Watch Modern Marvels Season 13

Balls

Aired on Jan 17, 200743m

From professional sports to the playground, balls have been a way of life for generations. We'll explore the research, development, technology and performance of balls as they spin through our sporting lives.

S13 E2

Environmental Tech

Aired on Jan 24, 200743m

New "green" technologies such as carbon sequestration and bioremediation take on our most daunting environmental crises, from global warming and deforestation to nuclear waste and resource depletion.

S13 E3

Canning

Aired on Jan 31, 200744m

Canning, a method of preserving and packaging food, has allowed civilization to venture beyond local food supply. Today, we have self-heating cans, microwaveable cans, ozone-safe aerosol cans, & cans that store nuclear waste. What's next?

S13 E4

Pumps

Aired on Feb 07, 200743m

Since 200 BC, when Greek philosopher Archimedes created a device for lifting water, the pump has been synonymous with transporting Earth's most precious resource. That principle still holds true today.

S13 E5

Ice

Aired on Feb 11, 200743m

We'll explore how Earth's ice originated and recount how ice age glaciers sculpted North America—and still offer us a window into the past. And we’ll learn about the dynamics and dangers of icebergs.

S13 E9

Barbarian Battle Tech

Aired on Mar 04, 200743m

It's clear from the bow that nearly brought down Rome, the suspension system that revolutionized the chariot and the axe that named a country that Barbarians and technology aren't such a contradiction after all.

S13 E12

Dams

Aired on Mar 28, 200743m

Look at the construction and demolition of dams as well as their impact on the environment. Explore embankment and Hydroelectric dams such as Three Gorges, Hoover, and Grand Coulee are explored. Features the positive impact beavers have on nature.

S13 E14

More Military Movers

Aired on Apr 18, 200744m

Soldiers, machines and supplies are only effective if they arrive at the battlefield in time. Explore the history and the technology behind the machines that do the heavy moving in times of war.

S13 E16

Welding

Aired on May 09, 200743m

It was a science first conjured amid the ovens of ancient blacksmiths; now more than 50% of all U.S. products require some form of welding. From the Las Vegas strip to oil platforms below the sea, discover how welders forge the backbone of civilization.

S13 E18

It Came From Outer Space

Aired on May 16, 200743m

Discover how essential space travel technologies have journeyed back to Earth with surprising and indispensable commercial applications.

S13 E20

Engineering Disasters Of The 70's

Aired on May 30, 200744m

To err is human, but when the error results in the loss of life, it's a disaster. Learn about the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald, the Buffalo Creek Dam disaster, and the explosion of a tanker in Los Angeles harbor.

S13 E21

'70s Tech

Aired on May 30, 200744m

The 1970s were a decade of excess. Dust off your mirror ball, put on your leisure suit and rediscover the technology and gadgets of the era, from PONG to Polaroid to the Concorde.

S13 E22

Truck Stops

Aired on Jun 13, 200744m

Catering to more than twenty million truckers a year, truck stops are bigger and better than ever. These mega-pit stops are essential to the trucks that haul eight billion tons of freight annually. We'll tour some of the world's biggest and best.

S13 E23

Fertilizer

Aired on Jun 20, 200743m

Fertilizer: without it, two thirds of the world would starve. It makes our lawns grow greener and our crops grow taller. Take a tour of the places where the essential nutrients that feed the soil are harnessed.

S13 E24

Cheese

Aired on Jun 27, 200743m

From cheddar to brie, Parmesan to blue, take a look at both ancient techniques and new technologies behind some of the world's most popular cheeses. And yes, we'll answer that eternal question, "Why does Swiss cheese have holes?"

S13 E25

Saws

Aired on Jul 18, 200743m

Sink your teeth into the razor sharp world of saws. Cut across the centuries to discover how this essential tool has been used for construction, destruction, surgery, torture and more.

S13 E27

Sticky Stuff

Aired on Jul 30, 200744m

From Velcro hooks to Gecko feet, making things that stick is no easy task. Come revel in the history and technology of electrostatics, sticky rubber and even a roll of tape so strong it sticks together skyscrapers.

S13 E28

Chocolate

Aired on Aug 06, 200743m

Americans eat over three and a half billion pounds of chocolate each year—that's 12 pounds per person per year with annual sales topping $13 billion! Take a tour through the wide world of chocolate harvesting and production.

S13 E31

Traps

Aired on Aug 27, 200743m

Gotcha! Traps are a device designed to capture and kill, but they don't always harm their prey. Check out some high-tech versions straight out of action movies.

S13 E32

Batteries

Aired on Sep 19, 200743m

Batteries make our tech, tools and toys surge with energy. Visit the world's most powerful battery in Fairbanks, Alaska, then see how the Energizer facility churns out one million D-cells every day.

S13 E33

Extreme Aircraft II

Aired on Sep 20, 200743m

More extreme aircrafts are profiled. Among them the F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter, the B-1B Lancer (a supersonic bomber), the DC-10 Supertanker, drones and personal aircraft vehicles.

S13 E34

Deep Freeze

Aired on Sep 25, 200743m

Take a look at the technology of keeping things cold. From your home refrigerator to Arctic vaults that store millions of different seeds and even places where cadavers are kept on ice.

S13 E36

World's Sharpest

Aired on Oct 11, 200743m

What's the world's sharpest blade? Discover all the possibilities, from the Katana blade of the Samurai to industrial wood chippers to disposable razors found in any corner store.

S13 E38

Environmental Tech II

Aired on Nov 12, 200743m

Discover innovations designed to thwart a global warming meltdown. Visit giant solar energy towers in Spain, install a rooftop wind turbine, & ride in a car that runs on air. See how everyone can go green with the flick of a switch!

S13 E39

Corn

Aired on Nov 19, 200743m

Corn is not only a vegetable and grain; it's a commodity as well. Visit Lakeside Foods in Wisconsin and see how tons of corn are harvested and canned within hours. Then it's off to VeraSun Energy in Iowa to discover how corn is converted into fuel.

S13 E40

The Pig

Aired on Nov 27, 200742m

It is said that the pig is as smart as a three-year-old human—yet its primary use is for food. Watch the pig transform into bacon, ham, ribs and sausage.

S13 E41

Rocks

Aired on Dec 03, 200743m

From the Stone Age to the Space Age, our world has been built from rocks. Visit the Johnson Space Center in Houston to examine moon rocks and see how marble and granite are extracted, cut and polished.

S13 E42

Most Shocking

Aired on Dec 10, 200743m

It strikes without warning and kills in an instant. We fear its might even as we use it to save a life. Explore the electric shock in its numerous forms, from fences to eels to the electric chair.

S13 E43

Cold Cuts

Aired on Dec 17, 200743m

They're the meat in our sandwiches and slices of American pop culture. Take a look behind the deli counter to reveal the secret ingredients and history of cold cuts.