Episodes

  • Ramanujan
    Feb 2 2026

    Srinivasa Ramanujan was born on 22 December 1887 in Erode, India, and produced mathematics so original that it baffled experts across continents. Working largely in isolation, with little formal training, he filled notebooks with formulas that would later transform number theory and modern mathematics. This episode traces Ramanujan's journey from poverty in southern India to collaboration with G. H. Hardy at Cambridge, and asks how a mind so far outside the system reshaped it forever.

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    #Ramanujan #MathematicsHistory #NumberTheory #PureMaths #CambridgeUniversity #IndianHistory #SciencePioneers #Genius

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    22 mins
  • Brigitte Bardot
    Jan 26 2026

    Brigitte Bardot became an international sensation on 2 December 1956 with And God Created Woman, a film that reshaped cinema, celebrity, and modern femininity. Yet her story does not end with fame. By the age of thirty-nine, Bardot walked away from acting entirely, retreating from the public eye and dedicating her life to animal welfare. This episode explores how a young woman from Paris became a global icon, why she rejected the role the world assigned her, and how her second life proved as influential as her first.

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    #BrigitteBardot #FrenchCinema #FilmHistory #CulturalIcons #AnimalRights #CelebrityCulture #WomenInFilm #20thCenturyHistory

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    22 mins
  • Sally Ride
    Jan 19 2026

    Sally Ride became a symbol of possibility on 18 June 1983, when she flew aboard Space Shuttle Challenger as the first American woman in space. But her legacy reaches far beyond that historic mission. Trained as a physicist, Ride worked on NASA missions, investigated the Challenger disaster, and later dedicated her life to science education, determined to open doors for future generations. This episode explores how preparation, intelligence, and quiet resolve reshaped who gets to belong in space.

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    #SallyRide #WomenInScience #SpaceHistory #NASA #Astronauts #STEMEducation #Physics #SciencePioneers #WomenInSTEM

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    15 mins
  • Archbishop Desmond Tutu
    Jan 12 2026

    He fought injustice with faith, humour, and an unshakeable belief in human dignity. In this episode of Compact Biographies, we explore the life and legacy of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the moral conscience of South Africa whose voice helped dismantle apartheid and guide a nation toward truth, reconciliation, and hope. From the darkest years of oppression to the fragile work of healing, this is the story of a leader who believed that compassion could change the world.

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    #DesmondTutu #CompactBiographies #HumanRights #ApartheidHistory #Reconciliation #MoralLeadership #HistoryPodcast

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    15 mins
  • Jane Goodall
    Jan 5 2026

    She changed science by watching quietly, and she changed the world by speaking bravely. In this episode of Compact Biographies, we explore the life and legacy of Jane Goodall, the pioneering primatologist whose work transformed how we understand animals, humanity, and our responsibility to the natural world. From her groundbreaking research in Gombe to her lifelong advocacy for conservation and compassion, this is the story of a woman whose influence endures far beyond her lifetime.

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    #JaneGoodall #CompactBiographies #Conservation #Primatology #EnvironmentalHistory #WildlifeProtection #HistoryPodcast

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    19 mins
  • The Black Prince
    Dec 29 2025

    Feared on the battlefield and celebrated as the ideal knight, the Black Prince was England's greatest warrior heir. In this episode of Compact Biographies, we explore the life of Edward of Woodstock, the prince who shattered French armies during the Hundred Years' War and forged a legend he would never live to outgrow.

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    #TheBlackPrince #CompactBiographies #MedievalHistory #HundredYearsWar #EnglishRoyalty #Chivalry #BattleOfCrecy #HistoryPodcast

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    11 mins
  • Alan Turing
    Dec 22 2025

    Brilliant, unconventional, and tragically mistreated, Alan Turing helped shape the modern world long before it knew his name. In this episode of Compact Biographies, we explore the life of the mathematician whose ideas laid the foundations of computing, whose wartime work helped defeat Nazi Germany, and whose legacy continues to define the digital age.

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    #AlanTuring #CompactBiographies #ComputerHistory #WorldWarTwo #Codebreaking #ArtificialIntelligence #LGBTQHistory #HistoryPodcast

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    11 mins
  • Ella Fitzgerald
    Dec 15 2025

    From a troubled childhood to the world's greatest stages, Ella Fitzgerald's voice carried joy, precision, and timeless grace. In this episode of Compact Biographies, we explore the life of the singer who transformed jazz vocals and became known as the First Lady of Song, proving that resilience and talent can change everything.

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    #EllaFitzgerald #CompactBiographies #JazzHistory #MusicLegends #AmericanMusic #SwingEra #GreatAmericanSongbook #HistoryPodcast

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    11 mins