| Shock and Awe: The Story of Electricity | |
|---|---|
 Title screenshot | |
| Genre | History of science |
| Presented by | Jim Al-Khalili |
| Narrated by | Jim Al-Khalili |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language | English |
| No. of series | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 3 |
| Production | |
| Running time | 45 minutes |
| Production companies | Open University andBBC |
| Original release | |
| Network | BBC Four |
| Release | 6 October (2011-10-06) – 20 October 2011 (2011-10-20) |
Shock and Awe: The Story of Electricity is a Britishtelevision series outlining aspects of the history ofelectricity. The series was a co-production between theOpen University and theBBC and aired from 6 to 20 October 2011 onBBC Four. The programs were presented byJim Al-Khalili.
In the first episode Al-Khalili introduces the history of our understanding of electricity and the harnessing of its power.[1] He covers the achievements of these "natural philosophers" –Francis Hauksbee,Stephen Gray,Musschenbroek,Benjamin Franklin,Henry Cavendish,Galvani,Volta andHumphry Davy.[2]
The programme starts with Hauksbee's invention of aglass globestatic-electricity generator and its subsequent demonstration to the high-minded.[3] It covers Franklin and the resulting experiments to capture and tame lightning.[4] The narrative continues with Cavendish's investigations of the electric shock received from thetorpedo fish.[5] Al-Khalili expands on the development of theelectric battery following Volta's discovery that simultaneously licking a copper coin and a silver spoon would generate a tingle of electricity.[3] The programme finishes with the first breakthrough in finding a commercial use for electricity:[6] Humphry Davy demonstrating the firstcarbon-arc light before members of theRoyal Institution.[3]
In the second episode Al-Khalili covers the scientists who discovered the links between electricity and magnetism leading to a way to generate electric power-[7]Hans Christian Oersted,Michael Faraday,William Sturgeon andJoseph Henry.
The development of commercial applications started withSamuel Morse and Al-Khalili then tells the story of the1866 transatlantic cable. He revisits thewar of the currents rivalry betweendirect current andalternating current.[8]
In the final episode Al-Khalili brings the story up to date covering the achievements ofJames Clerk Maxwell;Heinrich Hertz;Oliver Lodge;Jagadish Bose;William Crookes;Mataré &Welker; andWilliam Shockley.
