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Episode guide

Modern Marvels: Season 12

Poster for Modern Marvels Season 12

67 episodes · first aired Jan 5, 2005

TMDB has no overview for this season.

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  1. 1 Poison Jan 5, 2005 · 44m Since ancient times, man has tried to control the "devil's bounty"–deadly substances found throughout nature. Paradoxically, some of these lethal compounds are now found to possess…
  2. 2 Car Tech of the Future Jan 6, 2005 · 44m Engage the satellite navigation, fire-up the fuel cell, and activate the radar-guided cruise control! You’re in for the joyride of your life as we investigate what drives and will drive…
  3. 3 The Arch Jan 12, 2005 · 44m Join us as we explore the vast and varied world of the arch, one of the strongest and most versatile structures made by man. Deceptively simple, an arch can support tremendous weight…
  4. 4 More Nature's Engineers Jan 18, 2005 · 44m Think man is unique within the animal kingdom? You might not after this hour that features an amazing collection of earth's non-human inhabitants that use tools, build intricate…
  5. 5 World's Biggest Machines 3 Jan 26, 2005 · 44m Giant robots on the factory floor and in outer space. A floating fortress that's home to 6,000 military personnel, which is almost as long as the Empire State Building is tall. And a…
  6. 6 Blackbird Stealth Feb 4, 2005 · 44m Designed in the late 1950s by aeronautical genius Kelly Johnson at the mysterious Skunkworks, the SR-71 Blackbird was the world’s first stealthy aircraft, designed to over-fly enemy…
  7. 7 The Butcher Feb 8, 2005 · 44m In a carnivorous world, a butcher is a necessary link in the food chain, carving a carcass of unsavory flesh into mouthwatering cuts. We trace the grisly trade's evolution–from…
  8. 8 George Washington Carver Tech Feb 15, 2005 · 44m One of the 20th century’s greatest scientists, George Washington Carver’s influence is still felt. Rising from slavery to become one of the world’s most respected and honored men, he…
  9. 9 Firefighting!: Extreme Conditions Feb 15, 2005 · 44m This episode of Modern Marvels examines the most extreme raging fires and the firefighters who tame them. The program features interviews with a World War II firefighter who helped contain…
  10. 10 Desert Tech Feb 23, 2005 · 44m It’s hot, dry, deadly, and hard to ignore with close to 40% of Earth classified as desert. But in this scorching hour, the desert turns from barren wasteland into an environment rich with…
  11. 11 Sub Zero Feb 23, 2005 · 44m Come in from the cold while we explore some of Earth's most frigid places and examine how man copes with sub-zero climates. With the advance of technology, our boundaries have…
  12. 12 The Great Bridge: 8 Miles of Steel Feb 23, 2005 · 44m The Oakland Bay Bridge in San Francisco boasts more superlatives than any bridge on earth. Bridge builders of the depression era defied logic and economics and succeeded in building an 8…
  13. 13 Howard Hughes Tech Feb 28, 2005 · 44m An in-depth look at the technology conceived or developed by America’s first billionaire. A passionate aviator, Howard Hughes built and flew planes that broke speed records, and developed…
  14. 14 Edwards Air Force Base Mar 2, 2005 · 44m Examine the colorful history of the premier flight test center, and America’s most important aviation facility for more than 60 years, Edwards Air Force Base in California. Every single…
  15. 15 Taxidermy Mar 9, 2005 · 44m It began as a tool used by prehistoric man to attract animals to the hunt. Over time it became an invaluable study aid for the natural scientist and a popular hobby for hunters and…
  16. 16 SWAT Mar 9, 2005 · 44m
  17. 17 Deadliest Weapons Mar 16, 2005 · 44m In this fiery hour, we profile five of man's deadliest weapons, focusing on the inventors, battles, and dark technology behind their lethality. We begin with the deadliest bomb ever…
  18. 18 The Doomsday Clock Apr 7, 2005 · 44m Developed in 1947 as an image to symbolize urgency in the Cold War and the threat of nuclear disaster, the mission of the Doomsday Clock has expanded to include non-nuclear global security…
  19. 19 The Basement Apr 26, 2005 · 44m Venture down that creaky staircase to explore the most misunderstood room in the house! From Pompeii to Pittsburgh, the dark, cool, and forlorn spaces beneath our living quarters have…
  20. 20 Paint Apr 27, 2005 · 44m 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…
  21. 21 Mega Movers Apr 27, 2005 · 44m
  22. 22 Punishment Apr 28, 2005 · 44m
