Duels of History

This vertical slum was a hotbed of crime, but also full of factories, cheap shops and a strong community.

Chinese influencers are convincing people from across the country to colonise Xinjiang.

The tankas have been part of the cultural landscape in southern China for centuries. But today their distinctive way of life is under threat.

Sculptors Auguste Rodin and Camille Claudel had a passionate affair, but things turned sour.

Could the Spanish have conquered Mexico without the help of Malinche, a Native American slave who became Hernan Cortés' translator? 

How did Marie Curie's love affair with the married physicist Paul Langevin become a national story that divided France?

Why is Lucrezia Borgia, daughter of Pope Alexander VI, still viewed as a Machiavellian manipulator? 

In her battle against Ronald Reagan, activist Angela Davis became the icon of an entire generation.

Did French Queen Marie-Antoinette really betray her adopted country? And was Robespierre a dictator or a democrat?

How can we have more fulfilling sex? Ronja von Rönne meets couples and singles who have reinvented their sexuality.

Using the latest technology, researchers are discovering the bright colours of ancient Greek art and architecture.  

Dancing to the machine: Welcome to the algorave where live coding supplies the beats. 

Two years after her triumph at the La Maestra conducting competition, Bar Avni is back on the podium in Paris.

From queer cake sitting to sex positive tasting evenings, Tracks finds out about food and sexuality.

How can we navigate the highs and lows of city life and lead a happy existence in the metropolis?

42-year-old Armen Grigoryan is the youngest barber in the timeless atmosphere of the oldest barbershop in Armenia.

Lyon’s Nuit Sonores festival welcomes two living legends of Detroit techno.

How can you feed yourself self-sufficiently in the desert? An ancient superfood could hold the answer.

How can we age well? Ronja von Rönne trys to find out by talking to chimney sweep Norbert Skrobek, who is close to retirement and Monika Gutte who defies age with a zest for life