Seven Ages of Science

In Britain, we're sometimes inclined to think of science as happening far away from us - in labs or universities or even in the past - and having little impact on our lives. In this groundbreaking series, Lisa Jardine weaves science back into the everyday by showing how the concerns of scientists have always been the concerns of us all. Starting in Restoration England, we travel through seven ages to examine Britain's unparalleled contribution to science. First, the age of ingenuity, when mechanically-minded citizens pioneered a new way of thinking. Then, the age of exploration when young bright men sailed the seas in search of specimens and exotic lands. We travel through the age of opportunity when the industrial revolution made science, like industry, into a factory-based, mass-manufactured pursuit. Next into the age of inspiration when scientists like Maxwell, Einstein, Darwin, and Anning took great leaps of faith. Onward into the age of the lab when scientists professionalised and started to be separated from society in general. Into the age of war when military needs placed new demands on science. Finally into the age of now where we find science is driven sometimes by curiosity, but also by politics, PR and profit. From the 1600s to the present day, Seven Ages of Science offers a fascinating insight into the history of science in Britain.