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Butterfly Effect (Season 4)

13 episodes 96%4KCC

The turning points of science, power, and peril, rebuilt in striking 3D.

Explore the moments when human understanding changed everything, from electricity and microbes to energy, chaos theory, and plate tectonics. This season reveals how pivotal discoveries reshaped daily life and the modern world, with vivid 3D reconstructions that make each breakthrough feel immediate. Sign up to see history pivot at its most consequential moments.

Episode guide

13 episodes
1
1Electricity: A Bright Idea!
Our distant ancestors were afraid of lightning. For a long time, it was thought that lightning was sent by the gods. Nowadays, electricity is part of our daily life. Without it, we would feel lost...
26 min
2
2Heredity: It's A Family Affair!
Early in their history, humans realized that they could affect nature. Controlling fire, making tools, and taming wild animals. What they were not given by nature, they harnessed in other species.
26 min
3
3Gravity: It All Falls Into Place!
From the mysterious megaliths in prehistory to the first hot air balloons, and the construction of the Giza pyramid complex, our ancestors have always observed and experimented, gaining a better understanding of their World.
26 min
4
4Viruses And Bacteria: Tiny But Tough
Join us now on a journey through the key events that have allowed us to better understand the world of microbe.
25 min
5
5Plastic: A Toxic Friend?
Join us on a journey through the key moments that enabled humanity to discover plastics.
26 min
6
6Electromagnetic Waves: Do You Copy?
Long-distance communication, moving stealthily through the dark without being detected, and observation from afar have all become commonplace. At any moment, you can know exactly where you are on the planet.
26 min
7
7Energy: A Burning Question
Today our understanding of energy enables us to send rockets into space. Compared to our ancestors, we have incredible power at our disposal. But what exactly is energy? Where does it come from?
26 min
8
8Fluid Mechanics: A Source Of Inspiration
Today, we can run climate simulations on a global scale. We have learned to control rivers and protect ourselves from flooding. How did we achieve these feats?
26 min
9
9Quantum Physics: A Step Into Unknown
From the infinitely small to the infinitely large, we have harnessed our expertise to develop incredible technologies. But have we come full circle? Let's go on a journey through the key moments that have allowed humanity to discover: quantum physics!
26 min
10
10Chaos Theory: Small Causes, Great Effects
Today, we know that many natural phenomena are based on the laws of physics. We can forecast the weather several days in advance. But are we really sure it is possible to predict everything?
26 min
11
11Algorithms: Following The Recipe!
Today, in our daily lives, we use countless machines to do our hard work for us. Each of them obeying a specific program, custom written in a particular language.
25 min
12
12Mathematics: How To Speak To Robots?
We know how to handle numbers so large that all the books in the world would not be enough to contain them. Our societies are profoundly reliant on an increasingly complex equation.
25 min
13
13Plate Tectonics: Great Shakes
Today, we are just beginning to understand what happens beneath our feet, in the heart of our planet. Tomorrow, we may be better equipped to predict and prepare for volcanic eruptions or tsunamis.
23 min
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