Modern Marvels

8,19

1993

8 / 10

Episodes

EP 1: Battle Gear.

From battle armor to bubble gum, you might be surprised by what soldiers have carried into battle–and what they'll carry in future...

EP 2: Proving Grounds

Where can you fire a missile without scaring the neighbors? Or lift millions of pounds in pursuit of a couple of ounces of gold? O...

EP 3: Commercial Jets

Commercial Jets traces the evolution of commercial aviation from the stumbling beginnings of the De Havilland Comet to the wide-bo...

EP 4: Apollo 13

The Apollo 13 mission was intended to be a “routine” trip to the moon. But when an oxygen tank exploded, the spacecraft was crippl...

EP 5: Survival Technology

In an historic survey of man’s adaptation to killer environmental conditions, we travel to the desert, the Arctic, the sea, jungle...

EP 6: Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel

Named one of the seven engineering wonders of the modern age, the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel connects Virginia proper with i...

EP 7: Garage Gadgets

The household garage serves as the at-home sanctuary for the modern American male. Most men consider themselves to be “handy aroun...

EP 8: Construction Machines

Feel the earth move under your feet and dig into the fascinating story of earthmoving equipment–from the simple spade to today’s p...

EP 9: Hadrian's Wall

Leonard Nimoy hosts half hour documentaries which explore unusual natural and supernatural phenomena. In this episode, he takes a ...

EP 10: Monster Trucks.

Ride shotgun in our rollicking history of the Monster Truck, and meet the father of the mythic beast, Bob Chandler, whose EM Bigfo...

EP 11: Lighthouses

From the earliest known lighthouses, such as the Pharos of Alexandria, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, to modern-da...

EP 12: Computers

From colossal devices designed to save the world to mind-expanding, world-shrinking machines, we trace the evolution of mice and m...

EP 13: Engineering Disasters 3.

When design flaws fell projects, the cost is often exacted in lives as we see in this look at engineering disasters. Why did the T...

EP 14: Chemical And Biological Weapons

This episode of Modern Marvels examines the history and technology of chemical and biological warfare, which can be traced back at...

EP 15: International Airports II

In this history of international airports, we focus on several airports to illustrate the developments and technology of their con...

EP 16: Codes.

Whenever a culture reaches a level of sophistication in literacy, science, and language, codes spring up spontaneously. As the soc...

EP 17: The M-16

The most powerful assault rifle ever used in combat, the M-16 became the symbol of our lost war–Vietnam–and can easily be called A...

EP 18: The Colosseum

Modern Marvels brings the heart of the Roman Empire back to life through the rich history of this famous amphitheater. Built in 70...

EP 20: Hardware Stores

Modern Marvels explores the evolution and future of the things that hold our world together. From the blacksmith to the Home Depot...

EP 21: Saloons

From a computerized liquor-dispensing system in modern L.A., to a ladle and a tin cup in an 1850′s mining camp, MODERN MARVELS inv...

EP 22: More Gadgets

A salute to the tools and toys that have stood the test of time–from the Zippo lighter to the Palm Pilot, the 21st century’s first...

EP 23: Cattle Ranches

From the 19th century’s legendary cattle drives to the million-acre ranch kingdoms that sprang to life with the end of the Open Ra...

EP 24: Cannons.

Cannons have fired balls of iron and atomic bombs, changed the way wars are fought, and now come equipped with smart weapons. Begi...

EP 25: Nuclear Subs

The most priceless jewels in the arsenals of a handful of countries, some nuclear submarines carry more firepower than all the bom...

EP 26: Air Shows

From barnstormers to Blue Angels, antique aircraft to supersonic jets, each year there are an astonishing 425 air shows in America...

EP 27: West Point

For nearly 200 years, the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, has trained students in the art of war. Located 50 miles ...

EP 28: Quarries.

Dynamite explodes hills to bits, drills divide sheer stone walls, 400,000-pound blocks are pulled from pits by giant cranes, and m...

EP 29: Diamond Mines

Half a mile below the earth’s surface, men mine for rough diamonds–a pure carbon substance. Brilliant when cut and polished, they ...

EP 30: The House

If walls could speak…And in the next two hours they will, as we build a house literally from the ground up, step by step, room by ...

EP 31: Work Clothes

From the riveted blue jeans of the old ’49ers, working the gold mines of California, to the million-dollar suits astronauts wear i...

EP 32: Bunkers.

From the earliest bunkers of WWI through the ultra-futuristic ones of tomorrow's wars, we trace the story of defensive fortificati...

EP 33: Cemeteries.

More than 2-million people die in the U.S. each year. That works out to about 5,500 burials a day, with roughly 80 percent taking ...

EP 34: War Games

Modern Marvels looks at how army maneuvers have changed from simple “hide and seek” games to extremely complex and sophisticated o...

EP 35: Drive-Thru

Join us for a ride through the history of car-culture commerce from the first gas station to the drive-thru funeral parlors and we...

