The Nature of Things

Man and Machines (9x8)

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The Greek inventor, Alexander the Hero, first defined the five basic devices which make all machines possible: the lever, the wedge, the wheel, the pulley and the screw. They all contribute to the conversion of energy into usable power. This film examines the development of these principles into such everyday examples as the nutcracker, and more complex machines such as the automated typesetter, computers and an automatic pilot.