Modern Marvels Season 9 Episodes

Episode 1

Trans-Siberian Railroad

Wed, Jan 1, 200345 mins

Ride the longest railroad on earth to follow its treacherous course across a continent and a century.

Episode 2

Castles and Dungeons

Tue, Jan 7, 200345 mins

A look into the past from the highest towers to the deepest dungeons.

Episode 3

Ice Road Truckers

Thu, Jan 30, 2003

Episode 4

Booby Traps

Tue, Feb 4, 200343 mins

All it takes to set off a booby trap is an unsuspecting victim and a harmless-looking object. Explore their history, from the ancient Egyptians, Chinese, Greeks, and Romans to the modern War on Terror.

Episode 5

Alcan Highway

Tue, Feb 11, 2003

The history of the Alaska-Canadian (Alcan) Highway is recalled. The 1,522-mile roadway was built in 1942, in only 8 months, by American soldiers.

Episode 6

Twin Towers of the East

Tue, Mar 4, 200349 mins

Thrill to the incredible story of man's never-ending quest to reach higher into the sky, and see how these technological masterpieces are constructed.

Episode 7

Mackinac Bridge

Wed, Mar 5, 2003

The story of the Mackinac Bridge which connected Michigan's two halves.

Episode 8

Bullet Trains

Tue, Mar 11, 2003

Bullet trains are the fastest, safest, and most technologically advanced trains on the planet. This episode features their history, development, milestones, and promising future From all around the world.

Episode 9

Non-Lethal Weapons

Thu, Mar 13, 2003

Episode 10

Army Corps of Engineers

Tue, Mar 18, 2003

The history of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and their ambitious projects that helped shaped the nation and the world.

Episode 11

Black Hawk: Night Stalker

Wed, Mar 26, 2003

Episode 12

Titanic Tech

Tue, Apr 1, 200346 mins

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

Episode 13

Coal Mines

Wed, Apr 2, 2003

Coal is the fuel that is responsible for more than half the electricity we use on a daily basis. "Modern Marvels: Coal Mines" traces the amazing technological advances that have led to today's extremely efficient methods of mining this resource from the earth. We first go underground with the miners in a shaft mine in West Virginia to witness a huge machine rip apart a wall of coal as one miner maneuvers the machine with a remote control. In another mine in Pennsylvania, we see the most advanced method of underground coal mining at work -- longwall mining. A massive machine extracts an entire wall of coal in just seconds. Then we travel back in time to explore ancient coal mining techniques when laborers used primitive tools to pick at the coal wherever they could find it. The coal was used to warm their homes and to bake their pottery. By the 13th Century, coal started to slowly replace wood as the main source of fuel as the European forests begin to dwindle. In the next several hundred years, mining methods slowly evolved in an attempt to keep up with the growing demand for coal. First, the simplistic bell pit method was developed in which miners dug shallow narrow shafts straight down and carried the coal out. Then tunnels started to appear as miners developed drift mining. By the 1800's, as the miners started to dig deeper, disasters occurred. Roof cave-ins and methane gas explosions killed thousands of miners. Eventually, new methods were developed to help prevent these ...

Episode 14

Machine Guns

Wed, Apr 30, 2003

Episode 15

Ball Turret Gunners

Thu, May 1, 2003

An examination of the most hazardous position in the World War II B-17 and B-24 bomber planes.

Episode 16

U.S. Guns of World War II

Thu, May 8, 2003

Episode 17

MiG 15

Sat, May 10, 2003

Episode 18

T-34: Russian Victory

Sat, May 10, 2003

Episode 19

Tank Crews

Thu, May 15, 2003

Problems experienced by the American-built Sherman tank during World War 2.

Episode 20

Harley-Davidson

Wed, May 21, 2003

From humble beginnings in the Davidson family garage to one of the world's most famous companies and a marketing juggernaut, Harley-Davidson is known for one thing American built motorcycles. This program explores the company's history, technological advances, and the culture behind a American original.

Episode 21

Torture Devices

Thu, May 22, 200344 mins

For more than 3,000 years, emperors, dictators, police, criminals, and even clerics have created a vast array of torture devices. A medical doctor reveals how the human body responds to their use.

