'Dickens's evocation of the fears, excitement and confusion of childhood is peerless'

DR LEE JACKSON ON WHY CHARLES DICKENS REMAINS RELEVANT TODAY

GIVING THE POOR A VOICE

From Hard Times to Oliver Twist, Charles Dickens used his pen to help illuminate the lives of the less fortunate

EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS

Dr Lee Jackson chronicles Charles Dickens's journey from down-at-luck teenager to titan of Victorian literature

GIFTS, TREES & FEASTING

We take a journey through the photo archives to reveal how Christmas and its many traditions have been celebrated over the years - and around the world

HELLISH NELL

Malcolm Gaskill delves into the life of Helen Duncan - the fraudulent Scottish medium whose ectoplasm-filled seances saw her ending up on the wrong side of the law

How to fall in love

Struggling to find that special someone? Justin Pollard looks at the ways in which our ancestors tried to woo would-be lovers - and deal with the consequences when things didn't quite go to plan

WHAT GREAT PAINTINGS SAY

We look at a monumental work of art - both in size and subject matter - that has become a visual icon of the horrors of World War I

HOW DID HE DIE?

There are many theories about how the king met his premature end - some perhaps more credible than others

THE BOY BEHIND THE MASK

Tutankhamun is the most famous pharaoh of ancient Egypt. But who was he, and what sort of world was he born into?

EVERYTHING YOU WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT TUTANKHAMUN

Professor Aidan Dodson answers some of the burning questions surrounding the life and reign of the Boy King

9 THINGS YOU (PROBABLY) DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT HENRY V AND AGINCOURT

Teresa Cole shares lesser-known facts about the English king and the against-all-odds battle that secured his legacy

WHAT IF...THE SCRAMBLE FOR AFRICA HAD NEVER HAPPENED?

Nige Tassell asks Professor Steven Press about the possible shape of Africa had European powers not carved up the continent for their own gain

STONEHENGE

We explore key moments in the history of the Neolithic marvel and its impact on British culture over the past two centuries

WHAT GREAT PAINTINGS SAY

We explore the story behind an exquisite portrait that reflects the individuality, status and aspirations of its enigmatic sitter

AN AGE OF WAR REVOLUTION AND

Jane Austen's lifetime coincided with near-constant conflict and bloodshed on both sides of the Atlantic

7 THINGS YOU (PROBABLY) DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT TUDOR FASHION

Dr Jane Malcolm-Davies shares a selection of lesser-known tidbits about Tudor clothing – from underwear to headgear

Get a good night's sleep

Being able to enjoy eight hours’ straight slumber is today seen as something of a superpower. But, as Justin Pollard reveals, attitudes to sleep and its medical importance have evolved over the centuries

LOVE IN THE TIME OF WAR

In 1939, two young women set out to make matchmaking and marriages a more businesslike affair. Jonny Wilkes delves into the story of the Marriage Bureau, and reveals how it transformed attitudes towards dating in Britain

A SHARED STRUGGLE

While the precise context may have been different, Britain’s own fight for equality drew inspiration from events across the pond

THE CALL OF THE PANTHERS

When a young black activist rose to speak at a Mississippi rally in June 1966, his words lit the touchpaper of a powerful new political force

How to get rich

Pssst! Fancy making some cash? Justin Pollard tells us what we can learn from the lives of history's wealthiest individuals, and why it takes much more than brains and brawn to make lots of money

WHAT IF...THE CONTINENTAL ARMY HAD NOT ESCAPED AFTER THE BATTLE OF LONG ISLAND?

Nige Tassell and Professor Benjamin Carp consider the fate of the American colonies had George Washington not ordered his troops to retreat from the battlefield in August 1776

THE HUNT FOR THE ABOMINABLE SNOWMAN

From Alexander the Great to Sir Edmund Hillary, the Yeti has fascinated visitors to the Himalayas for millennia. Jonny Wilkes follows in the footsteps of the cryptid and the explorers who have spent their lives trying to find it

CHANGING IDENTITIES

What happens when a spy becomes the subject of other people's investigations? Nige Tassell delves into the life of the Chevalier d'Éon - the French master of disguise who defied conventional notions of gender

DOMESTIC BLISS?

From raising children to baking bread, medieval women were forced to bear the brunt of the household duties

5 THINGS YOU (PROBABLY) DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THE HISTORY OF BEAUTY

Lucy Jane Santos examines a selection of the cosmetic practices our forebears used in a bid to keep themselves looking their best

SISTERS IN ARMS

Women played vital roles in the war effort, working as nurses and ambulance drivers

TRENCH LIFE THROUGH A LENS

We delve into a selection of the most striking snapshots from the trenches of World War I

SHRAPNEL, SHELL-SHOCK AND SHATTERED DEFENCES

Trench warfare forced military strategists to develop fresh tactics and terrifying new weaponry - in a bid to gain the upper hand

EVERYTHING YOU WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT LIFE IN THE TRENCHES

Peter Hart answers questions about the experiences of the men who served in some of the harshest conditions of World War I