Jessie Buckley narrates the extraordinary story of the first transatlantic communications cable. In 16 August 1858, a short message is telegraphed from County Kerry to Newfoundland, 3,000km away: ‘Europe and America are united by telegraph. Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, good will towards men.’ The Morse code message is conducted along the new underwater transatlantic telegraph cable laid across the bed of the Atlantic Ocean. Sending the same message by ship would have taken at least ten days, but the transmission takes just hours and heralds the dawn of the modern communications age.
The quest is driven by visionaries and pioneers. Among them are Cyrus Field, a wealthy businessman who, despite his immense success, ends his life in poverty; Samuel Morse, inventor of the telegraph and Morse code; Isambard Kingdom Brunel, the British engineer who pushes boundaries and budgets; and Belfast physicist Lord Kelvin, who calculates how to achieve what had hitherto been deemed impossible. Together, their ingenuity and relentless pursuit helps realise one of the great scientific accomplishments of their age for which Valentia, on Ireland’s remote western coast, is ground zero.

This episode takes you on an enchanting journey through the vital waterways of Britain and Ireland. From the serene reed-beds of Somerset to the bustling ecosystems of Scotland's lochs, the film unveils the intricate dance of life sustained by freshwater. Marvel at the agility of dragonflies and the aerial prowess of hobbies, witness the arduous journey of Atlantic salmon as they return to their birthplaces to spawn, and observe the fascinating life cycle of the mayfly. Discover the impact of reintroduced beavers in Scotland, creating new wetlands that buzz with life. The episode doesn't shy away from showcasing the challenges these ecosystems face, from climate change to pollution, emphasizing the delicate balance that sustains these vibrant freshwater habitats.
‘Freshwater’ is a mesmerizing ode to the streams, rivers, and lakes that are the lifeblood of the Britain and Ireland isles, supporting a diverse array of life in one of the planet's most beautiful settings.

The Allies plan for years how to break through Hitler’s Atlantic Wall in France. The deception operations are some of the most elaborate of the war, including a huge inflatable army in Kent. The D-Day fleet is the biggest assembled in history, with over 160,000 men crossing the channel to land on five Normandy beaches, each with differing success. But landing is just the beginning, what follows is one of the bloodiest and most extraordinary battles of WWII.

This illuminating ten-part series tells the story of World War ll through the ten most pivotal turning points in the conflict. Gripping story-telling illustrated with exquisitely restored and colourised archived films and supported by a global cast of stellar historians bring this crucially important era in history to life.
In the first chapter, Britain and France declare war when Hitler invades Poland. In May 1940 the Germans attack Holland and Belgium as a decoy. As the Wehrmacht comes through the Ardennes and the Luftwaffe strikes in force, French leaders are caught like rabbits in headlights. The Germans are on a drug called Pervitin, which beats off fatigue, and reach the Atlantic coast. There is a danger that the Germans will encircle the Allies and cut them off from the sea. But Hitler issues his Halt Order and some 340,000 Allies are evacuated.

A mammoth Tsunami strikes the eastern seaboard. It would be a disaster of epic proportions. Some scientists believe this catastrophe could happen one day, but how? This episode shows the Atlantic island of La Palma has collapsed several times in mega-landslides. Another could trigger a tsunami with enough power to cross the Atlantic Ocean and decimate the US East Coast.

There is a region of space that is dangerous for reasons we don't yet understand completely. We see an increased flux of energetic particles in this area and higher-than-usual levels of radiation. It's called the South Atlantic Anomaly. Some scientists now think the long-term effects of this danger zone may be far wider reaching than anyone ever expected, and it may even have implications for the future of humanity in space and on Earth.