Modern Marvels Season 11 Episodes

Episode 1

Poison

Wed, Jan 5, 2005

Episode 2

Car Tech of the Future

Thu, Jan 6, 2005

A look at the future of transportation, including Hydrogen power, advanced electronics and new building materials. The program recounts the road to now, and look ahead at how the automobile will change in the future.

Episode 3

The Arch

Wed, Jan 12, 2005

The Arch is a civilization game changer. Explore the ways in which this humble architecture technique has changed the world around us.

Episode 4

More Nature's Engineers

Tue, Jan 18, 2005

Episode 5

World's Biggest Machines 3

Wed, Jan 26, 200543 mins

Travel over land and sea to find more of the biggest, baddest, most audacious feats of engineering in the world.

Episode 6

The Butcher

Tue, Feb 1, 2005

The history of how man has prepared meat since prehistoric time. Modern tools of the trade and procedures such as knives, the band saw, sanitation, and dry aged beef are profiled. The butchers (past and present) themselves and the way that meat is processed commercially are also featured.

Episode 7

George Washington Carver Tech

Tue, Feb 15, 2005

A look at the many inventions and the technology derived from them of George Washington Carver.

Episode 8

Desert Tech

Wed, Feb 23, 2005

The technology that makes desert living possible is featured including water desalination, air conditioning, survival gear, and solar power. Search and rescue parties are also featured.

Episode 9

Sub Zero Tech

Wed, Feb 23, 2005

Episode 10

The Great Bridge: 8 Miles of Steel

Wed, Feb 23, 2005

Episode 11

Howard Hughes Tech

Thu, Dec 9, 200442 mins

A look into how the inventions of Howard Hughes and his companies changed the world.

Episode 12

Edwards Air Force Base

Wed, Mar 2, 2005

A look at the pioneering aviation history of Edwards Air Force Base in Calofornia and the accomplishments it has produced.

Episode 13

Taxidermy

Wed, Mar 9, 2005

The history of taxidermy includes a look at the use of humans as subjects.

Episode 14

SWAT

Wed, Mar 9, 2005

Episode 15

Deadliest Weapons

Wed, Mar 16, 2005

History's greatest killing machines including the machine gun, thermonuclear bombs, VX nerve gas, the proximity fuse, and incendiary bombs are profiled. Also featured the Tsar Bomba, the largest nuclear detonation in history.

Episode 16

The Doomsday Clock

Thu, Apr 7, 2005

The story behind the "doomsday clock" of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.

Episode 17

The Basement

Tue, Apr 26, 2005

From Pompeii to Pittsburgh. subterranean rooms help human beings to live comfortably.

Episode 18

Paint

Wed, Apr 27, 2005

From the Impressionist canvas to the Space Shuttle...from customized hotrods to the brilliant orange hue of the Golden Gate Bridge or tiny electronic devices-paint is one of our most ubiquitous products. It's a crucial engineering element, protecting ships from water corrosion, stovetops from heat, and the Stealth Bomber from radar detection. In homes and businesses, it provides a balanced spectrum of light and protects surfaces from wear.

Episode 19

Mega Movers

Wed, Apr 27, 2005

Episode 20

Bricks

Wed, May 11, 2005

Episode 27

The Cape Cod Canal

Wed, Jun 15, 2005

In a battle against the ferocious Atlantic or safe passage through waters where ships wrecked and lives were lost, it was an engineering feat that many believed impossible. See more in Season 11, Episode 27, "The Cape Cod Canal."

Episode 28

Private Collections

Mon, Dec 6, 2004

Looks into the lives of Private collectors and their toys

Episode 29

Future Tech

Fri, Jun 10, 2005

A paper-thin, wall-sized holographic television...a car that runs on processed seawater...an army of robotic killing machines...outer-space luxury resorts and a cleaning droid controlled by your mind? Join us on a rollicking ride through the entertainment room, down the road, over the battlefield, through the mind, out in space, and into the future, where science fiction becomes science fact.

Episode 30

Edison Tech

Wed, Jun 29, 2005

The complete story of the ingenuity and the successes that made movies possible--and kept Edison at the front of the inventor pack.

