Modern Marvels
Fast-paced, fun and informative, Modern Marvels is The History Channel's signature series focusing on historical technology.
Genre: Documentary, History
Cast:Lloyd Sherr , Harlan Saperstein , Adam Richman , William Atwater , Alexander B. Rubinow , Earl Boen , Bill Ratner , Jay Leno , Roger McCarthy , Thom Pinto , Vince Staten , Scott Mitchell Nelson , Will Lyman , David Stieghan , Jack Perkins , Roger Launius , Walter Boyne , Ned Barnett
S1.E1 ∙ The Transcontinental Railroad
The story and struggles of how the Union Pacific and Central Pacific Railroads united the United States by rail.
S1.E2 ∙ The Empire State Building
This program focuses on the symbolic and historical aspects of the Empire State Building rather than its architecture and technology. The world's tallest building was preceded but a skyscraper construction boom in the roaring twenties that ironed out many of the challenges of building tall. Yet, despite being one of the only major construction projects in New York during the Great Depression, which generated considerable publicity, it remained controversial in a number of ways until the film "King Kong" made it a must see tourist destination and it survived a B-25 plane crash.
S1.E3 ∙ Silver Mines
Silver is part of our lives from your utensils, to your electronics, and your car among others. A ubiquitous necessity that doesn't grow on trees. Go behind the scenes to see how silver is mined and how it's processed into everyday objects.
S1.E5 ∙ Paving America
Examining construction of the national highway system, from its conception in 1912 to completion in 1984.
S1.E6 ∙ Oil
Few real-life dramas feature such colorful characters, fluctuating fortunes, and worldwide high stakes as the story of oil.
S1.E47 ∙ Star City
Visit Russia's formerly secret training center for Cosmonauts and see what it is like to prepare for a space flight.
S2.E1 ∙ The Railroads That Tamed the West
The dangerous early history of railroads in the United States and the various inventions that slowly made them safer.
S2.E2 ∙ Mount Rushmore
The story of Mount Rushmore is set against the backdrop of events and the changing mood of America which influenced the final sculpture. This program is as much a tribute to the dream of Mount Rushmore and all those who created it as it is a recounting of the story of the monument.
S2.E4 ∙ The Telephone
Witness this invention's unbelievably dramatic true story: one of false starts, close calls, and a bitter rivalry.
S2.E5 ∙ Domed Stadiums
From Houston's Astrodome to Toronto's stunning Skydome, follow the history of the revolutionary structures that have transformed sports in America.
S2.E6 ∙ Gothic Cathedrals
Made of stone and glass, persistence and prayer, the Gothic Cathedral is an epiphany of imagination and an articulation of joy. Through its imposing form we see the evolution of Man's reverence reflected in dynamic design and innovation devoted to the celebration of the sanctity within us all. From Notre Dame and Chartres Cathedral in France...to the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., where traditional building techniques and aesthetics are preserved...here is the story of how some Modern Marvels are Man's gift to acknowledge something greater than himself.
S2.E7 ∙ Golden Gate Bridge
More than 50 years after its construction, the Golden Gate is still regarded as one of the world's great engineering marvels. It took 25 million man-hours and 80,000 miles of cable to complete. But the cost in human life was even greater.
S2.E21 ∙ The Phonograph
The story of how Thomas Edison and his team created the phonograph, the first audio recorder and playback machine.
S3.E1 ∙ Air Force One: A History
A look at the planes that carried the president of the USA. With improvements in technology the planes could change for the security and safety of the leader of the USA.
S3.E2 ∙ Brooklyn Bridge
First-hand accounts and extensive archival footage bring the struggle to create the world's first suspension bridge to life.
S3.E3 ∙ Tunnels
An engineering feat first attempted in Babylonian times, tunnels are an integral part of 20th century society. Yet they remain among the most dangerous projects ever undertaken. Here are the stories of the world's great tunnels, of the genius of men and the marvels of machinery. From Brunel and Greathead, who developed an innovative shield which allowed them to burrow under the Thames, to Clifford Holland, who overcame nature and technology to carve his 8,463 foot path below the Hudson, few of the great architects lived to see their dreams completed. Perishing in greater numbers were 'sandhogs,' workers who labored beneath unforgiving waters to forge these indispensable subterranean arteries. See why that danger remains today with a look at the construction of New York's new water tunnel, inching forward even as the death toll climbs.
S3.E4 ∙ The Tennessee Valley Authority
America was in the throes of the Great Depression, and rural America was on the brink of disaster. Franklin Delano Roosevelt tried many federal interventions to steady the shaky economic course, and none succeeded more spectacularly than the creation of the Tennessee Valley Authority.
S3.E5 ∙ Satellites
From Sputnik to the communications satellites that beam images worldwide, trace the development of the orbiting wonders that have transformed the world.
S3.E6 ∙ Radio: Out of Thin Air
The romantic history of the original broadcast phenomenon comes to life in this compelling program featuring interviews with radio personalities Larry King and Casey Kasem.
S3.E7 ∙ The Search for the Polio Vaccine
Dr. Jonas Salk's discovery of a cure for polio halts one of the twentieth century's most dreaded diseases.
S3.E9 ∙ Transcontinental Railroads
In the 1860s, two rival workforces attempted what many deemed impossible: to link the vast American continent with a transcontinental rail line. Men of vision - and men of greed - took on titanic challenges of engineering as they sought to lay 1,700 miles of track across untamed wilderness and extreme terrain. This episode of Modern Marvels traces the dramatic story of how the Union Pacific Railroad Company built east from Nebraska - and the Central Pacific forged west from California. For each mile of track laid, each company would earn generous government land grants and subsidies. With no rendezvous point specified, the corporate competitors were pitted in a great race to hurl as much track across the country as possible. Daunting obstacles faced both builders. On the Great Plains, the Union Pacific confronted Native American tribes fighting desperately to protect their territory and their way of life. In California, the Central Pacific smacked head-on into the mighty Sierra Nevada mountains. The Union Pacific's workers teemed with Civil War veterans, traveling in an innovative "city on wheels". And the Central Pacific was dominated by thousands of immigrants from China, forced to dig snow tunnels to survive the Sierra's harsh winters. Crossing America's frontier with towering trestles, long tunnels and tracks stretching to the horizon, the two great labor forces were destined to meet at a desolate spot in Utah called Promontory Summit. When a ceremonial spike was driven the...
S3.E12 ∙ The Alaskan Oil Pipeline
Being starved by an OPEC embargo, America is desperate for oil, and in 1973 construction begins on a 800 mile pipeline, tapping into Alaskan oil to quench their insatiable oil hunger.
S4.E1 ∙ American Steel: Built to Last
An exploration of the past and future of the steel industry in America.
S4.E5 ∙ Weather Predictions
A study of the discoveries, inventions, and technological advances that have helped us understand and more accurately predict our weather.
S4.E6 ∙ Captured Light
The development of the still camera was one of the most significant advances of the age of invention. The captured image has transformed the way we see our world, preserving moments forever with the push of a button. Modern Marvels; presents the strange saga of the birth of photography, and the men at the heart of this tale. See how Frenchman Joseph Nicephore Niepce was the first to succeed in photographing an image in 1826, but his work was co-opted after his death by the artist and showman Louis Jacques Mande Daguerre. The Daguerreotype became popular, and Daguerre claimed the credit for himself, never recognizing the work of his former partner. Trace the story of Englishman William Henry Fox Talbot, who invented the negative-positive process that is still used today. And see how George Eastman brought photography to the masses with his affordable, easy to use cameras. With expert interviews and incredible images from the early days of photography including Matthew Brady's legendary images of the Civil War this is the illuminating story of Captured Light.
S4.E7 ∙ Stealth Technology
The Pentagon denied its existence until the President blew the cover. One of the most expensive projects in military history, it was attacked as an extravagant waste. But the billions of dollars and long years of development paid off during the Gulf War. Night after night, F-117 Stealth Fighters performed their deadly missions undetected by Iraq's multi-billion dollar radar system. Modern Marvels takes to the skies with the most advanced planes ever built. Learn how the radical design and cutting-edge technology of the F-117 and its larger cousin, the B-2 Bomber, allow these planes to avoid detection by even the most sophisticated radar systems. In exclusive interviews, Air Force officials and company executives recall the long struggle to perfect an 'invisible' airplane, and combat pilots reveal what it is like to pilot the most effective strike aircraft ever built.
S4.E8 ∙ Pyramids: Majesty and Mystery
Venture inside some of world's most famous and fascinating structures in search of answers to their timeless mysteries.
S4.E9 ∙ Roller Coasters
They are the centerpiece of all great amusement parks, heart-stopping rides with names like 'The Cyclone' and 'The Beast'.
S4.E10 ∙ Observatories: Stonehenge to Space Telescopes
Trace the complete history of mankind's eternal quest to unlock the mysteries of the heavens, and get an astonishing view of the very edge of the universe through the incredible Hubble telescope.
S4.E11 ∙ The Great Wall of China
The Great Wall of China mirrors China's turbulent history. Over two millenia the Chinese built, expanded or demolished parts of the wall in response to interstate rivalry, civil war, threat of invasion and relative peace. But only recently did the Chinese begin to regard this incredible structure with pride rather than shame.
S5.E1 ∙ Mail Delivery: Erasing the Miles
The history of the US Postal Service from it's humble beginnings to its modern incarnation.
S5.E2 ∙ Airships
A look at the history of all types of dirigible aircrafts including blimps and zeppelins from their inventions until modern times.
S5.E4 ∙ Engineering Disasters
Features The Great Molasses Flood of 1919 and other engineering disasters.
S5.E7 ∙ The Motion Picture
The struggles of Thomas Edison and others to create motion pictures.
S5.E8 ∙ U.S. Mints: Money Machines
A rare behind the scenes look at how the U.S. Mint manufactures coins and medals for the U.S. Government.
S5.E9 ∙ Rescue Technology
The history of urban search and rescue are the focus ed from their humble beginnings during WWII through the modern times.
S5.E11 ∙ Scuba Diving & Underwater Breathing
The devices used by man from ages of antiquity to the present in order to go below the waters of the sea.
S5.E12 ∙ Dynamite
How dynamite has shaped the modern world with its use in great engineering projects.
S5.E14 ∙ Hoover Dam
The history of how the Hoover Dam was built and the current operations.
S5.E16 ∙ New York Bridges
The history of how each of New York City's bridges was created to connect the five boroughs.
S5.E17 ∙ Parachutes
The history of parachutes and how there development has impacted the fields of war, firefighting, recreation, and space exploration.
S5.E20 ∙ The Atlantic Wall
Overview of the Nazi Fortifications along the Atlantic Seaboard from Belgium to Spain. Coastal Defense of WW2 Nazi efforts to prevent Allied Forces from gaining foothold into France. War Time Film Footage of "D" Day Invasion.
