Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727) was the greatest scientist in human history, yet few are aware of his being deeply involved in alchemy and other esoterica. Beautifully written and directed, with fantastic acting and costume, "Newton: The Dark Heretic" explores Newton's alchemical endeavours and his relentless pursuit to unravel the mysteries of life and the universe, a mission which would nearly drive him to insanity. Another masterpiece from the BBC! Runtime: 00:59:01

A portrait of the most famous scientist in the world, Prof Stephen Hawking, and an attempt to explain his work to non-scientific types. This excellent documentary from Channel 4 does very well to convey the basics of quantum mechanics and the theory of relativity in an easy-to-understand manner, as well as to acquaint viewers with Prof Stephen Hawking's extraordinary life, mission and character. A thoroughly enjoyable, inspiring and enlightening watch! Runtime: 01:36:20

This is the story of one of the greatest minds in history. An artist, scientist, engineer, visionary and all-round genius, Leonardo Da Vinci (1452--1519) was arguably the main figure of the Renaissance. Over three gripping episodes, this docudrama from the BBC reconstructs the life of Leonardo from early boyhood to death. Each episode is infused with brilliant academic commentary and includes the building and testing of some of Leonardo's inventions, including his tank, hang glider, underwater suit, and parachute. Did these amazing concepts work as Leonardo intended? Runtime: 02:39:36