Noiser
Captain Cook
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This episode will be available to listen to for free on July 28th, 2025.
Through his voyages in the eighteenth century, Captain Cook’s work as an explorer contributed to startling advances in scientific knowledge, and mapped swathes of unplotted territory in both hemispheres.
To many, he was regarded as one of the greatest explorers in human history, while for others, his achievements were overshadowed by the violence and oppression that accompanied his voyages.
So, how did a farm-worker’s son rise to become one of the most celebrated explorers in history? Why did his voyages become so legendary? And at what price - to Cook personally, and those whose lands he charted?
This is a Short History Of Captain Cook.
A Noiser Production. Written by Dan Smith. With thanks to Katherine Gazzard, Curator of Art at Royal Museums Greenwich.