NOVA "A to Z: The First Alphabet"

Discover how writing—and eventually printing—revolutionized the spread of information.

Writing and printing are perhaps the greatest inventions of all time, changing the course of human history through the spread of ideas. In this two-part series, NOVA explores how writing began and reveals the astonishing origins of our own alphabet. Then, researchers investigate the origins of the printing press, which kicked off the Industrial Revolution and led to swift technological advancement and the expansion of cultures. NOVA "A to Z: The First Alphabet"airs Wednesday, August 31 at 9 p.m. on WXXI-TV.