Watch Modern Marvels Season 6

Power Plants

Aired on Dec 05, 200046m

From Thomas Edison to Nikola Tesla, the world's greatest minds have enabled us to acquire our light, heat, and power with a simple flip of a switch. The foundation for all of this originates from one important source: Power Plants.

S6 E4

Space Stations

Aired on Feb 03, 200046m

Join us on an out-of-this-world exploration of the history of long-duration life in space--from the first Soviet station to Skylab to Mir to the International Space Station. Experience what it is like to live in space, as well as the monumental obstacles engineers and astronauts overcame to make it possible.

S6 E7

Bridges

Aired on Feb 29, 200046m

From ancient Roman aqueducts and arch bridges, to Renaissance spans & railroad crossovers, bridges play a key role in the human quest to connect and unify. Trace the history of bridges, including suspension, arch, beam, truss & cantilever.

S6 E15

Tower Bridge

Aired on May 25, 200046m

Join us as we span the history of one of the world's most famous bridges: London's Tower Bridge. The world's largest bascule bridge when it was erected in 1892, it soon became a postcard image of London.

S6 E21

Traffic

Aired on Jun 22, 200046m

In less than a century, the world went from dirt tracks to highways, from propeller planes to space travel, from sailboats to supertankers. And in the process, we have created a glut of traffic that must be controlled and regulated.

S6 E24

Gold Mines

Aired on Jul 31, 200046m

The quest for gold took men across oceans, into the depths of the Alaskan winter and miles beneath earth. This is the story of the hunters of the precious metal and their methods for extracting it.

S6 E25

Banks

Aired on Aug 02, 200046m

Backbones of worldwide economics, for centuries, banks enabled the creation of wealth and the process of investment. But modern technology has changed the way that banks do business—and with the Internet, they must adapt or disappear.

S6 E26

The Erie Canal

Aired on Aug 14, 200044m

The Erie Canal was America’s first superhighway—a narrow ribbon of water carved through rock and untamed wilderness. Discover how this engineering marvel carried the dreams of countless immigrants hoping to find their fortunes in the west.

S6 E29

China's Great Dam

Aired on Sep 13, 200045m

Supporters see it as key to a new China, but critics voice a litany of concerns. Trace the story of China's Three Gorges Dam from ancient flood control to current controversy.

S6 E32

Video Games: Behind The Fun

Aired on Oct 09, 200043m

A fun-filled glimpse into the not so distant history of video games. Since inception, the gaming industry has been a driving force in computer technology, and video games are one of today's dominant entertainment mediums.

S6 E36

Then And Now: Suez Canal

Aired on Oct 25, 200046m

Since the ancient pharaohs' time, the Isthmus of Suez has been the gateway to trade between East and West. Today, the Suez Canal is an engineering marvel, a vital link in world trade and a point of controversy in geopolitics.

S6 E44

Inventions Of War

Aired on Dec 12, 200044m

From hair brushes to microwaves, countless everyday items are direct descendants of wartime innovations. Amidst the horrible carnage, disease and suffering of war has emerged some of our greatest inventions.