The Great Acceleration — Season 1
An extraordinary journey of human endeavor.
About this season
This remarkable science-history series investigates the blistering pace of human endeavour in space exploration, computing, energy, resources, Earth science and our understanding of the evolution of life itself.
Episodes (6)
1. Exploring the Universe
Aired 18 August 2020 • 55 min
This science-history series investigates the blistering pace of human endeavour and discovery. Dr Shalin Naik explores the ambitious space shuttle mission that began in the '70s plus the future colonisation of Mars.
2. Rise of the Machines
Aired 25 August 2020 • 54 min
From the first transistor to deep learning networks, the rise of computing power over the last 50 years has been so phenomenal it's changed everything from the way we communicate to how our appliances interact.
3. Energy Revolutions
Aired 1 September 2020 • 55 min
Over the last 50 years the world has experienced an energy revolution, driven by an urgent need to green the grid and save life on Earth as we know it.
4. Food, Water, Waste
Aired 8 September 2020 • 55 min
Rising demands for food, water and materials have pushed resources to the limit and at the same time waste is piling high - triggering a new wave of innovation to make more out of less.
5. Blue Marble
Aired 15 September 2020 • 54 min
Before it was photographed from space around 50 years ago, our perspective of Earth was fragmented and disconnected. Recent discoveries have revealed a dynamic and rapidly changing planet, above the crust and below.
6. Life
Aired 22 September 2020 • 56 min
Genetic breakthroughs have shed light on how life evolves in real-time. From filling in missing links to creating new species, in the last 50 years scientists have solved some of the big mysteries of evolution.