0:00:05 > 0:00:08# If you've got a question and you don't know where to go
0:00:08 > 0:00:11# Ask Nina for some help Cos she's got a science show
0:00:11 > 0:00:14# She makes sense of her senses While helping all her fans
0:00:14 > 0:00:17# By doing her experiments with potions and with bangs
0:00:17 > 0:00:19- # Touch your tongue - Tongue!
0:00:19 > 0:00:20- # Fingers - Fingers!
0:00:20 > 0:00:23- # Eyes.- Eyes! - Ears.- Ears!- Nose.- Nose!
0:00:23 > 0:00:26# Nina and the Neurons find out what you need to know
0:00:26 > 0:00:29# Nina and the Neurons find out what you need to know
0:00:29 > 0:00:32# Luke, he helps us with our eyes and Felix with our touch
0:00:32 > 0:00:35# Ollie sniffs out smells And Belle, she hears so much
0:00:35 > 0:00:38# Bud is Ollie's brother He helps us with our taste
0:00:38 > 0:00:41# They're Nina's little Neurons And they're coming to your place!
0:00:41 > 0:00:43- # Touch your tongue - Tongue!
0:00:43 > 0:00:44- # Fingers - Fingers!
0:00:44 > 0:00:47- # Eyes.- Eyes! - Ears.- Ears!- Nose.- Nose!
0:00:47 > 0:00:50# Nina and the Neurons find out what you need to know
0:00:50 > 0:00:53# Nina and the Neurons find out what you need to know
0:00:53 > 0:00:55# Oh, yeah! #
0:00:57 > 0:01:00Just a little bit more. There.
0:01:00 > 0:01:02Oh, hello.
0:01:02 > 0:01:06I'm just colouring a mouse on my computer. What do you think?
0:01:06 > 0:01:08- I think he's lovely. - BEEPING
0:01:08 > 0:01:12I hear a beat, I see a flash, I wonder what they're going to ask.
0:01:14 > 0:01:17- Hi, Nina!- Hi, guys.
0:01:17 > 0:01:19We've got a question for you.
0:01:19 > 0:01:22- How does a computer work? - That's a great question.
0:01:22 > 0:01:26How does a computer work? Computers use lots of clever engineering.
0:01:26 > 0:01:30Why don't you come down to my workshop and we'll investigate?
0:01:30 > 0:01:32ALL: See you soon, Nina. Bye.
0:01:32 > 0:01:36Well, I'm going to need some help to answer this one
0:01:36 > 0:01:38and I know just who to ask.
0:01:38 > 0:01:41OK, Neurons, time to get to work.
0:01:55 > 0:01:58Neurons at the ready, Nina.
0:01:58 > 0:02:02OK, today's question is, how does a computer work?
0:02:02 > 0:02:06Which Neuron do you think would be most useful
0:02:06 > 0:02:09- in helping us find the answer? - ALL: Me! Me! Me!
0:02:09 > 0:02:11Will it be fabulous Felix?
0:02:11 > 0:02:15I can help so very much if you need the sense of touch.
0:02:15 > 0:02:17Will it be beautiful Belle?
0:02:17 > 0:02:22I send messages to brain from ear. If there's a sound, I'll help you hear.
0:02:22 > 0:02:26- Will it be lovely Luke? - For looking and seeing, day or night,
0:02:26 > 0:02:29I'll help you with your sense of sight.
0:02:29 > 0:02:33- Will it be awesome Ollie?- If it's pongy or whiffy but you can't tell,
0:02:33 > 0:02:38- my messages help your sense of smell. - Or will it be baby Bud?
0:02:38 > 0:02:42Sour, salty, bitter or sweet, I'm your taste buddy whenever you eat!
0:02:45 > 0:02:48It's Felix. And Luke!
0:02:50 > 0:02:55NEURONS: Go Felix! Go Luke! Go Felix! Go Luke!
0:02:56 > 0:03:00Today's question is, how does a computer work?
0:03:00 > 0:03:02Because we touch a computer to use it
0:03:02 > 0:03:06and look at the computer screen, Felix and Luke will be helping us.
