Jul 30, 2026 · 53 min · 16 segments
Misha Glenny and guests discuss a familiar feature of our beaches: seashells, from their astonishing shapes and patterns that teach us about Earth’s oceans, to the ways that humans have treasured…
Suzanne WilliamsGuestLiz HarperGuest
Misha GlennyHostAvailable on Business plans.
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This is In Our Time from BBC Radio 4, and this is one of more than a thousand episodes you can find in the In Our Time archive.
A reading list for this edition can be found in the episode description wherever you're listening.
Many belong to one of the most diverse groups of the animal kingdom, growing remarkable shapes, patterns, and structures which tell us about the Earth's oceans past, present, and future.
With me to discuss seashells are Suzanne Williams, Merit Researcher at the Natural History Museum.
Liz Harper, Professor of Evolutionary Malacology in the Department of Earth Sciences and Fellow at Gonville and Caius College, University of Cambridge.
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“Some seashells are deadlier than they look.”
“Cowrie shells once fueled a horrific trade.”
“Meet Jeremy, the world's unluckiest left-handed snail.”
“Hermit crabs hold orderly seaside moving parties.”
“Turns out giant clams are gentle giants.”
