"The world\u2019s largest concrete dam\u2013and the largest concrete structure in the world\u2013lies on the Columbia River in the State of Washington. B uilt in 1931, it is also one of the largest hydroelectric power plants in the world."

"The remarkable story of how the landmark New York City skyscraper was constructed during the depths of the Depression. Requiring 10 million bricks and 60,000 tons of steel beams and using a revolutionary technique to hold the steel girders in place\u2013hot rivets\u2013the world\u2019s tallest building was completed four months ahead of schedule."

"Chronicles one of the most incredible engineering feats of all time: 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. An earlier, 9-year attempt by the French ended in failure and cost 20,000 lives."

"A large machine turned water city, cruise ships are exciting and new."

"Looks at how one man\u2019s vision and the cooperation between the U.S. and England resulted in an instant, reliable transcontinental mode of communication in the mid-1800s. See how wealthy 33-year-old Cyrus West Field endured many failures and lost millions in his attempt to close the communication gap between the Old and New Worlds."

"The incredible tale of how Gutzon Borglum created the world's largest sculpture by carving the faces of four US presidents (George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln) into the Black Hills of South Dakota. The four figures carved in stone pay tribute to the first 150 years of American history. The hour chronicles the \"swiveled pointer\" that Borglum put in each president's \"head\", and how workmen hung like spiders 6,000 feet above the ground to blast away 450,000 tons of rock."

"Join us for a buoyant trip through the history of balloon flight and a tribute to the fearless pilots and engineers brave enough to push the limits of balloon technology into the next weather front, or the next frontier. We\u2019ll demonstrate their diversified applications and talk to pioneers who designed and flew them."

"With California finally part of the United States, two rail companies raced to connect the monied East and the promising West. Along the way, fortunes would be made, lives lost, and adversity overcome. This is the story of the largest, most expensive challenge of the 19th century."

"Rising from a stretch of desert with nothing but remoteness to recommend it, Las Vegas became a glittering wonderland for dreamers. We\u2019ll take a look at the forces that made Las Vegas a place unlike any on earth."

"To the people of France, and to citizens of the world, Gustav Eiffel\u2019s 320-meter Tower is more than an unsurpassed technological and engineering wonder, conceived and built to astound the public at the 1889 Paris Exposition\u2026it is a symbol of triumphant spirit, demonstrating how an innovative metal matrix can form a structure whose posture reinforces an aesthetic of glory."

"The domed structure is one of the earliest forms of shelter\u2013from African mud huts to frozen igloos to holy shrines and cathedrals. As a design concept, the shape represents the community under the canopy of heaven; as a technological device, the dome is the most efficient way of controlling an internal environment. And today, as we see here, engineers have enlarged and transformed the ancient concept to build some of the world\u2019s most spectacular structures\u2013domed sports stadiums."

"Built of stone and glass, persistence and prayer, gothic cathedrals are an epiphany of imagination and an articulation of joy. Featured are such masterpieces as Chartres, Notre Dame and the National Cathedral in Washington D.C."

"More than 50 years after its construction, the Golden Gate remains one of the world\u2019s greatest engineering marvels. It took 25-million man-hours and 80,000 miles of cable to complete. But the cost in human life proved even greater."

"With technological advances, our ancient struggle against the sea has turned into a luxurious holiday. Come aboard for a peek at the elegant life on these floating resorts."

"Considered by many to be the most astounding machine ever built, this reusable spaceship is the apex of flight technology. This program recounts the challenges and the critical issues that led to NASA\u2019s decision to create an \u201cairplane\u201d to navigate space."

"It was an engineering feat of almost miraculous proportions and a design of spectacular elegance. Rare photographs and behind-the-scenes stories recall the politics, the struggles, and the tragedies that made possible \u201cthe Eighth Wonder of the World\u201d."

"There is no more potent demonstration of man\u2019s resolve than the design and construction of tunnels\u2013avenues that slice through a conspiracy of elements in the single-minded determination to connect two points. Whether underwater, blasted through solid rock, or negotiating the shifting strata of earth\u2019s unstable crust, we explore the design and engineering of famous tunnels\u2026and the motivation behind them."

"During the depths of the Great Depression, it was FDR\u2019s greatest triumph: A massive public works project that took a 40,000 square mile, disaster-prone river basin, and turned it into a model of industrial progress."

"From the first well in Pennsylvania to the gushing Spindletop and modern supertankers, the story of oil is the story of civilization as we know it. We\u2019ll take a look at the ingenious and outrageous men who risked everything for \u201cblack gold\u201d and unimaginable wealth."

"It was called the \"mother lode\", a deposit of silver so massive that it would produce $300-million in its first 25 years of operation, establish Nevada as a state, and bankroll the Union Army in the Civil War. Named after an early investor, we'll see how the Comstock Lode, discovered near Virginia City, proved to be a scientific laboratory from which vast improvements in mining technology and safety were pioneered, including innovations in drilling, ventilation, drainage, and ore processing."

"A trip through time on the New York Subway beginning at the beginning\u2013 October 1904. We look at New York before the subway\u2013a world of horse carts and elevated trains. We see early impractical experiments in transportation like the pneumatic subway or the elevated cable car. The program will deal with the technology of the subway, the construction, and financing. We look at subway stations and equipment."

"The year was 1869 and America had just completed the greatest building achievement in its history\u2013the Transcontinental Railroad. A thin ribbon of steel and wood now connected East and West. But the fledgling country now faced an even greater challenge\u2013how to harness the awesome potential of the railroad to tame the still wide-open and wild West."

"The story of the construction of our grand national highway system, from its beginnings in 1912 (it was conceived by auto and headlight tycoons) to its completion in 1984 (when the last stoplight was removed\u2013and buried)."

"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."

"In 1912, a headlight-maker and an auto magnate built the first cross-country road to spur the demand for new cars; 70 years and $125 billion later, the highway system had grown to 42,000 miles. Rare photographs and interviews tell the incredible story of the \u201cpaving of America\u201d."

"From Alexander Graham Bell\u2019s crude creation, to today\u2019s high-speed wireless networks, we\u2019ll look into the past, present and future of the telephone. We\u2019ll visit the AT&T archives to see how the very first telephone boxes wired together with telegraph cables have evolved into vast wireless networks. Enter into the inner workings of Los Angeles County\u2019s 911 emergency dispatch center, as well as explore advancements made by Lucent\/Bell Labs in phone-embedded GPS technology. With telephone privacy issues making headlines, witness a demonstration of how easy it can be for someone to illegally tap your phone. We\u2019ll also look at a technology developed by NASA-Ames that might one day allow people to converse by merely thinking what they want to say."

"Many rivers quenched the thirst of millions in the American west and around the world. Without these aqueducts, some of the earth\u2019s largest cities would turn into gigantic ghost towns. Their technology has been in use for over two thousand years. But today these engineering marvels cost billions of dollars to build, requiring thousands of men to toil for years on end. Aqueducts have made some men famous and others fabulously wealthy. In Los Angeles one man\u2019s vision took one hundred thousand men to complete and a great city was truly born. In Northern California the most famous conservationist of our time waged the political fight of his life in an attempt to save one of nature\u2019s most spectacular valleys from San Francisco\u2019s demand for more water."

"An exploration of the world\u2019s most popular entertainment, from the boy genius who invented it to the RCA \u201cGeneral\u201d who made it a reality."

"A look at the inventions that have revolutionized society as we know it. They began as behemoths which weighed over 2 tons!"

"A look at the history of photography beginning as early as the eleventh century. Includes the advancements by Niepce and Daguerre in the 19th century and William Henry Fox and George Eastman in the 20th century."

"A look at the F117 Stealth Fighter that led the pack for the Allies in Gulf Wars One and Two and virtually decimated Iraqi Air Defense. Find out how the technology allows it to approach its target without being detected by radar. Also, a look at the B2 Stealth Bomber."

"Standing majestically for centuries, the world\u2019s great pyramids have long inspired and mystified scholars. Leading experts and historians explore the engineering genius that created some of the largest structures on the planet. From ancient Egypt to Central America, we visit these technological masterpieces."

"Since the turn of the 20th century, designers have competed to build them faster, taller, and steeper. But as technology pushes the envelope with flips, weightlessness, and more g-force than a jet, how many thrills can the human body take?"

"From Stonehenge to the Hubble Telescope, man has always been a species of stargazers. Unforgettable film footage and expert accounts reveal the facts of astronomy\u2019s most mind-boggling discoveries."

"Winding 6,000 kilometers through undulating mountains, it is said to be visible with the naked eye from the moon. But who called for the Great Wall's construction and how was it accomplished? Historians, engineers, and scientists explore one of the wonders of the ancient world."

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"Updated to reflect the events of September 11th, this is the definitive tour of the world's largest office building."

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"Go into air traffic control centers and the planning offices of transportation managers nationwide for a revealing look at a growing crisis."

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"Will it be the concrete key to a new China, or a disaster of epic proportions?"

"Go inside the ambitious fortifications that nevertheless failed to protect France from Nazi aggression."

"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 ..."

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"The task was monumental: Build the world's largest dam in the middle of the desert, and tame the river that carved the Grand Canyon\u2013all in seven years! When the Hoover Dam was completed in 1935, it was the largest dam in the world. We'll reveal how this engineering wonder of the world was conceived and built."

"Step up to the plate and play ball as we take you on a tour of those amazing edifices of the national pastime\u2013baseball stadiums! From the sandlots and wooden ballparks of the 1800 and 1900s to the monolithic multipurpose stadiums of today, baseball parks have grown into technological wonders that pull in and cost millions."

"Much of New York City\u2019s history can be viewed via its bridges\u2013all 18 that connect Manhattan Island to its neighbors. Join us for a look at these architectural masterpieces from the age of iron and steel; and, see how they have changed destinies, linking some to opportunity, others to ruin."

"Delves into the little-known, hugely important, multi-billion-dollar industry of product testing\u2013where wrinkles get ironed out and goods are stripped of marketing and hype to see if they work. Meet product testers who serve as truth squads in an eccentric world of machines devised to \u201csneeze\u201d at tissue paper and \u201csleep\u201d on mattresses."

"The idea of floating to earth from great heights dates back centuries, and from the beginning parachutes combined entertainment with life-saving utility. The parachute has also played a vital role in modern warfare since WWI. We\u2019ll see how parachute technology has made the world safer, and more fun!"

"Tracks the technological innovations that made newspapers what they are today, while exploring the stories of the publishing tycoons who became some of the most powerful men of the 20th century. From the invention of the printing press in the 15th century to computerized newsrooms to the Internet, we examine the history of the news."

"Since the invention of gunpowder, fireworks have thrilled audiences around the world. We\u2019ll view highlights of fireworks exhibitions throughout history, and go behind the scenes to explore how science and art mingle in this unique, ancient craft. The world\u2019s preeminent fireworks families explain how they create their spectacles."

"Though \u201csimulations\u201d date back to cave paintings, devices for interacting with \u201csynthetic realities\u201d are a recent invention. See how simulators are used as training tools for nearly every profession today where hands-on experience is too costly or dangerous\u2013from the 1929 Link Pilot Trainer to simulated virtual realities."

"The history of civilization could easily be measured in terms of our ability to make, use, and improve tools\u2013an activity that is at least 4 million years old! At the tip of our toolmaking timeline are power tools. We\u2019ll examine today\u2019s power tool industry, which is booming thanks to more powerful, lighter, and quieter cordless tools."

"Well over two million years before the evolution of modern man, his primitive ancestors were making tools. The use of tools is thought to be one of the keys to human evolution itself and it permeates nearly every aspect of history. We even measure history according to our ability to craft tools; the Stone Age, the Bronze Age, the Iron Age."

"Join us for a second look at the big earth-moving machines used to tackle the most challenging jobs on, under, and off Earth! We'll ride on specialized behemoth dump trucks, delve below sea level to view dredging equipment, and leave the planet altogether to explore earthmoving equipment in space."

