Highlights of the new programming block include Britain's Greatest Invention, a live show that will ask the public to vote on what they think has been the most influential creation on their lives. Professor Stephen Hawking will present a new documentary about humanity's need to colonise another planet, while green energy enthusiast Robert Llewellyn will helm Fixing the Future: The Great Village Green War, a campaign to persuade a small village in the Cotswolds to generate their own power.

"We've come together behind a simple, and very bold ambition - to equip all of us with the knowledge and understanding we need to make sense of our lives and the future," Tony Hall, the BBC's Director-General said.

The idea, presumably, is to use the Tomorrow's World name to highlight shows that might otherwise struggle to attract viewers. While some will inevitably criticise the move, preferring a true reboot for the old show, it's a clever use of a brand that should tap into people's nostalgia. If the name can be used to further public interest in science and technology, many would argue that's a valuable and respectful continuation of the show's original mission -- even if it doesn't have an hour-long slot to call its own.