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4 Minute Reads

  • An exploration of the importance of plastic and how it came to pervade our lives.

  • What are the right and the wrong things to say to someone who is struggling to cope?

  • From mammals to molluscs, here are seven of the world鈥檚 most troublesome animal invaders.

  • Do you Tolstoy on the treadmill? Christie on the commute? Kipling in the kitchen?

  • Plants can do much more than we might think. So is it wrong to eat them?

  • An assortment of our most intriguing idioms, their possible origins and how to use them.

  • How do fonts change the meaning of a message?

  • Although ancient in some cases, these proverbs still provide valuable guidance.

  • Simple tips for freshening up your outside space.

  • Eight lightbulb moments that changed people's lives.

  • Sue MacGregor reunites the witnesses of the so-called Enfield Poltergeist in 1977.

  • Mouthwatering African food that you have to try!

  • Here are 11 reasons to love soft, sticky soil. It鈥檚 as clear as mud.

  • Is a new age of wood about to dawn?

  • How is our idea of leadership changing, and what does it mean to be a follower?

  • Want to become a more proficient persuader? Here are some valuable tips.

  • What are the positive messages we can all take from these Easter emblems?

  • A look at the impact of borrowing on people's lives, bank balances and mental health.

  • Tick tock, it鈥檚 time to change the clocks! Some facts all about Daylight Saving Time.

  • Here are ten tasty facts to digest about our trustiest, and crustiest, staple food.

  • This St Patrick鈥檚 Day, why not reel off some of the following Irish words and phrases.

  • What lengths are the air-mile-obsessed prepared to go to accumulate points?

  • Spread the hwyl and try out these winning words of Welsh.

  • We ask, what is Yorkshire famous for? Here are eight astounding things.

  • How language is being used by, and about, people who identify as transgender.

  • Enter the world of sacred plants, rich in spiritual symbolism.

  • Adolescents get blamed for a lot. Are we being too hard on them?

  • Fascinating facts to celebrate our favourite nocturnal bird, the wise old owl.

  • Here are some of the most romantic words in the English language. Now go forth and woo!

  • From 'yours faithfully' to 'peace out', what different sign offs say about you.

  • How much control should a company have over what its employees wear?

  • Juicy nuggets about element number 53 on the periodic table, and its extraordinary uses.

  • Eaten by kings and romans alike, there's more to oysters than meets the eye.

  • Influenza makes a lot of us feel very ill. Here are some things you might not know...

  • Be prepared to spend, spend, spend if you want to try these delicacies

  • Looking for a new hobby? Try wrapping your head around these mind-bending brainteasers.

  • Here are a few things we learned about greetings from Word of Mouth鈥�

  • Clawing back cash doesn鈥檛 have to mean big changes. It鈥檚 time to have fun being frugal.

  • The top five vocal exercises for improving your voice.

  • From moisturising to keeping hydrated, some simple steps to combat winter blues.

  • Sheila Dillon presents tips and recipes for perfect porridge.

  • He may have predicted some of the most influential technology in our lives.

  • Naturalist Mark Cocker explores our love affair with the quintessential bird of Christmas.

  • How and why to include forgiveness as part of our Christmas traditions.

  • Here are a few of the furry (and feathered) friends synonymous with festive spirit.

  • Drink up these fascinating facts about our favourite seasonal tipples.

  • The post-Christmas sales can be daunting. Here's how to survive the chaos.

  • A handy guide for how best to give back.

  • Turn back time to find out what Chaucer, Jane Austen and others might have thrown to their VCDs.

  • Classic words to un-wrap from under the Christmas trees of yesteryear

  • Reduce the stress and mess on perfecting the high pressure meal

  • Peace on earth and goodwill to all? 11 tips for keeping the peace at Christmas

  • How we've harnessed the power of chanting, from our ancient ancestors through to modern times.

  • A few simple, everyday ways to help keep your ticker in shape.

  • From Moomins to saunas, we all love a bit of Finland. We explore what is unique about Europe's most sparsely populated country.

  • Cows are complex creatures. So how can you go about reading one?

  • Why more of us are swerving meat and dairy and happily going herbivore.