"The art of fortification evolved along with man\u2019s need to defend his territory from attack. There was no other reason. From hills surrounded by branches and crude fences to intricate walled cities, to impenetrable castles \u2013 the strongholds of the past echo the history of great battles for territorial control."

"Emergency room medicine has only been a recognized specialty since 1989, and it took close to two millennia to get to this point. We\u2019ll examine advances that led to the modern emergency room\u2013from the Byzantine\u2019s establishment of the first hospitals around 1050 A.D. to today\u2019s telemedicine. The prognosis for its future looks good."

"Set the sedan\u2019s safety brake and hop on your \u201chog\u201d for a 2-hour high-speed history of the motorcycle\u2013from the 1868 \u201csteam velocipede\u201d to the early 20th century, when they were a low-cost alternative to automobiles; from Harley-Davidsons preferred by Hell\u2019s Angels and police to motocross riders who take bikes into the air and onto the dirt. We also look to the motorcycle\u2019s future, featuring Jay Leno\u2019s jet-propelled Y2K sportbike and Erik Buell\u2019s bike-without-a-gas-tank creation."

"Since civilization\u2019s earliest days, man has sought protection from those who would rob him of riches, knowledge, and even life. This is the story of the evolving systems designed to safeguard our most precious possessions, and of the enduring psychological war between protectors and thieves, each intent on outfoxing the other."

"Throughout history the same builders and engineers that paved man's path out of the caves and into the modern world also caused some of mankind's worst disasters. Often a huge calamity is traced back to a tiny cause, insignificant in itself, but triggering a domino effect. We'll revisit notable disasters and search for probable causes."

"An exploration of the rich history of one of the world\u2019s greatest technological achievements\u2013the harnessing of power from Niagara Falls. From the \u201cWar of the Currents\u201d, a battle between geniuses Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla, to the Robert Moses Plant, primed to take the powerhouse into the 21st century, we highlight its story."

"Place your bets and join us for an exciting spin through the history of the casino. We\u2019ll go behind the neon lights, free drinks, and 24-hour gambling to see how the gaming industry has evolved from a simple house of cards to a high-tech multi-billion dollar industry."

"The very spirit that drives man to dream up ever more fantastic creations can also conceive changes that destroy old treasures. We look at great artistic and engineering feats that fell prey to the ravages of nature, the wastes of war, and the indifference of booming metropolises."

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"A history of monster-truck racing with footage of stunts in California, Florida and Indiana and interviews with racers."

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"When completed, China\u2019s Three Gorges Dam will tower 607 feet in the air and weigh 40 Great Pyramids. Other than China\u2019s Great Wall, it will be the only man-made object visible from the moon. Supporters see it as key to a new China, controlling floods and bringing hydroelectric power to one of its least-developed areas. Critics voice a litany of concerns\u2013from environmental to flooding the spectacular area for which it\u2019s named. We trace its story\u2013from ancient flood control to current controversy."

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"Since the creation of the first laws, societies have demanded the ultimate punishment for certain capital crimes. Throughout history it has been left to a select few to develop the devices that will carry out the mandate of the people. This is the story of those inventors and their dark inventions. Modern Marvels traces the evolution of death technology up to the present and then take a brief look into its future."

"Mankind controls the environment in a variety of ways, whether by capturing the force of a river, harnessing the power in coal or oil, controlling a nuclear reaction, or transforming the light of the sun into electricity. From Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla to Enrico Fermi and Albert Einstein, the world's greatest minds have enabled us to acquire our light, heat, and power with a simple flip of the switch. Join us for an electrifying hour as we review the foundation for all of this\u2013power plants."

"Arising from the horrible carnage, deprivation, and suffering caused by war is a countless array of everyday items\u2013from hairbrushes to microwaves\u2013that directly descend from wartime innovations. Wartime research and development have revolutionized communication, transportation, and medicine. From EM Spam \/EM to nuclear power to hairspray and cell phones, life as we know it ironically owes a lot to war. We'll follow the day-to-day life of an ordinary woman and see the influence of war on her life."

"Join us as we take a peek at the plumbing hiding behind your walls and snaking under the floors of your house. We\u2019ll also meet the plumbing students who undergo rigorous training programs in specialized classrooms designed to give them hands on installation experience. We\u2019ll also check out the latest in plumbing technology from waterfall showers to water conserving toilets. This episode of Modern Marvels will examine the past, present and future of the arteries of our civilization; plumbing."

"Fortification evolved as man tried to defend his territory from attack. From fenced-in hills to walled cities to impenetrable forts, strongholds of the past echo the history of battles for territorial control. In a 2-hour special, we examine various historical defenses, including France\u2019s Maginot Line, a defensive string of forts with enfilading firepower; the Atlantic Wall, 3,000 miles of shore fortifications built by Germany in WWII; and the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD)."

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"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 ..."

"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 ..."

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"From the great ships of the White Star Line to modern cruise liners, these incredible vessels have always been at the frontier of engineering."

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"With chemicals, traps and an ever-growing understanding of the threat, man strives to hold pests at bay."

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"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."

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"They were pure fantasy on wheels, machines designed to make the heart race and the mind ask\u2026what if? Explore the world of 1950s concept cars\u2013automotive art built to attract public attention, test wild engineering ideas, and give motorists a fleeting glimpse down the highway of tomorrow. Fasten your safety belt as we road test \u201crocket cars\u201d like the aircraft-inspired 1951 Buick LeSabre, Cadillac Cyclone, Firebird I, and the original Corvette Stingray, and view Harley Earl\u2019s visionary designs."

"What do you think about when you gaze out the window as your plane takes off? Probably not about the least heralded part of our infrastructure\u2013airport runways. But runways play a vital role as the backbone of aviation. They\u2019re where rubber meets road and land gives way to sky. Did you know that airports like JFK train falcons to keep little birds from becoming a hazard to the big, shiny birds? Join us for an engrossing look at the brawny concrete and asphalt runways that make aviation possible."

"Join us for a salute to the dreamers and schemers who brought the world an odd assortment of flawed ideas\u2013like flying, swimming, and jet-powered automobiles, flying rocket belts, and radium-filled clothes that promised to inflate the owner's sagging love life! And we explore the minds of the off-kilter geniuses who thought up these off-the-mark concepts. Some tinkerers' musings were merely ahead of their time and deemed flops during the inventor's lifetime, but others were just plain bad!"

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"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 ..."

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"The historic 1969 flight of Apollo 11 is examined. Included: comments by astronauts, Mission Control personnel, engineers and designers."

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"A spectacular roadway nearly 120 miles long, the Overseas Highway links mainland Florida with the Florida Keys, and contains 51 bridges, including the Seven-Mile Bridge. A boat was the only mode of travel from Miami to Key West until oil tycoon Henry Flagler completed his railroad line in 1912. After a 1935 hurricane destroyed 40 miles of track, the scenic highway was built using Flagler\u2019s bridges. A $175-million refurbishment that ended in 1982 resulted in today\u2019s remarkable Overseas Highway."

"Witness the construction of a terrorist-proof safe room. Discover how your windows might someday act as biological weapons detectors. Learn how scientists are protecting the food you eat and water you drink. In the biggest technological push since the space race, inventors are creating cutting-edge devices, gadgets, and gizmos to keep you and your family\u2013and even your pets\u2013safe. Find out what technology can do to protect you, and how you can use technology to protect yourself."

"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? This program presents the most current theories."

"Pound for pound, the small wooden Patrol Torpedo Boats of WWII were among the most powerful warships of all time. Daring PT vets recall why their speed and maneuverability were too much for giant, steel-hulled targets."

"General quarters! You\u2019re going into battle aboard the century\u2019s deadliest warships\u2013the Dreadnought, Bismarck, Missouri, Yamato. Follow the 1916 Battle of Jutland, decisive World War II clashes in the Pacific, plus Persian Gulf War action."

"The story of the birth and development of rapid fire weapons from the 14th century until the end of WWI\u2013where on one terrible day the machine gun was responsible for mowing down nearly 60,000 men"

"Precision-guided munitions, smart bombs were the media buzz of the first Gulf War and a major military and political driving force of the second. But their apparent sudden celebrity is deceptive. The history of smart bombs goes back to World War I and includes an ingenious, if eccentric, group of inventions and a cast of characters that boasts a Kennedy and a president of General Motors. Join us for the underground history of smart bombs, and a glimpse into the future of precision weapons."

"In the land of Mardi Gras, jambalaya, and zydeco, exists an engineering marvel called the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway that seems to go on forever. Two ribbons of concrete span the largest inland body of water in Louisiana, and at nearly 23.87 and 23.88 miles long, these two spans form the world\u2019s longest automobile bridge. At midpoint\u201312 miles out\u2013water surrounds travelers who are unable to see either shoreline. The bridge is so long, it actually transverses 1\/1000th of the earth\u2019s circumference!"

"They make our lives more comfortable, more rewarding, and more secure. They are the magical machines that have brought us to the edge of the new frontier of limitless possibilities. But it is a hinterland filled with dangers and demons of our own creation. Based on the popular book Inviting Disaster by James Chiles, in this episode we explore the nuclear nightmares of Three Mile Island and Chernobyl."

"What if the Nazis had held out and the war in Europe lasted until 1946? We\u2019ll review the remarkable aircraft that Germany had in development at war\u2019s end, such as manned supersonic aircraft, manned V-2s, 100-ton intercontinental bombers, stealth bombers, and a fighter designed to shoot down B-29s at high altitude."

"The story of a revolutionary breed of tank, a weapon whose speed and power would dominate European battlefields with a new kind of battle, the stunning Blitzkrieg\u2013\u201dlightning war\u201d."

"They dominated the Atlantic Ocean from Europe to the eastern coast of the U.S. They struck against Allied shipping with near impunity, holding England in a stranglehold for the first years of WWII\u2013until sonar was developed. Now the hunters became the hunted. Meet German commanders and crewmen who survived service in \u201cIron Coffins\u201d."

"The amazing machines of human invention most often do our bidding with uncomplaining proficiency. But when they go wrong, they exact a terrible wage. In August 2000, the Russian submarine EM Kursk \/EM glided through the depths of the Arctic Sea. But the demands of the Cold War had planted the seeds of disaster in this great ship\u2013118 men would pay with their lives. Their deaths would bring about an enormous step forward in Russia\u2019s evolving democracy. Based on James Chiles\u2019s book EM Inviting Disaster \/EM ."

"To spearhead its fight against crime and terrorism in the 21st century, the FBI is relying on its $150 million-plus building, the new Crime Lab at Quantico. Here, nearly 700 highly trained scientists and technicians utilize cutting-edge forensic technology to unearth identities of perpetrators. We review the lab\u2019s history, from humble start in a lounge in 1932 to today\u2019s state-of-the-art complex, and see how 9\/11 and the FBI\u2019s new mandate to fight international terrorism changed the lab forever."

"No program better symbolizes human mastery of machines than does the space shuttle. But the breakups of EM Challenger \/EM and EM Columbia revealed the program is tragically flawed. Based on the James Chiles\u2019s book EM Inviting Disaster , we look at the 1930 crash of the EM R-101 \/EM , a dirigible which, much like Challenger, was rushed into flight and met with disaster, and the EM Hindenburg \/EM , whose 1937 explosion ended dreams of commercial flights for an entire industry. Will the shuttle program go the way of the dirigible?"

"Based on the popular book, this episode explores historical building collapses\u2013from ancient pyramids to the Cathedral at Beauvais to Kansas City\u2019s Hyatt Regency\u2013and demonstrates that clear warning signs often existed, but were ignored. We also examine the collapse of the Twin Towers in New York. Author Jim Chiles believes that designers and engineers must better prepare for all potential disasters\u2013by understanding existing risks, they can prepare for the unknown, like terrorism."

