Horizon - Season 54 / Year 2017

Horizon - Season 54 / Year 2017

Season 54 / Year 2017

Network
DatesJan 19, 2017 - Sep 26, 2017
Previous SeasonNext Season

Episodes

Clean Eating - The Dirty Truth
Year 2017Episode 160 min

Clean Eating - The Dirty Truth

Dr Giles Yeo investigates the latest diet craze and social media sensation - clean eating. In a television first, Giles cooks with Ella Mills, the Instagram entrepreneur behind Deliciously Ella, one of the most popular brands associated with clean eating, and examines how far her plant-based cooking is based on science. Giles sifts through the claims of the Hemsley sisters, who advocate not just gluten-free but grain-free cooking, and Natasha Corrett, who popularises alkaline eating through her Honestly Healthy brand. In America, Giles reveals the key alternative health figures whose food philosophies are influencing the new gurus of clean. He discovers that when it comes to their promises about food and our health, all is not always what it appears to be. Inside a Californian ranch where cancer patients have been treated with alkaline food, Giles sees for himself what can happen when pseudoscience is taken to a shocking extreme.

Jan 19, 2017
Hair Care Secrets
Year 2017Episode 260 min

Hair Care Secrets

The Horizon team have gathered together a team of scientists and doctors to investigate the incredible, natural material that is growing out of our heads - our hair. With access to the research laboratories of some of the world's leading hair care companies, including L'Oreal and ghd, the team explore the latest cutting-edge research and technology designed to push the boundaries of hair and hair care.

Jan 23, 2017
ADHD and Me with Rory Bremner
Year 2017Episode 360 min

ADHD and Me with Rory Bremner

Comedian and impressionist Rory Bremner is on a personal mission to uncover the science of ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), a condition which he has suspected he has. In this film, Rory learns about the science of ADHD, goes for a diagnosis, and tries the drug methylphenidate (also known as Ritalin) for the first time - just before walking on stage.

Apr 25, 2017
Why Did I Go Mad?
Year 2017Episode 460 min

Why Did I Go Mad?

Following three people living with voices, hallucinations and paranoia to explore what causes them, examining the impact of social, biological and environmental influences.

May 2, 2017
Strange Signals from Outer Space!
Year 2017Episode 560 min

Strange Signals from Outer Space!

For decades some have suspected that there might be others out there, intelligent beings capable of communicating with us, even visiting our world. It might sound like science fiction, but today scientists from across the globe are scouring the universe for signals from extraterrestrials.

In 2006, husband and wife team Duncan Lorimer and Maura McLaughlin discovered a enigmatic signal from space, known as a fast radio burst. It was a pulse of radiation so bright, it didn't appear to be caused by any known object in the universe. Explanations ranged from colliding neutron stars to communication signals from an alien civilisation far more advanced from our own.

Scientists have been searching the cosmos for strange signals like the Lorimer Burst for more than 50 years. The film ends with scientists' latest search for extraterrestial intelligence. Horizon obtained exclusive access to film researchers at the Green Bank Telescope searching for radio signals from Tabby's Star, a star so mysterious that some scientists believe it might be surrounded by a Dyson Sphere, a vast energy collector built by advanced aliens.

May 16, 2017
Volcanoes of the Solar System
Year 2017Episode 660 min

Volcanoes of the Solar System

Volcanoes have long helped shape the Earth. But what is less well known is that there are volcanoes on other planets and moons that are even more extraordinary than those on our own home planet. Horizon follows an international team of volcanologists in Iceland as they draw fascinating parallels between the volcanoes on Earth and those elsewhere in the solar system. Through the team's research, we discover that the largest volcano in the solar system - Olympus Mons on Mars - has been formed in a similar way to those of Iceland, how a small moon of Jupiter - Io - has the most violent eruptions anywhere, and that a moon of Saturn called Enceladus erupts icy geysers from a hidden ocean. Computer graphics combined with original NASA material reveal the spectacular sights of these amazing volcanoes.

Along the way, we learn that volcanoes are not just a destructive force, but have been essential to the formation of atmospheres and even life. And through these volcanoes of the solar system, scientists have discovered far more about our own planet, Earth - what it was like when Earth first formed, and even what will happen to our planet in the future.

May 23, 2017
Antarctica - Ice Station Rescue
Year 2017Episode 760 min

Antarctica - Ice Station Rescue

Britain's state-of-the-art Antarctic research base Halley VI is in trouble. Built on the Brunt Ice Shelf, it sits atop a massive slab of ice that

extends far beyond the Antarctic shoreline. But the ice is breaking apart and just 6km from the station is a ginormous crevasse, which threatens to separate Halley from the rest of the continent, setting the £28 million base adrift on a massive iceberg.

