A Brief History of Stuff

They quietly whir and ping away in our kitchens, heating up food and the odd cold cup of tea - but behind these unassuming boxes of plastic and metal lies a remarkable story.

In this episode, host Nihal Arthanayake is joined by food stylist and recipe writer Mima Sinclair to explore the rise of the mug cake, and curator Liz Bruton who reveals how the origins of the microwave are not so innocent…

This episode was inspired by microw...

‘Food has been a really important part of our socializing as humans. It’s when we enjoy food together, we tell the stories and sit around a fire as our ancient ancestors would have done. And we like to do that as well, on the space station.’

In this episode, host Nihal Arthanayake speaks to British astronaut Tim Peake about what food is really like in space, while Science Museum curator Helen Peavitt discusses the history of food p...

Around 800 million people across the world are menstruating right now, using a variety of products and methods to deal with their blood. But accessing these products can be a challenge, even today.

In this episode, host Nihal Arthanayake speaks to curator Rebecca Raven about the fascinating stories behind the menstruation products many of us use, while Dr Suba Thiyagalingam discusses period poverty, taboos and why we should talk mo...

Household chores are an unavoidable part of everyday life. For thousands of years a broom was enough, but by using the humble vacuum cleaner we changed our homes forever.

In this episode, carpet sweeper expert Laura Humphreys takes us on a journey through the remarkable history of the vacuum cleaner, while conservator Kate Perks describes the care taken to clean delicate items on display at the Science Museum.

Hear how the first va...

Microphones have changed the way we hear the world. From the experiments of Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas Alva Edison, through the birth of rock and roll to the explosion of podcasts and video conferencing during the COVID-19 pandemic, microphones have become integral to our modern lives.  

In this episode, National Science and Media Museum curator Annie Jamieson takes us on a journey through the surprising story of the micropho...

The wonder material graphene can be found in any pencil, but for years scientists couldn’t isolate its incredibly thin layers. Andre Geim and Kostya Novoselov won the Nobel Prize in 2010 for doing just that, using little more than their curiosity and sticky tape.

In this episode Science and Industry Museum curator Sarah Baines reveals how thinking outside the box, making a frog levitate and sticky tape helped scientists isolate the...

We know so little about the ocean, but a simple bath toy helped us understand it better. Dive into the story of what happened when 30,000 bath toys washed overboard and how these cute plastic critters helped scientists uncover the mysteries behind ocean currents with our host Nihal Arthanayake.

In this episode, curator Alex Rose reveals the epic ocean voyage taken by ordinary bath toys, while beachcomber Tracey Williams shares her ...

Even the most ordinary objects have extraordinary stories to tell. Our new podcast, A Brief History of Stuff, delves into remarkable stories behind the everyday things around you, exploring the past, present and future of the stuff in your home.  

Join host Nihal Arthanayake, experts and enthusiasts - from air traffic controllers to beachcombers and our curators - to hear remarkable stories about the stuff around you, all inspired ...