Here is where I learned that cinnabar is mercury(II) sulfide (HgS) and has very strange properties when heated. The red powder sort of violently burns away leaving a dollop of mercury. But if heat is continually applied, it turns back to red powder.
I have the book that is the companion to this BBC series and was excited to find that the series is available, even on Netflix where I have been slowly making my way through them. I like Bronowski as a thinker. He loves the elegance of certain concepts. His enthusiasm for his subject is quite infectious . He has a decidedly modern viewpoint, not anti-religious, but with a little of the serious scientists pshaw.
I seem to recall that some of the filmmakers behind this went on to do Cosmos and some other series. I was quite impressed by the production. Given the time, it's is impressive to think this was done on film at so many locations. The cinematography can feel a little like talented film school artistry, but in general I appreciated the extra touches. The soundtrack is sometimes spectacularly dated, but in a substantive way.
I miss this sort of expose of one man's thought. There should be more series like this. I suppose Hawking has had his few. You should see Bronowski showing these amazing computer graphics in a dank little basement, clearly envisioning some great 3D modeling technology that just was too far out of reach with 1974's best mainframe. Still, it must have been spectacularly difficult to pull off.