"Shipyards are waterside construction sites where the extraordinary takes shape and where some of the largest tools built by humans help create the biggest machines on earth. But shipyards and ships of today bear little resemblance to those of antiquity. From ancient days to the 18th-century Industrial Revolution to the epic effort performed at Pearl Harbor, we examine the shipyard, and look to its future. Will the craftsmanship and practical knowledge of how to build ships disappear in the 21st century?"

"Hop into the cockpit for a daring century-long ride through the history of aircraft weaponry\u2013from the very first handgun fired from a biplane. Features interviews with Chuck Yeager, Korean War ace Major Frederick Blesse, and pilots from Desert Storm and Kosovo, and historic footage of \u201cRed Flag\u201d exercises, when German pilots flew Soviet MiGs."

"Hop into the cab for the ride of your life as we examine extreme trucks, including: a jet truck that can travel 300 mph; the Baltimore Technical Assistance Response Unit's mobile command truck; a garbage truck with an articulated arm; a concrete pumper truck with telescoping boom and pumping mechanism; and a 4-wheel-drive truck that can convert from mower to street sweeper to backhoe to snow blower in mere minutes. Learn how SWAT, bomb squad, HAZMAT, and crime scene specialty trucks are built."

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"In 2003, with Mars closer to Earth than it had been in 60,000 years, scientists launched three life-seeking planetary landers. If the long journeys prove successful, all should be hard at work on the Red Planet's surface by January 2004. NASA's EM Spirit \/EM and EM Opportunity \/EM and the European Space Agency's EM Beagle 2 \/EM represent the pinnacle in the history of the search for extraterrestrial life. Leading scientists, who believe life may exist beyond Earth, explain skepticism about ETs having visited Earth."

"There is very little that collectors, historians and auctioneers agree about, but they do agree that a few passionate visionaries created a small number of automobiles that have ascended into the stratosphere of desire. This is their story. The top historical cars in the world all represent the ultimate attainment for the elite buyer. These cars are usually fast, always good looking, well built and rare. Like fine paintings or a Rodin Sculpture they are sought after by the well-heeled and discriminating."

"Explore the technology and survival techniques used by the men of Lewis and Clark on their landmark journey to the Pacific. From their 15-ton supply ship to the 193 pounds of dehydrated soup they carried to Lewis\u2019s prototype airgun and experimental iron boat, take a close-up look at the guns and gear behind this combination of 19th century high-tech and pioneering grit. Filmed on location along the Lewis and Clark Trail, the program features an interview with William Clark\u2019s great-great-great grandson."

"For nearly half a century, one bomber has dominated the skies. With a maximum speed of 650 m.p.h., a range of over 8,000 miles, and ability to drop a massive 70,000 pounds of bombs, it\u2019s the most lethal bomber in the world. This is the dramatic story of the race to produce the first intercontinental jet bomber and the success of the B-52\u2013from the Cold War to its use in the war against terrorism in Afghanistan. The B-52\u2032s projected combat life is until 2045\u2013no other bomber comes close to this record."

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"The world\u2019s most famous brand, Rolls Royce, is owned by the same company that makes Bentley, a luxury leader once known for its prowess on the track. Their stories combine all that inspires envy in mere mortals; wealth, glamour, speed, sex, scandal and political intrigue."

"At stadiums nationwide, thousands of football fans come together to show team spirit, eat incredible food, and join the community of tailgating. We journey around the U.S. to legendary tailgating colleges like Penn State, the University of Miami, and Louisiana State University, and visit the home-team parking lots of the Green Bay Packers, Dallas Cowboys, and Philadelphia Eagles. We taste the food, revel with spectators, and reveal the evolution of tailgating\u2013from horse and buggy to tricked-out RV."

"Land Yachts, Portable Palaces, Corrugated Condos\u2013whatever the name, travel trailers and RVs have become an American icon\u2013the 20th century\u2019s covered wagon. Hit the road as we travel with recreational vehicles\u2013from early versions built on the back of Model-T Fords, to roadside towns known as Hoovervilles during the Depression and WWII \u201ctrailer towns\u201d set up for workers near munitions plants or aircraft factories, to modern RVs that resemble mansions on wheels and can cost nearly a million dollars!"

"Car aficionados rarely agree on what makes a true sports car, but they concede that in little over a hundred years, they went from crude to sublime. We\u2019ll examine Britain\u2019s MG, Triumph, Morgan, and Jaguar; Italy\u2019s Ferrari; Germany\u2019s Porsche and BMW; America\u2019s Corvette; and Japan\u2019s Miata. Take a fast-paced, high-octane ride, and you decide!"

"Two brainy bicycle makers\u2026a remote North Carolina moonscape\u2026and an impossible dream. On December 17, 1903, Wilbur and Orville Wright took wing at Kitty Hawk and flew\u2013as none before had\u2013unraveling a complex problem that had defied history\u2019s most inventive minds, from Leonard da Vinci to Edison. How did these high-school dropouts from Dayton, Ohio do it? Experts at the controls of full-scale replicas explain how they worked\u2013or didn\u2019t\u2013and historians recount the brothers\u2019 heated arguments."

"Constructed as tombs for the ancient pharaohs, over 100 pyramids remain in Egypt. Built during a span of well over 1,000 years, they stand as cultural and engineering marvels of staggering proportions. But many things about these monuments, including the exact methods used to construct them, remain tantalizingly obscure. Travel back in time as we investigate their evolution\u2013from the earlier mastaba to the Step Pyramid, Bent Pyramid, and of course, the magnificent necropolis at Giza."

"During the Cold War, the Berlin Wall stood as a forbidding barrier in an embattled world. Erected in August 1961, the Wall system stretched 103 miles through and around Berlin, locking in 1.3-million people. 261 died trying to get over, under, around, and through it. We review the daunting devices within the Death Strip\u2013one of the deadliest obstacle courses ever\u2013and the ingenious ways people ran it. When the Wall fell with a thud in 1989, its pieces became souvenirs or were recycled for new roads."

"All aboard the nostalgia express as we take a trip through the past to enjoy toys of our youth\u2013the ones we can't forget and those that some of use never gave up! This is the real toy story! We take a look at five categories of boys' toys and see what relationship they have had on the development of young minds; talk with collectors of antique and specialty toys; and visit companies that make electric trains, Matchbox Cars, GI Joe action figures, and LEGO Bricks, among others."

"Examines some of the most notorious engineering failures of recent years and asks what went wrong and what we learned from them. We take viewers to the southern coast of Louisiana, where a misplaced oil rig caused an entire lake to be sucked into an underground salt mine; review the 1972 Buffalo Creek dam disaster; revisit the Exxon Valdez oil spill; see how radio and TV antenna towers collapse with alarming regularity; and look at the collision of two California icons\u2013freeways and earthquakes!"

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"See how survival suits, snowmobiles and icebreakers have helped man conquer the earth's most chilling places..."

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"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..."

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"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..."

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"One of the youngest and smallest nations, Israel has produced some of the world\u2019s fiercest weapons. In 1952, shortly after its War of Independence, Israel unleashed the Uzi\u2026a submachine gun that set the standard for nearly 50 years. Between 1950 and 1980, Israel fought three wars, and superior weapons became a matter of survival. We examine the Negev Machine Gun and the Galil Assault Rifle, designed to survive the rigors of desert warfare, and the Tavor 21, a lightweight 21st-century assault rifle."

"Join us for a devastating but enlightening hour as we delve into complex and often-tragic engineering failures that have shaped our world. Five dramatic events unfold as we discover the causes of: the 1983 collapse of New England\u2019s Mianus Bridge; the sinking of the EM Ocean Ranger \/EM offshore oilrig in 1982; the crash of a Learjet 35 private plane carrying pro-golfer Payne Stewart in 1999; the 19th-century failure of South Fork Dam that resulted in the flooding of Johnstown, Pennsylvania; and the 1988 PEPCON (Pacific Engineering Production Company of Nevada) jet fuel plant explosion."

"Cutting, digging, picking, stripping, shaking, and raking\u2013whatever the crop, there's a custom machine to harvest it. It all began with handpicking and today it's often one man and one machine harvesting hundreds of acres in a single day. The farmer may even get a little help from satellites. Far above the earth, high-resolution photography is giving the grower more opportunities to cut costs and maximize the harvest. From the debut of the sickle in ancient Egypt to McCormick's famous Reaper to the field of ergonomics that assists human harvesters, we'll dig into the past and future of the harvest."

"What happens when the calculations of builders and engineers prove wrong and their constructs come tumbling down? In this episode, we examine the 1987 failure of the Schoharie Creek Bridge in New York; the partial destruction by a runaway freighter of the Riverwalk Marketplace in New Orleans in 1996; the roof collapse of the Rosemont Horizon Arena in Illinois in 1979; the deadliest grain-dust explosion on record in Westwego, Louisiana, when a grain elevator exploded in 1977; and the crash of the British R101 airship in the 1920s."

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"Disasters investigated include: the 1984 Union Carbide debacle in Bhopal, India, where a toxic chemical release killed 3,800 people and left 11,000 with disabling respiratory ailments; and the 2003 sudden collapse of a 10-story parking garage at the Tropicana in Atlantic City, New Jersey that killed four and injured 20. We find out why a series of structures in Hutchinson, Kansas mysteriously caught fire and exploded in 2001; and examine the 1933 construction of a canal ordered by Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin that later proved to be nearly useless and cost many lives. And we get to the bottom of a maritime mystery, when a tanker carrying non-explosive materials in San Francisco Bay blew up in 1983."

"The vehicles that transport the President of the United States aren\u2019t your ordinary planes, trains, and automobiles. They are top-secret. And for your Average Joe, there\u2019s only two ways to find out what they\u2019re really like inside\u2013either get elected or watch Presidential Movers on Modern Marvels."

"Gas\u2013it makes a balloon go up, cooks our food, and fills our lungs. But this invisible state of matter does far more, and has a very visible impact on the world. We follow natural gas from well tip to stove top and trace its use from 3rd century BC Chinese salt producers to modern appliances. Next, we investigate the most plentiful gas in the universe\u2013hydrogen\u2013which may also prove to be the most powerful. We also experience the cryogenic world of industrial gasses\u2013what they do and where they come from\u2013as we travel to the British Oxygen Company's Braddock Air Separation Plant to see how they freeze millions of tons of oxygen and nitrogen. And at the Bush Dome Helium Reserve in Texas, we learn why the US government sits atop 36-billion cubic feet of the stuff. Finally, we look inside the colorful world of gas and neon lights. So lay back, breathe deep, and count backwards from 10\u2026"

"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."

"Bridges are the lifeline of Japan. Since the 1930s, the island nation has dreamt of linking its many parts as a whole. But WWII diverted the incredible resources needed to accomplish this, and only since 1960 has the dream moved again, slowly, toward reality. The final step in this massive undertaking was the Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge, currently the longest single-span suspension bridge in the world. This marvel of architectonics stands as a testament to the genius of Asian engineering and, judged in a context that perhaps the Japanese understand best, as the most beautiful bridge in the world. We\u2019ll watch it rise, from sketch to completion, and see how it fared during the massive Kobe earthquake."

"The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor was a move of unprecedented aggression that shook the U.S. out of its peaceful slumber and into WWII. But for 60 years, veterans of the destroyer USS Ward claimed they sank an enemy submarine outside the harbor more than an hour before the aerial attack began. The wreck was never found, and the story was dismissed. In August 2002, a dive team crossed its path and their find made headlines worldwide. We travel to Pearl Harbor to investigate the midget sub mystery."

"Join us as we penetrate the history of the world\u2019s most sophisticated tank\u2013the M1 Abrams Main Battle Tank. In the most radical departure in U.S. tank design since WWII, the Supertank combines speed, heavy protective armor, and a fearsome 120mm main gun. In February 1991, the new and unproven Abrams tank was rapidly deployed on the frontline of Operation Desert Storm. Using night vision and laser targeting, the M1 Abrams tank destroyed the cream of Saddam Hussein\u2019s armored Republican Guard."

