.

Four Thought is a series of ...

Karl Sharro from 2014-06-25T20:00

Karl Sharro argues that the only way to overcome the housing crisis is to get rid of all planning regulations and let people build whatever they want.

Four Thought is a series of thought-p...

Sandra Newman from 2014-06-18T20:00

The American author Sandra Newman explains why, while most of us would like to be cool, it is best not to try too hard.

Four Thought is a series of thought-provoking talks in which speaker...

Jono Vernon-Powell from 2014-06-11T13:08

Jono Vernon-Powell wonders why hitchhiking has fallen out of favour, arguing its revival would be good for travellers and good for society.

Four Thought is a series of thought-provoking ta...

Jonathan Ree from 2014-06-04T20:00

Jonathan Rée explains why he's never been happy with the idea of morality and warns against the current fashion for confusing it with politics.

Four Thought is a series of thought-provokin...

Rachel Armstrong from 2014-05-28T20:00

Rachel Armstrong proposes we should harness the computing power of the natural world to create new sustainable ways of living.

Four Thought is a series of thought-provoking talks in which ...

SF Said from 2014-05-21T20:00

Children's author SF Said believes the power of fiction can help to bridge the divide when people identify themselves as "Us" and reject everyone else as "Them".

Four Thought is a series o...

Mark Graham from 2014-05-14T20:00

Thought-provoking talks with a personal dimension.

Rebecca Mott from 2014-05-07T20:00

Rebecca Mott says we should come to see prostitution exactly as we now see slavery - as an abuse of human rights - and therefore only total abolition is acceptable.

Four Thought is a serie...

Philippa Perry from 2014-04-30T20:00

Philippa Perry explains why story telling is so powerful and how the stories we tell to and about ourselves affect our mental wellbeing. Four Thought is a series of thought-provoking talks in wh...

Benet Brandreth from 2014-04-23T20:00

Benet Brandreth argues that our current political discourse is bankrupt, so he proposes a novel solution: a legislature by lot. Four Thought is a series of thought-provoking talks in which speak...

Making a Home from 2014-03-05T21:00

Becky Manson discusses the meaning of home as homeowning becomes less common.

Becky has moved home numerous times over the last decade, and has used art to explore the relationship between...

Cult of Girls from 2014-02-26T21:00

Sharon Kinsella explores the Japanese 'cult of girls'.

Ranging from the surprising role of schoolgirls in Japanese culture to an unusual encounter with an intriguing figure in the Japanese...

Nothing to Lose from 2014-02-19T21:00

Byron Vincent discusses nature versus nurture, and society's obligations to its weakest.

In a powerful, personal talk, Byron tells the story of his own childhood on a troubled housing esta...

Role Modelling from 2014-02-12T20:59

Anne-Marie Imafidon argues that we need to think differently about role models. She believes we need to stop looking at them as superhuman and instead embrace their mistakes as well as their suc...

Heaven Crawley from 2014-02-05T21:00

Heaven Crawley, Professor of International Migration at Swansea University, argues for compassion and curiosity in place of hostility in our attitude towards refugees and asylum seekers.

F...

Matthew Engel from 2014-01-29T21:00

Matthew Engel makes a secular case for reclaiming the peace and quiet of the Sabbath, arguing that a proper day of rest will make us healthier, happier and more productive.

Four Thought is...

Emile Simpson from 2014-01-22T21:00

Former soldier Emile Simpson draws on his experience in Afghanistan to argue that we need to rethink the way we fight wars now the boundary with politics has been blurred.

Four Thought is ...

Curtis Blanc from 2014-01-15T21:00

Curtis Blanc, a former prisoner turned award-winning sound and music entrepreneur, says prison works, but only if you want it to.

Four Thought is a series of thought-provoking talks in whi...

Refugee Stories from 2014-01-08T21:00

Agnes Woolley examines what is missing from the stories told by, and about, refugees. She laments what she calls the 'hard authenticity of testimony' - the way in which refugees to the UK are fo...

Courage and Effect from 2013-12-04T21:00

Brian Lavery tells the remarkable story of Mrs Lillian Bilocca, and how a fishwife from Hull changed the country's most dangerous industry. He examines how the fame and misfortune she suffered a...

