Podcasts about Cumbria

Annabel Rook dedicated her life to supporting vulnerable women, yet her own life was violently taken by her partner. Annabel co-founded MamaSuze, a creative grassroots arts organisation in North London to enhance the lives of women who have survived violence. Her co-founder, Catherine Milne and Annabel's sister Sophie join Chloe Tilley to discuss Annabel's impact and what people can learn from their loss.Money is broken for women, according to the founders of Female Invest - a subscription-based financial education app founded in Denmark. In their new book, It's a Rich Man's World, they explore the life events and systemic obstacles that women face in building and holding on to wealth. Krupa Padhy talks to co-founder Anna-Sophie Hartvigsen about the possible solutions.As part of Radio 4's Once Upon a Time season we're looking at fairytales through a feminist lens. Award-winning author Kirsty Logan joins us down the line from Glasgow and the mythologist and psychologist Dr Sharon Blackie joins us from Cumbria. They tell Nuala McGovern why they believe women need fairy tales now more than ever and, crucially, why we should keep re-writing them for ourselves.In the week that Baroness Amos released her long-awaited National Maternity and Neonatal Investigation into maternity service failings in England, we hear reaction from the Labour MP and Government Maternity Advisor Michelle Welsh.When the award-winning poet Helen Mort became a stepmother, she went in search of literary role models, but was sadly disappointed by portrayals from the fairytale ‘wicked queen' to the put-upon parent of the modern blended family. She talks to Anita Rani about creating her new collection, Stepmother, to re-write the role.Presenter: Krupa Padhy Producer: Kirsty McQuire

In this episode of the Anglotopia Podcast, Jonathan Thomas sits down with Professor Paul Robichaud — Professor of English at Albertus Magnus College in New Haven, Connecticut — to discuss his remarkable new book, Stories of the Stones: Imagining Prehistory in Britain, Ireland, and Brittany, published by Reaktion Books on July 6th. Paul is not an archaeologist but a literary scholar, and his book takes a completely different approach to prehistoric monuments: rather than asking who built them or how, he asks what stories people have told about them across the centuries — and what those stories reveal about us. From the earliest Greek account of a possible spherical temple on a northern island (possibly Callanish), through Geoffrey of Monmouth's 12th-century account of Merlin flying Stonehenge from Ireland, through the antiquarian fantasies of Inigo Jones (who decided Stonehenge was Roman and helpfully corrected its geometry to fit) and William Stukeley (who invented the Druid connection that has never entirely gone away), through the Romantics — Wordsworth's visions of human sacrifice, Blake's prophetic paintings, Turner's atmospheric canvases — to the 1970s counterculture, folk horror films, and our own climate-anxious present, the book traces how five millennia of imagining these ancient places tells us as much about the people doing the imagining as it does about the stones themselves. Jonathan and Paul also share their personal favorite prehistoric sites, including Avebury, Wayland Smithy, and — Jonathan's top pick — Castlerigg in Cumbria. Links Stories of the Stones by Paul Robichaud (Reaktion Books, July 6) Stores of Stones - Amazon Stonehenge — English Heritage Avebury — National Trust Wayland's Smithy, Oxfordshire — English Heritage Castlerigg Stone Circle, Cumbria — National Trust Callanish Standing Stones, Isle of Lewis Stanton Drew Stone Circles, Somerset Newgrange, Ireland The Ridgeway National Trail Albertus Magnus College Friends of Anglotopia Club Takeaways The word "prehistoric" didn't exist until the mid-19th century. For most of human history, people encountering these monuments had no framework for understanding them as ancient — they were simply there, part of the landscape, and the stories told about them reflected whatever worldview the storyteller brought: giants, biblical patriarchs, Roman engineers, druid priests, or earth energies. Stonehenge is unique among stone circles not because of its age or size but because of its distinctive architecture — upright stones with lintels resting on mortise-and-tenon joints, clearly intentional and clearly extraordinary. Its location on a relatively populated southern English plain also meant it was seen by far more people across the centuries than monuments in Wales or the Outer Hebrides. The Stonehenge we see today is not how it looked for most of recorded history. Many of the stones that appear upright were raised during restoration work in the 19th and 20th centuries, and the contemporary visitor's experience of a cleaned-up, presented monument is itself a kind of modern imagination of what people thought it should look like. Geoffrey of Monmouth's 12th-century account — in which Merlin magically flies the stones from Ireland to Salisbury Plain as a memorial to fallen British nobles — dominated the medieval imagination for centuries because there simply were no rival stories. With no archaeological framework and no competing account, his version was accepted as genuine British history. Inigo Jones concluded that Stonehenge must be a Roman temple, and helpfully corrected its irregular geometry in his drawings to make it look properly classical. William Stukeley correctly identified the Druids as the likely builders — and then spent decades constructing increasingly elaborate Druidical fantasies connecting ancient Britain to biblical monotheism. Both men are cautionary examples of how we make evidence fit our assumptions. The Druid/Stonehenge association is almost entirely modern — an 18th-century invention that has almost no basis in archaeological evidence. The Iron Age Celts we associate with Druids arrived in Britain centuries after Stonehenge was built. But the association was cemented through repeated reproduction in engravings and illustrations — like a cultural meme — and has proved impossible to dislodge. The Romantics found in prehistoric monuments the perfect embodiment of the Sublime — Edmund Burke's idea of awe and terror in the presence of something vast and unknowable. Wordsworth had what he described as visions of ancient Britons and human sacrifice after being stranded near Stonehenge in a carriage accident; Blake incorporated megaliths into his prophetic paintings; Turner painted Stonehenge in dramatic atmospheric light. These Romantic responses shaped how visitors expected to feel at these sites for generations afterward. Paul's most unexpectedly moving site visit was to Wayland's Smithy in Oxfordshire — a Neolithic chambered tomb accessible via the ancient Ridgeway path. He had it entirely to himself in the rain, found a fresh offering of flowers left by a previous visitor, and experienced the kind of quiet communion with place that Stonehenge, with its crowds and visitor management, rarely allows. Jonathan's personal favorite prehistoric site is Castlerigg in Cumbria — a stone circle set on a hill and surrounded by mountains, relatively unknown and often visitable in near-solitude. Paul's is Avebury, which he recommends over Stonehenge for anyone wanting to actually walk among the stones rather than view them from a distance. Our contemporary fascination with prehistoric monuments is increasingly shaped by environmental anxiety — a need to reconnect with the landscape and with deep human time at a moment of climate crisis and technological acceleration. The stories we now tell about standing stones are as revealing of our own moment as Geoffrey of Monmouth's were of the 12th century. Soundbites "I had one book that had a picture of a druid kind of surfing on a large stone coming into Stonehenge — like he's landing. The idea was that they must have levitated the stones using Earth energies. The 70s was a time when there was a lot of interest in what we call New Age thinking. All that was kind of in the air when I was a kid." — Paul on his childhood introduction to prehistoric Britain. "I'm more interested in what these stories are doing and what they reveal about the people who are telling them. We can get some insight into what these places have meant to people who have visited them and lived alongside them for centuries and even millennia. The stories are interesting in their own right." — Paul on what a literary scholar sees that an archaeologist might not. "Geoffrey of Monmouth claimed to get his information from a mysterious book in Welsh that no one else had ever heard of and has never been identified or located. He was clearly a fabulator. But his account dominated the Middle Ages and kept getting retold all through the Renaissance because there were no rival stories." — Paul on Geoffrey of Monmouth's enduring influence. "Inigo Jones with his very careful architectural drawings, correcting the shape of Stonehenge to make it fit his vision, is a kind of exaggerated form of what we're all tempted to do — which is make things fit our assumptions about the world." — Paul on antiquarian projection. "The controversy around Druids in the 1700s was not whether they conducted their rites at Stonehenge — that was assumed — but whether the Druids were noble philosophers who had a secret wisdom, or bloodthirsty priests using human sacrifice to terrify the population into submission. Stukeley and his friend Borlase fell out over this." — Paul on the 18th-century Druid debate. "You've got a stone circle, you've got a druid there, and they're just always together. It becomes like a meme. And then they're taken up by the Romantics. So it really gets cemented in the popular imagination." — Paul on how the Druid/Stonehenge association became inescapable. "The Romantics find this admiration for the rugged beauty of these sites. Edmund Burke's idea of the sublime — that we experience awe in wild places that provoke a frisson of fear — becomes a kind of defining experience that travelers have at Stonehenge. These sites are viewed through the same lens as Niagara Falls." — Paul on the Romantic discovery of the prehistoric sublime. "I walked from the visitor center and I was glad I did. You see the barrows and the wooded land and then finally, a little bit in the distance, Stonehenge itself. And it really is impressive. You get at least a little bit of that experience of what it must have been like to suddenly see it in front of you in the landscape." — Paul's practical advice for visiting Stonehenge. "I drove up to Wayland's Smithy and I had the place to myself. It was raining, just one of those English drizzles. You walk down this pathway and then all of a sudden this really magnificent tomb is in front of you with standing stones around it. Someone had left an offering of flowers there. It was really beautiful." — Paul on his most unexpectedly moving prehistoric site visit. "As we're living in this increasingly dire moment of climate change, there's a sense of urgency in thinking about our relationship to the landscape. And we live in a time of unprecedented technological change — we spend so much of our time staring at screens. I think this interest in the deep past is something more and more people are developing as a way of connecting to our cultural and human origins." — Paul on why prehistoric monuments still matter today. Chapters 00:26 Introduction — Jonathan introduces Paul Robichaud and Stories of the Stones 02:15 Origin Story — Leonard Nimoy's In Search Of, Usborne books, and a trip to Callanish in 1998 03:42 A Literary Scholar Looks at Standing Stones — What Paul's approach reveals that archaeology alone can't 05:28 Why Britain, Ireland and Brittany? — The megalithic density of northwestern Europe and the span from 4500 BC to 3000 BC 07:42 A Catalog of Monument Types — Burial mounds, menhirs, stone circles, dolmens, earthworks, and what distinguishes them 08:57 The Word "Prehistoric" Didn't Exist Until the 19th Century — How the lack of a framework shaped every story told before it 11:13 Why Stonehenge Above All Others — The lintels, the mortise-and-tenon joints, the location, and the architecture of uniqueness 13:49 Stonehenge Is Not What It Looked Like — Restoration, re-erected stones, and why we see a cleaned-up version 16:33 Avebury vs. Stonehenge — Why Avebury often offers a more powerful experience, and the tip to walk rather than take the bus 18:06 Diodorus Siculus and the Spherical Temple — The earliest possible written reference to a British megalithic monument 20:51 Geoffrey of Monmouth and Merlin — The 12th-century account that dominated the medieval imagination for centuries 23:54 The Welsh Tradition — Arthurian connections, early saints, St. Samson, and the distinct Welsh relationship with prehistoric places 26:04 Old English Anxiety — Giants, barrow demons, Beowulf's dragon, and the fear that ran through early medieval English culture 28:26 The Antiquarians — Inigo Jones decides Stonehenge is Roman and corrects its geometry to fit 31:05 William Stukeley — The genuine archaeological pioneer who invented the Druid connection that has never gone away 36:05 Why Modern Druids at Stonehenge Are Performing a Modern Tradition — And why that doesn't make it meaningless 38:15 The Romantic Imagination — Burke's Sublime, Wordsworth's visions, Blake's prophecies, Turner's light 41:01 Wordsworth's Carriage Accident and the Wicker Man — How personal experience and literary reading combine at these sites 43:38 The Modern Era — Counterculture, New Age, Doctor Who, folk horror, and our climate-anxious present 46:33 Practical Tips for Visiting — Stonehenge, Avebury, Stanton Drew and its pub, Callanish, and what to prioritize 48:33 Personal Favorites — Wayland's Smithy (Paul) and Castlerigg in Cumbria (Jonathan) 51:00 Wrap-Up — Stories of the Stones out July 6 from Reaktion Books Video Version

The most prestigious tennis tournament in the world begins today. But Wimbledon has already attracted global attention before the courts even open, with the wildcard return of tennis legend Serena Williams announced earlier this month, and the shock exit of British number one Emma Raducanu due to a stress fracture in her lower right leg. Nuala McGovern is joined by former British number one tennis champion, Annabel Croft. The Metropolitan Police says that harm to women by London's most dangerous men has been cut by more than half under their V100 initiative. Over 200 of the worst perpetrators of violence against women and girls have been convicted since they threw out the normal tactics and started employing counter-terrorism techniques, allied with data crunching. Nuala speaks to Deputy Commissioner Matt Jukes about how it works.Long before she picked up a pair of forceps as Nurse Trixie Franklin in the BBC drama Call the Midwife, actor Helen George trained in musical theatre. She's returning to those roots to play Tracy Lord in Cole Porter's High Society, a role made famous by Grace Kelly. She tells Nuala about coming back to the stage and treats us to a live performance of a classic Cole Porter song. As part of Radio 4's Once Upon a Time season we're delving into shape-shifting feminist fairy tales, stories which have been constantly evolving ever since the early oral tradition, via the ground-breaking works of writers like Angela Carter to the present day. Award-winning author Kirsty Logan, joins us down the line from Glasgow and the mythologist and psychologist Dr Sharon Blackie joins us from Cumbria. They'll tell us why they believe women need fairy tales now more than ever and, crucially, why we should keep re-writing them for ourselves.Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Kirsty Starkey