So Halley needs to move. But this is probably the toughest moving job on Earth, and the team of 90 who have been tasked with the mission aren't just architectural or engineering experts. They are plumbers, mechanics and farmers from across the UK and beyond - ordinary men and women on an extraordinary adventure. Their practical skills will be what makes or breaks this move. The rescue mission has one thing in its favour: Halleywas built on giant skis that mean it can be moved - in theory. But no one has actually done it before. Embedded with the team, BBC filmmaker Natalie Hewit spent three months living on the ice, following these everyday heroes as they battle in the most extreme environment on Earth to move this vital polar research station.

Jun 7, 2017
Cyber Attack - The Day the NHS Stopped
Year 2017Episode 860 min

Cyber Attack - The Day the NHS Stopped

A few weeks ago, the National Health Service was hit by a widespread and devastating cyber attack - Horizon tells the inside story of one of the most challenging days in the history of the NHS.

On the morning of 12 May the attack started. Appointment systems, pathology labs, x-rays and even CT Scanners were infected - putting not just data but patients lives at risk, and on every screen a simple - some may even say polite - message appeared. 'Ooops, your files have been encrypted!'

But what followed was far from civilised. It was very clear that all the data on an infected machine was now scrambled and only the hackers could unscramble it. For a price - and with an extra twist - after a few days the ransom money doubled, and if nothing was paid within a week, the hackers threatened to destroy all the data - forever.

Jun 12, 2017
10 Things You Need to Know About the Future
Year 2017Episode 960 min

10 Things You Need to Know About the Future

This episode of Horizon looks at the issues that will change the way we live our lives in the future. Rather than relying on the minds of science fiction writers, mathematician Hannah Fry delves into the data we have today to provide an evidence-based vision of tomorrow. With the help of the BBC's science experts - and a few surprise guests - Hannah investigates the questions the British public want answered about the future.

Hannah tries to discover whether we could ever live forever or if there will ever be a cure for cancer. She finds out how research into the human brain may one day help with mental health, and if it is possible to ever ditch fossil fuels. Hannah and her guests also discover the future of transport - and when, if ever, we really will see flying cars. She discovers whether a robot will take your job or if, as some believe, we will all one day actually become cyborgs. The programme predicts what the weather will be like and discovers if we are on the verge of another mass extinction. Hannah's tenth prediction is something she - and Horizon - are confident will definitely happen, and that is to expect the unexpected!

Jun 19, 2017
Dawn of the Driverless Car
Year 2017Episode 1060 min

Dawn of the Driverless Car

The car has shrunk the world, increased personal freedom and in so many ways expanded our horizons, but there is a flipside. Fumes from car exhausts have helped to destroy our environment, poisoned the air we breathe and killed us in far more straightforward ways. But all that is going to change.

This episode of Horizon enters a world where cars can drive themselves, a world where we are simply passengers, ferried about by wholesome green compassionate technology which will never ever go wrong. And it is almost here. Horizon explores the artificial intelligence required to replace human drivers for cars themselves, peers into the future driverless world and discovers that, despite the glossy driverless PR (and assuming that they really can be made to work reliably), the reality is that it might not be all good news. From the ethics of driverless car crashes to the impact on jobs, it might be that cars are about to rise up against us in ways that none of us are expecting.

Jun 29, 2017
Dippy and the Whale
Year 2017Episode 1160 min

Dippy and the Whale

Over the last two years, the BBC's science strand Horizon has been behind the scenes at London's Natural History Museum, following the
dramatic replacement of the iconic Dippy the Dinosaur skeleton cast with the real skeleton of a blue whale - the world's biggest animal.

Narrated by Sir David Attenborough, this special film follows the teams involved in what has to be one of the world's most unique engineering challenges.

Replacing Dippy is brave and bold - it is the first thing visitors see when they enter the grand Hintze Hall, but the Natural History Museum is changing, and the installation of the colossal blue whale skeleton is the start of a new chapter. The largest animal ever to have lived, blue whales were driven to the brink of extinction by hunting and were the first species humans decided to save, telling an inspiring story of hope for the natural world.

Jul 13, 2017
What Makes a Psychopath?
Year 2017Episode 1260 min

What Makes a Psychopath?

Presented by psychologist Professor Uta Frith, this is an in-depth exploration of the psychopathic mind including one of the most notorious of all, Moors murderer Ian Brady. Through an ongoing correspondence between the Horizon team and Brady, the film features some of the very last letters he wrote. The film also features a series of candid interviews with prison inmates who not only describe their crimes but why they think they committed them.

Horizon explores not only how each individual's crimes were shaped by their own life experiences, but also gives an insight in to how these people think and behave. Working with the world's experts in the field, the film sheds light on the biological, psychological and environmental influences that shape a psychopath. And it looks to the future, with groundbreaking research that suggests a life time of incarceration is not the only option to manage violent and dangerous psychopaths.