EP 36: Times Square

The Crossroads of the World, New York City’s Times Square is the screaming marketplace of our culture and time. It’s urban life pu...

EP 37: Los Angeles

Unruly and eclectic, Los Angeles is home to an array of engineering and construction marvels that rivals any city in the world. No...

EP 38: Glass

Glass may be our most versatile material. It sheathes skyscrapers, contains liquids, aids vision, allows communication at unimagin...

EP 39: Firing Ranges

Discover how military and police personnel, as well as private citizens, hone their shooting skills with one of the oldest of trai...

EP 40: The St. Louis Arch

It is a majestic structure that rises boldly over the Mississippi river–40,000 tons of steel and concrete that create the biggest ...

Overview

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.

  • en
  • Documentary,

Episodes >>

Battle Gear.

Episode 1

From battle armor to bubble gum, you might be surprised by what soldiers have ca...

Proving Grounds

Episode 2

Where can you fire a missile without scaring the neighbors? Or lift millions of ...

Commercial Jets

Episode 3

Commercial Jets traces the evolution of commercial aviation from the stumbling b...

Apollo 13

Episode 4

The Apollo 13 mission was intended to be a “routine” trip to the moon. But when ...

Survival Technology

Episode 5

In an historic survey of man’s adaptation to killer environmental conditions, we...

Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel

Episode 6

Named one of the seven engineering wonders of the modern age, the Chesapeake Bay...

Garage Gadgets

Episode 7

The household garage serves as the at-home sanctuary for the modern American mal...

Construction Machines

Episode 8

Feel the earth move under your feet and dig into the fascinating story of earthm...

Hadrian's Wall

Episode 9

Leonard Nimoy hosts half hour documentaries which explore unusual natural and su...

Monster Trucks.

Episode 10

Ride shotgun in our rollicking history of the Monster Truck, and meet the father...

Lighthouses

Episode 11

From the earliest known lighthouses, such as the Pharos of Alexandria, one of th...

Computers

Episode 12

From colossal devices designed to save the world to mind-expanding, world-shrink...

Engineering Disasters 3.

Episode 13

When design flaws fell projects, the cost is often exacted in lives as we see in...

Chemical And Biological Weapons

Episode 14

This episode of Modern Marvels examines the history and technology of chemical a...

International Airports II

Episode 15

In this history of international airports, we focus on several airports to illus...

Codes.

Episode 16

Whenever a culture reaches a level of sophistication in literacy, science, and l...

The M-16

Episode 17

The most powerful assault rifle ever used in combat, the M-16 became the symbol ...

The Colosseum

Episode 18

Modern Marvels brings the heart of the Roman Empire back to life through the ric...

The World Trade Center

Episode 19

now-playing-animation

Hardware Stores

Episode 20

Modern Marvels explores the evolution and future of the things that hold our wor...

Saloons

Episode 21

From a computerized liquor-dispensing system in modern L.A., to a ladle and a ti...

More Gadgets

Episode 22

A salute to the tools and toys that have stood the test of time–from the Zippo l...

Cattle Ranches

Episode 23

From the 19th century’s legendary cattle drives to the million-acre ranch kingdo...

Cannons.

Episode 24

Cannons have fired balls of iron and atomic bombs, changed the way wars are foug...

Nuclear Subs

Episode 25

The most priceless jewels in the arsenals of a handful of countries, some nuclea...

Air Shows

Episode 26

From barnstormers to Blue Angels, antique aircraft to supersonic jets, each year...

West Point

Episode 27

For nearly 200 years, the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, has tra...

Quarries.

Episode 28

Dynamite explodes hills to bits, drills divide sheer stone walls, 400,000-pound ...

Diamond Mines

Episode 29

Half a mile below the earth’s surface, men mine for rough diamonds–a pure carbon...

The House

Episode 30

If walls could speak…And in the next two hours they will, as we build a house li...

Work Clothes

Episode 31

From the riveted blue jeans of the old ’49ers, working the gold mines of Califor...

Bunkers.

Episode 32

From the earliest bunkers of WWI through the ultra-futuristic ones of tomorrow's...

Cemeteries.

Episode 33

More than 2-million people die in the U.S. each year. That works out to about 5,...

War Games

Episode 34

Modern Marvels looks at how army maneuvers have changed from simple “hide and se...

Drive-Thru

Episode 35

Join us for a ride through the history of car-culture commerce from the first ga...

Times Square

Episode 36

The Crossroads of the World, New York City’s Times Square is the screaming marke...

Los Angeles

Episode 37

Unruly and eclectic, Los Angeles is home to an array of engineering and construc...

Glass

Episode 38

Glass may be our most versatile material. It sheathes skyscrapers, contains liqu...

Firing Ranges

Episode 39

Discover how military and police personnel, as well as private citizens, hone th...

The St. Louis Arch

Episode 40

It is a majestic structure that rises boldly over the Mississippi river–40,000 t...