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Season 3
For generations, scientists and science-fiction writers alike dreamed of a reusable "space plane" a durable, maneuverable ship that would make trips to the heavens commonplace.Now,
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For generations, scientists and science-fiction writers alike dreamed of a reusable "space plane" a durable, maneuverable ship that would make trips to the heavens commonplace.Now, Modern Marvels takes a look at how a team from NASA made that dream real by developing the most extraordinary machine in history the revolutionary Space Shuttle.This comprehensive program tells the complete story of the Shuttle, from its conception in the 1950s to its triumphant launch in 1981. Expert interviews, computer simulations and spectacular footage from its missions offer an insider's view of its successes and failures, including the devastating Challenger disaster that nearly grounded the Shuttle program forever. Finally, NASA officials offer an exclusive peek at the next generation Space Shuttle, the futuristic X-33.
The Brooklyn Bridge was not only a landmark, but also the first bridge of its kind. No one had ever used steel for construction, nor used cables of metal, nor built a suspension bridge
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The Brooklyn Bridge was not only a landmark, but also the first bridge of its kind. No one had ever used steel for construction, nor used cables of metal, nor built a suspension bridge so long. Until one man dared to try.
In 19th-century New York, where buildings were no more than five stories tall, engineer John Roebling’s soaring and majestic Brooklyn Bridge was nothing short of a technological miracle. But Roebling's innovation led to an uphill battle against the elements, corrupt politicians, and scientists who claimed the first strong wind would collapse the bridge to rubble.
It was called the "mother lode", a deposit of silver so massive that it would produce $300-million in its first 25 years of operation, establish Nevada as a state, and bankroll the Union
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It was called the "mother lode", a deposit of silver so massive that it would produce $300-million in its first 25 years of operation, establish Nevada as a state, and bankroll the Union Army in the Civil War. Named after an early investor, we'll see how the Comstock Lode, discovered near Virginia City, proved to be a scientific laboratory from which vast improvements in mining technology and safety were pioneered, including innovations in drilling, ventilation, drainage, and ore processing.
There is no more potent demonstration of man’s resolve than the design and construction of tunnels–avenues that slice through a conspiracy of elements in the single-minded determination
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There is no more potent demonstration of man’s resolve than the design and construction of tunnels–avenues that slice through a conspiracy of elements in the single-minded determination to connect two points. Whether underwater, blasted through solid rock, or negotiating the shifting strata of earth’s unstable crust, we explore the design and engineering of famous tunnels…and the motivation behind them.
The story of the construction of our grand national highway system.
The story of the construction of our grand national highway system.
From the first well in Pennsylvania to the gushing Spindletop and modern supertankers, the story of oil is the story of civilization as we know it. We'll take a look at the ingenious and
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From the first well in Pennsylvania to the gushing Spindletop and modern supertankers, the story of oil is the story of civilization as we know it. We'll take a look at the ingenious and outrageous men who risked everything for "black gold" and unimaginable wealth.
Silver is part of our lives from your utensils, to your electronics, and your car among others. A ubiquitous necessity that doesn't grow on trees. Go behind the scenes to see how silver is mined and how it's processed into everyday objects.
Silver is part of our lives from your utensils, to your electronics, and your car among others. A ubiquitous necessity that doesn't grow on trees. Go behind the scenes to see how silver is mined and how it's processed into everyday objects.
The story and struggles of how the Union Pacific and Central Pacific Railroads united the United States by rail.
The story and struggles of how the Union Pacific and Central Pacific Railroads united the United States by rail.
The dangerous early history of railroads in the United States and the various inventions that slowly made them safer.
The dangerous early history of railroads in the United States and the various inventions that slowly made them safer.
The year was 1869 and America had just completed the greatest building achievement in its history--the Transcontinental Railroad. A thin ribbon of steel and wood now connected East and
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The year was 1869 and America had just completed the greatest building achievement in its history--the Transcontinental Railroad. A thin ribbon of steel and wood now connected East and West. But the fledgling country now faced an even greater challenge--how to harness the awesome potential of the railroad to tame the still wide-open and wild West.
The incredible tale of how Gutzon Borglum created the world’s largest sculpture by carving the faces of four US presidents (George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln) into the Black Hills of South Dakota.
The incredible tale of how Gutzon Borglum created the world’s largest sculpture by carving the faces of four US presidents (George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln) into the Black Hills of South Dakota.
The White House is more than the President’s residence–it is a structure that both reflects the office and affects the man. The President may live in the White House, but it is America’s home.
The White House is more than the President’s residence–it is a structure that both reflects the office and affects the man. The President may live in the White House, but it is America’s home.
During the depths of the Great Depression, it was FDR's greatest triumph: A massive public works project that took a 40,000 square mile, disaster-prone river basin, and turned it into a model of industrial progress.
During the depths of the Great Depression, it was FDR's greatest triumph: A massive public works project that took a 40,000 square mile, disaster-prone river basin, and turned it into a model of industrial progress.
The story of how Thomas Edison and his team created the phonograph, the first audio recorder and playback machine.
The story of how Thomas Edison and his team created the phonograph, the first audio recorder and playback machine.
The history of how Thomas Edison lit the world and the events that followed.
The history of how Thomas Edison lit the world and the events that followed.
The struggles of Thomas Edison and others to create motion pictures.
The struggles of Thomas Edison and others to create motion pictures.
Witness this invention's unbelievably dramatic true story: one of false starts, close calls, and a bitter rivalry.
Witness this invention's unbelievably dramatic true story: one of false starts, close calls, and a bitter rivalry.
Modern Marvels looks at the history of television from its invention by Philo Farnsworth to its popularization by David Sarnoff.
Modern Marvels looks at the history of television from its invention by Philo Farnsworth to its popularization by David Sarnoff.
The history of the development of the computer, starting with Charles Babbage's mechanical Difference Engine in the 1820s and Herman Hollerith's punch-card tabulating machines of the
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The history of the development of the computer, starting with Charles Babbage's mechanical Difference Engine in the 1820s and Herman Hollerith's punch-card tabulating machines of the 1890s, through the development of the first vacuum-tube machines in World War II (Colossus and ENIAC) followed by continuing miniaturization enabled by the transistor, integrated circuit, and microprocessor, to the beginnings of the personal computer revolution led by Steve Wozniak, Steve Jobs, and Bill Gates.
The history of photography and the camera from it's humble beginnings through the digital age.
The history of photography and the camera from it's humble beginnings through the digital age.
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