Horizon Season 29, Episode 12: Before Babel

1

The Shadow of Breast Cancer

Horizon presents a new study that has highlighted the case of breast cancer.

60 min

2

Pest Wars

Horizon examines the advantages and disadvantages of biological pest control.

60 min

3

Molecules With Sunglasses

About the original discovery in 1985 of a third form of solid carbon, named Buckminsterfullerene after the architect who invented geodesic domes. The two scientists who discovered the material glimpsed it for brief seconds only in their lasers but neither they nor other scientists subsequently could make the substance last long enough in the laser to prove their theory. Then in 1990, a couple of physicists with an arc-welder in a bell-jar found they could make as much Buckminsterfullerene as they liked, and industrial applications opened up, with talk of new polymers, molecular ball-bearings, lubricants and super- conductors. Meanwhile, the original discoverers were turning back to the fundamental questions surrounding the discovery, such as how and why does it form; does it exist in space or is it the solution to one of the great mysteries of the universe.

60 min

4

In Search of the Noble Savage

Horizon explores the ecological track record of the North American Indians.

60 min

5

Malaria: Battle of the Merozoites

In this episode, Horizon look at attempts to persuade major respected organizations to do controlled trials on a synthetic malaria vaccine.

60 min

6

The Black Sun

Horizon follows five teams of scientists on the island of Mauna Kea in Hawaii as they wait for a solar eclipse.

60 min

7

Hitler's Bomb

Horizon investigates how in 1939, the Nazis led the race for the atomic bomb. Did scientific errors rob Hitler of a victory over the allies?

60 min

8

An Expensive Theology

This episode of Horizon looks at Britain's science spending and how it is falling behind it's competitors.

60 min

9

The Strange Life and Death of Dr. Turing

Horizon presents the life and work of mathematician Dr. Alan Turing.

60 min

10

Hot Jam in the Doughnut

This episode of Horizon is about how nuclear fusion has been heralded as the power of the future with the promise of clean affordable energy.

60 min

11

A Diet for a Lifetime

Horizon presents a story about what a women eats before and during pregnancy can determine the diseases her children may suffer from later in their life.

60 min

12

Before Babel

Horizon explores the development of languages all over the world and attempts to reconstruct the first spoken words.

60 min

13

The Man Who Moved the Mountains

In this report, Horizon presents that scientific observations have shown that the landscape is constantly moving.

60 min

14

Iceman

Horizon reports on the investigation into a well-preserved human corpse found frozen in an Alpine glacier.

60 min

15

Taking the Credit

Horizon investigates the claims by rival American and French scientists as to who first discovered the HIV virus.

60 min

16

Fast Life in the Food Chain

In this story, Horizon presents an investigation into the research to make livestock and poultry grow bigger and stronger.

60 min

17

Dodging Doomsday

Horizon brings you this report to explain when animal communities exceed carrying capacities of their environments, they crash spectacularly. Will this also happen to humans?

60 min

18

A Question of Sport...

Horizon presents the current evidence of a massive sporting fraud in the former Eastern Germany that has now been uncovered. The evidence shows that the East German Olympic success through the 1980's was due in part to the sophisticated use of drugs, a practice which the East German state endorsed.

60 min

19

Genes R Us

This Horizon program looks at the stereotyped image of the scientist.

60 min