Forest 404

By BBC Radio 4

What's Forest 404 about?

Can you feel loss for something you've never known? An environmental thriller starring Pearl Mackie, Tanya Moodie and Pippa Haywood. With theme music by Bonobo. Written by Timothy X Atack and directed by Becky Ripley. Each episode comes with its own talk and soundscape. Plus, take part in The Forest 404 Experiment to see how you respond to sounds of nature.

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Forest 404 episodes:

05.30.2019
S9: Bonobo’s Theme
Our final soundscape, a full playout of the Forest 404 theme tune, composed by Bonobo. The track samples the whistling bird from the Sumatran rainforest recording that kick-starts Pan’s journey. Headphones are best. Don’t forget to take part...
05.30.2019
T9: Love Letter to the Forest...
A love letter to the forests of the world. Written by David Haskell, read by Pearl Mackie. The first forests grew 400 million years ago. Time enough for them to have listened to this world and discovered how to bring...
05.30.2019
Ep9: Enigmata
Daria escorts Pan to The Convocation. An era has ended. Can, or should, a new one begin? An environmental thriller starring Pearl Mackie, Tanya Moodie and Pippa Haywood. Theme music by Bonobo. Written by Timothy X Atack. Director: Becky Ripley...
05.23.2019
S8: The Memory Transfer
A soundscape for Episode 8. Theia’s half-remembered memory of her daughter humming by the sea's edge, used by Guggy for the brain transfer. Wind howls, thunder cracks, gulls call overhead. Headphones are best. With sound design by Graham Wild and...
05.23.2019
T8: How will humans die out?
A talk for episode 8, an ode to Theia. Anthropologist Michael Rivera on our evolutionary history compared to other less successful species who became extinct. Are we heading in the same direction? Produced by Eliza Lomas and Becky Ripley. ...
05.23.2019
Ep8: Future Conditional
Pan and Theia have a plan, but it’s a sketchy one and it’s probably going to go wrong. An environmental thriller starring Pearl Mackie, Tanya Moodie and Pippa Haywood. Theme music by Bonobo. Written by Timothy X Atack. Director: Becky...
05.16.2019
S7: Daria’s Nightmare
A soundscape for Episode 7. A full playout of one of Daria’s nightmares. Flesh and feather aberrations, horrific chirruping little fluff balls laughing through tiny keratin megaphones. Headphones are best. With sound design by Graham Wild and Becky Ripley. ...
05.16.2019
T7: Would you vote for an AI government?
A talk for Episode 7. Biofuturist and sci-fi writer Elsa Sotiriadis on whether AI would run the country better than us humans. Produced by Eliza Lomas and Becky Ripley. Don’t forget to take part in our Forest 404...
05.16.2019
Ep7: Dreams of the Autopilot
Daria has a confession to make – a secret from her past that haunts her every night. An environmental thriller starring Pearl Mackie, Tanya Moodie and Pippa Haywood. Theme music by Bonobo. Written by Timothy X Atack. Director: Becky Ripley...
05.09.2019
S6: Pan’s Dwindling
A soundscape for Episode 6. A full playout of Pan’s dwindling as her system shuts down. Cicadas accelerate into oblivion, whales call from the deep, birds morph into monkeys, waves crash into white noise. Headphones are best. With sound design...
05.09.2019
T6: What is death in the digital age?
Cemetery Historian Katie Thornton on what happens to our digital selves when we die. Where are the cemeteries for our digital ghosts and who's looking after them? Produced by Eliza Lomas and Becky Ripley. Don’t forget to take...
05.09.2019
Ep6: A New Leaf
In fear of seeing another civilisation self-destruct, Theia uncovers the truth behind Pan’s journey. An environmental thriller starring Pearl Mackie, Tanya Moodie and Pippa Haywood. Theme music by Bonobo. Written by Timothy X Atack. Director: Becky Ripley Each episode comes...
05.02.2019
S5: Theia's Hometown
A soundscape for Episode 5. A walk through Theia’s hometown, the streets of St Petersburg. Headphones are best. With sound design by Graham Wild and Becky Ripley. Don’t forget to take part in our Forest 404 Experiment to see how...
05.02.2019
T5: Will we all become cyborgs?
A talk for Episode 5. Bioethicist Andy Miah on what cyborgs today can tell us about humanity’s future. Will genetic modification and life extension technology cause more or less social equality? Produced by Eliza Lomas and Becky Ripley. ...
05.02.2019
Ep5: Last Days of the Slow World
