Modern Marvels

  • Premiered: Dec 1993
  • Episodes: 807
  • Followers: 76
  • Running
  • H2
  • Sunday at 22
  • Documentary History

Seasons:

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Season 11
11x1
Guns of the Russian Military
Episode overview
Air date
Jan 16, 2004
Forged in Europe's shadow, Russian small arms were once dismissed as crude copies. Often lacking the finish of Western counterparts, Russian guns have been battle-proven worldwide, with .. show full overview
11x2
The F-15
Episode overview
Air date
Jan 17, 2004
The F-15 Eagle proves its superiority in Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
11x3
Submarines
Episode overview
Air date
Jan 22, 2004
A look at submarine technology and undersea warfare from the earliest efforts through the era of WWI and WWII U-boats to the latest nuclear-powered models.
11x4
Pacific Coast Highway
Episode overview
Air date
Feb 04, 2004
For 25 years, construction crews dug, blasted, tunneled, and bridged their way up America's West Coast along the California, Oregon, and Washington shoreline to build the Pacific Coast .. show full overview
11x5
Gangster Guns
Episode overview
Air date
Feb 12, 2004
During the 1920s and '30s in big cities and small towns alike, they earned a fierce reputation in a blaze of bullets. They were the best friends of criminals such as John Dillinger, .. show full overview
11x7
Racetrack Tech
Episode overview
Air date
Feb 18, 2004
A look at the "science of safety" as applied to Indy or NASCAR racing. From tires to roll-cages to hood flaps, we examine the incredible technology that's helping prevent crashes and .. show full overview
11x8
Oil Fire Fighting
Episode overview
Air date
Mar 03, 2004
In this episode, we head into the flames to see how the conflagrations are contained and controlled. From the use of explosives to the exploits of pioneers like Myron Kinley, we explore .. show full overview
11x9
Central Command
Episode overview
Air date
Mar 17, 2004
"Centcom" in Doha, Qatar represents everything a modern military command post can be with the most sophisticated military information systems--from video-conferencing to real-time .. show full overview
11x10
Frontline Reporting
Episode overview
Air date
Mar 19, 2004
From Matthew Brady's chilling images of the Civil War to the scripted briefings in the first Gulf War and the "embedded" reporters of the second, we examine the uneasy nexus of war and .. show full overview
11x11
Nature's Engineers
Episode overview
Air date
Mar 31, 2004
Towering skyscrapers buzzing with life, intricate tunnels connecting entire communities, mighty dams that tame the wildest rivers--this is construction animal style! Take a walk on the .. show full overview
11x12
Bible Tech
Episode overview
Air date
Apr 07, 2004
Arguably the most influential book ever written, the Bible provides a glimpse into the origins of ancient technology and its use to withstand the elements, build great structures, wage .. show full overview
11x13
The Power Grid
Episode overview
Air date
Apr 14, 2004
The electronic power grid is comprised of a huge complex of power plants, sub-stations, and transmission lines.
11x14
Bathroom Tech (1)
Episode overview
Air date
Apr 21, 2004
From tub to toilet to toothpaste, here's everything you ever wanted to know about the most used and least discussed room in the house. From the first home bathrooms in ancient India, .. show full overview
11x15
Engineering Disasters (6)
Episode overview
Air date
Apr 28, 2004
AV-8-Harrier jump jet; Ford Explorer-Firestone tire rollovers; offshore oil-rig fire; derailment of a high-speed train; computer errors almost set off nuclear war.
