today’s radio

SCIENCE STORIES

11AM, RADIO 4 HHH

James Watt invented an efficient steam engine, but ran out of steam over the project. Having taken out a patent on the device in 1769, Watt let the designs gather dust on a shelf in his workshop. It was only because his bustling friend Matthew Boulton stepped in and took the project on that Watt’s engine got off the drawing board. Naomi Alderman tells the story about the friends who kickstarted the Industrial Revolution.

EAVESDROPPER

2.15PM, RADIO 4 HHHH

In this disturbing drama, Claire, a secret agent with many successful operations to her name, is in recovery from a stint of surveillance. She was

Nina Simone (7pm, BBC 6 Music) tracking a group of terrorists, but ignored instructions and almost died. Now, suffering from post-traumatic stress and fitted with a state-of-the-art hearing device, she returns to work. Claire finds her hearing has become unnaturally sharp, and she can hear things that other people can’t – or can she?

IGGY POP

7PM, BBC 6 MUSIC HHH

Kim Gordon, one of the founders of Sonic Youth, is in charge of Mr Pop’s show this week. She will feature tracks from The Fall, Missy Elliott, My Bloody Valentine and Nina Simone, and will also be sharing memories of life in the world of alternative rock.

BIRD ISLAND

10.30PM,

RADIO 4 EXTRA HHHH

Bird Island is marooned in icebound sub-antarctica. In this first of an odd but good repeated four-part sitcom, Ben (Reece Shearsmith) has been dropped there to make scientific studies, while trying to cling on to his sanity. A patchy internet connection links him to the outside world, and we listen in as Ben, rather pointlessly, contacts a dating website. SJ