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  • ABC TV

The Great Acceleration

An extraordinary journey of human endeavor.

  • 2020
  • Ended
  • Documentary
  • ~1h / ep
  • 1 season
  • 7.0/10

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.

Latest: Season 1 · 2020

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  1. E1. Exploring the Universe

    Aug 18, 2020 · 55m

    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. E2. Rise of the Machines

    Aug 25, 2020 · 54m

    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. E3. Energy Revolutions

    Sep 1, 2020 · 55m

    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. E4. Food, Water, Waste

    Sep 8, 2020 · 55m

    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. E5. Blue Marble

    Sep 15, 2020 · 54m

    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. E6. Life

    Sep 22, 2020 · 56m

    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.