World Gold Council  -  The Golden Thread

For millennia we’ve searched for gold.  Now, we’re discovering its potential.

Director Matt Hopkins works with AKQA and a team of worldwide collaborators (UK, USA, Canada, India, Austria, New Zealand) to bring this 5 part documentary series to life.  The 60" trailer below gives a flavour for the series to come.

The Golden Thread is a collection of stories about gold - a metal most people recognise, many possess, yet few grasp how diverse and empowering it has proven for humanity.  From clean-tech innovators using gold to convert carbon dioxide to biofuel, to NASA engineers relying upon the metal in space instrumentation, the series saw us document the stories of 10 leading thinkers from around the world whose use of gold is varied and surprising.

Presented by Dr Hannah Fry, the core episodes are complemented by a suite of additional edits, animations and 360 stills and video, all hosted on a dedicated microsite.

Episode 1: The Next Frontier

Witness gold’s contribution to our exploration of the cosmos, its application in our potential for interplanetary civilisations, and our recently realised understanding of how our gold arrived on Earth four billion years ago. Episode features expert interviews from space scientists leading active missions.

Episode 2: Unlocking the Extraordinary

Uncover how gold has given humans extraordinary connectivity enabling faster, more distant and more reliable communication alongside unprecedented performance in the digital and physical worlds. This episode features clean-tech pioneer Phil de Luna, as well as former F1 championship-winning McLaren mechanic beside a rare gold-lined McLaren F1 supercar.

Episode 3: Making Meaning

Gold is a symbol to tell us something special. Gold has transcended cultures and continents to consistently symbolise a prized and sacred status. It holds meaning and is now being used to make meaning within quantum computing – solving some of the great unknowns of the universe. Includes rare film access to the goddess Lakshmi Temple in India, and a genuine Croesus Coin, a 2,500 year old example of one of the first currencies in the world.

Episode 4: Transforming Life

Gold’s medical capabilities have been theorised for centuries, and are now being proven true. From individualised medicine to diagnostic tests, from cancer-targeting nanoparticles to electronic wearables, see how gold is transforming our bodies. With first-hand explanations of the capabilities of the smallest nanoparticles of gold.

Episode 5: The Spark

Whenever civilisation has made an advance forwards, gold has often been the spark for its development. Whether through science, medicine, the economy or religion, discover how gold has been a catalyst for our modern world. A summary of the series and a reflection on the future potential of gold as a continued stimulant for advancement.

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