7.8 /10 1 Votes
Genre Documentary film Written by Stephen Lyons Country of origin United States Narrated by Michael Emerson | 7.8/10 IMDb Created by Stephen Lyons Theme music composer Tom Phillips Initial release 19 August 2015 Program creator Stephen Lyons | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Directed by Stephen Lyons; Muffie Meyer Directors Stephen Lyons, Muffie Meyer Awards News & Documentary Emmy Award for Outstanding Lighting Direction & Scenic Design Similar Mysteries of the Unseen, Benjamin Franklin, Grey Gardens, A Mother's Suspicion, Desperate Crossing: The Untol Profiles | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Mystery of Matter: Search for the Elements is a 2014 American documentary film, which premiered nationwide on August 19, 2015. The PBS film, in three-episodes of one hour each, was directed by Stephen Lyons and Muffie Meyer.
Contents
The film, which took ten years to make, describes the search for the basic chemical elements that form matter by focusing on the lives and times of seven scientific visionaries. Hosted by actor Michael Emerson, the film depicts the creative process of the scientists, with actors describing the process of discovery in the scientists' own words and reenacting their major discoveries using replicas of their original laboratory equipment.
Participants
The documentary film is narrated by Michael Emerson and includes the following participants (alphabetized by last name):
Reviews and criticism
According to Carman Drahl of Forbes magazine, "Chemists will quickly recognize the life stories of giants in their field. This show wasn’t designed just for chemists, however. The target audience includes teachers, students, and curious TV viewers." The film, based on a National Science Foundation project description, tells "a 'detective story' of chemistry, stretching from the ancient alchemists to today's efforts to find stable new forms of matter." Mark Dawidziak, of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, quotes the historical advisor for the film (Alan Rocke): "[The film] portrays science as [a] very human process. People see it is a very mechanical process. A great humanity is revealed by these stories, but also the unfolding process of how science actually comes to these understandings of nature." Erica K. Jacobsen, of the Chemical Education Division of the American Chemical Society, found the film to be "an excellent tool for bringing students a different view of the periodic table and those involved in its history.