Playback is currently unavailable for S15 E1 · Milk. Episode details remain available below.
Modern Marvels
HISTORY’s longest-running series moves to H2. Modern Marvels celebrates the ingenuity, invention and imagination found in the world around us. From commonplace items like ink and coffee to architectural masterpieces and engineering disasters, the hit series goes beyond the basics to provide insight and history into things we wonder about and that impact our lives. This series tells fascinating stories of the doers, the dreamers and sometime-schemers that create everyday items, technological breakthroughs and manmade wonders. The hit series goes deep to explore the leading edge of human inspiration and ambition.
- Created by:
- Bruce Nash
- Language:
- English
- Country:
- United States of America
- Network:
- History, A&E, H2
Episode guide
Seasons
Season 15
Episodes
E01
Episode 1
Milk
2008-01-07 · 44mGot milk? Billions of pounds of milk are consumed worldwide on a daily basis. Milk is the basis for its own food group, and has been around since the dawn of mammals. Visit a farm with a milking parlor that looks more like a cow merry-go-round. Learn what pasteurization is really all about, and even milk a yak. Find out what those active cultures in yogurt are and discover if milk truly makes the body good. Wait until you discover just how many types of cows there truly are.
Current episode
E02
Episode 2
Carbon
2008-01-14 · 44mCarbon is the chemical basis of all known life and yet this simple element is also the foundation of modern technology. Carbon burns hotter, cuts deeper, insulates more thoroughly and absorbs more fully than any other material. See why carbon is the key both in heavy-duty industries, as well as in tools like the graphite pencil, the charcoal water filter, and the diamond saw blade.
Watch progress · Not trackedEpisode 3
90s Tech
2008-02-07 · 44mThe dot.com decade opened up the information superhighway and for the first time, people could shop, search, and surf online with the click of a mouse. Take a trip to the end of the 20th century and the beginning of today technologies.
Watch progress · Not trackedEpisode 4
Superhighways
2008-02-28 · 44mMillions of drivers travel the world's superhighways each year. See a multi-billion dollar expansion project in Houston where a stretch of superhighway is being widened to 20 lanes & Take a ride atop the High-Five, a 12-story, five-level interchange that's become the latest Dallas tourist attraction. Then it's off to China's 28,000-mile National Trunk Highway System.
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E05
Episode 5
World's Strongest III
2008-03-06 · 44mWitness some mind-blowing feats of strength starting with the world's most powerful elevators. Discover the world's strongest tire, the strongest mountain bike, the world's strongest land transport vehicle that carries the Space Shuttle & strongest home blender.
Watch progress · Not trackedEpisode 6
Strange Weapons
2008-03-10 · 44mDiscover microwave-like rays that make the enemy flee; laser weapons mounted on trucks & planes that can blow missiles out of the sky; non-lethal weapons include a B.B. machine gun; and a flashing device that may make you lose your lunch.
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E07
Episode 7
Whiskey
2008-03-17 · 44mVisit some of the world's finest distilleries to see how each country brews this thousand-year old spirit. Go behind the scenes at Jim Beam, Jack Daniels and Canadian Club Whiskey.
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E08
Episode 8
Alaskan Fishing
2008-03-19 · 44mTakes a look inside the amazing ultra-modern world of high stakes commercial fishing where a wrong decision on the captain's part can cost not just the season's catch, but also the lives of his crew.
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E09
Episode 9
Bread
2008-03-24 · 44mIt's the basic source of nourishment for half the world. Bake it, roast it, slice it, or toast it, it's a wonder with three simple ingredients.
Watch progress · Not trackedEpisode 10
Gadgets 3
2008-04-04 · 44mWe're living in a gadget revolution. New and unimagined gizmos solve problems that we didn't even know we had. They emerge from cutting edge think tanks and tinkerers basement workshops. Will they usher in a techno utopia, or enslave us to pocket size technology?
Watch progress · Not trackedEpisode 11
Locomotives
2008-04-21 · 44mRace through the French countryside at nearly 300 MPH on the fastest locomotive in the world. Ride on the little engines that could as they guide giant ships through the Panama Canal. Watch two locomotives crash head-on as the federal government monitors safety. Descend 700 feet below the earth's surface where mining locomotives move miners through a maze of tunnels. Then, it's a "jiffy lube" for locomotives inside America's largest maintenance shop. Finally, glide into the future with a locomotive that levitates on a cushion of air.
Watch progress · Not trackedEpisode 12
Rats
2008-04-30 · 44mFeared by millions worldwide, rats are some of the most dangerous, destructive and useful animals on Earth.
Watch progress · Not trackedEpisode 13
Mad Electricity
2008-05-14 · 44mNikola Tesla's bizarre vision of the future brought him failure, but his genius electrified the world.
