History.
Some assembly required.

 Re-Connections
A KCSM Production
 

James Burke is Back! The legendary science writer and host of the landmark PBS series "Connections" and "The Day the Universe Changed" has returned for a one-hour special - "Re-Connections" - which is celebrating the twenty-fifth anniversary of his first appearance on American public television. The show, a local production of KCSM, will be shown throughout the PBS network in June.For "Re-Connection", Burke sat down with host Michael Malone, a fellow technology writer, for a lively tour through Burke's career, memorable anecdotes from the series, and Burke's current work creating a new Internet-based teaching tool, the "Knowledge Web."

"Re-Connections was filmed in a warehouse filled with old electronic equipment and other antiques owned by the History San Jose Museum. Old friends James and Michael quickly dove into an intense conversatiaon thatranged from the birth of "Connections" to the challenges of shooting a mini-series around the world, to what Connections would be made today. Burke, as always, was witty, knowledgable, and most of all challenging. The result, "Re-Connections" is not only an important addition to the Burke story, but a memorable television event in itself.

 

K-Web.org

NEWS & EVENTS

Teacher workshop

Adult Ed Course

 

Re-Connections Press Release    

Re-Connections Survey

  
Q
How was
Napoleon
important to the
development
of the modern
computer?
A

Napolean troops
in Egypt buy
shawls and start
a fashion craze.

In Europe the
shawls get made
on automated,
perforated-paper
control looms.

This gives an
American engineer
Herman Hollerith
the idea to automate
calculation using
punch cards.

Which get
used to
control ENIAC,
the first electronic
computer.

 

    The Knowledge Web: The Knowledge Web is the next phase of Connections, allowing you to not only accompany Burke on his pinball tours of history, but to create your own. The K-Web is an activity rather than a web site; it is an expedition in time, space, and technology to map the interior landscape of human thought and experience. Thanks to the work of a team of dedicated volunteers, it will soon be an interactive space on the web where students, teachers, and other knowledge seekers can explore information in a highly interconnected, holistic way that allows for an almost infinite number of paths of exploration among people, places, things, and events. They can even explore virtual reality spaces and communicate with other travellers.We invite you to share the excitement of the Knowledge Web by visiting K-Web.org, where you can find information on how you can help develop and use it.