The Economist brief science documentaries

Originally published 8 December 2015. AI polished for a better reading experience: 11 August 2026.

I recently discovered that The Economist has released a set of short documentaries on cutting-edge science in its “Science brief” series. The selection touches six big, still-open scientific problems that researchers around the world are working on.

Any modern, educated person should have at least a glimpse of where humanity stands in scientific progress. These shorts are tightly edited, so you need not spend much time watching, yet the main messages in each field come through clearly. Free documentaries of this quality are rare. Enjoy them — I hope they widen your horizons.

Why does time pass?

This film explores the nature of time through Einstein’s special and general theories of relativity. Could we travel in time — into the future or the past? Watch to find out.

What is the universe made of?

Dark matter, explained. We can see only about five percent of the matter that makes up the universe. The rest is dark matter — invisible to us, known mainly through its effects.

Do we live in a multiverse?

So far we know only one universe — the visible one. Are there others beyond ours? String theory says yes.

Life in the universe

With modern advances such as the Kepler space telescope, scientists have found a number of exoplanets in the habitable zone relative to their stars.

What caused the Cambrian explosion?

Before the Cambrian explosion, most organisms were single-celled. Then, in a relatively short period, the diversity of life on Earth rose dramatically toward the levels we know today. What caused that genetic burst?

What is consciousness?

“I think, therefore I am,” wrote René Descartes. We all know what the word “consciousness” points to, yet scientists still struggle to explain what it is and how it really works.