Discovery/episodes
From LookingAndSeeing.co.uk - a website about schools broadcasting
Here is a list of all weekly broadcasts of the Granada schools science series Discovery, including repeats and, where known, Out of School broadcasts for parents and teachers to preview the programmes during the school holidays. All new episodes are highlighted and repeats are indicated.
At the time Discovery was on, programmes were not shown on all the different ITV stations at the same time, or even on the same days. In this list, all dates for the first two years are for the Northern region (Granada), as this was one of the only stations showing Discovery. From Autumn 1963 onwards the dates are for the London region (Associated-Rediffusion) - I have checked that these dates were the same in the Midland region (ATV), with the obvious exception of 1963-4, when ATV did not show Discovery.
You may notice that the dates stated in the Granada archive listing at itnsource.com for the Spring 1967 broadcasts are one day earlier than those stated here. Therefore I think that Discovery may have stayed on Tuesdays in the Granada region when it moved to Wednesdays in London and the Midlands in 1965. But I need to check this out for myself before amending the dates on this page.
The Archive column links to the archival records at either the Granada archive listing at itnsource.com or the online BFI Film & Television Database for episodes which are listed in those sources. Archive links are only given for the first broadcast of each episode, not repeats. There are two episodes in Spring 1965 which I have indicated are repeats, records in the Granada archive listing at itnsource.com say the episodes were orginally broadcast on those dates. I have assumed that the episodes were slightly edited or brought up to date, which is why Granada have listed them as new episodes and I have not. It is possible that the programmes were in fact remounted with the same lecturers. If anybody has more information to help clarify any of these issues, please get in touch.
| Num | Title | Presenter | Archive | Broadcast |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | The Art of Scientific Investigation | Sir Edward Appleton | 24 Sep 1959 | |
| 2. | Radio Astronomy and the Universe | Prof A. C. B. Lovell | 1 Oct 1959 | |
| 3. | Nucleic Acids | Prof Sir Alexander Todd | NFA | 15 Oct 1959 |
| 4. | Molecules and Inheritance: DNA | Dr S. Brenner | 22 Oct 1959 | |
| 5. | Exploring Space | Prof H. S. W. Massey | 29 Oct 1959 | |
| 6. | The Ionosphere | Sir Edward Appleton | 5 Nov 1959 | |
| 7. | The Science of Life: Accident or Design | Sir James Gray | NFA | 12 Nov 1959 |
| 8. | Science and the Nation | Sir Ben Lockspeiser | 19 Nov 1959 | |
| 9. | Evolution: Appearance of Design in Living Things | Prof C. H. Waddington | 26 Nov 1959 | |
| 10. | How Nuclear Power Stations Work | Sir John Cockroft | 3 Dec 1959 | |
| 11. | The History of the Earth | Prof P. C. Sylvester-Bradley | Granada | 21 Jan 1960 |
| 12. | The Changing Face of the Earth | Dr T. F. Gaskell | 28 Jan 1960 | |
| 13. | The Earth's Climate | Prof Gordon Manley | 4 Feb 1960 | |
| 14. | The Upper Atmosphere | Prof D. R. Bates | 11 Feb 1960 | |
| 15. | Messengers from Space | Dr J. Baldwin | 18 Feb 1960 | |
| 16. | The Oceans | Dr G. E. R. Deacon | 25 Feb 1960 | |
