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Mankind Decoded

  • 2013
  • Ended
  • Documentary
  • ~22m / ep
  • 1 season
  • 7.0/10

Mankind Decoded is the intriguing story of how 12 timeless forces have shaped human history in extraordinary ways. Find out how the implacable forces of nature have compelled us to adapt or die; how new technologies have transformed our existence; how our need for food brought forth civilization; and the desire for luxuries changed our world.

Latest: Season 1 · 2013

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  1. E1. Arms Race

    Jan 26, 2013 · 22m

    About 10,000 years ago we discover farming. But when crops fail, early farming communities face a new threat. War. It's the birth of the arms race.

  2. E2. Lust for Luxury

    Jan 26, 2013 · 22m

    When ordinary people desire the luxuries of the rich, ingenuity and innovation come together to take history in a new direction. From the obsession with silk to the fall of Constantinople, the discovery of the Americas to the launch of the Industrial Revolution, our desire for luxury has shaped our history and evolution.

  3. E3. Violent Planet

    Feb 2, 2013 · 22m

    Over millions of years mankind has evolved from a puny, vulnerable creature to become a dominant force on the planet. Occasionally the planet bites back--with terrifying consequences that have shaped our evolution.

  4. E4. Connecting the World

    Feb 2, 2013 · 22m

    The world is linked like never before. Modern transport and communications have resulted in a world that is wealthier, healthier, more mobile and better informed than ever before. But throughout history new trade routes have proved to be double-edged swords, opening the way to wealth as well as terrible dangers — among them revolutionary ideas and terrifying pandemics.

  5. E5. Rise of the Machines

    Feb 9, 2013 · 22m

    Tools and machines have allowed us to overcome our physical limitations, and become the most successful species on Earth. But tools are also transforming what it means to be human.

  6. E6. Eat It, Drink It, Smoke It

    Feb 9, 2013 · 22m

    Man uses plants to feed, heal and clothe himself, to build his world and even to alter how he feels. The use of plants like corn, tobacco and cotton become such an important part of our lives that they play a central role in our evolution, and lead to everything from War to Prohibition.

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