Major record labels sue AI companies over copyright
27th June - "Easier"
Some of the world's biggest record labels are suing two AI companies over possible copyright infringements.
Chimpanzees use medicinal plants when sick
24th June - "Harder"
Scientists have discovered that chimpanzees also seek out the fruits of the forest to heal themselves.
Top US doctor wants social media health warnings
20th June - "Easier"
The U.S. Surgeon General wants social media companies to put mental health warnings on their platforms.
Elon Musk wins record $56bn pay deal
17th June - "Harder"
Tesla boss Elon Musk has been awarded a record-breaking pay deal of $56 billion
Electric spoon helps people cut down on salt
13th June - "Easier"
A battery-powered spoon that makes food taste saltier is now in stores in Japan.
Somalia wins UN Security Council seat
10th June - "Harder"
Somalia has been elected as one of the ten non-permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.
Australia to allow foreign citizens into its army
6th June - "Easier"
People from the USA, UK, Canada and New Zealand will soon be able apply to join Australia's army.
Panama evacuates islanders due to rising sea levels
3rd June - "Harder"
Rising sea levels have caused Panama to evacuate the residents of one of its islands.
UK leader wants national service for 18-year-olds
30th May - "Easier"
The UK leader has a plan to introduce national service for 18-year-olds.
Ghanaian one-year-old world's youngest artist
27th May - "Harder"
A one-year-old boy from Ghana has officially been recognized as the world's youngest artist.
Cycling is good for your knees, says study
23rd May - "Easier"
A little-known and (perhaps) surprising benefit of cycling is that it is good for our knees.
France issues scratch-n-sniff baguette stamp
20th May - "Harder"
The French Post Office has issued a commemorative postage stamp to honour France's famous baguette bread.
Internet access good for our health
16th May - "Easier"
A new study says Internet access is good for our health.
Anti-oil protestors try to damage the Magna Carta
13th May - "Harder"
Two climate activists have tried to damage one of the world's oldest documents – the Magna Carta.
Beethoven's Ninth Symphony is 200 years old
9th May - "Easier"
Beethoven's Ninth Symphony has been played in Vienna to mark the 200th anniversary of its first performance.
Men sleep better than women, study finds
6th May - "Harder"
A new study has discovered that men may sleep better than women.
Child's bedroom 'monster' was 60,000 bees
2nd May - "Easier"
A 'monster' in a child's bedroom turned out to be 60,000 bees.
Town to erect fence to stop Mount Fuji selfies
29th April - "Harder"
A town in Japan will erect a giant mesh fence to stop people taking selfies of Mount Fuji.
Milan wants to ban takeaway food after midnight
25th April - "Easier"
The Italian city of Milan wants to introduce a law to ban the sale of takeaway food after midnight.
UK leader cracks down on 'sick note culture'
22nd April - "Harder"
Britain's Prime Minister has announced plans to crack down on what he has labelled Britain's "sick note culture".
Seafood could have higher levels of "forever chemicals"
18th April - "Easier"
A new study has suggested that higher levels of "forever chemicals" may exist in seafood.
Rising auto insurance premiums fuelling inflation
15th April - "Harder"
Skyrocketing auto insurance premiums are fuelling inflationary pressures in the USA.
Chechnya bans music that is too slow or too fast
11th April - "Easier"
Chechnya has made a rule about what speed of music people can listen to.
Rockets and planes chase the solar eclipse
8th April - "Harder"
Astronomers and pilots chased a solar eclipse across the heavens on Monday.
Gmail celebrates its 20th birthday
4th April - "Easier"
Gmail, the world's most utilized email provider, turned 20 on Monday.
AI an 'extinction-level threat' says study by experts
1st April - "Harder"
A report has warned of the existential threat from artificial intelligence.
Climate change increases price of Easter eggs
28th March - "Easier"
This year's Easter eggs will be much more expensive than last year's. The reason is climate change.
