This program tells the story of how the secret of life has been pursued through the ages, using the prism of the most complex organism known - the human body. It begins with Galen's attempts to save the lives of gladiators in ancient Rome, continues with the macabre dissections and near-perfect drawings of Leonardo da Vinci, explores the idea of electricity as a “life force,” and ventures into the microscopic realm of the cell. The film also connects a moral crisis triggered by work on the nuclear bomb with one of the greatest breakthroughs in biology - understanding the structure and workings of DNA.

A BBC Production.