Distant Voices

This is episode 3 of James Burke's brilliant series "Connections", which explores the surprising and unexpected ways that our modern technological world came into existence. Although it was filmed in the 1970s, it's still fascinating and relevant. Note that the movie is split in to five parts, but should skip to the next part automatically.

This episode suggests that telecommunications exist because Normans had stirrups for horse riding which in turn led them to further advancements in warfare.

Yesterday, Tomorrow and You

This is episode 10 of James Burke's brilliant series "Connections", which explores the surprising and unexpected ways that our modern technological world came into existence. Although it was filmed in the 1970s, it's still fascinating and relevant. Note that the movie is split in to five parts, but should skip to the next part automatically.

This episode starts with the plow, from which you get craftsmen, civilization, irrigation, pottery and writing, mathematics, a calendar to predict floods, empires, and a modern world where change happens so rapidly you can’t keep up.