Portrait of Lord Melvyn Bragg, host of In Our Time

Obsolete scientific theories

This list catalogs well-accepted theories in science and pre-scientific natural philosophy and natural history which have since been superseded by scientific theories. Many discarded explanations were once supported by a scientific consensus, but replaced after more empirical information became available that identified flaws and prompted new theories which better explain the available data.

2 episodes

Episodes in this category also belong to the following categories:

  1. Renaissance Astrology

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Renaissance Astrology, an essential part of Renaissance thinking on magic, music, medicine, politics, cosmology, destiny and much more.

    14 June 2007

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    Featuring: Peter Forshaw, Lauren Kassell, Jonathan Sawday

     
  2. Vitalism

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Vitalism, an 18th and 19th century quest for the spark of life and the science behind Frankenstein.

    16 October 2008

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    Featuring: Patricia Fara, Andrew Mendelsohn, Pietro Corsi