9 of 9 results for "history of science"
Student Article
How Scientists From Around the World Helped Shape Modern Science
The article "How Scientists From Around the World Helped Shape Modern Science" from BBC's HistoryExtra explains how science in the 16th to 18th Centuries wasn't only shaped by famous Europeans like Copernicus or Newton. Thinkers from Asia, Africa, and the Americas also made important contributions.
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The Role of One Rudimentary Battery in Transforming the World

In The Role of One Rudimentary Battery in Transforming the World, narrator Michael Mosley uncovers the story of the first battery. It begins with a letter in 1800 with simple instructions from Italian scientist Alessandro Volta on how to make an artificial torpedo fish, and ends in a classroom where Hans Christian Oersted took it one step further, noticing how the battery current created magnetic fields. The electric telegraph and using steam power weren’t far behind, transforming the world as we knew it. This video is excerpted from BBC's The Story of Science, in which Michael Mosley takes an informative and ambitious journey exploring how the evolution of scientific understanding is intimately interwoven with society's historical path.

Student Article
Everything You Need to Know About Space Travel (Almost)
The article "Everything You Need to Know About Space Travel (Almost)" from BBC Science Focus covers the history of space travel, its importance for science and humanity, the challenges of interstellar travel, and the benefits of space exploration.
Video
Layers of the Skin

In Layers of the Skin, evolutionary biologist Ben Garrod explores the fascinating science of skin and how mammals, amphibians, fish, reptiles, and birds share a similar basic skin structure, despite differences in appearance and function. Learn about the three main layers of skin: the epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous fat layer. Each layer plays an important role in helping animals adapt to their environment, providing protection, flexibility, and sensitivity. See how skin can be tough, flexible, colorful, and capable of growing feathers, hair, and even teeth. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Secrets of Skin, a documentary series exploring the natural history of the body's largest organ.

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Islamic Advances in Math and Science Helped Update the Math of the World

In Islamic Advances in Math and Science Helped Update the Math of the World, host Andrew Marr takes us back to the 9th Century. The Islamic scholar Muhammad al-Khwarizmi and other scholars are using measurements and calculations to calculate the Earth’s circumference and create an updated map the Earth. Learn how the work of the Islamic scholars impacts today’s technology and mathematics. This video is excerpted from BBC’s A History of the World, a story of human history that uses reenactments, modern footage, and storytelling to explain history’s greatest achievements.

Student Article
How We Deciphered Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphs
The article "How We Deciphered Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphs" from BBC Science Focus explains how archaeologists deciphered ancient Egyptian writing using the Rosetta Stone. It describes the efforts of scholars like Thomas Young and Jean-François Champollion, who unlocked the phonetic and symbolic meanings of hieroglyphs, enabling the translation of ancient texts and revealing insights into Egyptian history and culture.
Student Article
Lost Nile River Branch May Explain How the Great Pyramids Were Built
The article "Lost Nile River Branch May Explain How the Great Pyramids Were Built" from BBC Science Focus showcases how archaeologists found a long-lost river under the desert, which might have helped the Egyptians move giant stones to build the pyramids. This discovery highlights the importance of the Nile and how environmental changes shaped history.
Playlist (13 resources)
Engines, Wheels, and Wings: The High Speed Playlist

Get ready for a speedy adventure! This BBC Learning Hub playlist, packed with clips from Grace’s Amazing Machines, takes students on a high-octane journey through land, sea, and sky. From gyrocopters and tugboats to superbikes and supercars, each video introduces a powerful machine — and the science that makes it move.

Perfect for teaching concepts like forces and motion, energy, friction, and transportation technology, these clips are a fun, fast-paced way to explore how things go, glide, float, and fly. Each video comes with discussion questions, hands-on activities, and more to help kids think, tinker, and learn like real engineers. Buckle up — it’s going to be a wild ride!

Video
Alan Turing's Tragic Ending

In Alan Turing's Tragic Ending, host Chris Packham recounts the harrowing story of Alan Turing, a brilliant mind crushed by societal discrimination. Despite his groundbreaking contributions to science, Turing faced devastating personal struggles following his conviction for being in a same-sex relationship. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Icons: The Greatest Person of the 20th Century, a documentary series celebrating the achievements of the most influential figures of the era.