TODAY’S RADIO

THE REITH LECTURES 9AM, RADIO 4

★★★★

Stephen Hawking said, back in 2014, ‘Success in creating artificial intelligence (AI) would be the biggest event in human history. Unfortunately, it might also be the last, unless we learn how to avoid the risks.’ In the first of this year’s Reith Lectures, computer boffin and AI expert Stuart Russell looks at ways humanity and artificial intelligence can coexist successfully.

THE CLASSIC FM CONCERT 8PM, CLASSIC FM

★★★

The Sugar Plum Fairy will dance, the hall will be decked with boughs of holly, and Les Patineurs will put on their skates and waltz across the ice as John Suchet marks the first day of December. Winter, from Vivaldi’s Four

Seasons, and Harry In Winter, from Patrick Doyle’s score for Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire, are also on John’s seasonal list.

THE FOLK SHOW 9PM, RADIO 2

★★★★

Mike Scott, the singer and founding member of that fluid band The Waterboys, is the master of many an instrument, including the bouzouki. He joins Mark Radcliffe to talk about

The Magnificent Seven, a new book and box set telling the story of the making of the album Room To Roam; photographs, maps, lyrics, manuscripts and archive material are included.

COSTING THE EARTH 9PM, RADIO 4

★★★

It’s a fine idea to start planting trees all over the place to fight climate change, but it would be an even better idea to look after the trees we’ve already got. The woods and forests of Britain are places of great beauty and a boon to the environment, but they could be a lot healthier. Peter Gibbs hears what’s ailing our trees and how we can make them better.