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 3 Episode Guide
5 Episodes 2021
Episode 1
Catastrophes of the Sky
The disaster of Air France Flight 447 and the crash of NASA's Skylab in 1979 are catastrophes of aviation with a mysterious legacy; experts investigate these historic tragedies to determine what caused these monumental failures of flight.
Episode 2
Towering Inferno Tragedy
Wed, Sep 9, 2026
Fatal Design flaws can lead to tragedy: a towering inferno killed 72 residents, and a pedestrian bridge collapsed, killing 6 people.
Episode 3
Power Plant Catastrophes
Wed, Sep 9, 2026
A look at the dark side to clean energy, and what can be learned from the Three Mile Island and Sayano-Shushenskaya power station accidents
Episode 4
Japan's Nuclear Meltdown
Episode 5
Earthquake Catastrophe
Nothing can stop an earthquake and while the ground may feel solid, below our feet the earth is shifting constantly, sometimes violently. Examine the 2010 Copiapo mining accident and the 1994 Northridge earthquake, and see what happens when poor engineering meets a natural disaster.