Episodes
| Episode | Title | First Broadcast | Repeated | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Fire | 20210330 | This is the first in a four-part series looking at the energy revolutions that drove human history. In this programme Justin Rowlatt goes right back to the origin of our species two million years ago to explore how the mastery of fire by early humans transformed our metabolism, helping us to evolve our uniquely energy-hungry brains. The physical evidence for early use of fire is frustratingly thin on the ground, according to archaeologist Carolina Mallol. But primatologist Jill Pruetz says she has learned a lot from observing chimpanzees interact with wildfires on the African savanna. Research collaborators Rachel Carmody and Richard Wrangham theorise that our ancestors' unique ability to cook their food transformed the way our bodies access the energy it contains - something Justin seeks to test out by going on a raw food diet. The bounty of metabolic energy it delivered may have enabled us to become the formidably intelligent species we are today, according to neuroscientist Suzana Herculano-Houzel, transforming us into prolific hunters who conquered the world. Producer: Laurence Knight How the mastery of fire and the energy it released gave our ancestors intelligence Justin Rowlatt looks at the energy revolutions that drove human history. | |
| 01 | Fire | 20210330 | 20210405 (R4) | This is the first in a four-part series looking at the energy revolutions that drove human history. In this programme Justin Rowlatt goes right back to the origin of our species two million years ago to explore how the mastery of fire by early humans transformed our metabolism, helping us to evolve our uniquely energy-hungry brains. The physical evidence for early use of fire is frustratingly thin on the ground, according to archaeologist Carolina Mallol. But primatologist Jill Pruetz says she has learned a lot from observing chimpanzees interact with wildfires on the African savanna. Research collaborators Rachel Carmody and Richard Wrangham theorise that our ancestors' unique ability to cook their food transformed the way our bodies access the energy it contains - something Justin seeks to test out by going on a raw food diet. The bounty of metabolic energy it delivered may have enabled us to become the formidably intelligent species we are today, according to neuroscientist Suzana Herculano-Houzel, transforming us into prolific hunters who conquered the world. Producer: Laurence Knight How the mastery of fire and the energy it released gave our ancestors intelligence Justin Rowlatt looks at the energy revolutions that drove human history. |
| 02 | Agriculture | 20210406 | In part two of his history of the human use of energy, Justin Rowlatt explores what was the original solar energy revolution - harnessing the sun's rays to grow food. Some 10,000 years ago our ancestors began to till the soil, producing the energy surpluses needed to feed the first cities and civilisations. Growing crops was gruelling work, as Justin discovers at Butser Ancient Farm, when he tries to till some soil himself with a replica Stone Age mattock. Resident archaeologist Claire Walton gives Justin a tour through ten millennia of British farming history. But what first prompted our ancestors to take up such an arduous way of life in the first place? Anthropologist Robert Bettinger thinks it was down to the unusually benign conditions since the end of the last Ice Age. In any case, agriculture delivered domesticated plants and animals that could sustain much bigger human populations, according to Mark Nesbitt of Kew Gardens, and Melinda Zeder of the Smithsonian Institution. And that in turn made the discovery of radical new technologies possible. Producer: Laurence Knight How farming laid the energy foundations for human civilisation Justin Rowlatt looks at the energy revolutions that drove human history. | |
| 02 | Agriculture | 20210406 | 20210412 (R4) | In part two of his history of the human use of energy, Justin Rowlatt explores what was the original solar energy revolution - harnessing the sun's rays to grow food. Some 10,000 years ago our ancestors began to till the soil, producing the energy surpluses needed to feed the first cities and civilisations. Growing crops was gruelling work, as Justin discovers at Butser Ancient Farm, when he tries to till some soil himself with a replica Stone Age mattock. Resident archaeologist Claire Walton gives Justin a tour through ten millennia of British farming history. But what first prompted our ancestors to take up such an arduous way of life in the first place? Anthropologist Robert Bettinger thinks it was down to the unusually benign conditions since the end of the last Ice Age. In any case, agriculture delivered domesticated plants and animals that could sustain much bigger human populations, according to Mark Nesbitt of Kew Gardens, and Melinda Zeder of the Smithsonian Institution. And that in turn made the discovery of radical new technologies possible. Producer: Laurence Knight How farming laid the energy foundations for human civilisation Justin Rowlatt looks at the energy revolutions that drove human history. |