| 17. | Life on Earth | Dr Errol I. White | 3 Mar 1960 | |
| 18. | Minerals and How They Are Found | Dr T. F. Gaskell | 10 Mar 1960 | |
| 19. | Using the Land Wisely | Prof Dudley Stamp | 17 Mar 1960 | |
| 20. | Tasks for the Future | Sir Edward Bullard | 24 Mar 1960 | |
| 21. | Life on Other Planets | Dr Peter Alexander | 12 May 1960 | |
| 22. | Ageing Process - How and Why Living Creatures Grow Old | Dr Alex Comfort | 19 May 1960 | |
| 23. | Computer Memories | Dr D. B. G. Edwards | 26 May 1960 | |
| 24. | Spermatozoa | Lord Rothschild | Granada | 2 Jun 1960 |
| 25. | E=MC2 | Dr Eric Mendoza | 9 Jun 1960 | |
| 26. | Big Molecules | Sir Harry Melville | 16 Jun 1960 | |
| 27. | Measuring Human Stress | H. S. Wolff | 23 Jun 1960 | |
| 28. | New Techniques in Archaeology | Dr E. T. Hall | 30 Jun 1960 | |
| 29. | Semi-Conductors | Dr H. K. Henisch | 29 Sep 1960 | |
| 30. | The Structure of Liquids | Prof J. D. Bernal | 6 Oct 1960 | |
| 31. | Photosynthesis | Prof Helen K. Porter | 13 Oct 1960 | |
| 32. | Eye Movements | Dr D. H. Fender | Granada | 20 Oct 1960 |
| 33. | Plant Growth Substances | Prof R. L. Wain | 27 Oct 1960 | |
| 34. | Neutron Damage in Solids | Dr H. M. Finniston | 10 Nov 1960 | |
| 35. | New Ways of Studying the Brain | Prof D. M. MacKay | 17 Nov 1960 | |
| 36. | Beyond Iron Filings | Prof L. F. Bates | 24 Nov 1960 | |
| 37. | The Structure of Liquids | Prof J. D. Bernal | 1 Dec 1960 | |
| 38. | Telescopes and Astronomy | Dr Richard Woolley | 8 Dec 1960 | |
| 39. | Low Speed Aero Dynamics | Dr T. R. F. Nonweiler | 12 Jan 1961 | |
| 40. | Electroluminescence | Dr H. K. Henisch | 19 Jan 1961 | |
| 41. | Thin Films | Dr O. S. Havens | 26 Jan 1961 | |
| 42. | Harvesting the Sea part 1 | Sir Alister Hardy | 2 Feb 1961 | |
| 43. | Animal Behaviour | Dr R. A. Hinde | 9 Feb 1961 | |
| 44. | The Heart Lung Machine | 16 Feb 1961 | ||
| 45. | Time Measurement | Dr L. Essen | 2 Mar 1961 | |
| 46. | Harvesting the Sea part 2 | Sir Alister Hardy | 9 Mar 1961 | |
| 47. | Chromosomes | Prof Paul E. Polani | 16 Mar 1961 | |
| 48. | High-speed Cinematography | John Hadland | 23 Mar 1961 | |
| 49. | The Heart Lung Machine | 27 Apr 1961 | ||
| 50. | Hydraulic Research | Fergus Allen | 4 May 1961 | |
| 51. | Selenography | Patrick Moore | 11 May 1961 | |
| 52. | Cancer - The Nature of the Problem | Dr R. J. C. Harris | 18 May 1961 | |
| 53. | Low Temperatures and Ultimate Order | Dr Nicholas Kurti | 1 Jun 1961 | |
| 54. | Servor Mechanisms | Dr D. H. Fender | 8 Jun 1961 | |
| 55. | Ion Exchange | Dr T. R. E. Kressman | 15 Jun 1961 | |
| 56. | The Roosting Habits of Startings Observed by Radar | Dr Eric Eastwood | Granada | 22 Jun 1961 |
| 57. | Rutherford and the Birth of Nuclear Physics | Prof B. H. Flowers | Granada | 19 Sep 1961 |
| Rpt of 24. | Spermatozoa | Lord Rothschild | 26 Sep 1961 | |
| Rpt of 9. | Evolution: Appearance of Design in Living Things | Prof C. H. Waddington | 3 Oct 1961 | |
| Rpt of 28. | New Techniques in Archaeology | Dr E. T. Hall | 10 Oct 1961 | |
| 58. | New Fibres and Their Uses | Prof J. B. Speakman | 17 Oct 1961 | |
| 59. | The Theory of the Photographic Process | Colin Ronan | 24 Oct 1961 | |
| Rpt of 19. | Using the Land Wisely | Prof Dudley Stamp | 7 Nov 1961 | |
| Rpt of 11. | The History of the Earth | Prof Sylvester Bradley | 14 Nov 1961 | |
| Rpt of 12. | Earth's Changing Face | Dr T. F. Gaskell | 21 Nov 1961 | |
