In Our Time - The Time Machine (Archive Episode)

The Time Machine (Archive Episode)

Download The Time Machine (Archive Episode)

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the ideas explored in HG Wells' novella, published in 1895, in which the Time Traveller moves forward to 802,701 AD. There he finds humanity has evolved into the Eloi and Morlocks, where the Eloi are small but leisured fruitarians and the Morlocks live below ground, carry out the work and have a different diet. Escaping the Morlocks, he travels millions of years into the future, where the environment no longer supports humanity.
With Simon Schaffer Professor of History of Science at Cambridge University Amanda Rees Historian of science at the University of York And Simon James Professor in the Department of English Studies at Durham University
We are also remembering Simon James who passed away this summer and who, we are told, really enjoyed this recording.
Producer: Simon Tillotson

Published on Thursday, 16th October 2025.

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