Modern Marvels

Nuclear research can range from bombs and reactors to little-known uses in food and medicine. In this explosive hour, explore how nuclear power generation is used in war and peace.

When burning gushers shoot flames into the air, only a handful know how to snuff out the monster. Fight fire with fire as we look at heat-resistant clothing & regulations protecting oil firefighters.

Located in the heart of the Middle East, 'Centcom' in Doha, Qatar represents the pinnacle of a modern military command post with the most sophisticated information systems available.

Discover the amazing ingenuity of common animals uniquely equipped to remake their world by producing towering structures, intricate tunnels and mighty dams. This is construction, animal-style!

Arguably the most influential book ever written, the Bible provides a glimpse into origins of ancient technology. What's the plausibility of the architectural and technological achievements described?

The machines that helped build our world have been powered by hydraulics, a compact system of valves, hoses, and pumps that transmits forces from point to point through fluid.

Airplane passengers have never been safer in the skies. We examine aviation safety improvements and the work that still needs to be done.

By 1942, Hitler fortified Europe. Allies prepared for the largest military invasion in history. D-Day's success on June 6, 1944, hinged on innovative engineering and technology.

The story of rubber is more than tires, toys, gloves and gum-it's embedded in all aspects of modern life. We trace rubber's history and future.

Learn the colorful history of public water systems in cities around the U.S. when we scour the past and look to the future, including desalination plants that turn seawater into drinking water.

Distilling alcoholic spirits is a big business and near-sacred religion. Trace its history from a one-still tradition to the 1920 Voldstead Act to the mega-sales and high-volume distilleries of today.

The biggest moving objects ever built, oil tankers dominate the world's waterways, both in size and numbers. We'll dig into the long history of oil transport.

Under Athens' bustling metropolis, a unique engineering project transformed the city while uncovering secrets of its past.

Join us for a supersonic look at some of the cutting-edge aircraft ever developed from the X-1 that first broke the sound barrier to the X-43 Scramjet that recently flew at Mach 7.

Welcome to Skyscraper 101. See how architects design a building and check out the new California Department of Transportation headquarters, a project we've followed for two years.

Join us for a high-speed look at police pursuits in an adrenaline-filled hour focused on the history and evolution of the technologies that give law enforcement the upper hand.

The vehicles that transport the United States President are no ordinary planes, trains, & automobiles--they're top secret. And for your Average Joe, there are only two ways to find out what they're like inside: get elected or watch this.

Gas--it makes a balloon go up, cooks our food, and fills our lungs. But this invisible state of matter does far more, and has a very visible impact on the world.

The Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge is currently the longest single-span suspension bridge in the world. This marvel of architectonics stands as a testament to the genius of Asian engineering.

Big Brother surveils us through tech like parabolic mics, smart cameras, RadarVision, and drones. The future is simultaneously alarming and riveting.

When the men and women aboard a modern submarine hear the command to dive, they can take a measure of comfort in the fact that no US sub has been lost in nearly 40 years.

Dangerous cargo comes in all shapes and sizes. Special trucks and containers are as vital for the movement of dynamite as they are for the storage of hazardous chemical materials.

Seafood is a popular dish, no matter how you serve it, and Americans consume more than 5-billion pounds yearly--an order that takes more than a fishing rod to fill and worries conservationists.