A daily low dose of aspirin could significantly reduce the risk of bowel cancer in people with Lynch syndrome, an inherited condition that increases the likelihood of developing certain cancers.   In this episode, we explore the findings from the landmark CaPP3 trial, hear from a participant living with Lynch syndrome, and discuss how genomics could help shift healthcare from treatment to prevention.  Our host, Sharon Jones is joined by:  Dr Katie Snape, Principal Clinician for Population Health at Genomics England  Professor Sir John Burn, Professor of Clinical Genetics at Newcastle University  Drew Hyde, participant in the Cancer Prevention Programme (CaPP3)  Links:  Listen to: How can genomics help us understand cancer?  "I think knowing is always a good thing. And obviously, I wish I'd known earlier, and then, I could have taken more measures earlier on. So I think knowledge is definitely a good thing. And it would be great if more people could be tested or could find out if they were carriers at an early age, I think."  You can download the transcript or read it below. [00:00:00] Sharon: Welcome to Behind the Genes. In today's episode, we'll explore the research which shows how a low dose of aspirin can halve the risk of bowel cancer in people with Lynch syndrome. We'll hear about the real-life impact of living with the condition, and look at how genomics can help shape a more preventative approach to care in the future. [00:00:20] I'm Sharon Jones, and to help us unpack all of that, I'm joined by our guests, Dr. Katie Snape, principal clinician for population health at Genomics England; Sir John Burn, professor of clinical genetics at Newcastle University; and Drew Hyde, a participant in the Cancer Prevention Programme, which is also known as the CaPP3 trial. [00:00:42] So to start with the basics, Katie, can you walk us through what cancer is in simple terms? [00:00:50] Katie: Sure, Sharon. So, our body is made up of cells. Those are the building blocks that, that make us as humans and other creatures and plants. And our cells need to keep dividing throughout our lifetime as our bodies are growing and working normally. [00:01:06] And so we need to have processes in place in our body where our cells can divide, but then also stop dividing when we don't need them to carry on dividing. What happens in a cancer cell is basically that cell becomes abnormal, and it doesn't follow the normal checks and balances and rules of cell division. [00:01:23] So it starts to divide and grow uncontrollably, and it can start to invade other tissues and obviously, that can cause serious consequences. [00:01:33] Sharon: We'll hear a lot more from Dr. Katie Snape in this episode. But before we move on, I just wanted to flag that there was an episode of our Genomics 101 explainer series with Katie dedicated to helping us get to grips with how genomics can help us understand and diagnose cancer. [00:01:47] Do go and check that out. We'll put a link to that in the episode description. [00:01:54] So the World Health Organization estimates between 30 to 50% of all cancers are preventable. So, Katie, when we talk about cancer being preventable, what does that actually mean? And what's an example of cancer prevention that people might already know? [00:02:11] Katie: Yeah. So some cancers are due to chance or just mistakes happening as our cells copy. [00:02:19] Other cancers are because there has been damage to the genetic information within the cell that can be caused by certain things that can cause damage to DNA. So for example, a sort of obvious answer would be skin cancer. Skin cancers can be caused by sunlight, the, the UV light in the sun, and particularly if we burn our skin or, or get sun damage to our skin, increases the chance of us developing a skin cancer. [00:02:44] So you can think of lots of other examples such as cigarette smoking and lung cancer, and so we know that there are a number of different risk factors that increase the chance of our cells developing damage and becoming abnormal cells and growing uncontrollably. So when we talk about prevention, we might think, well, could we reduce some of those risk factors and therefore reduce the chance of those cells getting damaged and becoming cancer cells? [00:03:10] So I gave the example of skin cancer. We might put sun cream on if we're going out in the midday sun, for example. That reduces the damage of the UV light onto our skin cells. Or we might help people to go into a smoking prevention programme or, you know, other risk factors, such as we know that being very overweight can increase the chance of cancer. [00:03:31] We might help people get into more exercise regimes or improve people's diets. So those are the sorts of things that we might do sort of for environmental risk factors. But we also know, particularly in this context, that sometimes people are born, they carry genetic changes within their cells that they're born with, that are inherited, that run through families, and those can also increase the chance of some cancers developing. [00:03:56] And for those people at higher genetic risk, then we might look to other ways that we might reduce that risk. We can't change the genetic changes in their cells, but we might be able to put things in place to reduce the risk for those individuals, and that might be medication, it might be surgery, or there could be other things that we might be able to offer. [00:04:15] Sharon: Yeah, and with that in mind, is there anything more, you know, that you can share about some of those risk factors that someone is more likely to develop cancer? [00:04:25] Katie: Yeah. So actually, the, the biggest risk factor for developing cancer is age. The older we get, the more times our cells have divided, the more chance there is of a copying mistake that, that, that can cause that cell to become abnormal and start growing uncontrollably. [00:04:41] And that's why cancer becomes more common the older we get. We obviously can't change our aging process. Then, as I've said, sometimes we're born with certain specific inherited factors that increase the risk. That might be one big high-risk genetic factor, such as having a cancer gene that's important for, for that process of cell division that isn't working properly. [00:05:04] Or it could be that we have multiple lower genetic risk factors that can kind of add up together to increase the risk. And those often interplay with some of those environmental factors that we've talked about, like smoking, for example, or weight, or alcohol or other things like that. So most cancers are due to aging, and then there's a sort of interplay of genetic factors, but environmental factors as well. [00:05:30] Sharon: That's really interesting to understand. And the focus of this podcast is sort of looking at kind of Lynch syndrome and what findings have come out around aspirin and having a low dose of aspirin. So I want to kind of explore what Lynch syndrome is and, and then bring in Drew to talk about his experience of having Lynch syndrome and how he got involved in the trials themselves. [00:05:49] So from what I understand, Lynch syndrome is a genetic condition that can make some people more likely to have the chances of developing into bowel cancer. And Drew, this is your opportunity to sort of talk about what that's been like living with Lynch syndrome. And, you know, I'd like to understand more about your story and how it came about that you discovered that you had Lynch syndrome, and to share with our listeners your journey. [00:06:13] Drew: Yep. So in my case, I discovered I had the colon cancer before I discovered I was a Lynch syndrome carrier Basically, at the age of 50, I noticed some change in my health. You know, I was becoming a little bit more tired. My bowel movements had changed or whatever. So, I went to the GP and the GP basically said, "Well, you're probably too young for cancer, so let's look at other alternatives." [00:06:37] And I had blood tests and I had low iron, so I was on iron tablets for three months and whatever. Then eventually I went back and finally the GP said, "Well, let's try a colonoscopy." And the colonoscopy revealed that I did actually have colon cancer. And then very quickly I had surgery and, uh, then following that, I kind of asked the question, "Well, why me?" [00:06:59] You know, I'm only 50, 51. Yeah. You know, why me? [00:07:02] Drew: And basically, I was told, "Well, it's probably genetics." And then I was referred to, you know, St George's and Katie and I had the test and discovered that I was actually a Lynch syndrome carrier, and that's why, you know, I'd got the colon cancer at the age of 50, so. [00:07:17] Sharon: I mean, that's quite a journey. I mean, how did you feel when you're already on one pathway and then having to kind of find out more, you know, what was your experiences? What was the impact on your life? How did you, how did you feel? [00:07:27] Drew: I think I was lucky in that I had a very good surgeon. I had surgery very quickly, so that was the first hurdle. [00:07:32] Then I had to go on to chemotherapy, and the chemotherapy obviously is far worse than any surgery or anything else that comes before or after. But having got through that, then I went through the St George's onto the Lynch syndrome system. So, the most important thing then really was to basically identify what that meant for me, but also because it was an inherited characteristic, what it meant for my family. [00:07:57] One thing that was interesting, and I say, you know, the, the GP was saying, "Well, you're too young to have cancer," is that there wasn't any history of cancer in my family, you know, looking at older relatives. So, you know, to be fair to the GP, that wasn't an obvious marker. So basically, yeah, it was let's, you know, find out what it means now going forward. [00:08:21] Sharon: So, can you just take us back to when you were diagnosed with Lynch syndrome? What sort of guidance were you given at the time about managing your cancer risk? [00:08:30] Drew: Well, following the surgery, I was given various statistics which were fairly grim on what your percentage survival rate were in three years, five years, 10 years based on the surgery, whatever. [00:08:39] And that was kind of a bit harrowing. But, you know, assuming I'd get through five years, I felt it was, my chances were quite good. As for myself living with, living with Lynch syndrome, that, you know, I was aware that having had the colon cancer, I then had increased risk of other cancers. So since then, I've been on a screening programme, and I have colonoscopies or gastroscopies every year or two years. [00:09:04] So that's been very good. So, I believe now that if any other cancers were to appear, I would probably know very early on because they would be detected through a screening process before they got to a point where they would be, you know, maybe too difficult to resolve, so. So that's-- I think the screening programme, has been very, very good. [00:09:23] The main issue for me was what it meant for my family, being a genetic thing. So very quickly, my children, who were teenagers at the time, were both tested, and they went through some counselling with Katie beforehand, you know, about what it would mean for them to get a positive or negative result. [00:09:42] Unfortunately, my daughter was tested as negative, but my son was tested as positive, so he's now on the same cancer screening programme, and has colonoscopies every two years. So yeah. The mystery really, though, is where I inherited it from because my father died when I was very young. My mother was in a care home at the time, and I wanted to get her tested. [00:10:07] And at the time, her GP wouldn't test her on the basis that she was unable to give consent. But fortunately, I had power of attorney, and we could persuade him to do the test. But she tested negative. So I'm assuming I inherited it from my father's side. But most of my grandparents on that side of the family lived into their nineties without any apparent cancers. [00:10:32] So it's still a bit of a mystery how I inherited it, but what was important for me was to know which side of the family I'd inherited it from because obviously with cousins and whatever on different sides of the family, I wanted to be able to tell them what the situation was. My brother also tested negative, which was a positive. [00:10:54] So at the moment, it's just my son and I that have the defective gene. [00:10:59] Sharon: I'm sorry to hear that about your son, but does it- [00:11:01] Drew: Well, well, I mean, he, you know, he has to go through a colonoscopy every couple of years, which, you know, obviously is not a pleasant experience. But at least he knows that, you know, the first sign of any problem, the medics will be aware of it, and he'll be able to react. [00:11:16] Sharon: Has it changed your outlook on life, having this window in possibly knowing stuff or not knowing stuff? How has that affected you and, and your son as well? [00:11:25] Drew: I think knowing is always a good thing. And obviously, I wish I'd known earlier, and then, I could have taken more measures earlier on. So, I think knowledge is definitely a good thing. And it would be great if more people could be tested or could find out if they were carriers at an early age, I think. [00:11:42] Sharon: Yeah. That is really important. And moving into about the trial more broadly, scientists have known that there's been a link between cancer and aspirin for some time, with fewer cancers observed in people who take aspirin. So coming to you, John, could you share a bit more about the history of inherited cancer research and how the focus of Lynch Syndrome came about? [00:12:02] Because this isn't new, is it? [00:12:06] John: No, absolutely, Sharon. And in fact, this story, my story in this space begins 40 years ago when I was one of the geneticists who set out to try and find the genes that we've just been talking about. At that time, the group of patients who were the most obvious to begin with were young people with a condition called familial adenomatous polyposis, or FAP for short. [00:12:26] And they'd get thousands of polyps in their bowel, and the only way to treat that was to actually remove the whole bowel when they reached adulthood, which is a fairly extreme intervention. And I was running, I was setting up a registry. We were trying to find the gene at that time, and we'd just found it, in fact, but we also were trying to find all the families. [00:12:44] And I'd taken over responsibility for all the genetic services in the north of England, in the North East and Cumbria. And we'd, I'd started identifying families with FAP, and we went to visit one of those families, and this was the kind of light bulb moment for me because I walked into the room and mum had had her colon removed, and her son, Jonathan, had just had his first colonoscopy at the age of 12, and it was clear. [00:13:07] And I was about to give them the good news, but as I walked in, I noticed that he had little bumps on his forehead called osteomas, little bony bumps. His mother had them just the same, and it was one of the features of this condition. So I knew he had the gene even though he hadn't yet got the polyps. [00:13:21] Sharon: Wow. [00:13:22] John: And it made me think, wouldn't it be nice if we could do something to prevent these things happening rather than just waiting for an operation? And as it happened at the time, I was leading the English end of a big study, which you'll probably be aware of, which we're, we're, we were doing the vitamin study on women with spina bifida babies, and we were just about to identify folic acid as a way of preventing spina bifida in pregnant women. [00:13:45] So I had these two thoughts in my head. Maybe we could set up a trial like this folic acid trial, and then one of my friends in Edinburgh said, 'Have you seen this paper from Melbourne?' Gabriel Kuhn had just done a big study looking at people with colon cancer. It seemed that people who took a lot of aspirin didn't seem to get as much bowel cancer in Melbourne as those who didn't. So that was the design set up. [00:14:08] We were applying to Europe for a concerted action, so we had to think of an acronym that began with CA. So I, I came up with Concerted Action Polyp Prevention. But then in 1993, just as we started that trial, we were involved in finding the first of the genes for Lynch syndrome. We had a big family in Northumberland where there were lots of people like Drew's family, and there were three generations of cancer in the family. [00:14:31] So CaPP2 was immediately born in my head. In 1999, we had our first recruit, and we recruited until 2005. We found, in total, 1,000 people in 16 countries to join in, and we gave them two aspirins a day or two dummy tablets. Two aspirins is quite a big dose, but back in my day when I was a junior doctor, we used to give many more tablets of aspirin to people with arthritis. [00:14:57] So two tablets wasn't such a big deal. Nowadays, it's seen as a very high dose. And it worked. Basically, to cut to the chase, when we looked in 2010, the people who were getting the aspirin were getting less bowel cancers. In fact, it was a 50% reduction. So the people who took two aspirins had half as many bowel cancers and fewer cancers of other types as well. [00:15:19] We realised, although, at this point, immediately we saw that it was working, we knew we'd need to do another trial to see whether a smaller dose of aspirin would be just as effective. So CaPP3 began, and the great news is that what we'll be reporting in the journals in the next few days when it gets published, is that the people who were taking  CaPP3 aspirin in any dose were tracking exactly the same as the 600-milligram group in CaPP2. [00:15:46] So we're pretty sure that it works. We're pretty sure that the small dose is just as good. And the great news was that we had fewer side effects in that group. And so in fact, no one had to go to hospital for a transfusion or anything, you know, like that. Whereas in the 600-milligram group, we had a few people who needed treatment because, as you know, and everyone knows, if you take aspirin, there's a higher chance of having an ulcer that causes a bleed. [00:16:10] And that was always the anxiety. But people like Drew were courageous enough to take the chance because they knew we needed to know the answer to this. And of course, when you compare it to the risk of getting cancer, taking an aspirin is a relatively small risk. [00:16:26] Sharon: So, what were your kind of considerations when you were designing the trial, having that knowledge? [00:16:32] John: Well, the first thing is it has to be fully informed consent, which means that you have to explain to people what that risk is. The important thing about aspirin is that doctors have a much worse opinion of it than it deserves because if you work in a hospital, you'll often see people coming in who've had a bleed. [00:16:48] It's not always caused by the aspirin. The thing is, if you're coming with a bleed and you're on aspirin, everyone blames the aspirin. Right. About half of them would've happened anyway. In fact, the, the irritation of the stomach is much more of a problem in older people So in fact, the average age of the people in CaPP2 and CaPP3 was about 45, 46 when they started. [00:17:08] Drew was a little bit older, but, but people in that sort of middle age group are much, much less likely to get into trouble than people in their 70s and 80s. And it's people also who've had a history of ulcers that have a bigger problem. We also knew that if you had a stomach infection called H. Pylori, which is itself a risk factor for cancer, and about one in six people carry that bug, and we knew that if we fixed that with antibiotics, that would significantly reduce the risk of bleeding as well. [00:17:37] So it was a manageable risk. It was something we could share with people. They knew they were taking a bit of a chance. But actually a good way of putting it in terms of the risk, for people in middle age, the risk of a low dose of aspirin is about the same as the risk of having a colonoscopy, which is very small, but it isn't completely without risk. [00:17:56] Sharon: Yeah, and Drew, kind of like hearing this sort of incredible, like, backstory about how we've got to these trials and where we are today What was your experience like as a kind of participant of this trial? [00:18:08] Drew: I understood I was going to be on 100, 300, or 600, but wouldn't know for at least three years, or was it five years? I can't remember. [00:18:15] And then sometime later in the post we got these packs, and it was ... I remember at the time thinking it was like a rather dull advent calendar - ... in that you'd have the days of the week- ... with the little, with the little windows, and you'd, you'd pop the tablets out three times a day and take them. [00:18:31] So I did that. I think, you know, I, I don't think I ever missed a day or whatever. Initially, I thought I must be on a really low dose, because I didn't actually notice any side effects. You know, I remember saying to my wife, I said, "Oh, I think I must be on the lowest dose, because I don't see any side effects." [00:18:46] It was a surprise years later when I was told actually I'd been taking 600, so. [00:18:51] Sharon: Wow. [00:18:52] Drew: It was quite an easy experience really. [00:18:54] John: We had a lot of problems. We had to pack the aspirin in six-month packs, because it was very expensive to pack this stuff up. It cost... We got the aspirin free from the Bayer company, but it cost us more than a million pounds to actually put it in, in the packs to satisfy the regulations. [00:19:10] Uh, and a lot of people complained that the packs were a bit big and awkward, but that was just, you know, a constraint. But it was not that big a deal once people got into it. But we did get a lot of complaints about the size of the packets, which we couldn't do anything about that. [00:19:24] Drew: They came regularly through the post, and, you know, so every three months or whatever I got another supply, and I just carried on taking them. [00:19:30] Yeah, so. [00:19:31] Sharon: What was going through your mind when you were kind of waiting for this potential outcome, Drew? Because you, like you say, it was, you know, it was a long time taking part. What was... Especially as you were opening your, you know, your package a day, knowing exactly what you were going to get. [00:19:44] Drew: Well, I, I kind of knew it would be a long-term thing. [00:19:47] I think I was committed for five years initially. But I carried on taking the aspirin for another probably five years after that. So yeah, I was just sort of happy to take the aspirin and then sort of wait to see what the results would be. As I say, that I didn't really notice any side effects, so I wasn't really worried that it was having any detrimental effect on me. [00:20:09] So I was curious to see what the, what the results would be. [00:20:12] Sharon: Yeah. John, the trial has provided like the evidence that, you know, low-dose aspirin can prevent bowel cancer. But are there any challenges that still exist with translating this research into clinic and ultimately patient care? [00:20:26] John: Well, yes, and I'm going to hand back to Katie, who's actually leading the charge on, on getting it into practice as well. [00:20:32] But just to say that I, I'm actually now literally on my other computer finalising my bid to go back to Cancer Research UK because we want to go for three more years. Wow. We said that we would follow people for 10 years after they'd finished their ... or after they'd started, so, you know, for at least 10 years. [00:20:50] So the last person to join didn't finish until 2024, so we won't get to that person. It's Robin and one of my patients. We won't get to Robin's 10-year anniversary until 2029. Oh, yeah. By which time, obviously, Drew will be even further on. But that will give us at least 10 years of follow-up because we know that there is this delayed effect, and that was seen right back at the beginning when people looked, for example, the nurses study in America, where they followed 86,000 nurses and just asked them if they took aspirin. [00:21:18] And nothing happened for 10 years, but those who were taking aspirin for more than 10 years saw a benefit. So in the general population, it probably takes that long to kick in. And so we need to keep going for just a while longer. It's not as expensive now because we're not giving people aspirin anymore. [00:21:33] Sharon: Yeah. [00:21:34] John: But one of the reasons we g- we made Drew's dose blind was because we wanted to know what the side effects would be when you didn't know how much you were getting There's a danger if you're getting a higher dose, you're more likely to complain. And actually, it did work out that the people on the lowest dose had the fewest side effects, even slight side effects. [00:21:51] The only thing we can't escape from is if you're taking aspirin, you get bruising more easily because it blocks the platelets, which are the little tiny blood cells which plug up little holes in your blood vessels when they leak. The good news is we now know that platelets turn out to be right, a major factor in triggering cancer. [00:22:09] And so the aspirin, by blocking the platelets, is actually reducing the risk of cancer, but also reducing the risk of cancer spreading in the body. So this is new research, and we've got another big research project in collaboration with a team in Cambridge who are, uh, pursuing this. Also, the other exciting news is that my other partner, Ruth Langley, is running a big trial of people with cancer, and those who are given aspirin as part of their treatment have less likelihood of getting spreading cancer later on. [00:22:39] So the aspirin is clearly doing something good at many levels in the system. Surprisingly, and we think it might be partly, partly because we used to have a lot of salicylate in our diet, which is what aspirin's made from. And we think that maybe we're putting back something that the body actually was used to having. [00:22:57] Yeah. But modern diets don't contain any, any salicylate because of the way we prepare our food. So it may well be that a little bit of aspirin's a good thing for everybody, but obviously, that's a choice that each person will have to make. [00:23:09] Sharon: Yeah. I mean, it's a real powerhouse of a, of a drug essentially, which you're finding out more about its benefits as, uh, as research goes on. [00:23:18] So Katie, can you just give us a bit of a broad overview of Genomics England's new adults program, which is kind of looking at this sort of area of work and, and what, how can it benefit people? [00:23:29] Katie: Yeah. Thank you, Sharon. So, the adults programme at Genomics England is being funded by government, and the government wrote about it in the 10-year NHS Health Plan, the Life Science Sector Plan to run a large-scale genomics population study. [00:23:44] So looking at how we can obtain genetic information from people in the population and look at more proactive and preventative healthcare, and can we generate evidence on where, how, and why the NHS should start applying genomics into kind of more population health measures. So, there's sort of two sides to this. [00:24:05] So the first is thinking about pharmacogenomics, which is basically about how genetic factors influence how we respond to drugs. So lots of people have had experiences of having side effects from drugs, we've just been talking about that with aspirin, or for drugs not working so well for them. And we know that there are certain drugs that genetic factors can influence whether you should take the drug at all, or if you do, what dose you should take, whether it's going to work for you or not, whether you might be more likely to get side effects or adverse reactions. [00:24:34] So part of the programme's looking at that. And then the other half of the programme will be looking at sort of is, are the genetic factors relevant for sort of serious and high-risk conditions in the adult population? So we could take bowel cancer as an example of that, a common condition, breast cancer, you know, common cancers or cardiovascular disease. [00:24:58] We know there are certain genetic factors for some people that have significantly increased their chance of developing those serious adult onset conditions. Can we find those people in the population and then put measures in place to prevent that? So, you know, even just thinking about Drew's story, he didn't have a family history of cancer. [00:25:16] The first time that he knew he had Lynch syndrome, he'd already developed bowel cancer. And we know that many people that have Lynch syndrome or other high-risk cancer genes are unaware of their status in the population, and so, um, the idea of this program is to really look at, well, if we were to, to look for some of these very high-risk genes in the general population, could we then put measures in place to reduce the chance of them developing the serious condition as a consequence? [00:25:44] So instead of Drew presenting with his bowel cancer, we'd actually already picked it up, despite the fact he doesn't have a family history, and we'd offered him, let's say, aspirin if we'd known the information at the time, and we could maybe have prevented him from developing bowel cancer. [00:25:58] So it's really exploring looking at that a little bit more. [00:26:02] Where can we get genetic information in the population? Where might there be a really well-evidenced, like all the work John's done over 40 years, is really well-evidenced now. Yeah. Yeah. Where are there these opportunities for us to turn the dial on some of these common adult onset conditions? [00:26:20] Sharon: What other challenges do you think with getting this out there do you see? [00:26:25] Katie: Uh, I think there's, there's lots of challenges. I think it's a really com- ... complex programme of work. The first thing is that the risks might be different for people in a population than have a family history. So where I've worked for, for years, and John as well in, in clinical genetics, we've seen the highest risk people, the people with lots and lots of cancer in their family because they're the people that are presented to healthcare services. So we've worked out the risks based on that population. It will be really different when we move to the population setting. We'll find fewer people, and the risks might be lower because there might be other factors that are giving them a lower risk. But that's not to say the risk is zero. [00:27:05] It's probably still raised. So then what we need to do is we need to consider, okay, well, what can we do to intervene, taking into account this change of context from people that we found through clinical services to people that we see in the population. And aspirin is a great example of this. [00:27:22] So, you know, if we find that someone has a Lynch syndrome gene, then taking aspirin, unless there's a really good reason for them not to take aspirin, is almost certainly going to be low cost to the NHS and really significantly reduce the chance of them developing bowel cancer with a low risk profile. So where are those opportunities? [00:27:41] And that isn't clear cut, and that's why we need a large scale research programme that can try to help the NHS answer some of those questions, so it can decide how best to spend its money in, in the people that are most likely to benefit from it with the least amount of risk or harm to them. [00:27:58] Sharon: That makes sense. And, and so, you know, going to you, Drew, what are your kind of thoughts on some of the challenges that Katie's highlighted? And is there anything else that you think needs to be improved in better supporting people living with inherited risk of cancer in the future? [00:28:14] Drew: In the brief sort of 10, 15 years or whatever since I've been s- suffering, awareness has increased greatly. [00:28:21] I mean, for example, my GP now knows about Lynch syndrome, whereas I don't think she did when I was first diagnosed, and I think there is a little bit more awareness out there, but I still think it's a lot less than there would be for, say, for breast cancer. So for example, when a high-profile personality reveals they've got breast cancer, you often get information about inherited risks. [00:28:44] You don't seem to get that with colon cancer. You know, when it's announced that so-and-so has died or is whatever, you don't get that same, you know, it, it might be a genetic thing. I mean, when I was first told people that I had bowel cancer, the response I got usually was, "Oh, poor diet, was it?" [00:29:04] And I always felt a bit upset, that, you know, actually my diet was fairly healthy. And that was the assumption that people had. So I think anything that gets the message out there that there is a risk, an inherited risk, I'm not sure what the statistics are now, Katie, is it one in 400 people might be a Lynch syndrome carrier or something like that? [00:29:24] You know, it's relatively high for something that is, if you know in advance you're at risk, you can do something about it. But like me, you know, I waited until it was too late, because I didn't know, and then had to have the surgery, so anything that promotes the message that there is a risk. I know some people don't want to know about their genetic makeup. Obviously, that's a choice. But I think to give people, as many people as possible, the choice must be a good thing. [00:29:54] Sharon: Yeah, absolutely. And I think one thing I've noticed through this thread is the sort of theme of funding and what gets funding and the amount of time it takes to, to kind of get that funding. [00:30:05] Is there anything you wanted to add around the kind of funding model, around why some things get funded, you know, uh, more prominent, like Drew's point, obviously, talks about if someone high profile kind of comes forward and says XYZ, that gets the spotlight shone on it, and there might be research going that direction compared to s- to, to other cancers. [00:30:23] John: So maybe I could speak at that. So partly because of my experience, I've now been made chairman of the grant committee at Cancer Research UK for prevention and population research. And there is a real drive to push more resource into prevention for the obvious reasons. [00:30:39] Katie: Yeah. [00:30:39] John: And also, it's got to be remembered, it's very difficult for the drug companies to fund this because it takes such a long time that the drug's- Mm [00:30:46] out of its patent before they actually get to use it. So, it's very difficult from a business point of view to fund research into prevention. But they are keen to help us, uh, but we really need sort of central government and the charities to focus on prevention if it's going to make a difference. [00:31:02] And just on Drew's point on diet, I mean, diet is still important even if you have Lynch syndrome. In our CaPP2 trial, the people who were overweight were more than double the risk of cancer. So it's not like an either/or. If you've got a higher genetic risk and you have a bad diet, then that's, you know, is going to contribute. [00:31:21] But the other exciting thing is, of course, we now have medical ways of treating obesity in, in people. So, one of the interesting areas is whether we should be, in the same way as we are for other high-risk populations with overweight, we should be giving overweight people with Lynch syndrome, help to lose weight because that will also reduce their risk. [00:31:41] It's also worth just dropping in at the last moment here is that this is also a good news story in terms of treatment and further prevention. We now have a new class of drugs called immune checkpoint inhibitors, which specifically target the types of cancer that Drew had and are much more effective in curing them And also, we've just been given funding to do a project called LynchVax, which I'll be helping with, but it's led by David Church in Oxford. [00:32:05] And this is developing a vaccine against cancers in people with Lynch syndrome. The great news is it'll probably work alongside aspirin because we know the aspirin is enhancing the immune response. So the two together may make this a curable condition. [00:32:18] Sharon: That's actually incredible. I mean, that, it gives so much hope for people. [00:32:23] And I just wanted to find out if you had any more kind of reflections as we close, because we're going to come to the end of our podcast today. If there's anything more that you wanted to share, anything that has been missed, or anything that you want our listeners to know, and I think I'm gonna come to you, Drew, first, because you're the person who's had to sort of live through this and, and go through this journey along the way. [00:32:41] Drew: I think just basically, if you're not sure, get tested. Obviously, there are financial constraints. I'm sure that running a DNA test is quite an expensive business. But I think if you've got any history of bowel cancer in the family, you've got any concerns about your health, speak to a GP and see if you can get tested as quickly as possible. [00:33:00] And then, to get a better message out there that there are risks of inherited colon and other similar cancers, so. [00:33:11] Sharon: Yeah, so it's getting that, messaging out, um, for people to understand more and make those informed choices. And Katie? [00:33:18] Katie: I mean, I would say that the power of, of our, you know, NHS and our academia and, and our healthcare system has been collaboration. [00:33:26] Sharon: Yeah. [00:33:27] Katie: There's so many moving parts. There's commissioners, there's funding, there's the evidence, there's research, there's healthcare implementation. The UK's a really amazing place to work in genomic medicine, and I think that's partly because of the amazing collaborations that we have, and the way that we can translate research into healthcare as John's team have done with this amazing study. [00:33:48] So let's all keep working together, please. [00:33:52] Sharon: Absolutely. And John, it feels like this is your lifetime's work. [00:33:58] John: Well, I've become aspirin man, it wasn't intended. But Katie's done fantastic work in her role as chair of the Cancer Genetics Group in the UK, so we've now implemented a, [00:34:06] we're the first in the world to really make this an absolute directive to the GPs and all, to all doctors to say, "People with Lynch syndrome need to be offered aspirin." And so that's a great step forward. But we also need to get it into the British National Formulary, and I'm working with their team so that the GPs are empowered to do this. [00:34:24] It's actually part of their care package. But I would just say we've still got a long way to go. We've now got a national list of all the people with Lynch syndrome, like Drew, to make sure we offer them all a colonoscopy, but there are only 14,000 people after several years of really pushing. [00:34:40] Sharon: Right. [00:34:40] John: We think in the national population in all ages, it's about 1 in 300. That's a lot of people. That means there's about 150,000 people like Drew in the country, and we've only found 10% of them. So we can't just rely on family history for all the reasons Drew explained. You know, I mean, Drew's dad probably died of Lynch syndrome, but we don't know because we've lost that record. [00:35:02] So now we're checking every bowel cancer to see if it might be caused by Lynch, and that programme is now kicking in, and we're picking up a lot more gene carriers as a result of that. But there's still a long way to go to get co- get people aware of Lynch syndrome, to think of it when someone presents with a cancer, not just of the bowel, but in the womb, in the kidney, in other parts of the body. [00:35:23] It's not just the bowel, but that's the most important group. [00:35:26] Sharon: Yeah. [00:35:26] John: So there's still a long way to go. [00:35:28] Sharon: Where you've come to now is still an incredible achievement, even though we've still got a long way to go, and I don't think we should ever lose sight of that. So we're going to wrap it up there. Thank you to our guests, Katie Snape, Professor Sir John Burn, and Drew Hyde, for joining me today as we discuss cancer prevention. [00:35:48] If you'd like to hear more like this, please subscribe to Behind the Genes on your favourite podcast app, and thank you for listening. I've been your host, Sharon Jones, and Behind the Genes is produced by Deanna Barac, Florence Cornish, Sophie McLachlan, and Dave Howard at Bespoken Media.  

