Plot Synopsis

Spanning thousands of years -- from Ancient Greece to modern day -- this 10-part series reveals the surprising ways that sex has shaped history, impacting the ways we govern, innovate, learn and live. HOW SEX CHANGED THE WORLD sheds light on how Ghengis Khan used sex to expand the Mongol Empire, how J. Edgar Hoover used it to blackmail top-level politicians, and the surprising histories behind Cornflakes, WWII pinup girls, car design and so much more. Each 60-minute episode revolves around a single theme, such as: "America's Sex Pioneers," showing how sex has shaped and defined the United States, including Ben Franklin's racy newspapers; "Sex for Sale," highlighting how the world's oldest profession turns up in the places you'd least expect it, including its place as a major source of revenue for the Catholic Church; "Sex Rebels," documenting how the world changes when powerful people shamelessly break rules, like President Lyndon Johnson flaunting his manhood; "Sexpocalypse," showcasing what happens when people treat sex like doomsday, including how a favorite breakfast cereal is supposed to help impose more self-control on lonely nights; "Sex & Power," chronicling how the sex lives of the powerful have shaken up history, including Warren G. Harding's days as a playboy; and many more true tales about sex that won't be found in any high-school history book.