Breakthrough: The Ideas That Changed the World

Take a mind-blowing journey through human history, told through six iconic objects that modern people take for granted, and see how science, invention and technology built on one another to change everything.

Floods - Challenging our Future

The catastrophic floods of New York, Bangkok and New-Orleans have shed light on the extreme vulnerability of more than 130 coastal cities faced with the violence of the sea. The mega-cities are threatened by a series of unusual phenomena: a surprising subsidence of soils, an unexplained rising of the level of the sea in some parts of the world, an increase in the frequency of extreme climatic events and exponential urbanization. Considering that science is capable of anticipating dangers and of suggesting protections, why do such disasters occur so often? Can they be avoided?

Man on Earth

Man on Earth is a four-part British documentary television series presented by Tony Robinson. The programme documents the effects of climate change across 200,000 years of human history. The series premiered 7 December 2009 on Channel 4 with 1.4 million viewers. Accompanying Robinson to help explain the science are archaeologist Dr. Jago Cooper and climate modeller Dr. Joy Singarayer.

The Great Global Warming Swindle

The Great Global Warming Swindle is a polemical documentary film that suggests that the scientific opinion on climate change is influenced by funding and political factors, and questions whether scientific consensus on anthropogenic global warming exists. The program was formally criticised by Ofcom, the UK broadcasting regulatory agency, which upheld complaints of misrepresentation made by David King. The film, made by British television producer Martin Durkin, presents scientists, economists, politicians, writers, and others who dispute the scientific consensus regarding anthropogenic global warming. The programme's publicity materials assert that man-made global warming is "a lie" and "the biggest scam of modern times." Its original working title was "Apocalypse my arse", but the title The Great Global Warming Swindle was later adopted as an allusion to the 1980 mockumentary The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle about British punk band the Sex Pistols. The UK's Channel 4 premiered the documentary on 8 March 2007. The channel described the film as "a polemic that drew together the well-documented views of a number of respected scientists to reach the same conclusions. This is a controversial film but we feel that it is important that all sides of the debate are aired." According to Hamish Mykura, Channel 4's head of documentaries, the film was commissioned "to present the viewpoint of the small minority of scientists who do not believe global warming is caused by anthropogenic production of carbon dioxide."

Broken Bread

Broken Bread showcases inspiring people who are making a difference in their communities through food. Restaurant entrepreneur, social activist and acclaimed chef Roy Choi takes viewers on a journey through his hometown, the city of Los Angeles, exploring complex social justice issues while meeting inspiring individuals and organizations who use food as a platform for activism as well as a catalyst for change.

Black Gold

The story of the coverup of the century: of the boss atop a trillion dollar industry who discovered a shocking truth 40 years ago, created a black ops campaign to hide the evidence, and stopped at nothing to keep the money flowing, as the world burned.

Greta Thunberg: A Year to Change the World

This revealing series follows environmental activist Greta Thunberg as she seeks to raise awareness of the accelerating climate change and spread her message, that we must act to drastically reduce our carbon emissions.

Equator from the Air

In a defining moment for the natural world, Gordon Buchanan makes an epic journey round the equator - taking to the skies with experts racing to protect both wildlife and people.

Evolution Earth

Traveling to the far corners of the world, we discover the extraordinary ways animals are adapting to our rapidly changing planet. We witness nature’s remarkable resilience, as our perception of evolution and its potential is forever transformed.

Wallace & Gromit's World of Invention

In the series, "Wallace will take a light hearted and humorous look at the real-life inventors, contraptions, gadgets and inventions, with the silent help of Gromit. The series aims to inspire a whole new generation of innovative minds by showing them real, but mind-boggling, machines and inventions from around the world that have influenced his illustrious inventing career" (the BBC press statement). Peter Sallis reprised his role as the voice of Wallace. The filmed inserts are mostly narrated by Ashley Jensen, with one in each episode presented in-vision by Jem Stansfield. John Sparkes also voices a portion in the unseen character of archivist Goronwy.

The Secret Life of Machines

The Secret Life of Machines is an educational television series presented by Tim Hunkin and Rex Garrod, in which the two explain the inner workings and history of common household and office machinery. According to Hunkin, the show's creator, the programme was developed from his comic strip The Rudiments of Wisdom, which he researched and drew for the Observer newspaper over a period of 14 years. Three separate groupings of the broadcast were produced and originally shown between 1988 and 1993 on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom, with the production subsequently airing on The Learning Channel and the Discovery Channel.

Engineering Nature

PLUS VITE! À la recherche du temps

Explores the scientific, social, economic and environmental consequences of supposedly time-saving inventions, ideas and objects. Throughout a lifetime, the minutes that are actually lost or saved can add up to days, weeks, months or even years.

Modern Marvels

HISTORY’s longest-running series moves to H2. Modern Marvels celebrates the ingenuity, invention and imagination found in the world around us. From commonplace items like ink and coffee to architectural masterpieces and engineering disasters, the hit series goes beyond the basics to provide insight and history into things we wonder about and that impact our lives. This series tells fascinating stories of the doers, the dreamers and sometime-schemers that create everyday items, technological breakthroughs and manmade wonders. The hit series goes deep to explore the leading edge of human inspiration and ambition.

Saving Planet Earth UK

A look at endangered species in the regions around the UK

The Genius of Invention

Every time we switch on a light or boil a kettle we rely on power - but most people don't stop to think about the inventions and discoveries that allow us to live the way we do. In an exciting new four-part series for BBC Two, The Genius of Invention reveals the fascinating chain of events behind inventions that make everyday life possible.

Planet Oil: The Treasure That Conquered the World

An excellent narration of oil industry since early days to 20th century and up to today. How oil changed the world and shaped our modern world today.

The Americas with Simon Reeve

In this limited series Simon Reeve begins his most ambitious journey yet, travelling the entire length of the Americas

Rise

We travel to Indigenous communities across the Americas to meet people protecting their homelands and rising up against colonization.

Great Barrier Reef with David Attenborough

Following his visit to the Great Barrier Reef in 1957, naturalist and broadcaster David Attenborough returns and uses the latest filming techniques to unlock the secrets of the natural wonder.