47 Biographies of Scientists and Inventors

This is the true story of a physician who believed seeking a cure for syphilis was not ethically wrong.

This is the story of Dr. Werner von Braun, the celebrated and debated rocket scientist who was central to the space age. He was instrumental in the early development of rocketry, most notably through his work on the V-2 rockets…

This film is the true story of Dian Fossey, a scientist deeply committed to studying the dwindling population of mountain gorillas in Africa. Entering the gorillas' wild habitat, she forms a profound connection with them while observing and documenting their…

Homer Hickam, a boy growing up in a poor West Virginia coal-mining town, becomes captivated by space after seeing Sputnik launch. His family expects him to work in the mines like them, but Homer's passion for rockets is undeniable. He…

This is the story of Professor Stephen Hawking's early life. It's 1963, and the 21-year-old cosmologist is celebrating his birthday. A new friend, Jane Wilde, is at the party, and a strong connection forms between them. Jane is fascinated by…

This film tells the true story of Alan Turing, a brilliant cryptanalyst, and his team at Bletchley Park. During World War II, they raced against time to break the enemy's codes.

This film chronicles the life of Nicolaus Copernicus over half a century, starting with his education in Europe and following his path through theological pursuits to the eventual development of his groundbreaking work, *On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres*.

Fifty years after inventing the light bulb, an 82-year-old Thomas Edison recounts his life story, beginning with his arrival in New York at age twenty-two. He's there to promote a new invention: an early version of the stock market ticker.

Galileo Galilei, a scientist in Padua, makes a groundbreaking discovery: he demonstrates that the Earth orbits the Sun, challenging the long-held belief that Earth is the center of everything.

Director Brett Morgen uses previously unseen footage from the National Geographic archives to tell the story of Jane Goodall, the pioneering researcher whose chimpanzee studies transformed how we understand the natural world.

This is the story of Nikola Tesla's relentless pursuit to revolutionize the world with wireless energy. He strives to surpass existing technology, even his own inventions, by developing a groundbreaking system that promises to fundamentally change how we power everything.

This is the sweeping tale of first contact, betrayal, and an unlikely friendship. Karamakate, the sole survivor of his Amazonian tribe, meets two scientists who embark on a 40-year journey through the rainforest searching for a sacred plant with healing…

This is the story of Marie Curie during her most eventful five years. From 1905, when she and Pierre Curie travel to Stockholm to receive the Nobel Prize for their discovery of radioactivity, to 1911, when she wins a second…

Born into poverty in Madras, India, Srinivasa Ramanujan Iyengar gains entry to Cambridge University during World War I. There, under the mentorship of Professor G.H. Hardy, he pioneers new mathematical theories.

Alexander Graham Bell develops feelings for Mabel Hubbard, a deaf woman he teaches, as he works to create a way to transmit speech electronically. She advises him to focus on his work before considering marriage. Bell successfully invents the telephone,…

A driven scientist risks everything when he agrees to reveal his research on how the tobacco industry operates to a major news outlet. As he prepares for the interview, powerful interests try to undermine him and his work. Caught in…

Kinsey is a look at Alfred Kinsey, a researcher determined to explore the most private aspects of American life. What starts as a scientific project becomes deeply personal for Kinsey, evolving into an unforeseen exploration of human nature.

Yale University, 1961. Stanley Milgram conducts a psychology experiment that remains impactful today: participants believe they are administering painful electric shocks to a friendly stranger in another room. Despite the stranger's pleas to stop, most subjects continue the experiment, delivering…

This biography examines the early steps of Russian physicist and dissident Andrei Sakharov toward advocating for civil rights.

This is a biography of Franz Anton Mesmer, an 18th-century Viennese doctor. He developed controversial healing methods centered on his concept of "animal magnetism."

The film follows the early career of cardiovascular surgeon Zbigniew Religa in 1980s Poland, under communist rule.

In a fierce rivalry, electrical innovators Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse battle for dominance. Both strive to develop a reliable electrical system and successfully sell it to the public.

This film explores the partnership between Alfred Blalock, a leading heart surgeon, and Vivien Thomas, a Black surgical technician. It depicts their collaboration and the development of groundbreaking techniques in pediatric heart surgery.

NOVA presents a comprehensive biography of Albert Einstein, exploring his formative years, groundbreaking work on relativity, and intimate personal life.

