Episode list

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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

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 ...

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

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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

The technology and methods used in logging trees.

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

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.

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

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

Different technologies used to defend tall buildings from terrorist attacks.

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

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.

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

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

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

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?

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

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.