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The Ascent of Man

1973

Seasons & Episodes

  • 1

EP1 Lower Than the Angels May 05, 1973

The programme follows the changes in Man as he marches out of Africa, through desert and ice age, to leave the print of his hand in a dark Spanish cave.

EP2 The Harvest of the Seasons May 12, 1973

As the ice retreats and the land flowers, Man the hunter turns to agriculture, domesticating plant and animal, imposing his will on the wild wheat and the horse.

EP3 The Grain in the Stone May 19, 1973

The wandering nomads cease their migrations and settle in townships, learning new skills.

EP4 The Hidden Structure May 26, 1973

The programme follows the beginnings of chemistry: from the techniques of ancient metallurgy in China and Japan to the mystical searchings of the alchemists.

EP5 Music of the Spheres Jun 02, 1973

Mathematics is a way of describing the world that we see, hear and touch.

EP6 The Starry Messenger Jun 09, 1973

From the earliest times, Man has looked outwards from the earth and wondered at the movements of sun, stars and planets. The programme hinges on the crisis of the scientific conscience in the person of the astronomer Galileo and in the rich cities of Venice and Rome, the scenes both of his triumph and his punishment.

EP7 The Majestic Clockwork Jun 16, 1973

The universe of Newton, clear, English, stately, like the music and the great buildings of his century ticking away with a fine clockwork mechanism, wisely regulated by laws. Then the quizzical world of Einstein whose direct truth and questions could turn the dignified universe upside-down in the interests of a clearer understanding. We ride with Einstein on his beam of light to end our journey in our own century.

EP8 The Drive for Power Jun 23, 1973

As political revolutions shook France and America, another quieter, yet more profound restructuring was taking place in Britain - the Industrial Revolution.

EP9 The Ladder of Creation Jun 30, 1973

How did life begin on earth? Dr Jacob Bronowski recounts the adventures of Alfred Russell Wallace, and how they triggered off the ideas of Charles Darwin.

EP10 World Within World Jul 07, 1973

Dr Jacob Bronowski tells the story of the men and ideas that gave concrete expression to the invisible, intangible structure that lies beneath all matter.

EP11 Knowledge or Certainty Jul 14, 1973

Dr Jacob Bronowski considers how the great achievement of physics in the 20th century has been to show that absolute certainty, in science or outside of it, is beyond our grasp.

EP12 Generation Upon Generation Jul 21, 1973

Dr Jacob Bronowski follows the history of genetics, from the lonely experiments of Gregor Mendel to the discovery of the structure of DNA. Should we see human sexuality as a gift?

EP13 The Long Childhood Jul 28, 1973

From his home, Dr Jacob Bronowski takes stock of man's complex and often precarious ascent, drawing on experiences from his own lifetime.
8.8| 0h30m| en
Synopsis

The Ascent of Man is a thirteen-part documentary television series produced by the BBC and Time-Life Films first transmitted in 1973, written and presented by Jacob Bronowski. Intended as a series of "personal view" documentaries in the manner of Kenneth Clark's 1969 series Civilisation, the series received acclaim for Bronowski's highly informed but eloquently simple analysis, his long unscripted monologues and its extensive location shoots.

Cast

Director

Producted By

Time Life Films

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Reviews

MamaGravity good back-story, and good acting
GazerRise Fantastic!
Derry Herrera Not sure how, but this is easily one of the best movies all summer. Multiple levels of funny, never takes itself seriously, super colorful, and creative.
Staci Frederick Blistering performances.