The Enigma Machine. The B2 stealth bomber. The poisoned-tipped umbrella. Napoleon’s Briefcase of Secrets. As long as there has been conflict, there have been spies, and as long as there have been spies, there have been incredible gadgets and iconic objects. These are the stories of the tools that power the world of espionage, hosted by Alice Loxton. Hit FOLLOW to get episodes every week. Get episodes early and ad-free with Spyscape+.
Latest episodes
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13 min
Jung Chang: Chairman Mao Badge
Can you ever truly suppress a curious mind?If there was one aim of Mao Zedong’s Cultural Revolution, it was that. The lauded writer Jung Chang joins Alice Loxton to revisit a child…
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12 min
Manya Kullmann: Castro’s Keepsakes
Where does a leader like Fidel Castro place his trust?The answer comes in the form of a box of romantic mementos, carried from Cuba to Russia. Print designer Manya Kullman tells Al…
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11 min
Tim Marlow: The Welbike
What would you need to go it alone behind enemy lines?For the agents of the notoriously brave Special Operations Executive in World War II, a select toolkit of spy gadgets represen…
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14 min
Alexander Cary: Kim Philby Papers
How does the old spy regard himself, when he’s left alone with his thoughts?The answer to this question can be found in the aborted memoir of one of the most notorious traitors in…
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11 min
Kengo Kuma: Nijo Jinya Hotel
If Nijo Jinya’s walls could talk, what story would they tell?World-renowned architect Kengo Kuma joins host Alice Loxton to discuss a still-standing Kyoto guest house where, in Jap…
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17 min
Gary Powers Jr: U2 Spy Plane
What’s it like to be the child of a world-famous spy?Gary Powers Jr. takes his name and his inspiration from his father, Francis Gary Powers – the pilot of the U2 spy plane that wa…
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18 min
Tom Ayling: Secret Service Payments Book
Who pays for all the King’s secrets?In between the lines of a tired old accounts ledger, a hidden history of espionage and scandal lies in wait. Antiquarian bookseller Tom Ayling a…
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13 min
Trevor Paglen: Skynet
How dangerous is metadata?According to the artist and author Trevor Paglen, it can be deadly. Paglen joins host Alice Loxton to shine a light on Skynet – a network of all-seeing sa…
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13 min
Simon Menner: The Coffee Pot
Who keeps on moving the coffee pot?That innocent question plunges one East German woman into a dangerous world of deception and betrayal. Photographer and archivist Simon Menner jo…
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13 min
The Cultural Tutor: Napoleon’s Briefcase
How did Napoleon keep a sprawling empire under his thumb?Ask Sheehan Quirke – who runs the popular history feed, The Cultural Tutor – and he’ll tell you that the great historical l…
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15 min
Joana Vasconcelos: War Games
What secrets are hiding under the bed?For the Portuguese artist and sculptor, Joana Vasconcelos, a troubling inheritance of deceit lay lurking in wait in her late grandparents’ apa…
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14 min
Marc Newson - SR-71 Blackbird
How do you solve a problem like a Russian radar?That question lies at the heart of one of the most innovative and intricate planes ever to be made: the SR-71 Blackbird. Acclaimed i…
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13 min
Dan Snow: PM's Despatch Box
What official secrets hide inside that battered red leather box?Popular historian Dan Snow and host Alice Loxton peer inside a Victorian Prime Minister’s despatch box, and speculat…
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17 min
Daniel Arsham: Animal Farm Cels
What did George Orwell and the CIA have in common?Perhaps more than the great socialist writer would have cared to admit. The groundbreaking visual artist Daniel Arsham and host Al…
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14 min
Justin Jampol: Wende Museum Artefacts
To whom do retired spies turn after the collapse of their mission?Los Angeles’ Wende Museum holds one of the most impressive Cold War collections in the world – and has become some…
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13 min
Elizabeth Bruton: Portland Spy Ring Ephemera
What does it take to betray your country?Less than you might think. Dr. Elizabeth Bruton and host, Alice Loxton, break down the surprisingly humble tool kit of one of the most dest…
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10 min
Jason Isaacs: B-2 Spirit
How many secrets weigh 1500 lbs, cost $100 million, and travel at 600 mph?Only one that we can think of. Acclaimed actor Jason Isaacs and host Alice Loxton take us inside the cockp…
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13 min
James Grime: Enigma Machine
How much depended on breaking Enigma’s code?Mathematician James Grime and host, Alice Loxton peer beneath the hood of one of the most storied inventions in military history: the ne…
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11 min
Anthony Horowitz: Joan Bright Astley’s Inner Circle
For how long could you keep a secret?In the case of Joan Bright Astley, the answer was ‘To the grave.’ Acclaimed novelist and screenwriter Anthony Horowitz and host Alice Loxton of…
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12 min
Lynette Nusbacher: Button Compass
How can a button save your life? It depends on who your tailor is.Military history expert Lynette Nusbacher and host Alice Loxton discuss an ingenious piece of covert pathfinding t…