In today’s Gone Medieval podcast, Matt Lewis joins Dallas Campbell - host of our sister podcast Patented: History of Inventions - to explore the role of medieval monks in inventing. Seeing scientific and philosophical investigation as a way to get closer to God - despite the threat of being labelled a heretic - monks were considered masters of invention. Together, they explain how monks navigated this balance and tell the story of Roger Bacon, a friar credited with designing the magnifying glass and who also predicted cars, powered ships and manned flight.

For more Gone Medieval content, subscribe to our Medieval Monday's newsletter here.

If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today!

To download, go to Android or Apple store.