  • Can publicly sharing outrage and offence lead to more culturally aware society?

  • How can we tell if a politician can be trusted to stick to their promises?

  • We ask why department stores hold such a special place in the heart of the consumer.

  • Many of us don't know our Grenache from our Gew眉rztraminer: here's how to avoid the shame.

  • A look at why people are questioning the existence of these statues.

  • A few of the extraordinary鈥恠ounding conditions that can occur when we close our eyes.

  • What we can learn about politics from the power struggles within chimpanzee groups.

  • Helpful insights into how to be confident with confidence.

  • Wrap up warm, buckle up and enjoy these fascinating facts.

  • You are about to get back that hour you lost in the spring. What will you do with yours?

  • Smart tips: here's a practical and optimistic guide to boosting your brain power.

  • A rare glimpse inside this secretive society.

  • Have a gander at these fun facts about the shape that we are, quite simply, dotty about.

  • In the right hands, your half-eaten sandwich could actually be a valuable resource.

  • For the fashion-loving consumer who wants to go green, here are ten trends and tips.

  • Eager to enhance your environmental vocabulary? Here are 15 memorable terms to get you started.

  • You can learn to argue more effectively with these steps.

  • Ten important insights into the challenges autistic people face in social situations.

  • Other parts of the world have their own wonderful ways of referring to the season.

  • Translations that went seriously wrong 鈥� from amusing errors to major mistakes.

  • We鈥檝e uncovered several reasons why unaccompanied eating might actually be a good thing.

  • Take a look at the language, and in particular, the clich茅s of football. Back of the net!

  • The origins and purpose of the workplace words and phrases we all love to loathe.

  • It鈥檚 hard to imagine life without them but many don鈥檛 quite understand why they鈥檙e around.

  • The natural wine movement is growing momentum, but what's it all about?

  • Who doesn鈥檛 like sounding clever? Try slipping these words into your conversations.

  • 15 podcasts that will make you smarter.

  • Itemising our ideas, plans and reminders can be useful in so many ways.

  • For centuries British funerals have followed a familiar format, but things are changing.

  • A rundown of six of the most interesting animal-based theories.

  • Reasons why getting your nose back to the grindstone is something to get excited about.

  • Interesting insights that you can use to impress your fellow barbeque-goers.

  • The leg bones of a runner may have a different shape to those of a footballer... but why?

  • What is a polymath? If you don鈥檛 know the answer then you鈥檙e almost certainly not one.

  • A total eclipse of the sun is one of nature鈥檚 most stunning phenomena.

  • All about the writer who Stephen Fry says simply cheers him up like no one else.

  • Look around - you're surrounded by them! But why? Turns out there are six reasons why.

  • Grab a portable stove and take a look at these handy tips for al fresco feasting.

  • A handful of classic novels with a meaningful male friendship at their heart.

  • We take a closer look at the five words that made the modern world.

  • Love them or loathe them, the power ballad is the musical genre that never gets old.

  • Here are five reasons to worry about how much we use.

  • How and why do birds fly thousands of miles around the world each year?

  • It鈥檚 time to reintroduce physical activity to the workplace so here are 10 not-too-serious suggestions.

  • Freaky facts and unsolved mysteries of the cosmos.

  • Lessons learned from the serialisation of comedian Eddie Izzard's autobiography.

  • What modern scientific research is doing to combat the tragic disease.

  • We strongly recommend you do NOT try these at home!

  • Five ways tha Stella's designs inspired the clothes you wear.

  • From whiskey exports to the cost of your fruit and veg.

  • We鈥檝e uncovered some surprising facts about some of our hardiest plants.

  • The only place to be seen if you were an aspiring British actor in the heyday of Hollywood.

  • Here are some staggering facts about our benevolent protector in the night sky.

  • Can you tell your LOL from your ROFL? Are you generally a bit more BRB than THTH?

  • Cornish has been experiencing a recent revival. Here are a few of our favourite phrases.

  • Eleven tips from All in the Mind's Claudia Hammond.

  • Workers have become increasingly unable to escape the clock.

  • Gardeners' World presenter Monty Don imparts some gardening words of wisdom.

  • Now this is going to be painful, but let鈥檚 take a little look in your spice rack.