"In Milwaukee, 104 died after drinking contaminated tap water. At Texas A&M;, a tradition turned tragic when a pile of bonfire logs collapsed onto its builders. Thousands of US soldiers expired in known WWII deathtraps\u2013Sherman Tanks. In 1973, 14 men working on a 26-story building died when supports were removed from wet concrete. And in 1993, Denver\u2019s \u201cdream\u201d airport became a nightmare when its baggage-handling system ran amok. Aided by computer graphics, catastrophe footage, and visits to the locations today, MIT scientists, Center for Disease Control experts, WWII vets, bonfire builders, and construction engineers explain these tragedies and measures taken to prevent them in future."

"In the world of surveillance, Big Brother is not only watching, he\u2019s also listening, analyzing, recording, scanning, and tracking every aspect of our lives. And with advanced surveillance technology, there\u2019s virtually no place to hide. We\u2019ll examine some of the most important and potentially terrifying equipment the world has ever seen\u2026or rather, not seen\u2026in this thriving surveillance revolution. We check out parabolic microphones that pick up conversations a mile a way, cameras that learn what and who to photograph, RadarVision that \u201csees through walls\u201d, and Uninhabited Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). And we explore the mind-bending future of surveillance technology, while, of course, reviewing its surprising history."

"In this hour, death seeps out of the ground into a neighborhood sitting on a toxic waste dump at Love Canal in New York; soldiers die during Desert Storm in 1991 when software flaws render Patriot Missiles inaccurate; on September 11, 2001, World Trade Center Building #7 wasn\u2019t attacked, but seven hours after the Twin Towers collapsed, it too is mysteriously reduced to a pile of rubble; a night of revelry in Boston turns the Coconut Grove nightclub into an inferno that kills over 400 people in 1942; and the science of demolition is put to the test and fails when a building in Rhode Island, the \u201cLeaning Tower of Providence\u201d, stands its ground."

"When the men and women aboard a modern submarine hear the command to dive, they can take a measure of comfort in the fact that no US sub has been lost in nearly 40 years, though it\u2019s been said that the sea is a more hostile environment than space. The tragedies of former disasters have not been forgotten or squandered and the Navy has been extremely motivated to find ever more effective ways to prevent them. We\u2019ll examine sub disasters to discover what caused them and what they\u2019ve taught us. And as we explore the early history of the submarine\u2013including a sub used in the American Revolution and one used in the Civil War\u2013we follow a modern crew using submarine simulators to train for disasters, study subs in the nuclear age, and explore state-of-the-art rescue technology."

"In this hour, we examine a massive oil tanker explosion that killed nine; a subway tunnel cave-in that swallowed part of Hollywood Boulevard; a freighter plane crash that destroyed an 11-story apartment building; an historic molasses flash flood; and a freeway ramp collapse that buried construction workers in rubble and concrete. Investigators from NTSB, Cal\/OSHA, and Boeing, structural and geo-technical engineers, and historians explain how so much could have gone wrong, costing so many lives. And aided by computer graphics, footage and photos of the disasters, and visits to the locations today, we show viewers what caused these catastrophes and what design experts have done to make sure they never happen again."

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"The US capital boasts many memorials, but none with a more bizarre history than the obelisk erected to America's first president. Over 55 stories high and weighing over 90,000 tons, the Washington Monument stands stalwart in the city's center. From concept to completion, it took 100 years\u2013years filled with mystery, ceremony, conflict, government action, and inaction. Proposed in the late 1700s by a group of prominent citizens and finished in the late 1800s by the Army Corps of Engineers, the exterior is mainly Maryland white marble, while the interior is made of granite, iron\u2026and a few surprises. How did it come together and why did it take so long? Historians tell stories of stalling bureaucracy, secret societies, and triumphant engineering. Stark and daunting on the outside, we let viewers know what's inside."

"A series of construction errors causes a devastating flood that brings Chicago to a standstill. A deadly accident traps hundreds in a smoke-filled Alpine tunnel, with no ventilation. Three boilers explode on a Mississippi riverboat resulting in thousands of deaths and earning the disaster the title of the worst in maritime history. Two buildings, halfway around the world from each other, collapse from the same type of shoddy construction methods\u201314 years apart. And a cockpit warning system malfunctions, causing a fiery, fatal crash before the jetliner ever takes off. We interview design and construction experts as we investigate what went wrong. And we talk with rescue personnel, eyewitnesses, and victims as we visit the tragedies' sites to see what improvements have been implemented to insure against these kinds of disasters."

"Extruders, molds, in-line conveyor belts. Are these machines manufacturing adhesives, plastics, or parts for your car? No, they're making treats for your mouth\u2013and you will see them doing their seductively tasty work in this scrumptious episode. First, we visit Utz Quality Foods in Hanover, Pennsylvania, that produces more than one million pounds of chips per week, and Snyder's of Hanover, the leading US pretzel manufacturer. Next, we focus on the world's largest candy manufacturer, Masterfoods USA, which makes Milky Way, Snickers, Mars, and M&Ms;, and take a lick at the world's largest lollipop producer, Tootsie Roll Industries. And at Flower Foods' Crossville, Tennessee plant, an army of cupcakes rolls down a conveyer belt. The final stop is Dreyer's Bakersfield, California plant, where 20,000 ice cream bars and 9,600 drumsticks roll off the line in an hour."

"It comes in many deadly shapes and sizes, and the transportation of dangerous cargo is one of the most meticulously planned procedures in the shipping world. We hitch a ride on a \u201cdynamite run\u201d from explosives factory to construction site; learn how liquid natural gas is shipped, a fuel that could vaporize entire city blocks if ignited; accompany a Drug Enforcement Administration truck as it transports confiscated illegal drugs to an incinerator site for destruction; fly with Air Net as it moves radioactive pharmaceuticals from factory to hospital; and tag along with two tigers, part of a breeding program for endangered species, as they travel from Texas to Ohio. As each story progresses, we explore the history of the transport of that particular form of Dangerous Cargo."

"Battered and fried or simply raw\u2013seafood is a popular dish, no matter how you serve it. Americans consume more than 5-billion pounds yearly, an order that takes more than a fishing rod to fill and worries conservationists. We follow the fish, the fishermen, and the science trying to preserve fisheries for future generations\u2013from ancient ships on the Nile to a modern technologically sophisticated factory trawler on the Bering Sea to the University of New Hampshire's open-ocean aquaculture research project. And we witness a wide variety of fishing methods\u2013from gillnetting and longlining STRONG \/STRONG to lobster trapping. Hop aboard and sail through time and around the globe as we explore the harsh conditions of life at sea and experience firsthand one of history's deadliest jobs. Brace yourself and feel the ice-cold, salt spray on your face as we explore commercial fishing!"

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"Chaos in Guadalajara, Mexico, when the city streets explode; an airplane crash outside of Paris that ranks as one of the worst in history; two mining dams in Italy collapse engulfing a village in a tidal wave of sludge; a generation of children in a small Texas town are entombed in the rubble of their school; an oil tanker runs aground off the coast of England and introduces the world to the devastation of the first super spill\u2026 EM Engineering Disasters 16 \/EM delves into the shocking chain of events leading up to each of these horrific catastrophes and examines resulting technological improvements designed to prevent similar tragedies in the future."

"Doomsday threats range from very real (nuclear arsenals) to controversial (global warming) to futuristic (nanotechnology, cyborgs, and robots). Despite the Cold War\u2019s end, we live under the shadow of nuclear weapons, arms races, and accidental launches. Next, we stir up a hotter topic\u2013the connection between global warming and fossil fuels\u2013and ask if they\u2019re cooking up a sudden, new Ice Age. And we examine 21st-century technologies that typify the dual-edged sword of EM Doomsday Tech \/EM with massive potential for both creation and destruction\u2013nanotechnology (engineering on a tiny scale), robotics, and cybernetics. We witness amazing applications in the works, wonder at the limitless promise, and hear warnings of a possible nano-doomsday, with tiny, out-of-control machines devouring everything around them."

"The second deadly hour examines more threats\u2013both natural and manmade\u2013that may endanger civilization. From the far reaches of space to tiny viruses, doomsday sources are many. But so are technologies used to keep doomsday at bay. Asteroids of significant size have hit our planet before and likely will again. Asteroid hunters demonstrate the Near Earth Asteroid Tracking (NEAT) program and methods being developed to destroy earth-aimed asteroids. Then, it's onto bioterrorism's sinister technologies\u2013how highly virulent agents like smallpox and plague can be weaponized. Next, an ex-hacker turned cyber-security expert shows how vulnerable the nation's computers are to cyberterror. Finally, we visit the controversial world of biotechnology. Could genetically engineered crops backfire? Does a brave new world of genetically selected beings loom in our not-so-distant future?"

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"Documentary about strange and futuristic weapons designed during WWII by the Axis powers, mainly Nazi Germany."

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"This program tells the story of the transformation of American coinage and currency from a haphazard mess that stunted economic growth to the advanced technology operated by the United ..."

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"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;..."

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"America protects its homeland with the most technologically advanced military force ever conceived. Although they fight 21st-century battles worldwide, the technology unleashed is directly descended from a war fought more than 140 years ago. This episode explores how the War between North and South was the first modern war, and the technology used in it was a quantum leap beyond any previous conflict. The machine gun, aerial reconnaissance, advanced battlefield medicine, instantaneous communication, ironclad ships, even the first aircraft carrier were all innovations developed during the Civil War. We'll investigate improvements in weapons, sea power, transportation, troop conveyance, food processing, medical care, and telecommunications. At a time when the nation was divided, Civil War technology revolutionized the way war was waged. Today, those technological milestones have evolved to ensure that our modern military has no equal in the world."

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"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."

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"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..."

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"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..."

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"Cyrus West Field persues his vision of an instant, reliable transcontinental mode of communication in the mid-1800s."

"Nearly 500 years after his death, Leonardo da Vinci still intrigues us. Most people think of him as a great artist, but he was also a remarkable scientist and inventor. His love of mechanics was unparalleled and he filled his notebooks with pages of incredible machines\u2013from weapons of war to \"Ships of the Skies\", from submarines and scuba suits to robots and an analogue computer\u2026even contact lenses and alarm clocks! How did a 15th-century man envision such modern innovations? If we follow his plans, would any of his designs work? We need wonder no more. With recent technological advances and new materials, we're the first generation able to bring Leonardo's drawings to life\u2013to learn whether his \"mechanical dreams\" were workable plans. We explore the fascinating intersection of his art, science, and engineering marvels, and use them to offer insight into this \"Genius of Geniuses\", who remains as elusive as Mona Lisa's smile."

"For most of us, cars are an ordinary fixture of daily life. But then there are custom cars\u2013literal labors of love. Supercharged hot rods, sublimely sculpted classics, flashy tricked-out lowriders, neon-bright \u201cimport tuners\u201d\u2013an eye-popping blend of fine art and mechanical know-how. In this episode, we trace the history, technology, and cultural connections between successive generations who have turned the common car into an American art form. We\u2019ll ride with hot rodders and lowriders and visit the speed shops and paint shops where ordinary cars become art."

"The hardware store is the epicenter of the construction world for both the weekend handyman and professional builder. Many of the items found in hardware stores are so common that it\u2019s easy to forget that when they were invented, they represented technological breakthroughs\u2013some even revolutionized entire industries. We examine various tools and see how they\u2019ve evolved, including the wrench, measuring and demolition tools, rope, sandpaper, and locks and keys. Whether you\u2019re looking for an ancient tool like a hammer or a modern one like an electronic lock, you\u2019ll find it at the hardware store\u2013the place to go when things fall apart or when you decide to build your dreams from the ground up."

