How It Works
How It Works is a BBC documentary series presented by Professor Mark Miodownik, revealing the secret alchemy of material science - how we transform materials, and materials transform the world. The series consists of three episodes: 1) Metal - Mark Miodownik travels to Israel to trace the history of our love affair with metal. He learns how we first extracted glinting copper from dull rock and used it to shape our world. 2) Plastic - Mark Miodownik tells the story of plastics - created in the lab, they have brought luxury to the masses and shaped the modern age. 3) Ceramics - Mark Miodownik traces the story of ceramics. He looks at how simple clay, sand and rock can build cities and transform the way we view our world.
| Episode 1 - Metal |
Episode 1 - Metal
Mark Miodownik travels to Israel to trace the history of our love affair with metal. He learns how we first extracted glinting copper from dull rock and used it to shape our world.
Episode 2 - Plastic
Mark Miodownik tells the story of plastics - created in the lab, they have brought luxury to the masses and shaped the modern age.
Episode 3 - Ceramics
Mark Miodownik traces the story of ceramics. He looks at how simple clay, sand and rock can build cities and transform the way we view our world.
| Related Links |
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| Making Stuff This is a four-part NOVA documentary series hosted by David Pogue, exploring the materials that will shape our future. |
| Chemistry: A Volatile History This is a science documentary series presented by Professor Jim Al-Khalili, tracing the story of how the elements - the building blocks that make up our entire world - were discovered and mapped. |
| Secrets of the Supper Elements Forget oil, coal and gas - a new set of materials is shaping our world and they're so bizarre they may as well be alien technology. In this film, material scientist Prof Mark Miodownik reveals the super elements that underpin our high-tech world. |