Science and Nature

Genius by Stephen Hawking

In Genius by Stephen Hawking, Professor Stephen Hawking challenges a selection of volunteers to think like the greatest geniuses in history and solve some of humanity's most enduring questions.

Where Are We?

54m 11s

Three ordinary people a series of fun physical and mental challenges to show them how to think like a genius. Can they measure the earth, the solar system and even the universe and find out where we really are?

Episodes

  • Where Are We?: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Where Are We?

    S1 E6 - 54m 11s

    Three ordinary people a series of fun physical and mental challenges to show them how to think like a genius. Can they measure the earth, the solar system and even the universe and find out where we really are?

  • What Are We?: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    What Are We?

    S1 E5 - 54m 41s

    Three ordinary people take on challenges to try to understand what they really are. In this episode the volunteers are led to an amazing realization about the nature of life itself.

  • Where Did the Universe Come From?: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Where Did the Universe Come From?

    S1 E4 - 54m 41s

    Join an extraordinary journey of discovery, featuring racing cars, ice-skaters, balloons and running tracks as Stephen Hawking leads his three intrepid souls to a deeper understanding of the evolution of the universe than the average physics major, all with any mathematics or equations.

  • Why Are We Here?: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Why Are We Here?

    S1 E3 - 54m 41s

    World-famous scientist Stephen Hawking sets three ordinary people a series of fun challenges to show them how to think like a genius. Can they work out why they exist at all? Is it destiny or pure chance?

  • Are We Alone?: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Are We Alone?

    S1 E2 - 54m 41s

    Stephen Hawking sets three volunteers a series of fun challenges to show them how to think like a genius – and find out how likely it is that aliens exist.

  • Can We Time Travel?: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Can We Time Travel?

    S1 E1 - 54m 40s

    World-famous scientist Stephen Hawking sets three ordinary people a series of mind-blowing challenges. Can they think like a genius? Can they work out if time travel is possible?

Extras + Features

  • The Movement of Galaxies in Space: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    The Movement of Galaxies in Space

    S1 E4 - 4m 33s

    The volunteers must organize a special race mimicking the movement of galaxies in space. They must arrange the "galaxies" in order to start the race, but they don’t all start form the same point. They are surprised to see that some of the galaxies walk and some run very fast. This demonstrates that the galaxies furthest away from Earth are also the ones traveling the fastest.

  • Brain Activity and Fireworks: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Brain Activity and Fireworks

    S1 E3 - 2m 34s

    The volunteers gather in front of the castle and one places EEG equipment on his head. His brain signals can be seen projected onto the side of the castle. The EEG specialist explains how they change when a decision is made and how they can complete the Libet Experiment. What do they see when they press the red button and what will it tell them about the brain when they make a decision?

  • Floating Plates: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Floating Plates

    S1 E3 - 1m 25s

    The volunteers enter a dining room to see floating plates of food in front of them. The plates are floating above the table with no means of support that can be seen. Can they work out why and how the plates of food are magically floating?

  • Doppelganger Challenge Exploring Human Choices: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Doppelganger Challenge Exploring Human Choices

    S1 E3 - 2m 41s

    Have we actively chosen the outcomes of our lives or have they been pre-determined? The volunteers are joined by their doppelgangers to help them demonstrate that the realms of possible realities is vast.

  • Martini Experiment: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Martini Experiment

    S1 E3 - 2m 4s

    The volunteers need to think like scientists to make the perfect cocktail. They are presented with a cocktail glass on a pedestal and they must use a pendulum to complete the cocktail with an single olive without touching the glass.

  • Are We Alone?: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Are We Alone?

    S1 E2 - 30s

    Join Professor Hawking as he challenges three ordinary people to work out the likelihood of alien life out there in the universe. See why the team has their minds blown in a way they were never expecting.

  • Intelligent Life Exists: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Intelligent Life Exists

    S1 E2 - 2m 1s

    Stephen Hawking explains that he believes that we’ll encounter aliens in our lifetime and that the mathematics predicts it. He sends the three volunteers to see one of the largest radio telescopes in the world. It can be used to listen for signs of life in the universe.

  • Testing Out An Alien Broadcast: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Testing Out An Alien Broadcast

    S1 E2 - 2m 39s

    Using an equalizer and megaphone alone, the volunteers must work out how to simulate a message from deep space. With the loud static blasting through the speakers, they must work out how isolate only the channel which is broadcasting the message from intelligent life.

  • How Many Stars Are There in the Galaxy?: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    How Many Stars Are There in the Galaxy?

    S1 E2 - 1m 55s

    The volunteers are given a spoon of sand with 50,000 grains. Each grain of sand represents a single star. They try to guess how many stars there are in the galaxy and then use the spoon of sand to create a pile of stars with their estimate. How big will the pile of sand be and how close will it be to the actual number of stars in our galaxy?

  • Hawking in Times Square: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Hawking in Times Square

    S1 E1 - 2m 16s

    Stephen Hawking appears on screen in Times Square with a special message for the volunteers. He gives them three special numbers for their first challenge. Can they discover the location of his party with these three numbers? Their first thoughts are to follow the numbered streets of Manhattan.

  • DeLorean Arrives: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    DeLorean Arrives

    S1 E1 - 3m 1s

    The volunteers arrive at a "magical parking lot" and are surprised by a DeLorean. They work out how to use the car to demonstrate their time traveling journey, back to the past and forward again to the future. Will they spot their mistake in their prediction of what they will see from the DeLorean?

  • Black Holes: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Black Holes

    S1 E1 - 2m 10s

    The volunteers arrive on Arizona University campus to find a wooden trunk and eight clocks. They set up the black hole challenge. They notice that the clocks closest to the black sphere run slower than those further away. They realize that the inflatable is their black hole, and they must work out how they can use it to travel forward in time.

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