High on a hillside above the River Esk in Cumbria stands one of the oldest occupied houses in England. Muncaster Castle has been home to the Pennington family for over 800 years. A king once sheltered here after losing his throne. A cruel jester named Tom Fool once stalked its grounds. A young carpenter was beheaded in its stables. A housemaid was murdered on the road outside its main gate. And in a quiet room at the end of a first floor corridor, where dark tapestries hang from the walls and iron fire dogs shaped like devils' heads guard the fireplace, an academic named James Cartland heard something in 1988 that he would never be able to explain. The sound of a child crying. The soft voice of a woman singing. And the slow realisation that the room he was sleeping in had once been a nursery, where a little girl had died over a century before.Become a Patreon or Apple + subscriber now for ealry and ad free access from as little as $1.69 a week. All the details hereSubscribe to Crime at Bedtimes Youtube channel HERE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sheila Dillon heads out on the highway to investigate the world of food at motorway service stations. Historically they have been a place viewed as a functional stop-off for a "tea and a pee" and often maligned for the quality of their food. Motorway services enthusiast Dr David Lawrence from Kingston University talks through a short history of the Great British service station from Watford Gap and Newport Pagnell in 1959 through to present day.AA President Edmund King briefs Sheila on how his membership views motorway service food and Robin Markwell reports on the opinions of lorry drivers from Chippenham Pit Stop on the M4 in Wiltshire where more healthy eating options are now appearing on the menu. Dan Sutton from Roadchef - one of the largest motorway service operators - also gives his thoughts on what the British motorist is looking for when wanting to be fed on the motorway and argues that familiarity of brands is key.Sheila takes a trip to Tebay Services on the M6 in Cumbria to understand a different way of providing motorway service food. She meets the Dunnings family who have since opened services at Gloucester, Cairns Lodge in Lanarkshire and will soon open another at Tatton in Cheshire. Their ethos includes an emphasis on locally sourced, homecooked food. Sheila meets with their coffee and bread suppliers as well as touring their farm to understand how service areas might also be an engine for the local economy.Produced by Robin Markwell in Bristol for BBC Audio.

We experienced some major connectivity issues this week which has unfortunately resulted in some video problems. We've tried to resolve this as best we can in the final edit and apologise for the inconvenience.Our Special Guest this week is Rebecca Phillips, Chief Planning Inspector at the Planning Inspectorate. Rebecca has held the role on an interim basis since March 2025, during which time she has led work to enhance and systemise inspector learning and development. She has also collaborated closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and other stakeholders on significant reforms to the planning system, including the draft new National Planning Policy Framework and new approaches to local and strategic planning.Latest News Update on planning related matters.A High Court Decision between North Somerset District Council and the Secretary of State requesting to allow an appeal by Persimmon Homes to be granted outline planning permission for 190 homes on land at Rectory Farm in Yatton.A High Court Decision involving Thomas Armstrong Aggregates Ltd and the Secretary of State in an application under paragraph 9, Schedule 13 of the Environment Act 1995 (EA 1995). The application concerned a site at High Close Quarry, Plumbland, Cumbria.An Appeal Decision to uphold Thurrock Council's decision to refuse a request by a housing developer to modify a Section 106 agreement. The developer sought to revise-down education and affordable housing commitments arguing the obligations were impacting on the viability of the scheme. The cases centre of Section 106B of the TCPA 1990 but also raised important procedural issues about the process.Visit our Website:⁠⁠⁠⁠hwgpnfy.com

Send us Fan MailIn this fascinating episode, we sit down with renowned homeopath and author Ian Watson to explore his journey from practicing homeopathy to teaching The Three Principles, a transformative understanding of mental and emotional well-being.Ian Watson began studying homeopathy, herbs and flower essences as a teenager in the mid 1970's. He subsequently trained and graduated from the College of Homeopathy in London in 1988. He ran a busy group practice in Cumbria for many years and became established as a lecturer at various homeopathic schools in the UK and overseas. He co-founded The Lakeland College of Homeopathy in 1993 and was the college director until 2003. He wrote and published four books including A Guide to the Methodologies of Homeopathy and The Tao of Homeopathy.Ian has had a lifelong interest in personal transformation, and he studied and practiced a wide variety of psychological and emotional healing disciplines from 2002 onwards. In 2011 he was introduced to the Three Principles paradigm discovered by Sydney Banks which is revolutionizing the field of mental health; this simple understanding has been a foundational aspect of his work ever since.In 2013, Ian founded The Insight Space as a vehicle for his educational and training programs. Whilst no longer offering individual homeopathic consultations, Ian continues to support and mentor homeopathic students and practitioners in being more effective and learning how to practice with ease, enjoyment and confidence. Ian was particularly inspired in his homeopathic approach by his friend and teacher Dr. Robin Murphy. In this fascinating episode, Ian shares how years in clinical practice eventually led him to seek a deeper understanding of human suffering and healing. Through the work of Sydney Banks and The Three Principles, he discovered a new perspective: that our experience of life is created through thought, and that beneath our thinking lies an innate wisdom available to all of us.We also dive into:✨ Why the practitioner's presence may be just as important as the remedy✨ Reimagining miasms as opportunities for growth rather than inherited burdens✨ The cancer miasm and the journey toward authenticity and individuality✨ How flower essences elevate consciousness and complement homeopathy✨ Why healing often unfolds in spirals, revisiting familiar themes at deeper levels✨ The role of intuition and learning to trust your own inner guidance✨ Ian's transition away from professional homeopathy and what led him there✨ His upcoming book on mental health and why true mental health is so much more than the absence of illnessThis conversation bridges homeopathy, consciousness, emotional healing, and the power of human connection, offering a fresh perspective on what it really means to heal.Connect with Ian:www.theinsightspace.comwww.ianwatsondownloads.comSupport the showFind Heather:Book with HeatherHeather's Free Product Guide with Discount CodesHeather's Instagram Find Vanessa:Vanessa's Instagram Vanessa's Website Free Product Guide with Discount CodesFree Homeopathy at Home Guide 

