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The Best Episodes of Breakthrough: The Ideas That Changed the World Season 1

Every episode of Breakthrough: The Ideas That Changed the World Season 1 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of Breakthrough: The Ideas That Changed the World Season 1!

Binge this in 6h 0m•Peaking at 8.2/10

Take a mind-blowing journey through human history, told through six iconic objects that modern people take for granted, and see how science, invention and technology built on one another to change everything.

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
    Breakthrough: The Ideas That Changed the World Season 1 Episode 1 - The Telescope
    8.1/10(41 votes)

    #1 - The Telescope

    S1:E1

    Meet the brilliant minds throughout history, from Galileo to Edwin Hubble, responsible for creating the telescope. Today, their invention allows humanity to reach the furthest limits of seeing 13 billion light-years out.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  2. Breakthrough: The Ideas That Changed the World Season 1 Episode 2 - The Airplane
    8.2/10(40 votes)

    #2 - The Airplane

    S1:E2

    Take to the sky with the dreamers whose work gave humans the ability to fly. From Leonardo da Vinci's "flying machines" to the modern commercial plane, without these inventions, we may have never left the ground.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  3. Breakthrough: The Ideas That Changed the World Season 1 Episode 3 - The Robot
    7.8/10(39 votes)

    #3 - The Robot

    S1:E3

    Learn how robots were first conceptualized in ancient Rome and see how their use has evolved over the centuries, from the calculator to the Roomba. Then, take a sneak peek at what future robots will be able to do.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  4. Breakthrough: The Ideas That Changed the World Season 1 Episode 4 - The Car
    8.2/10(45 votes)

    #4 - The Car

    S1:E4

    Go for a ride through the 9,000-year history of the car, from its roots in dogsleds to Henry Ford's affordable and assembly line-built Model T, and meet the scientists working on the next generation of self-driving automobiles.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  5. Breakthrough: The Ideas That Changed the World Season 1 Episode 5 - The Rocket
    8.2/10(41 votes)

    #5 - The Rocket

    S1:E5

    Learn the explosive history of the rocket, from its origin in ancient China, to its use as a weapon of war, to how adding hydrogen allowed it to carry astronauts all the way to the moon.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  6. Breakthrough: The Ideas That Changed the World Season 1 Episode 6 - The Smartphone
    8.1/10(41 votes)

    #6 - The Smartphone

    S1:E6

    Dial in to the fascinating history of the smartphone, from its roots in Morse Code to 2007, when Apple unveiled the first-ever iPhone. Plus, see how the next generation of smartphones will allow us to communicate through them just by thinking.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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Season 1 Ratings Summary

"The Telescope" is the best rated episode of "Breakthrough: The Ideas That Changed the World" season 1. It scored 8.1/10 based on 41 votes. Directed by Unknown and written by Unknown, it aired on 4/21/2019. This episode is rated 0.1 points higher than the second-best, "The Airplane".