Chemophobia from 2013-11-27T21:00

Mark Lorch asks why we are all so afraid of chemicals.

Biology has plants, animals and David Attenborough. Physics has lasers, stars and Brian Cox. Meanwhile chemistry, by reputation, has ...

Ambivalence: For and Against from 2013-11-20T21:00

Mark O'Connell argues that in an age of strong opinions, we should embrace ambivalence.

As a child, Mark's constitutional ambiguity meant his mother considered printing the phrase 'I might...

Putting Profit in Its Place from 2013-11-13T21:00

Jane Burston argues that by placing too much emphasis on profit, companies behave in an unethical way, and it is time for social purpose to take centre stage.

Jane describes what she sees ...

How to Remember from 2013-11-06T21:00

Sam Edwards argues that we should think again about how and what we memorialise - including wars and other major events in our national history.

Sam is a lecturer in American History at Ma...

Learning from our teenage selves from 2013-10-30T21:00

Molly Naylor has spent years thinking how much she could teach her teenage self. But in this talk, Molly turns her thinking on its head. What if her teenage self has something to teach her?

Empires of Attention from 2013-10-23T20:00

Matt Locke traces the stories of three 'empires of attention' to examine how our attention, and the way it was measured, has shaped our culture.

Producer: Giles Edwards.

Hello Cheeky from 2013-10-16T20:00

Farrah Jarral puts the case for more cheekiness, arguing that it is a core British value and a creative, playful way of checking power and subverting the status quo.

Farrah, a GP by day, t...

Drugs in Sport from 2013-10-14T19:45

Paul Dimeo argues that drugs made modern sport what it is today, and that we ought to take a more sympathetic view of those athletes whose will to win takes them outside the rules of the game. P...

Language Is Power from 2013-10-02T20:00

Author and broadcaster Lindsay Johns argues that language is power, and makes the case for speaking English properly.

Lindsay, who has mentored young people in Peckham, south London, for y...

Mona Siddiqui from 2013-09-25T20:00

As the first Muslim chair in Islamic and Interreligious Studies at the University of Edinburgh, Mona Siddiqui regularly engages on inter-faith issues. Reflecting on her own life, Mona says that...

Danny Dorling from 2013-09-18T20:00

The United Nations recently predicted that the world's population will grow to nine billion by 2050 and ten billion by the end of the century.

Whilst news of population growth is often gre...

Emily Bell from 2013-09-11T20:00

We might think the web is something different, another world somewhere out there - or indeed in our devices - but as Emily Bell argues, the web is actually mapped onto our physical world: the re...

Alan Bissett from 2013-09-04T20:00

In the 1990s, author Alan Bissett was a lad and women were 'birds'.

In a frank and personal account, Alan talks about why he turned to the work of the late American radical feminist Andrea...

Greg Votolato from 2013-08-28T20:00

Greg Votolato confesses his addiction to cars while arguing for more sustainable designs to meet our desire for status and private space. Four Thought is a series of talks which combine new idea...

Yasmin Hai from 2013-08-21T20:00

Yasmin Hai says it's not Western foreign policy that is radicalising British Muslims but more pedestrian psychological factors closer to home. Four Thought is a series of talks which combine new...

Jad Adams from 2013-08-14T20:00

Jad Adams thinks we're dealing with homelessness less well than in the 1930s. Speaking from his experience helping homeless people, he argues that current policy - which he says ties the homeles...

Andrew Graystone from 2013-08-07T20:00

Andrew Graystone speaks from personal experience to argue that we're using the wrong language to talk about cancer. Four Thought is a series of talks which combine new ideas and personal stories...

Kevin Allen from 2013-07-03T20:00

Advertising guru Kevin Allen tells a tale of missing cutlery on passenger jets to show where business leaders go wrong. Success, he says, belongs to the "buoyant" leader, riding high on the este...

Jamie Tehrani from 2013-06-26T20:00

Social anthropologist Jamie Tehrani sees our obsession with celebrity culture as a result of our maladapted brains. Four Thought is a series of thought-provoking talks which combine personal sto...