S5.E23 ∙ The Tool Bench: Hand Tools
The history of hand tools such as hammer, axes, hand plane, saws, wrenches, and drills. Also featured are looks at ancient tools, tool ergonomics, the hardware store and the Mercer Museum of ancient tools.
S5.E26 ∙ Emergency Room
Emergency room medicine has only been a recognized specialty since 1989, and it took close to two millennia to get to this point. Advancements that led to the modern emergency rooms are highlighted as well as emergency/trauma medicine.
S6.E5 ∙ The Pentagon
The Pentagon - the name alone conjurs up an imposing image of American power. Completed in 1943, this five-sided nerve center for the nation's armed services is the largest office building in the world.
S6.E6 ∙ Bridges
From ancient Roman aqueducts and arch bridges, to Renaissance spans & railroad crossovers, bridges play a key role in the human quest to connect and unify. Trace the history of bridges, including suspension, arch, beam, truss & cantilever.
S6.E9 ∙ Great Inventions
Synthesized doc over wheel, steam power, batteries, railroads, vehicles, electric light, telegraph, radio, television, computers and all most remarkable inventions ever done and how it start.
S6.E11 ∙ Household Wonders
The household appliances we take for granted everyday are profiled. They include the stove, the microwave, the sewing machine, the vacuum cleaner, the toaster, the mixer, the refrigerator, the washer, dryer, and air conditioning. Also featured are how electricity and the lightbulb changed the American household.
S6.E19 ∙ Traffic
Go into air traffic control centers and the planning offices of transportation managers nationwide for a revealing look at a growing crisis.
S6.E21 ∙ Gold Mines
Man's quest for gold throughout history from the age of antiquity to the present.
S6.E22 ∙ Banks
The history of financial institutions including the technology they have used in the past and their modern applications.
S6.E24 ∙ Trucks
The history of trucks are featured running the gamut from eighteen wheelers to specialty trucks.
S6.E25 ∙ Aswan Dam
This history of how the Egyptian people built both the Low and High Aswan Dams on the Nile River.
S6.E26 ∙ China's Great Dam
Will it be the concrete key to a new China, or a disaster of epic proportions?
S6.E27 ∙ The Maginot Line
Go inside the ambitious fortifications that nevertheless failed to protect France from Nazi aggression.
S6.E28 ∙ Video Games: Behind the Fun
Modern Marvels looks at the history of video games. It looks at the first video game played on a supercomputer "Spacewar!" the first successful home video game "Pong," and the arcade revolution of the 1980s. It examines how the video game business has grown into a billion dollar industry and how current game designers use motion capture techniques and MMORPGs to entertain millions throughout the world.
S6.E29 ∙ Body Shop: Part 1
A Ford Taurus is dismantled so that the components of car can be highlighted one by one from their inception to their modern counterparts.
S6.E30 ∙ Body Shop: Part 2
A Ford Taurus is dismantled so that the components of car can be highlighted one by one from their inception to their modern counterparts.
S6.E33 ∙ Assembly Lines
The history of how assembly lines revolutionized the modern world which can help manufacture anything from a small electronic to a jumbo jet.
S6.E34 ∙ Suez Canal
The history of the Suez Canal in Egypt. Also featured is the history of previous canals through history on the peninsula.
S6.E36 ∙ Combat Training
A look at the equipment and technology that is used by the military to train for war.
S6.E40 ∙ Inventions of War
Out of the death and suffering of combat have come many of the everyday items we take for granted.
S6.E41 ∙ Plumbing: The Arteries of Civilization
Todays theme is Plumbing: The Arteries of Civilization.
S6.E45 ∙ More Engineering Disasters
Rocket engineers pushing the technological envelope expect a crash or two or hundred. But a collapsed roof or burst dam can only be attributed to sloppy engineering.
S6.E46 ∙ Niagara Power
The history of the Niagara Power Plant located near Niagara Falls.
S7.E2 ∙ Commercial Jets
From the ground up...literally, a detailed look into the origins of our modern day air taxi's. From concept to competition these industry defining jets made the world affordable to travel for the masses.
S7.E3 ∙ Apollo 13
A chronicle of the Apollo 13 flight in 1970, which almost ended in disaster when a liquid-oxygen tank ruptured, stranding the crew in space.
S7.E5 ∙ Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel
The 17-mile long Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel connects two cities in Virginia that normally would require a 340 mile round trip. Featured are the history of the Chesapeake Bay and the engineering challenges of constructing a bridge and tunnel across a wild body of water not once but twice.
S7.E6 ∙ Garage Gadgets
A look at garage gadgets, including leaf blowers and lawn mowers.
S7.E9 ∙ Monster Trucks
A history of monster-truck racing with footage of stunts in California, Florida and Indiana and interviews with racers.
S7.E10 ∙ Lighthouses
The history of lighthouses from ancient times to how they keep ships safe in modern times.
S7.E11 ∙ Computers
The development of computers from Charles Babbage's mechanical computers first used in the 1890 U. S. Census, to the computers developed during WW2 to break the German Enigma code. The computers that correctly predicted President Eisenhower's victory in the Presidential election. Transistor computers, integrated circuits and microcomputers used for the space race to the moon. Microprocessors that cut the size and price of computers in the 1970's. To networked computers sharing data and becoming easier to use as better software became available.
S7.E12 ∙ Engineering Disasters 3
The background in the disasters that caused the Leaning Tower of Pisa, a 1961 nuclear accident in Idaho, the U.S. Air Force, Texas Tower radar station and the space disasters of Soyuz 11, the Mars Polar Lander, and Mars Climate Orbiter.
S7.E15 ∙ Codes
Traces the development of codes from hieroglyphs and other ancient efforts to cyberspace and beyond.
S7.E20 ∙ More Gadgets
Everyday household items like transistor radios, lighters, shavers, and flashlights are profiled.
S7.E23 ∙ Cannons
The humble beginnings of cannons from the thirteenth century to its modern applications in tanks and more.
S7.E24 ∙ Nuclear Subs
A look at the high stakes and dangerous world of nuclear submarines, their crews, and the history of the silent war machines.
S7.E26 ∙ West Point
The history of the U.S. Army's academy West Point from foundation through modern times.
S7.E27 ∙ Quarries
The history of how rocks are quarried for every day uses and the history of how Stone Age man began to quarry rocks to form civilization.
S7.E32 ∙ Bunkers
A look at the history of defensive fortification bunkers. Included: Hitler's Berlin bunker, NORAD, and the Greenbriar Hotel bunker in West Virginia built during the Cold War for Congress.
S7.E33 ∙ Cemeteries
More than 2 million people die in the U.S. each year. That works out to about 5,500 burials a day. Take a look at dealing with the dead throughout the centuries - and at today's $20 billion funeral industry.
S7.E34 ∙ Drive-Thru
Hungry and in a hurry? Pick up a meal through the fast food window. Take a look at the technology used to get you a quick meal.
S7.E37 ∙ Glass
The history of glass from BC times through the innovations of glass blowing to create all types of glass. Also featured are colored glass, eye glasses, microscopes, telescopes, mirrors, light bulbs, lighthouses, and Corning's development of fiber optic cable.
S7.E39 ∙ The St. Louis Arch
The history of how the Gateway Arch in St.Louis was made.
S8.E1 ∙ Failed Inventions
Not every invention is a winner. Look at some of history's worst inventions including incompetent military weapons like the nuclear rifle and the Goliath tank. Also featured are the mechanical television, radiated medical products, and the odd looking Dymaxion house and car. Other cars featured where the Chrysler Turbine car and Ford's Nuclear powered car.
S8.E9 ∙ Siege Machines
A look at ancient and middle age technology used to break through fortifications. Includes ladders, trebuchets, torsion machines, battering rams, cannons, tanks, bombs, and misses.
S8.E10 ∙ The Junkyard
A look at the various forms of junk and scrapyards as well as the technology that allows for recycling of old materials.
S8.E13 ∙ The Wheel
The history of the wheel and how it has impacted human life so ubiquitously.
S8.E14 ∙ Ice Breakers
The history of ice breakers and how they keep the lanes of commerce open during the frozen winter and the arctic open for science.
S8.E15 ∙ Fire & Ice: Heating and Air Conditioning
The history of how fire and ice inspired modern man to control the climate indoors. Includes how heating and air conditioning works in a home, a car, and airplanes. Also features clean rooms and air conditioning in space.
S8.E16 ∙ Axes, Swords and Knives
This program begins by tracing the development of cutting edges from obsidian flakes to the the latest high tech ceramic. Then the process of making swords and the design trade offs for their various purposes are examined in detail. Finally, the design and manufacture of axes and knives are contrasted with the more challenging demands of swordsmithing.
S8.E17 ∙ The World's Biggest Machines
They are some of the largest machines on the planet. Go behind the scenes of how the largest front end loaders and excavators are constructed which includes some very large machines. Also featured is the crawler that moved NASA's rockets and space shuttles to the launchpad, a new cruise ship, windmills, and water pumps.
S8.E18 ∙ Drag Racing
The history of drag racing from its humble beginnings to the modern innovations that routinely lead to speeds north of 300 MPH.
S8.E20 ∙ The Manhattan Project
Encouraged by Leo Szilard and galvanized by German success in achieving nuclear fission, the United States embarks on a crash program to build a nuclear bomb. Aided by many Jewish scientists who had fled Nazi Germany the project team successfully constructs three fuel production lines using different technologies and assembles three bombs. One bomb was tested in New Mexico and the others deployed against the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
S8.E22 ∙ Hunting Gear
The gear used by amateur and professional hunters is profiled from various animal calls to weapons such as rifles, shotguns, and knives up through high tech equipment.
S8.E27 ∙ Strategic Air Command
A look at the United States Strategic Air Command since it was formed after World War II through the present. Includes a look inside the Cheyenne Missile Complex and the close calls that almost led to a nuclear war.
S8.E29 ∙ Engines
The history of engines beginning with the steam engine through modern rotary and rocket engines are profiled.
S8.E31 ∙ Jet Engines
The technology of jet engines in commercial and military applications.
S8.E37 ∙ The Chrysler Building
The Chrysler Building in New York City is the subject.
S8.E40 ∙ Muscle Cars
They were loud, fast, and during the 1960's and 1970's they were the most popular cars coming out of Detroit. Muscle cars were an American art form. See the history behind the GTO, to the Challenger, the Cutlass and many more.
S8.E45 ∙ Tunnels of Vietnam
Journey beneath the earth to see why the construction of tunnels remains among the most difficult and dangerous engineering projects man can undertake.
S8.E46 ∙ James Bond Gadgets
This program examines the props that put the wow in James Bond films. They included the cars from Aston Martin, BMW, Lotus and Rolls Royce, the autogyro "Little Nellie", the Q boat and the incredibly popular rocket belt. Then visit a shop where the man on the street can buy the latest counter-espionage devices.
