Season 1
12 episodes · Jan 26, 2013
0/12 watched
Swipe a row to mark watched · long-press to mark up to there
- S1E1
Arms Race
Jan 26, 201322mAbout 10,000 years ago we discover farming. But when crops fail, early farming communities face a new threat. War. It's the birth of the arms race.
- S1E2
Lust for Luxury
Jan 26, 201322mWhen ordinary people desire the luxuries of the rich, ingenuity and innovation come together to take history in a new direction. From the obsession with silk to the fall of Constantinople, the discovery of the Americas to the launch of the Industrial Revolution, our desire for luxury has shaped our history and evolution.
- S1E3
Violent Planet
Feb 2, 201322mOver millions of years mankind has evolved from a puny, vulnerable creature to become a dominant force on the planet. Occasionally the planet bites back--with terrifying consequences that have shaped our evolution.
- S1E4
Connecting the World
Feb 2, 201322mThe world is linked like never before. Modern transport and communications have resulted in a world that is wealthier, healthier, more mobile and better informed than ever before. But throughout history new trade routes have proved to be double-edged swords, opening the way to wealth as well as terrible dangers — among them revolutionary ideas and terrifying pandemics.
- S1E5
Rise of the Machines
Feb 9, 201322mTools and machines have allowed us to overcome our physical limitations, and become the most successful species on Earth. But tools are also transforming what it means to be human.
- S1E6
Eat It, Drink It, Smoke It
Feb 9, 201322mMan uses plants to feed, heal and clothe himself, to build his world and even to alter how he feels. The use of plants like corn, tobacco and cotton become such an important part of our lives that they play a central role in our evolution, and lead to everything from War to Prohibition.
- S1E7
Fire, Coal, and Oil
Feb 16, 201322mEarly man rubbed two sticks together and created fire. We learn to cook our food, saving vital energy. As a result, our brains expand — making us the most intelligent species on the planet. Armed with fire, we experiment by heating minerals to make stronger tools allowing us to fight wars and build civilizations. But burning wood destroys our landscape, so Mankind exploits a new energy — oil.
- S1E8
Man and Metals
Feb 16, 201322mFive thousand years ago man first throws a handful of rocks into a campfire and stumbles upon a discovery that changes the world: Metal. Copper, Tin and Bronze empower the ancient world and allow empires to expand, armed with sharp, hard-wearing weapons.
- S1E9
Information is Power
Feb 23, 201322mCommunication is the vital ingredient in the building of civilization. The ability to share complicated ideas allowed early man to hunt, farm and build communities. And the creation of things like a 22-letter alphabet and the printing press allow Mankind to further expand, leading to the proliferation of new ideas and revolution.
- S1E10
Man and Beast
Feb 23, 201322m15,000 years ago man and the wolf form a partnership that shapes the future of Mankind. With the help of man’s new best friend we domesticate more animals, sowing the first seeds of farming and civilization.
- S1E11
Building Earth
Mar 2, 201322mMankind is a building species. Inspired by the divine, we create monuments to its power (Stonehenge, the Great Pyramid). New challenges create new sciences, and when the Romans mixed volcanic ash with water they created a new super-material: concrete. Today, we shape the surface of the earth to facilitate our needs.
- S1E12
Need for Speed
Mar 2, 201322mHow being the fastest enabled empires to be born and capitalism to thrive.