A captivating second series of the OU/BBC series The Secret Genius of Modern Life is returning to TV screens on BBC Two at 8pm on Wednesday 8 November.
Series two of The Secret Genius of Modern Life follows Hannah Fry, mathematician, author, and radio and television presenter, as she uncovers the secrets behind the miraculous technologies of the modern world, revealing the mind-blowing stories behind their invention.
This series was supported by leading OU academic expertise from the School of Engineering & Innovation, with input from OU academic consultants Professor David Sharp and Dr Derek Jones.
David Sharp is a Professor in Musical Acoustics and Dr Derek Jones is a Senior Lecturer in Sustainable Design, both in the School of Engineering & Innovation at the OU. Speaking on their experience of being part of the series, they said:
“Being academic consultants on The Secret Genius of Modern Life has been a stimulating and rewarding experience. The second series covers an even wider range of modern-day objects than the first series did, and we have had to draw upon all our research knowledge and teaching experience to help the production team explain the fascinating stories and inspirational science and engineering behind their development, as well as the ethical and sustainability issues that arise as a result of the new technologies.
“Working on the series highlighted to us both just how easy it is to take for granted some of the incredible innovations we all rely on in modern life. The example of the passport in the first episode of the series demonstrates that something that appears so simple is actually a complex and advanced set of technologies, with many decades of underpinning development.”
More content and interactive games
Viewers can also explore additional online resources related to the series on the OU Connect Broadcast website. These resources include exclusive interviews as well as interactive features that demonstrate how technology and product design related to the smartphone can be more sustainable.
This series was commissioned by Broadcast and Partnerships and is supported by the Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths:
- Commissioned by Dr Caroline Ogilvie, Head of Broadcast & Partnerships
- Academic Consultants – Prof. David Sharp and Dr. Derek Jones
- Media Fellow – Dr Andrew Potter
- Broadcast Project Manager – Jo Weeks
- Digital Content Producer – Andrew Hudson
The series has relevance to the following OU qualifications and modules:
- Q61 Design and Innovation
- Q65 Bachelor of Engineering
- M04 Master of EngineeringT193: Engineering: Frameworks, Analysis, Production.
Image copyright: BBC