Episode 22

Exterminator

Tue, Jun 3, 200345 mins

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

Episode 23

High Voltage

Tue, Jun 24, 2003

Episode 24

Dangerous Cargo

Wed, Jun 25, 2003

Go behind the scenes to see how hazardous materials are safely transported from coast to coast. These include a cross country truck ride carrying explosives, railway tanker cars, radioactive waste, and prisoner transports.

Episode 25

Gunslingers

Thu, Jun 26, 2003

During America's western expansion, a new breed of man arose--the gunslinger. Sometimes he wore a badge, sometimes he was an outlaw.

Episode 26

Engineering Disasters 4

Wed, Jul 2, 2003

More of history's greatest engineering disasters including Soviet space casualties, the Ford Pinto, the Comet airliner, and a hotel fire.

Episode 28

Nature Tech: Tsunamis

Tue, Jul 8, 2003

Episode 29

Logging Tech

Wed, Jul 9, 2003

The technology and methods used in logging trees.

Episode 30

Breaking the Sound Barrier

Wed, Jul 16, 2003

A look at story leading up and past America's pursuit to break the sound barrier.

Episode 31

4x4

Tue, Jul 22, 2003

Episode 32

Car Crashes

Wed, Jul 23, 2003

Episode 33

Convertibles

Thu, Jul 24, 2003

Episode 34

Loading Docks

Wed, Jul 30, 2003

A look how goods are loaded and unloaded from ships, trucks, and other vehicles. Also featured a look at the tools of the trade such as forklifts.

Episode 35

Terror Tech: Military

Tue, Aug 5, 2003

Episode 36

Nature Tech: Tornadoes

Tue, Aug 5, 2003

Episode 37

Military Movers

Wed, Aug 6, 200344 mins

From Civil War locomotives to the C-17, examine the machines that bring men and munitions into battle.

Episode 38

Police Guns

Thu, Aug 7, 2003

The history of the weapons used by police forces from around the world since their creation.

Episode 39

Terror Tech: Defending the Highrise

Tue, Aug 12, 2003

Different technologies used to defend tall buildings from terrorist attacks.

Episode 40

Bullets

Wed, Aug 13, 2003

The history of bullets from round metal balls in the 13th century up to modern times.

Episode 41

Aircraft Carrier

Fri, Aug 15, 2003

A look at the modest roots of the aircraft carrier to its current function as the largest and most technologically advanced warship on the seas today.

Episode 42

Metal

Tue, Aug 19, 200344 mins

A look at the history of metal from the Bronze Age to the present.

Episode 43

Landmines

Thu, Aug 21, 2003

Episode 44

Space Shuttle Columbia

Tue, Aug 26, 2003

Episode 45

Overseas Highway

Wed, Sep 3, 2003

The history of the creation, completion, and the maintenance behind the Overseas Highway; which connects the Florida Keys and the mainland.

Episode 46

Terror Tech: Civilian

Mon, Sep 8, 2003

Technology used to keep families and their homes safe from terrors it attaches are the focus.

Episode 47

Machu Picchu

Wed, Sep 24, 200344 mins

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?

Episode 48

Smart Bombs

Tue, Sep 30, 2003

Episode 49

Lake Pontchartrain Causeway

Wed, Oct 15, 2003

The story of the Longest bridge isn't he world, the Lake Pontchatrain Causeway in Louisiana.

Episode 51

High Tech Sex

Wed, Oct 30, 200243 mins

Enjoy an explicit exploration of the aphrodisiacs, drugs, contraceptives, toys, and cyber-tech innovations that have ushered in a brave new world of modern sexuality.

Episode 54

More Bond Gadgets

Mon, Dec 2, 2002

Episode 55

Limos

Wed, Dec 4, 200250 mins

Whether protecting dignitaries or shuttling prom queens to the big dance, LIMOS stretch the concept of cars in order to impress.

Episode 56

Salt Mines

Thu, Dec 5, 2002

Episode 57

Digi-Tech

Thu, Dec 5, 200244 mins

Get the inside scoop on the "gotta-have" devices that are the foot soldiers in the digital revolution.

Episode 58

Concept Cars

Tue, Dec 10, 2002

Episode 59

The Technology of Lewis and Clark

Thu, Nov 27, 2003

Episode 60

Extreme Sports Gadgets

Tue, Dec 2, 2003