0:03:06 > 0:03:10But stand by, Neurons, I may need help from the rest of you.
0:03:10 > 0:03:13Right, I need to get the workshop ready before the engineers arrive.
0:03:15 > 0:03:18Brooklyn loves getting her face painted.
0:03:18 > 0:03:20Casey likes board games.
0:03:20 > 0:03:22Nana likes making friends.
0:03:22 > 0:03:24I love playing games on the computer.
0:03:24 > 0:03:27I like drawing with my mum's computer.
0:03:27 > 0:03:30How does a computer work?
0:03:30 > 0:03:31Today, for one day only,
0:03:31 > 0:03:34Brooklyn, Casey and Nana become The Engineers.
0:03:37 > 0:03:41- Hi, guys.- Hi, Nina. - Welcome to my workshop.
0:03:41 > 0:03:45Thanks for your great question - how does a computer work?
0:03:45 > 0:03:49To find out the answer, let's start by using our senses.
0:03:49 > 0:03:53ALL: Whoop-woo! A senses experiment. We're ready, Nina.
0:03:53 > 0:03:57First, let's have a look at some computers.
0:03:57 > 0:04:00Over there is my desktop computer.
0:04:00 > 0:04:02This is a laptop computer.
0:04:02 > 0:04:04And here is a tablet.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07They look very different, but they all work in the same way.
0:04:07 > 0:04:11Let's find out how. Follow me.
0:04:11 > 0:04:14You guys are going to pretend to be a computer.
0:04:14 > 0:04:19You'll each be different parts. Brooklyn, you are the keyboard.
0:04:19 > 0:04:22So you're standing next to the gate that says "in".
0:04:22 > 0:04:27Nana, you are like the inside of the computer. So you are in the middle.
0:04:27 > 0:04:29You can put this on.
0:04:33 > 0:04:37Yes! You are the computer's brain.
0:04:37 > 0:04:40And Casey, you are the computer's screen.
0:04:40 > 0:04:44So you are standing here next to the gate that says "out".
0:04:44 > 0:04:47For this game, we are going to try
0:04:47 > 0:04:50and put the word "Nina" onto the computer screen.
0:04:50 > 0:04:54First, we need to put the information in to the computer.
0:04:54 > 0:04:57Brooklyn, you are the computer keyboard,
0:04:57 > 0:04:59so can you put Nina in the computer?
0:05:08 > 0:05:11Nana, you are the computer's brain.
0:05:11 > 0:05:15The bit inside the computer that works out what to do
0:05:15 > 0:05:19with all the information. Casey, you are our computer screen.
0:05:19 > 0:05:22The computer brain will tell you what to show...
0:05:25 > 0:05:29..And put the Nina on to the screen.
0:05:29 > 0:05:32There it is. Nina is on the screen.
0:05:32 > 0:05:34Well done, computer parts.
0:05:34 > 0:05:37We got the message onto the computer screen.
0:05:37 > 0:05:40All computers work like this.
0:05:40 > 0:05:45We put information in using a keyboard, a mouse or a touchscreen.
0:05:45 > 0:05:49The computer's brain works out what to do with the information
0:05:49 > 0:05:53and sends it out onto a screen. Computers' brains are very simple.
0:05:53 > 0:05:57They can't decide what to do for themselves like we can.
0:05:57 > 0:05:58They need to be told.
0:05:58 > 0:06:03Let's take a trip to a very special museum to find out more.
0:06:05 > 0:06:09Here we go. I can't wait to see where we will end up today.
0:06:09 > 0:06:11Some type of museum?
0:06:11 > 0:06:15Maybe it's an art museum to look at fine works of art.
0:06:15 > 0:06:19Or a transport museum to see lots of old cars? Vroom!
0:06:19 > 0:06:21Look, everyone, we're here.
0:06:22 > 0:06:27We're here at the National Museum of Computing.
0:06:27 > 0:06:30This is one of the very first computers ever made.
0:06:30 > 0:06:32It's called Colossus.
0:06:32 > 0:06:36- What do you notice about this computer?- It's really big.
0:06:36 > 0:06:40You can say that again! It fills the whole room!
0:06:40 > 0:06:43It's huge, isn't it?
