2: Method and Madness | In Search of Science

Duration: 58'38''

Synopsis

Professor Brian Cox celebrates Britain's pivotal role in creating the systems of modern science, from Newton to hydrogen explosions and more.

Further Information

More clips from In Search of Science

1: Frankenstein's Monsters | In Search of Science

1: Frankenstein's Monsters | In Search of Science

BBC Two | 2013 | 58'47''

Professor Brian Cox guides viewers through 350 years of British science. He grapples with science's darker side, asking why...

3: Clear Blue Skies | In Search of Science

3: Clear Blue Skies | In Search of Science

BBC Two | 2013 | 59'03''

Professor Brian Cox finishes the series by looking at the happy accidents that have led to scientific breakthroughs and considerin...

The inspiration for Frankenstein | In Search of Science

The inspiration for Frankenstein | In Search of Science

BBC Two | 2013 | 2'33''

Brain Cox looks into the story and scientist that is thought to have influenced Frankenstein.

1: Frankenstein's Monsters | In Search of Science

1: Frankenstein's Monsters | In Search of Science

BBC Two | 2013 | 58'47''

Professor Brian Cox guides viewers through 350 years of British science. He grapples with science's darker side, asking why...

3: Clear Blue Skies | In Search of Science

3: Clear Blue Skies | In Search of Science

BBC Two | 2013 | 59'03''

Professor Brian Cox finishes the series by looking at the happy accidents that have led to scientific breakthroughs and considerin...

The inspiration for Frankenstein | In Search of Science

The inspiration for Frankenstein | In Search of Science

BBC Two | 2013 | 2'33''

Brain Cox looks into the story and scientist that is thought to have influenced Frankenstein.

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S1E2: Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand | Days That Shook the World

BBC Two | 2004 | 29'03''

How the duke's death led to the start of the First World War.

Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot

Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot

BBC One | 2002 | 27'58''

In a one-off precursor to his Historyonic's series, Nick Knowles gets a behind-the-scenes look at why a Yorkshire-born zealot called Guy Fa...

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4: The Battle Against the Spanish Armada | Battlefield Britain

BBC Two | 2004 | 58'48''

Peter and Dan Snow take a look at the battles that shaped our nation. Drake's unlikely sea victory against the...

2: The Battle of Hastings | Battlefield Britain

2: The Battle of Hastings | Battlefield Britain

BBC Two | 2004 | 58'14''

Peter and Dan Snow on the battles that shaped our nation, using state-of-the-art graphics. The story of the turbulent events ...

The Somme: From Defeat to Victory

The Somme: From Defeat to Victory

BBC One | 2006 | 58'17''

Drama-documentary which offers a new perspective on the most infamous battle of World War I, revealing how it was on the Somme that the Bri...

They Shall Not Grow Old (2018)

They Shall Not Grow Old (2018)

BBC Two | 2018 | 1'34'52''

Transforming archive footage more than a century old, Peter Jackson brings to life the people who can best tell the story of World War I: the ...

2: The Land of Lost Consent | Andrew Marr's History of Modern Britain

2: The Land of Lost Consent | Andrew Marr's History of Modern Britain

BBC Two | 2007 | 58'36''

The 1950s were a period of apparent calm, order and prosperity for Britain, but much of the populace wa...

5: New Britannia | Andrew Marr's History of Modern Britain

5: New Britannia | Andrew Marr's History of Modern Britain

BBC Two | 2007 | 59'19''

In the final part of Andrew Marr's national saga, Britain enters the post-Thatcher era. Many have done well during...

5: Sewer King | Seven Wonders of the Industrial World

5: Sewer King | Seven Wonders of the Industrial World

BBC Two | 2003 | 48'50''

As 19th century London's sewage problem reached crisis point and cholera was rife, Joseph Bazalgette proposed a scheme ...

1: Medieval London | Filthy Cities

1: Medieval London | Filthy Cities

BBC Two | 2011 | 58'14''

Dan Snow gets down and dirty in medieval grime to discover how the London of today was forged in the filth of the 14th century.

20th Century Wrap: 4: 1950s: Britain - A Time of Change? | History File

20th Century Wrap: 4: 1950s: Britain - A Time of Change? | History File

BBC Two | 1995 | 23'57''

Schools history programme looking at 1950's, a period of great change. How did British people react ...

5: Bloody Beginnings | Blood and Guts: A History of Surgery

5: Bloody Beginnings | Blood and Guts: A History of Surgery

BBC Four | 2008 | 59'00''

Michael Mosley looks at how surgery dragged itself kicking and screaming out of the dark ages, transforming itsel...

Suffragettes with Lucy Worsley

Suffragettes with Lucy Worsley

BBC One | 2018 | 1'29'01''

Documentary, presented by Lucy Worsley, which uses dramatised testimony to tell the story of a group of working-class women conducting a dange...

1: Helped into Power | Nazis: A Warning from History

1: Helped into Power | Nazis: A Warning from History

BBC Two | 1997 | 48'29''

Documentary series examining how Hitler came to power. By January 1933, Germany had voted for a chancellor who was openl...

4: Youth in Hitler's Germany | History File

4: Youth in Hitler's Germany | History File

BBC Two | 2000 | 23'15''

Using evidence from five people who lived through the rise of National Socialism, this takes a look at why Germany fell into the ...