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"They crunch; they ooze; they crackle; they pop\u2013mmmmm, yeah! Soft drinks, donuts, meat snacks, popcorn, and gum. What's your weakness? From the handmade treats of the earliest civilizations to hi-tech mass production, these snacks are borne of man's need to feed his cravings. Join us for an hour-long tasty treat as we examine the history of snackfoods and check out how they are made today."

"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. And hundreds of audio animatronics brought to life through the power of pneumatics, hydraulics, and electrical systems. Walt Disney World is made up of four separate theme parks, each with its own innovations: the 107-acre Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney-MGM Studios, and Disney's Animal Kingdom. The four parks are all part of a megaplex of a resort. Twice the size of Manhattan, it was the final vision and crowning achievement of a man who spent more than 40 years pushing the limits of technology to create entertainment magic: Walt Disney."

"They\u2019re nature on a rampage. The size and intensity of hurricanes make them the most feared and destructive of all storms. Explore how hurricanes start, how scientists track them, and how if at all possible they can be stopped. Take a ride on a hurricane \u201cchaser\u201d plane as it flies directly into the eye of hurricane Wilma, collecting important barometric pressure and wind velocity readings. In this hour we\u2019ll also track the historical highlights of hurricanes, and the history and development of such important hurricane research tools as radar and weather satellites. We\u2019ll delve into the construction of buildings that weather hurricanes better than traditional structures and examine how modern skyscrapers are built to stand up to hurricane force winds."

"Priceless collections. Compilations devoted to with such passion, entire lives have been spent perfecting them. From rescued trash to treasure troves with values known to only the most discerning eye, people collect for many reasons. For some, the thrill is in the find; for others, collecting is an escape from daily life. But all collectors have one thing in common\u2013they love it! This 2-hour special shows what people hoard\u2013from the largest Star Wars collection to the largest private collection of Elvis memorabilia\u2013and the extent to which they go to satisfy their hobby, their passion, their addiction. Among the collections we view are Steven Seagal\u2019s ancient Japanese swords and rare guitars, Arnold Palmer\u2019s golf clubs (over 10,000), and Penny Marshall\u2019s sports memorabilia (she often battles Billy Crystal for the top online bid)."

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"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 ..."

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"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..."

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"The first specialized gun, the British upper-class used it to shoot birds and small game for sport. The shotgun took on a variety of roles, used by hunter and warrior alike."

"The greatest religious structures are marvels of engineering, technology, and invention, representing not only the glory of God, but also the ingenuity of man."

"Buckle up for a rip-roaring ride through the world of extreme horsepower. Experience the fastest accelerating cars on earth. Find out how horsepower was first coined as a marketing tool for the steam engine in the early 1800s and meet the horsepower police--the Society of Automotive Engineers who test today's most powerful car engines. Feel the amazing power of Unlimited Hydroplane racing as 3-ton boat-beasts careen across water at speeds of over 200 miles per hour. Journey to the bowels of an enormous container ship where the world's most powerful diesel engine provides over 100,000 horsepower. At the Hoover Dam, watch as it harnesses the enormous power of water. Explore the 80,000 horsepower pumping units at the Edmonston Pumping Plant that delivers 2-billion gallons of water a day to thirsty Californians. And sit behind the steering wheel of a new generation of hybrid cars that boast 400-horsepower yet get 42 miles per gallon of gas."

"Take an in-depth look at the most proven and reliable sources: solar, wind, geothermal, biofuels, and tidal power. From the experimental to the tried-and-true, renewable energy sources are overflowing with potential... just waiting to be exploited on a massive scale."

"Explore the history of freight transportation from its humble beginnings as tramways in mines to complex system of rails that stretches to every corner of the nation."

"Teamed with leading archeologists and experts, peel back the layers of the past--to reveal a hidden history that hasn't seen the light of day for ages."

"The Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway is comprised of a system of canals, land cuts, and a series of natural and artificial barrier islands, which provide a protected passage for low-draft vessels wishing to avoid the tumultuous currents of the Atlantic Ocean."

"They are the swarthy eagles of the sky: Past, present, and future advances in stealth military aircraft."

"It's one thing to make a 60-foot-long jet aircraft seem invisible, but quite another to hide a 400-foot-long warship from the prying eyes of an enemy. Explore the challenging world of stealth technology at sea and how modern engineering can make our largest warships appear to be tugboats or fishing vessels."

"Invented by the Chinese in about 3000BC, it spread the word of God and war. It set us free and spelled out our rights. It tells stories, sells products and solves crimes. It's ink and it's everywhere!"

"It's an art, it's a science and it's a marriage of vapor and water. From the elite to the illegal, the banned, to the celebrated, the distillation of spirits is a 50 billion dollar a year business. Visit brandy, liqueur, moonshine, and absinthe distilleries to see how this magic is done."

"Strength...a powerful word, but what does it mean? How is it measured? Why are some things simply stronger than others. How strong is a rope, a tractor, a diamond, a tugboat or even plastic. How and why strength matter to us every day."

"Hosted by Terry Deitz, a former Tomcat pilot, this special explores the legacy of one of the greatest fighter jets ever built. Witness first hand the last F-14 catapult launches and arrested trap landings aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt. Hear what the aviators and sailors who have flown and maintained this iconic aircraft over the years have to say about its long lived active duty career. Deitz will ride shotgun one last time before the F-14 is retired. Then reflect with veteran pilots, Navy brass, and airplane enthusiasts as the world bids farewell at the F-14 Memorial and Final Flight Ceremony at the Naval Air Station in Oceana, VA."

"Discovered around 18,000 years ago, tobacco was first cultivated in the Andes between 5000 and 3000 B.C. At a modern tobacco farm in North Carolina, a farmer will show how the crop is harvested and cured and visit the Fuente cigar plantation in the Dominican Republic. While tobacco has brought pleasure to countless smokers the world over--it has sent millions to an early grave. In an interview with the Surgeon General, explore this leading public health issue. The show will also look at smokeless methods of consumption as well as explore the use of nicotine replacement therapy."

"Our basic need and desire for food has made the supermarket one of the great success stories of modern retailing. Making customers' visits to the market as efficient as possible has led to bar coding and a scale that recognizes the type of produce placed on it. Explore the psychology of the supermarket including store layout, lighting, music and aromas that trigger the appetite. With a growing percentage of the public interested in eating healthier foods, organic grocers are carving out an increasingly large niche."

"It slices and squeezes, sorts and sizes, mixes and cooks. Every morning we count on it to keep our orange juice fresh, our eggs whole, our cereals flaked, and our McGriddle syrupy--this is Breakfast Tech."

"A glass a day is said to keep the doctor away. A defeated Napoleon drowned his sorrows in it; Thomas Jefferson became obsessed with it. Wine is an integral part of our culture and more wine is consumed today than ever before. Supermarket shelves that once carried only box wine and jugs are now lined with wines from Australia, Chile, and South Africa. Aerial imaging and infrared photography once used by NASA to map the moon is now employed by wineries to analyze soil, vine vigor, and even disease. Paying tribute to wine's unique history we will travel the world over to explore wineries, the worlds' most historic wine cellar and the oldest restaurant in Paris."

"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."

"In March of 2005, the BP Refinery in Texas City, Texas, suffered a series of explosions that decimated a large portion of the facility and killed 15 workers. Then the unusual series of events that caused American Airlines flight 587 to fall from the sky. What happened in Times Beach, Missouri, when a local waste hauler oiled down dusty roads with oil that was laced with dioxin? Look at what went wrong with NASA's Skylab in 1974 and finally examine the fire that destroyed the gas company, Praxair, in June of 2005."

"It is the bane of every suburban parent and the joy to every school kid. Born in a swirling storm cloud through a process called nucleation, the characteristics of snow flakes are threatened by pollution trapped in the clouds."

"After water, tea is the second most popular drink in the world. It has been around as a drink for 5000 years, and 6 billion pounds of tea are harvested annually."

"Christmas is observed by many people around the world, for both religious reasons and more secular purposes. Trees, lights, ornaments, and window displays are a big part of the celebration. Thanks to technological advancements they are cheaper, safer and more spectacular than ever before."

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"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 ..."

"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 ..."

"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 ..."

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"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 ..."

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"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. ..."

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"Corn has found its way into over 3,000 different items. Discover how tons of sweet corn make it from the field to a sealed can within mere hours at Lakeside Foods in Wisconsin and how corn is transformed into clear plastic packaging at NatureWorks in Nebraska."

"A 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. But the primary use of the pig is for food. Watch the transformation into bacon, ham, ribs and sausage."

"From the Stone Age, to the Space Age, we've built our world from rocks. With moon rocks located at NASA's Johnson Space Center."

"The dangers associated with Electric Shock are real. It kills and injures thousands each year. In the last 100 years we've corralled its power to create marvelous devices. We'll explore the stunning ways that electric shocks occur - from lethal prison fences to the slippery shock of an Electric Eel."

"They're the meat in our sandwiches. We 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."

"Carl's Jr., Jack in the Box, Wendy's, Burger King or McDonald's. Fast food joints dominate the American landscape to the tune of $150 billion dollars in annual sales."

"Got milk? Billions of pounds of milk are consumed worldwide on a daily basis. Milk is the basis for its own food group, and has been around since the dawn of mammals. Visit a farm with a milking parlor that looks more like a cow merry-go-round. Learn what pasteurization is really all about, and even milk a yak. Find out what those active cultures in yogurt are and discover if milk truly makes the body good. Wait until you discover just how many types of cows there truly are."

"Carbon is the chemical basis of all known life and yet this simple element is also the foundation of modern technology. Carbon burns hotter, cuts deeper, insulates more thoroughly and absorbs more fully than any other material. See why carbon is the key both in heavy-duty industries, as well as in tools like the graphite pencil, the charcoal water filter, and the diamond saw blade."

"The dot.com decade opened up the information superhighway and for the first time, people could shop, search, and surf online with the click of a mouse. Take a trip to the end of the 20th century and the beginning of today technologies."

"Millions of drivers travel the world's superhighways each year. See a multi-billion dollar expansion project in Houston where a stretch of superhighway is being widened to 20 lanes & Take a ride atop the High-Five, a 12-story, five-level interchange that's become the latest Dallas tourist attraction. Then it's off to China's 28,000-mile National Trunk Highway System."

"Witness some mind-blowing feats of strength starting with the world's most powerful elevators. Discover the world's strongest tire, the strongest mountain bike, the world's strongest land transport vehicle that carries the Space Shuttle & strongest home blender."

"Discover microwave-like rays that make the enemy flee; laser weapons mounted on trucks & planes that can blow missiles out of the sky; non-lethal weapons include a B.B. machine gun; and a flashing device that may make you lose your lunch."

"Visit some of the world's finest distilleries to see how each country brews this thousand-year old spirit. Go behind the scenes at Jim Beam, Jack Daniels and Canadian Club Whiskey."

"Takes a look inside the amazing ultra-modern world of high stakes commercial fishing where a wrong decision on the captain's part can cost not just the season's catch, but also the lives of his crew."

"It's the basic source of nourishment for half the world. Bake it, roast it, slice it, or toast it, it's a wonder with three simple ingredients."

"We're living in a gadget revolution. New and unimagined gizmos solve problems that we didn't even know we had. They emerge from cutting edge think tanks and tinkerers basement workshops. Will they usher in a techno utopia, or enslave us to pocket size technology?"

"Race through the French countryside at nearly 300 MPH on 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. Descend 700 feet below the earth's surface where mining locomotives move miners through a maze of tunnels. Then, it's a \"jiffy lube\" for locomotives inside America's largest maintenance shop. Finally, glide into the future with a locomotive that levitates on a cushion of air."

"Feared by millions worldwide, rats are some of the most dangerous, destructive and useful animals on Earth."

"Nikola Tesla's bizarre vision of the future brought him failure, but his genius electrified the world."