Theia tells Pan the story of how the old world came to an end. An environmental thriller starring Pearl Mackie, Tanya Moodie and Pippa Haywood. Theme music by Bonobo. Written by Timothy X Atack. Director: Becky Ripley Each episode comes...
04.25.2019
S4: Woodland Walk
A soundscape for Episode 4. A British woodland thick with birdsong; blackbirds, larks, dunnocks, wood pigeons. The rustle of leaves and the distant bleat of sheep. Headphones are best. With sound design by Graham Wild and Becky Ripley. ...
04.25.2019
T4: Why do trees live so long?
A talk to go with Episode 4, when Pan sees her first ever tree. Forest canopy cameraman and expert tree-climber James Aldred explains how trees can stay alive for centuries. Produced by Eliza Lomas and Becky Ripley. Don’t...
04.25.2019
Ep4: Of Earthly Delights
Daria and The Hands close in on Pan as they race towards the oil lake. An environmental thriller starring Pearl Mackie, Tanya Moodie and Pippa Haywood. Theme music by Bonobo. Written by Timothy X Atack. Director: Becky Ripley Each episode...
04.18.2019
S3: Whale Songs
A soundscape for Episode 3. A full playout of the whale song that sent Pan to sleep. A watery montage of humpback, orca, bowhead and blue whales. Headphones are best. With sound design by Graham Wild and Becky Ripley. ...
04.18.2019
T3: Could I live in darkness?
A talk to go with Episode 3. Now that Pan is down in The Inner, chronobiologist Herman Wijnen talks through what happens to our minds and bodies without sunlight. Produced by Eliza Lomas and Becky Ripley. You can...
04.18.2019
Ep3: Into the Inner
Pan finds an illegal brain shop to uncover how the recordings have changed her. An environmental thriller starring Pearl Mackie, Tanya Moodie and Pippa Haywood. Theme music by Bonobo. Written by Timothy X Atack. Director: Becky Ripley Each episode comes...
04.11.2019
S2: Frog Chorus
A soundscape to go with Episode 2. A full playout of the chorus of frogs that Pan plays to the Interlocutor. Frogs from across the world: burping, croaking, mating. Headphones are best. With sound design by Graham Wild and Becky...
04.11.2019
T2: How is the sound of the world changing?
A talk to go with Episode 2. Musician Cosmo Sheldrake on how human noise pollution and climate change is impacting animals' ability to communicate through sound. Produced by Eliza Lomas and Becky Ripley. You can take part in...
04.11.2019
Ep2: The Fumetown Priest
Pan goes on the run from Daria and The Hands to find answers deep down in Fumetown. An environmental thriller starring Pearl Mackie, Tanya Moodie and Pippa Haywood. Theme music by Bonobo. Written by Timothy X Atack. Director: Becky Ripley...
04.04.2019
S1: Rainforest Symphony
A soundscape to go with Episode 1. A full playout of the Sumatran rainforest recording that Pan finds. Whistling thrush, cicadas, howler monkeys. Flies buzz the microphone. Headphones are best. With sound design by Graham Wild and Becky Ripley. ...
04.04.2019
T1: Why should I listen to trees?
A talk to go with Episode 1. Alex Smalley on the physical and mental health effects of spending time in nature. Produced by Eliza Lomas and Becky Ripley. And you can take part in our Forest 404 Experiment to see...
04.04.2019
Ep1: Life in the Fast Times
When Pan finds a 21st-century recording of a rainforest, she has no idea what it is… An environmental thriller starring Pearl Mackie, Tanya Moodie and Pippa Haywood. Theme music by Bonobo. Written by Timothy X Atack. Director: ...
04.02.2019
Ep0: Enter The Forest
Can you feel loss for something you’ve never known? An environmental thriller starring Pearl Mackie, Tanya Moodie & Pippa Haywood. With theme music by Bonobo. Written by Timothy X Atack and directed by Becky Ripley. Each episode comes with...

What's Forest 404 about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Forest 404 episodes:

S9: Bonobo’s Theme

T9: Love Letter to the Forest...

Ep9: Enigmata

S8: The Memory Transfer

T8: How will humans die out?

Ep8: Future Conditional

S7: Daria’s Nightmare

T7: Would you vote for an AI government?

Ep7: Dreams of the Autopilot

S6: Pan’s Dwindling

T6: What is death in the digital age?

Ep6: A New Leaf

S5: Theia's Hometown

T5: Will we all become cyborgs?

Ep5: Last Days of the Slow World

S4: Woodland Walk

T4: Why do trees live so long?

Ep4: Of Earthly Delights

S3: Whale Songs

T3: Could I live in darkness?

Ep3: Into the Inner

S2: Frog Chorus

T2: How is the sound of the world changing?

Ep2: The Fumetown Priest

S1: Rainforest Symphony

T1: Why should I listen to trees?

Ep1: Life in the Fast Times

Ep0: Enter The Forest