The Secret Life of Machines

Have you ever wondered where the ubiquitous machines around you came from or how they actually work? The Secret Life of Machines, a series written for BBC Channel 4 by cartoonist Tim Hunkin, may just answer your questions. The original 6 episodes, aired in 1988, explain the development and inner workings of machines like the vacuum cleaner, washing machine, and, of course, the television. Season 2, aired in 1991, added 6 more episodes. The final season, aired in 1993, brought the total number of episodes to 18.

In each episode of the Secret Life of Machines, Hunkin, assisted by fellow machine enthusiast Rex Garrod, outlines the history and development of some common machine, finally arriving at an explanation of how the modern version works. The simple formula works well and rewards the natural curiosity of both children and adults. Hunkin does not dwell on minor technical details but provides enough information to understand the basics. In fact, you will immediately see how certain fundamental engineering principles appear again and again in machines all around you. The series may even inspire you to try your hand at tinkering. Just take care not to electrocute yourself in the process and always watch those fingers.

You can view all of the Secret Life of Machines episodes here via links to YouTube.

Series 1 (1988)

• The Vacuum Cleaner
• The Sewing Machine
• The Central Heating System
• The Washing Machine
• The Refrigerator
• The Television Set

Series 2 (1991)

• The Car
• The Internal Combustion Engine
• The Quartz Watch
• The Telephone
• The Radio
• The Video Recorder

Series 3 (1993)

• The Fax Machine
• The Lift
• The Word Processor
• The Electric Light
• The Photocopier
• The Office

The Secret Life of Machines never made it to DVD in North America but you can read more about the series and author on the official website. You can download the original series videos in .avi format, with the author’s permission, from Science Zero. Science Zero limits monthly download bandwidth so try early in a given month for the best chance at getting the videos.

You can read more about the Secret Life of Machines in the Wikipedia.