In 1975, during the final days of the Vietnam War, most of the world was unaware that the North Vietnamese were advancing a new breed of nuclear reactor, gifted to the South by the United States government. Not only was it technology the North's Russian allies did not yet have, it was also a source of weapons-grade nuclear fuel. As a last resort, the US discussed bombing the facility, risking nuclear fallout, rather than risk the technology falling into Soviet hands. To avoid humanitarian and environmental disaster, a physicist from Idaho in the US, called Wally Hendrickson, volunteered to be dropped into the front line to remove the fuel rods from the reactor. He speaks to Ramita Navai. A Two Degrees West production for BBC World Service. (Photo: Dalat nuclear institute. Credit: Diane Selwyn)

The vuvuzela was notorious during the 2010 football World Cup. It became the subject of debate when it was labelled as 'the world's most annoying instrument'. Freddie 'Saddam' Maake claims to have invented the horn. He became known as 'Mr Vuvuzela'. He tells Gill Kearsley his story. (Photo: Football fans play vuvuzelas during a World Cup match in 2010. Credit: Jung Yeon-Je/AFP via Getty Images)

In 2013, gunmen from a Somali Islamist group known as Al-Shabab attacked a shopping centre in Kenya’s capital Nairobi. They took hundreds of people hostage during the siege which lasted four days. More than 60 people were killed, with many more injured. In 2021, Rebecca Kesby spoke to Daniel Ouma who was a paramedic on duty at the time. (Photo: A Kenyan police officer deployed near the Westgate mall. Credit: Uriel Sinai/Getty Images)

In November 2013 George Kourounis arrived in the Turkmenistan desert. He was determined to become the first person to enter the Darvaza Crater. The crater is a burning natural gas field that has been on fire for at least 50 years and has become known as the 'Gates of Hell.' On 6 November, George put on a giant silver aluminium suit and began his descent into the crater. He says he felt like a giant baked potato! George shares memories of the adventure with Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty. (Photo: George Kourounis in the Darvaza Crater. Credit: George Kourounis)

In 1978, campaigners won their long fight to legalise abortion in Italy. Emma Bonino and other members of the Radical Party went on hunger strike and were even jailed, after helping women access illegal abortions across the country. But they faced fierce opposition in the Catholic country, as the church was heavily integrated into Italian politics. Emma Bonino was so passionate about the cause that it led her to become a politician. She speaks to Reena Stanton-Sharma about her role in the campaign. (Photo: Emma Bonino in 1976. Credit: Vittoriano Rastelli/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images)