A to Z
pbs documentaries

A to Z

Season 1
The First Alphabet: Follow the evolution of the written word, from millennia-old carvings in an Egyptian turquoise mine to our modern-day alphabets. How Writing Changed the World: The printing press transformed the spread of information, igniting the scientific revolution. How did technologies–from pen to paper to printing press—make it all possible?
IMDb 6.720202 episodesTV-G
DocumentaryComedyRomance
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Episodes

  1. S1 E1 - The First Alphabet

    September 22, 2020
    53min
    TV-G
    Where would we be without the world’s alphabets? Writing has played a vital role in the development and expansion of cultures throughout history. But researchers are only now uncovering the origin story to our own alphabet. From the shape of the letter A to the role of writing in trade and storytelling, discover how the written word shaped civilization itself.
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  2. S1 E2 - How Writing Change the World

    September 29, 2020
    53min
    TV-G
    The evolution of paper and printing revolutionized the spread of information. While the invention of paper boosted Chinese and Islamic societies, the simple fact that the Latin alphabet could be in printed using a small number of repetitive symbols handed Europe a crucial advantage. The printing press itself kicked off the Scientific Revolution that fast-tracked us to the current digital age.
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