A ceasefire deal has been announced in the Middle East, but it's too early to know if it will be permanent. On the AUKUS front, the UK Defence Secretary John Healey resigned last week in the middle of a visit by his Australian counterpart, Richard Marles. Whoops! While his resignation was not directly over AUKUS, it is connected to it because Mr Healey does not believe the UK is spending nearly enough on defence capabilities - and those include nuclear powered submarines.The UK industrial base is in such poor shape that - once again - no Astute class SSNs can go to sea because they are awaiting maintenance. One of those is HMS Anson, which made a visit to Australia in February that was nothing more than a publicity stunt. Anson started experiencing problems - possibly with reactor piping issues - and is now out of service for an unknown period of time. You won't hear about that from the Australian government. The Royal Navy surface fleet is not in much better shape.UK submarine construction happens at Barrow in Cumbria. Many Australian journalists have expressed an interest in visiting the yard, but all have been rejected for completely bogus security reasons. The real reason is because the town of Barrow is without any redeeming features, meaning the recruitment of an additional 10,000 workers to build SSN AUKUS looks like a pipe dream - and the main construction hall at the yard was probably badly damaged by a fire in 2024.Finally, Ukraine is scoring noticeable battlefield success against Russia. The Australian government needs to get off its backside and sign a security treaty with Kyiv - a process that has been stalled for at least a year due to the indifference of our politicians. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Department for Envrionment Food and Rural Affairs has announced how much money it's making available to farmers in England through the Sustainable Farming Incentive - or SFI - for 2026. It's something farmers and environmental organisations have been keenly anticipating. There's a total budget of £240 million pounds., with the first application opening later this month. The SFI is the DEFRA ‘public money for public goods' scheme that pays for farming in ways that protect and benefit the environment, support food production and improve productivity. Some farming and conservation groups say the budget isn't big enough.And all this week we're talking about growing cereals, things like grain and oats. The latest figures just out from the industry body the AHDB, that's the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, show that UK farmers are growing less barley than they have for the last 16 years, while oilseed rape and wheat have climbed back from last year's lows. The Eden Valley in Cumbria is possibly better known for its livestock than its crops. But over the past couple of years, father and son Thomas and Harry Ewbank have been bucking that trend. Guided by local agronomist, Steven Gate, they've abandoned ploughing in favour of what's called ‘one-pass drilling', and they've expanded their range of crops to maximise yields and increase sustainability.Presented by Caz Graham and produced for BBC Audio Bristol by Sally Challoner.

In this episode, Jade Clifford from iCan Wellbeing Group joins us to discuss ADHD in the workplace and how employers can create environments where neurodivergent employees can thrive. We explore Jade's personal experiences of living and working with ADHD, the challenges and strengths that can come with it, and practical ways organisations can provide meaningful support.

EnergyPathways CEO Ben Clube joined Steve Darling from Proactive to announce two significant developments for the company's flagship Marram Energy Storage Hub (MESH) project, including a strategic collaboration agreement with Associated British Ports (ABP) and confirmation that its wholly owned subsidiary, EnergyPathways Irish Sea Limited, is set to be awarded a Gas Storage Licence (GSL) by the North Sea Transition Authority. Clube described the announcements as major steps forward in advancing what is expected to become Britain's largest integrated energy storage project. Designated a project of “national significance” by the UK Government, MESH is designed to strengthen the country's energy security, support the transition to cleaner energy sources, and help reduce long-term energy costs for consumers and industry. The collaboration agreement with ABP, the UK's largest ports group, will see the two companies jointly evaluate the Port of Barrow in Cumbria as a potential location for critical onshore infrastructure supporting the MESH development. Located in the Irish Sea and connected to Barrow-in-Furness, the project combines compressed air energy storage (CAES) with large-scale natural gas and hydrogen storage, utilizing offshore salt cavern infrastructure to create a highly scalable and cost-effective energy storage solution. Under the agreement, EnergyPathways and ABP will assess the feasibility of developing a range of facilities at the Port of Barrow, including a CAES operations base, natural gas and hydrogen storage operations centres, and key connection infrastructure linking offshore storage assets to onshore energy networks. These facilities are expected to play a central role in supporting future project operations and ensuring efficient integration with the UK's energy system. Alongside the ABP partnership, EnergyPathways announced that EnergyPathways Irish Sea Limited is expected to receive a Gas Storage Licence from the North Sea Transition Authority. The licence covers a substantial offshore area capable of supporting the development of up to 60 large-scale salt storage caverns, providing the potential for multi-terawatt-hour energy storage capacity. Management believes the licence represents a critical regulatory milestone for MESH, reinforcing the project's strategic importance within the UK's future energy infrastructure. The large-scale storage capacity could support not only natural gas storage but also future hydrogen storage and compressed air energy storage applications, helping address intermittency challenges associated with renewable energy generation while improving long-term energy resilience. Subject to the necessary approvals and financing, EnergyPathways is targeting MESH to enter operation in 2031. The company believes the project has the potential to become one of Europe's most important integrated energy storage developments, providing critical infrastructure to support decarbonization, energy security, and industrial growth for decades to come. #proactiveinvestors #energypathways #aim #epp #energy #MESH #EnergyStorage #Hydrogen #CompressedAirEnergyStorage #CleanEnergy #UKEnergy #EnergySecurity #AssociatedBritishPorts #RenewableEnergy

It's been unseasonably hot over the last few days across much of the UK. Extreme heat means extra concerns for livestock farmers. The Irish government has issued guidance advising farmers not to transport animals in the hottest part of the day, and vets and farmers will be looking out for symptoms of heat stress in all livestock. We visit a dairy farmer in Cumbria to find out how his herd is faring.Farmers in the east of England say they'll have to start reviewing the way they plant crops after one of their driest Aprils on record. Crops already planted are struggling and this current hot spell is making matters worse. We visit an arable farmer in Lincolnshire whose crops are suffering because of the weather.All week we are looking at local food systems - alternatives to big supply chains and supermarkets. Lauriston agro-ecology farm, just north of Edinburgh, covers a hundred acres and is run by a workers' cooperative. It describes itself as an urban farm growing food for people and wildlife and claims to be Scotland's largest community supported agricultural enterprise. Producer: Rebecca Rooney Presenter: Caz Graham

The UK's Low Level Waste Repository in Cumbria in the North West of England has been operating for nearly seven decades, so probably for longer than any other such facility anywhere. During that time things have changed from a "tip and tumble" typical landfill disposal system, to today's approach with containerised waste and engineered vaults.Nuclear Waste Services' Director of Sites and Operations, Mike Pigott, and Head of Waste Services Howard Falconer, explain the history of the site, how its operations have changed and its plans for the future - including an update on the prospects for a deep geological disposal facility.The Low Level Waste Repository's role is to ensure that low-level waste generated in the UK is disposed of in a way that protects people and the environment. The repository site receives low-level solid waste from a range of customers, such as the nuclear industry, the Ministry of Defence, non-nuclear industries, educational, medical and research establishments. Legacy disposal trenches and vaults are now full and ready for permanent closure.Pigott outlines progress on the capping of the original parts of the giant site, which aims to make what began as initially a temporary disposal facility, a permanent - and environmentally safe - place for the low level waste. Falconer outlines the sustainability steps taken to reduce the amount of low level radioactive waste. For instance, reusing material from decommissioning projects in new-build constructions. The result is that there are still many decades-worth of capacity at the site.Key links to find out more:World Nuclear NewsNuclear Waste ServicesCapping of UK repository progressesEmail newsletter:Sign up to the World Nuclear News daily or weekly news round-upsContact info:alex.hunt@world-nuclear.orgEpisode credit:  Presenter Alex Hunt. Co-produced and mixed by Pixelkisser Production

In this episode, we sit down with Alasdair Lumsden, co-founder of Carbon Neutral Fuels, to explore how taking a screwdriver to a VCR led to his time in tech entrepreneurship, which eventually ended up in the world of sustainable aviation fuel. Alasdair walks us through the company's Power-to-Liquid e-SAF project, Project Starling — a commercial-scale facility planned for Workington, Cumbria, targeting 25,000 tonnes per year of SAF by 2031.We dig into the nuts and bolts of CNF's technology stack — solid oxide electrolysis (with Topsoe), Fischer-Tropsch synthesis (Johnson Matthey's FT CANS process), and upgrading technology (Honeywell UOP) — and how CNF is integrating waste heat recovery to improve efficiency and unit economics. Alasdair also explains the decision to skip the demo phase and go straight to commercial scale, why their CO2 sourcing strategy shifted from 100% direct air capture to a mix of biogenic sources, and how they secured a 2031 grid connection date by choosing Cumbria over more traditional industrial sites.On the commercial side, Alasdair discusses how CNF has raised over £11 million to date — including £7.4 million from the UK Advanced Fuels Fund across two rounds — and is now mid-way through a £24 million Series A, targeting patient capital and strategic investors. We also cover offtake strategy, the Revenue Certainty Mechanism, the hydrogen policy disconnect, and why Alasdair sees the UK's DFT as a genuine competitive advantage for SAF developers looking to de-risk before expanding internationally.

What was supposed to be a late-night drive to the hospital turned into a delivery room on wheels. This week on The Ebone Zone, we break down the unbelievable story of a mother in Cumbria who gave birth to her daughter while riding in the passenger seat of a speeding BMW through flooded roads. With contractions escalating, panic setting in, and the hospital still minutes away, the baby arrived before they could even pull over. From the chaos inside the car to the aftermath of one of the most intense childbirth stories you'll ever hear, this episode explores how quickly life can change when there's no time left for a plan. We also get into the reactions surrounding the story, the pressure of emergency moments, and why some real-life events sound more unbelievable than fiction. This Week's Featured Hashtag#IRewardMyselfByOther Interesting ThingsListen to “A Baby, A Parking Lot and a Promise” Send a text to The Ebone Zone! Support the showIf you have questions or comments email ebonezonepodcast@yahoo.com Follow the Ebone Zone on Twitter: https://twitter.com/OfficialEBZLike the Ebone Zone on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ebonezoneofficial/Visit www.ebonezone.com for more content!

In this special episode of The Outdoors Fix to mark the end of the current run of conversations, I wanted to pick out my highlights from the past year. I've had so much fun heading out to record conversations in all sorts of outdoor places — from a hillside in the Howgill Fells in Cumbria, to a reservoir on the edge of Greater Manchester, to a valley in Eryri — or Snowdonia — and a woodland in London. Along the way, I've met some extraordinary people whose lives have been profoundly shaped by the outdoors, and who are now encouraging and enabling others to experience nature too. So, I've gone back through the archive and picked out some of my favourite moments from the past year — as well as the conversations that have had the biggest impact on me personally in making the outdoors a bigger part of my own life. I've also shared a few behind-the-scenes stories along the way. I really hope you enjoy this special episode — and don't forget to stay tuned for the Sounds of Nature moment at the end of the episode: a small pocket of calm to help you pause, unwind and breathe in the outdoors, wherever you are. I'll be sharing some new episodes with you in the not too distant future, but in the meantime, if you know someone who'd be a great guest, let me know! Thanks again for listening, Liv x The Outdoors Fix is a podcast produced and hosted by Liv Bolton @liv_outsideuk This episode of The Outdoors Fix is kindly supported by outdoor footwear brand Merrell. If you enjoy this episode, it would fantastic if you could subscribe. And do tell your family and friends about it - thank you! You can find photos of the guests on Instagram @TheOutdoorsFix The Outdoors Fix book is out now: http://bit.ly/3GJDLJc The post Liv's highlights from the past year of The Outdoors Fix podcast appeared first on The Outdoors Fix.

Too many animals are getting arrested. Humans Holler Patreon: https://patreon.com/humanshollerJane's Stuffs: https://linktr.ee/janeiac Jane's Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/StonedMonkeyRadio/posts Alice's Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/icecreamwitch_Alice's Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/icecreamwitch.bsky.socialStories UsedJanehttps://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2026/04/22/Cumbia-Nature-Festival-naturalists-naturists-nudists/3071776872855/ https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2026/04/21/finland-Finnish-Air-Force-cadet-pilots-draw-genitalia/7461776784445/ Alice(Optional: More emus being arrested)  https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2026/04/25/odd-news-nashville-emu-escaped/6241777142764/(Optional: Alligator gets arrested) https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2026/04/24/West-Palm-Beach-alligator-parking-lot-Florida/7041777048169/ Laurenhttps://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2026/04/21/bear-tree-Albany-New-York/3141776793580/ https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2026/04/21/scotland-llama-pygmy-goats-escape-block-traffic/1711776785908/

This week, food and environmental groups call for a ban on pre-harvest glyphosate use. We look at the alternatives – and whether this could be the thin end of the wedge. We also hear why farm leaders are pushing back against proposals to extend environmental permitting to beef and dairy farms. Plus, has the beef bubble burst? AHDB analyst Hannah Clarke explains why cattle prices have eased – and Hugh Broom looks at what could happen next. And finally, we visit Whins Farm in Cumbria, where the Addington Fund is offering a rare starter farm tenancy for a new entrant. In this episode:0:00 Pre-harvest glyphosate: should it be banned?11:02 Environmental permitting for beef and dairy20:23 Farm update, silage and maize drilling22:51 Women in Agriculture Awards24:08 Beef prices: has the market turned?34:10 Markets with Hugh Broom36:05 Starter farm tenancy at Whins Farm, Cumbria This week’s guests:Martin Lines, Nature Friendly Farming NetworkPaul Tompkins, NFU deputy presidentHannah Clarke, AHDB lead analystSimon Mountjoy, Addington Fund Useful links:Women in Agriculture NetworkAddington Fund Whins Farm tenancy detailsGSC Grays tenancy application detailsFarmers Weekly markets data This episode of the Farmers Weekly Podcast is co-hosted by Johann Tasker, Abi Kay and Hugh Broom. Edited and produced by Johann Tasker. Contact or follow Johann: linkedin.com/in/johanntasker/ Contact or follow Abi: linkedin.com/in/abi-kay-38927130/ Contact or follow Hugh: linkedin.com/in/hugh-broom-9b11906a/ For Farmers Weekly, visit fwi.co.uk or follow linkedin.com/company/farmers-weekly To contact, sponsor or advertise on the Farmers Weekly Podcast, email podcast@fwi.co.uk. In the UK, you can also text the word FARM followed by your message to 88 44 0. We'd love to hear from you.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What happens when you follow a decades-long love affair with a place all the way to its shores? Victoria Bennett did exactly that, uprooting her life in Cumbria to start afresh on the windswept islands of Orkney — new garden, new climate, and an inspiring vision for a community apothecary space rooted in creativity, care, and the land itself. Benny's Insect of the Week: Orange-tip Butterly With thanks to our sponsor  - roastinghouse.co.uk. get 25% extra free if you mention Roots and All or the insect of the week in the comments box at checkout.  Links Author Website Victoria Bennett — Official Author Site  Books The Apothecary by the Sea — Waterstones  All My Wild Mothers — Amazon author page Instagram — @beewyld Please support the podcast on Patreon And follow Roots and All: On Instagram @rootsandallpod On Facebook @rootsandalluk On LinkedIn @rootsandall If you enjoyed this week's episode with Victoria, you might also like these conversations from the archives: Episode 370: Remembering Our Nature Brigit Anna McNeill explores healing through plants, herbalism, folklore and ancestral connection — a beautiful companion to today's conversation about finding yourself through the natural world and the restorative power of putting down new roots.  Episode 368: Rooted In Purpose Robin Singh's journey from corporate life to growing his own food and living more intentionally echoes Victoria's themes of caregiving, community and choosing a life shaped by purpose rather than habit.

Adrienne Thomas, CS, from Windermere, Cumbria, EnglandFor more inspirational content from The First Church of Christ, Scientist, check out our audio landing page at christianscience.com/audio. 

