Television Review: American Genius
Recommendations from Scientific American
By Clara Moskowitz
On supporting science journalism
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National Geographic Channel. Premiering June 1
Behind many historic inventions—flight, electricity, personal computers—are tales of heated rivalries that spurred the inventors on. This television miniseries profiles the competitions of such geniuses as the Wright brothers and Glenn Curtiss, Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison, and Steve Jobs and Bill Gates. Actors convey the intensity of the feuds, and interviews with experts illuminate the characters and the science that made the innovations possible. The eight-part docudrama reminds us that sometimes the brightest minds need a competitive nudge to reach greatness.
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