Mankind Decoded
Through 12 surprising influences, H2 holds the key to unlock our secret history. As every tool, innovation and thought unfolds from the wheel to the Internet, the Vikings to Amelia Earhart and Stonehenge to soaring skyscrapers, Mankind Decoded deconstructs the Mankind series, exposing how each element unites us and affects our world.
Genre: History
Cast:Eric Meyers , James Meigs , George Wunderlich , Mike Loades , Sam Sheridan , Richard Machowicz , Ian Morris , Timothy Brook , Mehmet Oz , Mark Frauenfelder , Alberto Camarillo , Brian Williams , Henry Louis Gates Jr. , H.W. Brands , Kara Cooney , Sylvester James Gates Jr. , Patrick Hunt , H.M. Agnes Hsu
S1.E1 ∙ Arms Race
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.
S1.E2 ∙ Lust for Luxury
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, our desire for luxury has shaped our history and evolution.
S1.E3 ∙ Violent Planet
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.
S1.E4 ∙ Connecting the World
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.
S1.E5 ∙ Rise of the Machines
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.
S1.E6 ∙ Eat It, Drink It, Smoke It
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.
S1.E7 ∙ Fire, Coal and Oil
Early man rubbed two sticks together and created fire. We learn to cook our food, saving vital energy. As a result, our brains expand--making us the most intelligent species on the planet.
S1.E8 ∙ Man and Metals
Five thousand years ago man first throws a handful of rocks into a campfire and stumbles upon a discovery that changes the world: Metal. Copper, Tin and Bronze empower the ancient world and allow empires to expand, armed with sharp, hard-wearing weapons.
S1.E9 ∙ Man and Beast
15,000 years ago man and the wolf form a partnership that shapes the future of Mankind. With the help of man's new best friend we domesticate more animals, sowing the first seeds of farming and civilization.
S1.E10 ∙ Information Is Power
Communication is the vital ingredient in the building of civilization. The ability to share complicated ideas allowed early man to hunt, farm and build communities.
S1.E11 ∙ Building Earth
Mankind is a building species. Inspired by the divine we create monuments to its power (Stonehenge, the Great Pyramid). New challenges create new sciences and when the Romans mixed volcanic ash with water they created a new super-material: concrete.
S1.E12 ∙ Need for Speed
No prizes for second place! In this episode we learn how being the fastest enabled empires to be born and capitalism to thrive.
