Strand of science documentary films
| Q.E.D. |
|---|
 Title card |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
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|
| Executive producers | Mick Rhodes (1982–84), David Filkin (1985–91), Simon Campbell-Jones (1992), Susan Spindler (1993–94), Tim Haines (1994), Lorraine Heggessey (1995–97), Michael Mosley (1998–99) |
|---|
| Producers | - Alec Nisbett
- Liz Tucker
- Emma Walker
- John Hayes-Fisher
- Andrew Thompson
|
|---|
| Running time | 30 min |
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| Production company | BBC Television |
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|
| Network | BBC1 |
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| Release | 1982 (1982) –
1999 (1999) |
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Q.E.D. (quod erat demonstrandum, Latin for "that which was to be demonstrated") was the name of a series of BBC popular science documentary films which aired in the United Kingdom from 1982 to 1999.[1]
Running in a half-hour peak-time slot on the BBC's primary mass-audience channel BBC1, the series had a more populist and general interest agenda than the long-running Horizon series which aired on the more specialist channel BBC2.
Horizon could often be difficult for a scientific novice, requiring a modicum of background knowledge beyond the reaches of many viewers, so Q.E.D. was a more approachable way of introducing scientific stories.
Some notable films
- A Guide to Armageddon (1982) – the effects of a one megaton nuclear bomb being exploded over London.[2][3] Director Mick Jackson went on to direct the 1984 docu-drama Threads, an account of a nuclear holocaust and its effect on the working class city of Sheffield, England, and the eventual long-term effects of nuclear war on civilization.[4]
- Simon's War (1983) – the life of Simon Weston, who suffered serious burns in the Falklands War.
- Big Brother's Little Test (1983) – How reliable is polygraphy, the use of lie-detectors? Can the innocent be unjustly condemned? Can the guilty beat them?
- In at the Deep End (1984) – an experiment in which divers spent nine days at simulated depths of up to 1000 feet, breathing a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen.
- Round Britain Whizz (1986) – a sped-up flight around the coastline of Britain, with guest appearances of Patrick Moore, David Bellamy and Clay Jones.
- The Foolish Wise Ones (1987) – a look at the talents and worlds of Autistic Savants, such as Stephen Wiltshire.
- With a Goal in Mind (1988) – A sport psychologist works with First Division Queen's Park Rangers for a period of six weeks.
- The Magic of Memory (1988) – fronted by the TV magician Paul Daniels, who among other things uses the Linkword system to master enough Spanish to present the second part of the programme in the language.
- Glimpses of Death (1988) - Prof. Peter Fenwick takes a look (at that time still very pioneering) at the phenomenon of near-death experiences.
- John's Not Mad (1989) – follows a 15-year-old boy with severe Tourette syndrome.
- My Best Friend's a Computer (1990) – explores the effects of computers on the emotional development of children.
- How to be Happy (1996) - about the science and psychology of happiness, presented by Robert Holden.
- Nerve Transplant (1997) – explores the work of a unique nerve transplant surgeon, bringing back movement to the limbs of previously paralysed patients.
- Superspecs (1997) – follows the travels of a British inventor around Ghana with a pair of glasses made for just a dollar, that he is convinced could save the sight of millions.
- The Burning Question (1998) – on spontaneous human combustion.
- Breathless (1998) – investigates the Buteyko method for treating asthma.
See also
- Equinox – Channel 4 popular science series, last aired in 2001
- Horizon – comparable BBC2 strand, on air since 1964
- Nova – documentary series on PBS in the United States, which often bought in and re-voiced Equinox and Horizon films
References
External links
