History 101 — Season 1

Aired 22 May 2020 • 22 min

Cheap, quick and tasty, fast food became a culinary craze in the 1950s. But has our quest for convenience created an irreversible health crisis?

Aired 22 May 2020 • 23 min

Fifteen international agencies spend $62 billion every year on space travel. What's fueling our costly — and dangerous — drive to explore the universe?

Aired 22 May 2020 • 23 min

In the 21st century, China has become a global economic powerhouse. Why was the rest of the world so slow to notice its rise to the top?

Aired 22 May 2020 • 21 min

Plastics have transformed how we live, but progress comes at a high price: 7.8 billion tons of waste. Are plastics a miracle or a catastrophe?

Aired 22 May 2020 • 22 min

Oil has brought great wealth to the Middle East and ignited major wars. Is it a blessing or a curse for the region, as well as the rest of the world?

Aired 22 May 2020 • 22 min

We share the planet with an estimated 9 million robots, from self-driving cars to surgical arms. Could they one day completely replace humans?

Aired 22 May 2020 • 24 min

Feminism has ushered in sweeping changes to society, securing rights for women around the world. How much further do we have to go?

Aired 22 May 2020 • 22 min

Over 10% of the world's electricity comes from nuclear power. But with radioactive waste and the threat of nuclear meltdown, are we playing with fire?

Aired 22 May 2020 • 22 min

Nearly 40 million people are living with HIV. After decades of research and activism, how far have we come in finding a cure and battling the stigma?

Aired 22 May 2020 • 21 min

DNA analysis has given us the tools to map disease, solve crimes and more. But in our rush to decode DNA, are we leaping before we look?