| 60. | Telemetry | E. S. Mallett | 28 Nov 1961 | |
| 61. | New Techniques in Steel Making | Dr J. H. Chesters | Granada | 16 Jan 1962 |
| 62. | Endocrinology | 23 Jan 1962 | ||
| 63. | Bird Migration as Observed by Radar | Dr E. Eastwood | 30 Jan 1962 | |
| 64. | Controlling Plant Diseases | Prof R. L. Wain | 6 Feb 1962 | |
| 65. | Astronomy on the Edge of Space | Dr H. E. Butler | 13 Feb 1962 | |
| 66. | Masers | Dr O. S. Heavens | 20 Feb 1962 | |
| 67. | Embryology | Prof D. R. Newth | 6 Mar 1962 | |
| 68. | Metals and Alloys | Dr H. M. Finniston | 13 Mar 1962 | |
| 69. | Hypnosis and Selective Deafness | 20 Mar 1962 | ||
| 70. | Curved Space and the Fouth Dimension | Prof G. J. Kynah | Granada | 27 Mar 1962 |
| 71. | The Genetic Code | Dr Sydney Brenner | 1 May 1962 | |
| 72. | The Challenge of Thermonuclear Research | Dr Gordon Francis | 8 May 1962 | |
| 73. | Chlorella - One Cells With Many Uses | Prof G. E. Fogg | 15 May 1962 | |
| 74. | Studies of the Solid State | Prof Dame Katherine Lonsdale | 22 May 1962 | |
| 75. | The Nature of Glass | Prof R. W. Douglas | 29 May 1962 | |
| 76. | The Formation of Rain and Snow | Prof B. J. Mason | Granada | 19 Jun 1962 |
| 77. | Reflexes and the Human Brain | Dr E. M. Glaser | 18 Sep 1962 | |
| 78. | Fluorine | Prof R. N. Hazeldine | 25 Sep 1962 | |
| 79. | Statistics in Scientific Research | Dr D. J. Finney, FRS | 2 Oct 1962 | |
| 80. | Cables Across the Severn | Dr D. A. Davies | 9 Oct 1962 | |
| 81. | Weeds and the Struggle for Existance | Prof J. L. Harper | NFA | 16 Oct 1962 |
| 82. | Communication Satellites | Donald Wray | 23 Oct 1962 | |
| 83. | Insect Populations | Prof G. C. Varley | 6 Nov 1962 | |
| 84. | How a Computer Works | Dr Stanley Gill | 13 Nov 1962 | |
| 85. | The New Technology of Zinc | 20 Nov 1962 | ||
| 86. | Science and the Conservation of Antiquities | Dr A. E. Werner | 27 Nov 1962 | |
| 87. | Linear Induction Motors | Dr E. R. Laithwaite | 15 Jan 1963 | |
| 88. | The Behaviour of Ants | Dr John Sudd | 22 Jan 1963 | |
| 89. | The Formation of Rocks | Dr W. S. Mackenzie | 29 Jan 1963 | |
| 90. | Engineering for Water | T. E. S. White | 5 Feb 1963 | |
| 91. | Waves and Particles | Dr A. Herzenberg | 12 Feb 1963 | |
| 92. | Programming a Computer | Dr Stanley Gill | 19 Feb 1963 | |
| 93. | The Properties of Plastics and Rubbers | Brian Warburton | 5 Mar 1963 | |
| 94. | Why Atoms Combine | Prof C. A. Coulson | 12 Mar 1963 | |
| 95. | Some Recent Work on Friction | Dr D. Tabor | 19 Mar 1963 | |
| 96. | Apes and Art | Dr Desmond Morris | 26 Mar 1963 | |
| 97. | The Chemistry of Dyeing | Prof R. H. Peters | 30 Apr 1963 | |
| 98. | Superconductivity | Dr Eric Mendoza | 23 Apr 1963 | |
| 99. | Insect Mimicry | Prof P. M. Sheppard | 14 May 1963 | |
| 100. | The Physics of Clothing | W. H. Rees | 21 May 1963 | |
| 101. | Air Pollution | C. F. Barrett | 11 Jun 1963 | |
| 102. | Glaciers | Dr John W. Glen | 18 Jun 1963 | |
| 103. | High Vacuum | Dr O. S. Heavens | 17 Sep 1963 | |
| 104. | The Evolution of Walking | Dr John Napier | Granada | 24 Sep 1963 |
| Rpt of 61. | New Techniques in Steel Making | Dr J. H. Chesters | 1 Oct 1963 | |
| Rpt of 76. | The Formation of Rain and Snow | Prof B. J. Mason | 8 Oct 1963 | |
| 105. | Thunderstorms and Lightning | Prof B. J. Mason | 15 Oct 1963 | |
