Genius of Britain. Part 1.

The first in a five-part series which looks at Britain's great scientists and inventors who have created the modern world. Throughout the series, some of Britain's leading scientific figures tell the stories of the people behind these innovations. This part focuses on how a small group of friends, colleagues and rivals defied everything that was known about the world at that time. Stephen Hawking and Jim Al-Khalili explain how Isaac Newton saw mathematics at the root of everything, from gravity to light. David Attenborough celebrates the many interests of Christopher Wren, who, although best known as an architect, was also fascinated by surgery and astronomy. Richard Dawkins looks at Robert Hooke's microscopic world and tells how Newton tried to erase his name from the history books. Finally, Kathy Sykes charts Edmond Halley's exploration of the stars which helped sailors to rule the waves.