Send us your Mediocre 5 Star ReviewGourmet cooking… in a tent… with Ade and Tim. What could possibly go wrong?In this week's episode, they boldly attempt to elevate their campsite cuisine from “questionable beige” to something approaching fine dining. Yes, really. Armed with questionable confidence, a few ambitious ingredients, and the usual lack of coordination, they set out to prove that even two blokes who can barely organise a brew-up might just be capable of producing something… edible. Possibly even impressive.Fresh from a brilliant trip to Cumbria with friends, they swap stories from the field, share a load of top tips for levelling up camp cooking, and reveal whether their gourmet experiment was a triumph… or politely tolerated by everyone else.Expect laughs, mild chaos, and at least one moment where things nearly went very, very wrong.If you've ever wondered whether campsite cooking can be more than just beans and burnt sausages — this one's for you.DISCLAIMER: Casual Camping Podcast accepts no liability and does not officially recommend any products or endorse any techniques discussed in an individual podcast episode or shown on Casual Camping Podcast social media accounts. Individuals should make their own informed decision and risk assessment of any products or advice prior to any purchase or useSupport the showCheck Out Our Socials:Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/1333082837320305/?_rdrInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/casualcampingpodcast/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLO9F70wD5P16dbKV20rTtwegIcBDtKY8QThreads: https://www.threads.net/@casualcampingpodcast?invite=0

Send us your Mediocre 5 Star ReviewThis week, Tim and Ade face their biggest challenge yet… fitting two full camping setups into one vehicle. No pressure.In The Great Pack Down, they're planning a Cumbria getaway and, thanks to a 4 hour car sharing journey, are forced (yes, forced) to rethink their usual “bring everything just in case” approach. With limited space and big ambitions, it's time to strip things back and figure out what you actually need for a brilliant weekend outdoors.There's plenty of debate, some surprisingly sensible decisions, and the small matter of squeezing in Ade's cooking plans—because apparently a leg of lamb is now considered “essential kit.” Think downsizing from bell tents to lighter setups, ditching fire pits, and trusting the British weather to double as a fridge… because nothing says luxury like Nature's 1°C beer chiller.Less gear, shared journey, same great adventure.DISCLAIMER: Casual Camping Podcast accepts no liability and does not officially recommend any products or endorse any techniques discussed in an individual podcast episode or shown on Casual Camping Podcast social media accounts. Individuals should make their own informed decision and risk assessment of any products or advice prior to any purchase or useSupport the showCheck Out Our Socials:Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/1333082837320305/?_rdrInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/casualcampingpodcast/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLO9F70wD5P16dbKV20rTtwegIcBDtKY8QThreads: https://www.threads.net/@casualcampingpodcast?invite=0

rWotD Episode 3276: Oxen Park Welcome to random Wiki of the Day, your journey through Wikipedia's vast and varied content, one random article at a time.The random article for Thursday, 23 April 2026, is Oxen Park.Oxen Park is a hamlet in the English county of Cumbria.Oxen Park lies on the watershed between Rusland and Colton Beck valleys in Westmorland and Furness, and is part of the greater Lake District region. The nearest town is Ulverston 7 miles (11 km) to its south. There are two former smithies (blacksmiths) here, dating from the late 17th/ early 18th century, both of which are Grade II listed buildings. The Manor House public house in Oxen Park was formerly Bank House, which was purchased by Hartleys brewery in 1933, later a Robinson's pub, and now a free house. The Reading Room (Village Hall) here was built in 1902, and underwent a major restoration in 2018/19.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 01:10 UTC on Thursday, 23 April 2026.For the full current version of the article, see Oxen Park on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @wikioftheday@masto.ai.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm neural Kendra.

Welcome back to the People's Countryside Environment Debate Podcast,  the podcast that bravely asks, “What even counts as environmental anymore?” Ever since the COVID lockdowns, you lovely people have been sending us two questions per episode, and in true professional fashion, we still refuse to look at them before hitting record. Sometimes your questions have absolutely nothing to do with the environment, but don't worry, we'll heroically drag them back to nature by the ankles. It's April, after all, the perfect month for pretending we know what we're doing.Samantha, from Cumbria, England sent in the first question - “What do you guys think of mobile phones in daily life, bearing in mind that many podcast listeners listen to you on their phones?”Stuart highlights how constant phone use distracts people from their surroundings, reducing awareness and even basic safety. William shares similar concerns, noting how absorbed individuals can miss obstacles, risks, or social moments. They argue that while digital tools are now essential, mindful use matters: Step aside to message, stay alert, and let technology serve rather than dominate. They also stress balancing innovation with sustainability as society advances.John, Charlbury, Oxfordshire, England sent the last question today - “What do you two feel about the altered and expanded bus network in Oxford City and surrounding areas?”Stuart kicks things off with, “Absolutely fantastic. If only I could actually use them,” before admitting that public transport feels like an assault course of noise, confusion, and accessibility hurdles. Still, he loves the idea of park and ride buses linking up like some utopian transport Pokémon evolution.William points out that yes, this episode is painfully local, but Oxford's expanded bus network is worth celebrating. Congestion points, bus gates, and deals with operators have magically reduced traffic enough to let more buses exist, and once Botley Road finally reopens, the routes might even make sense.Stuart then reminds us that adding buses doesn't mean people know what to do with them. He recalls a visitor who didn't even know how to buy a ticket, proving that cultural habits are harder to shift than timetables.William suggests a radical idea. If you use the bus, take someone who doesn't and show them how it works. Revolutionary stuff.Stuart notes that some people treat any change like a personal attack, so progress only happens once enough people adopt it that everyone else either joins in or sulks.William wraps up by saying you don't need half the country to reach a tipping point, about a third will do. Humans love fitting in, after all, especially when the crowd is heading in the right direction.What do you make of this discussion? Do you have a question that you'd like us to discuss? Let us know by sending an email to ⁠thepeoplescountryside@gmail.comWe like to give you an ad free experience. We also like our audience to be relatively small and engaged, we're not after numbers.This podcast's overall themes are nature, philosophy, climate, the human condition, sustainability, and social justice. Help us to spread the impact of the podcast by sharing this link with 5 friends podfollow.com/ThePeoplesCountrysideEnvironmentalDebatePodcast , support our work through Patreon patreon.com/thepeoplescountryside⁠. Find out all about the podcast via this one simple link: linktr.ee/thepeoplescountrysideSign the Petition - Improve The Oxfordshire Countryside Accessibility For All Disabilities And Abilities: change.org/ImproveTheOxfordshireCountrysideAccessibilityForAllDisabilitiesAndAbilities

Welcome back, dear listeners, to yet another episode of the show that refuses to evolve. William insists we're living in a perpetual Groundhog Day loop, because, brace yourselves, the introduction is exactly the same every single time lately. Consistency or creative stagnation? Who can say.As always, you send in two questions per episode, and in our ongoing commitment to professionalism, we don't look at them until the moment we hit record. Why? Because we're not the go to experts. We're the go to lunatics. We're the people who willingly stick our heads above the parapet with no helmet, no plan, and absolutely no preparation.A few episodes ago, we even tried to bring Mrs. Wildman into the listener's chair. She had the audacity to suggest preparing her answers in advance, because apparently sounding “better” is a thing some people care about. But not us. No, we prefer the raw, unfiltered confusion that comes from tackling big questions with zero warning. After all, real life doesn't give you a headsup, so why should we.So buckle up. Or don't. At this point, we all know how this goes.Samantha, from Cumbria, England sets the initial question - “The head of OBR resigned in November 2025 for leaking the UK Chancellor budget statement, before she'd even stood up to deliver it. Is it right that someone who is paid a lot of money should lose their job when something goes wrong under their watch, or should they stay to sort it out? It potentially costs more to get someone new in and sort things out in other ways”.William says everyone loves chopping off the leader's head, as if that magically fixes the circus, when the real clowns are usually deeper in the tent. Stuart argues that the people who've messed up are often the only ones who know how to un‑mess it. Instead of booting leaders for every delegated disaster, maybe fix the systems. Less blame, more solutions. Radical, apparently.Scott, from Arisaig, Scotland places the next question for us today - “The cutting down of the Sycamore Gap Tree. Was the reaction going overboard? Surely we have plenty of other trees. Many of which are cut down without even a mention. We've put 2 men in prison for around 9 years in total and we have to pay for that. Isn't there a better punishment? Just playing devil's advocate?”William brings up the Sycamore Gap saga, noting everyone got mistyeyed over one tree, while he's still convinced… It was one tree. Stuart agrees, comparing it to someone trimming a garden nuisance, though he admits the two blokes who did it were probably twats anyway. Nine years in prison feels wild, and Stuart suggests punishments that actually inconvenience people. Big picture: less outrage, more fixing things. What do you make of this discussion? Do you have a question that you'd like us to discuss? Let us know by sending an email to ⁠thepeoplescountryside@gmail.comSign the Petition - Improve The Oxfordshire Countryside Accessibility For All Disabilities And Abilities: change.org/ImproveTheOxfordshireCountrysideAccessibilityForAllDisabilitiesAndAbilitiesWe like to give you an ad free experience. We also like our audience to be relatively small and engaged, we're not after numbers.This podcast's overall themes are nature, philosophy, climate, the human condition, sustainability, and social justice. Help us to spread the impact of the podcast by sharing this link with 5 friends podfollow.com/ThePeoplesCountrysideEnvironmentalDebatePodcast , support our work through Patreon patreon.com/thepeoplescountryside⁠. Find out all about the podcast via this one simple link: linktr.ee/thepeoplescountryside

In a week that has seen several wildfires break out across the country, we hear from Dr Matthew Jones, who leads a group researching wildfires across the globe. He explains to Charlotte Smith why the risk of wildfires is so high in the Spring months. We also hear from a farmer still dealing with the aftermath of wildfires last year. The impact of the Iran conflict has led to government concerns about a potential shortage of CO2 - an important ingredient in many food and drink production processes. In response, the government has awarded a £100 million pound grant to the Ensus factory at Redcar to re-start production after it was mothballed last year. The plant produces bioethanol, CO2 and animal feed from wheat and maize. However, the National Farmers' Union are concerned that “the £100m investment from government is not conditional on Ensus using British wheat”. Caz Graham speaks to Grant Pearson, the chairman of Ensus.As many farmers are continuing or starting to plant Spring crops for harvest later in the year, we hear from the AHDB about how this year's Spring cereal and oilseed drilling is progressing across the country. We also visit a project in Cumbria doing a different type of planting: using a drone to plant a crop of on wet peatland, known as Paludiculture. With fields of bright yellow oilseed rape coming into bloom across the country, one grower tells us why more farmers have been planting the crop this year compared to last. Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Jo Peacey. A BBC Audio Bristol production.

Pets can bring a huge amount of joy into our lives, but as with everything, they have an environmental impact, and in this episode we're going to dive into where that impact comes from and what we can do to reduce it.Now I'm very aware that 'sustainability' can sometimes look like being told that all of the things that you love doing, or having, are bad, and that to be truly 'sustainable' you have to stop doing all those things, and suck all the joy and happiness out of your life.That is absolutely not the case, and it's absolutely not the case for pets. This episode isn't about not having pets, it's about (as I hope all the episodes are!) understanding where the impacts are, and making 'better choices more of the time'. I've got a dog, she adds to our family's carbon footprint, but she also brings a huge amount of joy, and she gets me outside every single day.I really hope you enjoy this chat with the brilliant Laura Binnie, who is a small animal vet based in Cumbria who has been at the forefront of the sustainability movement in the veterinary profession. It's packed with hints and tips, I've summarised them all in a blog post which I've linked to in the show notes, so hopefully you'll feel more informed about the things you can do to reduce your pets carbon pawprint - enjoy!Laura Binnie LISTEN... USEFUL LINKS:Laura Binnie- Linked InVet Sustain[027] - The worlds most sustainable pet food? With Tom Neish from YoraThe evidence for environmental contamination with parasiticides in small animal practice - Vet Sustain reviewCanine Parasite Risk Assessment Tool (Vet Sustain) Feline Parasite Risk Assessment Tool (Vet Sustain)Pet Impact recycled poo bags- Poo bags 101Blog post: How to reduce your pet's carbon pawprintSustainable(ish) Clubhouse - doors opening again soon!Carbon Literacy- Carbon Literacy with me!

Farmers in the North East of England have welcomed the re-opening of the UK's only carbon dioxide production plant after 6 months of inactivity. It was mothballed last year, after the US trade deal made it unprofitable. But the war in the Middle East has led to government concerns about CO2 shortages, and they've awarded a £100 million pound grant to the Ensus bioethanol factory at Redcar to re-start production. Paludiculture is the practice of farming on wetlands, like bogs or re-wetted peatlands and fens. Defra awarded grants to 12 projects to look at growing crops in lowland peat; the UK's peatlands store 3 billion tonnes of carbon and keeping peat wet means locking it in the earth, so it's not lost as C02 contributing to global warming. The Holker Estate on the southern coast of Cumbria is one of those exploring the potential of paludiculture.And oilseed rape is having a good year.Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Bobby Gard-Storry tells us about his Wallers Way - a month long 30th birthday celebration in March 2025 in which he ran between the 26 major valleys of the Lake District, repairing a dry stone walling project each day, and sleeping out on the hills each night.Bobby has lived in Cumbria for most of his life and was introduced to the outdoors at an early age. However, it was only later that his passion for the fells and running developed, and time away in the city only strengthened his wish to live and work in the rural Lake District. He became a dry stone waller, working long hard days outside and running the fells in any spare time. He slept well. He devised his project to combine his work and hobby in a celebratory month which was more an unscripted personal interaction with the land than a traditional 'round'. Sometimes he ran and worked alone, sometimes with friends. He went to summits as the fancy took him, often seeking out routes new to him. Some farmers were perplexed by his project, but mostly they were oblivious: many of the walling repairs are in obscure and rarely visited corners of the Lakes. He camped, bivvied, slept in caves and barns. It was cold - some nights he had to get up to sprint and generate some warmth.Bobby tells us about his journey in walling and in running: how he got started and what keeps him motivated, how you can never fully know a place - there is always a different side to it, in a different season or different weather. He talks about the history of walling, the unknown wallers of hundreds of years ago, and the connection he feels to that world when hefting the same rocks, below the same fells. We talk about similarities he sees between walling and running: the flowing states of mind that can occur in both activities. The games we play and the stories we tell.Bobby's article 'The Wallers Way' can be found in Fell Runner #142 (Summer 2025), or on his website at: www.spidershankes.com Before and after photos of his 30 wall projects can be seen at: www.spidershankes.com/the-wallers-way If you want to buy me a cuppa to help support the podcast, thank you and please do at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ko-fi.com/finlaywild⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Two weeks ago, the first ever TexStyle Festival threw open its doors at Manchester Central. It was an amazing weekend of creativity, community and lots and lots of chatting! It was the idea of the mother and daughter team behind the Buxton, Cumbria & Stafford Wool Gatherings, (Michelle Greaves and her Mum, Carole) to create a bigger show encompassing other textile and fibre crafts in their home town of Manchester.It did not disappoint, it featured dozens of stands showcasing beautiful crafts and items to buy, a range of fabulous workshops, a break-out zone called ‘The Hive' where visitors could escape the busyness and just sit and chat and even work on their wips. Plus there was a Textile Talks stage hosted by yours truly which showcased some fabulous creative folk speaking on their specialist subjects. I was thrilled and very honoured to be asked to host the Textile Talks stage, and loved every minute of it. In this episode you can hear from all of the speakers who stepped up to the mic over the weekend along with other exhibitors too.My thanks to everyone who spoke to me for this episode of Making Stitches Podcast! You can find all of their websites below:Michelle Greaves from TexStyle Festival https://texstyle.uk/Sophia Gardiner - textile artist https://www.instagram.com/sophiagardinerart/?hl=enStephen West from Westknits https://www.westknits.com/ & https://www.stephenandpenelope.com/en-gbAmelia from Amelia Stitches https://ameliastitches.com/Gareth from Manchester Wool & Yarn https://manchesterwoolandyarn.com/Debbie from The Lace Knittery https://www.thelaceknittery.com/Jane Smith from Atelier Nejiribana https://www.nejiribana.co.uk/ & http://www.japaneseembroideryuk.com/Laili Cleasby from Emily Foulds https://www.emilyfoulds.com/Victoria Salmon from Another Knitted Thing https://www.anotherknittedthing.com/Tricia Bashan from Knitting & Crochet Guild https://kcguild.org.uk/Alena Ruth from Manchester Tufting Workshops https://www.tuftingworkshops.co.uk/Thank you for listening to Making Stitches Podcast!For full show notes, please visit https://makingstitchespodcast.com/To join the mailing list for the Making Stitches Newsletter, please click onto this linkThe theme music is Make You Smile by RGMusic from Melody Loops.The Making Stitches logo was designed by Neil Warburton at iamunknown.You can support Making Stitches Podcast with running costs through Ko-fi. Making Stitches  Podcast is supported by the Making Stitches Shop which offers Making Stitches Podcast merchandise for sale as well as Up the Garden Path crochet patterns created by me & illustrated by Emma Jackson

