The Best Episodes of Mankind Decoded

Episode Rankings

1. #1 Fan Favorite
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   7.4/10(11 votes)

   #1 - Connecting the World

   S1:E42/2/2013

   The world is linked like never before. Modern transport and communications have resulted in a world that is wealthier, healthier, more mobile and better informed than ever before. But throughout history new trade routes have proved to be double-edged swords, opening the way to wealth as well as terrible dangers — among them revolutionary ideas and terrifying pandemics.

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2. 

   7.3/10(8 votes)

   #2 - Fire, Coal, and Oil

   S1:E72/16/2013

   Early man rubbed two sticks together and created fire. We learn to cook our food, saving vital energy. As a result, our brains expand — making us the most intelligent species on the planet. Armed with fire, we experiment by heating minerals to make stronger tools allowing us to fight wars and build civilizations. But burning wood destroys our landscape, so Mankind exploits a new energy — oil.

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3. 

   7.3/10(8 votes)

   #3 - Information is Power

   S1:E92/23/2013

   Communication is the vital ingredient in the building of civilization. The ability to share complicated ideas allowed early man to hunt, farm and build communities. And the creation of things like a 22-letter alphabet and the printing press allow Mankind to further expand, leading to the proliferation of new ideas and revolution.

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4. 

   7.1/10(11 votes)

   #4 - Arms Race

   S1:E11/26/2013

   About 10,000 years ago we discover farming. But when crops fail, early farming communities face a new threat. War. It's the birth of the arms race.

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5. 

   7.1/10(9 votes)

   #5 - Rise of the Machines

   S1:E52/9/2013

   Tools and machines have allowed us to overcome our physical limitations, and become the most successful species on Earth. But tools are also transforming what it means to be human.

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6. 

   7.1/10(9 votes)

   #6 - Eat It, Drink It, Smoke It

   S1:E62/9/2013

   Man uses plants to feed, heal and clothe himself, to build his world and even to alter how he feels. The use of plants like corn, tobacco and cotton become such an important part of our lives that they play a central role in our evolution, and lead to everything from War to Prohibition.

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7. 

   7.1/10(9 votes)

   #7 - Man and Beast

   S1:E102/23/2013

   15,000 years ago man and the wolf form a partnership that shapes the future of Mankind. With the help of man’s new best friend we domesticate more animals, sowing the first seeds of farming and civilization.

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8. 

   7.0/10(12 votes)

   #8 - Violent Planet

   S1:E32/2/2013

   Over millions of years mankind has evolved from a puny, vulnerable creature to become a dominant force on the planet. Occasionally the planet bites back--with terrifying consequences that have shaped our evolution.

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9. 

   7.0/10(8 votes)

   #9 - Need for Speed

   S1:E123/2/2013

   How being the fastest enabled empires to be born and capitalism to thrive.

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10. 

    6.6/10(11 votes)

    #10 - Lust for Luxury

    S1:E21/26/2013

    When ordinary people desire the luxuries of the rich, ingenuity and innovation come together to take history in a new direction. From the obsession with silk to the fall of Constantinople, the discovery of the Americas to the launch of the Industrial Revolution, our desire for luxury has shaped our history and evolution.

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11. 

    6.6/10(9 votes)

    #11 - Man and Metals

    S1:E82/16/2013

    Five thousand years ago man first throws a handful of rocks into a campfire and stumbles upon a discovery that changes the world: Metal. Copper, Tin and Bronze empower the ancient world and allow empires to expand, armed with sharp, hard-wearing weapons.

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12. 

    6.6/10(9 votes)

    #12 - Building Earth

    S1:E113/2/2013

    Mankind is a building species. Inspired by the divine, we create monuments to its power (Stonehenge, the Great Pyramid). New challenges create new sciences, and when the Romans mixed volcanic ash with water they created a new super-material: concrete. Today, we shape the surface of the earth to facilitate our needs.

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