The Guardian's Audio Long Reads

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Episodes

Date Title & Description Contributors
2025-01-13

  The inspiring scientists who saved the world’s first seed bank

During the siege of Leningrad, botanists in charge of an irreplaceable seed collection had to protect it from fire, rodents – and hunger. By Simon Parkin. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod
  The Guardian author
2025-01-10

  The ‘mad egghead’ who built a mouse utopia

John Calhoun designed an apartment complex for mice to examine the effects of overcrowding. It was hailed as a groundbreaking study of social breakdown, but is largely forgotten. So what happened? By Lee Alan Dugatkin. Help support our independent jour...
  The Guardian author
2025-01-08

  From the archive: Cold comfort: how cold water swimming cured my broken heart

We are raiding the Guardian Long Read archives to bring you some classic pieces from years past, with new introductions from the authors. This week, from 2021: After a painful breakup and the death of her father, one writer retreated to the coast of Br...
  The Guardian author
2025-01-06

  Teeth as time capsules: Soviet secrets and my dentist grandmother

In postwar Warsaw, my grandmother Zosia fixed the teeth of prisoners and spies. In doing so, she came into contact with the hidden history of her times in a way few others could. By Jacob Mikanowski. Help support our independent journalism at theguardi...
  The Guardian author
2025-01-03

  The brain collector: the scientist unravelling the mysteries of grey matter

Using cutting-edge methods, Alexandra Morton-Hayward is cracking the secrets of ancient brains – even as hers betrays her. By Kermit Pattison. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod
  The Guardian author
2025-01-01

  From the archive: The invisible addiction: is it time to give up caffeine?

We are raiding the Guardian Long Read archives to bring you some classic pieces from years past, with new introductions from the authors. This week, from 2021: Caffeine makes us more energetic, efficient and faster. But we have become so dependent that...
  The Guardian author
2024-12-30

  The rollercoaster king: the man behind the UK’s fastest thrill-ride

John Burton was just 27 when he was put in charge of creating Thorpe Park’s biggest-ever project. Once too scared to go on rides himself, how did he become the architect of so many daredevils’ dreams? By Tom Lamont. Help support our independent journal...
  The Guardian author
2024-12-27

  Best of 2024: ‘If there’s nowhere else to go, this is where they come’: how Britain’s libraries provide much more than books

Every Monday and Friday for the rest of December we will publish some of our favourite audio long reads of 2023, in case you missed them, with an introduction from the editorial team to explain why we’ve chosen it. From July: In 2024, libraries are uno...
  The Guardian author
2024-12-23

  Best of 2024: As a teenager, John was jailed for assaulting someone and stealing their bike. That was 17 years ago – will he ever be released?

Every Monday and Friday for the rest of December we will publish some of our favourite audio long reads of 2023, in case you missed them, with an introduction from the editorial team to explain why we’ve chosen it. From June: Indeterminate sentences ar...
  The Guardian author
2024-12-20

  Best of 2024: ‘It comes for your very soul’: how Alzheimer’s undid my dazzling, creative wife in her 40s

Every Monday and Friday for the rest of December we will publish some of our favourite audio long reads of 2024, in case you missed them, with an introduction from the editorial team to explain why we’ve chosen it. From August: By the time my wife got ...
  The Guardian author