From roof to resource - The AG Show is teaming up with a project across nine farms in Cumbria that's helping farmers kit out their buildings to collect and reuse rainwater. AHDB's Beef and Lamb Engagement Manager for the North West, Karl Pendlebury, pops by to chat about what it's all about.Good job Karl's on hand too, because Hannah's attempts to join live from her parents' calving shed are… well, let's just say temperamental! Karl also talks about his role working directly with farmers - something our Chair, Emily Norton, recently dug into on the Meet the Farmers - The Big Debate podcast.And Charlotte's got the latest from the EU, where plant‑based foods might soon be banned from using labels like "fillet" or "bacon".SOME USEFUL BITS (FROM AHDB & BEYOND)Protecting the water supply for your crops | AHDBWest Cumbria Rivers Trust - Caring For West Cumbrian Rivers & LakesFarmers React to the Iran Conflict. And Does the AHDB Provide Value for Money? Big Debate ep10Plant-based brands brace for ‘chaos' after EU rule change | The GrocerGET IN TOUCHCharlotte, Hannah and Producer Martin would love to hear what you think! Got feedback, stories, or ideas for future episodes? Drop them a message at agshow@ahdb.org.uk.Sign up to the AHDB Preference Centre so that you can:Easily update your preferences and contact informationGet information on the latest AHDB events, webinars, market insights and moreReceive important updates such as disease alerts

The team sat down with Alasdair Lumsden, one half of the Carbon Neutral Fuels (CNF) founding team, and discussed CNF's plan to produce vast amounts of eSAF in the UK. About Alasdair Lumsden:Alasdair is Co-founder and Director of Carbon Neutral Fuels (CNF), a UK-based Sustainable Aviation Fuel developer. About Carbon Neutral Fuels (CNF):CNF was co-founded by Alasdair Lumsden and Sophie Zienkiewicz on the sidelines of COP26 in Glasgow in 2021. Based in the UK, CNF is endeavoring to replace liquid fossil fuels with a more sustainable alternative and developing their modular and scalable Power-to-Liquid (PtL) flagship facility called Starling, a commercial-scale eSAF facility under development in Workington, Cumbria.This facility will convert low-carbon electricity, captured carbon dioxide and water into 25,000 tonnes/year of synthetic kerosene with a 97% lifecycle GHG emissions reduction versus fossil kerosene. This is enough to deliver over 40% of the UK's mandated 2030 eSAF supply. To date, Starling has received £7.4m from the UK government.--Links:CNF site - www.carbonneutralfuels.com CNF LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/carbonneutralfuels

Met Tim Bloomer. Tim is the co-founder and sustainability director at Fell Brewery, an independent brewery based in Cumbria. He holds an MSc in Brewing & Distilling from Heriot-Watt University and was Head Brewer at Fell for many years, helping shape the brewery's beers and processes before moving into a dedicated sustainability role. Tim now leads Fell's practical, data-led decarbonisation programme. Following a full, all-scope carbon footprint analysis in 2024 with Small World Consulting, the brewery developed a clear emissions-reduction plan and has already reduced carbon intensity from 300 to 230 gCO₂e per pint since 2023, tracking towards 151 gCO₂e per pint by 2028. In this talk, recorded in Newcastle, Tim shares real-world lessons from an SME brewery: where to start, what to measure, and examples of changes that deliver results, from renewables and efficiency to supplier choices and culture change.

In this episode of the Women in Wool series, I'm joined by Kate Stalker, founder of OUBAS Knitwear.Kate runs a knitwear micro factory in the Lake District, where she designs and manufactures fully fashioned knitwear using natural fibres, including British wool. After studying knitwear at Winchester School of Art, she returned to Cumbria and started the business with a single hand flat knitting machine in her parents' utility room.Today OUBAS produces knitwear on industrial knitting machines, with everything knitted, linked and finished in house by a small team. The business combines design, manufacturing and small batch production all under one roof.If you're interested in British wool, knitwear manufacturing or what it takes to run a small clothing factory in the UK, this episode gives a real behind the scenes look at how it works.In this episode we cover:How Kate started OUBAS with one knitting machine and began selling at local markets and craft fairsWhy she chose to base the business in the Lake District rather than moving to LondonWhat it takes to run a knitwear micro factory with industrial knitting machinesWhat “linking” is and why fully fashioned knitwear is so labour intensiveHow knitwear is finished after it comes off the knitting machineThe reality of pricing knitwear when every garment takes hours to produceHow made to order production helps reduce waste and allows a wider size rangeWhy small batch knitwear manufacturing is becoming increasingly important for emerging brandsIf you care about British farming, UK manufacturing and using fibres that actually grow on our hillsides, this episode will give you a practical look at how it can be done.About OUBAS KnitwearOUBAS Knitwear is a British knitwear brand and micro factory based in the Lake District. The business produces fully fashioned knitwear using natural fibres including British wool, with garments knitted and finished in house.Alongside its own collection, OUBAS also works with other brands and designers, offering knitwear sampling, development and small batch production.You can find Kate and Oubas Knitwear at:Website: www.oubasknitwear.co.ukInstagram: @oubasknitwear

Simon in Kent and Janette in Cumbria jump right in on today's quiz...

...in which we pull up a pew at St Oswald's Church, Grasmere, for a wide-ranging chat about faith in the hills, fell-running and the day-to-day life of the rural vicar. Opening the podcast, we reflect on the personal and faith journeys that have led Lawrence Basham (rector of the Parish of Grasmere and Rydal), Charlie Day (curate of the Binsey Mission Community) and Sam Bentham (intern at Grasmere and Rydal) to the Lakes and consider the ‘no two days the same' reality of life as a vicar in rural Cumbria. Turning our attention to St Oswald's, we delve into the history of a wood-carved pulpit that links Sam Read Bookseller, a near-tragedy in the church and Greenup Edge; and consider why Grasmere Rushbearing plays such a key role in the life of the village. Disappearing down a fell-running rabbit hole, we discuss the inaugural ‘Rector's Run'; the remarkable community of those who run in the fells and the spiritual ‘settling' that happens when moving through wild places, before Charlie describes a heart-stopping moment in Wasdale ('Swing Low, Sweet Chariot!') at the head of Joss Naylor's funeral cortège. Closing our conversation, we play Cumbrian church Top Trumps (and are spoiled for choice); consider our guests' favourite time in the church year; and brainstorm a new event for the Lakeland calendar – a drive-in midnight mass (or should that be moss) at White Moss... You heard it here first... More information on St Oswald's can be found here: https://www.achurchnearyou.com/church/12407/ More information on the Binsey Mission Community can be found here: https://www.binsey.org.uk

Harrison Ward, also known as Fell Foodie, drank more than 20 pints a day, smoked like a chimney, battled clinical depression in silence and reached a moment where he believed there were only two ways out. Today I sit down with the man behind the outdoor cooking phenomenon to unpack addiction, withdrawal, mental health and the decision that saved his life. Harrison shares the reality behind addiction, drinking culture and the hidden loneliness of high-masking depression. From working in pubs while drinking heavily to climbing a mountains during withdrawal, this is a raw exploration of what happens when escape stops working and honesty begins.Together they explore why alcohol can feel like medicine before it becomes a prison, how depression can quietly shape behaviour from teenage years onwards, and why many people suffer in silence long before anyone notices. Harrison speaks openly about peer pressure, shame, identity and the fear of speaking honestly about mental health, especially growing up in environments where vulnerability felt impossible.Harrison explains how sobriety allowed him to rediscover purpose through food, nature and creativity, cooking restaurant-quality meals on remote mountainsides and sharing hope with thousands online. Oliver and Harrison also discuss cravings, withdrawal, rebuilding self-worth, going public about sobriety and the practical options available for anyone struggling with alcohol or depression today. If you or someone you love is struggling, this conversation offers honesty without judgement and hope without clichés.Now, over 9 years sober, Harrison has fused his love of food with the healing power of the outdoors. He's hiking the fells of Cumbria and cooking restaurant quality meals on a simple camp stove in the mountains, and sharing his story to show others that recovery is possible.He's been featured on the BBC with Mary Berry, Channel 5's ‘Winter on the Farm', Countryfile Magazine, Men's Fitness, and more. He's a bestselling author, a keynote speaker, and a brand ambassador. Oliver is an ambassador for Alcohol Change UK and you can access support here - https://tinyurl.com/5dt5773e Thank you to Gavin Sisters for sponsoring this episode! Visit -www.gavinsisters.co.uk and use promo code SCHOOLOFROCKBOTTOM for 10% off! T-Shirt from The Recovery Cartel -www.therecoverycartel.co.ukhttps://www.instagram.com/therecoverycartelPodcasting is an expensive passion. To help me keep going, I'd really appreciate it if you could buy me a coffee, thank you! https://buymeacoffee.com/olivermason1Or via PayPal - https://www.paypal.me/olivermason1paypal Topics -0:00 Trailer & Intro 3:30 A rock bottom moment 5:20 Using alcohol to escape 7:30 Depression as a teenager 10:30 Mental health was not talked about before 11:45 Drinking 20 pints a day!16:40 Was Harrison a high functioning alcoholic?19:00 Is high functioning addiction worse?22:50 The moment I decided to stop drinking 28:30 Moderation and doing a geographical 36:00 Withdrawal and depression 40:00 Climbing a mountain in withdrawal!45:20 From hurting to healing 47:40 Dealing with cravings & peer pressure 51:45 Finding passion for cooking 54:00 Going public about sobriety 56:45 Options for help to go sober and fighting depression Follow HarrisonWebsite - https://www.fellfoodie.co.ukInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/fellfoodie Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/fellfoodie/YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/FellFoodieTikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@fellfoodieTwitter - https://twitter.com/FellFoodieFollow OliverInstagram - https://tinyurl.com/2vt29sjvFacebook - https://tinyurl.com/34cwz59rTikTok - https://tinyurl.com/ujw4vxn9LinkedIn - https://tinyurl.com/yuemhnd7Threads - https://tinyurl.com/yk7vdeahX - https://tinyurl.com/3u5mnpds Watch/Listen -YouTube - https://youtu.be/7UW29Hp7rBYSpotify - https://tinyurl.com/djmdvpjrApple - https://tinyurl.com/y3n2chk3 #AddictionRecovery #Sobriety #MentalHealth

Charlotte Smith is in Devon to reflect on the impact of the 2001 Foot and Mouth crisis 25 years on. Highly contagious foot and mouth disease was confirmed at an Essex abattoir on 19th February 2001. The outbreak which followed led to the slaughter of 6.5 million cattle, sheep, and pigs and cost the UK economy an estimated £8 billion. The emotional cost to farming families was incalculable. Charlotte speaks to the then South West Regional Director of the National Farmers Union, Anthony Gibson, who recalls the 'cataclysm' which hit the farming community. Farming Today's Caz Graham remembers the smell of burning pyres and disinfectant on the air in Cumbria, the worst hit county. She hosted a nightly phone in on BBC Radio Cumbria during the crisis, where callers would share their grief and anger. Charlotte visits Phil Heard's farm on Dartmoor, which got caught up in the controversial 'contiguous cull' policy, in which farms neighbouring confirmed outbreaks of Foot and Mouth would also have their animals compulsorily slaughtered. Presenter: Charlotte Smith Producer: Sarah Swadling

A dash of mystery, a sparkle of magic, and all things cozy! Elle interviews fellow cozy authors in this bookish podcast from Authors on the Air. Today on the podcast, meet Helen Phifer, author of The Vanishing Bookstore! Elle and Helen talk about writing a cozy book after writing thrillers, the community involved in writing a book, the fun of not knowing what will happen next, and of course, setting a book in Salem. Happy listening! Helen's Bio: Helen Phifer is a bestselling crime writer of nineteen books including the Annie Graham, Lucy Harwin, Beth Adams and Morgan Brookes Detective series. Helen lives in a small town in Cumbria, surrounded by miles of coastline and only a short drive from the beautiful Lake District. She loves reading books that make the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end and is eternally grateful to Stephen King, Dean Koontz, James Herbert and Graham Masterton for scaring her senseless in her teenage years. Find Helen and Her Work Online: https://www.helenphifer.com/ ~~~ Elle Hartford's Bio: Elle Hartford writes cozy mystery with a fairy tale twist. The award-winning first book in her Alchemical Tales series, Beauty and the Alchemist, finds amateur sleuth Red mixed up with murderous beasts and moody beauties, and a set of missing books besides! Elle has also written two spin-off series, the cozy fantasy-goes-to-the-beach Marine Magic series as well as Pomegranate Cafe Romance. For other writers and authors looking into “wide” indie publishing, Elle offers coaching as well as the Beyond Writing blog (ellehartford.substack.com) with how-tos and resources. Find Elle Online: https://ellehartford.com

Our first guest Darren describes his investigations on local marshes in Cheshire, where he's seen a black leopard, chased by his dog. This happened after his previous encounters with similar looking cats nearby, including on a disused golf course.  Some of Darren's encounters have been close up, and most have involved dogs around as well. Darren explains how these events have motivated him to search for more evidence and do a Youtube channel.  For our second guest we have an update from Liz in Cumbria, where a mother and cub, presumed black leopards, have been visiting the area. Liz has six more big cat events to describe around her farmhouse from the past year. She discusses what appears to be a young male big black cat loitering around the property. It shows far less predictable behaviour than the mother's calm vibes. Words of the week:   Panthera pardus Britannica5 February, 2026

Morse code transcription: vvv vvv Border agents involved in fatal shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis placed on leave Bridgerton series four brings taboo in the bedroom to the fore What could happen if the US strikes Iran Here are seven scenarios Number of term time school holiday fines hits another record high London bus driver sacked after chasing and punching thief Driverless taxis set to launch in UK as soon as September Cumbria family wants action after runner electrocuted China executes 11 members of Myanmar scam mafia Water bills to rise again Use our tool to find out by how much Santander to shut 44 branches and put 291 jobs at risk

Morning Prayer for Wednesday, January 14, 2026 (The First Sunday of Epiphany: The Baptism of Our Lord; Kentigern, Missionary to Strathclyde and Cumbria, 603).Psalm and Scripture readings (60-day Psalter):Psalms 32, 36Genesis 14John 7:1-24⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to access the text for the Daily Office at DailyOffice2019.com.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to support The Daily Office Podcast with a one-time gift or a recurring donation.

A new approach to working with England's upland communities has been announced by the Government, starting with Dartmoor and then Cumbria. Clubs have been formed so farmers and other enthusiasts can come together to enjoy repairing and maintaining old Land Rovers. This week we're focusing on cheese, from the very big brands you find in the supermarkets to the small artisan producers.Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

Evening Prayer for Wednesday, January 14, 2026 (The First Sunday of Epiphany: The Baptism of Our Lord; Kentigern, Missionary to Strathclyde and Cumbria, 603).Psalm and Scripture readings (60-day Psalter):Psalm 38Jeremiah 132 Thessalonians 1⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to access the text for the Daily Office at DailyOffice2019.com.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to support The Daily Office Podcast with a one-time gift or a recurring donation.

A round up of seasonal offerings from Farming Today.The charity Farms for City Children turns 50 this year. Set up by writer Michael Morpurgo and his wife in 1976, the charity works to connect children with farming and the countryside. Fiona Clampin dons her wellies and joins the Morpurgos at their farm in Devon.Farming life is full of traditions, and we hear from Rathfriland Livestock Market in County Down about one of these: the luck penny. Farmers selling their animals hand money back to the buyer, to seal the deal. It's a way of wishing the customer success with the stock and building up a trustworthy business relationship. Kathleen Carragher visits Rathfriland to find out whether it's still practised today.Tradition also abounds at one brewery in Oxfordshire, which still uses heavy horses to deliver barrels of beer to local pubs. Vernon Harwood meets three of the shire horses delivering horse-powered pints.Work is being carried out in orchards to DNA fingerprint cider apple trees to identify varieties whose names died with the people who created them, or were never named. The aim: to secure the future of forgotten cider apple varieties. Sarah Swadling speaks to Keith Edwards, Professor of Crop Genetics at Bristol University and Devon cider-maker Barny Butterfield who have been working on the project.Historians in Cumbria are publishing extracts from the diary of an 18th century yeoman farmer. The writings of Isaac Fletcher, who farmed at Mosser near Cockermouth, are providing a window into rural life 250 years ago. Helen Millican has been for a tour of what would have been Isaac's farm. Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Jo Peacey. A BBC Audio Bristol production.

Historians in Cumbria are publishing extracts from the diary of an 18th century yeoman farmer. The writings of Isaac Fletcher, who farmed at Mosser near Cockermouth, will be featured by the Cumbria County History Trust on their website every month. His diary provides a window onto life in rural Cumbria 250 years ago, and an insight for farmers who work the land there still. Helen Millican meets two of Isaac's biggest fans, historian Angus Winchester and local farmer Mark Clark, who give her a tour of what would have been Isaac's farm.You can read the diary in more detail by visiting The Farming Year Diary on the trust's website - https://www.cumbriacountyhistory.org.ukProgramme produced and presented by Helen Millican.

