BBC - Connections (1978) - Episode 9: Countdown
BBC - Connections (1978) - Episode 9: Countdown
AVI/DivX MPEG-4 1750.5 kbps | 624x464, 30 fps | AC-3, 48 kHz, 224 kbps | English | 49:23 | 730 Mb
AVI/DivX MPEG-4 1750.5 kbps | 624x464, 30 fps | AC-3, 48 kHz, 224 kbps | English | 49:23 | 730 Mb
Connections is a documentary television series created, written and presented by science historian James Burke. It took an interdisciplinary approach to the history of science and invention and demonstrated how various discoveries, scientific achievements, and historical world events were built from one another successively in an interconnected way to bring about particular aspects of modern technology. The series was noted for Burke's crisp and enthusiastic presentation (and dry humour), historical re-enactments, and intricate working models.
Episode 9: "Countdown" connects the invention of the movie projector to improvements in castle fortifications caused by the invention and use of the cannon. The use of the cannon caused changes in castle fortifications to eliminate a blind spot where cannon fire could not reach. This improvement in castle defence caused innovation in offensive cannon fire, which eventually required maps. Thus a need arose to view and map locations (like a mountain top) from a long distance, which led to the invention of limelight light source, and later the incandescent light. Burke turns to the next ingredient for a movie projector, film. Film is made with celluloid (made with guncotton) which was first invented as a substitute for ivory in billiard balls. Next was the invention of the zoopraxiscope which was first used for a bet to see if a horse's hooves all left the ground at any point while galloping. The zoopraxiscope used frame by frame pictures and holes on the side to allow the machine to pull the film forward. Communication signals for railways using Morse's telegraph led to Edison discovering how to speak into a microphone creating bumps on a disc that could be played back—the record player. This final ingredient gave movies sound. In summary, Burke connects the invention of the movie projector to four major innovations in history: the incandescent light; the discovery of celluloid; the projector that uses frame by frame pictures on celluloid; and finally, recorded sound.
Screenshots:
BBC - Connections (1978) - Episode 9: Countdown
BBC - Connections (1978) - Episode 9: Countdown
Episode 1: The Trigger Effect
Episode 2: Death in the Morning
Episode 3: Distant Voices
Episode 4: Faith In Numbers
Episode 5: The Wheel of Fortune
Episode 6: Thunder in the Skies
Episode 7: The Long Chain
Episode 8: Eat, Drink and Be Merry
Links are interchangeable