  • Plants are intelligent creatures that possess a unique ability to adapt.

  • Comedian and writer David Walliams talks to Michael Rosen about writing his hugely popular children鈥檚 books.

  • With terms like 'epic fail' entering everyday language, it's time for you to level up.

  • These 9 thrifty tips will help you dress like a style icon without it costing a thing.

  • We all have our moments. Here's our grammar cheat sheet.

  • From phone etiquette to positioning yourself well - get some top meeting tips here.

  • Here are some amazing facts about the ultimate ticket to ride.

  • Screen writer and director, Steven Knight, explains why Sitting Bull is his all-time hero.

  • 鈥榮up? This quiz is dope. If you think you know your nineties, have a go at it.

  • Could maths improve your dating chances?

  • Advice from the international bestselling author on how to succeed as a writer.

  • Forget the sweat and tears, this is just about blood. Oh, and food.

  • You may need to take a long hard look at yourself after this unsettling read.

  • Awright? How good are you at cockney rhyming slang? Feast your mince pies on this!

  • How much of the English language comes from French roots? A lot, it turns out.

  • From dancing cows to the debate about health benefits.

  • Colour affects us psychologically and emotionally, which is why it's harnessed by brands.

  • Six reasons why our much-lauded forebears might be due a rethink.

  • A look at fascinating insights into the misunderstood world of migraines.

  • Are you grammatically gormless or a punctuation perfectionist?

  • The robbers that didn鈥檛 get away...

  • Science sleuths Hannah Fry and Adam Rutherford investigate blood.

  • The truth about a teenager's bedroom.

  • How much do you know about the history of where your tea comes from?

  • The blind genius who hacked the US phone system in the 1960s and 70s.

  • Here are a few things you can do to encourage your bacteria to flourish.

  • Discover some astonishing facts about worms.

  • Why do Americans say eggplant and highway, rather than aubergine and motorway?

  • A guide to which chores should be done every day, week, month or once a year.

  • Jolyon Jenkins has tried out five highly experimental methods and relates his experiences.

  • Break out of the lunchtime automatic pilot and eat something that tastes good!

  • Which nation favours the poo emoji? Here are some fascinating emoji facts.

  • Behold! Here are the ten commandments of the filmmaker, writer and raconteur.

  • We have gathered together some astonishing citrus facts.

  • We've collated some interesting facts using our own version of the Dewey Decimal System鈥�

  • What you name your pet is important. Take some advice from the experts.

  • Can you guess how a master Foley artist might create these sounds?

  • Learn to love and not loathe failure.

  • Ever wondered where some words like dander and mardy come from?

  • Here are some of the best kept secrets for beating the house.

  • Play The Film Programme's Needle Drop Quiz.

  • How well do you know your iconic films? Test your knowledge.

  • Strictly鈥檚 Len Goodman shares the reasons behind his admiration for lyricist Lionel Bart.

  • T S Eliot captured the humdrum mundanity of modern everyday life in much of his poetry.

  • We aim to help The Natural History Museum鈥檚 Dippy Diplodocus find a new career.

  • Dreading your next birthday? Don't. Here's how you can embrace older age.

  • Indulging. Pampering. Relaxing. Sounds great. Here's how you can do just that.

  • Only five. Start small, think about big later!

  • Here are some top tips about how you can make your money go further.

  • Renowned European writers you might not have heard of but you really should read.

  • Why snow is so powerful to the imagination? Here are few little-known facts鈥�

  • Radio 4 presenters share memories of their favourite Bruce Springsteen albums.

  • Gin鈥檚 current popularity is small beer compared with the 18th century, writes Helen Nianias.

  • Do you struggle getting from A to B? If so, here are eight tips to help you get back on track.

  • A few crumbs of information that might surprise you.

  • The different words for nostalgia and homesickness and their meanings.

  • The virtues of negativity and how it can be a surprisingly powerful route to joy.

  • Here are our top murderous mushroom facts.

  • They don鈥檛 give a stuff about humans and they鈥檙e synonymous with cool.

  • When it all gets a bit too much, here are some things that will help.

  • Mouth dry? Legs shaking? Here鈥檚 our guide to ducking the dais.