In keeping with the tradition of telling ghost stories at Christmas, we offer you this expertly crafted submission from our sister podcast Haunted UK Fiction... Find this and over two dozen more stories on Haunted UK Fiction: https://linktr.ee/hauntedukfictionMy father was in a strange mood that day. He welcomed me with genuine warmth and appeared, to me at least, quite comfortable and content in his soft armchair and his cup perched delicately on the left knee. His words, however, were of the most serious sort; he betrayed no emotion by stating the facts clearly and with a certain stiff formality. I was informed that he had something very important to tell… Hello and welcome, dear listeners, to Haunted UK Fiction – a sister podcast to The Haunted UK which features original flash fiction, short stories, and novellas with paranormal themes. All stories you will hear were written by a collection of talented writers, authors, and storytellers, both independent and professional.In today's episode we'll be reading The Overcoat, an eerie, spine-tingling tale which was sent in to us by LD Brown. LD Brown lives in the village of Hawkshead, Cumbria with his wife and too many cats. They own a beer shop together. For the past seven years, he has been running Ghost Walks in the village under the name: Tallow Tales; The Hawkshead Ghost Walk. Twice weekly he takes visitors around the village, regaling them with stories of local folklore. This also gives him the opportunity to wear a top hat. In his free time, LD writes horror stories and has been fortunate enough to get a few published here and there. His fiction is influenced by the bleaker side of the Lake District landscape; rainy, dripping woodlands, mosses, tarns, wetlands and their sinister ilk. His literary influences include Arthur Machen, MR James, EF Benson, JH Riddel and Algernon Blackwood. He also enjoys Folk Horror films and Peter Cushing.We truly hope you enjoy this unsettling, atmospheric tale that is reminiscent of times gone by. If you would like to hear more from LD Brown, you can find his contact information, current and upcoming work, both as an author and as a ghostly tour guide, and follow him on social media with the links below:Upcoming Works: LD Brown is hoping to get a collection of his short fiction published in the near future. He has also written a short horror novella which he has been sending to publishers.Social Media Links: Instagram and Facebook @tallowtales              Website: www.kittchen.co.uk/tallowtalesEmail: lukebrown7@hotmail.co.uk If you have an original story that would send a chill down our spines, and you would like to submit it for review, simply send it in to hauntedukfiction@hotmail.com, that's hauntedukfiction@hotmail.com  Until next time, stay safe, and take care. Episode Credits:Story by L.D. BrownNarrated by Steven HollowayScript prepared by Melissa WestProduced by Pink Flamingo Home StudioBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/haunted-uk-podcast--6759967/support.