Judith Shapiro from 2013-06-19T20:00

Economist Judith Shapiro argues that the next steps towards equality for women will be far harder than those which went before.

Four Thought is a series of thought-provoking talks which co...

Dick Moore from 2013-06-12T20:00

Dick Moore calls for urgent action to tackle the problems of adolescent mental health. Driven by personal experience, he sees a growing need for society to provide young people with more emotion...

Steven Poole: Think for Yourself from 2013-06-05T19:59

Steven Poole argues that we should resist the modern message, from pop science and brain scans, that humans are irrational creatures, driven by instant judgement and primordial urges.

Inst...

Anna Woodhouse: Windows to the Soul from 2013-05-29T19:59

Anna Woodhouse explores what looking through glass and glasses means for us.

When she was a call centre worker Anna could see the towers of Leeds University through the window of her high ...

Henry Stewart: Choose Your Boss from 2013-05-22T20:00

Henry Stewart argues that bad management blights the working lives of millions of people, and that the solution is to let everyone choose their own bosses.

Four Thought is a series of talk...

Emma Byrne: Why We Swear from 2013-05-15T20:00

The science writer Emma Byrne argues that, far from tuning out, we should listen carefully when people swear, because they often do so for good reasons.

Four Thought is a series of talks w...

Stewart Henderson: Poetry in Politics from 2013-05-08T20:00

Stewart Henderson argues that a lack of poetry in politics is fuelling disengagement. He draws on past and current speeches from Winston Churchill to Aneurin Bevan and David Cameron to Ed Miliba...

Daniela Papi: The Problem with Volunteering from 2013-05-01T20:00

Daniela Papi explores the dark side of volunteering overseas, and asks how local people and wealthy 'voluntourists' alike can ensure a positive experience.

Four Thought is a series of talk...

Mat Paskins: The future in history from 2013-04-24T20:00

Historian Mat Paskins argues that history can be made real when we bring back to life the excitement which previous generations felt at new developments: to make us, who live in our ancestors' f...

Emma Woolf: Explaining Anorexia from 2013-04-17T20:00

Emma Woolf explores how people suffering from eating disorders might now have a proper explanation for the condition. Emma has suffered from anorexia and written and talked about it extensively....

Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy: Forget Impartiality from 2013-04-10T20:00

William Dalrymple introduces the Oscar-winning documentary-maker Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy, in Four Thought at the Jaipur Literature Festival. Obaid Chinoy, whose films include Saving Face, argues t...

Ranjini Obeyesekere: Lost in Translation? from 2013-04-03T20:00

William Dalrymple introduces Ranjini Obeyesekere in Four Thought at the Jaipur Literature Festival. Obeyesekere - the Sri Lankan writer, translator and academic - argues that "translations are o...

Anwar Akhtar: The Meaning of Pakistan from 2013-01-09T21:00

Anwar Akhtar, Director of The Samosa, argues that Pakistan should think of itself as an Asian nation, not as an Arab one. And after years of working between Britain and Pakistan, he says British...

Sally Kettle: Does hope help? from 2013-01-02T21:00

Adventurer Sally Kettle argues that hope is not helpful, and suggests some alternative strategies.

Sally has twice rowed the Atlantic Ocean, and worries that hope can lead to a passive sta...

Tom Armitage: The Coded World from 2012-12-26T21:00

Designer and technologist Tom Armitage argues that learning to write computer code means learning to think in a modern way, and that it should spur creativity: the possibility of doing entirely ...

Georgie Fienberg: Saying No to Pity from 2012-12-21T09:45

Georgie Fienberg believes that endless fundraising by overseas aid charities is not sustainable, and she argues that charities should want to close.

Georgie is Founder of Afrikids, a chari...

Nancy Lublin: 21st-Century Social Activism from 2012-12-12T21:00

Nancy Lublin, CEO of DoSomething.Org, discusses how the next generation are doing social activism. She describes the impact of the web on social activism, making it faster, cheaper and easier to...

Amber Dermont: The Benefits of an Unhappy Childhood from 2012-12-05T21:00

Amber Dermont explains the benefits of an unhappy childhood.