S9.E1 ∙ Trans-Siberian Railroad
Ride the longest railroad on earth to follow its treacherous course across a continent and a century.
S9.E2 ∙ Castles and Dungeons
A look into the past from the highest towers to the deepest dungeons.
S9.E4 ∙ Booby Traps
All it takes to set off a booby trap is an unsuspecting victim and a harmless-looking object. Explore their history, from the ancient Egyptians, Chinese, Greeks, and Romans to the modern War on Terror.
S9.E5 ∙ Alcan Highway
The history of the Alaska-Canadian (Alcan) Highway is recalled. The 1,522-mile roadway was built in 1942, in only 8 months, by American soldiers.
S9.E6 ∙ Twin Towers of the East
Thrill to the incredible story of man's never-ending quest to reach higher into the sky, and see how these technological masterpieces are constructed.
S9.E7 ∙ Mackinac Bridge
The story of the Mackinac Bridge which connected Michigan's two halves.
S9.E8 ∙ Bullet Trains
Bullet trains are the fastest, safest, and most technologically advanced trains on the planet. This episode features their history, development, milestones, and promising future From all around the world.
S9.E10 ∙ Army Corps of Engineers
The history of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and their ambitious projects that helped shaped the nation and the world.
S9.E12 ∙ Titanic Tech
From the great ships of the White Star Line to modern cruise liners, these incredible vessels have always been at the frontier of engineering.
S9.E13 ∙ Coal Mines
Coal is the fuel that is responsible for more than half the electricity we use on a daily basis. "Modern Marvels: Coal Mines" traces the amazing technological advances that have led to today's extremely efficient methods of mining this resource from the earth. We first go underground with the miners in a shaft mine in West Virginia to witness a huge machine rip apart a wall of coal as one miner maneuvers the machine with a remote control. In another mine in Pennsylvania, we see the most advanced method of underground coal mining at work -- longwall mining. A massive machine extracts an entire wall of coal in just seconds. Then we travel back in time to explore ancient coal mining techniques when laborers used primitive tools to pick at the coal wherever they could find it. The coal was used to warm their homes and to bake their pottery. By the 13th Century, coal started to slowly replace wood as the main source of fuel as the European forests begin to dwindle. In the next several hundred years, mining methods slowly evolved in an attempt to keep up with the growing demand for coal. First, the simplistic bell pit method was developed in which miners dug shallow narrow shafts straight down and carried the coal out. Then tunnels started to appear as miners developed drift mining. By the 1800's, as the miners started to dig deeper, disasters occurred. Roof cave-ins and methane gas explosions killed thousands of miners. Eventually, new methods were developed to help prevent these ...
S9.E15 ∙ Ball Turret Gunners
An examination of the most hazardous position in the World War II B-17 and B-24 bomber planes.
S9.E19 ∙ Tank Crews
Problems experienced by the American-built Sherman tank during World War 2.
S9.E20 ∙ Harley-Davidson
From humble beginnings in the Davidson family garage to one of the world's most famous companies and a marketing juggernaut, Harley-Davidson is known for one thing American built motorcycles. This program explores the company's history, technological advances, and the culture behind a American original.
S9.E21 ∙ Torture Devices
For more than 3,000 years, emperors, dictators, police, criminals, and even clerics have created a vast array of torture devices. A medical doctor reveals how the human body responds to their use.
S9.E22 ∙ Exterminator
With chemicals, traps and an ever-growing understanding of the threat, man strives to hold pests at bay.
S9.E24 ∙ Dangerous Cargo
Go behind the scenes to see how hazardous materials are safely transported from coast to coast. These include a cross country truck ride carrying explosives, railway tanker cars, radioactive waste, and prisoner transports.
S9.E25 ∙ Gunslingers
During America's western expansion, a new breed of man arose--the gunslinger. Sometimes he wore a badge, sometimes he was an outlaw.
S9.E26 ∙ Engineering Disasters 4
More of history's greatest engineering disasters including Soviet space casualties, the Ford Pinto, the Comet airliner, and a hotel fire.
S9.E30 ∙ Breaking the Sound Barrier
A look at story leading up and past America's pursuit to break the sound barrier.
S9.E34 ∙ Loading Docks
A look how goods are loaded and unloaded from ships, trucks, and other vehicles. Also featured a look at the tools of the trade such as forklifts.
S9.E37 ∙ Military Movers
From Civil War locomotives to the C-17, examine the machines that bring men and munitions into battle.
S9.E38 ∙ Police Guns
The history of the weapons used by police forces from around the world since their creation.
S9.E39 ∙ Terror Tech: Defending the Highrise
Different technologies used to defend tall buildings from terrorist attacks.
S9.E40 ∙ Bullets
The history of bullets from round metal balls in the 13th century up to modern times.
S9.E41 ∙ Aircraft Carrier
A look at the modest roots of the aircraft carrier to its current function as the largest and most technologically advanced warship on the seas today.
S9.E45 ∙ Overseas Highway
The history of the creation, completion, and the maintenance behind the Overseas Highway; which connects the Florida Keys and the mainland.
S9.E46 ∙ Terror Tech: Civilian
Technology used to keep families and their homes safe from terrors it attaches are the focus.
S9.E47 ∙ Machu Picchu
The engineering marvel Machu Picchu sits perched on a ridge in the Peruvian Andes. Originally built by the Incas, this magnificent structure remains a mystery. Was it an observatory? Pleasure retreat? Fortress?
S9.E49 ∙ Lake Pontchartrain Causeway
The story of the Longest bridge isn't he world, the Lake Pontchatrain Causeway in Louisiana.
S9.E51 ∙ High Tech Sex
Enjoy an explicit exploration of the aphrodisiacs, drugs, contraceptives, toys, and cyber-tech innovations that have ushered in a brave new world of modern sexuality.
S10.E3 ∙ Pacific Coast Highway
The history of the Pacific Coast Highway, which runs from California to Washington, includes comments by historians and engineers; and examines the technology that maintains the road through floods, earthquakes and landslides.
S10.E6 ∙ Oil Fire Fighting
Oil-fire fighters, their history and the technology they employ are examined.
S10.E7 ∙ Command Central
Located in the heart of the Middle East, 'Centcom' in Doha, Qatar represents everything a modern military command post can be with the most sophisticated information systems available-from video-conferencing to real-time frontline satellite communication.
S10.E9 ∙ Nature's Engineers
A look at nature's greatest animal builders and the structures they create including beavers, ants, spiders, and birds.
S10.E10 ∙ Bible Tech
Bible Tech features the technology used by some Faith's greatest heroes. Featured are the Tower of Babel, Noah's Arc, Herod's Temple, and the methods used by the ancient civilizations in creating buildings, weapons, and other necessities.
S10.E11 ∙ The Power Grid
A look at the national U.S. power grid and the technology that keeps power running across the country.
S10.E13 ∙ Engineering Disasters 6
A look at some of history's most notorious engineering failures. Included are the USMC's Harrier Attack jet, the Piper Alpha North Sea oil platform fire, the collapse of the Pleasants Power Station cooling tower in West Virginia, and the derailment of high speed train in Germany. Also include is a look at the various close calls that almost led to nuclear war.
S10.E14 ∙ The F-18 Hornet
One aircraft in the US arsenal best typifies the will to win. Using the latest and most sophisticated computerized technology, the F-18 Hornet is now one of the foremost fighters of the 21st Century.
S10.E18 ∙ A-10 Tankbuster
Nicknamed the 'Warthog', the A-10 Tankbuster is one of the U.S. military's most prolific air support fighters. Focuses on its design, production, and life saving record on the battlefield.
S10.E22 ∙ Robots
The history of robots. From robot arm, to humanoid looking robots, through the advances in technology.
S10.E23 ∙ Nuclear Technology
Nuclear research ranges from well-known applications, such as bombs and reactors, to little-known uses in medicine, food preparation, and radiation detection. It's also spawned ancillary technologies to store nuclear waste and clean up accidents. Despite the risk of use and abuse for destructive purposes, many scientists remain optimistic about what's next for the atom. In an explosive hour, we explore the atom in war and peace, and the latest in nuclear power generation, safety, and security.
S10.E25 ∙ Apollo 11
The historic 1969 flight of Apollo 11 is examined. Included: comments by astronauts, Mission Control personnel, engineers and designers.
S10.E26 ∙ World War I Tech
The technological advances pioneered during 'The Great War' are profiled.
S10.E28 ∙ Engineering Disasters 7
Featured disasters include the Northridge Earthquake of 1994, the Baldwin Hills Dam collapses, the Electra airliner, the Sunshine Skyway Bridge collapse, and the underground mine fire burning in Centralia, PA.
S10.E29 ∙ Extreme Aircraft
The history behind the most extraordinary planes ever built. They include the experimental X-Series planes, such as the X-1 , X-15, X-31, and the X-43. Also features supersonic stealth planes like the U-2, B-2, F-22, and the SR-71 Blackbird.
S10.E33 ∙ Building a Skyscraper: The Arteries
Learn how development of electricity and indoor plumbing made skyscrapers possible as the veins and arteries of the California Department of Transportation headquarters in LA are installed.
S10.E34 ∙ Building a Skyscraper: The Human Environment
In hour three of a crash course on mega-skyscraper construction, take a closer look at the human element involved in the development of systems like air conditioning and pressurized elevators.
S10.E35 ∙ The Sears Tower
At one point, the Sears Tower in Chicago was the tallest building in the world. While it has since been surpassed it is still a technological marvel that pioneered engineering techniques and changed how companies do business.
S10.E36 ∙ Police Pursuit
The history of police pursuits and the modern equipment used by the police to apprehend criminals.
S10.E40 ∙ Engineering Disasters 8
Explosions of AP (a component in rocket fuel) at a PepCom AP plant in Henderson, Nevada. A section of the Mianus River bridge, a pin-and-hanger-bridge on Interstate 95 in Connecticut, collapsed dropping 4 vehicles into the river below. Ocean Ranger semi-submersible oil rig capsizes and sinks off the coast of Newfoundland killing all aboard. 1889 Johnstown Flood, killed 2,209 people, wiped the town off the map and was the worst 19th Century disaster in American history. Golfer Payne Stewart's private jet goes down for reasons still unknown.
S10.E41 ∙ Harvesting: Part 1
Whatever the crop, there's a custom machine to harvest it. From the debut of the sickle in ancient Egypt to McCormick's famous Reaper to the field of ergonomics, we'll dig into the past and future of the harvest.
S10.E42 ∙ Engineering Disasters 9
Deadliest grain elevator explosion in the US caused by dust. A portion of the Schoharie Creek Bridge collapses with trucks & cars plunging into the river, due to erosion of the foundation by the river. The freighter Bright Field looses power heading into its New Orleans' port on the Mississippi River and crashes into the Riverwalk wharf. British R-101 airship disaster in 1930, resulted in 48 deaths and the ending of the British airship program. Sports arena roof failures. 1979 Rosemount Horizon arena's roof collapses during construction due to the construction crew failing to install all of the components.
