The Bloody Family History of the Guillotine
This piece examines the history of the guillotine and of France’s hereditary role of executioner – both inextricably entwined with the events of the French Revolution.
The Virus Hunters
A look at the challenges facing the teams based in the Democratic Republic of Congo searching for the next dangerous viruses. They are doing their work at a time when large scale outbreaks are ever more likely as humans encroach further into animal habitats.
Yearning for the end of the world
The story of life as a member of an underground church in 1980s Iran, waiting for the end of days and the promised Rapture.
Oscar-Zero: Notes from a Nuclear Tourist
A detailed tour of a Minuteman III Launch Control Center and the missileers tasked with ‘turning the key’ in the event of nuclear war.
Pin Kings
They were wrestling teammates and friends. Then they ended up on the opposite side of the drugs trade – one a DEA agent, the other a large scale cocaine smuggler.
Inside the Deadly World of Private Prisoner Transport
Prisoner transport operations run by third party contractors can be very dangerous indeed.
The Living and the Dead
This story of the fierce battle to regain Mosul from ISIS is a feat of both reporting and presentation.
The Sound And The Fury: Inside The Mystery Of The Havana Embassy
An account of the unexplained health issues encountered by US Embassy staff in Havana, particularly those that were intelligence officers operating under diplomatic cover. The incident has had an enduring impact on America’s diplomatic capabilities in Cuba at a pivotal moment of transition.
Aliens in our midst
Whilst we look for alien life on other planets, this piece examines ctenophores – creatures closer to home that are “profoundly different from any other animal on Earth” – so much so in fact that they may be on an entirely different evolutionary path to their planetary cohabitants.
The Pen and the Sword: Reporting ISIS
An insightful piece from the BBC World Affairs correspondent examines the complex ethical and editorial challenges of reporting on the horrors of the war waged by ISIS.