Sun, Jan 13, 2008
All life forms, including us, are built upon atoms of carbon. But modern technology is also built on a foundation of carbon. Modern Marvels: Carbon explores how such a simple element burns hotter, cuts deeper, dies harder, insulates more thoroughly, and absorbs more fully than any other material. From diamonds to coal, carbon fiber race cars to graphite pencils, you'll see why carbon is not just the stuff of life, but the key to modern technology. You'll also learn why "activated carbon" is the material of choice for absorbing everything from toxic heavy metals in your drinking water to funky odors in your shoes. And you'll see how NASA is using carbon aerogel, the lightest, most insulating substance in the world, to search for clues about-you guessed it-carbon-based life forms.
Wed, Feb 6, 2008
It was the dot com decade that opened up the information superhighway. "Modern Marvels: 90s Tech" takes you way back to the end of the 20th century and the beginning of today's trendy technologies. From DVDs to TIVO to GPS, see how the digital gadgets we can't live without all started in the 90s. Hear the Amazon story from its very own founder, Jeff Bezos, and see how millions of cyber goods are packaged and shipped at an 800,000 square-foot Amazon distribution center. At Google, learn the science of the world's most popular search engine. And was Furby really a threat to national security? We go beyond its furry exterior to show you the inner-workings of the intriguing pet. Heavyweight Boxing Champion George Foreman, will show us how to "knock out the fat" with one of the best-selling appliances of the decade. And its creators will demo some of the original first-person shooter games: Wolfenstein 3D and Doom.
Sun, Jan 27, 2008
On this episode of Modern Marvels we'll construct, and deconstruct, the roundabout ribbons that comprise the world's Superhighways. Our road trip starts in Houston, Texas where a multi-billion dollar expansion project is widening a stretch of superhighway to a spacious 20 lanes. Then we're off to China's 28,000-mile National Trunk Highway System.
Wed, Mar 5, 2008
Witness some mind-blowing feats of strength starting with the world's most powerful elevators--one lifts fighter jets, the other lifts a giant stage filled with acrobats. Discover the world's strongest tire and the monster mine machine it rolls with. Take a 35-foot drop on the world's strongest mountain bike. See the world's strongest land transport vehicle that carries the Space Shuttle. Finally mix some drinks or chop a telephone into dust with the biggest and strongest home blender you've ever seen.
Sun, Mar 23, 2008
It's the basic source of nourishment for half the world--bread. Bake it, roast it, slice it, toast it--it's a wonder that three simple ingredients, flour, water and salt, can be transformed into so many different shapes and tastes. From baguettes to pita, from corn bread to flour tortillas, every culture finds a way to make it and bake it.
Thu, Apr 3, 2008
Explore the hottest trends in gadgets, how they've evolved and where they're going. See how the latest miniaturized, mobile gadgetry can fit all the technology that once filled an entire office into a single briefcase. Visit Brookstone, the ultimate gadget store. We'll meet a gadget collector who's turned his home into a gadget museum. And we'll visit basement inventors who have developed everything from an iron you slip over your hand to smart appliances that talk back. Revisit some of the original gadgets like the corkscrew and zipper and see how some gadgets evolve into new forms. Discover which gadget inventors may hold tomorrow's hottest new trends and learn why some gadgets succeed while others crash and burn.
Tue, Apr 29, 2008
Rats! They're some of the most dangerous, destructive and useful animals on Earth. The resilient rat has terrified humankind for centuries, but is the bad rap justified? In this episode of Modern Marvels, we'll take the viewer on a rollercoaster ride through our love-hate relationship with the rat. We'll ride along with a Terminix exterminator to get face to face with the creepy creature in a near rat infestation and see the great lengths we take to get rid of the pesky pest. And we'll tour the Hacco Inc. rodenticide plant to see just how they concoct tasty poisons. But at the Taconic rat breeding facility, we'll see how hundreds of thousands of rats are purposely bred and hand-raised in high-tech, controlled environments. We'll get up close and personal with the remarkable rodent as it competes in the Xtreme Rat Challenge and at the annual American Fancy Rat show. We'll trace their history and role as a vector of deadly diseases, but also explore at the Medical College of Wisconsin how they have saved countless lives as a lab rat. And scientists at the State University of New York will show us how a remote controlled rat could become the ultimate rescue animal.
Wed, Jul 23, 2008
A view at the history, machinery, and the industry supporting coin operated vending machines. Machines included are soda and snack vending machines, gum-ball dispensers, arcade games, and parking meters. The historic Automats, jukeboxes, pay phones, and kinetoscopes are also featured.
Sun, Dec 7, 2008
Whether you take your car to the local car wash or you do it yourself in your driveway, all cars need to be cleaned. This episode of Modern Marvels goes behind the scenes at one of the largest car washes in the country and shows a master car detailed at work. Also included are tips on washing your car at home.
Mon, Dec 22, 2008
A look at the measurement devices we encounter daily including measuring tapes, clocks (including atomic clocks and the history of clocks), swimming touch pads, speedometers, weight scales, and thermometers. Also includes a look at the National Institute of Standards and Technology.