Nova, A to Z

Writing and printing are perhaps the greatest inventions of all time, changing the course of human history through the spread of ideas. In this two-part series, NOVA explores how writing began and reveals the astonishing origins of our own alphabet. Then, researchers investigate the origins of the printing press, which kicked off the Industrial Revolution and led to swift technological advancement and the expansion of cultures.

A to Z: The First Alphabet

PBS Western Reserve (WNEO 45.1 / WEAO 49.1):

Wednesday, Aug. 31, at 9 PM
Thursday, Sept. 1, at 2 AM 
Tuesday, Sept. 6, at 5 PM

Where would we be without the world’s alphabets? Writing has played a vital role in the development and expansion of cultures throughout history. But researchers are only now uncovering the origin story to our own alphabet, which may have gotten its beginnings in a turquoise mine 4,000 years ago. From the shape of the letter A to the role of writing in trade and storytelling, discover how the written word shaped civilization itself.

A to Z: How Writing Changed the World

PBS Western Reserve (WNEO 45.1 / WEAO 49.1):

Wednesday, Sept. 7, at 9 PM
Thursday, Sept. 8, at 2 AM 
Tuesday, Sept. 13, at 5 PM

Just as writing changed the course of human history, the evolution of paper and printing revolutionized the spread of information. While the invention of paper boosted Chinese and Islamic societies, the simple fact that the Latin alphabet could be printed using a small number of discrete, repetitive symbols helped popularize moveable type, handing Europe a crucial advantage at the beginning of the Renaissance. The printing press itself kicked off the scientific revolution that fast-tracked us to the current digital age.