This edition of Unearthed! continues, this time covering the mixed items we call potpourri, shipwrecks, edibles and potables, books and letters, and exhumations. Research: Agencia Brasil. “Cave Paintings Discovered in Rio de Janiero Park.” 4/13/2025. https://agenciabrasil.ebc.com.br/en/educacao/noticia/2025-04/cave-paintings-discovered-rio-de-janeiro-park Anderson, R. L., Salvemini, F., Avdeev, M., & Luzin, V. (2025). An African Art Re-Discovered: New Revelations on Sword Manufacture in Dahomey. Heritage, 8(2), 62. https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage8020062 Archaeology Magazine. “5,000-year-old Bread Buried in Bronze Age House.” 6/4/2025. https://archaeology.org/news/2025/06/04/5000-year-old-bread-buried-in-bronze-age-house/ Archaeology Magazine. “Fried Thrush Was a Popular Street Food.” 6/6/2025. https://archaeology.org/news/2025/06/06/fried-thrush-was-a-popular-roman-street-food/ Arnold, Paul. “Dentist may have solved 500-year-old mystery in da Vinci's iconic Vitruvian Man.” Phys.org. 7/2/2025. https://phys.org/news/2025-07-dentist-year-mystery-da-vinci.html Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO). “New revelations on sword manufacture in 19th-century Dahomey, West Africa.” Phys.org. 5/11/2025. https://phys.org/news/2025-05-revelations-sword-19th-century-dahomey.html Black, Jo. “Cut-price Magna Carta 'copy' now believed genuine.” BBC. 5/15/2025. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cm23zjknre7o Boucher, Brian. “Antique Condom on View at the Rijksmuseum Riles Christian Group.” ArtNet. 6/26/2025. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/antique-condom-rijksmuseum-christian-protest-2661519 Brown, Mark. “Rare wall paintings found in Cumbria show tastes of well-off Tudors.” The Guardian. 4/4/2025. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/apr/04/rare-wall-paintings-found-in-cumbria-show-tastes-of-well-off-tudors Carvajal, Guillermo. “The Oldest Vanilla Pod in Europe, Used in Alchemical Experiments, Discovered at Prague Castle.” LBV. 3/31/2025. https://www.labrujulaverde.com/en/2025/03/the-oldest-vanilla-pod-in-europe-used-in-alchemical-experiments-discovered-at-prague-castle/ Carvajal, Guillermo. “Thrushes Were the “Fast Food” of Romans in Imperial Cities, Not an Exclusive Delicacy for Banquets.” LBV. 6/3/2025. https://www.labrujulaverde.com/en/2025/06/thrushes-were-the-fast-food-of-romans-in-imperial-cities-not-an-exclusive-delicacy-for-banquets/ Carvajal, Guillermo. The Spectacular Tomb of the Ice Prince, a Medieval Child Buried in an Ancient Roman Villa, Frozen for Study.” LBV. 5/25/2025. https://www.labrujulaverde.com/en/2025/05/the-spectacular-tomb-of-the-ice-prince-a-medieval-child-buried-in-an-ancient-roman-villa-frozen-for-study/ Chen, Min. “Roman Villa in Spain Yields More Than 4,000 Painted Wall Fragments.” ArtNet. 4/21/2025. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/roman-villa-villajoyosa-wall-fragments-2634055 Chen, Min. “These Medieval Manuscripts Were Bound With an Unlikely Animal Hide.” ArtNet. 4/12/2025. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/clairvaux-medieval-manuscripts-sealskin-2630996 Chen, Min. “Think Shakespeare Left His Wife? This Newly Discovered Letter Tells a Different Story.” ArtNet. 4/28/2025. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/shakespeare-anne-hathaway-marriage-letter-2636443 Chen, Min. “This 6th-Century Bucket Discovered at Sutton Hoo Is More Than It Seems.” ArtNet. 5/22/2025. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/sutton-hoo-bromeswell-bucket-not-bucket-2648124 Dartmouth College. “Archaeologists uncover massive 1,000-year-old Native American fields in Northern Michigan that defy limits of farming.” Phys.org. 6/5/2025. https://phys.org/news/2025-06-archaeologists-uncover-massive-year-native.html Davis, Josh. “Ancient humans ritually feasted on great bustards as they buried their dead.” Phys.org. 4/17/2025. https://phys.org/news/2025-04-ancient-humans-ritually-feasted-great.html Drenon, Brandon. “Tulsa plans $105m in reparations for America's 'hidden' massacre.” BBC. 6/2/2025. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c9dqnz37v1wo Equal Justice Initiative. “City Announces Reparations for Tulsa Race Massacre.” https://eji.org/news/city-announces-reparations-for-tulsa-race-massacre/ “Researchers estimate that early humans began smoking meat to extend its shelf life as long as a million years ago.” 6/3/2025. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1086138 Fox, Jordan. “Anthropologist uncovers the 11,000-year history of avocado domestication.” Phys.org. 6/24/2025. https://phys.org/news/2025-06-anthropologist-uncovers-year-history-avocado.html Fratsyvir, Anna. “Ukraine grants Poland permission to exhume 1939 war graves in Lviv.” The Kyiv Independent. 6/11/2025. https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-grants-poland-permission-to-exhume-1939-war-graves-in-lviv/ Giuffrida, Angela. “Two near lifesize sculptures found during excavations of Pompeii tomb.” The Guardian. 4/1/2025. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/apr/01/two-near-lifesize-sculptures-found-during-excavations-of-pompeii-tomb Guardian staff and agencies in Lima. “Peru drops plan to shrink protected area around Nazca Lines archaeological site.” The Guardian. 6/9/2025. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jun/09/peru-nazca-lines-protected-area Hamilton, Eric. “Ancient Andes society used hallucinogens to strengthen social order.” EurekAlert. 5/5/2026. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1082461 Hashemi, Sara. “Ancient Chinese Poems Reveal the Decline of a Critically Endangered Porpoise Over 1,400 Years.” Smithsonian. 5/6/2025. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ancient-chinese-poems-reveal-the-decline-of-a-critically-endangered-porpoise-over-1400-years-180986570/ Hung, Hsiao-chun. “Remote cave discovery shows ancient voyagers brought rice across 2,300 km of Pacific Ocean.” Phys.org. 6/26/2025. https://phys.org/news/2025-06-remote-cave-discovery-ancient-voyagers.html Hunt, Katie. “125,000-year-old ‘fat factory’ run by Neanderthals discovered in Germany.” CNN. 7/4/2025. https://www.cnn.com/2025/07/04/science/neanderthal-fat-factory-germany Hurriyet Daily News. “5,000-year-old bread unearthed in Küllüoba goes on display.” 5/23/2025. https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/5-000-year-old-bread-unearthed-in-kulluoba-goes-on-display-209487 Jarus, Owen. “We finally know why Queen Hatshepsut's statues were destroyed in ancient Egypt.” LiveScience. 6/23/2025. https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/ancient-egyptians/we-finally-know-why-queen-hatshepsuts-statues-were-destroyed-in-ancient-egypt Kuta, Sarah. “Did a Neanderthal Who Lived 43,000 Years Ago Paint a Red Nose on a Rock That Looked Like a Face?” Smithsonian. 6/2/2025. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/did-a-neanderthal-who-lived-43000-years-ago-paint-a-red-nose-on-a-rock-that-looked-like-a-face-180986704/ Kuta, Sarah. “How Researchers Discovered a 168-Year-Old Dutch Shipwreck Off the Coast of Australia in Underwater ‘Blizzard’ Conditions.” Smithsonian. 5/16/2025. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-researchers-discovered-a-168-year-old-dutch-shipwreck-off-the-coast-of-australia-in-underwater-blizzard-conditions-180986637/ Kuta, Sarah. “Tourists Are Stuffing Coins Into the Cracks of the Giant’s Causeway, Damaging the Iconic Site in Northern Ireland.” Smithsonian. 6/4/2025. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/tourists-are-stuffing-coins-into-the-cracks-of-the-giants-causeway-damaging-the-iconic-site-in-northern-ireland-180986745/ Kuta, Sarah. “Why Was a 1940s Car Discovered in the Wreck of an American Naval Ship That Sank During World War II?” Smithsonian. 4/23/2025. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-was-1940s-car-discovered-wreck-american-naval-ship-that-sank-during-world-war-ii-180986485/ Larson, Christina. “Ancient DNA confirms New Mexico tribe's link to famed Chaco Canyon site.” Phys.org. 4/30/2025. https://phys.org/news/2025-04-oral-histories-dna-picuris-pueblo.html Lawson-Tancred, Jo. “A Life-Sized Statue of a Bejeweled Ancient Priestess Is Unearthed in Pompeii.” ArtNet. 4/2/2025. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/a-life-sized-statue-of-a-bejeweled-ancient-priestess-is-unearthed-in-pompeii-2627176 Lawson-Tancred, Jo. “Rare Artwork by Emily Brontë Scooped at Auction by Museum.” 4/11/2025. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/rare-artwork-by-emily-bronte-scooped-at-auction-by-museum-2631133 Lawson-Tancred, Jo. “Vatican Brings ‘God’s Architect’ Antoni Gaudí One Step Closer to Sainthood.” ArtNet. 4/15/2025. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/vatican-antoni-gaudi-one-step-closer-to-sainthood-2632185 Leahy, Diana. “Depictions of the Milky Way found in ancient Egyptian imagery.” 4/30/2025. https://phys.org/news/2025-04-depictions-milky-ancient-egyptian-imagery.html MacKay, Mercedes. “'It's a mystery that's hung over our area for 50 years': Salem, Illinois, exhuming grave of unknown Amtrak train derailment victim.” KDSK. 3/13/2025. https://www.ksdk.com/article/news/local/salem-illinois-exhuming-grave-of-unknown-amtrak-train-derailment-victim/63-2770a303-4e54-4647-8b13-dff304b93e30 net. “Magna Carta at Harvard dates to the Year 1300, historians find.” 5/2025. https://www.medievalists.net/2025/05/magna-carta-at-harvard-dates-to-the-year-1300-historians-find/ net. “Medieval Merlin Manuscript Fragment Revealed Through Digital Unfolding.” 5/2025. https://www.medievalists.net/2025/04/medieval-merlin-manuscript-fragment-revealed-through-digital-unfolding/ net. “Medieval Mystery Solved: Sutton Hoo Bucket Was a Cremation Vessel.” 6/2025. https://www.medievalists.net/2025/06/medieval-mystery-solved-sutton-hoo-bucket-was-a-cremation-vessel/ net. “Rethinking Rye: Study Reveals Medieval Cultivation Was Intensive and Strategic.” 5/2025. https://www.medievalists.net/2025/05/rethinking-rye-study-reveals-medieval-cultivation-was-intensive-and-strategic/ net. “Tudor Wall Paintings Uncovered in Northern England Lodge.” 4/2025. https://www.medievalists.net/2025/04/tudor-wall-paintings-uncovered-in-northern-england-lodge/ Mira, Chad. “Multiple bodies found in exhumed Salem, Ill., grave.” Fox2. https://fox2now.com/news/illinois/multiple-bodies-found-in-exhumed-salem-ill-grave/ Organization of American Historians. “Statement in Response to Secretary Order 3431 and Censorship of History in the National Park Service.” 6/18/2025. https://www.oah.org/2025/06/18/statement-in-response-to-secretary-order-3431-and-censorship-of-history-in-the-national-park-service/ Oster, Sandee. “New Holocene Aboriginal rock art style identified in recent study.” Phys.org. 4/29/2025. https://phys.org/news/2025-04-holocene-aboriginal-art-style.html#google_vignette Oster, Sandee. “Study provides new insights into medieval sex workers and childcare.” Phys.org. 5/22/2025. https://phys.org/news/2025-05-insights-medieval-sex-workers-childcare.html “Exhumations in Volhynia. Wróblewska on the beginning of work in Zboiska.” 6/23/2025. https://www.pap.pl/aktualnosci/ekshumacje-na-wolyniu-wroblewska-o-poczatku-prac-w-zboiskach org. “Race to save Sweden's 17th century warship in preservation project.” 4/9/2025. https://phys.org/news/2025-04-sweden-17th-century-warship.html Pinotti, Thomaz et al. “Picuris Pueblo oral history and genomics reveal continuity in US Southwest.” Nature. 4/30/2025. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-08791-9 Public Library of Science. “Italians spent thousands of years perfecting grape cultivation, ancient seeds show.” Phys.org. 4/23/2025. https://phys.org/news/2025-04-italians-spent-thousands-years-grape.html Radio Prague International. “Rare Roman soldier’s wrist purse discovered in South Moravia.” 6/24/2025. https://english.radio.cz/rare-roman-soldiers-wrist-purse-discovered-south-moravia-8854920 Shams, Housnia. “Work begins to exhume remains of 800 dead babies at unwed mothers’ home in Ireland.” 6/17/2025. https://www.irishstar.com/news/ireland-news/work-begins-exhume-remains-800-35409145 SO 3431 - Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History https://www.doi.gov/document-library/secretary-order/so-3431-restoring-truth-and-sanity-american-history Sweeney, Rory Mac. “Leonardo's Vitruvian Man: modern craniofacial anatomical analysis reveals a possible solution to the 500-year-old mystery.” Journal of Mathematics and the Arts. 3/28/2025. https://doi.org/10.1080/17513472.2025.2507568 The History Blog. ‘Installation of Vasa’s new support structure begins.” 4/14/2025. https://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/72910 The History Blog. “16th c. mural found on the Grand Canal.” 4/15/2025. https://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/72918 The History Blog. “3,500-year-old bronze daggers found in corn field.” 4/1/2025. https://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/72799 The History Blog. “First English cheese treatise digitized, transcribed.” 5/1/2025. https://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/73045 The History Blog. “Life and death of little “Ice Prince” revealed.” 5/26/2025. https://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/73246 The History Blog. “Oldest baked bread flying off the shelves.” 5/29/2025. https://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/73273 The History Blog. “Roman soldier’s bronze wrist purse found in Czech Republic.” 6/25/2025. https://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/73467 University of Leeds. “Curd your enthusiasm: Secrets of oldest book on cheese revealed.” Phys.org. 4/28/2025. https://phys.org/news/2025-04-curd-enthusiasm-secrets-oldest-cheese.html University of St. Andrews. “New tool to identify toxic pigments in historic books.” Phys.org. 6/6/2025. https://phys.org/news/2025-06-tool-toxic-pigments-historic.html#google_vignette Vargas Ariza, Daniela et al. “The Cobs in the Archaeological Context of the San José Galleon Shipwreck.” Antiquity (2025): 1–6. Web. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/antiquity/article/cobs-in-the-archaeological-context-of-the-san-jose-galleon-shipwreck/66532DCA302A8C08A1EBFE4AC7E4E6C1 Wexler, Ellen. “The Only Black, All-Female Unit to Serve Overseas in World War II Receives the Congressional Gold Medal.” Smithsonian. 4/30/2025. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-only-black-all-female-unit-to-serve-overseas-in-world-war-ii-receives-the-congressional-gold-medal-180986528/ Whiddington, Richard. “A 19th-Century Condom With a Bawdy Print Makes Its Museum Debut.” 6/3/2025. ArtNet. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/old-condom-erotica-rijksmuseum-show-2652526 Whiddington, Richard. “A Lost WWI Submarine Is Discovered ‘Remarkably Intact’ After 100 Years.” ArtNet. 5/27/2025. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/a-lost-wwi-submarine-is-discovered-remarkably-intact-after-100-years-2649437 Whiddington, Richard. “Archaeologists Identify France’s Deepest Shipwreck.” ArtNet. 6/20/2025. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/france-deepest-shipwreck-camarat-4-2659029 Whiddington, Richard. “Nazca Lines Under Threat? Peru’s Downsizing Plan Sparks Alarm.” Artnet. 6/3/2025. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/nazca-lines-reduced-reserve-plan-2652342 Whiddington, Richard. “Who Designed the Bayeux Tapestry? Its 93 Penises Offer Clues.” 5/2/2025. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/bayeux-tapestry-93-penises-offer-clues-2639001 Wizevich, Eli. “By Shoving a Bed Frame Against the Door, This Pompeii Family Tried to Survive Mount Vesuvius’ Eruption.” Smithsonian. 5/13/2025. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/by-shoving-a-bed-frame-against-the-door-this-pompeii-family-tried-to-survive-mount-vesuvius-eruption-180986608/ Wizevich, Eli. “It could take years for archaeologists to properly excavate and preserve the delicate wooden vessel, which likely became shipwrecked.” 4/30/2025. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-rare-medieval-boat-discovered-over-18-feet-below-sea-level-in-barcelona-180986524/ Wong, Jun Yi. “The Afterlife of Hatshepsut’s Statuary.” Antiquity 99.405 (2025): 746–761. Web. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/antiquity/article/afterlife-of-hatshepsuts-statuary/F22D001E29438008136B6DA04F57C627 Zeilstra, Andrew. “Mediterranean hunter gatherers navigated long-distance sea journeys well before the first farmers.” EurekAlert. 4/9/2025. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1079385 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This installment of Unearthed! starts with lots of updates! And then some art-related unearthings, and a few things at the end that fall under the category of adult content. Research: Agencia Brasil. “Cave Paintings Discovered in Rio de Janiero Park.” 4/13/2025. https://agenciabrasil.ebc.com.br/en/educacao/noticia/2025-04/cave-paintings-discovered-rio-de-janeiro-park Anderson, R. L., Salvemini, F., Avdeev, M., & Luzin, V. (2025). An African Art Re-Discovered: New Revelations on Sword Manufacture in Dahomey. Heritage, 8(2), 62. https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage8020062 Archaeology Magazine. “5,000-year-old Bread Buried in Bronze Age House.” 6/4/2025. https://archaeology.org/news/2025/06/04/5000-year-old-bread-buried-in-bronze-age-house/ Archaeology Magazine. “Fried Thrush Was a Popular Street Food.” 6/6/2025. https://archaeology.org/news/2025/06/06/fried-thrush-was-a-popular-roman-street-food/ Arnold, Paul. “Dentist may have solved 500-year-old mystery in da Vinci's iconic Vitruvian Man.” Phys.org. 7/2/2025. https://phys.org/news/2025-07-dentist-year-mystery-da-vinci.html Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO). “New revelations on sword manufacture in 19th-century Dahomey, West Africa.” Phys.org. 5/11/2025. https://phys.org/news/2025-05-revelations-sword-19th-century-dahomey.html Black, Jo. “Cut-price Magna Carta 'copy' now believed genuine.” BBC. 5/15/2025. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cm23zjknre7o Boucher, Brian. “Antique Condom on View at the Rijksmuseum Riles Christian Group.” ArtNet. 6/26/2025. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/antique-condom-rijksmuseum-christian-protest-2661519 Brown, Mark. “Rare wall paintings found in Cumbria show tastes of well-off Tudors.” The Guardian. 4/4/2025. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/apr/04/rare-wall-paintings-found-in-cumbria-show-tastes-of-well-off-tudors Carvajal, Guillermo. “The Oldest Vanilla Pod in Europe, Used in Alchemical Experiments, Discovered at Prague Castle.” LBV. 3/31/2025. https://www.labrujulaverde.com/en/2025/03/the-oldest-vanilla-pod-in-europe-used-in-alchemical-experiments-discovered-at-prague-castle/ Carvajal, Guillermo. “Thrushes Were the “Fast Food” of Romans in Imperial Cities, Not an Exclusive Delicacy for Banquets.” LBV. 6/3/2025. https://www.labrujulaverde.com/en/2025/06/thrushes-were-the-fast-food-of-romans-in-imperial-cities-not-an-exclusive-delicacy-for-banquets/ Carvajal, Guillermo. The Spectacular Tomb of the Ice Prince, a Medieval Child Buried in an Ancient Roman Villa, Frozen for Study.” LBV. 5/25/2025. https://www.labrujulaverde.com/en/2025/05/the-spectacular-tomb-of-the-ice-prince-a-medieval-child-buried-in-an-ancient-roman-villa-frozen-for-study/ Chen, Min. “Roman Villa in Spain Yields More Than 4,000 Painted Wall Fragments.” ArtNet. 4/21/2025. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/roman-villa-villajoyosa-wall-fragments-2634055 Chen, Min. “These Medieval Manuscripts Were Bound With an Unlikely Animal Hide.” ArtNet. 4/12/2025. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/clairvaux-medieval-manuscripts-sealskin-2630996 Chen, Min. “Think Shakespeare Left His Wife? This Newly Discovered Letter Tells a Different Story.” ArtNet. 4/28/2025. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/shakespeare-anne-hathaway-marriage-letter-2636443 Chen, Min. “This 6th-Century Bucket Discovered at Sutton Hoo Is More Than It Seems.” ArtNet. 5/22/2025. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/sutton-hoo-bromeswell-bucket-not-bucket-2648124 Dartmouth College. “Archaeologists uncover massive 1,000-year-old Native American fields in Northern Michigan that defy limits of farming.” Phys.org. 6/5/2025. https://phys.org/news/2025-06-archaeologists-uncover-massive-year-native.html Davis, Josh. “Ancient humans ritually feasted on great bustards as they buried their dead.” Phys.org. 4/17/2025. https://phys.org/news/2025-04-ancient-humans-ritually-feasted-great.html Drenon, Brandon. “Tulsa plans $105m in reparations for America's 'hidden' massacre.” BBC. 6/2/2025. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c9dqnz37v1wo Equal Justice Initiative. “City Announces Reparations for Tulsa Race Massacre.” https://eji.org/news/city-announces-reparations-for-tulsa-race-massacre/ “Researchers estimate that early humans began smoking meat to extend its shelf life as long as a million years ago.” 6/3/2025. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1086138 Fox, Jordan. “Anthropologist uncovers the 11,000-year history of avocado domestication.” Phys.org. 6/24/2025. https://phys.org/news/2025-06-anthropologist-uncovers-year-history-avocado.html Fratsyvir, Anna. “Ukraine grants Poland permission to exhume 1939 war graves in Lviv.” The Kyiv Independent. 6/11/2025. https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-grants-poland-permission-to-exhume-1939-war-graves-in-lviv/ Giuffrida, Angela. “Two near lifesize sculptures found during excavations of Pompeii tomb.” The Guardian. 4/1/2025. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/apr/01/two-near-lifesize-sculptures-found-during-excavations-of-pompeii-tomb Guardian staff and agencies in Lima. “Peru drops plan to shrink protected area around Nazca Lines archaeological site.” The Guardian. 6/9/2025. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jun/09/peru-nazca-lines-protected-area Hamilton, Eric. “Ancient Andes society used hallucinogens to strengthen social order.” EurekAlert. 5/5/2026. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1082461 Hashemi, Sara. “Ancient Chinese Poems Reveal the Decline of a Critically Endangered Porpoise Over 1,400 Years.” Smithsonian. 5/6/2025. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ancient-chinese-poems-reveal-the-decline-of-a-critically-endangered-porpoise-over-1400-years-180986570/ Hung, Hsiao-chun. “Remote cave discovery shows ancient voyagers brought rice across 2,300 km of Pacific Ocean.” Phys.org. 6/26/2025. https://phys.org/news/2025-06-remote-cave-discovery-ancient-voyagers.html Hunt, Katie. “125,000-year-old ‘fat factory’ run by Neanderthals discovered in Germany.” CNN. 7/4/2025. https://www.cnn.com/2025/07/04/science/neanderthal-fat-factory-germany Hurriyet Daily News. “5,000-year-old bread unearthed in Küllüoba goes on display.” 5/23/2025. https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/5-000-year-old-bread-unearthed-in-kulluoba-goes-on-display-209487 Jarus, Owen. “We finally know why Queen Hatshepsut's statues were destroyed in ancient Egypt.” LiveScience. 6/23/2025. https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/ancient-egyptians/we-finally-know-why-queen-hatshepsuts-statues-were-destroyed-in-ancient-egypt Kuta, Sarah. “Did a Neanderthal Who Lived 43,000 Years Ago Paint a Red Nose on a Rock That Looked Like a Face?” Smithsonian. 6/2/2025. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/did-a-neanderthal-who-lived-43000-years-ago-paint-a-red-nose-on-a-rock-that-looked-like-a-face-180986704/ Kuta, Sarah. “How Researchers Discovered a 168-Year-Old Dutch Shipwreck Off the Coast of Australia in Underwater ‘Blizzard’ Conditions.” Smithsonian. 5/16/2025. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-researchers-discovered-a-168-year-old-dutch-shipwreck-off-the-coast-of-australia-in-underwater-blizzard-conditions-180986637/ Kuta, Sarah. “Tourists Are Stuffing Coins Into the Cracks of the Giant’s Causeway, Damaging the Iconic Site in Northern Ireland.” Smithsonian. 6/4/2025. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/tourists-are-stuffing-coins-into-the-cracks-of-the-giants-causeway-damaging-the-iconic-site-in-northern-ireland-180986745/ Kuta, Sarah. “Why Was a 1940s Car Discovered in the Wreck of an American Naval Ship That Sank During World War II?” Smithsonian. 4/23/2025. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-was-1940s-car-discovered-wreck-american-naval-ship-that-sank-during-world-war-ii-180986485/ Larson, Christina. “Ancient DNA confirms New Mexico tribe's link to famed Chaco Canyon site.” Phys.org. 4/30/2025. https://phys.org/news/2025-04-oral-histories-dna-picuris-pueblo.html Lawson-Tancred, Jo. “A Life-Sized Statue of a Bejeweled Ancient Priestess Is Unearthed in Pompeii.” ArtNet. 4/2/2025. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/a-life-sized-statue-of-a-bejeweled-ancient-priestess-is-unearthed-in-pompeii-2627176 Lawson-Tancred, Jo. “Rare Artwork by Emily Brontë Scooped at Auction by Museum.” 4/11/2025. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/rare-artwork-by-emily-bronte-scooped-at-auction-by-museum-2631133 Lawson-Tancred, Jo. “Vatican Brings ‘God’s Architect’ Antoni Gaudí One Step Closer to Sainthood.” ArtNet. 4/15/2025. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/vatican-antoni-gaudi-one-step-closer-to-sainthood-2632185 Leahy, Diana. “Depictions of the Milky Way found in ancient Egyptian imagery.” 4/30/2025. https://phys.org/news/2025-04-depictions-milky-ancient-egyptian-imagery.html MacKay, Mercedes. “'It's a mystery that's hung over our area for 50 years': Salem, Illinois, exhuming grave of unknown Amtrak train derailment victim.” KDSK. 3/13/2025. https://www.ksdk.com/article/news/local/salem-illinois-exhuming-grave-of-unknown-amtrak-train-derailment-victim/63-2770a303-4e54-4647-8b13-dff304b93e30 net. “Magna Carta at Harvard dates to the Year 1300, historians find.” 5/2025. https://www.medievalists.net/2025/05/magna-carta-at-harvard-dates-to-the-year-1300-historians-find/ net. “Medieval Merlin Manuscript Fragment Revealed Through Digital Unfolding.” 5/2025. https://www.medievalists.net/2025/04/medieval-merlin-manuscript-fragment-revealed-through-digital-unfolding/ net. “Medieval Mystery Solved: Sutton Hoo Bucket Was a Cremation Vessel.” 6/2025. https://www.medievalists.net/2025/06/medieval-mystery-solved-sutton-hoo-bucket-was-a-cremation-vessel/ net. “Rethinking Rye: Study Reveals Medieval Cultivation Was Intensive and Strategic.” 5/2025. https://www.medievalists.net/2025/05/rethinking-rye-study-reveals-medieval-cultivation-was-intensive-and-strategic/ net. “Tudor Wall Paintings Uncovered in Northern England Lodge.” 4/2025. https://www.medievalists.net/2025/04/tudor-wall-paintings-uncovered-in-northern-england-lodge/ Mira, Chad. “Multiple bodies found in exhumed Salem, Ill., grave.” Fox2. https://fox2now.com/news/illinois/multiple-bodies-found-in-exhumed-salem-ill-grave/ Organization of American Historians. “Statement in Response to Secretary Order 3431 and Censorship of History in the National Park Service.” 6/18/2025. https://www.oah.org/2025/06/18/statement-in-response-to-secretary-order-3431-and-censorship-of-history-in-the-national-park-service/ Oster, Sandee. “New Holocene Aboriginal rock art style identified in recent study.” Phys.org. 4/29/2025. https://phys.org/news/2025-04-holocene-aboriginal-art-style.html#google_vignette Oster, Sandee. “Study provides new insights into medieval sex workers and childcare.” Phys.org. 5/22/2025. https://phys.org/news/2025-05-insights-medieval-sex-workers-childcare.html “Exhumations in Volhynia. Wróblewska on the beginning of work in Zboiska.” 6/23/2025. https://www.pap.pl/aktualnosci/ekshumacje-na-wolyniu-wroblewska-o-poczatku-prac-w-zboiskach org. “Race to save Sweden's 17th century warship in preservation project.” 4/9/2025. https://phys.org/news/2025-04-sweden-17th-century-warship.html Pinotti, Thomaz et al. “Picuris Pueblo oral history and genomics reveal continuity in US Southwest.” Nature. 4/30/2025. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-08791-9 Public Library of Science. “Italians spent thousands of years perfecting grape cultivation, ancient seeds show.” Phys.org. 4/23/2025. https://phys.org/news/2025-04-italians-spent-thousands-years-grape.html Radio Prague International. “Rare Roman soldier’s wrist purse discovered in South Moravia.” 6/24/2025. https://english.radio.cz/rare-roman-soldiers-wrist-purse-discovered-south-moravia-8854920 Shams, Housnia. “Work begins to exhume remains of 800 dead babies at unwed mothers’ home in Ireland.” 6/17/2025. https://www.irishstar.com/news/ireland-news/work-begins-exhume-remains-800-35409145 SO 3431 - Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History https://www.doi.gov/document-library/secretary-order/so-3431-restoring-truth-and-sanity-american-history Sweeney, Rory Mac. “Leonardo's Vitruvian Man: modern craniofacial anatomical analysis reveals a possible solution to the 500-year-old mystery.” Journal of Mathematics and the Arts. 3/28/2025. https://doi.org/10.1080/17513472.2025.2507568 The History Blog. ‘Installation of Vasa’s new support structure begins.” 4/14/2025. https://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/72910 The History Blog. “16th c. mural found on the Grand Canal.” 4/15/2025. https://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/72918 The History Blog. “3,500-year-old bronze daggers found in corn field.” 4/1/2025. https://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/72799 The History Blog. “First English cheese treatise digitized, transcribed.” 5/1/2025. https://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/73045 The History Blog. “Life and death of little “Ice Prince” revealed.” 5/26/2025. https://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/73246 The History Blog. “Oldest baked bread flying off the shelves.” 5/29/2025. https://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/73273 The History Blog. “Roman soldier’s bronze wrist purse found in Czech Republic.” 6/25/2025. https://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/73467 University of Leeds. “Curd your enthusiasm: Secrets of oldest book on cheese revealed.” Phys.org. 4/28/2025. https://phys.org/news/2025-04-curd-enthusiasm-secrets-oldest-cheese.html University of St. Andrews. “New tool to identify toxic pigments in historic books.” Phys.org. 6/6/2025. https://phys.org/news/2025-06-tool-toxic-pigments-historic.html#google_vignette Vargas Ariza, Daniela et al. “The Cobs in the Archaeological Context of the San José Galleon Shipwreck.” Antiquity (2025): 1–6. 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