| 106. | A Problem in Engineering | Prof R. E. D. Bishop | 22 Oct 1963 | |
| 107. | Evolution Observed | Dr D. Nichols | 5 Nov 1963 | |
| 108. | Some Problems of Corrosion (unconfirmed)* | Dr D. N. Layton | 12 Nov 1963 | |
| 109. | Selenography | Patrick Moore | 19 Nov 1963 | |
| 110. | Visual Perception | Dr A. R. Jonckheere | 26 Nov 1963 | |
| Rpt of 103. | High Vacuum (Out of School broadcast) | Dr O. S. Heavens | 3 Jan 1964 | |
| 111. | The Spawning Behaviour of the Atlantic Salmon | Dr Jack W. Jones | 14 Jan 1964 | |
| 112. | Ultrasonics | Alan Crawford | 21 Jan 1964 | |
| 113. | Air in Motion | John Allen | 28 Jan 1964 | |
| 114. | Flow Patterns in Furnaces | Dr J. H. Chesters | 4 Feb 1964 | |
| 115. | The New Look in Inorganic Chemistry (1) | Prof J. Lewis | 11 Feb 1964 | |
| 116. | Learning From Starlight | Prof J. Ring | Granada | 18 Feb 1964 |
| Rpt of 75. | The Nature of Glass | Prof R. W. Douglas | 3 Mar 1964 | |
| 117. | An Age-old Problem in Plant Disease | Prof J. Colhoun | 10 Mar 1964 | |
| Rpt of 63. | Bird Migration as Observed by Radar | Dr E. Eastwood | 17 Mar 1964 | |
| Rpt of 116. | Learning From Starlight (Out of School broadcast) | Prof J. Ring | 6 Apr 1964 | |
| 118. | A Million Amps, A Million Volts | Prof J. D. Craggs | 28 Apr 1964 | |
| 119. | Energy and Life | Prof H. L. Kornberg | 5 May 1964 | |
| 120. | Shock Waves | Prof N. H. Johanmesen | 12 May 1964 | |
| 121. | The New Look in Inorganic Chemistry (2) | Dr M. Tolse | 19 May 1964 | |
| Rpt of 70. | Curved Space and the Fouth Dimension | Prof G. J. Kynch | 9 Jun 1964 | |
| Rpt of 83. | Insect Populations | Prof G. C. Varley | 16 Jun 1964 | |
| Rpt of 78. | Fluorine | Prof R. N. Hazeldine | 22 Sep 1964 | |
| Rpt of 91. | Waves and Particles | Dr A. Herzenberg | 29 Sep 1964 | |
| Rpt of 94. | Why Atoms Combine | Prof C. A. Coulson, FRS | 6 Oct 1964 | |
| Rpt of 74. | Studies of the Solid State | Prof Dame Katherine Lonsdale | 13 Oct 1964 | |
| Rpt of 86. | Science and the Conservation of Antiquities | Prof A. E. Warner | 20 Oct 1964 | |
| Rpt of 99. | Insect Mimicry | Prof P. M. Sheppard | 3 Nov 1964 | |
| Rpt of 81. | Weeds and the Struggle for Existance | Prof J. L. Harper | 10 Nov 1964 | |
| Rpt of 96. | Apes and Art | Dr Desmond Morris | 17 Nov 1964 | |
| Rpt of 73. | Chlorella - One Cells With Many Uses | Prof G. E. Fogg | 24 Nov 1964 | |
| Rpt of 88. | The Behaviour of Ants | Dr John Sudd | 1 Dec 1964 | |
| Rpt of 98. | Superconductivity | Dr Eric Mendoza | Granada | 19 Jan 1965 |
| Rpt of 87. | Linear Induction Motors | Prof E. R. Laithwaite | 26 Jan 1965 | |
| Rpt of 95. | Some Recent Work on Friction | Dr D. Tabor | 2 Feb 1965 | |
| 122. | The Velocity of Light | Prof O. S. Heavens | 9 Feb 1965 | |
| 123. | Elementary Particles | Prof R. J. Blin-Stoyle | 16 Feb 1965 | |
| Rpt of 80. | Cables Across the Severn | D. A. Davis | Granada | 2 Mar 1965 |
| 124. | Servo-Mechanosms | Dr D. H. Fender | 9 Mar 1965 | |
| 125. | Jet Engines | Prof J. H. Horlock | 16 Mar 1965 | |
| 126. | A Project in Engineering Design | John Martin & Geoffrey Pearse | 23 Mar 1965 | |
| 127. | Motorway Design | J. W. Ward | 30 Mar 1965 | |
| 128. | Machines For a New Age 1: The Speed Revolution | Prof Stanley Gill | Granada | 23 Apr 1965 |
| 129. | Machines For a New Age 2: The Anatomy of Computers | Prof Stanley Gill | Granada | 11 May 1965 |