"Though my parents were caring people, I could not escape my own sense of despair," she says. She discusses the influence of sa...

Sara Ziff: The Problem with Fashion from 2012-11-28T21:00

Model and activist Sara Ziff discusses the problems with fashion and modelling. Sara maintains that fashion modelling, far from being a glamorous profession, has a dark side. She argues that wha...

Maria Popova: The Architecture of Knowledge from 2012-11-21T20:59

Maria Popova, Editor of Brainpickings, discusses how, with the world's knowledge more readily available to us than ever before, the fragmentation of our interests is driving us to seek out more ...

Ismail Einashe: The Challenge for British Somalis from 2012-11-14T21:00

Ismail Einashe, who came to Britain as a child refugee from Somalia, reflects on the link between childhood war trauma suffered by young Somali men and the way some are drawn to violent gang cul...

James Friel: In Praise of the Single Life from 2012-11-07T21:00

Novelist James Friel, author of "The Posthumous Affair", defends the value and virtues of the single life against the widespread cultural view that being in a couple is a superior state of being. ...

Anna Minton: Fuelling Fear with High Security from 2012-10-31T21:00

Anna Minton, author of "Ground Control", argues that the increasingly high security surrounding public and private buildings creates a sense of fear rather than safety. Alan McInnes, director o...

Ben Dyson: Understanding How Money Works from 2012-10-24T20:00

Ben Dyson, founder and director of Positive Money, tells how his disillusionment with mainstream economics led him to campaign for a proper understanding of how money works as the first step in fix...

Rabina Khan: Redefining Multiculturalism from 2012-10-17T20:00

Author and independent local councillor Rabina Khan calls for a new understanding of multiculturalism which acknowledges people's multiple identities and avoids simplistic labels. "Regardless o...

Mark Vernon: Narcissism from 2012-10-10T20:00

Writer and former priest Mark Vernon says we should rehabilitate the concept of narcissism as a valuable form of self-love. "Love others as if they were yourself, yes. But also, love yourself s...

Colin Murray Parkes: Insecurity and Extremism from 2012-10-03T20:00

The eminent psychiatrist Colin Murray Parkes illuminates the importance of secure attachments for human happiness and sees insecurity at the root of conflict and extremism.Accepting advice from wis...

Margaret Heffernan: Whistleblowers from 2012-09-26T20:00

Entrepreneur Margaret Heffernan challenges the negative view of whistle-blowers and argues that people who dare to speak uncomfortable truths are vital to the success of businesses and other organi...

Ruchir Sharma: The Search for Economic Growth from 2012-09-19T20:00

Where is the next growth economy? Investment expert Ruchir Sharma spends his time looking for economic growth in unlikely places - he describes his search for economic potential for Radio 4's Four ...

Niall Iain MacDonald: Rowing the Minch from 2012-09-12T13:30

Gaelic broadcaster Niall Iain MacDonald vanished from his Stornoway home on May 17th 2007. In this powerful talk he discusses his extraordinary fightback against depression: to row 45 miles of ...

Ian Robertson: The Winner Effect from 2012-08-29T19:45

Ian Robertson is Professor of Psychology at Trinity College, Dublin. He argues that success and being a winner has an effect on us that is "as strong as any drug" - and so does that mean there i...

Joe Dunthorne: Lessons from the Mosh Pit from 2012-08-22T19:00

Writer Joe Dunthorne asks what we can all learn about living together from the mosh pit at a rock gig. Joe asks whether we should we all be a bit more open to social interaction. He contrasts th...

Katarina Skoberne: Family History Repeating from 2012-08-15T20:00

Does history repeat itself? Entrepreneur Katarina Skoberne describes how in her family's case it did, and discusses the thought-provoking lessons it taught her. Katarina's great-grandfather was ...

Ali Mangera: The Future of Shopping from 2012-08-08T20:00

Architect Ali Mangera discusses the closely-connected futures of cities and shopping. He describes how the retail industry is coming to terms with the major challenges it faces: from internet sh...

