On today’s show our guest is Steve Jones, a renowned British geneticist and author of The Serpent’s Promise: The Bible Interpreted Through Modern Science (Pegasus, paperback June 2015). Jones is an atheist—he even won “Secularist of the Year”—but he thinks the Bible has some historical information to offer us. He doesn’t buy that the Bible is completely myth or metaphor; in fact, he says he’s more of a literalist when it comes to biblical interpretation than many “believers.” Later in the hour we talk with contributing editor Emma Bryce about the Colosseum’s death elevator, which was recently reconstructed.

Music this hour:

• “Elle va au Japon” by Nic Bommarito, from the album A Quiet Age
• “Soldiertype (militarised)” by Ketsa, from the album What’s Without’s Within
• “AcidJazz” by Kevin MacLeod, from the album Jazz Sampler