"The axe is one of the world's oldest, most dangerous and efficient cutting tools. Visit one of the nation's largest axe manufacturers, take a swing with a Vikings' battle axe, then see which would win in a fight of sword vs axe. Learn why the tomahawk is making a comeback as a tactical weapon & see how the fireman's axe has evolved into a trailer full of high tech rescue tools."

"Discover that the deadliest snakes, sports and weather events are closer and more treacherous than you think."

"Explore the world of extreme temperatures."

"A versatile yet toxic metal, lead has served mankind for 6,000 years."

"Do you ever wonder what happens to your body after you die? You might be surprised to discover that the human body is host to a multitude of hidden secrets. Discover how coroners and forensic anthropologists use a body to both save lives and catch killers. Visit the University of Tennessee's famed \"Body Farm,\" a crematorium, and one of the largest tissue banks in the United States."

"From the gelato of Italy to the French Pot process of the 1800s to numerous assortments of frozen delights being served up today, learn the history of this delicious dessert."

"The most used room in the home is the bathroom and it's full of tech. Visit Kohler and see the new digitally controlled uber-shower, complete with steam, music and LED chromatherapy. Check out American Standard's Champion 4--the supposedly \"uncloggable\" toilet. Learn all about the low-flow alternatives for showers and toilets. Touch-free fixtures and a futuristic toilet from Japan ensure a more hygienic restroom experience. Finally, what is New York City's latest hi-tech solution for going on the go?"

"Explore collisions that shake our world from the astronomic to the subatomic. Indy car racing; motorcycles; skydiving; meteorites; and subatomic particles."

"From itchy woolen union suits to comfortable briefs and boxers learn how our undergarments have evolved over the last 100 years."

"He's caped, cowled and the coolest superhero of them all, because underneath that Batsuit, Batman only has his human strength and intellect to rely on. That and the greatest arsenal of crime fighting weaponry ever devised. But just where does comic book science fiction end and scientific fact begin? What technologies are behind the gadgets in Batman's utility belt? And just how plausible is the Batmobile? Get ready for a real life trip to the Batcave as we reveal the secrets behind Batman Tech."

"Every 15 minutes, Americans insert over 3.5 million coins into vending machines. What are they buying? How do the machines work?"

"Rubber, plastic, nylon, aerosols, resins, solvents, & lubricants; none can exist without oil. If we stopped driving our cars tomorrow, America would still need 5 million barrels of oil a day."

"How iron mined in Minnesota is made into steel; iron weapons revolutionize warfare; military metallurgists customize weapons and demonstrate their firepower; iron magnets."

"It feeds the world. See how harvesting crews brave months on the road, cutting thousands of acres, tour a pasta plant to see how special kinds of wheat becomes everything from spaghetti to rigatoni. Watch as grain is mashed into a thirst-quenching brew and finally visit a company that transforms wheat into plastic-like products."

"Dangerous roads throughout the world are examined, including Bolivia's \"Death Road\" and Highway 99 in California. Also: a visit to the Federal Highway Administration's safety-test laboratory."

"Learn about fungal organisms that live within our bodies, grow beneath our feet, float in the air and help create some of the foods and beverages we consume."

"They account for nearly 30% of all beverages consumed in the U.S. and have been quenching thirst for over a century."

"America's aging infrastructure is in danger of collapse due to corrosion, according to engineers; technology for battling corrosion; harnessing the destructive power of decomposition."

"Examining how frequently experts in various disciplines can hit their targets, including archers, sharpshooters and even a billiards player; the ancient world's ballista and trebuchet weapons; knife thrower; Cirque du Soleil's daring artists."

"An inside look at the technology used for the Halloween traditions such as producing latex masks, professional monster makeup, carving jack-o-lanterns, making fake blood and a glimpse of a popular haunted house attraction."

"A celebration of the horse, the animal that helped mankind change the world; the thoroughbred racing industry in Kentucky; how a Minnesota logging company uses real horsepower; a Colorado program pairs horses and prison inmates."

"The turkey is the centerpiece of Thanksgiving dinners and one of the dumbest birds in the animal kingdom, but it has managed to survive since the dinosaurs; Butterball factory; turkey hunting; dining on turkey testicles and eggs."

"It's the only rock we eat, and we need it to live. History has shown that those who have salt rule the world--and today, this versatile substance has 14,000 known uses."

"The car wash's in America are a $25 billion dollars a year industry, with tunnel systems to in-bay automatics, we'll show you how America keeps it's cars clean. We'll visit the largest car wash, seven acres wide which includes a dog wash, chapel, and barber shop. And then to a wash which uses trained electronic eyes, auto conveyors, and mega vacuums which can hold up a bowling ball. We also show tips for cleaning a car at home. Plus we'll add tar, glue, egg, bird droppings, and a bucket full of sludge to a $160,000 Porsche, and then challenge a detailer to clean it off. Also, see how cars are built to survive a car wash."

"Rummage around in your garage and you'll likely find remnants of gadgets past: a typewriter, analog TV, LPs, film cameras and brick-sized mobile phones. These products served us well and remember each one with nostalgic fondness. Take a trip down memory lane to examine how these oldies-but-goodies worked and find out how more advanced tech superseded them."

"Whether humans have the ability to possess superpowers; a man can strap on an exoskeleton and lift hundreds of pounds with little effort; Mr. Cyborg can control machines with his thoughts; flying like Superman."

"How do you weigh a whale? How does your speedometer work? Take a look at the five most common areas of measurement: distance, time, speed, weight, and temperature."

"Some activities only occur when the world is dark; fishermen use lights to lure squid to their nets; finding night crawlers in Toronto; military night vision gear; police helicopter's Spectrolab spotlight; baseball stadium."

"Fairgrounds fried classics such as funnel cakes and churros; frog legs; Twinkies and Coke; forging a cast iron frying pan; Kentucky's World Chicken Festival."

"Preparing meals for large groups is examined. Included: a meal at a U.S. Naval base in Bangor, Wash.; aboard a nuclear submarine; for crowds at a Philadelphia Eagles game; and the after party of the American Music Awards. Also: airline meals in New York City."

"Where in Washington DC is the nation's most incredible treasure chest? It's a library unlike any other in the world, the U.S. Library of Congress in Washington D.C. Modern Marvels explodes the myth that this 200 year old institution is simply \"where members of Congress borrow books\". Viewers are taken beyond the magnificent Jefferson Building Great Hall into the secret vaults where more than 600 miles of shelves hold 130 million items, many of them priceless treasures - from George Washington's hand-written diaries to Galileo's first images of the moon to the original camera film of the movie Frankenstein. See how a staff of 4000 catalogues protects and preserves these treasures and distributes them globally via a new World Digital Library."

"You know the old saying \"dull as dirt\"\u2026wrong! 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 that every major league team relies on to give extra grip to baseballs. Then, we'll join in the down and dirty fun of mud wrestling at a state fair in Hawaii. In Tucson we'll see how modern adobe and stunning rammed-earth homes are made. To farmers, \"dirt\" is \"soil\" and in a teaspoon of healthy soil there are more living organisms than people on our planet. We'll find out where they came from at a sprawling potting soil facility in central California where huge earth moving equipment adds tons of dried kelp, bat guano and other ingredients to dirt. At exclusive spas we'll watch patrons submerge in mud. Finally, we'll visit the Tide detergent factory\u2013why? To get the dirt out, of course."

"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\u2026from massive traditional Iowa farms, where millions of eggs move from hens to delivery trucks without being touched by human hands\u2026to \"cage-free\" and \"pasture raised\" farms where chickens have more room to roam but consumers pay the price. Find out what labels like \"Grade A, Organic\" and \"Omega-3 Enhanced\" really mean. See how powdered eggs get made and what happens to the billions of whites and yolks that go their separate ways. Try the world's largest omelet, made from an ostrich egg, the equivalent of 24 chicken eggs. How about some pickled eggs or \"century\" duck eggs? And prepare to be awed by the \"Michelangelo\" of the egg-shell world as he sculpts egg shells less than 1\/32 inch thick into jaw-dropping works of art."

"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, for some tasty Potato Knishes. In Northern Maine we'll discover a farmer of exotic potatoes: blue, green, pink, and dark purple varieties. We'll reveal how large-scale potato producers in Idaho and Pennsylvania slice, dice, freeze, and dehydrate millions of pounds of spuds annually. We'll learn how to mass produce Tater tots and Kettle Potato Chips. Potato Vodka now scores near perfection in international tasting competitions\u2013and we'll visit a Maine distillery at the top of their game. Finally, we'll pay tribute to the iconic Mr. Potato Head, now celebrating its 50th Anniversary, then round out the show with an explosive visit to the makers of some of the world's most sophisticated Spud Guns."

"It's the most popular fish in the American diet. From the school lunch box\u2013to the high end sushi bar\u2013to the outdoor barbecue, tuna crosses all demographic lines. We'll go fishing with the men who risk their lives to bring in a haul, stop in at Bumble Bee, the only major tuna cannery still operating in America, and visit the world's largest fish market in Tokyo, where a single tuna can sell for as much as $100,000. We'll also explore worldwide efforts to save the giant bluefin tuna, which has been over-fished to a point of peril. Then we'll head to sea with scientists who track the tunas' inter-oceanic migrations, and travel to South Australia, where entrepreneurs seek to breed the mighty bluefin in captivity."

"From building cutting-edge competition venues to the latest sports science training, winter sports use more technology than ever. This episode takes you behind the scenes of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter games. Olympic organizers race against the clock to build venues, expand transportation and security, and add futuristic touches to the ultimate Olympic icon\u2013the Olympic torch. Meanwhile, US Olympic hopefuls use high-tech training tools to gain a competitive edge. Take in breathtaking views from the world's highest unsupported gondola and rocket down a bobsled track at 80 miles per hour, as we show you winter sports like you've never seen them before."

"Frustrations are high in the Myers garage as Burt and Jason have a considerable amount of work to do on their cars after last week's race. The S & R garage is on easy street after a win by rookie Jonathan Brown and Puddin' invites the boys to a wine tasting to celebrate. A call from the Myers garage to S & R raises the tension level to a boiling point and the threat of violence hangs over the stadium. With everyone else distracted, will Tim Brown coast his way to another win this week?"

"At 4 State Trucks in Missouri, the Chrome Shop Mafia adds some truckers' \"bling\" to a big rig as viewers tour its 35,000 square-foot treasure trove of chrome. In Illinois, learn just how automotive parts get their luster in a complex electroplating process. And out on the road with some bikers, take a look at how Harley Davidson puts chrome to work both as a decorative surface and a protective covering on engine parts. At a classic car gathering, collectors show off their sparkling tailfins and grilles\u2013and in Michigan, peruse a unique collection of more than 3,000 chrome hood ornaments. See how workers chrome-plate plastic, and learn how chrome puts the \"stainless\" in stainless steel. Find out how stainless steel flatware is manufactured and explore the iconic, shimmering art deco dome of the Chrysler Building. Finally, a Colorado artist will show viewers how he rescues old chrome car bumpers from the scrap yard and transforms them."

"What does it take to turn twenty tons of steel into top-notch vehicles in less than a day? How does a pile of lumber become a million dollar home in a mere week? Every process, from beginning to end, is a unique and incredible adventure. From the fiery birth of high tech golf clubs to the cataclysmic end of old buildings\u2026 get ready to race from Start to Finish."

"Follow the soybean from field to refinery with CHS, Inc. as they convert billions of soybeans into vegetable oils, flour, and soy meal. These products, in turn, end up in salad dressings and margarines, baked goods, animal feed and even bio-fuel and plastics. Pay a visit to the Kelley Bean Company which cleans 80,000 pounds of dry beans per day. B & M Baked Beans stirs up some New England tradition by baking beans in steel kettles and brick ovens. Then, Italian chef and bean lover Cesare Casella whips up a few bean dishes using rare heirloom beans, some of which cost $35 per pound. For dessert, Japanese pastry makers prepare traditional bean-based confections with the azuki bean. Fry up some falafel and puree some beans into a paste called hummus with the most widely consumed legume in the world\u2026the chickpea. Last but not least, the makers of Beano explain how it works to prevent that unfortunate bean byproduct: gas."