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E14
Episode 14
Axes
2008-05-30 · 44mThe axe is one of the world's oldest, most dangerous and efficient cutting tools. Visit one of the nation's largest axe manufacturers, take a swing with a Vikings' battle axe, then see which would win in a fight of sword vs axe. Learn why the tomahawk is making a comeback as a tactical weapon & see how the fireman's axe has evolved into a trailer full of high tech rescue tools.
Watch progress · Not trackedEpisode 15
Most Dangerous
2008-06-06 · 44mDiscover that the deadliest snakes, sports and weather events are closer and more treacherous than you think.
Watch progress · Not trackedEpisode 16
Super Hot
2008-06-09 · 44mExplore the world of extreme temperatures.
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E17
Episode 17
Lead
2008-06-16 · 44mA versatile yet toxic metal, lead has served mankind for 6,000 years.
Watch progress · Not trackedEpisode 18
Corpse Tech
2008-06-20 · 44mDo you ever wonder what happens to your body after you die? You might be surprised to discover that the human body is host to a multitude of hidden secrets. Discover how coroners and forensic anthropologists use a body to both save lives and catch killers. Visit the University of Tennessee's famed "Body Farm," a crematorium, and one of the largest tissue banks in the United States.
Watch progress · Not trackedEpisode 19
Ice Cream
2008-06-23 · 44mFrom the gelato of Italy to the French Pot process of the 1800s to numerous assortments of frozen delights being served up today, learn the history of this delicious dessert.
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E20
Episode 20
Bathroom Tech II
2008-06-30 · 44mThe most used room in the home is the bathroom and it's full of tech. Visit Kohler and see the new digitally controlled uber-shower, complete with steam, music and LED chromatherapy. Check out American Standard's Champion 4--the supposedly "uncloggable" toilet. Learn all about the low-flow alternatives for showers and toilets. Touch-free fixtures and a futuristic toilet from Japan ensure a more hygienic restroom experience. Finally, what is New York City's latest hi-tech solution for going on the go?
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E21
Episode 21
Crashes
2008-07-10 · 44mExplore collisions that shake our world from the astronomic to the subatomic. Indy car racing; motorcycles; skydiving; meteorites; and subatomic particles.
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E22
Episode 22
Underwear
2008-07-17 · 44mFrom itchy woolen union suits to comfortable briefs and boxers learn how our undergarments have evolved over the last 100 years.
Watch progress · Not trackedEpisode 23
Batman Tech
2008-07-21 · 44mHe's caped, cowled and the coolest superhero of them all, because underneath that Batsuit, Batman only has his human strength and intellect to rely on. That and the greatest arsenal of crime fighting weaponry ever devised. But just where does comic book science fiction end and scientific fact begin? What technologies are behind the gadgets in Batman's utility belt? And just how plausible is the Batmobile? Get ready for a real life trip to the Batcave as we reveal the secrets behind Batman Tech.
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E24
Episode 24
Coin Operated
2008-07-24 · 44mEvery 15 minutes, Americans insert over 3.5 million coins into vending machines. What are they buying? How do the machines work?
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E25
Episode 25
Secrets of Oil
2008-07-31 · 44mRubber, plastic, nylon, aerosols, resins, solvents, & lubricants; none can exist without oil. If we stopped driving our cars tomorrow, America would still need 5 million barrels of oil a day.
Watch progress · Not trackedEpisode 26
Iron
2008-08-18 · 44mHow iron mined in Minnesota is made into steel; iron weapons revolutionize warfare; military metallurgists customize weapons and demonstrate their firepower; iron magnets.
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E27
Episode 27
Wheat
2008-08-21 · 44mIt feeds the world. See how harvesting crews brave months on the road, cutting thousands of acres, tour a pasta plant to see how special kinds of wheat becomes everything from spaghetti to rigatoni. Watch as grain is mashed into a thirst-quenching brew and finally visit a company that transforms wheat into plastic-like products.
Watch progress · Not trackedEpisode 28
Dangerous Roads
2008-08-28 · 44mDangerous roads throughout the world are examined, including Bolivia's "Death Road" and Highway 99 in California. Also: a visit to the Federal Highway Administration's safety-test laboratory.
Watch progress · Not trackedEpisode 29
Mold & Fungus
2008-09-18 · 44mLearn about fungal organisms that live within our bodies, grow beneath our feet, float in the air and help create some of the foods and beverages we consume.
Watch progress · Not trackedEpisode 30
Soft Drinks
2008-09-29 · 44mThey account for nearly 30% of all beverages consumed in the U.S. and have been quenching thirst for over a century.
