They are the miracle pills that shouldn't really work at all. Placebos come in all shapes and sizes, but they contain no active ingredient. Now they are being shown to help treat pain, depression and even alleviate some of the symptoms of Parkinson's disease. Horizon explores why they work, and how we could all benefit from the hidden power of the placebo.
The attempt to send and land astronauts on Mars risks billions of dollars and the lives of those brave enough to attempt it. Is the possible benefit really worth the risk? And is it really achievable?
Guiding us through this ethical and scientific minefield is Dr Kevin Fong. Kevin's diverse background in astrophysics, aeronautics and medicine makes him uniquely placed to unders...
Jin scowls into the camera when her sister – the filmmaker – asks about her earliest memories. No wonder these memories are anything but pleasant. Jin was born in the 1990s, during China’s one-child policy. It was normal then for unborn girls to be aborted – right up to the last month of a pregnancy, because boys were preferred. Living babies were also ruthlessly dumped in the garbage, or in the woods. Jin survived for a week in a box on the streets.
The three-part series will explore one of the greatest manhunts in New York City history. It will take viewers inside the NYPD’s desperate race to catch the infamous .44-caliber killer—and into the disturbing mind of David Berkowitz himself. Newly unearthed recordings offer rare insight into his twisted psyche, revealing what was going through his mind as he unleashed a reign of terror in the late 1970s. Alongside firsthand accounts from cops, journalists, and survivors, the series unpacks how fear spread through the streets, fueled by cryptic letters, a frenzied press, and a killer who seemed to be everywhere and nowhere at once.
The Ebola virus. No-one knows exactly where it comes from but one thing is certain - it's one of the most virulent infections known to science. This special episode of Horizon meets the scientists and doctors from all around the world looking for the cure and hears first-hand accounts of what it's actually like to catch - and survive - this terrible disease.