This recording contains episode eight of a BBC series entitled "Voices From The Past". In this instalment, "Discoverers and Explorers", the accomplishments of a number of famous explorers are outlined and examples of their speeches, which are held in the BBC's sound library, are played. The programme is presented by David Lloyd James.
Howard Carter describes the opening of the tomb of Tutankhamun.
Sir Arthur Brown, navigator on the first air crossing of the Atlantic with John Alcock in 1919, recalls their arrival in Ireland.
Test pilot John Derry recorded in 1952, talks about the experience of breaking the sound barrier.
Sir Frank Whittall, inventor of the jet engine, recorded in 1951.
Thor Heyerdal, who sailed the Pacific on the raft 'Kon-Tiki' speaks on the BBC.
Sir Ernest Shackleton recorded on wax cylinder, talking about his Antarctic expedition.
Edward Evans, a naval officer on Captain Scott's Antarctic expedition, recalls Christmas dinner there in 1911. Recorded in 1941.
The New Zealand-born scientist, Sir Ernest Rutherford, is heard speaking about the structure of the atom in 1933.
Sir Alexander Fleming talks about the discovery of penicillin, five years after antibiotics were first made available to the public.