  23. 23 Bricks May 11, 2005 · 44m The history of civilization has been built on the back of brick, and it’s been said that “architecture itself began when two bricks were put together well.” From great Egyptian temples to…
  24. 24 Glue May 18, 2005 · 44m It’s Super! It’s Krazy! And it can be found in everything from carpet to computers, books to boats, shoes to the Space Shuttle. It’s even used in surgery! Without it, our material world…
  25. 25 F/A-22 Raptor May 20, 2005 · 44m Built around “first look, first shot, first kill” design, the F/A-22 Raptor, the most advanced aircraft of its breed, is set to become the Air Dominance Fighter of the 21st century. Deadly…
  26. 26 Civil War Tech May 25, 2005 · 44m America protects its homeland with the most technologically advanced military force ever conceived. Although they fight 21st-century battles worldwide, the technology unleashed is directly…
  27. 27 Machines of D-Day Jun 3, 2005 · 44m June 6, 1944–the greatest machine of World War Two springs into action. It is made up of thousands of ships and aircraft, tens of thousands of men and millions of tons of steel and…
  28. 28 John Hancock Center Jun 8, 2005 · 44m A steel giant standing 1,107 feet high on broad shoulders, this vertical city houses 1,200 people. Join us as we explore how a young architectural team from Skidmore, Owings & Merrill…
  29. 29 The Cape Cod Canal Jun 15, 2005 · 44m 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. This is the…
  30. 30 Secret Japanese Aircraft of World War II Jun 16, 2005 · 44m In the 1930s, Japanese designers created a range of warplanes, culminating in the legendary Ki-43 Oscar and the A6M Zero. As the war turned against Japan, designers created the…
  31. 31 Future Tech Jun 22, 2005 · 44m 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…
  32. 32 Edison Tech Jun 28, 2005 · 44m He was the father of the future…electric lights, power systems, motion pictures, recorded sound–even the tattoo pen. Life as we know it would be inconceivable without the prodigious output…
  33. 33 Secrets of Soviet Space Disasters Jul 1, 2005 · 44m SECRETS OF SOVIET SPACE DISASTERS is one of our century’s most shocking hidden stories. Since the end of communism much has come to light about the failures of the Soviet’s systems. This…
  34. 34 Mountain Roads Jul 5, 2005 · 44m Join our journey along monumental feats of engineering that preserved America's natural wonders while paving the way towards her future. Travel the Donner Pass in the Sierra Nevada…
  35. 35 Route 66 Jul 6, 2005 · 44m Route 66, encompassing eight states from Illinois to California and 2,400 miles, represented an American myth–that something better lay over the rainbow. Route 66 began in the early 20th…
  36. 36 Cowboy Tech Jul 20, 2005 · 44m Today’s cowboy plants one boot firmly in the traditions of the Old West and the other in the world of modern technology. Beginning in the 19th century, the era in which the American cattle…
  37. 37 Sewers Jul 27, 2005 · 44m A simple flush and it’s forgotten. But haven’t you secretly wondered where it all goes when we go? Join us as we explore this less-than-polite topic, and examine the network of underground…
  38. 38 Challenger Tank Jul 29, 2005 · 44m When this 60 tons of high-tech military hardware rumbles onto the battlefield at nearly 40 mph, there's nowhere for the enemy to hide. Behind its impenetrable armor lies one of the most…
  39. 39 World's Biggest Machines 4 Aug 2, 2005 · 44m 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…
  40. 40 Dredging Aug 3, 2005 · 44m They dig, scoop, suck, and spew an ocean of silt and sediment. Dredgers are the mechanical beasts that fuel the world's economic engine by clearing and deepening ports for mega-container…
  41. 41 Lube Job Aug 10, 2005 · 44m From chariot wheels of ancient Egypt to hard disks in a computer to the wheels on a Mars rover, machinery can’t function without lubricants. And in today’s technology, there are a…
  42. 42 Secret Luftwaffe Aircraft of World War II Aug 17, 2005 · 44m German military aircraft designs were decades ahead of their Allied counterparts. To insure the Luftwaffe’s air superiority, Germany’s cutting edge designers conceived and tested highly…
  43. 43 The World's Fastest Aug 24, 2005 · 44m Perhaps no field has experienced the revolution in velocity more acutely than transportation. We look at five blazingly fast technological marvels that have pushed the speed limits to the…
  44. 44 The B-2 Stealth Bomber Aug 26, 2005 · 44m In any battle, the key to victory is the ability to strike the enemy without them knowing what hit them. Within the US arsenal one such weapon can go into harm’s way, deliver 40,000 pounds…
