Watch The Genius of Invention (Season 1, Episode 4)

60m

1. Power

Every time we switch on a light or boil a kettle we rely on power to do it. Episode one of The Genius of Invention reveals the fascinating chain of events that made such every-day miracles possible. It tells the story of the handful of extraordinary British inventors and inventions who helped build the modern world by understanding, harnessing, and using power. Coming from Drax, the UK's largest power station, Michael Mosley and academics, Prof Mark Miodownik and Dr Cassie Newland tell the amazing story of three of the greatest and most transformative inventions of all time; the steam engine, the electrical generator and the steam turbine. Our experts explain how these inventions came about by sparks of inventive genius and steady incremental improvements hammered out in British workshops. They separate myth from reality in the lives of the great inventors and celebrate some of the most remarkable stories in British history. The rest of the series examines the inventions that led to the transport and the communication revolutions.

60m

2. Speed

We take our ability to travel quickly and safely across the globe for granted. This reveals the fascinating chain of events that made such everyday marvels possible. It tells the story of the handful of extraordinary inventors and inventions who helped build the modern world by making the miracle of powered transport mundane. Michael Mosley, Professor Mark Miodownik and Dr Cassie Newland tell the amazing story of three more of the greatest and most transformative inventions of all time: the steam locomotive, the internal combustion engine and the jet engine. Our experts explain how these inventions came about by sparks of inventive genius and steady incremental improvements. They separate myth from reality in the lives of the great inventors and celebrate some of the most remarkable stories in British history.

60m

3. Communication

Nothing has shrunk the globe more than our extraordinary ability to talk across the oceans and continents. This reveals the fascinating chain of events that made such everyday miracles possible. It tells the story of the handful of extraordinary inventors and inventions who helped build the modern world by harnessing electricity and electromagnetism to enable us to send instant messages across vast distances. Michael Mosley, Professor Mark Miodownik and Dr Cassie Newland tell the amazing story of three more of the greatest and most transformative inventions of all time: the electric telegraph, the telephone and wireless communication. Our experts explain how these inventions came about by sparks of inventive genius and steady incremental improvements. They separate myth from reality in the lives of the great inventors and celebrate some of the most remarkable stories in British history.

60mPlaying

4. Visual Image

Our ability to see and record live events from right across the world has shrunk the globe, making virtual neighbours of us all. It is a defining characteristic of our modern world. This reveals the fascinating stories that made such everyday miracles possible. It tells the story of the handful of extraordinary inventions and their inventors who tackled the complexities of chemistry and electronics and discovered how to capture and reproduce still and moving images. Michael Mosley, together with academics Professor Mark Miodownik and Dr Cassie Newland tell the amazing story of three of the greatest and most transformative inventions of all time: photography, moving pictures and television. Our experts explain how these inventions came about by sparks of inventive genius and steady incremental improvements hammered out workshops and studios. They separate myth from reality in the lives of the great inventors and celebrate some of the most remarkable stories in British history.