BBC World Service - The Documentary Podcast - Downloads Homepage Accessibility links * Skip to content * Accessibility Help Close menu BBC World Service The Documentary Podcast * Podcast * The Explanation * People Fixing the World * CrowdScience Main content The Documentary Podcast Podcast Hear the voices at the heart of global stories. Where curious minds can make sense of the world. Home of the best documentaries from the BBC World Service. Show more Hear the voices at the heart of global stories. Where curious minds can uncover hidden truths and make sense of the world. Home of the best documentaries from the BBC World Service. From the impact of drought on crops, tourism and trade, to Africa's first film city, to the Romanian teenagers who built a DIY internet...we go beyond the headlines. Each week we look at the stories shaping our world and hear voices connecting people from across the globe, asking how news stories are shaping their lives. We also follow spiritual journeys, examine the world through the lens of its media and focus on solutions to global problems. Show less Updated: daily Episodes available: indefinitely Subscribe in Sounds RSS Episodes to download * Ukraine's 'hell jumpers' Today The rescuers who dodge drones and bombs to evacuate people from the frontline in Ukraine Download Choose your file * Higher quality (128kbps) * Lower quality (64kbps) * Nepal floods: 'It was like a tsunami' Today Survivors share their experiences of escaping the flash floods Download Choose your file * Higher quality (128kbps) * Lower quality (64kbps) * Fred Hammond Yesterday Gospel music legend Fred Hammond talks to Swarzy about his faith journey Download Choose your file * Higher quality (128kbps) * Lower quality (64kbps) * A23a: Biography of an iceberg Thursday Glaciologist Catherine Walker explores the birth, life and death of megaberg A23a Download Choose your file * Higher quality (128kbps) * Lower quality (64kbps) * Fighting the silent killer Wednesday What can be done to prevent, detect and treat the silent killer, sepsis? Download Choose your file * Higher quality (128kbps) * Lower quality (64kbps) * Big surveillance, Flock and ICE Tuesday The Texas surveillance network authorities want to keep quiet Download Choose your file * Higher quality (128kbps) * Lower quality (64kbps) * Is Turkey's clothing industry unravelling at the seams? Monday The Turkish textile industry is at risk after hundreds of apparel factories have closed Download Choose your file * Higher quality (128kbps) * Lower quality (64kbps) * The price of peace Last Sunday Can Colombia find ways to heal after its army murdered 7000 innocent civilians? Download Choose your file * Higher quality (128kbps) * Lower quality (64kbps) * Hong Kong's bookstore raids Last Saturday Why a crackdown on Hong Kong booksellers could impact Taiwan Download Choose your file * Higher quality (128kbps) * Lower quality (64kbps) * We will always love you, Dolly Last Saturday Musicians celebrate the life and legacy of the cultural icon Dolly Parton Download Choose your file * Higher quality (128kbps) * Lower quality (64kbps) * Kirk Franklin: Gospel music and my own faith journey Last Friday Gospel music legend Kirk Franklin talks to presenter Swarzy Shire about his faith journey Download Choose your file * Higher quality (128kbps) * Lower quality (64kbps) * Bonus: Lives Less Ordinary- Love Stories Thu 27 Aug 2026 Extraordinary love stories from Lives Less Ordinary Download Choose your file * Higher quality (128kbps) * Lower quality (64kbps) * Peanuts for the people Wed 26 Aug 2026 How a peanut paste saved the lives of millions of children Download Choose your file * Higher quality (128kbps) * Lower quality (64kbps) * Brazil’s gambling addiction Tue 25 Aug 2026 Millions of Brazilians have become problem gamblers after an explosion in online betting Download Choose your file * Higher quality (128kbps) * Lower quality (64kbps) * Lucy Sparrow: Nostalgic supermarket made of felt Mon 24 Aug 2026 Lucy Sparrow stitches life into everyday objects to create '80s nostalgia made of felt Download Choose your file * Higher quality (128kbps) * Lower quality (64kbps) * China: The rise of a science superpower Sun 23 Aug 2026 The future of science is Chinese. Download Choose your file * Higher quality (128kbps) * Lower quality (64kbps) * Secret phone calls from a Saudi jail Sat 22 Aug 2026 How the BBC's Tigrinya language service became a voice for Ethiopian men on death row Download Choose your file * Higher quality (128kbps) * Lower quality (64kbps) * Flying with kids: Cabin chaos Sat 22 Aug 2026 How do you deal with a disruptive child on a flight? Download Choose your file * Higher quality (128kbps) * Lower quality (64kbps) * What in the World: Will AI make your degree pointless? Fri 21 Aug 2026 We speak to three students who tell us how they think AI could change their careers. Download Choose your file * Higher quality (128kbps) * Lower quality (64kbps) * The Vatican's AI battle Fri 21 Aug 2026 Silicon Valley says it's ‘creating God’ with AI. The Catholic Church is watching closely Download Choose your file * Higher quality (128kbps) * Lower quality (64kbps) * LA: Rising from the ashes Thu 20 Aug 2026 Jonathan Glancey meets architects leading LA’s recovery from 2025’s catastrophic fires. Download Choose your file * Higher quality (128kbps) * Lower quality (64kbps) * The Kansas City cycling revolution Wed 19 Aug 2026 Kansas City was named America's worst city for cyclists in 2008. Has it improved? Download Choose your file * Higher quality (128kbps) * Lower quality (64kbps) * Raiders of the lost art Tue 18 Aug 2026 How Manhattan's Antiquities Trafficking Unit works to track and return stolen art Download Choose your file * Higher quality (128kbps) * Lower quality (64kbps) * Behind the scenes of Bookish Mon 17 Aug 2026 Antonia Quirke goes behind the scenes of Bookish. Download Choose your file * Higher quality (128kbps) * Lower quality (64kbps) * The sound of soft power Sun 16 Aug 2026 Does the world still need international radio as a tool of soft power? Download Choose your file * Higher quality (128kbps) * Lower quality (64kbps) * Ukraine and Russia’s recruitment war Sat 15 Aug 2026 Ukraine and Russia face different challenges recruiting fighters Download Choose your file * Higher quality (128kbps) * Lower quality (64kbps) * Experiences of drought Sat 15 Aug 2026 Failing crops and angry alligators – how a lack of rain is affecting people worldwide Download Choose your file * Higher quality (128kbps) * Lower quality (64kbps) * The creator of France's 'Untouchables' houses Fri 14 Aug 2026 The man behind inclusive homes where accident survivors live with non-disabled people Download Choose your file * Higher quality (128kbps) * Lower quality (64kbps) * Tree of diplomacy Thu 13 Aug 2026 How botany has kept the US and China talking for decades Download Choose your file * Higher quality (128kbps) * Lower quality (64kbps) * The world's largest wildlife crossing Wed 12 Aug 2026 Can a major engineering project help save Califonia's mountain lion population? Download Choose your file * Higher quality (128kbps) * Lower quality (64kbps) * Previous * 1 * 2 * 3 * 4 * 5 * … * 148 * Next This podcast belongs to * The Documentary Podcast Other podcasts you may like See all podcasts Related Content Similar programmes By genre: * Factual By format: * Documentaries * Podcasts * Online schedule * Help & FAQs * Contact us * News in more than 40 languages * Terms of Use * About the BBC * Privacy Policy * Privacy Policy * Cookies * Cookies * Accessibility Help * Parental Guidance * Contact the BBC * Make an editorial complaint * Careers * BBC emails for you * Advertise with us Copyright (c) 2026 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.