The Ascent of Man

“Science is a very human form of knowledge. We are always at the brink of the known.“

The Ascent of Man (1973) is a BBC documentary series written and presented by Jacob Bronowski.

Lower than the Angels — Evolution of man from proto-ape to 400,000 years ago.
The Harvest of the Seasons — Early human migration, agriculture and the first settlements, war.
The Grain in the Stone — Tools, development of architecture and sculpture.
The Hidden Structure — Fire, metals and alchemy.
Music of the Spheres — The language of numbers.
The Starry Messenger — Galileo’s universe.
The Majestic Clockwork — Explores Kepler and Newton’s laws.
The Drive for Power — The Industrial Revolution.
The Ladder of Creation — Darwin and Wallace’s ideas on the origin of species.
World within World — The story of the periodic table.
Knowledge or Certainty — Physics and the clash of absolute knowledge, the oppressive state, and its misgivings realizing the result of its terrible outcome.
Generation upon Generation — Life, genetics, and the cloning of identical forms.
The Long Childhood — Bronowski’s treatise on the commitment of man.

1 of 13 – Lower than Angels

2 of 13 – The Harvest of the Seasons

3 of 13 – The Grain in the Stone

4 of 13 – The Hidden Structure

5 of 13 – Music of the Spheres

6 of 13 – The Starry Messenger

part 7 of 13 – The Majestic Clockwork

part 8 of 13 – The Drive for Power

9 of 13 – The Ladder of Creation

10 of 13 – World within World

11 of 13 – Knowledge or Certainty

12 of 13 -Generation upon Generation

13 of 13 – The Long Childhood