Showing results by narrator "Ciaran Saward" in All Categories

The events of the Crucifixion continue to fascinate biblical scholars and artists alike. Amongst the drama of that momentous day was a humble request and the reply that it received, an incident that manages to crystalize something of the essence of Christianity. Dismas - The Penitent Thief: An Introduction seeks to explore what is known of the individual who made that request and discover his story, his significance, and how he continues to inspire others

When 11-year-old Charlie Spruit finds an alien on his doorstep one morning he can hardly believe his luck. Who is he? Why has he come? Charlie soon discovers that his new friend Eeek! is soccer-mad and has run away from space to watch the World Cup Final with him. Charlie hides Eeek! in his bedroom, where he sleeps on the ceiling by night and pores over Charlie's football magazines by day. The only person he lets in on his alien secret is his best friend Jake.

To many of us, Bowie was so much more than a pop idol. But why? In Why Bowie Matters, Professor Will Brooker answers that question persuasively, as both a fan and an academic. A Bowie obsessive since childhood, he hit the headlines over the course of a year-long immersive research project that took him from London to Berlin and New York, following in Bowie’s footsteps, only listening to music and reading books he loved, and even at times adopting his fashion.

We are entering a new technological age in which artificial intelligence and immersive media will transform society at all levels, mediating our lives by altering what we see, hear, and experience. If managed well, this could unleash a new age of abundance. If managed poorly, this technological revolution could easily go astray, compromising our privacy, autonomy, agency, and humanity. Two industry veterans provide a data-driven debate on whether the new world we're creating will be a technological utopia or an AI-powered dystopia and give guidance on how to aim for the best future we can.