Lo and Behold: Reveries of the Connected World (2016) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Herzog Begins His Journey at UCLA

The documentary opens at the University of California, Los Angeles, where pioneering work on the development of the Internet took place. Herzog sets out to trace the origins of the digital network that came to transform the entire world.

Where

University of California, Los Angeles

The First Piece of Internet Equipment

At UCLA, Herzog visits the first piece of Internet equipment ever to be installed. This landmark hardware represents the humble beginnings of the network that would eventually evolve into today's connected world.

Where

University of California, Los Angeles

The Internet's Impact on Society

The film then explores the wide-ranging impact the Internet has had on society. Herzog examines both the positive and negative consequences of humanity's growing connectedness through interviews and observations.

Entering 'The Dark Side'

In a chapter titled 'The Dark Side', Herzog turns his attention to the harmful consequences of online life. He investigates how the Internet can be weaponized to inflict real suffering on innocent people.

Interviewing the Catsouras Family

Herzog sits down with the Catsouras family, who have been harassed online since pictures depicting their daughter's corpse were leaked onto the Internet. The family shares the painful story of how private images of their loss became public.

Enduring Relentless Online Harassment

The Catsouras family describes the ongoing torment they have endured from anonymous strangers on the Internet. Their ordeal illustrates how the anonymity of the online world can enable cruel and relentless harassment.

Journey to the Green Bank Telescope

Herzog travels to West Virginia to visit the Green Bank Telescope, a site of major scientific importance. No wireless transmissions of any kind are allowed within a 10-mile radius around the telescope, creating a rare zone of digital silence.

Where

Green Bank, West Virginia

Life Inside the Wireless-Free Zone

Within the restricted zone around the telescope, Herzog interviews local residents who live entirely without wireless technology. Their daily existence offers a unique glimpse of life beyond the reach of the connected world.

Where

Green Bank, West Virginia

Electromagnetic Sensitivity Sufferers

Near the telescope, Herzog finds a group of people afflicted by an electromagnetism sensitivity condition. They claim to have found relief from their symptoms after settling in the wireless-free area around Green Bank.

Where

Green Bank, West Virginia

Elon Musk and the Quest to Reach Mars

The film investigates Elon Musk and his ambitious quest to send humans to Mars. Herzog examines the vision of one of the most prominent entrepreneurs of the Internet age and his plans for humanity's future beyond Earth.

Artificial Intelligence Comes into Focus

Artificial intelligence is touched upon as Herzog contemplates the rapidly advancing capabilities of machines. The film raises questions about how intelligent technology may come to rival human thought.

Robots as Replacements for Human Interaction

The documentary considers whether robots might become replacements for human interaction in the future. Interviews explore both the possibilities and the unsettling consequences of such a profound shift in society.

Can the Internet Dream of Itself?

At the end of the film, Herzog poses a final, philosophical question to multiple interviewees: 'Can the Internet dream of itself?' The provocative question leaves the audience to ponder whether the network could ever develop a consciousness of its own.