S10.E43 ∙ Engineering Disasters 10
Disiasters discussed: Hutchinson, KS gas explosions, Tanker, Puerto Rican, explosion, Tropicana Casino garage collapse, the White Sea Canal project and the Bhopal chemical plant disaster.
S10.E44 ∙ Presidential Movers
A look behind the airplanes, trains, cars, and helicopters used by the U.S. Government to safely move the President of the United States.
S10.E46 ∙ Engineering Disasters 11
Disasters profiled are a liquid natural gas explosion in Cleveland, the collapse of the Kansas City Hyatt walkway, flooding of the Yangtze River in 1931, as well as sinkholes caused by sewer collapses in San Francisco and Atlanta. Also features the impacts of asbestos on the modern world.
S10.E48 ∙ Engineering Disasters 12
Featured disasters and mishaps include the malfunctioning baggage carousel at the Denver International Airport, the Texas A&M bonfire, the M-4 Sherman tank, the 1993 Milwaukee Water Treatment disaster, and the collapse of the Skyline Plaza.
S10.E50 ∙ Engineering Disasters 13
Engineering disasters profiled in this episode include flaws in the Patriot Missle system, the Cocoanut Grove night club fire, a failed building demolition, the collapse of World Trade Center Building 7, and a toxic waste dump in Love Canal, NY.
S11.E2 ∙ Car Tech of the Future
A look at the future of transportation, including Hydrogen power, advanced electronics and new building materials. The program recounts the road to now, and look ahead at how the automobile will change in the future.
S11.E3 ∙ The Arch
The Arch is a civilization game changer. Explore the ways in which this humble architecture technique has changed the world around us.
S11.E5 ∙ World's Biggest Machines 3
Travel over land and sea to find more of the biggest, baddest, most audacious feats of engineering in the world.
S11.E6 ∙ The Butcher
The history of how man has prepared meat since prehistoric time. Modern tools of the trade and procedures such as knives, the band saw, sanitation, and dry aged beef are profiled. The butchers (past and present) themselves and the way that meat is processed commercially are also featured.
S11.E7 ∙ George Washington Carver Tech
A look at the many inventions and the technology derived from them of George Washington Carver.
S11.E8 ∙ Desert Tech
The technology that makes desert living possible is featured including water desalination, air conditioning, survival gear, and solar power. Search and rescue parties are also featured.
S11.E9 ∙ Sub Zero Tech
See how survival suits, snowmobiles and icebreakers have helped man conquer the earth's most chilling places. The human stories behind the inventions and technologies that shape our world. Travel to the South Pole and see how NASA protects astronauts. MODERN MARVELS is the standard bearer for engineering entertainment.Come in from the cold as MODERN MARVELS® explores some of Earth's most frigid places. The advance of technology has expanded our boundaries from the North and South Poles and the depths beneath the Arctic sea ice to the Moon and beyond. Guided by a special breed of experts, SUB ZERO TECH enters these forbidding places to inspect the new U.S. South Pole Station, try on the latest Polartec fashions, ride on the newest snowmobiles and Sno-Cats, sail through glacial waters on ice-breaking ships, and fly on an LC-130 transport plane. See how Antarctic fish might hold clues to more successful organ transplants, and learn how NASA protects its astronauts from the frigid expanse of space. MODERN MARVELS® bundles up for the definitive look at all things frigid.
S11.E11 ∙ Howard Hughes Tech
A look into how the inventions of Howard Hughes and his companies changed the world.
S11.E12 ∙ Edwards Air Force Base
A look at the pioneering aviation history of Edwards Air Force Base in Calofornia and the accomplishments it has produced.
S11.E13 ∙ Taxidermy
The history of taxidermy includes a look at the use of humans as subjects.
S11.E15 ∙ Deadliest Weapons
History's greatest killing machines including the machine gun, thermonuclear bombs, VX nerve gas, the proximity fuse, and incendiary bombs are profiled. Also featured the Tsar Bomba, the largest nuclear detonation in history.
S11.E16 ∙ The Doomsday Clock
The story behind the "doomsday clock" of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.
S11.E27 ∙ The Cape Cod Canal
In a battle against the ferocious Atlantic or safe passage through waters where ships wrecked and lives were lost, it was an engineering feat that many believed impossible. See more in Season 11, Episode 27, "The Cape Cod Canal."
S11.E28 ∙ Private Collections
Looks into the lives of Private collectors and their toys
S11.E29 ∙ Future Tech
A paper-thin, wall-sized holographic television...a car that runs on processed seawater...an army of robotic killing machines...outer-space luxury resorts and a cleaning droid controlled by your mind? Join us on a rollicking ride through the entertainment room, down the road, over the battlefield, through the mind, out in space, and into the future, where science fiction becomes science fact.
S11.E37 ∙ World's Biggest Machines 4
An enormous hydraulic machine press that stamps out a pickup truck's doors in seconds... Rock crushers that pulverize 8000 tons of solid granite per hour... Giant "chain trenchers" that dig a 35-foot ditch out of solid rock... A harvesting combine that cuts, threshes and offloads 3.3 bushels of grain-- per second... and the world's largest optical telescope, the magnificent Keck Observatory, which gazes out into the ends of the universe from nearly 14,000 feet atop the island of Hawaii. Sometimes you've gotta think big.
S11.E38 ∙ Dredging
The history of dredging and its modern applications in maintaining and deepening our ports.
S11.E41 ∙ Route 66
Known as 'the mother road' Route 66 pioneered many of today's methods in road construction and safety before being decommissioned. See how historians and enthusiasts are trying to save this piece of history.
S11.E44 ∙ High Risk: Helicopter Linemen
One of the most dangerous jobs in the world, electrical lineman who do there work hundreds of feet in the air from helicopters are profiled.
S11.E45 ∙ Wiring America
A look at the equipment that was used in the past, present, and future to keep America connected. Includes profiles of linemen (both traditional and high voltage), the creation of electrical poles, and copper wires. Also featured is history of the telegraph, the telephone, power cables and the power grid.
S11.E47 ∙ Coffee
Trace the origins of this tasty drink from over 1,000 years ago. Discover how billions of coffee beans make their journey from farms and plantations to cups all over the world. Detail the production of decaf, instant coffees, and more.
S11.E48 ∙ Sugar
This program describes the production of sugar from sugarcane, sugar beets and corn and how it is processed into a number of different products. But the real story is the enormous impact that sugar has had on the world economy, trade and politics over the past 300 years.
S11.E51 ∙ The Auto Store
Learn about the USA auto parts industry, from the history of The Pep Boys to today's Auto Zone. See footage of Model A Fords. Go into classic Hot Rod shops. Get the scoop on the testing of brakes, batteries, headlights and wipers.
S11.E53 ∙ Engineering Disasters 17
Engineering disasters featured include a plane crash in 1931, a Marine Electric coal ship, and the Walt Disney Concert Hall.
S11.E54 ∙ Brewing
Modern Marvels: Brewing, a one-hour History Channel documentary, traces the technological evolution of brewing, from the highly sophisticated beer cultures of Sumeria and Egypt, through the centuries of improvements made by medieval monks and witches, to the technological revolution of the 19th Century German-American "beer barons." Milestones range from the 14th Century discovery of lager yeasts, to the recent resurgence of ale in brewpubs around the world. Locations range from Munich's idyllic Augustiner beer garden to St. Louis' gigantic Anheuser-Busch brewery. Along the way, the show stops to celebrate the significant influence beer has wielded throughout history.
S11.E57 ∙ Custom Cars
The history of custom car culture including hot rods and tuners.
S11.E59 ∙ More Snackfood Tech
More of our favorite snack foods are profiled. They include dog hunts, soft drinks, and jerky among others.
S11.E60 ∙ Walt Disney World
Journey underground and backstage at the technological marvel that is Walt Disney World. Enter a make-believe world spanning some 27,000 acres, brought to life by cutting-edge technology. What was once Florida swampland now boasts the world's largest theme park. The ride technology ranges from space-age centrifuges to enhanced motion vehicles powered by 3,000 PSI of hydraulic pressure.
S12.E3 ∙ Machines of D-Day
In June 1944, the greatest machine of World War Two springs into action, made up of thousands of ships and aircraft, tens of thousands of men, and millions of tons of steel and concrete. This is Operation Overlord.
S12.E8 ∙ Cowboy Tech
A look at how the tools of the cowboy trade came to be and how they are made from past to the present. Among the inventions featured are ropes, saddles, horseshoes, branding technology, guns, Also featured are modern innovations like the use cell phones, ATVs, airplanes, and helicopters. Rodeos are also featured.
S12.E10 ∙ Lube Job
The history, development, and current technologies in car maintenance.
S12.E15 ∙ Cereal: History in a Bowl
The history of one of the worlds most popular breakfast foods: cereal including its humble beginnings to its modern plethora of variety.
S12.E44 ∙ Civil War Tech
A look at the first modern war, the American Civil War and how technology pioneered in the 1860s has helped shaped modern warfare.
S12.E51 ∙ World's Longest Bridge
To stimulate inter-island commerce Japan has an extensive bridge program to provide safer, more reliable transit across the treacherous waters served by ferries. The Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge is the longest. This program chronicles the construction of the bridge and explains its unique design aspects including; prefabrication, type of concrete, construction techniques and the design of the anchors and main cables.
S12.E52 ∙ Secrets of the Acropolis
Recent archaeology, using regular and modern technology, sheds new light on the Acropolis, the 'citadel' crowning jewel of Ancient Athens, and especially its best-known site, the patron goddess's Parthenon ('virgin') temple. It's actually built over the remnants if older temple site, dwarfing its 'shabby' predecessor. It required staggering costs and efforts, with ingenuity, just getting the marble up from a 'nearby' quarry required an impressive ramp and pulley system. In earthquake-sensitive Greece, that it survived tremors unlike most younger buildings is testimony to a luck-safer geological position but also largely thanks to the use of no mortar, just indestructible metal clamps. It was of blinding exuberance, brightly painted in colorful patterns and elaborate mythical scene decoration fixated with bees wax and resin, with a huge statue of over a ton of gold and masses of ivory. The research is used to rely on or match original techniques now restoration is needed after over 2500 years of exposure to fire, pillaging, religious reuse, hits by canon balls, powder explosion and erosion -mostly by modern pollution- plus the results of poor restoration with inept materials .
S12.E53 ∙ Forensic Science: The Crimefighter's Weapon
From fingerprints and ballistics to profiling and DNA evidence, see how technology has transformed the art of crime-solving.
S12.E55 ∙ The M-16
A look at the M-16 assault rifle, including design stages and its use in the Vietnam War.
