The Boring Talks

The artist and designer Kate McLean leads us, nose first, on a smell walk across the world. This podcast may include the odours of cooking sausages, carbolic soap, shattered dreams and bins. Presenter: James Ward Contributor: Kate McLean Producer: Luke Doran

Can you change your name to your existing name? And, more importantly, why would you bother? James Michael Ward explains what happened when he tried to become James Michael Ward. Presenter: James Ward Contributor: James Ward (the same one) Contributor: Anya Driscoll Producer: Luke Doran

Is basalt really the most boring type of rock in the world? Not according to Dr Anne Jay. Presenter: James Ward Contributor: Dr Anne Jay Producer: Luke Doran

Rhodri Marsden is underwhelmed by British earthquakes. He thinks it's time to reassess how we report these 'tremors'. Is he right? Maybe. Presenter: James Ward Contributor: Rhodri Marsden Producer: Luke Doran

Since 2007 Peter Fletcher has been counting and documenting all of his sneezes. Every single one. Now he tells us why, and what he has learned along the way. Presenter: James Ward Contributor: Peter Fletcher Producer: Luke Doran

Are you for or against lampposts? The author and design historian Dr Eleanor Herring looks at the controversial history of the lamppost, and those that have railed against them. Presenter: James Ward Contributor: Eleanor Herring Producer: Luke Doran Editor: Moy McGowan

What exactly is a 'Sounding Gestalt'? And how can you make music from a Gentleman's cravat or E. coli? The artist Laurence Jordan will explain. Presenter: James Ward Contributor: Laurence Jordan Producer: Luke Doran Editor: Moy McGowan

From brick making to motorbikes, Dr Claire Thomson celebrates the golden age of Danish Public Information Films (that's 1935 to 1965, in case you were wondering). Presenter: James Ward Contributor: Claire Thomson Producer: Luke Doran Editor: Moy McGowan

Once called 'Green Girdles', today's Green belts are strange and relatively unknown places. Follow the writer John Grindrod on his guided tour through a world of naturists, cavemen and rancid pies. Presenter: James Ward Contributor: John Grindrod Producer: Luke Doran Editor: Moy McGowan

The artist Louise Ashcroft takes us inside the mysterious portal that is the Argos catalogue, and examines what it reveals about people’s desires and aspirations. Presenter: James Ward Contributor: Louise Ashcroft Producer: Luke Doran Editor: Moy McGowan

From beautifully crafted tourist attractions, to nightmarish dystopian visions, the broadcaster Tim Dunn shares his love for the 'little works of art' that are model villages. Presenter: James Ward Contributor: Tim Dunn Producer: Luke Doran Editor: Moy McGowan

How did the wooden pallet become the 'single most important object in the global economy'? Liam Shaw delves deep in to the history of this ubiquitous object. Presenter: James Ward Contributor: Liam Shaw Producer: Luke Doran Editor: Moy McGowan

The journalist Andrew Male takes a personal journey in to the mysterious beginnings of yellow line road markings. Presenter: James Ward Contributor: Andrew Male Producer: Luke Doran Editor: Moy McGowan

A book for $1.7 million? To a computer, it made sense. Sort of. Tracy King explains. Presenter: James Ward Contributor: Tracy King Producer: Luke Doran Editor: Moy McGowan

What is the specific date of Armageddon according to Douglas Adams? Steve Cross close-reads The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy to find out Presenter: James Ward Contributor: Steve Cross Producer: Luke Doran Editor: Moy McGowan

Behind every boring subject is another layer of boringness you could have never imagined. Presenter: James Ward Producer: Luke Doran Editor: Moy McGowan