| 03 | Fossil Fuels | 20210413 | In the third instalment in his history of energy's role in the rise of our species, Justin Rowlatt looks at the bonanza provided by coal, oil and gas in just the last two centuries. Our modern comfortable way of life is only made possible by burning through a finite stock of fossilised chemical energy. Today we are a fossil fuel society, according to the noted energy historian Vaclav Smil. Fossil fuels underpin everything we take for granted - our long leisurely lives, our material goods, even the crops needed to feed our gigantic populations. Justin takes a tour through the history of the engine with Professor Paul Warde at London's Science Museum. He explores the dark library of hydrocarbon fuels with chemist Andrea Sella. And he discovers how coal and natural gas created the materials that built our modern urban worlds. Indeed, our megacities emerged to exploit fossil fuels more efficiently, and to provide the crucible for an explosion of technology, according to physicist Geoffrey West, in a process analogous to the evolution of the human brain. Producer: Laurence Knight How the energy bonanza of coal, oil and gas has given us unprecedented affluence. Justin Rowlatt looks at the energy revolutions that drove human history. | |
| 03 | Fossil Fuels | 20210413 | 20210419 (R4) | In the third instalment in his history of energy's role in the rise of our species, Justin Rowlatt looks at the bonanza provided by coal, oil and gas in just the last two centuries. Our modern comfortable way of life is only made possible by burning through a finite stock of fossilised chemical energy. Today we are a fossil fuel society, according to the noted energy historian Vaclav Smil. Fossil fuels underpin everything we take for granted - our long leisurely lives, our material goods, even the crops needed to feed our gigantic populations. Justin takes a tour through the history of the engine with Professor Paul Warde at London's Science Museum. He explores the dark library of hydrocarbon fuels with chemist Andrea Sella. And he discovers how coal and natural gas created the materials that built our modern urban worlds. Indeed, our megacities emerged to exploit fossil fuels more efficiently, and to provide the crucible for an explosion of technology, according to physicist Geoffrey West, in a process analogous to the evolution of the human brain. Producer: Laurence Knight How the energy bonanza of coal, oil and gas has given us unprecedented affluence. Justin Rowlatt looks at the energy revolutions that drove human history. |
| 04 | The Future | 20210420 | In the concluding episode of his exploration of how energy drove human history, Justin Rowlatt looks at the monumental challenge of weaning ourselves off fossil fuels. Solar and wind could meet all of humanity's energy needs, but can we switch over before climate disaster strikes? Fortunately we have the means at our disposal, according to clean-tech enthusiast and investor Ramez Naam. Our fossil-fuelled global economy has enabled a rapid collapse in the cost of renewable energy and electric vehicles. And now we are seeing a snowballing of government action to decarbonise our economies, according to UN climate negotiator Christiana Figueres. But many problems remain. Energy historian Vaclav Smil points out that we still have no easy way to store renewable energy, or use it to make billions of tons of cement and steel. Sheffield-based ITM Power hope that their green hydrogen could solve many of these problems. Plus electricity historian Julie Cohn says another option might be to build a global electricity grid. Producer: Laurence Knight How the rise of renewables could herald a surprisingly bright energy future. Justin Rowlatt looks at the energy revolutions that drove human history. | |
| 04 | The Future | 20210420 | 20210426 (R4) | In the concluding episode of his exploration of how energy drove human history, Justin Rowlatt looks at the monumental challenge of weaning ourselves off fossil fuels. Solar and wind could meet all of humanity's energy needs, but can we switch over before climate disaster strikes? Fortunately we have the means at our disposal, according to clean-tech enthusiast and investor Ramez Naam. Our fossil-fuelled global economy has enabled a rapid collapse in the cost of renewable energy and electric vehicles. And now we are seeing a snowballing of government action to decarbonise our economies, according to UN climate negotiator Christiana Figueres. But many problems remain. Energy historian Vaclav Smil points out that we still have no easy way to store renewable energy, or use it to make billions of tons of cement and steel. Sheffield-based ITM Power hope that their green hydrogen could solve many of these problems. Plus electricity historian Julie Cohn says another option might be to build a global electricity grid. Producer: Laurence Knight How the rise of renewables could herald a surprisingly bright energy future. Justin Rowlatt looks at the energy revolutions that drove human history. |