University Challenge legends Eric Monkman and Bobby Seagull are time travelling once again in a bid to explore more ground-breaking developments in British history. Gemma Dunn finds out more about their latest escapade.

Eric Monkman and Bobby Seagull are back on the road for yet another 'genius' adventure.

Following their previous success with BBC Two's Monkman & Seagull's Genius Guide To Britain, the duo - University Challenge icons and real-life best friends - are set to return with a three-part series that will see them travel the length and breadth of Britain on a journey through time.

The premise? Exploring their favourite scientific breakthroughs from the Industrial Revolution and the Victorian era, a period when scientific progress changed the world, and one that continues to influence the way we live today.

Expect stop-offs in 1759 Greenwich, home to John Harrison's marine chronometer; 1824 Stoke on Trent, where they investigate a building material they believe is one of the unsung heroes of the Industrial Revolution - cement; and a remote Cornwall beach in 1870 for the story of Britain's first successful undersea telegraph line, to name a few.

So what else can Canadian academic Monkman and London-born mathematician Seagull tell us?

WHERE DID YOUR LOVE OF HISTORY BEGIN?

Seagull: After lunch every Saturday afternoon, my father would take me and my brothers on our weekly pilgrimage to a beautiful early Edwardian red brick building that housed East Ham Library. We spent several hours sprawled on the floor, voraciously absorbing books on topics spanning from the Aztec Empire to Victorian engineering to the fiction of Roald Dahl. It was here that my love for reading and history began.

Monkman: When I was around six years old, with an educational computer game called Challenge Of The Ancient Empires. It is an adventure game that teaches children about artefacts from ancient civilisations such as Egypt, Mesopotamia, Rome and early Dynastic China. I showed a fair bit of curiosity, so my parents introduced me to Greek mythology, children's books about history and other age-appropriate information about the past.

WHAT WAS THE MOST SURPRISING THING YOU LEARNED DURING FILMING?

Seagull: Nearly 140 years before the release of the film Jurassic Park, London's Crystal Palace Park had their version of the film in 1854. I grew up in London learning about dinosaurs and yet didn't realise that only a few miles from my house was the Crystal Palace Dinosaurs! What's fascinating is that their 1854 sculptures of dinosaurs are inaccurate from what we now know, even though it was the most cutting-edge science of the day.

Monkman: I was surprised to learn how many museums, historical societies and other institutions there are across Great Britain that are dedicated to preserving scientific and technological memories and presenting this history to the public. It was a privilege to be able to visit so many places and meet the people dedicated to preserving the past and educating the present.

WHICH INVENTOR/SCIENTIST FEATURED IN THE SERIES ARE YOU MOST INSPIRED BY AND WHY?

Seagull: Michael Faraday contributed significantly to the study of electromagnetism and electrochemistry. He was on the old £20 note and I really admire him because he taught himself. He was from a poor family and only received a basic education. But through hard work, persistence and some genius, he changed the world. He shows that despite humble beginnings, you can make a difference.

Monkman: I was most inspired by Charles Darwin. He was able to use the financial and social resources available to him to develop one of the most revolutionary ideas in human history. He did so in spite of mental and physical illnesses and the tragic loss of three of his children.

IS THERE A MODERN INVENTION THAT YOU WISH YOU HAD BEEN THE BRAINS BEHIND?

Seagull: Tough question. Wouldn't we all like to be Steve Jobs and the Apple team? How cool are they?! Science and tech is sexy!

Monkman: I have been very impressed by online collaborative encyclopedias. I find it amazing that people from all over the world have worked together to produce a compendium of knowledge that is constantly updated and easily available. Of course, I would rather be the brains behind something new than wish I had accomplished the work of others.

WHAT DO YOU THINK AUDIENCES TODAY CAN GAIN FROM LOOKING BACK AT THE AGE OF INVENTION?

Seagull: Society always thinks that they are in a unique and special era and at the forefront of technology. But things keep changing. When we look back at 1750-1900 we think of how far we have moved on. In 100 years, they'll look back at our time and think how far they have moved on from us. So I think watching the show should give us a bit of humility with regards to thinking that we're at the leading edge of development!

YOU ARE WELL KNOWN FOR YOUR RIVALRY ON UNIVERSITY CHALLENGE. ARE YOU COMPETITIVE WITH ONE ANOTHER OFF SCREEN TOO?

Seagull: We got to know each other before University Challenge filming in Cambridge. I was in charge of organising practice quiz matches between different Cambridge colleges, like mini rehearsals of UC, with buzzers, questions and pretend Paxmans. What I liked about Eric is that while he wanted to win, he always took pride in seeing me succeed as well. So our friendship is one of collaboration and enjoying seeing each other succeed!

Monkman: I would not say we are particularly competitive with each other off-screen. We want each other to do well. This was the case during University Challenge too. We wanted each other to win every match except the one in which Wolfson faced Emmanuel.

WHAT SETS GENIUS ADVENTURES APART FROM OTHER HISTORY SHOWS ON TV?

Seagull: I remember watching the new BBC series Civilisations with the wonderful trio of Simon Schama, Mary Beard and David Olusoga. They are world class trained experts in their fields, as are the presenters of many BBC history shows. Eric and I have different specialisms. I am a school maths teacher. We are not trained formally in advanced history but we are enthusiasts who are very curious about the world. It is this enthusiasm that means that we can learn on our journey together with our audience.

WHAT PERIOD OF TIME WOULD YOU LIKE TO EXPLORE NEXT?

Monkman: We end this show ready to continue our adventures into the 20th century and into our own era. The show concludes with an exploration of the discovery of the electron. The 20th century also included advances such as the discovery of the structure of DNA, the development of the jet engine and the first successful artificial cloning of a mammal. There would certainly be lots of interesting topics for Bobby and I to explore.

Monkman And Seagull's Genius Adventures starts on BBC Two on Monday, May 18.