Sign language

BBC Four HD

BBC Four

Mark Miodownik

Jonathan Renouf

Laura Mulholland

Kate Szell

Secrets of the Super Elements

Documentaries

Factual: Science & Nature: Science & Technology

24/05/2017

BBC Four - Secrets of the Super Elements

Mark Miodownik reveals the weird materials that have built our high-tech world.

In the first BBC documentary to be filmed entirely on smartphones, Mark Miodownik reveals the weird materials that have built our high-tech world.

Forget oil, coal and gas - a new set of materials is shaping our world and they're so bizarre they may as well be alien technology. In the first BBC documentary to be filmed entirely on smartphones, materials scientist Prof Mark Miodownik reveals the super elements that underpin our high-tech world. We have become utterly dependent on them, but they are rare and they're already running out. The stuff that makes our smartphones work could be gone in a decade and our ability to feed the world depends mostly on a mineral found in just one country. Mark reveals the magical properties of these extraordinary materials and finds out what we can do to save them.

Knowledge, arts, music and culture from the UK and the world.

BBC Four reflects arts, music and culture with an ambitious range of intellectually and culturally enriching programmes, taking an expert and in-depth approach to its subjects.

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Secrets of the Super Elements

Contributors

Genres

Formats

BBC Four HD

About BBC Four