  • How you can tell if you鈥檙e heading into the kingdom of clutter.

  • How much do you know about this spuddy staple?

  • What's the truth behind the 'miracle anti-dementia foods' that are always mentioned?

  • Have a look at some of the fantastic words that children invent and reimagine.

  • We can learn a lot about life from the great director and the way he makes movies.

  • Transform your small talk from bland clich茅 to earth-shattering rhetoric.

  • 18,000 people were asked which activities they found most restful. Here's the top ten.

  • We have pulled together some of the best, or should that be worst in villainous entertainment.

  • Terms and expressions that have vanished or been banished from your dictionary.

  • Have a peek behind the scenes at the lavish food that impressed Ross Poldark.

  • Can you tell Professor Brian Cox from our favourite Vulcan? Set phaser to stun!

  • Are you a real coffee connoisseur? Take the plunge and find out...

  • Here are some fascinating facts you might not know.

  • There's no need to feel blue. It's time to take control and stride forth with purpose.

  • Our nine tips to make the whole process that much smoother.

  • Craft beer names can get faintly ridiculous. Can you tell which of these are real?

  • Radio 4 in Four helps you get the most out of your staycation.

  • Surprising quotes from comedies and action flicks that will bring a lump to your throat.

  • We have pulled together an essential guide on how you can rethink 'busy'.

  • Jobs that guarantee you'll spend your working life being loathed by the public.

  • They might sound like unusual suggestions, but trust us - they are truly delicious.

  • Working out doesn't have to be dull. Give these a try.

  • A list of some of the biggest office annoyances.

  • We explore just how cool our sea-faring friends really are.

  • You're strolling in the park, and the thought occurs to you... I could just keep walking.

  • Flies and maggots might disgust us but they are also very useful.

  • Here are 13 signs that you need to get back into the office鈥�

  • Are you completely in the thrall of online technology? Take our quiz to find out.

  • Hints and tips from the legendary Purple Prince of Pop.

  • The facts and myths of WW1 conscription.

  • The weird and wonderful world of naming houses.

  • One of the most extraordinary tales in British propaganda history.

  • Your guide to ethnography: the in-depth analysis of everyday life.

  • In 1996 football came home, then promptly headed off to Germany. What do you remember about Euro 96?

  • Catch up with The Archers plot that's got everyone talking.

  • How to get started with the Archers (when you haven鈥檛 got a clue..)

  • Our gold standard guide to decent kip.

  • We鈥檒l miss Ronnie Corbett, the small man with the mighty reputation.

  • Why we love the feminist, activist and writer, Gloria Steinem.

  • How much do you really know about this Italian delight?

  • The In Our Time guide to one of the best-known figures in the Bible.

  • Secret rooms and double identities. There's a nightmarish quality to John Fowles鈥� novel.

  • Our light-hearted guide for getting ahead of the fermenting curve.

  • You've seen the dancers, the costumes, and herd the singing - but what is Bollywood really about?

  • Can you differentiate the sage advice of Gandhi from Gandalf?

  • Inventions and innovations that you may have never realised have links in South Asian culture.

  • What makes Virgil鈥檚 Aeneid so important?

  • Cast your eyes over the different mothering styles in The Archers.

  • Inspired by Clare Balding on Ramblings? Keen to go a-wandering along the mountain track?

  • Take our quiz to find out just how Jane you are.

  • A journey into a wondrous land whose boundaries are those of imagination.

  • What is 鈥榙ementia鈥�, and what does the latest research reveal?

  • Featuring Rumi's poetry, glitter beards and DIY decorations.

  • On Valentine鈥檚 Day, you will be doing exactly what you want to do...

  • 10 reasons why we adore Dame Joan Bakewell.

  • If you need a personal life-coach, you could do worse than consider Ken Dodd.

  • Try our quiz on black holes... come and have a go, if you think you're dense enough.

  • If all this talk of black holes is a little too much - take some time to enjoy these scientific quips.

  • Jim Al-Khalili's top scientific ideas to bandy about to impress your friends.

  • Frank Cottrell-Boyce (24 Hour Party People) reveals his fascination with the composer's life.

