Documentaries & Specials
Each month, the BBC World Service offers new documentaries and specials selected specifically for U.S. audiences, with in-depth, relevant reporting. Typically one-hour, or two half-hours on a similar topic, they offer great content for any time of day, and satisfy audiences' needs for deeper narratives and more reflective listening.
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BBC In Our Time: The Code of Hammurabi
Air window: June 20 - July 17, 2026
One hour
Hammurabi, King of Babylon (c1810 - c1750 BC), had almost 300 laws carved into a black basalt pillar in what is now present-day Iraq. Since its rediscovery in 1901, in present-day Iran, it has affirmed Hammurabi's reputation as one of the world’s first great lawmakers. Visitors to the Louvre Museum in Paris can see the pillar on display with the rules written in cuneiform, covering how to handle murder, divorce, witchcraft, false accusations and the principle of ‘an eye for an eye’.
The Code of Hammurabi, as it became known, made such an impression in Mesopotamia that it was copied and shared for a millennium after his death and, since its reemergence, Hammurabi and his Code have been commemorated in the United State Capitol Building and the International Court of Justice.
BBC Soccer Special
Air window: June 27 - July 25, 2026
One hour
Two programs exploring soccer as the 23rd edition of the World Cup kicks off in June.
Agony and ecstasy - A history of penalty shootouts
What is it about penalty shootouts that create so much drama and entice even non-soccer fans to watch the big games? Former South African international captain, Amanda Dlamini, looks back at the history of the shootout and asks why it has such a psychological impact on players and fans. She also looks at whether there could ever be an alternative to spot-kicks to decide knockout games.
And
Good Bad Billionaire: Cristiano Ronaldo
We delve into the business of soccer as we look at the sport's first billionaire.
Cristiano Ronaldo grew up in poverty on the remote Portuguese island of Madeira but has leveraged social media fame to build his CR7 brand empire, becoming one of the most recognisable people on the planet. Business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng trace Ronaldo's rise from a homesick kid playing for the academy at Portugal's soccer club Sporting CP, to global superstardom at English team Manchester United and Spanish giants Real Madrid, where relentless training and record-breaking performances turned him into a sporting and commercial machine.
BBC Science Special
Air window: July 4 - July 31, 2026
One hour
We bring you a BBC Science Special with two programs that explore the natural world.
In the first half, we take a close look at the social lives of bacteria. From the crowd-lovers, to backstabbers and do-gooders, bacteria are fighting it out in the world and inside our bodies. Scientists explore how the organisms interact and how it could potentially help us to produce new medicines.
In the second half, we head to the Philippines and delve into the relationship between plants and animals. Plants use a vast range of techniques to attract pollinators, from their appearance to their taste and even their smell. The Southeast Asian country is one of only 18 in the world to be classed as ‘mega-biodiverse’ - a place where a huge number of plants have evolved in incredible ways to draw in animals and insects.
World Questions: Czech Republic
Air window: July 11 - August 7, 2026
One hour
We look at the big issues currently facing the central European country of Czech Republic, also known as Czechia. Presenter Jonny Dymond chairs a discussion with leading politicians there. They debate housing, the cost of living, regional disparities, and the threat currently posed by Russia.
In Our Time: Silicon
Air window: July 18 - August 14, 2026
One hour
We explore the fascinating element of silicon. It's at the heart of some of the most useful and beautiful objects on the planet. The silicon we have here on Earth was made billions of years ago, in dying stars. But some of it is still being created throughout the universe. We have long used silicon compounds for glass and, more recently, purified silicon has become the foundation of modern electronics. However, perhaps less appreciated is the role silicon compounds play in the biology of life on Earth and on the levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
Discussion and Documentary: Driving Across The Divide
Air window: July 25 - August 21, 2026
One hour
Cars driven by Israeli volunteers wait at check points and border crossings to give ill Palestinians lifts to hospital appointments. It is what the volunteers call “one hour of peace”. Since Hamas’ brutal attacks on October 7, it has become an increasingly rare space for Israelis and Palestinians to speak, and build trust and connection. Presenter Naomi Scherbel-Ball unpacks this meeting of two worlds amid the trauma of war.
BBC Design Special
Air window: August 8 - September 4, 2026
One hour
We bring you two programs that unpack significant human creations in a BBC design special. In the first half, we head to Romania to hear about the teenagers who strung computer cables together on the rooftops of the capital Bucharest to create a sprawling internet network. This Eastern European innovation soon caught the attention of telecom giants. We take a look at how it impacted the internet as we know it today.
And in the second half, we head to another country in Europe and speak to the Nine Yards Skatepark designers. They're the team behind the 2024 Paris Olympic Skatepark who are working on a new project in the heart of the Dutch capital, Amsterdam. We explore how skating has evolved from an underground sport into an established movement and the intricate detail that goes into every park.
In Our Time: The Spanish-American War 1898
Air window: August 15 - September 11, 2026
One hour
Presenter Misha Glenny is joined by experts to discuss a turning point in world affairs at the end of the nineteenth century which left Spain greatly reduced as an imperial power and the US as the owner of the Philippines, Guam and Puerto Rico. It also left the US with a significant influence over the newly independent Cuba where the war broke out. It had been eyeing Cuba for decades, waiting for the right moment and the right kind of action. In April 1898 it intervened in the long-running fighting on the island for independence from Spain. With a much stronger navy it was a very uneven battle and the US soon triumphed over Spanish forces from Manila to Santiago de Cuba. This brief war confirmed the US as a power on the world stage and made a shocked Spain turn inwards to ask what had gone wrong.
In Our Time: The Engineers - Flying at the Edge
Air window: August 22 - September 18, 2026
One hour
Aviation is being reimagined for a changing planet. From vertical take-off passenger cars for city centers to hydrogen powered planes for zero carbon travel and even hyper-sonic flights to bring the London to Sydney journey to under two hours. Three world leaders in the field of aircraft engineering join presenter Caroline Steel on stage in London at the Royal Geographical Society. They are Kelly Latimer, a US aerospace engineer and flight test pilot, Rob Miller, a net-zero aviation pioneer and Daniel Moczydlower, the president of the Brazilian future aircraft innovators, Embraer-X.
Are microplastics affecting our health?
Air window: August 29 - September 25, 2026
One hour
Scientists say they have found microplastics in human organs like the brain, gut and even in our blood. So what’s the evidence that microplastics are changing our bodies and affecting our health? Claudia Hammond puts your questions on microplastics to a panel of experts and asks what the science can really tell us.
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