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E31
Episode 31
Corrosion & Decompositon
2008-10-13 · 44mAmerica's aging infrastructure is in danger of collapse due to corrosion, according to engineers; technology for battling corrosion; harnessing the destructive power of decomposition.
Watch progress · Not trackedEpisode 32
Bulls-eye
2008-10-20 · 44mExamining how frequently experts in various disciplines can hit their targets, including archers, sharpshooters and even a billiards player; the ancient world's ballista and trebuchet weapons; knife thrower; Cirque du Soleil's daring artists.
Watch progress · Not trackedEpisode 33
Halloween Tech
2008-10-31 · 44mAn inside look at the technology used for the Halloween traditions such as producing latex masks, professional monster makeup, carving jack-o-lanterns, making fake blood and a glimpse of a popular haunted house attraction.
Watch progress · Not trackedEpisode 34
The Horse
2008-11-19 · 44mA celebration of the horse, the animal that helped mankind change the world; the thoroughbred racing industry in Kentucky; how a Minnesota logging company uses real horsepower; a Colorado program pairs horses and prison inmates.
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E35
Episode 35
The Turkey
2008-11-24 · 44mThe turkey is the centerpiece of Thanksgiving dinners and one of the dumbest birds in the animal kingdom, but it has managed to survive since the dinosaurs; Butterball factory; turkey hunting; dining on turkey testicles and eggs.
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E36
Episode 36
Salt
2008-12-01 · 44mIt's the only rock we eat, and we need it to live. History has shown that those who have salt rule the world--and today, this versatile substance has 14,000 known uses.
Watch progress · Not trackedEpisode 37
Car Wash
2008-12-08 · 44mThe car wash's in America are a $25 billion dollars a year industry, with tunnel systems to in-bay automatics, we'll show you how America keeps it's cars clean. We'll visit the largest car wash, seven acres wide which includes a dog wash, chapel, and barber shop. And then to a wash which uses trained electronic eyes, auto conveyors, and mega vacuums which can hold up a bowling ball. We also show tips for cleaning a car at home. Plus we'll add tar, glue, egg, bird droppings, and a bucket full of sludge to a $160,000 Porsche, and then challenge a detailer to clean it off. Also, see how cars are built to survive a car wash.
Watch progress · Not trackedEpisode 38
Retro Tech
2008-12-19 · 44mRummage around in your garage and you'll likely find remnants of gadgets past: a typewriter, analog TV, LPs, film cameras and brick-sized mobile phones. These products served us well and remember each one with nostalgic fondness. Take a trip down memory lane to examine how these oldies-but-goodies worked and find out how more advanced tech superseded them.
Watch progress · Not trackedEpisode 39
Super Human
2008-12-22 · 44mWhether humans have the ability to possess superpowers; a man can strap on an exoskeleton and lift hundreds of pounds with little effort; Mr. Cyborg can control machines with his thoughts; flying like Superman.
Watch progress · Not trackedEpisode 40
Measure It
2008-12-23 · 44mHow do you weigh a whale? How does your speedometer work? Take a look at the five most common areas of measurement: distance, time, speed, weight, and temperature.
Watch progress · Not trackedEpisode 41
Night
2008-12-26 · 44mSome activities only occur when the world is dark; fishermen use lights to lure squid to their nets; finding night crawlers in Toronto; military night vision gear; police helicopter's Spectrolab spotlight; baseball stadium.
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E42
Episode 42
Fry It
2009-02-10 · 44mFairgrounds fried classics such as funnel cakes and churros; frog legs; Twinkies and Coke; forging a cast iron frying pan; Kentucky's World Chicken Festival.
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E43
Episode 43
Mega Meals
2009-02-17 · 44mPreparing meals for large groups is examined. Included: a meal at a U.S. Naval base in Bangor, Wash.; aboard a nuclear submarine; for crowds at a Philadelphia Eagles game; and the after party of the American Music Awards. Also: airline meals in New York City.
Watch progress · Not trackedEpisode 44
Library of Congress
2009-02-19 · 44mWhere in Washington DC is the nation's most incredible treasure chest? It's a library unlike any other in the world, the U.S. Library of Congress in Washington D.C. Modern Marvels explodes the myth that this 200 year old institution is simply "where members of Congress borrow books". Viewers are taken beyond the magnificent Jefferson Building Great Hall into the secret vaults where more than 600 miles of shelves hold 130 million items, many of them priceless treasures - from George Washington's hand-written diaries to Galileo's first images of the moon to the original camera film of the movie Frankenstein. See how a staff of 4000 catalogues protects and preserves these treasures and distributes them globally via a new World Digital Library.
Watch progress · Not trackedCast
Cast information is currently unavailable.