  • Tim Peake鈥檚 mission was to replace a failed sequential shunt unit. Your task is to put the Christmas lights back in the loft.

  • The British astronaut steps out into space for the first time.

  • Lies, bugbears and the French. David Mitchell finds out if our manners are getting worse.

  • #virginbirth is trending, the first selfie with the new-born has gone viral.

  • From Autumn leaves to The Magic Roundabout. Test yourself with our favourite quizzes from 2015.

  • Do you know what makes you tick? Find out about your circadian rhythms.

  • Take the quiz to find out how like a pig you are. Don't tell porkies.

  • Chivalrous, ruthless and filthy rich. The forgotten civilization that ruled Egypt for over 300 years.

  • Do you fancy flying to the moon? Have you got high hopes? Take our Sinatra quiz.

  • What can UK schools learn from education around the world?

  • A tough test for regular listeners and fiendishly difficult for everyone else!

  • The acting moments made Glenda Jackson.

  • Test your knowledge of Jane Austen's masterpiece.

  • Sometimes it's nice to get a head start. Hear some radio programmes before they go out on the radio.

  • Must-have ingredients every curry king or queen owns.

  • Take the quiz and find out.

  • As the death toll mounted, increasing numbers turned to Spiritualism in the hope of speaking to lost loved ones.

  • From Arnie to Robert Redford, nine of strangest beetles to be named after celebrities.

  • Do you know your Dougal from your Dylan? Take our quiz.

  • Just how Bond are you? Take our Spectre-acular quiz to find out.

  • 4 Stories - a place to discover great drama, readings and comedy.

  • Two men, both romantic heroes in their own ways. Can you tell which wise words come from which Dylan?

  • Is there any activity more wholesome than rock pooling? Read our top tips.

  • Lucy Freeman asks what makes us snap about selfies?

  • Celebrating the gap-toothed smile

  • Travel back to 1541 and join King Henry VIII鈥檚 Great Progress from London to York.

  • We bring you nine facts exploring the history of oil - and the price we've paid for it.

  • See if you can spot the truth among the gigantic whoppers we've told you.

  • Royal historian, Professor Kate Williams charts the life and reign of the 'Constant Queen'

  • It's almost 60 years to the day after The Archers鈥� character Grace Archer was killed. But who was she and why does she haunt the village of Ambridge?

  • Photographer and former Picture Editor Eamonn McCabe, shares his top tips for great landscape photography.

  • Air violins at the ready! Here is a handful of outstanding Concerto highlights from this year's Proms season.

  • Comedian, Susan Calman picks her favourite real and fictional sisters

  • A selection of recent choral highlights from the Proms that are good for the ears and the soul.

  • How many words can you remember?

  • Radio 4 Salutes Jeffrey Bernard

  • 23 year old Philosophy graduate Sam Winter shares his recommendations.

  • Getting woolly under the skin of these giants of the past

  • How the Aurora Orchestra managed to play an entire symphony from memory.

  • Frank Sinatra: a one-man repository of songs that match every situation in which you may find yourself.

  • Some fascinating facts about the author of Go Set a Watchman.

  • One of the most enduring stars of British pop鈥檚 heyday, here's 鈥榦ur Cilla鈥�.

  • Could any of our eligible singletons be your perfect match?

  • Reasons you should be losing sleep if you are working the night shift.

  • Ever stuck for something to say? Noel Gallagher has some pointers.

  • From dressing up to providing an opportunity to get a little bit smug, we love the Proms.

  • Her life, her love and her art.

  • What would a self-service checkout say if it could speak freely?

  • See how much you really know about the brilliant Benedict with our Cumberquiz.

  • The Radio 4 schedule (according to cats...)

  • Kit Katdashian talks us through her favourite cat videos. Thanks humans.

  • Sandi Toksvig鈥檚 talent for summing up a well-known character in one sentence is legendary, but who is she referring to?

  • Life, but not as we know it.

  • Incredible facts about sperm to celebrate the UK's first National Sperm Bank

  • Attics have long been the inspiration for writers as sanctuaries, memory keepers, and sinister secret repositories. Here's our favourites.

  • Enlightenment means stepping away from the dark side, something on which both masters of Buddhism and the Jedi Order agree. But who said what?

