Code, The

Synopsis

Hidden in the world around us are mysterious symbols and bizarre numbers. Do they hold the key to understanding the universe? Professor Marcus du Sautoy takes us on a gripping treasure hunt to discover the codes that unlock the power of nature.

Programme 1 NUMBERS - He visits a medieval cathedral with the secret numbers of creation built into its stones, sees the plague of insects which sweeps Alabama every 13 years, finds cubic crystals in caves beneath our feet and meets the detective using equations to hunt serial killers.

Programme 2 SHAPES - He uncovers the patterns that explain the shape of the world around us. Starting at the hexagonal columns of Northern Ireland’s Giant’s Causeway, he discovers the code underpinning the extraordinary order found in nature - from rock formations to honeycomb and from salt crystals to soap bubbles. Marcus also reveals the mysterious code that governs the apparent randomness of mountains, clouds and trees and explores how this not only could be the key to Jackson Pollock’s success, but has also helped breathe life into hugely successful movie animations.

Programme 3 PREDICTION - This time it’s the strange world of what happens next. Professor du Sautoy’s odyssey starts with the lunar eclipse - once thought supernatural, now routinely predicted through the power of the code. Yet more intriguing is what the code can say about our future. Along the path to enlightenment, Marcus overturns the lemming’s suicidal reputation, avoids being crushed to death, reveals how to catch a serial killer and discovers that the answer to life the universe and everything isn’t 42 after all - it’s 1.15.

Language

English

Country

Great Britain

Year of release

2011

Year of production

2011

Notes

Broadcast in 3 weekly parts on BBC2 beginning 27/7/2011

Subjects

Mathematics

Keywords

numbers; shape; mathematical puzzles; prediction

Credits

Contributor

Marcus du Sautoy

Distribution Formats

Type

DVD

Format

Region 2 PAL

Price

£15.00

Availability

Sale

Duration/Size

3180 minutes

Year

2012

Production Company

Name

Open University

Sponsor

Name

BBC Television

Distributor

Name

Open University Worldwide

Web

http://www.ouw.co.uk External site opens in new window

Phone

+44 (0) 1908 274066

Address

Walton Hall
Milton Keynes
MK7 6AA

Notes

NB. As of May 2016 Open University Worldwide are no longer distributing DVDs. They have posted this message on their website: ‘Unfortunately Open University Worldwide Limited has decided that product sales are no longer viable given the reduced funding to Higher Education institutions and diminishing demand for the products we have traditionally stocked. At present the Open University Students Association (OUSA) will continue to sell the "Good Study Guide", and we are in discussion with other possible distributors to continue to make The Open University’s products available for purchase. As soon as we have any information on other channels of distribution we will update this notice’. Some products are still available via second hand dealers on Amazon.co.uk