Ever wonder how today's technology works? Modern Marvels goes behind the world's most fascinating innovations to see how they came to be.
It traps energy on the ocean floor and confounds scientists still trying to solve why it's so slippery. Learn all about the history, science and even artistry of ice.
Each year in the U.S., 280 million hens lay 80 billion eggs, one of the world's most affordable sources of protein. We'll chart the journey of the egg from henhouse to farm to breakfast table and beyond.
Travel from the potato's mysterious origins in the South American Andes to the ethnic enclaves of New York's lower Eastside. Visit large-scale producers. And learn how tots, chips, and vodka is made.
From the school lunch box to the high end sushi bar, tuna crosses all demographic lines. We'll go fishing with the men who bring in the haul, stop in at the only major tuna cannery in America and visit the world's largest fish market in Tokyo.
From building cutting-edge competition venues to the latest sports science training, winter sports use more technology than ever. This episode takes you behind the scenes of the Winter Olympics in Vancouver to explore some of these developments.
From hot rods and Harley Davidsons to stainless steel flatware and the iconic, shimmering art deco dome of the Chrysler Building, find out how chrome makes the world sparkle.
From farms to refineries, factories, and restaurants, learn all about beans… soybeans, baked beans, rare heirloom beans, chickpeas, azuki beans and more. Each have their own special uses.
From Tabasco sauce, to a chili cook-off, to the leading spice manufacturer in the world, it’s time to get hot and spicy with this look at the history and flavors of all things tongue-burning.
Explore the complex logistics behind creating feasts for the largest, most ravenous crowds. In Las Vegas, Planet Hollywood's Spice Market buffet serves a never-ending line of gamblers. And thousands of airline meals are made in just 1 day.
Discover tricks of the fried food trade. Learn how to forge the classic cast iron frying pan. Find out what makes fried favorites so tasty. And see how Cooking oil is now being deployed as a fuel.
Soft drinks account for nearly 30% of all beverages consumed in the U.S., and have been quenching our thirst for over a century. Learn all about the science behind these refreshments.
Technology has taken on deliveries, from everyday items to the most unusual items ever packed, labeled and shipped. Take a tour of the UPS Worldport hub and deliver luxury yachts, a donor kidney, and thoroughbred horses on a special jet.
Fly with the deadliest helicopter in world, watch the Coast Guard train for water rescues in the Gulf, learn how million-dollar Bell 'copters are customized, and discover how to build your own - affordably.
The largest, strongest and most unique ships: an oceanography research vessel that flips 90 degrees; one of the world's largest cruise ships; the U.S. Navy's newest and most advanced transport ship; green tugboat; fastest car ferry in North America.
Examine points of failure in ultra slow motion. Watch drivers crash cars and trucks to find their breaking points; fire rounds at bulletproof glass until it breaks; lithium-ion batteries catch fire and explode; the breaking points of steel and concrete.
Challenge the world's best safecracker to defeat a bank vault. See the methods a bank uses to protect its money and tellers. See how Customs and Border Protection officers stop illegals and contraband from entering the U.S.
It's full steam ahead in Jay Leno's garage as Jay fires up two of his classic steam cars. From steam-driven carousels to the robot movement called "Steampunk," explore the mechanical inventions made possible by the power of man-made steam.
Visit a company that makes blast and bulletproof doors; learn about the surprisingly complex process involved to make home and commercial doors, entries and exits, such as revolving doors and turnstiles. Plus, flight emergency exits and ejection seats.
Explore the U.S. Library of Congress, where more than 600 miles of shelves hold 130 million items, including priceless treasures--from George Washington's handwritten diaries to Galileo's first images of the moon to the original footage of Frankenstein.
Count down the top ten technological innovations of the last generation. Have they made human existence exponentially better or more fragmented and precarious? Today, we can't live without them, yet only a few decades ago these didn't even exist!
The colossal cornerstones of commerce: Mega stores are giant facilities engineered to keep up with America's supersized spending habits. To keep up with the massive demand, see what's happening behind the scenes.
Explore America's growing obsession with oversized meals & how we cook them! Discover the biggest everyday offerings of gargantuan portions—from the largest burger (almost 250 pounds) to a monster bottle that holds over 101 ounces of beer.
They're man's best friend: fearless, faithful, determined and swift. From natural instincts to complex training, see what makes dogs a perfectly engineered marvel.
Just below the surface, there's a whole different "America" hidden from public view. Take a revealing look at the America under our feet, from secret military installations and experimental farms to tunnel networks and neutron lasers.
Some American success stories may seem foreign at first glance. Visit the world's biggest and oldest flag manufacturer; go inside the last athletic shoe factories in the US; and a toy company that believes it's imperative to keep their work here at home.
Get behind the wheel of some of the largest, fastest, most powerful machines on the planet! You'll need more than just a learner's permit to take control of these vehicles--you need training, experience and above all, guts to make it in the driver's seat.
Discover how to grow, harvest and mill over 140,000 types of rice. Go inside the factories that make Rice Krispie Treats and Rice Cakes to discover how they use rice to make their airy snacks. Rice even brews into alcohol, like sake and beer.