S12.E56 ∙ Las Vegas
Rising from a stretch of desert with nothing but remoteness to recommend it, Vegas became a glittering wonderland for dreamers. Modern Marvels takes a look at the forces that made Las Vegas a place unlike any on earth.
S12.E57 ∙ Oakland Bay Bridge
Trace the history of the Bay icon from Gold Rush era dreams to the 21st century.
S12.E58 ∙ Battlefield Engineering
The history of military's unsung heros, the battlefield engineers.
S12.E59 ∙ Transatlantic Cable
Cyrus West Field pursues his vision of an instant, reliable transcontinental mode of communication in the mid-1800s.
S12.E63 ∙ High Explosives
Since the creation of black powder in China centuries ago, explosives have been decisive on the battlefield. Follow their incendiary story from ancient times right up to today's plastic demolitions.
S12.E67 ∙ Space Shuttle
Considered by many to be the most astounding machine ever built, this reusable spaceship is the apex of flight technology. Explore the issues that led to NASA's decision to create an "airplane" to navigate space.
S12.E70 ∙ Statue of Liberty
It started as an idea at a French dinner party and became the very symbol of the free world. The story of France's gift to the US reveals a 20-year struggle to design and build the world's largest monument--using paper-thin copper sheets.
S12.E71 ∙ More Earthmovers
Ride on specialized behemoth dump trucks and delve below sea level to view dredging equipment.
S12.E74 ∙ Panama Canal
Chronicles one of the most incredible engineering feats of all time--the construction of the 51-mile canal that took 10 years to build and employed over 40,000 workers--6,000 of whom died of yellow fever, malaria, and other horrors.
S13.E4 ∙ Cola Wars
The story behind the intense cola war between Coca-Cola and Pepsi in their quest to dominate the soft drink market.
S13.E5 ∙ Containers
The history of containers and how they store and move our everyday goods.
S13.E6 ∙ Cotton
Modern Marvels: Cotton takes us on a journey from the California cotton fields to the textile mills of North Carolina, the cotton oil mills of Arkansas, and back to the garment factories of Los Angeles. The show focuses on the great technological developments in cotton's history, including: the cotton gin, spindle picker, cotton module builder, power loom, the evolution of yarn spinning technology... and of course the ingenious method that finally licked the boll weevil. Along the way, we'll survey cotton's remarkable knack for weaving itself into history... including the Industrial Revolution and the Civil War.
S13.E7 ∙ Engineering Disasters 18
Engineering disasters highlighted include a coal mine in China, a crane collapse in Milwaukee, ground water contaminated with gasoline additives, and the hazards of radiation. Also profiled are the environmental disasters that plagued the Salton Sea in California and the Aral Sea in Asia.
S13.E8 ∙ Candy
This program explains how some of the more popular candies are made starting with the raw ingredients through the production process. It all starts with chocolate then move on to red hots, jelly beans, salt water taffy licorice and some special candies just for adults.
S13.E11 ∙ Engineering Disasters 19
The background into the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald, two Boeing 737 crashes, a nuclear disaster near Los Angeles, and an oil storage facility.
S13.E13 ∙ Hi-Tech Hitler
Germany is portrayed as a nation leading the world in science and technology prior to World War Two. But it squandered this wealth of knowledge, which should have enabled it to win the war, because the high command was selective about those advances they would favor. Examples are provided of technologies that languished under Nazism but exploded into new industries when they reached other countries after the war.
S13.E16 ∙ '80s Tech
Technology from the 1980s is remembered, including early cell phones and CD players; the Sony Walkman; and personal computers. Also: comments by Apple cofounder Steve Wozniak; and a tour of the Computer History Museum in California.
S13.E18 ∙ Heavy Metals
Some metals are so critical to the US economy the the Federal Government retains a strategic stock pile of them. This program describes how these metals are produced and what they are used for that make them so valuable: copper, iron, lead, nickel, uranium and zinc.
S13.E19 ∙ Horsepower
Everything related to horsepower beginning with the definition of what exactly horsepower is and how it is measured. Profiled are some of the fastest, largest, most dangerous, and most powerful engines ever made.
S13.E20 ∙ BBQ Tech
The history of grilling and barbecue to present day. Features how charcoal, wood pellets, and sauces are made to combine with the meat to make a delicious meal anywhere from cook offs to the backyard.
S13.E21 ∙ Pirate Tech
Pirate technology is examined. Included: navigational instruments; ship modifications to improve speed; and weapons. Also: a visit to maritime museums and shipwreck sites.
S13.E22 ∙ World's Biggest Machines 5
The world's largest engineering feats are explored. Included: NASA's wind tunnel and flight simulator at the Ames Research Center in California; a continuous mining machine in Pennsylvania; the London Eye observation wheel in England. Also: the Claas Cougar lawn mower; and IMAX technology.
S13.E24 ∙ Batteries
Batteries. Mixtures of metals and caustic chemicals that make our tech, tools and toys surge with energy.
S13.E27 ∙ Water
Water is examined as a natural wonder and as the substance that sustains life. Also studied is the technology it supports and which supports it. Included: irrigation systems; fountains; and the bottled-water industry.
S13.E28 ∙ Copper
The history and the many uses of copper including how it helped create the Bronze Age and how it's mined. Among the many uses for the red metal explored are its corrosion resistant properties on sea going vessels, it's decorative appeal, and it's antimicrobial properties. Also featured are copper bells, roofs, electronics, pipes, and wires.
S13.E29 ∙ Renewable Energy
Global problems require global solutions. Modern Marvels: Renewable Energy, a one-hour History Channel documentary, shows how the combined forces of wind, solar, geothermal, biomass, wave and tidal power are ready to move the world beyond oil, coal and other 19th Century technologies.
S13.E30 ∙ Freight Trains
The story behind the development and the modern innovations of freight trains.
S13.E31 ∙ Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway
The system of rivers, bays, and sounds that form the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway in the United States is profiled from the colonial period to the present.
S13.E33 ∙ Stealth and Beyond: Air Stealth
They are the swarthy eagles of the sky: Past, present, and future advances in stealth military aircraft.
S13.E35 ∙ Distilleries 2
A history of distilleries and the process of distilling alcohol. Included: a visit to the Christian Brothers winery in California; and, in France, the Courvoisier cognac company and an absinthe distillery. Also: comments by Anthony Dias Blue from Bon Appetit magazine.
S13.E36 ∙ World's Strongest
Some of the world's strongest machines featured include tractor pull sleds and tugboats. Also profiled are the world's strongest rope and plastic, spider silk, and the many uses of diamonds.
S13.E37 ∙ Tomcat Sunset
Explore the legacy of the F-14 fighter jet, one of America's greatest aerial weapons ever built.
S13.E38 ∙ Tobacco
The history of tobacco since colonial times when the plant was first farmed in the New World to the modern times. Also features a look at heath effects of various tobacco products and anti-tobacco campaigns.
S13.E39 ∙ The Supermarket
The history of supermarkets and a behind the scenes look at how they operate.
S13.E40 ∙ Breakfast Tech
Wether it's bacon, eggs, and toast, oatmeal, a breakfast sandwich or cold cereal; it's the most important meal of the day. Sit back with glass of orange juice and see how your breakfast is made. Also, see how sailors aboard the aircraft carrier U.S.S. John C. Stennis have breakfast in the middle of the ocean.
S13.E41 ∙ Wine
A look at the millennia plus long fascination of wine from its beginnings in ancient civilizations to the modern equipment and processes used to cultivate and process the various types of wine.
S13.E42 ∙ Harvesting 2
In America's orchards and farm fields, the constant struggle between hand labor and mechanization has produced dozens of efficient and sometimes bizarre harvesting methods. Learn the secrets of the orchard manager and his ladder crew as they check fruit pressures and barometric readings. Visit California's largest fruit packing house and try to keep up with 10-fruit-per-second conveyors. Then off to the corn fields of Nebraska and the cranberry marshes of central Wisconsin. Finally go underground to the world's largest mushroom farm where the harvest takes place in limestone caverns that run some 150 miles. From fruit tree picking platforms to cranberry beaters and corn pickers, farmers constantly strive to speed the harvest.
S13.E43 ∙ Engineering Disasters 20
The story behind BP's Texas City oil refinery explosion in 2005, the 2001 crash of an American Airlines flight, and the Skylab space station.
S13.E44 ∙ Snow
The story of snow including how it is formed and the human inventions that help us live with the white stuff.
S13.E45 ∙ Tea
An hour steeped in the history of tea includes a visit to the Lipton Tea plant in Suffolk, Va., the Charleston Tea Plantation in South Carolina and the Celestial Seasonings plant in Boulder, Colo.; a chronicle of the events that led to the Boston Tea Party; and a segment on gourmet teas.
S13.E46 ∙ Christmas Tech
The story behind our modern Christmas traditions including how Christmas trees are grown and harvested as well as how Christmas lights and ornaments are made. Also featured are holiday store window displays at Macy's, the Rockefeller Christmas tree, and fruit cakes.
S14.E1 ∙ Balls
Examining the evolution and technology of balls used in sports. Included: a tour of the Wilson Football Factory in Ohio; the Rawlings baseball factory in Costa Rica; the National Soccer Hall of Fame in Oneonta, N.Y.; and the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y. Also: a segment on the ancient Mesoamerican ball game, juego de pelota.
S14.E2 ∙ Environmental Tech
Modern Marvels: Environmental Tech takes us from the prairies of Saskatchewan to a Manhattan skyscraper as we explore the 21st Century's cutting-edge "green" technologies in action. The documentary looks at how human ingenuity takes on our most daunting environmental crises, from global warming and deforestation to resource scarcity and nuclear waste. Technological solutions include: carbon sequestration; converting carbon dioxide to algae-based biofuels; "green" building techniques and materials; using bioremediation to neutralize deadly uranium waste; creative recycling of industrial waste into useful materials; and reviving river ecosystems as a means of controlling catastrophic floods.
S14.E3 ∙ Canning
It's the unsung essential of modern life. Canning is the method of a preserving and packaging food, without which civilization would never have ventured beyond the local food supply. It changed the way the world eats and revolutionized the food industry.
S14.E5 ∙ More Ice
More of the eats Ice impacts our everyday life including weather phenomena like ice storms caused by freezing rain and hail. Also featured are ice rinks, bobsled tracks, ice factories and ice sculptures.
S14.E7 ∙ Weapons of Mass Destruction
Weapons of mass destruction, from the nuclear to the biological, are examined. Included: a computer-generated depiction of a dirty-bomb attack in Seattle. Also: how scientists identify biological agents; and suicide bombing-prevention strategies.
S14.E8 ∙ Barbarian Battle Tech
It's clear from the bow that nearly brought down Rome, the suspension system that revolutionized the chariot, and the axe that named a country that barbarians and technology aren't such a contradiction after all.