  • The 1975 film that established the image of a fin as one that would recur whenever we swam out of our depths.

  • A handy introduction to Clanger etiquette

  • In space, no-one can hear you scream. It鈥檚 just you, the cosmos and the half a million Twitter followers you've picked up en route.

  • Music journalist John Doran selects some essential reading for 91热爆 Music Day.

  • Medical research shows that sitting is damaging our health: we embrace the vertical and stand up for standing up.

  • Take our quiz to find out if you know your korma from your kambu.

  • Try the world's most restrictive diet

  • Charaka gathered ancient wisdom in the Charaka Samhita, which became a founding text of Ayurveda medicine. What would his top tips for a heathy life be?

  • Big Questions and Pearls of Wisdom to be found in Dr Johnson's Rasselas

  • Why Wiggo is our favourite man on two wheels

  • An exploration of some different delusions and what can trigger them.

  • Learn how to spot your 'Touching the Earth' from your 'Absence of Fear', all in the position of a hand, or spread of fingers.

  • The "glass delusion" peaked centuries ago but there are still isolated cases today.

  • Discover more about the art of creative writing with tips from C.S Lewis, Ernest Hemingway and more.

  • Do you know your Viking from your Lundy? Here is The Shipping Forecast Quiz issued by the Radio 4 website.

  • Can you pick out brooding Ross Poldark from the philosophers? Play our quiz to see you if you can work out who said what.

  • As Radio 4 celebrates The Shepherd's Life on Book of the Week we ask: can you tell your heft from your herd?

  • A true World War II love story in letters between Chris Barker, a solider in Libya, and Bessie Moore. Meet the real couple and read their letters here

  • Derek Jarman was a tirelessly inventive individual - a film maker, painter and writer.

  • James Rebanks, author of The Shepherd's Life, reveals some surprising facts about ewes, rams and lambs.

  • Know your beautiful game from the good life? Play our quiz to see if you can tell the difference between The Professor and the philosopher.

  • Do you know your 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' from the Enlightenment? Try our quiz to see if you can tell the difference between the teachings of Buddha and Kurt Cobain鈥檚 lyrics.

  • It's the computer game that our children are obsessed with. When they're not playing the game, they're watching videos of other people playing it on YouTube. But should we be worried?

  • He might have lived a long time ago but Aristotle's ideas are more contemporary than you might think. Read and be happy.

  • Where in Britain would you be happiest? Take this quiz to find out your ideal place to live.

  • Belgium is just a short hop away but how much do we really know about our near neighbours? Test your Flemish credentials with this Belgian or British quiz鈥�

  • Trevor Cox: 5 things I discovered by giving up music for Lent

  • Adrian Mole could have been called Nigel or Malcolm. Read the original letters between Sue Townsend and the 91热爆.

  • How to get a payrise, what advice to share with your daughter and what would Annie Lennox tell her younger self?

  • Is it possible to tell if a piece of music was composed by a woman or a man? See whether you can work out the difference.

  • What鈥檚 so great about 91热爆 Radio 4鈥檚 daily drama? Why does it hook nearly five million people a week?

  • Get to know 'The King Of Jazz' quickly with our guide to just a few of great things about him.

  • Take our quiz and see if you remember what foods went in and out of our shopping basket, and when.

  • Can鈥檛 get enough of Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett鈥檚 Good Omens on Radio 4? Here鈥檚 a selection of facts you won鈥檛 want to miss.

  • As the latest narrator for the animations for Radio 4's A History of Ideas we present her thoughts on some big ideas (inspired by the various characters she's played).

  • The secrets of the cryptic crossword are revealed to David Baddiel, and to you. You鈥檙e just a click away from amazing your wordy friends.

  • In ancient Greece the rules of beauty were all important. Historian Bettany Hughes explains.

  • The beginning of the year is the busiest time of year for dating websites. Read You & Yours' tips from their listeners.

  • Dr Sarah Hudspith, Associate Professor at The University of Leeds gives you the historical, cultural and political context. of Tolstoy's epic novel.

  • Beer riots and sausage snacks demonstrate a devotion to the national diet. Read all about it here.