Ep 11. Speed

Mankind: The Story of All of Us season 1 episode 11, titled Speed, takes a deeper look at how humanity has always had the urge to move faster. From the invention of the wheel to the modern-day bullet trains, humans have been constantly pushing the boundaries of speed and mobility.

The episode begins by exploring how ancient civilizations such as the Greeks and Romans used chariots to move at high speeds during battles. From there, the focus shifts to the development of sailboats and the Age of Exploration, which allowed humans to cover vast distances in search of new trade routes and resources.

As the Industrial Revolution began to take hold, steam-powered locomotives and waterways further transformed transportation and commerce. The episode also highlights the incredible engineering feats involved in the creation of the Transcontinental Railroad in the United States, which connected the country's east and west coasts for the first time.

The focus then shifts to the impact of the 20th century and the rise of the automobile, which revolutionized personal travel and gave rise to car culture. This transformation accelerated rapidly during World War II, where state-of-the-art planes like the P-51 Mustang and the Messerschmitt Me 262 introduced a new era of aerial combat.

The episode also delves into the development of jet propulsion technology in the 1950s, which led to the creation of passenger jets capable of breaking the sound barrier. This revolutionized commercial air travel and made the world more connected than ever before.

From there, the episode moves onto the incredible advancements in space travel, which began with the Soviet Union's launch of Sputnik in 1957. This led to the space race, which saw the United States and the Soviet Union compete to be the first to put a human on the Moon. The episode explores how the Apollo missions captured the world's imagination and inspired generations of scientists and engineers.

The episode concludes by looking towards the future and the incredible advancements in transportation that are yet to come. From electric cars to the Hyperloop, humans continue to push the bounds of what is possible when it comes to speed and mobility.

Overall, Mankind: The Story of All of Us season 1 episode 11, Speed, provides a captivating overview of humanity's unceasing drive to go faster and how it has transformed the world around us. Through a combination of expert analysis, stunning visuals, and engaging storytelling, this episode provides a fascinating historical overview of how speed has shaped our lives.