"Chili head alert! It's time to get hot and spicy. First we'll take you to the home of sizzling Tabasco sauce\u2013McIlhenny Company of Louisiana, and to McCormick in Baltimore, Maryland\u2013the leading spice manufacturer in the world. Then, head down south to see who likes it hot at the Southern Mississippi Chili Cook Off. At the Chile Pepper Institute, taste the rare \"Bhut Jolokia,\" the hottest Chile pepper in the world, and learn about the chemical substance capsaicin, which gives the \"Bhut\" and other popular peppers their tongue-burning heat. At Sol Toro restaurant in Connecticut, owned by basketball great Michael Jordan, customers need to sign a waiver to dine on their sizzling dishes. Go to the manufacturers of horseradish, wasabi and mustard to find out how their roots and seeds deliver their own distinctive blazing burn. Using the same heat many savor, we'll demonstrate the powerful punch of pepper spray as a weapon."

"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. Deliver luxury yachts aboard a submersible carrier ship. Ride to the track with prized thoroughbreds on their own special jet. Want dinner and a movie? Sounds like a visit to Netflix headquarters and Papa John's Pizza. Ride radical with bike messengers in New York City, and deliver a donor kidney to a waiting hospital. Take a tour of the UPS Worldport hub in Louisville, Kentucky, a mammoth center with delivery docks for 100 jets, and handles 1.2 million packages a day."

"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. Then climb aboard a Coast Guard helicopter as a team trains for water rescues in the Gulf. In California, see how the immensely popular Robinson helicopters are hand-made and how the police use them to catch fleeing criminals. In Tennessee, learn how million dollar Bell helicopters are customized with everything from bars and entertainment systems to state of the art navigation. Then it's off to Arizona to see how anyone can build their own affordable helicopter in their garage. Finally, learn how drone helicopters that can shoot a movie or take out an enemy."

"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. In Miami, go behind the scenes of one of the largest cruise ships in the world. In California, step onboard the Navy's newest, most advanced transport ship and take a spin in one of America's strongest and greenest tugboats. In Boston, venture into the frigid world of an LNG carrier, transporting enough natural gas to power a million homes for an entire week. In Maine, hop on \"the Cat,\" the fastest car ferry in North America\u2013it's a huge twin-hulled catamaran. Finally, learn how a ship that looks like an enormous spider on water may someday save lives."

"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. Then, fly with microjet pilots in the world's smallest jets. Witness a race between a huge Boss Hoss 425 horsepower motorcycle and an 18 inch tall pocket bike. Take the world's smallest production car for a ride and see just how many choir members we can fit into a super-sized limousine. See a mammoth Caterpillar front loader in action, in an open pit coal mine, and dig up the backyard with a loader that's no bigger than a lawnmower. Finally, walk inside an enormous diesel engine powering an 80,000 ton container ship and eyeball a tiny one driving a five pound model airplane."

"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. Travel to New Mexico to find out how the government plans to keep people away from a nuclear waste site for the next 10,000 years. Tour Master Lock to see how padlocks and combination locks are made, as well as how facial recognition, irises, and even vein structure can \"unlock\" biometric locks. With Customs and Border Protection, watch how officers stop illegals and contraband from entering the U.S. Tour a company that specializes in making products like steel nets to keep out people and vehicles. Visit a command center that monitors all airspace in and around the U.S. Finally, see how cages and other deterrents tell sharks to KEEP OUT!"

"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, back when pigs had to be slaughtered to keep it lubricated. In northern Nevada, fire up a coal burning boiler and get a 100-year-old steam locomotive chugging across the rugged landscape. In New Orleans, board an authentic paddlewheel steamboat. Trek to the Southern California desert where geothermal steam rushes up from the ground and drives electricity producing turbines, powering over 300,000 homes. In New York City, find out why manmade steam surges into some of the world's most famous skyscrapers. Steam clean some very dirty machines, and do a little laundry, too. And ride a steam-driven carousel and play with some strange, steam-powered robots that are part of a movement called\u2013what else\u2013\"steampunk.\""

"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. Learn about the surprisingly complex process involved in making home doors, as well as what goes into those commercial entries and exits we use everyday\u2013the revolving door and the turnstile. At the Southwestern Foundation for Biomedical Research, enter through an airlock into their level 4 biohazard lab. The Cleveland Federal Reserve doesn't even send people into their vaults; its robots go in and out. Try some aviation entries and exits\u2013the jet way used to board a plane, the airplane emergency exit procedures we hope to never use, and ejection seats, the fastest exit anywhere. Then, an engineering firm that designs hidden doors will take viewers to see a few of their secret entries. Finally, take a quick look at doors that go nowhere, at the Winchester Mystery House."

"Where in Washington D.C. is the nation's most incredible treasure chest? It's a library unlike any other in the world\u2013the U.S. Library of Congress. Explode the myth that this 200-year-old institution is simply \"where members of Congress borrow books.\" Viewers are taken beyond the magnificent Jefferson Building Great Hall into the secret vaults where more than 600 miles of shelves hold 130 million items, many of them priceless treasures\u2013from George Washington's hand-written diaries to Galileo's first images of the moon to the original camera film of the movie Frankenstein. See how a staff of 4,000 catalogues protects and preserves these treasures and distributes them globally via a new World Digital Library."

"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."

"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. Their greatest challenge: keeping up with demand on a massive scale, and to do it, they have everything from scuba divers to sandblasters. It's not what's on the shelves\u2013it's what happens behind the scenes."

"The US has become the culture of BIG\u2013just look at the importance of size and how it has been infused into the lifestyle we choose to live, whether it's our homes, our appliances such as large screen TVs or even eccentric stretch limos. But big has also affected what we eat. This episode explores America's growing obsession with plus-sized meals and how we cook them! Discover the largest everyday offerings of gargantuan portions\u2013from the biggest stacked burger in the world (at almost 250 pounds), a plus-sized Sicilian pizza that feeds almost 75 people, a 72-ounce steak no real cowboy can resist, and the seven-pound hot dog that's too big for a bun. Top it all off with a giant cupcake, humongous cinnamon roll or a five pound gummy bear\u2026 and chase it down with a monster bottle of beer that holds over 101 ounces of brew."

"Tens of millions of them all over the world\u2013soda and snack machines, parking meters and payphones, video games and vending machines\u2026 and they all use coins\u2013but for how long? Examine the historic one-armed bandits and the 21st century, cutting edge, computerized slot machines that occupy Vegas casinos and get an exclusive look at their inner workings in a never-before-seen factory in Reno, Nevada. Search out some of the wackiest, strangest vending machines on the planet that sell everything from bottles of wine to dog washes. Get a close-up look at the famous binoculars located at popular tourist sites around the world, as well as a unique company that collects and cleans the coins thrown into fountains for good luck. But it all starts and ends in the historic halls of the U.S. Mint, where coins are made and destroyed. Will coins one day become obsolete?"

"They are catastrophic failures with deadly consequences. Caused by a single spark or a massive collapse, these disasters reveal one thing\u2013the danger inherent in our most common industries. From a massive oil spill to refinery blaze to a downed plane, find out what went wrong\u2026 and how to prevent the next engineering disaster."

"Man's best friend\u2013fearless, faithful, determined and swift. They're our sharpest eyes, noses and ears\u2013and among the bravest hunters, soldiers, rescuers, and protectors. From natural instincts to complex training, see what makes dogs a perfectly engineered Modern Marvel."

"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: The Cold War spawned personal bomb shelters in the 1950s. They weren't truly safe and secure, but today's 21st century version will last a millennium. And so will the special food you can get, along with all the comforts of home\u2013like running water, plumbing and electricity. Caskets serve as our final resting place, but how long do they really last? Investigate how valuable data from a plane crash survives in a \"black box\" (that's not really black), to explain what might have caused the accident. And get an intimate look at the new \"home\" that protects and preserves one of the world's most valuable documents\u2013the case that houses the original Declaration of Independence."

"Just below the surface, there's a whole different America hidden from public view. Take a revealing look at the America under our feet, from secret military installations, and experimental farms to tunnel networks and neutron lasers."

"Since the dawn of the Industrial Revolution, the United States has stamped, carved, cut, built and assembled its way into becoming the super power of product production. However, in the last 20 years, the \"Made in America\" tag began to fade, as the manufacturing landscape of industry went overseas. So what is still Made in the USA? Visit the world's biggest and oldest flag manufacturer, which has made some of the most famous flags in history. Go inside the factories that produce the last athletic shoe made in the US. See the strangest form of alternate transportation known to man\u2013completely assembled in 30 minutes. Check out a hot toy company that believes it's imperative to keep their work here at home. Top it all off with some great food\u2013some American success stories that may seem foreign at first glance. It's not just a label. It's a proud and important tradition."

"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\u2013and 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\u2026you need training, experience, and above all, guts\u2013if you plan to sit in the Driver's Seat."

"You can fry it up, eat it for breakfast, or quaff it down on a hot summer day. It's the world's most versatile grain: RICE. At last count, there were over 140,000 types\u2013white, brown, long-grain, wild, short-grain, jasmine, Arborio, Basmati, black Thai, sweet, sticky\u2013enough to satisfy any discerning palette. From the mountaintops of Nepal to the fertile fields of California and Arkansas, we'll find out everything there is to know about growing, harvesting and milling this tiny, life saving fare. We'll travel to restaurants and distilleries to experience the delicious creations talented masters whip up. It comes in all the colors of the rainbow, served up everyday in countless dishes. It even brews into alcoholic drinks\u2013sake and beer. We'll also go inside the factories that make Rice Cakes and Rice Krispie Treats to discover how they use RICE to make their \"snackable\" delights."

"It's all around us\u2013so 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. In New Jersey, the makers of bubble Wrap clue you in on their manufacturing secrets. In Texas, workers conquer the challenge of packaging the world's largest crane. And you'll also see how America's military goods and supplies are packaged and shipped by the United States Transportation Command. Other stories include a new easy to open package that's the cure for \"wrap rage\"\u2013and how NASA engineers packed a fragile humanoid robot for a trip into orbit."

"In our lifelong battle to fight friction, Grease\u2013in all its forms\u2013is the unsung hero. Journey deep into places few people ever get to see, to discover the \"hidden\" uses of one of our most slippery products inside giant machines. We'll also investigate how it's made in a factory in New York, as well as what new advances some are working towards for grease of the future. But in the meantime, we'll witness how it is currently used inside a US Navy aircraft carrier, San Francisco's famous cable cars, elevators and escalators, assembly lines, huge excavators, amusement park rides, and even the Panama Canal. From pig fat to nano-particles\u2026 amazing Grease keeps everything rolling along\u2013smooth and fast."

"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. Learn how window washers, rock climbers and even bungee jumpers safely use the ropes they depend on every day! See dockworkers who rely on ropes around the clock, and pay a visit to the head-spinning factory floors where some of the strongest ropes available are made. See how industrial chain links come to life from just a rusty steel coil and how they're used to anchor massive ships and unload cargo. From parachute cord to shipping lines, from fine jewelry to anchor chains\u2013we'll discover the many uses of today's Ropes & Chains."

"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\u2013racing the clock to be on time for Brad's next concert. In Dearborn, Michigan, climb aboard one of the most popular pickups\u2013the Ford F-150\u2013as it tackles a devilish test course. And in Virginia, see how fast the world's most nimble tow truck can extract a car from the tightest parking spot imaginable. Meet a Mack truck fanatic and his cool collection of vintage models, and ride-along with an unsung hero with a truly dirty job\u2013operating a truck designed to empty and clean portable toilets."