James Bridle: Computers and Cultural Memories from 2012-08-01T20:00

Publisher and technologist James Bridle asks how computer networks will affect cultural memories. In this Four Thought, James brings his two lives together to look for the crossing points between b...

Gillian Wheeler: Flower Design as Art from 2012-07-25T20:00

The Covent Garden Academy of Flowers' Gillian Wheeler argues that flower design is evolving into an art, with tremendous variation in design and even sculpture.Flowers can both look and smell bea...

Naif Al-Mutawa: Art and Religion from 2012-07-18T20:00

Naif Al-Mutawa discusses the importance of interpreting and translating between cultures. Naif created The 99 - comic books featuring characters based on Islamic culture and religion, but appeal...

Leisa Rea: The Delight of Losing from 2012-07-11T20:00

With the pressure on for victory at the Olympics, comedian Leisa Rea ponders the delights of losing. She reveals what happened when she told a group of school children that she would only be rew...

Alice Bell: Improving Public Understanding of Science from 2012-07-04T20:00

Scientist Alice Bell argues that better engagement by scientists, rather than lessons in 'scientific literacy', is the solution to the lack of public understanding of science. She is frustrated ...

Colin Crooks: The Let-Down Generation from 2012-06-27T20:00

Serial social entrepreneur Colin Crooks argues that politicians and the media are wrong to focus on youth unemployment. Instead, he says, we should all be worried about the very high levels of p...

Mitu Khandaker: Knowing Ourselves Through Computer Games from 2012-06-20T19:59

Computer games present a wonderful opportunity to know ourselves; a slow bombardment of opportunities for self-reflective thought says games developer Mitu Khandaker. She argues that to look bey...

Sir Terry Farrell: Architects are Problem Solvers from 2012-06-13T19:59

Architect Sir Terry Farrell explains why architects are uniquely placed to solve the problems of Britain's public spaces - and why doing the work for free is crucial to its success. Sir Terry ex...

Kamin Mohammadi: Life in Authoritarian Regimes from 2012-06-06T20:00

Kamin Mohammadi uses her own and her family's history in Iran to argue that life - particularly private life - under an authoritarian regime is lived more creatively. She describes the complicat...

Paddy Docherty: Poverty and Entrepreneurship from 2012-05-30T19:55

Entrepreneur Paddy Docherty says business is best placed to bring prosperity to impoverished and post conflict nations, arguing that only the commercial sector can supply the scale and dynamism nee...

Kate Smurthwaite: Stop Laughing at Sexism from 2012-05-23T19:55

Comedian Kate Smurthwaite argues it's time to stop laughing at sexism and time to stop prejudice against women comedians, because comedy is a key part of UK culture, affecting our opinions and valu...

Martin Cassini: The Case Against Traffic Lights from 2012-05-16T19:55

Campaigner Martin Cassini argues that our system for managing traffic is overdue for radical reform and should be based on trust in human nature rather than an obsession with controlling it. He say...

Matthew Syed: Does Talent Trump Effort? from 2012-05-09T19:55

Writer and former England table tennis champion Matthew Syed says we should not overemphasise the importance of talent over effort.



Four Thought is a series of talks recorded be...

Clare Melford: Buddah in the Boardroom from 2012-05-02T19:55

Clare Melford, CEO, International Business Leaders Forum, argues that Buddha should be in the boardroom. She explains what CEOs need to learn about the tenets of Buddhism to make their businesses t...

June Andrews: A Revolution for Dementia Treatment from 2012-04-25T19:55

Professor June Andrews, Director, the Dementia Services Development Centre, University of Stirling, argues for a revolution in our approach to dealing with dementia. She outlines immediate low cost...

Jules Evans: Socrates and Psychotherapy from 2012-04-18T19:45

Jules Evans, author of "Philosophy for Life and Other Dangerous Situations", explores what ancient Greek and Roman philosophy can tell modern society about wellbeing. He celebrates the link between...

Bobby Cummines: How to Reform Criminals from 2012-04-11T19:55

Bobby Cummines, Chief Executive, UNLOCK, the National Association of Reformed Offenders, who served 13 years in high security prisons for robbery and manslaughter, argues if society wants to reduce...

