Documentary AreaSimply the best Documentaries

We now know that the brain - the organ that more than any other makes us human - is one of the wonders of the universe, and yet until the 17th century it was barely studied. The twin sciences of brain anatomy and psychology have offered different visions of who we are. Now these sciences are coming together and in the process have revealed some surprising and uncomfortable truths about what really shapes our thoughts, feelings and desires. And the search to understand how our brains work has also revealed that we are all - whether we realise it or not - carrying out science from the moment we are born.

If you had less than one second to make a life-or-death decision to shoot a man who might be armed with a lethal weapon, what would you do? Would the ethnicity of the man affect your decision? Are you sure? The outcome – whatever your race – will surprise you. Brain imaging studies are showing that negative cultural stereotypes hijack everyone’s subconscious decision-making. But some science says we can overcome bigotry through exposure, self-awareness and flexible social networks… and, most controversially of all, ultra-violent video games!

David Attenborough comes face-to-face with a baby rhino and asks what the future holds for this little one. He meets the local people who are standing side-by-side with the wildlife at this pivotal moment in their history. We discover what it takes to save a species, hold back a desert and even resurrect an entire wilderness - revealing what the world was like before modern man.

Dr Michael Scott examines the vital role played by the Romans in the preservation of Greek drama and in the history of theatre. He explores how the Romans absorbed Greek theatre and adapted it to their own, very Roman, ends and looks at how this famous empire provides one of the crucial connections between our modern drama and the great plays of the ancient Greeks.

In this series, we will explore how we can survive Mars. Our species will need to evolve how we eat, drink, and build our homes. In the first episode, humans seem to be on the cusp of reaching Mars, but how did we get to this point? Our journey to our neighboring planet traces a path connecting Nikola Tesla, Nazi weapons of war, a Cold War space race, and a string of blockbuster discoveries made by some of NASA’s most talented robots.

In this captivating film hosted by Anderson Cooper, viewers are presented with an insightful exploration of artificial intelligence (AI), its profound implications, and the ethical dilemmas it poses. The documentary begins with a startling revelation: what appeared to be Anderson Cooper was actually an AI-generated version, raising questions about the authenticity of what we see and hear. The narrative then shifts to broader concerns about AI replacing human roles across industries and its capability to outperform humans in tasks ranging from driving to creating art. Viewers are taken on a journey through various facets of AI, from the streets of San Francisco, where robot taxis hint at a future dominated by AI, to the insights of Yoshua Bengio, a pioneer in deep learning.
The film also addresses the darker side of AI, including the potential for misuse and the challenges in distinguishing between reality and AI-generated content. The climax of the documentary presents a critical question: Can AI save humanity, or does it pose a threat to our existence? This thought-provoking exploration of AI's impact on our world is a must-watch for anyone curious about technology and its intersection with human life.