Brian Cox Investigates the Most Controversial Scientific Discoveries

Editor's Take

Using three and a half centuries of British science as its canvas, this film asks a deceptively basic question: what is science, and who gets to practise it? Brian Cox threads individual discoveries into a larger reflection on how knowledge is made and contested. The framing is as much about the culture of science as its content, connecting past enquiry to present stakes. It is more essay than catalogue, and the better for that ambition.

In this film, Professor Brian Cox investigates some of the most controversial discoveries in the history of science. He traces three and a half centuries of British science to explore what science really is, who practises it, and how it connects to our past and future. Presented in 4K, it blends the stories of scientists with the ideas that changed the world. It is an engaging reflection on the nature and power of scientific inquiry. Free to stream in 4K on Dr Documentary.

Courtesy of Documentary on YouTube. Watch on YouTube ↗

More Science & Tech Documentaries

Richard Dawkins: The Greatest Show on Earth2010•1h 1m•HD•★8.8The Strange World of Nanoscience2012•17m•HD•★8.7Through the Wormhole2012•45m•HD•★8.6Rule from the Shadows: The Psychology of Power2014•37m•HD•★8.5The Science of Bubbles2017•59m•HD•★8.0I Tested Human Limits Against Lightning, Heat, and Freezing Cold2026•50m•HD•★8.0Two Arab Scientists Seeking Solutions to Global Problems2022•43m•HD•★7.8The Catastrophic Volcano of Santorini2025•54m•HD•★7.8Life and Death | Through the Wormhole | Science Channel2025•1h 3m•HD•★7.7I got buried in concrete to explain how it works2023•24m•4K•★7.7Black Holes and Quantum Gravity | World Science Festival2025•1h 59m•HD•★7.7Can We Test Quantum Gravity? | World Science Festival2026•1h 7m•HD•★7.7