Stephen Hawking introduces this five-episode series aired on England's Channel 4, stating that the modern world began with the scientific revolution of the 16th and 17th centuries, a transformation that ended the medieval reign of superstition. British figures (many of them Scottish) would play an important role, with capsule biographies presented here by leading contemporary thinkers (Hawking, Richard Dawkins, James Dyson, Kathy Sykes, David Attenborough, and others). Taking a chronological approach, Genius of Britain begins with the establishment of the Royal Society, proceeds through the Industrial Revolution, and continues on to the discovery of penicillin and the invention of the computer. The final segment addresses two ultimate questions—the origin of the universe and the secret of life—while discussing the Big Bang theory and the human genome. Major scientists like Newton, Darwin, and DNA decoders Watson and Crick are featured, of course, but so are many lesser-known ones, such as Alfred Russel Wallace, who developed the idea of natural selection simultaneously with Darwin. Combining articulate and enthusiastic commentary from noted experts together with a wide variety of archival materials, this is an insightful overview of many of the giants upon whose shoulders contemporary scientists stand. DVD extras include a printed viewer's guide with presenter bios, and a bonus disc featuring the previously released biography, Stephen Hawking and the Theory of Everything (VL-3/09). Recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (F. Swietek)
Genius of Britain: The Scientists Who Changed the World
(2007) 3 discs. 236 min. DVD: $59.99. Athena (avail. from most distributors). Volume 26, Issue 4
Genius of Britain: The Scientists Who Changed the World
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