One Small Step: A BBC Moon Landing Collection: The Apollo missions, their lasting significance, and our age-old fascination with the moon
About this audiobook
A collection of BBC radio documentaries celebrating the lunar landings and their legacy
On July 20th 1969, for the first time in history, man walked on the moon. Over 50 years later, this 'giant leap for mankind' still captures our imagination, and in this 4-part collection, we bring together some of the most fascinating and insightful BBC documentaries about our ever-changing relationship with our only natural satellite.
In Part 1: The Moon Landings, we hear personal accounts of what it was like to be part of some of the defining moments of the 20th Century. Walking on the Moon sees Buzz Aldrin reliving the perilous final moments before touchdown, while in Last Word, Matthew Bannister hears the story of that historic voyage, with contributions from friends, colleagues and old classmates of Neil Armstrong. The History Hour: Exploring Space features recollections of five landmarks in space travel, and in Seriously: Apollo 8, Helen Sharman hears about the first mission which took human beings beyond the earth's orbit.
Part 2: Legacy ranges from 1969 to the present day, and analyses the enduring significance of the moon landings. In James Burke: Our Man on the Moon, the key voice for the BBC coverage of the event revisits that dramatic time in front of a live audience. A Moon Landing Special assesses Apollo 11's impact on politics and culture and ponders the future of space exploration. Give Me the MoonLITE finds Richard Hollingham examining British plans to return to space, and two episodes of The Infinite Monkey Cage - The Infinite Moonkey Cage and Astronaut Special - feature an extraordinary gathering of space explorers.
Part 3: Why the Moon? considers how the moon has long been an object of fascination for humanity. The Why Factor investigates the moon in culture, and how it affects life on Earth. In Discovery: The Making of the Moon, Lucie Green asks 'Where does the Moon come from - and are we going back'? Meanwhile, in The Forum: The Moon from Earth, Rajan Datar and guests contemplate how our understanding of what the moon is and what it means has changed over time.
Part 4: The Future probes the current state of space exploration. In Brainwaves: The Moon, Pennie Latin looks at the race to return to the moon, and in Tulips on the Moon, Richard Hollingham finds out whether it's really possible to grow plants in space. Finally, In The Real Story: The Future of Space Exploration, Celia Hatton and guests discuss where we go next in our quest to understand our place in the universe.
Copyright © 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd
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About the author
Richard Hollingham (Reader)
Richard Hollingham is a writer, journalist and BBC radio presenter. He has written and presented a number of BBC radio series on science, the environment and international politics. A former senior producer on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Richard is also a frequent contributor to From Our Own Correspondent. His popular science book How to Clone the Perfect Blonde, co-authored with Sue Nelson, was longlisted for the coveted Aventis Science Prize in 2004.
Michael Mosley is an award-winning BBC producer. As the presenter of the highly acclaimed BBC series Medical Mavericks he experimented on himself to demonstrate the revolutionary new techniques of medical pioneers. He is the presenter of Blood and Guts: a History of Surgery.
Mike Walker (Reader)
Mike Walker is an award-winning dramatist, documentary writer and author. He has adapted many classic novels for BBC Radio 4, including War and Peace, On the Beach and A Tale of Two Cities, which won him the Bronze Sony Award for Best Drama in 2012. Among his original radio plays are Alpha - winner of the Sony Drama Award (World Service); its companion play Omega; Landfall, The Product and the Plantagenet series of historical dramas. He has also written several novels, including one for young adults, Bad Company.
Hannah Fry (Reader)
Hannah Fry is an Associate Professor in the mathematics of cities from University College London.She is also the author of The Mathematics of Love, The Indisputable Existence of Santa Claus and Hello World. In her day job she uses mathematical models to study patterns in human behaviour, and has worked with governments, police forces, health analysts and supermarkets. Her TED talks have amassed millions of views and she has fronted television documentaries for the BBC and PBS; she also hosts the long-running science podcast, 'The Curious Cases of Rutherford & Fry' with the BBC.
Adam Rutherford (Reader)
Adam Rutherford is an award-winning writer, broadcaster, and geneticist at University College London. His books include A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived, The Book of Humans, and the Sunday Times bestseller How to Argue with a Racist. He has written and presented numerous documentaries for BBC radio and television, including Inside Science and The Cell. Adam has also worked as a science advisor on many films, including the Oscar-winning Ex Machina (2015), Annihilation (2018), and The Marvels (2022).
