Disasters Engineered
Scientists study the world as it is, politicians debate the world they want, but engineers create the world that has never been. Industrialisation, water distribution, electrification, automation and communications are all engineering revolutions that have transformed our world and changed every detail of our lives. However, for every future built, there are man-made mistakes that cause catastrophic disasters. Icarus-like moments when our overreaching, greed and desire to conquer the impossible don't just cost reputations, but millions of dollars, environmental damage and lives. Chernobyl, Bhopal, Deepwater Horizon, The Titanic, Challenger and The Hindenburg are names not remembered for the great feats of engineering they initially were, but for the horrors that they became. Through extensive archive and expert interviews this series explores the stories behind mankind's greatest engineering disasters.
- 2019-2021
- 3 seasons
- Discovery Channel
- Documentary
Scientists study the world as it is, politicians debate the world they want, but engineers create the world that has never been. Industrialisation, water distribution, electrification, automation and communications are all engineering revolutions that have transformed our world and changed every detail of our lives. However, for every future built, there are man-made mistakes that cause catastrophic disasters. Icarus-like moments when our overreaching, greed and desire to conquer the impossible don't just cost reputations, but millions of dollars, environmental damage and lives. Chernobyl, Bhopal, Deepwater Horizon, The Titanic, Challenger and The Hindenburg are names not remembered for the great feats of engineering they initially were, but for the horrors that they became. Through extensive archive and expert interviews this series explores the stories behind mankind's greatest engineering disasters.
Season 1 Episode Guide
10 Episodes 2019
Episode 1
Deepwater Horizon and NASA Challenger
Wed, Oct 9, 2019
Experts examine how the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and the Challenger space shuttle disaster happened. What were the consequences and how could they have been avoided?
Episode 2
Chernobyl and Bhopal
Wed, Oct 16, 2019
Experts examine how the Chernobyl nuclear disaster and the Bhopal gas tragedy happened. What were the consequences and how could they have been avoided?
Episode 3
Titanic and Hindenburg
Experts examine the sinking of the Titanic and the Hindenburg airship fire. How did they happen, what were the consequences and how could they have been avoided?
Episode 4
Aberfan and Corrego Do Feijao
Wed, Oct 30, 2019
Experts examine the devastating Aberfan mine disaster in Wales and the Brumadinho dam disaster in Brazil. What were the consequences and how could they have been avoided?
Episode 5
MS Herald and Costa Concordia
Experts examine what caused the Zeebrugge ferry tragedy and the Costa Concordia cruise ship disaster. What were the consequences and how could they have been avoided?
Episode 6
Kegworth and Concorde
Experts examine what caused Kegworth air disaster in 1989 and the tragic Concorde crash in 2000. What were the consequences and how could they have been avoided?
Episode 7
Tacoma Narrows and Hurricane Katrina
Experts examine how engineering faults allowed Hurricane Katrina to devastate New Orleans and the collapse of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge. How could they have been avoided?
Episode 8
Rana Plaza and Morandi Bridge
Wed, Nov 27, 2019
Experts examine the devastating collapse of the Rana Plaza factory in Bangladesh and of the Morandi bridge in Genoa, Italy. How could the disasters have been avoided?
Episode 9
Tianjin and Evangelos Florakis
Wed, Dec 4, 2019
Experts examine the fatal explosion at a chemical factory in China and at the Evangelos Florakis naval base in Cyprus. How could these disasters have been avoided?
Episode 10
Clapham Junction and Ankara Train Crash
Wed, Dec 11, 2019
Experts examine the fatal Clapham Junction rail crash in 1988 and the high-speed train crash in Ankara, Turkey, in 2018. How could the disasters have been avoided?
