The Battersea Poltergeist, BBC
This podcast follows the famous “paranormal” case of the Battersea Poltergeist, with performances from Dafne Keen (His Dark Materials) and Toby Jones. This poltergeist apparently haunted 15-year-old Shirley Hitchings and her family in South London from 1956 to 1968. Attempts were made to contact the poltergeist live on TV and the case was even discussed in the House of Commons. Along with the dramatisations, journalist Danny Robins tells the spine-tingling story with interviews with Shirley Hitchings herself, now 80.
The Memory Palace, Radiotopia
If you haven’t yet tuned into this long-running history podcast by Nate DiMeo telling true stories through beguiling audio tableaux, the best way to experience it is just to listen. Each episode is short—most are no more than 15 minutes—and tells a brief moment of a strange, often forgotten life or moment in our history. It is a bit like NPR’s celebrated Radiolab, but with a more stylised, poetic artistry: the back catalogue is best enjoyed in small bites, as a daily moment of soothing, twisting beauty.
39 Ways to Save the Planet, BBC
Produced in partnership with the Royal Geographical Society, this podcast covers a series of 39 pithy ideas to mitigate climate change. Tom Heap and Tamsin Edwards from King’s College London meet scientists, designers and engineers working on solutions to specific problems that could add up to make a big difference globally. Some of the innovations include the creation of underwater meadows; architectural plans for building wooden cities; Siberian rewilding initiatives, and the development of low-carbon rice.
