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The Compass

Surprising stories from unusual places. With ideas too big for a single episode, The Compass presents mini-series about the environment and politics, culture and society.

Ranked #1

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Depression in Japan

Depression in Japan

Up until the late 1990s, depression was all but unknown in Japanese society and pharmaceutical companies had given up on... Read more

11 Aug 2016

26mins

Ranked #2

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Dams

Dams

Half of the world’s river systems host hydro-electric dams. They offer reliable electricity but their construction forc... Read more

25 Apr 2018

27mins

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Ranked #3

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The Cold War Legacy: Brazil

The Cold War Legacy: Brazil

Brazil’s controversial new President, Jair Bolsonaro, has praised the country’s military dictatorship, which took power ... Read more

30 Oct 2019

27mins

Ranked #4

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My Perfect City: Oslo

My Perfect City: Oslo

Oslo is now the fastest-growing major city in all of Europe. Its growth is attributed to high birth rates and migration.... Read more

17 Nov 2019

50mins

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Ranked #5

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Glaciers

Glaciers

Life in the Himalayas is tough at the best of times. Crops are dependent on the seasonal melt-water from the mountain gl... Read more

18 Apr 2018

27mins

Ranked #6

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How modern life is changing our feet

How modern life is changing our feet

For nearly two million years we evolved in close sync with our environment but 250 years ago the industrial revolution h... Read more

15 May 2019

28mins

Ranked #7

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The History of Wastefulness: The Tipping Point

The History of Wastefulness: The Tipping Point

After exploring our wasteful past and the reality of today’s trash challenge, Australian journalist Alexandra Spring ask... Read more

23 Jan 2019

26mins

Ranked #8

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How modern living is changing our faces

How modern living is changing our faces

Dr Vybarr Cregan-Reid looks at how modern living is changing our faces. With the help of professor Saw Seang Mei in Sing... Read more

29 May 2019

27mins

Ranked #9

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The History of Wastefulness: Rubbish Through the Ages

The History of Wastefulness: Rubbish Through the Ages

Alexandra Spring continues her exploration of how our relationship with rubbish has evolved through time at the foot of ... Read more

16 Jan 2019

26mins

Ranked #10

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Chinese Dreams: Australia

Chinese Dreams: Australia

As China grows in power, there are fears that it is trying to alter the course of Australian politics. The Australian go... Read more

25 Dec 2019

27mins

Ranked #11

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My Perfect Country: Drug Decriminalisation in Portugal

My Perfect Country: Drug Decriminalisation in Portugal

In 2001 the use of all drugs was decriminalised meaning possession of drugs was now identified as a public health issue ... Read more

18 Feb 2016

27mins

Ranked #12

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The Battle of Ideas in the Middle East - Part One

The Battle of Ideas in the Middle East - Part One

Kevin Connolly travels through the Middle East to look at different ways in which the Arab states in the region are conf... Read more

17 Mar 2016

27mins

Ranked #13

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Soul Music: Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez

Soul Music: Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez

Written by Joaquin Rodrigo in 1939, the Concierto de Aranjuez is a guitar classic. It was written amid the chaos of the ... Read more

31 Mar 2016

27mins

Ranked #14

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My Perfect Country: Cuba

My Perfect Country: Cuba

After 2017 brought a string of hyper-active and destructive hurricanes in the so-called Atlantic Hurricane Season, it is... Read more

17 Jan 2018

27mins

Ranked #15

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My Perfect Country: Estonia's Digital Society

My Perfect Country: Estonia's Digital Society

Fi Glover and digital guru Martha Lane Fox look at the digital revolution pioneered by the government in Estonia – where... Read more

4 Feb 2016

27mins

Ranked #16

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Islam, People and Power: The Sunni Traditionalists

Islam, People and Power: The Sunni Traditionalists

The anti-government protests that began in the Arab world in 2010 triggered division between the religious scholars of I... Read more

17 Nov 2016

26mins

Ranked #17

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China: The start of the Silk Road

China: The start of the Silk Road

The sky is hidden by smog in Lanzhou on the Yellow River; this transport and manufacturing hub is pumping Chinese goods ... Read more

26 Jun 2019

28mins

Ranked #18

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The Cold War Legacy: India

The Cold War Legacy: India

Divya Arya looks at what happened in India at the height of the Cold War, and afterwards as the Berlin Wall came down, 3... Read more

13 Nov 2019

27mins

Ranked #19

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How modern life is changing our backs

How modern life is changing our backs

Dr Vybarr Cregan-Reid investigates what the last 250 years has done to our backs. What is it about modern life that has ... Read more

22 May 2019

28mins

Ranked #20

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My Perfect Country: Canada

My Perfect Country: Canada

Fi Glover, Martha Lane Fox and Henrietta Moore from the Institute for Global Prosperity at University College London are... Read more

14 Feb 2018

27mins

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