BBC Four

World News Today
19:00 - 19:30
The day's leading stories(n)

The Sky at Night
19:30 - 20:00
A look at the story of unusual phenomena sighted in Britain and America in 1859, which were discovered to be the results of a violent eruption on the surface of the sun. While the incident was harmless, scientists have predicted devastating implications for technology across the world should it ever happen again(n)

Shock and Awe: The Story of Electricity
20:00 - 21:00
Jim Al-Khalili charts the history of mankind's attempt to understand and harness the power of electricity. He begins by exploring the writings and theories of scientific innovators including Humphry Davy and Stephen Gray, and examines the methods they used to create and control electrical forces. He also tells the story of the battery, the first major breakthrough in the human race's battle to use electricity for its own ends(n)

Super Senses: The Secret Power of Animals
21:00 - 22:00
The concluding episode explores the world of scent and examines the animals that have pushed their sense of smell far beyond human capabilities. In the Bahamas, physicist Helen Czerski dives into shark-infested waters with only a small pouch of liquid as her defence against them, while biologist Patrick Aryee controls the behaviour of a swarm of bees by using tiny traces of scent, and gets uncomfortably close to a skunk. Last in the series(n)

Impact! A Horizon Guide to Plane Crashes
22:00 - 23:00
Dallas Campbell delves into the Horizon archives to chart the deadly disasters that have helped make air travel today the safest it has ever been. The presenter reveals how previous crashes have been investigated to determine what went wrong and how scientists have worked to ensure these failures do not happen again(n)

Cleopatra: A Timewatch Guide
23:00 - 00:00
Vanessa Collingridge explores how the public's view of ancient Egyptian queen Cleopatra has changed over the years, from Roman propaganda through to Shakespeare's portrayal, and in the golden age of Hollywood, where she became a doomed romantic heroine. The presenter seeks the views of academic experts and refers to archive BBC documentaries and drama to explore Cleopatra's personal life and role as a politician, charting how throughout history the leader's image has been subject to myths and cliches(n)

Mark Gatiss on John Minton: The Lost Man of British Art
00:00 - 01:00
The League of Gentlemen star Mark Gatiss examines the life and career of largely forgotten English artist John Minton, who was one of the leading figures in post-war British art(n)