11x16
F-18 Hornet
Episode overview
Air date
Apr 30, 2004
One aircraft in the US arsenal best typifies the will to win. Using the latest and most sophisticated computerized technology, the F-18 Hornet is now one of the foremost fighters of the .. show full overview
11x17
Hydraulics
Episode overview
Air date
May 12, 2004
The machines that helped build our world have been powered by hydraulics, a compact system of valves, hoses, and pumps that transmits forces from point to point through fluid. This basic .. show full overview
11x19
Plane Crashes
Episode overview
Air date
May 26, 2004
When the most sophisticated machines fail, they do so horrifically, plunging to earth with a terrifying loss of life. From the beginning of manned flight, plane crashes have plagued the .. show full overview
11x20
D-Day Tech
Episode overview
Air date
Jun 03, 2004
By the spring of 1942, Hitler had made a fortress of Europe, and the Allies began to plan the biggest invasion in military history. The history-altering success of the D-Day Invasion .. show full overview
11x21
A-10 Tankbuster
Episode overview
Air date
Jun 07, 2004
The most feared aircraft in the Air Force arsenal, the A-10 Tankbuster was the first aircraft in U.S. aviation history designed specifically for Close Air Support. From its first taste .. show full overview
11x22
Rubber
Episode overview
Air date
Jun 09, 2004
The story of rubber is more than tires, toys, gloves, and gum--it's imbedded in modern life, from the controversial Challenger O-rings to seals on hydrogen fuel cells. A gigantic .. show full overview
11x23
City Water
Episode overview
Air date
Jun 15, 2004
When you tap your faucet does clean, pure water flow? Can your city supply enough water for industry, firefighting, and street cleaning? U.S. public water-supply systems serve nearly 99 .. show full overview
11x24
Greatest Movie Gadgets
Episode overview
Air date
Jun 17, 2004
Cars that fly and drive themselves. Spiffy spy tools that see under doors and through walls. Water "Harleys" that fly above and below the surface. Only in the movies, right? Hollywood .. show full overview
11x25
Robots
Episode overview
Air date
Jul 06, 2004
The history of robotics is traced over 2,000 years; archival interview with Isaac Asimov.
11x26
Nuclear Technology
Episode overview
Air date
Jul 08, 2004
Nuclear research ranges from well-known applications, such as bombs and reactors, to little-known uses in medicine, food preparation, and radiation detection. It's also spawned ancillary .. show full overview
11x27
Distilleries
Episode overview
Air date
Jul 14, 2004
From water and grain...to mash...still...vat...barrel and bottle--the distilling of alcoholic spirits is a big business and near-sacred religion. Its acolytes eye the color, swirl the .. show full overview
11x28
Apollo 11
Episode overview
Air date
Jul 21, 2004
As mankind's greatest achievement of the 20th century, Apollo 11 stood as the apogee of science, exploration, flight, and technological prowess. In scarcely 10 years, America went from .. show full overview
11x29
World War I Tech
Episode overview
Air date
Jul 28, 2004
The first bombing airplanes and widespread use of chemical weapons...earliest tanks...submarines. When Industrial-Age technology and war first mixed on a large scale, the end result was .. show full overview
11x30
Oil Tankers
Episode overview
Air date
Aug 04, 2004
The biggest moving objects ever built by man, oil tankers dominate the world's waterways, both in size and numbers. Upwards of 10,000 strong, the world tanker fleet's vast number results .. show full overview
11x31
Engineering Disasters (7)
Episode overview
Air date
Aug 11, 2004
Engineers and architects reveal what went wrong in five engineering disasters, including Baldwin Hills Dam that suddenly gave way, spilling liquid havoc in a quiet LA neighborhood; a .. show full overview
11x32
The Athens Subway
Episode overview
Air date
Aug 18, 2004
Athens builds a new underground subway system to meet the needs of the 2004 Olympics.
11x33
Extreme Aircraft (1)
Episode overview
Air date
Aug 25, 2004
Join us for a supersonic look at some of the most cutting-edge aircraft ever developed--from the X-1 that first broke the sound barrier to the X-43 Scramjet that recently flew at Mach 7. .. show full overview
11x34
The George Washington Bridge
Episode overview
Air date
Sep 01, 2004
When opened on October 25, 1931, the George Washington Bridge was the longest suspension bridge in the world. At 3,500 feet in length, the main span was more than double the distance of .. show full overview
11x35
Building a Skyscraper (1): The Skeleton
Episode overview
Air date
Sep 06, 2004
Skyscrapers are an extraordinary feat of human engineering: exposing millions of pounds of concrete and steel to the enemy forces of wind and gravity. Each of these tools has evolved over the 100-plus year history of the skyscraper era.
11x36
Building a Skyscraper (2): The Exterior
Episode overview
Air date
Sep 06, 2004
Skyscrapers are an extraordinary feat of human engineering: exposing millions of pounds of concrete and steel to the enemy forces of wind and gravity. Each of these tools has evolved over the 100-plus year history of the skyscraper era.
11x37
Building a Skyscraper (3): The Human Environment
Episode overview
Air date
Sep 07, 2004
Skyscrapers are an extraordinary feat of human engineering: exposing millions of pounds of concrete and steel to the enemy forces of wind and gravity. Each of these tools has evolved over the 100-plus year history of the skyscraper era.