| 130. | Machines For a New Age 3: Programming | Prof Stanley Gill | Granada | 18 May 1965 |
| 131. | Machines For a New Age 4: Computers Are Useful | Prof Stanley Gill | Granada | 25 May 1965 |
| 132. | Machines For a New Age 5: More About Programming | Prof Stanley Gill | Granada | 1 Jun 1965 |
| 133. | Machines For a New Age 6: What Next? | Prof Stanley Gill | Granada | 15 Jun 1965 |
| Rpt of 115. | The New Look in Inorganic Chemistry (1) | Prof J. Lewis | 22 Sep 1965 | |
| Rpt of 121. | The New Look in Inorganic Chemistry (2) | Dr M. Tobe | 29 Sep 1965 | |
| 134. | Sodium | W. H. Wilson | NFA | 6 Oct 1965 |
| Rpt of 119. | Energy and Life | Prof H. L. Kornberg | 13 Oct 1965 | |
| 135. | Photosynthesis | E. R. Redfearn | NFA | 20 Oct 1965 |
| Rpt of 111. | The Spawning Behaviour of the Atlantic Salmon | Dr Jack W. Jones | 27 Oct 1965 | |
| Rpt of 107. | Evolution Observed | Dr D. Nichols | 10 Nov 1965 | |
| Rpt of 104. | The Evolution of Walking | Dr J. Napier | 17 Nov 1965 | |
| 136. | The Artificial Kidney | 24 Nov 1965 | ||
| 137. | Are Wild Animals Dangerous? | John Hillaby | 1 Dec 1965 | |
| Rpt of 114. | Flow Patterns in Furnaces (Out of School broadcast) | Dr J. H. Chesters | 14 Apr 1966 | |
| Rpt of 100. | The Physics of Clothing | W. H. Rees | 11 May 1966 | |
| Rpt of 113. | Air in Motion | John Allen | 18 May 1966 | |
| Rpt of 120. | Shock Waves | Prof N. H. Johanmesen | 8 Jun 1966 | |
| Rpt of 114. | Flow Patterns in Furnaces | Dr J. H. Chesters | 15 Jun 1966 | |
| Rpt of ? | (unknown repeat) | 22 Jun 1966 | ||
| Rpt of 128. | Machines For a New Age 1: The Speed Revolution | Prof Stanley Gill | 11 Jan 1967 | |
| Rpt of 129. | Machines For a New Age 2: The Anatomy of Computers | Prof Stanley Gill | 18 Jan 1967 | |
| Rpt of 130. | Machines For a New Age 3: Programming | Prof Stanley Gill | 25 Jan 1967 | |
| Rpt of 131. | Machines For a New Age 4: Computers Are Useful | Prof Stanley Gill | 1 Feb 1967 | |
| Rpt of 132. | Machines For a New Age 5: More About Programming | Prof Stanley Gill | 8 Feb 1967 | |
| Rpt of 133. | Machines For a New Age 6: What Next? | Prof Stanley Gill | 15 Feb 1967 | |
| 138. | Machines For a New Age 7: What is a Proton Synchrotron? | Dr T. G. Pickavance | Granada | 22 Feb 1967 |
| 139. | Machines For a New Age 8: How was NIMROD Designed and Built? | Dr T. G. Pickavance | Granada | 1 Mar 1967 |
| 140. | Machines For a New Age 9: How is the Research Done? | Dr T. G. Pickavance | Granada | 8 Mar 1967 |
| 141. | Machines For a New Age 10: The K7 Experiment | Dr T. G. Pickavance & Dr J. J. Thresher | Granada | 15 Mar 1967 |
| Rpt of ? | (unknown repeat) (Out of School broadcast) | 29 Mar 1967 | ||
| Rpt of 134. | Sodium | Dr W. H. Wilson | 19 Apr 1967 | |
| Rpt of 108. | Some Problems of Corrosion | Dr D. N. Layton | 26 Apr 1967 | |
| Rpt of 118. | A Million Amps, A Million Volts | Prof J. D. Craggs | 3 May 1967 | |
| Rpt of 103. | High Vacuum | Dr O. S. Heavens | 10 May 1967 | |
| Rpt of 122. | The Velocity of Light | Prof O.S. Heavens | 17 May 1967 | |
| Rpt of 112. | Ultrasonics | Alan Crawford | 24 May 1967 |
- * - I do not know for sure which episode was shown on 12 November 1963. Some Problems of Corrosion was repeated on 26 April 1967, and I do not know when it was first shown. Matching up these two facts, I have assumed that Some Problems of Corrosion was first shown on 12 November 1963.
