The heart is an incredible machine.

On average it will beat over 100,000 times per day, pump between 5 to 10 litres of blood in a single minute with a metronomic beat that supplies blood to the rest of our body and internal organs, keeping us alive.

But could we actually live without it?

In this award winning special, Jonathan looks into the history of artificial hearts, the Jarvik-7, how the Archimedes' screw influenced further innovations in later years, and speaks to those who have dedicated their lives to finding a way to replace one of the most essential organs we have.

First aired Sun, 14 April 2013