0:06:43 > 0:06:47This wouldn't fit onto our desks at home, would it? No!
0:06:47 > 0:06:50This computer was made a long time ago.
0:06:50 > 0:06:54Engineers have been building computers for years.
0:06:54 > 0:06:57But nowadays, computers are much smaller.
0:06:57 > 0:07:01A computer that can do all the same thing that Colossus can do
0:07:01 > 0:07:04can now fit into a mobile phone.
0:07:04 > 0:07:07How did they squash it up so small?
0:07:07 > 0:07:10They don't squash it, Bud.
0:07:10 > 0:07:13Engineers worked out how to make computer parts smaller.
0:07:13 > 0:07:15So computers are smaller.
0:07:15 > 0:07:18Computers are used in all kinds of things
0:07:18 > 0:07:21like washing machines, clocks and even toys.
0:07:21 > 0:07:25I think we need to find out more about how a computer's brain works.
0:07:25 > 0:07:26This way.
0:07:30 > 0:07:35A computer brain is very simple. It can't work out things like we can.
0:07:35 > 0:07:39It has to be told what to do and needs instructions.
0:07:39 > 0:07:42Like a shopping list, Nina?
0:07:42 > 0:07:45Yes, the instructions are like a shopping list of things to do.
0:07:45 > 0:07:48We call it a computer program.
0:07:48 > 0:07:55I have hidden a mouse in one of these boxes. I want you to find it.
0:07:55 > 0:07:56That will be easy!
0:07:56 > 0:08:00They just have to listen for the squeak, squeak, squeak!
0:08:00 > 0:08:06Not that type of mouse. A computer mouse like this.
0:08:06 > 0:08:09- Do you know where it is?- No.
0:08:09 > 0:08:14Let's see if you can find it if I give you a list of instructions.
0:08:14 > 0:08:19We are going to pretend that you guys are the computer brain
0:08:19 > 0:08:24and these instructions are a computer program. So let's begin!
0:08:24 > 0:08:26Start at the red box.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32Is there a rubber duck in the box?
0:08:32 > 0:08:34Yes, Nina, there's a rubber duck.
0:08:34 > 0:08:40Well done! There is a duck, so go to the white dotty box.
0:08:42 > 0:08:46Lovely. Is there a toy boat in the box?
0:08:50 > 0:08:52No, Nina, it's a plane.
0:08:52 > 0:08:55That's a no, then, because it's not a boat.
0:08:55 > 0:08:57So go to the green box.
0:08:59 > 0:09:02This time, is there a red ball in the box?
0:09:03 > 0:09:07- Yes, Nina, there's a red ball.- Excellent.
0:09:07 > 0:09:09Well, go to the black dotty box.
0:09:09 > 0:09:15Now, if there's a mouse in the box, you've done it. So open the box.
0:09:17 > 0:09:19Yes, Nina, there's a red mouse.
0:09:19 > 0:09:21Hurray!
0:09:21 > 0:09:25Fantastic work. We couldn't find the mouse without the instructions
0:09:25 > 0:09:28because we didn't know where it was.
0:09:28 > 0:09:31But when we had the instructions, we knew where to go.
0:09:31 > 0:09:34When we type into a keyboard or press a touchscreen,
0:09:34 > 0:09:38computers know what to do. They have a list of instructions
0:09:38 > 0:09:41and these instructions are called a computer program.
0:09:41 > 0:09:46How does a touchscreen computer know when we've touched it?
0:09:46 > 0:09:50Good question. Let's do one final experiment to find out.
0:09:51 > 0:09:54Some computers have a touchscreen
0:09:54 > 0:09:57and we want to find out more about how it works.
0:09:57 > 0:10:02Let's have a go on this really big touchscreen. Let's go for it, guys.
0:10:06 > 0:10:08The world's getting bigger.
0:10:14 > 0:10:17It gives you information about places.
0:10:17 > 0:10:22- They're travelling all over just by using their fingers.- Marvellous.
0:10:22 > 0:10:24A little touch can mean so much, Nina.
0:10:24 > 0:10:26This is brilliant, isn't it?
