Newton: The Dark Heretic (2003)

Newton: The Dark Heretic, a documentary that reveals a very different Isaac Newton from the popular myth—a much more fascinating and complex man than the powder-wigged Puritan of the history books.

This BBC documentary uncovers, for the first time, the original manuscript where Newton forecasted the date of the end of the world.

Sir Isaac Newton, often hailed as the father of modern mathematics, spent only a relatively small part of his life studying science.

The rest of his time was devoted to the ancient art of alchemy, heresy, and predicting the apocalypse.

At the height of his genius, Newton locked himself away, poring over the apocalyptic books of the Bible, maniacally searching for the elusive date of the world’s end—an event for which he constantly prayed.

Decoding long-hidden manuscripts, this documentary reveals Newton’s prediction of the apocalypse.

But here lies an amazing paradox: How could a man driven by religious zealotry go on to develop our rational notions of science?

Newton’s revolutionary ideas about light, which laid the groundwork for our understanding of optics, emerged from his secret work as an alchemist. Yet, in doing so, he inadvertently challenged the omnipresent God he held so dear.

The story of Newton’s dark genius is woven with threads of obsession, brilliance, and contradiction. His relentless pursuit of knowledge led him down paths both mystical and scientific.

As we navigate this narrative, we witness a reminder that even the greatest minds can be perplexing.

Newton’s legacy is not just a reminder of human curiosity, it’s an exploration of the complexities of genius.