Original version

BBC World Service Online

The Compass v2 Podcast

The Compass

Documentaries

Factual: Life Stories

With ideas too big for a single episode, The Compass presents mini-series about society

Surprising stories from unusual places. With ideas too big for a single episode, The Compass presents mini-series about the environment and politics, culture and society.

BBC World Service Australasia

BBC World Service schedule for American satellite radio and the Caribbean

BBC World Service Americas and the Caribbean

BBC World Service

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa Schedule

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa

BBC World Service South Asia

BBC World Service News Internet

BBC World Service Europe and the Middle East

BBC World Service West and Central Africa Schedule

BBC World Service West and Central Africa

BBC World Service East Asia

The Compass: The Golden Age Of Gold: Gold: What does the future hold?

Factual

Gold: What does the future hold?

07/07/2021 GMT

The Golden Age Of Gold

BBC World Service - The Compass, The Golden Age Of Gold, Gold: What does the future hold?

Rajvi Vora looks at the environmental cost of  goldmines and the people who work at them

Rajvi Vora looks at what goldmines are doing to the planet, the workers and potential of gold in cancer treatment.

Jewellery designer, Rajvi Vora discovers more about precious gold as she looks ahead to the future of gold. With cryptocurrency snapping at its heels, can it remain a financial powerhouse? Ravi unearths what goldmines are doing to our planet and to the people who work at them, including the Indonesian families being poisoned by the goldmines on their back doorsteps. But there is a good side to gold too. She hears from the scientists beginning to tap into the potential of using nanogold to treat cancer.

The Compass: The Golden Age Of Gold

We explore gold's past, present and future and humanity’s obsession with it.

Throughout time our definition of what is valuable and what is rare changes. Yet as economies boom and bust and fashions come and go, one thing seems to remain both financially valuable and personally precious - gold.

Across three episodes for The Compass, we will explore gold's past, present and future and humanity’s obsession with it -  from being worshipped in the ancient world, to changing immigration forever during the Gold Rush, and the part it plays in our jewellery, coinage, finance and medicine.

Presenting this programme is jewellery designer Rajvi Vora. As a third generation Kenyan of Indian origin, she understands the cultural importance of gold first hand, and takes us on a journey to discover more about this precious metal that continues to shape the world.

Accessibility links

Programme Index

The Compass

The Golden Age Of Gold

Gold: What does the future hold?

Genres

Brand

Series

BBC World Service Online

About BBC World Service