Skip to content

How flight works, with Simon Barnes

October 23, 2026 · 35 min

Show notes

One of Britain’s most-loved writers, Simon Barnes has been obsessed by flight for as long as he can remember.

He talks about where this love of flight came from, and reflects on how human cultural history is littered with the dream of flight, from Daedalus and Icarus to Leonardo Da Vinci and Arthur Dent, the hero of Douglas Adams’ The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.

His latest book, How To Fly: taking wing with birds, bats, insects and humans, is published in the UK by Bloomsbury.

For more of Simon’s books, head to https://simonbarnesauthor.co.uk/ where you will also find his very enjoyable blog.

Photo: Simon Barnes

To get in touch with the Wild Lives team, you can email us at [email protected]

And to get more great content from BBC Wildlife, visit our website: https://www.discoverwildlife.com

Subscribe to BBC Wildlife magazine and save 20% on the shop price. Pay just £25.99 every 6 issues and receive free UK delivery direct to your door. Order now at ourmediashop.com/bbc-wildlife-magazine-POD20

BBC Wildlife is the world’s longest-running and most popular nature magazine. This episode was hosted by Paul McGuinness and produced by Lewis Dobbs.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

All episodes of Wild Lives

Settings

Display

Language

Decides which stations you see first on the home page.

History

Recently played stations and episodes and your latest searches are only stored in this browser.

Notifications

A short notice when a podcast you follow has a new episode. Turn off single podcasts with the bell on their page.

Account

Save favorites – in the app and on the website.

Keyboard shortcuts

/
Open search
Space
Play or pause
← →
In the player: back 15 s, forward 30 s (episodes) · in a row: next tile
↑ ↓
In a row: target within the tile
Home / End
In a row: first or last tile
Esc
Close window or menu
?
This overview
Now playing

Go to station page

Play next

    Add episodes with “Play next” – they play after the current episode.