S14.E9 ∙ Dams
One of man's greatest accomplishments: dams, are explored. The history of dams from construction to demolition as well as their impact on the environment. Construction of embankment dams and larger Hydroelectric dams such as Three Gorges, Hoover, and Grand Coulee are explored. Also featured are the positive impact beavers and their dams have on nature and the havoc man made dams wreak if one collapses.
S14.E10 ∙ Yard Tech
The technology used to keep your lawn green including the lawnmower (mechanical and gas powered), riding movers, sod, astro turf, and sprinklers. Also included the state of the art grass used in the University of Phoenix Stadium in Arizona, how a company moves big trees, and the science of different types of grasses.
S14.E11 ∙ More Military Movers
Soldiers, machines, and supplies are only effective if they arrive at the battlefield in time. Explore the history and the technology behind the machines that do the heavy moving in times of war.
S14.E13 ∙ Welding
Since its discovery in the 19th Century, modern welding has allowed us to `dream big.' Whether via electricity, flammable gases, sonic waves, or sometimes just raw explosive power, welding creates powerful bonds between metal unmatched by any other joining process.
S14.E14 ∙ It Came from Outer Space
What do remote controlled robots, polarized glasses, Tempurpedic mattresses and metallized blankets have in common? They are all civilian inventions among the thousands derived from technologies used in space exploration.
S14.E15 ∙ 60's Tech
A look at the technology behind some of the 1960s greatest inventions and fads. Prominently featured are color television, transistor radios, satellite broadcasting, touch-tone phones, lava lamps, the Ford Mustang, and toys like Etch-a-Sketch and the Super Ball.
S14.E16 ∙ World's Strongest 2
What does it take to rate as "the world's strongest"? You'll find out on this episode of Modern Marvels. We'll be in the line of fire with life-saving boron carbide body armor, strong enough to stop high caliber rifle bullets at close range. We'll go airborne with MegaFly, a giant ram air parachute with the strength to deliver record-shattering payloads with pinpoint accuracy.
S14.E17 ∙ Engineering Disasters of the 70's
To err is human, but when the error results in the loss of life, it's a disaster. Learn about the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald, the Buffalo Creek Dam disaster, and the explosion of a tanker in Los Angeles harbor.
S14.E18 ∙ Truck Stops
Dotting the Interstates, they're overlooked by some and longed for by others. They're truck stops, and today they're bigger and better than ever. Modern Marvels: Truck Stops explores how these mega pit stops have catered to heavy haulers since the Mom and Pop stops of the 1920s all the way to todays high-tech travel centers. Step into the shoes of a trucker at the worlds largest truck stop; fuel up, chow down, grab a spritz, catch a flick, and even stop by the dentist. It's a city unto itself. Get a tour of the truckers' lavish rolling living quarters, and see how they power up their rigs with a high tech parking lot hookup called IdleAire - complete with heat, air conditioning, a telephone line, a computer with high speed Internet, and of course satellite TV. See how 30,000 gallon underground diesel storage tanks are manufactured. And look at the technology used to weigh and inspect a truck while it barely slows down. In an interview with Willie Nelson, the show explores one of the most unique truck stops in the United States and the revolutionary fuel it sells: biodiesel. So buckle up and hop aboard our truckin' convoy as Modern Marvels explores the world of truck stops.
S14.E19 ∙ Fertilizer
Humans flush it, cows dump it, and two million ton machines scoop it from the ground. Without it one third of us would starve. Modern Marvels: Fertilizer tours the places that harness the vital nutrients that enrich the soil...that grow the crops...that feed us.
S14.E20 ∙ Cheese
From the giant cheese factories of Wisconsin to the goat farms of Northern California, Modern Marvels: Cheese reveals how this amazing commodity (whether sliced from a pungent, moldy block, or sprayed from a can) is made.
S14.E21 ∙ Saws
They have the sharpest teeth known to man, but only bite on command. They brought down the forests and built up the pyramids. Some have used them to torture, others to cure. They're a cut above for construction, salvage, demolition - and they even make music.
S14.E22 ∙ Aluminum
At one time, it was more valuable than gold, but now it helps define modern life. In Modern Marvels: Aluminum we'll stretch it, pound it, melt it, and even make a foam from it. We'll see how aluminum is made from a powder and molted into massive 30,000 pounds ingots.
S14.E23 ∙ Sticky Stuff
A look at everyday stuff that is sticky including VHB tape, velcro, stealth rubber, cling wrap, and asphalt.
S14.E24 ∙ Chocolate
It's America's favorite flavor. We eat over three and a half billion pounds of it each year. It satiated the ancients and built modern-day empires. From the equatorial fields, to the factories of moguls, and the kitchens of artisans.
S14.E26 ∙ Vacuums
Think vacuums are just for sweeping floors? Think again. On this episode of Modern Marvels we'll see giant-sized vacuums that clean up after disasters like 9-11 and Hurricane Katrina. Beneath the blue Hawaiian sea we'll meet The Super Sucker, an underwater vacuum that saves coral reefs by suctioning up invasive alien algae.
S14.E27 ∙ Traps
They're designed to capture...and often kill. But they don't always harm their prey; traps are often necessary to the survival of a species. Modern Marvels: Traps is the exploration of a device as old as humanity itself. We'll trap 400 lbs. Black Bears with West Virginia Division of Natural Resources biologists.
S14.E30 ∙ Extreme Aircraft II
More extreme aircraft are profiled. Among them the F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter, the B-1B Lancer (a supersonic bomber), the DC-10 Super Tanker, drones, and personal aircraft vehicles.
S14.E31 ∙ Deep Freeze
Forget everything you thought you knew about the cold because Modern Marvels: Deep Freeze takes the technology of cold to the extreme. Think your home freezer is "cool"? How about a 12-story ice box filled with 135 million pounds of ice cream? Take a tour of arctic vaults that store billions of seeds and learn how scientists have mastered temperatures of minus 100 degrees Fahrenheit... and below. See how engineers turn the gases we breathe into ultra cool liquids and blistering cold solids. Explore how the cold not only preserves and chills, but shatters rubber tires, creates super-sized energy and fuels the rockets that have taken us into the deep freeze of outer space. And just when you think it can't get any colder, go inside Alcor where researchers keep cadavers chilled to the bone in hopes of future revival. It's time to chill out on Modern Marvels: Deep Freeze.
S14.E32 ∙ Acid
It feeds on metal, dissolves skin and bone, and packs a punch in nearly every military explosive. It's perhaps the most dangerous substance known to man. Yet it's the most widely produced chemical in the world. Modern Marvels: Acid gets a rare peak at how the military harnesses acid to make the explosive `Comp B-4'.
S14.E33 ∙ World's Sharpest
What is the world's sharpest? For severing through an enemy warrior, it's the Katana blade of the Samurai. We'll craft one of these swords from scratch to reveal the secret of its legendary cutting ability. Then we'll put it to the test. We'll also visit Cutco Cutlery, where professionals there hone steel to an edge they claim is the sharpest for chopping food in your kitchen.
S14.E34 ∙ Engineering Disasters 21
A steam pipe explosion rocks New Yorkers on a summer day in Midtown Manhattan. Boston's Big Dig highway project suffers a major setback when sections of a tunnel ceiling fall onto the roadway. Rush hour in Minnesota turns deadly, as a bridge plunges into the Mississippi River.
S14.E36 ∙ Corn
CORN is a chameleon that has found its way into over 3,000 different items. Discover how hundreds of tons of sweet corn make it from the field to a sealed can within mere hours at Lakeside Foods in Wisconsin...how corn is transformed into clear plastic packaging (ironically to hold food) at NatureWorks in Nebraska ..
S14.E37 ∙ The Pig
It is said that the pig is as smart as a three-year-old human. The pancreas, heart valve and intestines of the pig have been transplanted into human bodies, yet the primary use of the pig is for food. Watch the pig transform into bacon, ham, ribs and sausage, using a high tech water knife, at Burger's Smokehouse in Missouri.
S14.E38 ∙ Rocks
From the Stone Age, to the Space Age, we've built our world from rocks. Modern Marvels travels to America's horde of moon rocks located at NASA's Johnson Space Center. These rocks give us clues as to how the planets were formed, and how old the solar system is.
S14.E39 ∙ Most Shocking
Be Afraid. The dangers associated with Electric Shock are 100% real. It kills and injures thousands each year. Yet in the last 100 years we've corralled its power to create marvelous devices. In this episode we'll explore the stunning ways that electric shocks occur - from lethal prison fences to the slippery shock of an Electric Eel.
S14.E40 ∙ Cold Cuts
They're the meat in our sandwiches and slices of American pop culture. Modern Marvels: Cold Cuts will take you behind the deli counter to reveal the secret ingredients in boloney. Watch a master sausage maker craft salami, and pile it on at Carnegie Deli with their famous mile-high pastrami sandwich.
S14.E41 ∙ Fast Food Tech
Fast food joints dominate the American landscape to the tune of $150 billion dollars in annual sales. They churn out meals for the masses with the mantra "fast, consistent, inexpensive". We'll watch as hundreds of burgers, fries and shakes fly across counters and drive-thru windows at Carl's Jr., Jack in the Box, Wendy's...and of course, the Mac Daddy of fast food...McDonald's.
S15.E1 ∙ Milk
On Modern Marvels: Milk, we'll visit a farm with a milking parlor for 80 cows that looks more like a bovine merry-go-round. At the Driftwood Dairy processing plant, we'll find out what's so hot about pasteurization.
S15.E2 ∙ Carbon
All life forms, including us, are built upon atoms of carbon. But modern technology is also built on a foundation of carbon. Modern Marvels: Carbon explores how such a simple element burns hotter, cuts deeper, dies harder, insulates more thoroughly, and absorbs more fully than any other material. From diamonds to coal, carbon fiber race cars to graphite pencils, you'll see why carbon is not just the stuff of life, but the key to modern technology. You'll also learn why "activated carbon" is the material of choice for absorbing everything from toxic heavy metals in your drinking water to funky odors in your shoes. And you'll see how NASA is using carbon aerogel, the lightest, most insulating substance in the world, to search for clues about-you guessed it-carbon-based life forms.
S15.E3 ∙ '90s Tech
It was the dot com decade that opened up the information superhighway. "Modern Marvels: 90s Tech" takes you way back to the end of the 20th century and the beginning of today's trendy technologies. From DVDs to TIVO to GPS, see how the digital gadgets we can't live without all started in the 90s. Hear the Amazon story from its very own founder, Jeff Bezos, and see how millions of cyber goods are packaged and shipped at an 800,000 square-foot Amazon distribution center. At Google, learn the science of the world's most popular search engine. And was Furby really a threat to national security? We go beyond its furry exterior to show you the inner-workings of the intriguing pet. Heavyweight Boxing Champion George Foreman, will show us how to "knock out the fat" with one of the best-selling appliances of the decade. And its creators will demo some of the original first-person shooter games: Wolfenstein 3D and Doom.
