For centuries, Western society drew sustenance from Newtonian physics, classical economics, and other orderly systems of thought. But today’s intellectual climate offers no such comforts, focusing instead on concepts like tipping points and global volatility. What created such a stark transformation? This program explores the history of chaos theory, shedding light on mathematical, philosophical, and real-world dynamics which have upended long-held notions of cosmic equilibrium. Delving into scientific and political history, the film invokes the research of Henri Poincaré, Aleksandr Lyapunov, and Edward Lorenz while studying the clash between chaos and order in warfare, manufacturing, financial depressions, and digital technology. Distributed under license from BBC Worldwide. (59 minutes)