Most of us speak a descendant of one ancient tongue: Proto-Indo European. Almost all of Europe shares the DNA of its legacy. Acclaimed journalist and author of international bestseller Pale Rider: The Spanish Flu of 1918 and How it Changed the World Laura Spinney explores the origins of this ancient language and how it spread far from its cradle near the Black Sea. Reaching the coasts of Scotland and the western reaches of China, traveling across the Mediterranean and deep into South Asia, Indo-European unites Dante’s Inferno and the Rig Veda, the knights of Arthurian legend and the early Hittite kings. Now Indo-European languages are spoken by nearly half of humanity. How did this happen? Laura shares the epic journey.

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How does the body stay alive? And what does ageing really mean, from the inside ? Biomedical scientist and Professor of Vaccine Immunology at Imperial College London John Tregoning reveals the science of staying alive, ageing, and death. Journeying from the nature of genes to the science of inflammation, from today's anti-ageing craze to real health foods and the evolving landscape of diagnostic care, John reveals how we can lead healthier, better-informed lives.

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Oscar nominated for her film The Edge of Democracy, which documented the impeachment of President Dilma Rousseff and the rise of Jair Bolsonaro, Petra Costa returns to the subject of Brazil's fragile democracy in Apocalypse in the Tropics. Streaming now on Netflix, Apocalypse explores the relationship between evangelical Christianity and the far-right, following the televangelist Silas Malafaia in his work campaigning for Jair Bolsonaro. Petra joins the podcast to discuss this precarious moment in Brazilian politics and its significance for democracies around the world.

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When high-flying journalist Dolly Jones had her children, the idea of returning to work felt daunting. She struggled to find material to galvanise and reassure her, and to make her feel that anything was possible.

She set out to change all of that, gathering practical advice, life-hacks and guilt-avoidance strategies from a diverse range of women in a wide variety of industries – fashion designers, taxi drivers, journalists, actors, employment lawyers, doctors, bankers, health specialists, entrepreneurs and restaurateurs.

In this empowering episode, Dolly acts as a ‘ladder down’ to the next generation of working women from a generation who have experimented their way to making it work.

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Today, you are far more likely to die of heart disease, cancer, or accident than you are to die of an illness caused by a germ: but for most of human history, microorganisms were our greatest nemesis. As recently as 1900, pnuemonia, influenza, tuberculosis, and gut infections accounted for half of all deaths in the United States. And yet, humans had known of the existence of germs since the invention of the microscope and the Scientific Revolution in the 17th century - to precious little advantage. Thomas Levenson joins the podcast to tell the epic story of how we finally came to grasp the role of germs as a cause of disease and develop a powerful arsenal to fight them.

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Former Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt shares a thought-provoking vision of our place in the world in the century ahead.

Is Britain a minor player, marginalised by our departure from the EU and dwarfed by the rise of new economies? Or is there a major role for us to play in a rapidly changing international order?

With the election of President Trump, the answer to that question matters. A world that was already becoming more dangerous has also become more unpredictable. As competition increases between economic and military superpowers, others must make choices. If the UK really is a busted flush, it would be reasonable to stand back, go with the flow and focus on defending our more narrow interests. But if we aren’t, now more than ever is a moment to try and defend the huge progress in freedom and democracy we have seen over the last century.

Looking back at his time as this country’s global ambassador, and drawing on two decades of experience at the highest echelons of political life, Jeremy Hunt gives us his answer.

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Tracing his journey through his diagnosis with ADHD, Robin Ince explores his own insecurities and discoveries along the way, from the importance of vulnerability, to finding greater meaning and happiness, to the beauty of connecting with others through shared neurodiversity. Illuminating how diagnosis can help individuals find and understand their best selves, Robin also reveals how society—from individuals to wider school systems—can change to create a more welcoming world.

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Caroline Darian, daughter of Dominique Pelicot, shares with Afua Hirsch a rallying cry for change, and confronts the hidden violence that too many endure in silence.

The Pelicot mass rape trial was unprecedented in scope and nature, captivating France and the world. Dominique’s daughter, Caroline Darian, shares with journalist Afua Hirsch her family’s strength and resilience in the face of Dominique’s horrific crimes and turns the tables on the abusers, placing the blame squarely at their feet and shining a spotlight on chemical submission.

She tells us the complex story of her father Dominique’s ‘Machiavellian’ nature, the childhood memories that hint at a darker truth, and the most devastating day of her life; while calling for urgent attention to the overlooked crisis of chemical submission.

Caroline could have chosen silence, letting the public trial speak for her. Instead, she steps forward, sharing her own story as an everyday working woman and mother, confronting unfathomable abuse at the hands of her father.

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On 5 June 2022, award-winning journalist Dom Phillips was working on a book about the Amazon rainforest, alongside the indigenous expert Bruno Pereira, when they were both shot dead. They are believed to have been assassinated by one of the criminal networks whose ecological exploitation they were working to expose.

A team of expert writers took up his partially completed manuscript, committed to his mission of uncovering the truth about deforestation and searching for solutions. This team was led by Jonathan Watts, Global Environment Editor for The Guardian, who tells How To Academy this remarkable story. It is a story of fires, land grabs and 400 billion trees; of corruption, crime and murder; and of friendship, compassion and dedication. 

Jon speaks with award-winning journalist Edie Lush as they grapple with the questions: why is the Amazon so important to life on earth, how can we save it, and how many more of its defenders must die before we do?

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Isabel Allende shares the story of Emilia del Valle, her unforgettable new heroine on a treacherous, life-changing journey during the Chilean Civil war of 1891. Past and present merge in this conversation, as Isabel explores how her new heroine—who reminds us of Isabel herself— confronts the tyranny and injustice of her time. As tyranny and injustice bleeds into the present, Isabel shares her convictions on today's oppressions, and illuminates how the power of storytelling gives voice to the silenced, the innocent, and to our common humanity.

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