Swamp Notes: The Bethlehem Project

More from Untold: Opus Dei All episodes →

1. 

   S4 · E2 · 1 Apr 2026 · 31 min

   Opus Dei, Ep. 2: Formation

   Opus Dei’s founder taught his followers that spiritual formation is a continual development of character. But some find that the views spread by Opus Dei do not always match the Church’s official teaching – particularly its attitudes towards women and homosexuality. Insiders describe a complex youth recruitment network that offers some clues to the kind of person Opus Dei molds – and what kind of person it is interested in. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2. 

   S4 · E1 · 25 Mar 2026 · 36 min

   Opus Dei, Ep. 1: Whistling

   We meet Sarah – a young girl drawn to Opus Dei’s message that professional work can be a path to holiness. At 18, Sarah says goodbye to her family and moves into an Opus Dei centre to learn how to make her work an offering to God. But what she experiences there feels different to the organisation she thought she knew. Sarah chafes at unexpected rules, unquestioning obedience and dehumanising treatment. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

3. 

   S4 · 11 Mar 2026 · 1 min

   Introducing Untold: Opus Dei

   Introducing Opus Dei, a new season of Untold from the Financial Times. Host Antonia Cundy uncovers the cultural and political influence of a controversial Catholic organisation in America. Opus Dei exists to help people get closer to God, but some members say they found other agendas – and unexpected harm – entangled in that spiritual mission. The first episode of Untold: Opus Dei launches on March 25. Listen on Apple Podcasts , Spotify , Pocket Casts or wherever you get your podcasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

4. 

   17 Feb 2026 · 37 min

   FT long read: The Broker

   In this special bonus episode from The Financial Times, "The Broker" tells the story of how a failed baseball hopeful and disgraced stockbroker reinvented himself as one of America’s most consequential modern arms dealers. From a family-run warehouse in Virginia Beach, Will Somerindyke built his company into a crucial conduit in the Pentagon’s covert supply chains — sourcing Soviet-era weapons for wars in Syria and Yemen before emerging as a central player in Ukraine’s fight against Russia. As artillery shells became the most sought-after commodity of the war, he placed a multimillion-dollar…

5. 

   31 Dec 2025 · 37 min

   Tech Tonic: Defying death

   How much do we really know about ageing? For decades, scientists have been trying to understand the biology of the ageing process - what happens to our bodies as we get older? And is it possible to slow that process down or even stop it all together? In this series of Tech Tonic, the FT’s Hannah Kuchler and Michael Peel look into the past, present and future of longevity - the wellness movement focused on extending and bettering your quality of life. Episode 1 follows Hannah as she speaks with UCL professor David Gems about the history of ageing research, and then with longevity researcher…

6. 

   S3 · E3 · 5 Nov 2025 · 28 min

   Toxic Legacy, Ep. 3: The Whisper and Scream

   A toddler in Leeds died from lead poisoning. Laura Hughes speaks to doctors in the UK to learn what must be done to prevent it from happening again. She learns that truly addressing the problem will be a massive undertaking. It would require a complete overhaul of the housing, environmental and food standards systems. But first, we need to find out where the lead is. Learn more about Untold: Toxic Legacy . For more information on how to live safely with lead, please visit the LEAPP Alliance website. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more…

7. 

   S3 · E2 · 29 Oct 2025 · 29 min

   Toxic Legacy, Ep. 2: Painted Over

   The UK has some of the oldest housing in the world. Although the use of lead paint is banned, what happens to the paint already on your walls? Laura Hughes speaks to families fighting for answers and the children poisoned by their own homes. She learns that it’s not only old homes that pose a serious risk. For more information on how to live safely with lead, please visit the LEAPP Alliance website. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

8. 

   S3 · E1 · 22 Oct 2025 · 41 min

   Toxic Legacy, Ep. 1: Silent Danger

   Laura Hughes receives a tip that horses are dropping dead in Wales. As she investigates, she finds decades of academic studies researching the problem. She learns these aren’t isolated incidents. Something is spreading across the countryside. It’s undetectable to humans, nobody knows it’s there — until they fall ill. For more information on how to live safely with lead, please visit the LEAPP Alliance website. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

9. 

   S3 · 8 Oct 2025 · 2 min

   Introducing Untold: Toxic Legacy

   Introducing Toxic Legacy, a new season of Untold from the Financial Times. Host Laura Hughes uncovers a lead poisoning epidemic across the UK. You might be living with lead and not know it: the toxin is often invisible to the human eye, but wreaks havoc on our bodies once we’re exposed. The first episode of Untold: Toxic Legacy launches October 22. For information on how to live safely with lead, please visit the LEAPP Alliance website. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

10. 

    10 Oct 2024 · 1 min

    Vote for The Retreat in the Signal Awards!

    The Retreat has been nominated for a Signal Award in the Health and Wellness category! It's a listener choice award, which means we need your help. If you enjoyed The Retreat, please vote for the show to win here . We appreciate your support! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.