UN warns of environmental e-waste catastrophe
25th March - "Harder"
The U.N. has warned that the amount of electronics we are throwing away is creating an "environmental catastrophe".
Human speech is 8 times older than we thought
21st March - "Easier"
Research suggests human language started eight times earlier than previously thought.
Giant blueberry smashes record for heaviest ever
18th March - "Harder"
A farmer in Australia has just entered the record books for growing the world's biggest ever blueberry.
Dating apps are becoming less popular
14th March - "Easier"
Many teenagers and people in their twenties no longer want to subscribe to use dating apps.
It once rained for two million years, say scientists
11th March - "Harder"
It rained for two million years about 250-300 million years ago.
Hollywood actor says OpenAI Sora could cause job losses
7th March - "Easier"
Hollywood actor Tyler Perry is worried that AI will cause job losses in the movie industry.
Airline starts to weigh luggage AND passengers
4th March - "Harder"
Finland's national carrier Finnair has started weighing passengers on its flights.
See the links below for earlier lessons.
Lessons were produced every day between Nov 2004 and Dec 2005.
Lessons were produced at "easier" and "harder" levels between Apr 2005 and Aug 2006.
Podcasts started in Apr 2005.
2024
Dec |
Nov |
Oct |
Sep |
Aug |
Jul |
Jun |
May |
Apr |
Mar |
Feb |
Jan
2023
Dec |
Nov |
Oct |
Sep |
Aug |
Jul |
Jun |
May |
Apr |
Mar |
Feb |
Jan
2022
Dec |
Nov |
Oct |
Sep |
Aug |
Jul |
Jun |
May |
Apr |
Mar |
Feb |
Jan
2021
Dec |
Nov |
Oct |
Sep |
Aug |
Jul |
Jun |
May |
Apr |
Mar |
Feb |
Jan
2020
Dec |
Nov |
Oct |
Sep |
Aug |
Jul |
Jun |
May |
Apr |
Mar |
Feb |
Jan
2019
Dec | Nov | Oct |
Sep |
Aug |
Jul |
Jun |
May |
Apr |
Mar |
Feb |
Jan
2018
Dec |
Nov |
Oct |
Sep |
Aug |
Jul |
Jun |
May |
Apr |
Mar |
Feb |
Jan
2017
Dec |
Nov |
Oct |
Sep |
Aug |
Jul |
Jun |
May |
Apr |
Mar |
Feb |
Jan
2016
Dec | Nov | Oct | Sep | Aug | Jul | Jun |
May | Apr | Mar | Feb | Jan
2015
Dec | Nov | Oct | Sep | Aug | Jul | Jun | May | Apr | Mar | Feb | Jan
2014
Dec | Nov | Oct | Sep | Aug | Jul | Jun | May | Apr | Mar | Feb | Jan
2013
Dec | Nov | Oct | Sep | Aug | Jul | Jun | May | Apr | Mar | Feb | Jan
2012
Dec | Nov | Oct | Sep | Aug | Jul | Jun | May | Apr | Mar | Feb | Jan
2011
Dec | Nov | Oct | Sep | Aug | Jul | Jun | May | Apr | Mar | Feb | Jan
2010
Dec | Nov | Oct | Sep | Aug | Jul | Jun | May | Apr | Mar | Feb | Jan
2009
Dec | Nov | Oct | Sep | Aug | Jul | Jun | May | Apr | Mar | Feb | Jan
2008
Dec | Nov | Oct | Sep | Aug | Jul | Jun | May | Apr | Mar | Feb | Jan
2007
Dec | Nov | Oct | Sep | Aug | Jul | Jun | May | Apr | Mar | Feb | Jan
2006
Dec | Nov | Oct | Sep | Aug | Jul | Jun | May | Apr | Mar | Feb | Jan
2005
Dec | Nov | Oct | Sep | Aug | Jul | Jun | May | Apr | Mar | Feb | Jan