  45. 45 High Risk: Helicopter Lineman Aug 31, 2005 · 44m
  46. 46 Wiring America Aug 31, 2005 · 44m We begin with electrical linemen perched precariously out a helicopter door, repairing 345,000-volt high-tension power lines. They are part of an army of technicians and scientists we'll…
  47. 47 Nature Tech: Lightning Aug 31, 2005 · 44m Since time immemorial, flashes of light have startled our senses and piqued our imagination. But it’s only in recent years that we’ve begun to unlock the secrets behind this terrifying…
  48. 48 HMS Victory Sep 2, 2005 · 44m The HMS Victory would play a crucial role in the foremost naval engagement in 19th century maritime history, the battle of Trafalgar. This victory was so decisive that no fleet challenged…
  49. 49 Engineering an Empire: Rome Sep 13, 2005 · 44m
  50. 50 Coffee Sep 14, 2005 · 44m Traces the origins of this tasty drink from Ethiopia over 1,000 years ago to the espresso-fueled explosion of specialty coffee stores like Starbucks today. Along the way, we’ll see how…
  51. 51 Sugar Sep 14, 2005 · 44m The sugar industry came of age on the backs of slaves toiling in Caribbean fields, and British desire to control production of sugar and its byproduct, rum. Sugar also played a…
  52. 52 Cereal: History in a Bowl Sep 14, 2005 · 44m Move over pancakes, step aside bacon! Cereal is arguably the true breakfast king, a $9-billion industry with an indisputable place in pop-culture history. Full of surprise, nostalgia, and…
  53. 53 F-117 Nighthawk Stealth Sep 22, 2005 · 44m The project was surrounded by secrecy and dogged by controversy from the very beginning. Starting in the late '70s, engineers at Lockheed's legendary "Skunkworks" developed a revolutionary…
  54. 54 German Small Arms of World War II Sep 24, 2005 · 44m
  55. 55 The Auto Store Oct 5, 2005 · 44m Need a car part or an accessory to give it personality? Since 1903, when Sears dedicated a portion of its catalog, the automotive after-market grew into a billion-dollar juggernaut. We…
  56. 56 Secret Allied Aircraft of World War II Oct 14, 2005 · 44m At WWII’s outset, US and UK military aircraft designs were woefully behind Germany’s and Japan’s technologically superior planes. But the genius and ingenuity of innovators on both sides…
  57. 57 Engineering Disasters 17 Nov 2, 2005 · 44m It’s another chapter of complex, deadly and controversial engineering failures, using 3-D animation, forensic engineering experts, and footage of the actual disasters to understand what…
  58. 58 Brewing Nov 16, 2005 · 44m It's one of the world's oldest and most beloved beverages–revered by Pharaohs and brewed by America's Founding Fathers. Today, brewing the bitter elixir is a multi-billion-dollar global…
  59. 59 The Lumberyard Nov 30, 2005 · 44m At the center of the American Dream is the home–and at the center of its creation or renovation is the lumberyard. We'll explore the options lumberyards provide for builders and…
  60. 60 Da Vinci Tech Dec 4, 2005 · 44m Nearly 500 years after his death, Leonardo da Vinci still intrigues us. Most people think of him as a great artist, but he was also a remarkable scientist and inventor. His love of…
  61. 61 Custom Cars Dec 5, 2005 · 44m For most of us, cars are an ordinary fixture of daily life. But then there are custom cars–literal labors of love. Supercharged hot rods, sublimely sculpted classics, flashy tricked-out…
  62. 62 More Hardware Dec 6, 2005 · 44m The hardware store is the epicenter of the construction world for both the weekend handyman and professional builder. Many of the items found in hardware stores are so common that it’s…
  63. 63 Weird Weapons: The Allies Dec 17, 2005 · 44m
  64. 64 More Snack Food Tech Dec 20, 2005 · 44m They crunch; they ooze; they crackle; they pop–mmmmm, yeah! Soft drinks, donuts, meat snacks, popcorn, and gum. What's your weakness? From the handmade treats of the earliest civilizations…
  65. 65 Walt Disney World Dec 25, 2005 · 44m 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…
  66. 66 Nature Tech: Hurricanes Dec 29, 2005 · 44m They’re nature on a rampage. The size and intensity of hurricanes make them the most feared and destructive of all storms. Explore how hurricanes start, how scientists track them, and how…
  67. 70 Private Collections Dec 6, 2004 · 44m Priceless collections. Compilations devoted to with such passion, entire lives have been spent perfecting them. From rescued trash to treasure troves with values known to only the most…