0:10:26 > 0:10:30By touching the screen, we can move all the maps.
0:10:30 > 0:10:34That's because the touchscreen can tell when our fingers touch it.
0:10:34 > 0:10:37Let's play a quick game. Come with me.
0:10:39 > 0:10:45OK, I'd like you to try and move this loop from one end
0:10:45 > 0:10:49round to the other without touching the wire. Are you ready?
0:10:49 > 0:10:52- Yes, Nina.- OK! Go!
0:10:55 > 0:10:57BEEPING
0:11:00 > 0:11:01BUZZING
0:11:01 > 0:11:06Careful, now. Keep it steady. You don't want it to...
0:11:06 > 0:11:09Bzz! I love that sound.
0:11:16 > 0:11:19- Finished. That was a noisy game, wasn't it?- Yes!
0:11:19 > 0:11:24The buzzer went off when the loop touched the wire.
0:11:24 > 0:11:27This is the same as how many touchscreens work.
0:11:27 > 0:11:31Just below the touchscreen, there are two layers of material.
0:11:31 > 0:11:34They're very close together but they don't touch each other.
0:11:34 > 0:11:37When you press your finger onto the screen,
0:11:37 > 0:11:41it pushes the two layers together so they are touching.
0:11:41 > 0:11:45This tells the touchscreen computer, or the phone, or the tablet,
0:11:45 > 0:11:47where on the screen you've put your finger.
0:11:49 > 0:11:53Your question was, how do computers work? I think we've answered it.
0:11:53 > 0:11:58We discovered all computers have a way to get information in and out.
0:11:58 > 0:12:01There are different ways to put information into computers,
0:12:01 > 0:12:05like using a keyboard or a mouse or a touchscreen.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08Touchscreens can tell when our fingers touch them
0:12:08 > 0:12:12and it sends a message to the computer brain.
0:12:12 > 0:12:14The computer brain can't think for itself,
0:12:14 > 0:12:18it follows instructions which we call a computer program.
0:12:18 > 0:12:21- I hope that answered your question. - Thanks, Nina.- You're welcome!
0:12:29 > 0:12:31If you want to know more
0:12:31 > 0:12:34about the science and engineering that's all around us,
0:12:34 > 0:12:38go to the Nina section on the CBeebies website. Have fun!
0:12:38 > 0:12:41- # Pulling.- Pushing. - Twisting.- Mixing.
0:12:41 > 0:12:45- # Drilling.- Squeezing.- Floating. - Go engineering
0:12:45 > 0:12:47# Go engineering!
0:12:47 > 0:12:52# When you need to fly it make it, shape it
0:12:52 > 0:12:57- # Go engineering - Go engineering!
0:12:57 > 0:13:00# When you want to build go engineering
0:13:00 > 0:13:01# Engineering!
0:13:01 > 0:13:05# When you've got to solve a problem but you don't know how to do it
0:13:05 > 0:13:09# It's time to go engineering
0:13:09 > 0:13:10# Engineering!
0:13:10 > 0:13:14# When you want to lift it stick it, pop it, bend it
0:13:14 > 0:13:18# It's time to go engineering
0:13:18 > 0:13:20# Engineering!
0:13:20 > 0:13:24- # Go engineering - Go engineering!
0:13:24 > 0:13:27# When you need to fly it make it, shape it
0:13:27 > 0:13:28# Engineering!
0:13:28 > 0:13:32- # Go engineering - Go engineering!
0:13:32 > 0:13:37# When you want to build go engineering
0:13:37 > 0:13:40# Go engineering! #
0:13:40 > 0:13:42I've had a fabby day!
0:13:42 > 0:13:47My favourite part was seeing the huge computer.
0:13:47 > 0:13:49It's been a marvellous day.
0:13:49 > 0:13:52Touchscreens are very clever.
0:13:52 > 0:13:57I enjoyed myself today. Especially when everyone searched for the mouse.
0:13:57 > 0:14:01And remember, engineers helped to build the world around us.
0:14:01 > 0:14:04They make things work and use science to solve problems.
0:14:04 > 0:14:06See you again soon. Bye!
0:14:06 > 0:14:08Bye!