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The Essay Science Notes Episodes Available now
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Wind
5/5 James Burke leads us via steam engines and iron coffins to the modern orchestra.
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Ivories
4/5 James Burke touches on pine trees, chintz, bowler hats – and ends up on the ivories.
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Impression
3/5 James Burke connects Italian electricity to Debussy via a baron's seances and your fridge.
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Romance
2/5 James Burke links planetary orbits, the teeny-weeny and fake Scottish literature.
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Enlighten
1/5 Broadcaster James Burke links organisms that might not exist to a freemason’s opera.