11x38
Building a Skyscraper (4): The Arteries
Episode overview
Air date
Sep 07, 2004
Skyscrapers are an extraordinary feat of human engineering: exposing millions of pounds of concrete and steel to the enemy forces of wind and gravity. Each of these tools has evolved over the 100-plus year history of the skyscraper era.
11x39
The Sears Tower
Episode overview
Air date
Sep 08, 2004
The Sears Tower, located in Chicago, was finished in 1973. It was the tallest building in the world for over 20 years, and remains the tallest building if you look at highest occupied .. show full overview
11x40
SOS Tech
Episode overview
Air date
Sep 08, 2004
This episode has no summary.
11x41
Police Pursuit
Episode overview
Air date
Sep 15, 2004
Join us for a high-speed look at police pursuits in an adrenaline-filled hour focused on the history and evolution of the technologies that give law enforcement the upper hand when .. show full overview
11x42
St. Lawrence Seaway
Episode overview
Air date
Sep 15, 2004
The St. Lawrence Seaway is a monumental stairway in water, lifting massive ships hundreds of feet over thousands of miles. It's the world's longest inland waterway, a system of rivers, .. show full overview
11x44
St. Lawrence Tech
Episode overview
Air date
Sep 22, 2004
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11x45
More of the World's Biggest Machines
Episode overview
Air date
Sep 29, 2004
On land, in the air, or on the sea--we examine some of the biggest machines ever built, including: the Antonov AN-225, the world's biggest aircraft; the GE 90-115B jet engine; the .. show full overview
11x48
Engineering Disasters (8)
Episode overview
Air date
Oct 05, 2004
Join us for a devastating but enlightening hour as we delve into complex and often-tragic engineering failures that have shaped our world. Five dramatic events unfold as we discover the .. show full overview
11x49
Harvesting
Episode overview
Air date
Oct 06, 2004
Cutting, digging, picking, stripping, shaking, and raking--whatever the crop, there's a custom machine to harvest it. It all began with handpicking and today it's often one man and one .. show full overview
11x50
Engineering Disasters (9)
Episode overview
Air date
Oct 12, 2004
What happens when the calculations of builders and engineers prove wrong and their constructs come tumbling down? In this episode, we examine the 1987 failure of the Schoharie Creek .. show full overview
11x51
The Guns of the Civil War
Episode overview
Air date
Oct 15, 2004
It was a war in which brother fought brother and battlefields became slaughterhouses. During the Civil War, the country was in the midst of an industrial revolution and developed the .. show full overview
11x52
Engineering Disasters (10)
Episode overview
Air date
Oct 19, 2004
Disasters investigated include: the 1984 Union Carbide debacle in Bhopal, India, where a toxic chemical release killed 3,800 people and left 11,000 with disabling respiratory ailments; .. show full overview
11x53
Presidential Movers
Episode overview
Air date
Oct 20, 2004
The vehicles that transport the President of the United States aren't your ordinary planes, trains, and automobiles. They are top-secret. And for your Average Joe, there's only two ways .. show full overview
11x54
Gas Tech
Episode overview
Air date
Oct 20, 2004
Gas--it makes a balloon go up, cooks our food, and fills our lungs. But this invisible state of matter does far more, and has a very visible impact on the world. We follow natural gas .. show full overview
11x55
Engineering Disasters (11)
Episode overview
Air date
Oct 26, 2004
Join us for look into five engineering disasters... A dangerous cloud of gas explodes into Cleveland's worst fiery industrial disaster in 1944, killing 128 people. A dance competition .. show full overview
11x56
The World's Longest Bridge
Episode overview
Air date
Oct 27, 2004
Modern Marvels takes a look at the incredible effort the Japanese made to build the Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge, currently the longest single-span suspension bridge in the world.
11x58
M1 Abrams - Supertank!
