Throughout History, there are so many incredible Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) innovators whose lives we don’t even know about. For instance, if you ask most people who first dreamed up the radio, they’ll tell you it was Guglielmo Marconi — even though it was proven in court that Nikola Tesla deserved the credit. Ask your friends about who invented the answering machine or who holds the record for the most mathematical papers and you’ll probably only get blank stares in return.

The fact is, many of our greatest warriors of STEM made their brilliant advancements in quiet obscurity. Luckily, a new generation of historians and documentarians have begun to seek out these stories — profiling the lives, inventions, and minds of the greatest STEM thinkers in history.

The documentaries below share stories of innovation and progress. Each one centers on a person or group of people who contributed to our understanding of the universe, invented items we use every day, and solved real-world problems. Learning about their lives is as fascinating as it is informative.

Particle Fever (2013)

This fascinating Documentary follows six brilliant scientists during the launch of the Large Hadron Collider, which was one of the biggest and most expensive experiments in history. You get to watch as they attempt to recreate the conditions of the Big Bang and tackle one of the biggest mysteries in science: why do we exist and how did we get here?

Particle Fever is smart and compelling without being too dense. You’ll get wrapped up in the gripping excitement as you root for the scientists who are working so hard to widen our understanding of the Universe.

Tesla: Master of Lightning (2000)

Nikola Tesla was a genius who was one of the world’s greatest inventors but he’s rarely attributed as such. He invented the radio, the polyphase AC system of power transmission, the tesla coil (which led to fluorescent and neon lights), the remote control, and hundreds of other things (many of which we think were invented by other people!).

This documentary paints the picture of a misunderstood, brilliant mind who unlike his contemporary, Albert Einstein, never received the credit or fame he deserved.

Genius on Hold (2012)

Walter L. Shaw was one of the most prolific inventors in our history. He invented call forwarding, conference calling, touch-tone dialing, the answering machine, and a burglar alarm that calls the police. But he was broke when he died and remembered by almost no one.

This documentary — produced by Shaw’s jewel thief son (which is a whole other story) — weaves a captivating and sad tale of a man who was brilliant, and whose inventions undoubtedly changed the world, but who also fell victim to the power of a monopoly. It also involves the mob so…. you know the story gets insane.

N Is a Number: A Portrait of Paul Erdős (1993)

Paul Erdös was a Hungarian mathematician who cracked many of the world’s deepest math mysteries and unsolved problems. He published more mathematical papers than any other mathematician in history, and he was also an incredibly eccentric wanderer who believed strongly in collaboration.

The documentary profiles Erdös’s personal life, while following him on a journey around the world — as he seeks out collaboration from other mathematicians, searches for answers to metaphysical quandaries, and tries to uncover what makes him so obsessed with math. It’s a really interesting watch (featuring a man that few outside the math world know about!).

Me & Issac Newton (1999)

This documentary profiles seven of the top scientists of the late 20th century. Through personal stories and anecdotes, the filmmakers see to truly understand the people behind great scientific accomplishments. Profiled are scientists like Gertrude Elion, a Nobel prize winner who developed the first immunosuppressive drug for organ transplants and whose work led to the development of AZT; Michio Kaku, a famous theoretical physicist; and Maja Materic, a robotics pioneer.

Hearing what drives and inspires these great minds makes this documentary uniquely interesting.

Into the Inferno (2016)

This newer documentary offering from Werner Herzog follows volcanologist Clive Oppenheimer as he travels the globe visiting volcanoes in Indonesia, Ethiopia, and even North Korea. What makes this documentary great is the time it takes to profile and interview many different scientists who have devoted their lives to the very dangerous work of studying volcanoes. It’s a thrilling piece, and the visuals are spectacular.

Codebreaker (2011)

Alan Turing didn’t just invent the computer (probably the greatest invention of the modern day), he also cracked the enigma code which helped to save millions of lives during World War II. And yet, his life ended tragically with his death by suicide after being forced to undergo chemical castration because he was gay.

It’s a story as powerful as it is heartbreaking.

A Brief History of Time (1991)

This documentary of Stephen Hawking is one of the all-time greats. The film follows Hawking’s life through interviews with many of those close to him while also exploring his theories of the universe. If you have yet to see this classic, watch it as soon as possible — it’s a must watch!