Explosions: How We Shook the World
Engineer Jem Stansfield investigates how we have come to understand, and then harness, the immense power of explosions, from ancient China to the nuclear age.
Engineer Jem Stansfield is used to creating explosions, but in this programme he uncovers the story of how we have learnt to control them and harness their power for our own means.
From recreating a rather dramatic ancient Chinese alchemy accident to splitting an atom in his own home-built replica of a 1930s piece of equipment, Jem reveals how explosives work and how we have used their power throughout history. He goes underground to show how gunpowder was used in the mines of Cornwall, recreates the first test of guncotton in a quarry with dramatic results and visits a modern high explosives factory with a noble history.
Ground-breaking high speed photography makes for some startling revelations at every step of the way.
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Clips
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Explosives and Cornish Mining
Duration: 07:19
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Nitroglycerine detonation in slo-mo
Duration: 02:22
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Jem Stansfield demonstrates an explosion with a plastic bottle
Duration: 01:32
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Trailer for Explosions: How We Shook the World
Duration: 01:34
Music Played
Timings (where shown) are from the start of the programme in hours and minutes
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Nick Ingman/Terry Devine-King
Mars
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Igor Dvorkin & Duncan Pittock
Terracotta Empire
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Terry Devine-King
Dangerous Games
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Paul Mottram
Deserted Land
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Orlando Jopling
Serene
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Paul Mottram
Starshift
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Ian Hughes
Cloth of Gold
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Paul Mottram
Rising Star
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Adam Skinner & Dan Skinner
Siberian Sunrise
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Barrie Gledden & Kes Loy
Yangtze
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Igor Dvorkin & Duncan Pittock
Chaser
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Terry Devine-King
Battle Lines
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Paul Mottram
Livewire
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Helen Jane Long
Hypnosis
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Paul Mottram
Fireflies
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Adam Skinner & Dan Skinner
Fearless
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Darren Leigh Purkiss
Mission to Mars
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Tom Smail
Long Shadow
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Mat Andasun
Stress
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Tom Quick
Alchemy
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Igor Dvorkin & Duncan Pittock
Awareness
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Paul Mottram
Dreaming Spirit
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Paul Mottram
Equilibrium
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Luke Richards
Something in the Shadows
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Paul Mottram
Intrigue
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Bob Bradley
Merging Cells
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Helen Jane Long
Frontier
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Paul Mottram
Honest Endeavour
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Terry Devine-King
City to City
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Paul Mottram
Sea of Tranquility
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Duncan Pittock
Anxious
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Paul Mottram/Gareth Johnson
In Memoriam
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Adam Skinner & Dan Skinner
Black Sand
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Helen Jane Long
Waiting Game
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Terry Devine-King
Quest
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David O'Brien & Johnny Lithium
Hidden Threat
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Duncan Pittock
Tremolo Strings
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Terry Devine-King
Doom
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Declan Flynn
Futureproof
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Igor Dvorkin & Duncan Pittock
Tense String Rise
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Oliver Ledbury
Pendulum
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Christopher Ashmore/Benjamin Marks
Sinister Angel
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Chris Blackwell
Acceptance
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David O'Brien
Fear Factor
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Adam Skinner & Dan Skinner
Asylum
Credits
| Role | Contributor |
|---|---|
| Presenter | Jem Stansfield |
| Producer | Alex Freeman |
| Director | Alex Freeman |
| Producer | Steve Crabtree |
| Producer | Ed Booth |
| Executive Producer | Tina Fletcher |
Broadcasts
- Wed 13 Oct 2010 20:00
- Thu 14 Oct 2010 03:00
- Fri 15 Oct 2010 02:20
- Sun 17 Oct 2010 03:15
- Tue 1 Feb 2011 23:00
- Wed 8 Jun 2011 20:00
- Thu 9 Jun 2011 01:55
- Thu 17 Nov 2011 20:00
- Thu 17 Nov 2011 23:30
- Thu 4 Oct 2012 20:00
- Fri 5 Oct 2012 00:35
- Sat 6 Oct 2012 20:00
- Sun 7 Oct 2012 02:55
- Tue 9 Apr 2013 20:00
- Mon 4 Nov 2013 22:00
- Tue 28 Jan 2014 23:00
- Thu 24 Jul 2014 20:00
- Sun 5 Oct 2014 23:30
- Thu 9 Oct 2014 00:50
OU on the BBC
Watch Jem exploring explosions