The story of the 20th Century, by those who were there at the era's most important moments
World Service,路283 episodes
Those who first saw the structure of DNA to the people who trained for Apollo XVI
The radical events of the 20th Century altered the balance between countries and societies
Czech chemist Otto Wichterle invented the soft contact lens, but preferred to wear glasses
Engineer Frank Whittle's invention began the era of widespread international air travel
The invention of the silicon chip and predictions for its future
Listen to witness accounts from World War I to the shelling of Sarajevo
From pillowcase to an idea inspired by the dust filtering system used at a saw mill
How electronic TV production works using transmitters, receivers and cathode ray tubes
"There just wasn't enough food. The hunger drove people insane" recalls Elena Taranukhina
"They were all cannon fodder" Australian veteran Edward Smout recalls Passchendaele
From the soft contact lens to TV, from the jet engine to the silicon chip
Chief Emeka Ojukwu led the Biafran war of secession in Nigeria from 1967 - 1970
"We didn't have free elections" Fighting for the Sandinistas to challenge the dictatorship
Edo Dedovic was a teenager when he was injured during shelling at Sarajevo in Bosnia
Kurdish musician Tara Jaff on belonging to a community with no nation of their own
Xu Xiaobing and Hou Bo heard Chairman Mao proclaim the People's Republic of China
The UN voted for the partition of Palestine allowing the creation of a Jewish state
Journalist Khushwant Singh heard Jawaharlal Nehru announce Indian independence in 1947
John Offeh recalls how his country's new found liberty affected ordinary people
People share their memories and experiences of their faith in the 20th Century
From Chairman Mao declaring the People's Republic of China to Ghana's independence
Mohammed Accram Khan-Cheema on how he almost lost touch with Islam when he emigrated
Helia Lopez Zarsoza's sister's fianc茅's disappearance and how her faith helps her
Aftar Singh on being caught up in Operation Blue Star at the Golden Temple in Amristar
Lucille Eichengreen saw her entire family killed, what affect has it had on her faith?
"What they really need is treatment", says prisoner Gilberto Fernandez
Stefan Heyn on the defendents responsible for the horrific events of the Holocaust
Nien Cheng was imprisoned in solitary confinement for six and a half years
Gad Beck on life in Nazi Germany as a gay man and how he lost his true love
At 28, the Russian poet Irina Ratushinskaya was imprisoned for her writing