Aug 29, 2017
Mars - A Traveller's Guide
Year 2017Episode 1360 min

Mars - A Traveller's Guide

With the dream of sending humans to Mars closer than ever before, Horizon has gathered the world's leading experts on Mars and asked them where would they go, if they got the chance - and what would they need to survive? Using incredible real images and data, Horizon brings these Martian landmarks to life - from vast plains to towering volcanoes, from deep valleys to hidden underground caverns. This film also shows where to land, where to live and even where to hunt for traces of extra-terrestrial life. This is the ultimate traveller's guide to Mars.

Sep 12, 2017
Goodbye Cassini - Hello Saturn
Year 2017Episode 1460 min

Goodbye Cassini - Hello Saturn

A billion miles from home, running low on fuel, and almost out of time. After 13 years traversing the Saturn system, the spacecraft Cassini is plunging to a fiery death, becoming part of the very planet it has been exploring. As it embarks on its final assignment - a one-way trip into the heart of Saturn - Horizon celebrates the incredible achievements and discoveries of a mission that has changed the way we see the solar system. Strange new worlds with gigantic ice geysers, hidden underground oceans that could harbour life and a brand new moon coalescing in Saturn's magnificent rings. As the world says goodbye to the great explorer Cassini, Horizon will be there for with a ringside seat for its final moments.
Sep 18, 2017
Being Transgender
Year 2017Episode 1560 min

Being Transgender

Film exploring what it means to be transgender and what happens when a person transitions psychologically, physically and biologically. How does a person know their gender? Do they see themselves as male or female, or somewhere in between? More and more people around the world do not identify with the gender they were assigned to at birth. Increasingly, people are expressing their gender identity outside of the 'norms', and the lines of gender are becoming more blurred than ever. We follow a number of transgender people going through their own transition. From a socially transitioning transwoman to two young transmen embarking on hormones, to a transwoman going through gender confirmation surgery - we get a snapshot into what transitioning and being transgender is really like from those living it. We also hear from experts in the field of gender and find out how modern medicine is helping people to transition their gender. And we explore where gender identity actually comes from.

Sep 26, 2017

Recently Updated Shows

Recently updated shows that might be of your interest.
Out There
Upcoming

Out There

A drama that will depict the stealthy, surreptitious invasion of the land our farmers cherish, with devastating consequences, as his livelihood, homestead and family life are threatened by local county lines drugs dealers, essentially urban gangs using the British countryside as a field of operations, moving drugs and money between their inner-city hubs and provincial areas.

Swamp People
Running

Swamp People

The Swamp People featured in this History series are the proud descendants of French Canadian refugees who settled in the swamp region of Louisiana in the 18th century. Cameras follow members of this fiercely independent group as they struggle to preserve their way of life in the Atchafalaya Basin during the most important time of the year for them: alligator-hunting season.

Pawn Stars
Running

Pawn Stars

Long before banks, ATMS and check-cashing services, there were pawn shops. Pawning was the leading form of consumer credit in the United States until the 1950s, and pawn shops are still helping everyday people make ends meet. Pawn Stars takes you inside the colorful world of the pawn business. At the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop on the outskirts of Las Vegas, three generations of the Harrison family - grandfather Richard, son Rick and grandson Corey - jointly run the family business, and there's clashing and camaraderie every step of the way. The three men use their sharp eyes and skills to assess the value of items from the commonplace to the truly historic, including a 16th-century samurai sword, a Super Bowl ring, a Picasso painting and a 17th-century stay of execution. It's up to them to determine what's real and what's fake, as they reveal the often surprising answer to the questions on everyone's mind, "What's the story behind it?" and "What's it worth?"

The Curse of Oak Island
Running

The Curse of Oak Island

The Curse of Oak Island documents brothers Rick and Marty Lagina as they pursue their lifelong dream of solving more than a 220-year old Oak Island mystery. For over two centuries, teams of searchers, including Franklin D. Roosevelt, have attempted to crack the code that will unearth the treasure believed to be buried on the small island off the coast of Nova Scotia. Armed with the knowledge of those that came before them, the muscle of heavy machinery and decades of engineering know-how, the Lagina's and their partners may be closer than anyone in history to finding the treasure that has so far claimed the lives of six men.

The Good Ship Murder
Running

The Good Ship Murder

The Good Ship Murder is set aboard a luxury cruise liner touring everyone's favourite Mediterranean holiday hotspots bubbling with intrigue, rivalries, glamour, money and class divides – but its new cabaret singer, ex detective Jack Grayling, soon discovers there are also more sinister elements below the surface. 

On a cruise out of Southampton, Jack meets newly promoted First Officer, Kate Woods. Fierce and ambitious, she's a woman in a man's world with plenty to prove. After a passenger is found murdered in their first port of call, Kate's dream of her own command is thrown into jeopardy and Jack finds himself thrust back into his former life as a detective. What follows is a wave of murder mysteries – each set against the backdrop of a different stunning coastal destination where the ship has dropped anchor.