Episode 32

Mountain Roads

Fri, Jul 15, 2005

Episode 36

Challenger Tank

Fri, Jul 29, 2005

Episode 37

World's Biggest Machines 4

Tue, Aug 2, 2005

An enormous hydraulic machine press that stamps out a pickup truck's doors in seconds... Rock crushers that pulverize 8000 tons of solid granite per hour... Giant "chain trenchers" that dig a 35-foot ditch out of solid rock... A harvesting combine that cuts, threshes and offloads 3.3 bushels of grain-- per second... and the world's largest optical telescope, the magnificent Keck Observatory, which gazes out into the ends of the universe from nearly 14,000 feet atop the island of Hawaii. Sometimes you've gotta think big.

Episode 38

Dredging

Wed, Aug 3, 2005

The history of dredging and its modern applications in maintaining and deepening our ports.

Episode 41

Route 66

Wed, Jul 6, 2005

Known as 'the mother road' Route 66 pioneered many of today's methods in road construction and safety before being decommissioned. See how historians and enthusiasts are trying to save this piece of history.

Episode 42

World's Fastest

Wed, Aug 24, 2005

Episode 44

High Risk: Helicopter Linemen

Wed, Aug 31, 2005

One of the most dangerous jobs in the world, electrical lineman who do there work hundreds of feet in the air from helicopters are profiled.

Episode 45

Wiring America

Tue, Aug 30, 2005

A look at the equipment that was used in the past, present, and future to keep America connected. Includes profiles of linemen (both traditional and high voltage), the creation of electrical poles, and copper wires. Also featured is history of the telegraph, the telephone, power cables and the power grid.

Episode 47

Coffee

Wed, Sep 14, 200544 mins

Trace the origins of this tasty drink from over 1,000 years ago. Discover how billions of coffee beans make their journey from farms and plantations to cups all over the world. Detail the production of decaf, instant coffees, and more.

Episode 48

Sugar

Wed, Sep 14, 2005

This program describes the production of sugar from sugarcane, sugar beets and corn and how it is processed into a number of different products. But the real story is the enormous impact that sugar has had on the world economy, trade and politics over the past 300 years.

Episode 50

German Small Arms of WWII

Sat, Sep 24, 2005

Episode 51

The Auto Store

Wed, Oct 5, 2005

Learn about the USA auto parts industry, from the history of The Pep Boys to today's Auto Zone. See footage of Model A Fords. Go into classic Hot Rod shops. Get the scoop on the testing of brakes, batteries, headlights and wipers.

Episode 52

Secret Allied Aircraft of WWII

Fri, Oct 14, 2005

Episode 53

Engineering Disasters 17

Wed, Nov 2, 2005

Engineering disasters featured include a plane crash in 1931, a Marine Electric coal ship, and the Walt Disney Concert Hall.

Episode 54

Brewing

Wed, Nov 16, 2005

Modern Marvels: Brewing, a one-hour History Channel documentary, traces the technological evolution of brewing, from the highly sophisticated beer cultures of Sumeria and Egypt, through the centuries of improvements made by medieval monks and witches, to the technological revolution of the 19th Century German-American "beer barons." Milestones range from the 14th Century discovery of lager yeasts, to the recent resurgence of ale in brewpubs around the world. Locations range from Munich's idyllic Augustiner beer garden to St. Louis' gigantic Anheuser-Busch brewery. Along the way, the show stops to celebrate the significant influence beer has wielded throughout history.

Episode 55

The Lumberyard

Wed, Nov 30, 2005

Episode 56

DaVinci Tech

Sun, Dec 4, 2005

Episode 57

Custom Cars

Mon, Dec 5, 2005

The history of custom car culture including hot rods and tuners.

Episode 58

Hardware Store 2

Wed, Oct 19, 2005

Episode 59

More Snackfood Tech

Tue, Dec 20, 2005

More of our favorite snack foods are profiled. They include dog hunts, soft drinks, and jerky among others.

Episode 60

Walt Disney World

Sun, Dec 25, 2005120 mins

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.

Episode 61

Nature Tech: Hurricanes

Thu, Dec 29, 2005