Adam Hart-Davis explores the inventions and scientific concepts that various civilisations in history are responsible for

This nine-part series, broadcast early 2005 on BBC two, features a different civilisation in each programme. The first programme covered the early Islamic world, which spanned the area from present-day Spain in the west, to present-day Pakistan in the east. The Arabic for the word "the" is "al", and Adam Hart-Davis explains that this is why so many scientific words in English start with al-, such as "algebra" and "alkali".

Each programme in the series was one hour long, and featured Adam Hart-Davis explaining the inventions and techniques devised by people in history using examples and demonstrations often featuring scale models and replicas of various devices. He was helped in his demonstrations by by an assisstant called Marty, and they both presented their part of the programme from Bodiam Castle in England. The programme also contained reports from another presenter (either Amani Zain, Jamie Darling or Hermione Cockburn) who was out in the present-day lands of the civilisation in question.

Other civilisations featured in the programme include the Chinese, Aztec, Mayan, Incan, Roman, Indian, Egyptian and Babylonian civilisations.

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