S15.E4 ∙ Superhighways
On this episode of Modern Marvels we'll construct, and deconstruct, the roundabout ribbons that comprise the world's Superhighways. Our road trip starts in Houston, Texas where a multi-billion dollar expansion project is widening a stretch of superhighway to a spacious 20 lanes. Then we're off to China's 28,000-mile National Trunk Highway System.
S15.E5 ∙ World's Strongest III
Witness some mind-blowing feats of strength starting with the world's most powerful elevators--one lifts fighter jets, the other lifts a giant stage filled with acrobats. Discover the world's strongest tire and the monster mine machine it rolls with. Take a 35-foot drop on the world's strongest mountain bike. See the world's strongest land transport vehicle that carries the Space Shuttle. Finally mix some drinks or chop a telephone into dust with the biggest and strongest home blender you've ever seen.
S15.E6 ∙ Strange Weapons
Modern arsenals have become much more sophisticated than bullets and bombs. Discover microwave-like rays that make the enemy flee when they feel the heat and laser weapons, mounted on trucks and airplanes that can blow missiles out of the sky.
S15.E7 ∙ Alaskan Fishing
A fisher/factory ship embarks on a trip in the Bering Sea to catch thousands of tons of Alaskan Pollock to quench the world's hunger for seafood.
S15.E8 ∙ Whiskey
The history and production of whiskey and its many varieties on both sides of the Atlantic is profiled.
S15.E9 ∙ Bread
It's the basic source of nourishment for half the world--bread. Bake it, roast it, slice it, toast it--it's a wonder that three simple ingredients, flour, water and salt, can be transformed into so many different shapes and tastes. From baguettes to pita, from corn bread to flour tortillas, every culture finds a way to make it and bake it.
S15.E10 ∙ Gadgets 3
Explore the hottest trends in gadgets, how they've evolved and where they're going. See how the latest miniaturized, mobile gadgetry can fit all the technology that once filled an entire office into a single briefcase. Visit Brookstone, the ultimate gadget store. We'll meet a gadget collector who's turned his home into a gadget museum. And we'll visit basement inventors who have developed everything from an iron you slip over your hand to smart appliances that talk back. Revisit some of the original gadgets like the corkscrew and zipper and see how some gadgets evolve into new forms. Discover which gadget inventors may hold tomorrow's hottest new trends and learn why some gadgets succeed while others crash and burn.
S15.E11 ∙ Locomotives
Zip through the French countryside at nearly 300 MPH on the TGV--the fastest locomotive in the world. Ride on the little engines that could as they guide giant ships through the Panama Canal. Watch two locomotives crash head-on as the federal government monitors safety.
S15.E12 ∙ Rats
Rats! They're some of the most dangerous, destructive and useful animals on Earth. The resilient rat has terrified humankind for centuries, but is the bad rap justified? In this episode of Modern Marvels, we'll take the viewer on a rollercoaster ride through our love-hate relationship with the rat. We'll ride along with a Terminix exterminator to get face to face with the creepy creature in a near rat infestation and see the great lengths we take to get rid of the pesky pest. And we'll tour the Hacco Inc. rodenticide plant to see just how they concoct tasty poisons. But at the Taconic rat breeding facility, we'll see how hundreds of thousands of rats are purposely bred and hand-raised in high-tech, controlled environments. We'll get up close and personal with the remarkable rodent as it competes in the Xtreme Rat Challenge and at the annual American Fancy Rat show. We'll trace their history and role as a vector of deadly diseases, but also explore at the Medical College of Wisconsin how they have saved countless lives as a lab rat. And scientists at the State University of New York will show us how a remote controlled rat could become the ultimate rescue animal.
S15.E13 ∙ Mad Electricity
The technological legacy of inventor and visionary Nikola Tesla, often referred to as "the father of the 20th century".
S15.E16 ∙ Super Hot
A look at some of the hottest temperatures known to man in various applications such as testing fire retardant clothing, steel smelting, and scientific applications such as volcanology are profiled. Ambient heat, plasma, and the effects of burns on skin and sweat are also discussed.
S15.E18 ∙ Ice Cream
The cool and sweet history of ice cream, frozen yogurt, and cones. Also featured a tour of the Dreyer's factory, and how new Ben and Jerry's favors are created.
S15.E24 ∙ Secrets of Oil
A look at other products derived from crude oil including plastics, lubricating oils, food grade oils, and cosmetics.
S15.E25 ∙ Iron
Iron is the most abundant element on earth. Learn how it's mined and how it's used in our everyday lives.
S15.E26 ∙ Wheat
The ancient beginnings of wheat through the modern harvesting methods used to make bread and pasta among its many uses. Also featured is the science behind making wheat resistant to disease.
S15.E27 ∙ Dangerous Roads
A look of the most dangerous roads in the world, the vehicles that drive on them and the technology being used in an attempt to improve safety.
S15.E31 ∙ Bull's-Eye
See what it takes to make the perfect shot: a bulls-eye. Expert marksmen can shoot from their target from over a mile away while a billiard player can take the perfect shot to win the game. Also see the modern take on ancient weapons like the trebuchet and the cannon.
S15.E32 ∙ Halloween Tech
Go behind-the-scenes at Knott's Berry Farm's 35th annual Halloween Haunt. Learn how to apply monster make-up and watch latex masks being made. See the most extreme jack-o-lanterns and visit a haunted house with an annual attendance of over 50,000.
S15.E33 ∙ The Horse
The history of horses and their modern uses as thoroughbreds, draft horses, and calvary units.
S15.E34 ∙ The Turkey
The history and the legend of the turkey is profiled and it goes beyond just your Thanksgiving Day dinner.
S15.E35 ∙ Salt
Salt isn't just for your dinner table. Learn the many ways salt is mined and its many uses.
S15.E36 ∙ Car Wash
Whether you take your car to the local car wash or you do it yourself in your driveway, all cars need to be cleaned. This episode of Modern Marvels goes behind the scenes at one of the largest car washes in the country and shows a master car detailed at work. Also included are tips on washing your car at home.
S15.E37 ∙ Retro Tech
The story behind some of yesteryear's cutting edge technology. Featured are old cathode ray TV sets, vinyl records, typewriters, newspapers, and instant pictures among others.
S15.E39 ∙ Measure It
A look at the measurement devices we encounter daily including measuring tapes, clocks (including atomic clocks and the history of clocks), swimming touch pads, speedometers, weight scales, and thermometers. Also includes a look at the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
S15.E42 ∙ Fry It
Welcome to the world of sizzling hot oil. First, it's a trip to the fair to discover the secrets behind fried classics such as funnel cakes and churros. And how about some deep fried treats such as frogs legs, and Twinkies and Coke?
S15.E43 ∙ Soft Drinks
The history, production process, and use of various kinds of soft drinks are explored, including Dr. Pepper, natural sodas, Gatorade, energy drinks, ginger ale, root beer, Slurpees, soda fountain drinks, and drinks with unusual flavors.
S16.E1 ∙ Dirt
You know the old saying "dull as dirt"...wrong! In Las Vegas we'll see how thousands of tons of dirt transform a stadium into a Supercross course, and in New Jersey we'll slog into a secret bog to collect the special mud.
S16.E2 ∙ Eggs
Each year in the U.S., 280 million hens lay 80 billion eggs, one of the world's most affordable sources of protein. We'll chart the "journey of the egg" from henhouse to breakfast table...from massive traditional Iowa farms,
S16.E3 ∙ The Potato
It is among the most versatile, nutritious, and varied foodstuffs in the world. The Potato is the ultimate comfort food. We'll travel from the Potato's mysterious origins in the South American Andes to the ethnic enclaves of New York's lower Eastside.
S16.E4 ∙ Tuna
It's the most popular fish in the American diet. From the school lunch box--to the high end sushi bar--to the outdoor barbecue, tuna crosses all demographic lines.
S16.E6 ∙ Breaking Point
Get ready to examine points of failure in ultra slow motion. Watch drivers crash cars and trucks at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety to find their breaking points, and to find the breaking points of the crash dummies inside.
S16.E8 ∙ Start to Finish
The process of creating a car, a modular home, and high tech gulf clubs are explored. Also featured the process of building demolition from beginning to end.
S16.E9 ∙ Beans
Follow the soybean from field to refinery with CHS, Inc. as they convert billions of soybeans into vegetable oils, flour, and soy meal.
S16.E10 ∙ Hot & Spicy
Chili head alert! It's time to get hot and spicy. First we'll take you to the home of sizzling Tabasco sauce--McIlhenny Company of Louisiana, and to McCormick in Baltimore, Maryland--the leading spice manufacturer in the world.
S16.E11 ∙ Deliver It
Got something strange to deliver? From pizza to packages, we'll show you how it's packed, labeled and shipped. Head down the highway carrying gigantic wind turbine blades. See how UPS got China's invaluable terra cotta warriors to a Los Angeles art museum.
S16.E12 ∙ Helicopters
In Alabama, fly with the Apache Longbow, the deadliest helicopter in world, and learn how to fly the Blackhawk, one of the most sophisticated and versatile helicopters in world.
S16.E13 ∙ Super Ships
Take a journey into the world of super sized, super strong, super unique ships. The Scripps Institution of Oceanography takes viewers out to sea to see how their FLIP research vessel flips a full 90 degrees, sinking over three quarters of its 355-foot length.
S16.E14 ∙ Big & Small
Size does matter. We'll size up the biggest of machines, and their smallest counterparts. First we go to France to find out what goes into assembling the world's largest jetliner, the Airbus A380.
S16.E15 ∙ Keep Out
Either someone has something to protect, or it's dangerous in there. Challenge the world's best safecracker to defeat a bank vault, and see the methods a bank uses to protect its money and tellers.
S16.E16 ∙ Super Steam
It's full steam ahead when we drop in at Jay Leno's garage as Jay fires up two of his classic steam cars and takes viewers for a couple of rides. Jay also shows off his 11-ton steam engine built in 1860.
S16.E17 ∙ Doors
Take a look at the tallest doors in the world at the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center. Visit a company that makes blast doors and bulletproof doors.
S16.E18 ∙ The Real National Treasure
This program describes the services provided by the Library of Congress and the diverse items that comprise its unrivaled collections including; books in hundreds of languages, original manuscripts, maps, photographs, films, sheet music, sound recordings and even musical instruments. The Library of Congress is at the forefront in preserving these diverse media and the various techniques it utilizes are explained and demonstrated.
S16.E19 ∙ Top Ten Tech Inovations
We can't live without them and yet they didn't even exist a couple of decades ago. We'll count down our list of the top ten technological innovations of the last generation. Have they made human existence exponentially better, or more fragmented and precarious? Tune in to find out what they are, and how they've impacted our lives.
