The Test of Time

Last year we brought you news of The Test of Time, a BBC Radio 4 series in which present day scientists reflected on the work of their ancient forebears.

The repeat of the series begins this evening on Radio 4 at 9.45pm. The first episode features consultant oral and maxillofacial surgeon, Iain Hutchison, visiting the Wellcome Library to discover the connections between today's reconstructive surgery and techniques developed in South Asia in the third century BC - and their later dissemination from east to west - in the company of Sanskrit specialist, Dominik Wujaystik.

The series will air on consecutive Tuesday evenings on BBC Radio 4 at 9.45pm local time (and so will be available to listen to at that time around the world through the Radio 4 website).

Image shown: an illustration from one of the works discussed in tonight's episode, J C Carpue's 'An account of two successful operations for restoring a lost nose from the integuments of the forehead in the cases of two officers of His Majesty's Army...' (1816). Our copy of this work is currently part of Wellcome Collection's 'Skin' exhibition

The Test of Time

This week, BBC Radio 4 airs The Test of Time, a new series in which Scientists look back at their ancient forebears and examine how much of that early knowledge still stands up to scrutiny.

The first episode, broadcast today, features consultant oral and maxillofacial surgeon, Iain Hutchison, discovering the connections between today's reconstructive surgery and techniques developed in South Asia in the third century BC.

The techniques of the School of Sushruta - and their dissemination from east to west - are illustrated in the episode through items held in the Wellcome Library, described by Sanskrit specialist, Dominik Wujaystik. (Pictured above is an illustration from one of the works discussed: J C Carpue, An account of two successful operations for restoring a lost nose from the integuments of the forehead in the cases of two officers of His Majesty's Army... (London, 1810).

All of the series will be available to listeners in the UK through the BBC's iPlayer.