This is a film about Temple Grandin, an autistic American woman who has become a leading expert in improving how livestock are treated.

Based on a true story, this is a David versus Goliath story about college professor Robert Kearns. He challenges the powerful auto industry after they refuse to acknowledge his invention of intermittent windshield wipers. Kearns persistently fights for credit for…

During World War I, brilliant physicist Albert Einstein and English scientist Arthur Eddington develop an unexpected friendship. This collaboration ultimately results in the creation of the theory of relativity.

John Forbes Nash Jr. Rises to fame as a brilliant but socially awkward mathematician, poised for international recognition after a major discovery. However, accepting a classified cryptography assignment draws him into a shadowy conspiracy. His life spirals into turmoil, forcing…

The details of a meeting between German physicist Werner Heisenberg and his Jewish Danish friend, Niels Bohr, in Copenhagen are shrouded in mystery, becoming a legendary moment in scientific history. Director Howard Davies presents his interpretation of this pivotal encounter,…

Dr. Jack Kevorkian faces controversy and legal challenges while advocating for assisted suicide.

This is the story of Marie Curie, Nobel Prize winner, and her groundbreaking scientific work, viewed through her marriage to Pierre. It explores the profound and revolutionary impact of their discovery of radium on the 20th century.

The early life of inventor Thomas Edison is depicted, revealing a boy whose experiments and inventions frequently result in mishaps. This leads the townspeople to view Tom as eccentric, creating tension between him and his father. Tom finds support only…

This is a deeply personal love story offering a rare glimpse into the life of Charles Darwin. He grapples with his conflicting beliefs about faith and science while striving to complete his groundbreaking book, "On the Origin of the Species"—a…

This atmospheric biography portrays philosopher and mathematician Blaise Pascal, brought to life by Roberto Rossellini. Despite facing religious persecution and widespread ignorance, Pascal held a firm belief in the compatibility of faith and scientific inquiry.

This is the story of Katherine G. Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson – exceptional African-American women who worked at NASA and were essential to the success of the historic John Glenn orbital flight. These pioneering women broke barriers and…

This film tells the compelling story of Louis Pasteur, a key figure in medical science whose discoveries revolutionized human health. During a time when disease was poorly understood, Pasteur dedicated himself to finding its causes, ultimately proving that many illnesses…

While Isaac Newton dedicates himself to the challenging and isolated work of developing his theories on the movement of celestial bodies and gravity, his young assistant, Humphrey, struggles to decide between a career in science and pursuing his own desires.

Driven by the allure of a complex case, Dr. Carl Jung takes on Sabina Spielrein as his patient. Spielrein is emotionally unstable but captivatingly beautiful. Jung employs the techniques of his mentor, Sigmund Freud, and both men become deeply affected…

"The Theory of Everything" tells the remarkable story of Stephen Hawking, one of the most celebrated scientists of our time. It follows his passionate romance with Jane Wilde, a fellow student at Cambridge University.

This two-part film chronicles Albert Einstein's departure from Germany in 1932, followed by his role in the 1939 development of the atomic bomb.

A new student pushes Galileo to embrace the latest telescope technology. He uses it to find undeniable evidence that the Earth isn't the center of the universe – a dangerous idea. In a society controlled by powerful nobles and the…

This is the story of the formative years of Richard Feynman, the brilliant physicist who would later win the Nobel Prize. It chronicles his early life and the development of his extraordinary mind.

In Australia, a nurse discovers a promising new treatment for polio. However, she faces significant challenges persuading the medical community of its effectiveness.

This film chronicles the life of Mikhail Vasilyevich Lomonosov, a remarkable Russian polymath who excelled as a scientist and writer.

This film chronicles approximately thirty years of the remarkable life of Jacques-Yves Cousteau, a pioneering figure known for his groundbreaking work as a filmmaker, researcher, innovator, and passionate conservationist in the underwater world.

Dr. Malcolm Sayer, a quiet research doctor, changes his life when he tests a drug meant to bring consciousness back to people with a very rare illness. Leonard is the first patient to get the treatment, and his recovery unexpectedly…

In late 1890s Paris, Marie, a determined physics student at the Sorbonne, faces skepticism as one of the few women in her field. Her talent attracts the attention of Pierre Curie, who offers her a position in his lab. A…