S17.E1 ∙ Mega Stores
The colossal cornerstones of commerce. Oversized outfitters. Merchandise Moguls. Mega Stores are giant facilities engineered to keep up with America's supersized habits. They are the largest, busiest places in the country.
S17.E2 ∙ Supersized Food
The story of some of the largest food in the world. Includes large burgers, hot dogs, cupcakes, candy, and pizza.
S17.E3 ∙ Coin Operated II
A look at more coin operated machines including slot machines and coin operated viewers. Also featured, a behind the scenes look at the Philadelphia Mint and the Luray Cavern wishing wells.
S17.E4 ∙ Engineering Disasters 22
They are catastrophic failures with deadly consequences. Caused by a single spark or a massive collapse, these disasters reveal one thing--the danger inherent in our most common industries. From a massive oil spill to refinery blaze to a downed plane, find out what went wrong... and how to prevent the next engineering disaster.
S17.E5 ∙ Dogs
Man's best friend--fearless, faithful, determined and swift. They're our sharpest eyes, noses and ears--and among the bravest hunters, soldiers, rescuers, and protectors.
S17.E6 ∙ Built to Last
Enter the amazing and ingenious ultra-sturdy shelters, machines, containers, materials and packaging designed to deny the ruination of society. The drive to create the indestructible has inspired some of the most prolific and awe inspiring results:
S17.E7 ∙ Secret Underground
A look at underground real estate including illegal drug smuggling tunnels, Las Vegas flood controls, and a salt mine that doubles as a vault for classic films and government documents. Also featured is the National Research Lab in Oak Ridge.
S17.E8 ∙ Made in the USA
From Ancient Rome to the massive system that quenches Los Angeles's thirst, this is a fascinating look at the history and technology of aqueducts.
S17.E9 ∙ Driver's Seat
Get behind the wheel and take control of the some of the largest, fastest, most powerful machines on the planet. These aren't your average vehicles--and handling one of these rides is unlike anything else. But you need more than just a learner's permit to take control of these vehicles...you need training, experience, and above all, guts--if you plan to sit in the Driver's Seat.
S17.E10 ∙ Rice
One of the world's most widely consumed grains, rice is profiled. All of the grain's applications from food to drink and beyond are detailed. Includes a step by step process of how rice is grown, farmed, cultivated and processed.
S17.E11 ∙ Packaging
It's all around us--so much a part of our lives that we forget it's there. But try to survive a single day without packaging. This episode reveals the astounding technology and ingenuity required to create our packaged world. At a Michigan company that designs water bottles, we'll show you how engineers find their inspiration from a bell pepper.
S17.E12 ∙ Grease
GREASE It makes the whole world go around...and up and down...and side to side. Without it, the wheels of industry and our modern existence would grind to a halt, along with everything else. In this episode of Modern Marvels, we take a close up look - at GREASE.
S17.E13 ∙ Ropes & Chains
From hauling our heaviest gear to mastering the tallest mountains, they have been around for centuries, but we constantly improve upon them. Get an inside look at factories where every kind and style of Ropes & Chains are made. We'll get some lessons from a company that trains high-flying workers who depend on rope to do their jobs safely.
S17.E14 ∙ American Trucking
America would come to a standstill without trucks. Trucks transport a staggering 70 percent of all the nation's goods. Explore the amazingly diverse world of American trucks and the colorful men and women who drive them. Join country superstar Brad Paisley and his crew of truckers on the road between Little Rock and Tulsa--racing the clock to be on time for Brad's next concert.
S18.E1 ∙ Inside Your Walls
Don't look now--but there's a lot more to your walls than you'd ever imagine. Take a penetrating look inside something we consider utterly mundane, and uncover a surprising and sometimes shocking world.
S18.E2 ∙ Built by Hand
We live in a highly mechanized world in which billions of products are made by machines--but there are some things that can be built only by using an even more sophisticated tool--the human hand.
S18.E3 ∙ Food: Ice Cream
We all scream for ice cream when Adam Richman visits the legendary Turkey Hill Dairy to see how they make their famous frosty treat for the masses. Then, sneak a peek into Dreyers's flavor development process. And the last bite is the best when we find out how Joy Cone bakes over 2-billion ice cream cones per year. From the cow to Carvel, from soft serve to sprinkles, discover how your favorite sweet treat comes to be, and the epic history behind it.
S18.E4 ∙ Pocket Tools
Teddy Roosevelt carried a revolver. The night they each died, Abraham Lincoln carried a $5 Confederate note and nine newspaper clippings, while John Wilkes Booth carried a candle and pictures of five women, including his fianc e. Why?
S18.E5 ∙ Food Trucks
Food Trucks are hitting the big time--across much of America, they're changing the way we eat. From humble beginnings as chuck wagons and hot dog carts, they've taken off as ethnic eateries, gourmet specialists, and even high-tech mega trucks.
S18.E6 ∙ Weird Machines
It has been said that necessity is the mother of all invention--but that is not always the case. Some strange machines are built for sheer spectacle, some a glimpse into the future or even the past, while others are just plain...Weird.
S18.E7 ∙ Fast Food
Follow as Adam Richman works the line at America's original fast-food chain, White Castle, to discover how they grill and serve over a million sliders per day. Then, we go to KFC headquarters to uncover the secret history behind Colonel Sanders' famous 11 herbs and spices. Plus, learn which restaurant claims to be the first drive-in in the United States.
S18.E8 ∙ Food: Inventions and Innovations
Go behind the scenes to see how Jelly Belly creates delicious jellybeans in every flavor imaginable. Then Adam Richman explores kitchen innovator Blue Apron's 495,000 square foot facility to see how they churn out 4 million mouth-watering meals every month. And, we see how innovating can lead to out-of-this-world ice cream when we go inside the home of Dippin' Dots to see their super-cool process.
S18.E10 ∙ Waterproof
From the beginning of time we've worked to protect ourselves against the very element that keeps us alive...Water. We love it and hate it. With water covering 75% of the Earth's surface, it's no wonder we struggle to stay safe and dry.
S18.E11 ∙ Wood
Wood and its many uses are profiled. Includes the milling and processing of lumber past and present. Features matches, wooden wheels, and wood's role in planes, ships, and housing. Also featured are charcoal briquettes, timber sports and how wood can even hold up entire cities.
S18.E12 ∙ Convenience Stores
160 million Americans visit a convenience store every day. Why? Because it's fast. But what you probably didn't know is how every detail of its design has been engineered to work that way.
S18.E13 ∙ Tiny Weapons
Tiny" weapons may not sound impressive...but small can kill, and it can also be easily concealed. From a pocket pistol used by the police...to a submachine gun wielded by a bodyguard...to a carbine in the hands of an Army Ranger.
S18.E16 ∙ Alaska
Our 49th state is one tough terrain. In the air, on the ground--and deep beneath it--survival here requires an amazing array of technological innovations. From buildings to highways, this unforgiving landscape demands creative work-arounds.
S19.E1 ∙ Mega Speed Countdown
Modern Marvels is going big, and counting down. We take the "best of" Modern Marvels and give you the MEGA Top 10 countdown. On this edition: Speed.
S19.E2 ∙ Mega Machine Countdown
Modern Marvels is going big, and counting down. We take the "best of" Modern Marvels and give you the MEGA Top 10 countdown.
S19.E3 ∙ Mega Weapon Countdown
Modern Marvels is going big, and counting down. We take the "best of" Modern Marvels and give you the MEGA Top 10 countdown.
S19.E4 ∙ Stink
Just the whiff of a foul odor can make your head spin, your eyes water, your stomach turn--it can even send you hurling. From cesspools, military stink bombs, and rancid rotting meat... to cow farms and landfills... to bad breath, B.O and beyond.
S19.E5 ∙ Under Pressure
Every aspect of our lives involves pressure. It's what puts the bubbles in soft drinks, propels shaving cream from its can, cools the contents of your refrigerator, and causes volcanoes to erupt. But when pressure suddenly changes, you better look out!
S19.E6 ∙ Shoes
Foot covering is so much more than a fashion statement. High-tech soles, boots, sneakers, fire fighter and military footwear continue to be improved in an ever changing world.
S19.E7 ∙ Amazing Job Countdown
The variety of jobs in America is endless--but some have to be seen to be believed. Our countdown of the top ten most fascinating jobs from our archives proves how daring and innovative the American worker can be.
S19.E9 ∙ Hottest Rides Countdown
For this countdown special, we're buckling up and punching it--as we raid the Modern Marvels archives for the hottest rides we've ever presented. From the retro to the rugged to the reckless, our top ten picks showcase our love affair with vehicles that blow back our hair or quicken our pulses. Our only limitation: they've got to stay earthbound--so no sea or aircraft. Other than that, anything goes...from one of Jay Leno's vintage autos to a sleek battery-driven roadster to a motorcycle you've got to see to believe. Our number 1 choice: a ride so hot that one passionate owner applied for a license to marry it.
S19.E10 ∙ Amazing Gadgets Countdown
This countdown special goes gaga over gizmos--celebrating the most amazing gadgets Modern Marvels has ever featured. Our top ten contenders run the gamut from the indispensable to the insane...from golden oldies to newfangled novelties...all of them showcasing the wonder of human ingenuity. We'll unveil the secrets inside one of the 1960s' most iconic thingamajigs, reveal why an electronic doodad from the '90s was once considered a threat to national security, and rediscover the forgotten marvel created by Benjamin Franklin. Our number 1 pick: a household gadget reinvented so many times that it's inspired more than 4,500 unique patents.
S19.E11 ∙ Mega Food Countdown
Modern Marvels is going big, and counting down. We take the "best of" Modern Marvels and give you the MEGA Top 10 countdown. On this edition, the top ten guilty pleasures you just can't resist... America's Favorite Foods.
S20.E1 ∙ Mega Snack Countdown
The only thing harder than resisting our favorite snacks is ranking them. But this special episode of Modern Marvels counts down the top ten lip-smacking treats Americans love most.
S20.E2 ∙ Super Strong Countdown
America has always prided itself on its technological strength--and this countdown embarks on an odyssey featuring the strongest of the strong. Whether they lift, pull, hold or haul, every heavy-duty titan among our top ten choices has the muscle.
S20.E4 ∙ Strangest Countdown
This countdown special kisses the conventional goodbye, raiding the Modern Marvels archives for the most bizarre wonders we've ever presented. Our top ten contenders demonstrate that the inside scoop on innovation often lies outside the norm.
S21.E1 ∙ Adventure Machines
Adrenaline runs high when Adam Richman visits the factory where Yamaha makes ATVs, Waverunners and more. Then, we get an inside look at a company built to get people sky-high in paramotors, as well as amusement park Diggerland USA, a place you have to see to believe. Can mech-suits become the sport of the future? Plus, learn all about a personal submarine built for under-sea sightseeing for two.