Robin Gorna: Are We Losing the Fight Against AIDS? from 2012-02-22T20:55

Robin Gorna has spent 26 years working globally to combat AIDS. She fears that at a time when we know how to deal with the problem, we are losing the political will to tackle it.


Listen

Rob Hopkins: Sustainability and Community from 2012-02-15T20:55

The influential founder of the Transition Towns movement Rob Hopkins argues for a new approach to energy, society and our surroundings - with the help of a bottle of beer and a ten pound note beari...

Gordon Bridger: Re-thinking Foreign Aid from 2012-02-08T20:55

Gordon Bridger draws on a lifetime's experience as an economist in developing countries to argue that we should spend overseas aid differently to stop it doing more harm than good.


<...

Bali Rai: Stop Talking About Race from 2012-02-01T20:55

Author Bali Rai says that stopping talking about race is the best way to stop racism, and sees pride in our own racial identity as part of the problem.



Four Thought is a series ...

Gerard Darby: Science and Creativity from 2012-01-25T21:00

Creativity is just as vital in science and engineering as it is in art and drama, argues Gerard Darby.



Yet the present education system is undermining young people's natural crea...

Clare Allan: Liberation Through Lies from 2012-01-18T21:00

Novelist Clare Allan asks why lying gets such a bad press. The truth, she argues, can be far more dangerous.



Can lies both liberate and illuminate? As a novelist she discusses ho...

Judith Clegg: Pay it Forward from 2012-01-11T21:00

Entrepreneur Judith Clegg argues that the special culture of technology start-ups could make the world a dramatically better place, if adopted more widely.



Even after a year of d...

Paul Flatters: Childhood is Better Than Ever from 2012-01-04T20:59

Social trends analyst Paul Flatters argues that childhood today is better than ever before, and he explains why wrongly thinking the reverse is bad for us as individuals and as a society.

...

Tim Smit: Britain's Not Broken from 2011-12-28T20:59

Tim Smith says Britain is very far from broken. In fact, he argues, its are a really good country, and if we learn to trust one another again we could be wonderful.



Pointing to t...

James Lange: YouTube and Scientific Research from 2011-12-21T20:59

Alcohol and drug researcher James Lange describes how YouTube videos of drug use have improved the speed and quality of his research, and argues that they can be a vital tool for scientists.
Listen

Anthony McGowan: Seeing Ourselves as Villains from 2011-12-14T20:55

Anthony McGowan, award-winning author of novels for young adults and teenagers, thinks that the world would be a better place if we cast ourselves as the villains rather than the heroes of our own ...

David Perks: Re-thinking Science in Schools from 2011-12-07T20:55

David Perks, state school physics teacher and founder of the Physics Factory in London, believes current science teaching is depriving children of the academic science education they deserve.
<...

Angela Saini: Throwaway Technology from 2011-11-30T20:55

Science writer Angela Saini confesses that as a late adopter of new technology.



She struggles to reconcile a deep human desire to make, mend and recycle with the throwaway cultu...

David Bainbridge: Celebrating Middle Age from 2011-11-23T20:55

Clinical veterinary anatomist at Cambridge University and science writer David Bainbridge dispels the myth of the mid-life crisis and celebrates the evolution of middle age as a distinctively human...

James Daunt: In Defence of Bookshops from 2011-11-16T21:00

James Daunt issues a ringing defence of printed books, and argues that libraries and local bookshops - the 'purveyors of the written word' - are vital social and cultural spaces.



Listen

Aza Raskin: A Design Renaissance for Healthcare from 2011-11-09T21:00

American designer Aza Raskin proposes a design renaissance in healthcare, making it easier and more enjoyable.



Whose fault is it that video recorders are hard to programme, he as...

Dreda Say Mitchell: Family, Faith and Community from 2011-11-02T21:00

Author Dreda Say Mitchell argues that the importance of cultural institutions like family, faith and community has been ignored in the debate about social mobility.



Born into an ...

Christie Watson: What's Worse than Death? from 2011-10-26T20:00

Novelist and former paediatric nurse Christie Watson asks whether there are some things worse than death.



She describes the extraordinary medical breakthroughs which allow childr...