"Don't look now\u2013but 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. A computer-managed home in Colorado showcases the high tech gadgetry destined to inhabit every wall in the future. At the headquarters of Orkin in Atlanta, a network of walls with cutouts and Plexiglas windows reveal how pests and creepy crawlies of all kinds can congregate in huge numbers inside our homes. In Washington, scientists at Underwriters Labs play with fire in the name of research, investigating how our walls can keep us safe\u2013or expose us to a fiery death. And in Los Angeles, a security company demonstrates innovative new technology that can \"see\" through walls\u2013detecting motion, heat, breathing, even heartbeats."

"We live in a highly mechanized world in which billions of products are made by machines\u2013but there are some things that can be built only by using an even more sophisticated tool\u2013the human hand. In New Mexico, a pilot who builds his own jet-powered glider takes to the skies\u2013his very life depending on his handiwork. Canoe makers in Montana, and a knife maker in Washington, handcraft items so unique that customers are willing to pay significantly higher prices than if they were machine made. In the farmlands of Central California, craftsmen keep alive the ancient art of weapon making\u2013see their gleaming suits of armor in action, as weekend warriors do battle. Ever wonder how those impressive animal skeletons in museums are constructed? The artists of Skulls International in Oklahoma City share their secrets. And in Hollywood, the Chiodo brothers reveal how handmade special effects have a charm and character that today's computer animators can't duplicate."

"It's a great American wilderness\u2013millions of acres of wild, primeval land with its own people, its own technology\u2026and its own rules. Survival there depends on smarts and science, guts and grueling work\u2026and a unique approach to one of the world's most uncompromising environments\u2013swamps. Watch an assembly of the distinctive airboat, then hop on board for a breathtaking journey and discover the surprising history behind this swamp staple of transportation. Take a wild ride on a big-tired swamp buggy, and taste test some local delicacies that bring new meaning to \"acquired taste.\" Witness a massive engineering project to divert the mighty Mississippi River, and meet the machines that make that job possible. Plus come face to face, literally, with enormous pythons and menacing alligators."

"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? Most people don't even think about it anymore. We simply put what we were carrying yesterday, and the day before that, back into our pockets. Do we really need everything we carry with us? In this hour we will take a look at the items we found in peoples' pockets all across America. Not cell phones, which everybody has, but more intimate items. Personal things\u2026both valuable and cheap. Work aids\u2026both simple and high-tech. Even food! And we'll not only see what they must have in their possession, but how some of it is made. Why does a search and rescue fireman carry a hockey puck? We'll also discover how they make and carry a \"personal escape\" bailout system."

"Food Trucks are hitting the big time\u2013across 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 that serve thousands at disaster scenes. Not surprisingly, it takes some pretty sophisticated engineering to make it all work\u2013and turn a truck into a kitchen on wheels."

"It has been said that necessity is the mother of all invention\u2013but 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\u2026Weird. Take a look at machines that specialize in high functionality and low practicality, prompting two very important questions: What is it and\u2026how do I get one? An Alaskan navigates the Juneau waters with his homemade submarine. A California company shocks local beach bums with their fully submersible \"shark boats.\" We'll also meet a bicep-curling robot that's built to save lives; scale a mountain with a 21st century Batman-esque rope ascender; witness an engineered, forty-foot vortex of fire known as the Flame Tornado; and hit the backcountry trails with a snowboard-motorcycle hybrid inspired by a shopping cart."

"Candy is America's sweetest guilty pleasure\u2013so appealing that we spend $25 billion annually to experience it. Our cameras venture from Chicago to Santa Cruz, California to show you that behind every delicious bite is a fascinating story of imagination and innovation. Fourth-generation candy makers Nick and Gino Marini reveal how they're redefining the limits of confectioneering with their latest sensation\u2026chocolate-covered bacon. The crew that makes the iconic red and white Starlight Mints demonstrates how they give each piece its trademark color pattern. As your mouth waters throughout the hour, you'll also discover they key ingredient that gives Lemonheads their sour punch\u2026and the surprising substance that puts the polish on Mike and Ikes. And you'll be shocked to learn how little sugar is in cotton candy."

"U.S. soldiers today face enormous challenges, often stationed in desolate locations behind enemy lines. Keeping them protected is priority number one\u2013and the military is making enormous leaps in devising a wide array of high-tech equipment to protect today's soldier. From elaborate elite training facilities, to GPS-guided air drops, to revolutionary high-tech tents and fire-retardant uniforms, we explore the science and technology of building, operating and protecting a base in a warzone."

"Just the whiff of a foul odor can make your head spin, your eyes water, your stomach turn\u2013it can even send you hurling. From cesspools, military stink bombs, and rancid rotting meat\u2026 to cow farms and landfills\u2026 to bad breath, B.O and beyond, the world is full of stink\u2013and we've spent centuries battling the funk. So how do we deal with these horrific odors? Hold your breath `cause these sensational stories are gonna STINK!"

"From the beginning of time we've worked to protect ourselves against the very element that keeps us alive\u2026Water. 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. We fight against ferocious weather and floods with state-of-the-art roofing, wraps, tarps, tunnels, clothing, boats, and much more\u2026 devising extreme tests to probe the limits of our modern waterproof technology."

"Hundreds of years before steel and plastic, wood was the building block of America. But even today, it touches every aspect of our lives. It's underneath our feet and flying through the sky, propping up skyscrapers and making burgers fry \u2014 from the historical, to the modern, to the timeless, we explore the surprising ways we cannot live without WOOD."

"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. Step inside one of the busiest 7-11's in America and find out what makes it tick. And go behind the scenes to see how favorite innovations\u2013like slurpees, turbo ovens, and beef jerky\u2013are made. The science of convenience will amaze you!"

"\"Tiny\" weapons may not sound impressive\u2026but small can kill, and it can also be easily concealed. From a pocket pistol used by the police\u2026to a submachine gun wielded by a bodyguard\u2026to a carbine in the hands of an Army Ranger, many of today's most effective weapons are smaller than ever. They can fit in your pocket, fly through the air, even break through walls\u2013tiny weapons are an essential part of battle, self-defense, and spreading terror."

"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! Rapid pressure changes can be as violent as explosions. And variable atmospheric pressure? We call that the weather."

"Shoes have come a long way from their humble beginnings as simple leather moccasins. Today footwear is built to withstand any extreme environment where a foot can tread \u2014 from the heart of a burning building to the track of an Olympic stadium. From high-tech soles to shoelaces, cowboy boots to sneaker design \u2014 step behind the scenes with the products that keep your feet covered."

"Our 49th state is one tough terrain. In the air, on the ground\u2013and deep beneath it\u2013survival here requires an amazing array of technological innovations. From buildings to highways, brutal winters to bug-infested summers, this unforgiving landscape demands creative work-arounds. And then there's the constant threat of natural disasters\u2026tsunami, anyone?"

"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. It's a pure adrenaline rush as we race the top 10 fastest marvels we've featured down to the speediest of all."

"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: Awe-Inspiring Machines\u2013featuring the top ten mightiest, strangest, and most unique innovations from our archives."

"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: Amazing Weapons. They're every arsenal's best asset and every enemy's worst nightmare and we're counting them down to the most amazing weapon of all."

"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\u2026 America's Favorite Foods."

"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. We raid the pantry\u2013and our rich archives\u2013showcasing the indulgently decadent, the heart-healthy, and the wildly delicious spectrum of grab-and-go delights in between. It's a nationwide culinary journey leading to our number 1 choice\u2013a snack so irresistible that Americans consume almost half the world's supply."

"America has always prided itself on its technological strength\u2013and 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 to reshape our world. Our contenders take our cameras on land, sea and air as they push the limits of power and endurance beyond the imaginable. And our choice at number 1 pulses with so much strength it could destroy our other nine finalists with one push of a button."

"The variety of jobs in America is endless\u2013but 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. A nationwide quest finds amazing jobholders in the wild blue yonder and the depths of a secret underworld\u2026in occupations ranging from the daffy to the dangerous to the downright creepy. And at the end of our journey, we find two business partners performing a job so perilous that one misstep can be deadly."

"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. You'll be scratching your head at the weird assortment of oddities\u2013technologies ranging from a gooey slime that could be a terrorist's worst nightmare\u2026to an exacting art form requiring the help of millions of ravenous beetles. The final destination at number 1: a devise so strange and destructive that its inventor allegedly destroyed it to avert a catastrophe."

"For this countdown special, we're buckling up and punching it\u2013as 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\u2013so no sea or aircraft. Other than that, anything goes\u2026from 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."

"This countdown special goes gaga over gizmos\u2013celebrating the most amazing gadgets Modern Marvels has ever featured. Our top ten contenders run the gamut from the indispensable to the insane\u2026from golden oldies to newfangled novelties\u2026all 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."

"The Panama Canal is considered the 7th wonder of the modern world. But today, it is too small. Now in order to fit the worlds\u2019 growing fleet of super ships, the Panama Canal is getting a complete overhaul. This all-new, one-hour Modern Marvels takes us inside the billion dollar Panama Canal Expansion Project. With unprecedented access, this program features exclusive footage of the building of the new canal and shows us what it takes to complete one of the greatest construction projects in history. From massive explosions at the excavation site to eighteen hour concrete pours at the lock walls... from the assembly of the largest locks gates in the world to their transport on the backs of semi-submersible ships across the Atlantic... With the help of visually stunning photography and ample use of drone and time-lapse cameras, we'll follow the building of a modernized Panama Canal and capture the impressive scale and pace of this undertaking."

"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."

"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 ..."

"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."

"Follow Adam Richman as he visits America\u2019s oldest candy store to see how they craft decadent chocolate treats. Then, discover how internationally recognized Theo Chocolate produces up to 2.5-million pounds of chocolate per year! Find out where cacao is grown in the United States, how many famous chocolate Easter eggs get produced each day, and we visit the magical workshop of \u201cMr. Chocolate\u201d himself\u2013Jacques Torres."

"When it comes to snack foods there\u2019s none wiser than Wise! We tag along as Adam Richman gets full access to see how Wise produces over 50-million bags of sweet and salty snacks per month. Then we get something meatier to bite into when we see how Jack Links is changing the jerky game by converting 17-million pounds of beef into meat sticks at just one of their facilities. Plus, see if Adam can singlehandedly unload 50,000 pounds of potatoes, and treat yourself to some tasty facts behind America\u2019s greatest guilty pleasures!"

"Adam Richman travels through time to uncover: the Future of Food! With special security clearance to a U.S. Army lab we get a glimpse into the cutting-edge food research that\u2019s taking a quantum leap into the future. At Impossible Foods, we make a delicious discovery and learn why it\u2019s not impossible for plants to look, taste and even bleed like meat. Plus, science fiction becomes fact when we see food grilled and served by robots, food made to last for years, and food made to be eaten in Earth\u2019s upper atmosphere. The future of food is here and it\u2019s tasty!"

"Follow as Adam Richman works the line at America\u2019s 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\u2019 famous 11 herbs and spices. Plus, learn which restaurant claims to be the first drive-in in the United States."

"Go behind-the-scenes to see how Jelly Belly creates delicious jellybeans in every flavor imaginable! Then Adam Richman explores kitchen innovator Blue Apron\u2019s 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\u2019 Dots to see their super-cool process."

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"Get ready for a royal flush as Modern Marvels looks at the latest and greatest in bathroom technology. From the ultimate computerized shower experience to toilets that clean themselves, getting dirty has never been so much fun. It's everything you ever wanted to know about how the bathroom evolved into one of the most beloved, and expensive, rooms in the house."

"As Modern Marvels disrupts the $100 billion-a-year yard tech industry, it\u2019s time to start the mower and pull those weeds. We\u2019ll look at high-tech gadgets and gizmos promising to keep your patch of grass beautiful and green, ranging from the newest mowers to a sprinkler system that checks the weather for you."