Episode overview
Air date
Oct 29, 2004
Join us as we penetrate the history of the world's most sophisticated tank--the M1 Abrams Main Battle Tank. In the most radical departure in U.S. tank design since WWII, the Supertank .. show full overview
11x59
Engineering Disasters (12)
Episode overview
Air date
Nov 09, 2004
In Milwaukee, 104 died after drinking contaminated tap water. At Texas A&M, a tradition turned tragic when a pile of bonfire logs collapsed onto its builders. Thousands of US soldiers .. show full overview
11x60
Surveillance Tech
Episode overview
Air date
Nov 10, 2004
In the world of surveillance, Big Brother is not only watching, he's also listening, analyzing, recording, scanning, and tracking every aspect of our lives. And with advanced .. show full overview
11x61
Engineering Disasters (13)
Episode overview
Air date
Nov 16, 2004
In this hour, death seeps out of the ground into a neighborhood sitting on a toxic waste dump at Love Canal in New York; soldiers die during Desert Storm in 1991 when software flaws .. show full overview
11x62
Sub Disasters
Episode overview
Air date
Nov 17, 2004
When the men and women aboard a modern submarine hear the command to dive, they can take a measure of comfort in the fact that no U.S. sub has been lost in nearly 40 years, though it's .. show full overview
11x63
Engineering Disasters (14)
Episode overview
Air date
Nov 23, 2004
In this hour, we examine a massive oil tanker explosion that killed nine; a subway tunnel cave-in that swallowed part of Hollywood Boulevard; a freighter plane crash that destroyed an .. show full overview
11x64
Movie Theaters
Episode overview
Air date
Nov 24, 2004
This episode has no summary.
11x65
Washington Monument
Episode overview
Air date
Dec 01, 2004
The U.S. capital boasts many memorials, but none with a more bizarre history than the obelisk erected to America's first president. Over 55 stories high and weighing over 90,000 tons, .. show full overview
11x66
Engineering Disasters (15)
Episode overview
Air date
Dec 08, 2004
A series of construction errors causes a devastating flood that brings Chicago to a standstill. A deadly accident traps hundreds in a smoke-filled Alpine tunnel, with no ventilation. .. show full overview
11x67
Snackfood Tech
Episode overview
Air date
Dec 16, 2004
Extruders, molds, in-line conveyor belts. Are these machines manufacturing adhesives, plastics, or parts for your car? No, they're making treats for your mouth--and you will see them .. show full overview
11x68
Commercial Fishing
Episode overview
Air date
Dec 21, 2004
Battered and fried or simply raw--seafood is a popular dish, no matter how you serve it. Americans consume more than 5-billion pounds yearly, an order that takes more than a fishing rod .. show full overview
11x69
More Dangerous Cargo
Episode overview
Air date
Dec 21, 2004
It comes in many deadly shapes and sizes, and the transportation of dangerous cargo is one of the most meticulously planned procedures in the shipping world. We hitch a ride on a .. show full overview
11x70
Ancient Discoveries (1)
Episode overview
Air date
Dec 22, 2004
This episode has no summary.
11x71
Ancient Discoveries (2)
Episode overview
Air date
Dec 22, 2004
This episode has no summary.
11x72
Ancient Discoveries (3)
Episode overview
Air date
Dec 22, 2004
This episode has no summary.
11x73
Engineering Disasters (16)
Episode overview
Air date
Dec 23, 2004
Chaos in Guadalajara, Mexico, when the city streets explode; an airplane crash outside of Paris that ranks as one of the worst in history; two mining dams in Italy collapse engulfing a .. show full overview
11x74
Doomsday Tech
Episode overview
Air date
Dec 28, 2004
Doomsday threats range from very real (nuclear arsenals) to controversial (global warming) to futuristic (nanotechnology, cyborgs, and robots). Despite the Cold War's end, we live under .. show full overview
11x75
More Doomsday Tech
Episode overview
Air date
Dec 28, 2004
From the far reaches of space to tiny viruses, doomsday sources are many. But so are technologies used to keep doomsday at bay.
11x9
Firefighting! Containing the Demon
Episode overview
Air date
Feb 15, 2005
Any fire raging out of control is a hazard, but when compounded with obstacles of extreme conditions, such as an oil-well blowout or acres of forest ablaze, firefighters face new .. show full overview
11x58
Secret Russian Aircraft of WWII
Episode overview
Air date
Nov 30, 2005
SECRET RUSSIAN AIRCRAFT OF WORLD WAR II reveals how, despite the ever-present danger, Soviet designers mastered technical hurdles astonishing even by today's standards. Rare footage, .. show full overview
11x47
Guns of Israel
Episode overview
Air date
Aug 03, 2006
This episode has no summary.
11x76 Season finale
The Computer
Episode overview
Air date
Feb 06, 2012
A look at the inventions that have revolutionized society as we know it. They began as behemoths which weighed over 2 tons!

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