1: Martial Races | The World's War: Forgotten Soldiers of Empire

1: Martial Races | The World's War: Forgotten Soldiers of Empire

BBC Two | 2014 | 59'04''

David Olusoga challenges our perceptions of the First World War with the stories of the millions of Indian, ...

Trump: A Second Chance? | Panorama

Trump: A Second Chance? | Panorama

BBC One | 2024 | 57'54''

For the past two years, Panorama has been following some of Donald Trump's most ardent supporters. They tell Panorama why they want him to...

1: 1066 | Historyonics

1: 1066 | Historyonics

BBC One | 2004 | 29'01''

Nick Knowles sets out to find the truth behind the story of William the Conqueror and King Harold. Why and how did the two protagonists of the Battle ...

2: Chaos and Consent | Nazis: A Warning from History

2: Chaos and Consent | Nazis: A Warning from History

BBC Two | 1997 | 48'17''

A look at the extraordinary popularity of both Hitler and the Nazis, as well as the astonishing degree of voluntary supp...

Episode 3 | 1066: A Year to Conquer England

Episode 3 | 1066: A Year to Conquer England

BBC Two | 2017 | 58'50''

Duke William leads his vast invasion fleet across the Channel to face King Harold. The two armies meet at battle in Sussex on 14 ...

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5: Strange Worlds | Solar System

BBC Two | 2024 | 58'50''

Professor Brian Cox explores the solar system's misfits and oddballs and investigates the forces that sculpted the bizarre features on these...

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BBC Two | 2022 | 1'28'53''

With unique access to Nasa, Brian Cox follows Perseverance rover's search for life on Mars during a critical seven-day period as it undertakes ...

1: Space: How Far Can We Go? | Brian Cox's Adventures in Space and Time

1: Space: How Far Can We Go? | Brian Cox's Adventures in Space and Time

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Brian Cox explores the latest science and takes a new look at his old films and asks: how far can we ...

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2: Alien Worlds: The Search for Second Earth | Universe

BBC Two | 2021 | 58'48''

Professor Brian Cox questions whether we are alone in the universe. There might be more planets than stars in our gal...

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2: Order out of Chaos | Wonders of the Solar System

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Professor Brian Cox describes how nature has carved out the solar system. He looks at the rings of Saturn, explaining how...

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2: The Two Sisters - Earth and Mars | The Planets

BBC Two | 2019 | 59'16''

Professor Brian Cox continues his tour of the solar system revealing that it was once home to not one, but two blue planets.

Moon Landing Special | Stargazing

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BBC Two | 2019 | 1'28'41''

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo moon landing, Professor Brian Cox and Dara O Briain travel to where the historic Apollo 11 ...

The 21st Century Race For Space

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BBC Two | 2017 | 58'52''

Brian Cox gains exclusive access to Virgin Galactic, Blue Origin and Spaceport America, to explore what is really happening in privately fina...

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4: The Pale Blue Dot | Forces of Nature with Brian Cox

BBC One | 2016 | 58'35''

Professor Brian Cox reveals how Earth's beauty is created by just a handful of forces. In this episode Brian explains ...

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BBC Two | 2016 | 59'09''

Eric Idle persuades Professor Brian Cox to present a lecture on the birth of the entire universe. Brian soon realises Eric is actually hosting a comedy a...

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4: A Place in Space and Time | Human Universe

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Professor Brian Cox explores mankind's place in the universe. He looks at how we came to understand that we are not at the cent...

Brian Cox: Space, Time & Videotape

Brian Cox: Space, Time & Videotape

BBC Four | 2014 | 59'13''

Professor Brian Cox is joined by two of his heroes, the actor Brian Blessed and Professor Alice Roberts. On the agenda are his TV idols fr...

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Evolution of hearing and jaws in fish, reptiles and mammals | Wonders of Life

BBC Two | 2013 | 4'12''

Spec references J247: B5.2c J250: B5.2c. Clip starts with a description of hearing and then goe...

The genetic modification debate | Science Britannica - Learning Zone

The genetic modification debate | Science Britannica - Learning Zone

BBC Two | 2013 | 6'12''

Brian Cox explores the science behind the genetic modification of plants, and the ongoing debate around ...

The inspiration for Frankenstein | In Search of Science

The inspiration for Frankenstein | In Search of Science

BBC Two | 2013 | 2'33''

Brain Cox looks into the story and scientist that is thought to have influenced Frankenstein.

How are elements made? | Wonders of the Universe

How are elements made? | Wonders of the Universe

BBC Two | 2011 | 7'37''

Brian Cox explains what elements are and how they are formed, including the importance of carbon.

A Night with the Stars

A Night with the Stars

BBC Two | 2011 | 58'39''

Professor Brian Cox takes an audience of famous faces, scientists and members of the public on a journey through some of the most challenging concepts...

Horizon: 40 Years on the Moon

Horizon: 40 Years on the Moon

BBC Four | 2009 | 59'05''

Brian Cox uses the BBC archive to examine the story of man's relationship with the moon, from James Burke testing out Nasa equipment to Neil Ar...

The Big Bang Machine

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BBC Four | 2008 | 58'57''

Brian Cox looks around Cern's LHC in Geneva before it is sealed off and the experiment to try and create conditions that existed a billionth of a second...