Modern Marvels

9,32

1993

8 / 10

Episodes

EP 1: Breweries.

From Pilgrim brew masters to early commercial ventures to today's monolithic corporations, we'll imbibe American beer's long histo...

EP 2: War Planes of World War II

Flight was born in America at the turn of the 20th century. But WWII saw more planes built in a single year–300,000–than had been ...

EP 3: The Winchester

Winchester…the name still evokes images of the Wild West and the taming of the frontier–it was the first reliable repeating rifle ...

EP 4: Big Rigs of Combat: Tanks and Jeeps

The rousing story of the tank, from its primitive appearance in WWI to the high-tech world of modern tank warfare, with emphasis o...

EP 5: Tunnels of Vietnam.

Here is the heroic story of a intrepid band of infantry soldiers, the "Tunnel Rats", charged with a daring mission–to search for, ...

EP 6: Helicopters

From the early “egg beaters” of World War II to the “flying tanks” of Operation Desert Storm, we’ll fly aboard one of the most agi...

EP 7: Private Jets

From today’s ultra chic, state-of-the-art private jets to Lockheed’s 1957 Jetstar, this 2-hour special investigates the history, t...

EP 8: James Bond Gadgets.

His movies are legend, his women beautiful, and his toys the best in the world. Whether James Bond is foiling villains in space-ag...

EP 9: Remote Control

Press a button and you can soar in the sky, command a virtual pet, adjust the thermostat in your house while driving in your car, ...

EP 10: Million Dollar Tech

For millennia, luxury toys have functioned as flashy instruments of affluence, authority, and identity and driven many kingly cons...

EP 11: Pleasure Boats

As we power-up and unfurl the sails on a magical cruise through time, viewers meet the people who’ve devoted their lives to pleasu...

EP 12: Bulletproof.

How do you stop a speeding bullet? From body armor to armored cars and trucks, we review the history of the race between the bulle...

EP 13: Siege Machines.

A look at siege machines that convert energy into mechanical force to go over, under, or through fortified or fixed defenses too s...

EP 14: The Junkyard

It’s the place where one man’s trash is truly another man’s treasure. Enter the strange and mysterious world of the junkyard, wher...

EP 15: The F-14

October 7, 2001: Missiles from lethal U.S. jets rain down onto Afghanistan. One powerful and deadly plane led the majority of the ...

EP 16: Engines

Story of the development of engines and motors, with particular emphasis on the ones that have profoundly changed society. Beginni...

EP 17: The Magnum

It’s known as the most powerful handgun in the world, made famous by Clint Eastwood in the Dirty Harry movies. But its origins str...

EP 18: The Wheel

Spinning your wheels isn’t just going around in circles. In fact, it’s revolutionary–literally. The history of civilization has tu...

EP 19: Star City

Star City, the Gagarin Center for Training Cosmonauts, was established by the former Soviet Union in the 1960s as a school for the...

EP 20: Ice Breakers

They are the toughest ships in the water, plowing headlong into one of nature’s hardest obstacles. Modern icebreakers can smash th...

EP 21: Fire and Ice.

Who could imagine life without our "man-made weather"? On cold winter nights and hot summer days, we are forever grateful to the v...

EP 22: Muscle Cars

Pop open the hood, check out the carbs, and hear the engines roar as we journey back to a time when gas was cheap, emission contro...

EP 23: Axes, Swords and Knives.

Blade implements have been a part of civilized man's arsenal since the Paleolithic Age, when sharp tools were chipped off of flint...

EP 24: The World's Biggest Machines.

Join us for a look at the biggest, heaviest, tallest, longest, meanest machines on the planet! We'll see what these monsters do an...

EP 25: Drag Racing

Legendary drivers lead us on a record-breaking race through a century-long search for sheer acceleration that began before World W...

EP 26: The Manhattan Project.

At 5:30 a.m., July 16, 1945, scientists and dignitaries awaited the detonation of the first atomic bomb in a desolate area of the ...

EP 27: The Tackle Box

From ancient Egyptian fishing parties to today's high-tech bass tournaments, we untangle the fascinating technical history of man'...

EP 28: Hunting Gear.

They are lethal tools that ensured our survival, altered our evolution, and maintained our dominion over other animals. Though hun...

EP 29: Camouflage

From ancient hunters’ camouflage to computer-generated digital pattern uniforms, we uncover the past, present, and future of decep...

EP 30: Models

Though they duplicate the real world for fun and fantasy, models are not always toys and they’re not always tiny. We explore the m...

EP 31: Hangars

Come in for a smooth landing as we explore the history of hangars–stark, massive structures that house and protect flight vehicles...

EP 33: The Big Dig

The Massachusetts Central Artery/Tunnel Project, a.k.a. The Big Dig, is the most amazing municipal construction project in U.S. hi...

EP 34: Super Guns

They are the cutting edge in firearm technology. They fight simulated battles on computers, decades before a shot is fired. But wi...

EP 35: Strategic Air Command.

With the ironic motto "Peace is our Profession", the Strategic Air Command was in charge of US nuclear forces from 1946 to 1992. S...

EP 36: Gasoline

Traces the history and evolution of the world’s most important fossil fuel. Without gasoline, modern life would grind to a halt. A...

EP 37: Towing.

Think you know towing? As simple as engaging a tow man when your car is stalled? From mighty tugboats that guide massive ships saf...

EP 38: Jet Engines

This program will tell the story of jet propulsion, which has radically transformed our world since it was first introduced near t...

EP 39: Nordhausen

It was the world’s largest underground factory–seven miles of tunnels built to manufacture Hitler’s secret weapons, primarily the ...

EP 40: War Trains

Examines how the great 19th-century peacetime invention developed into a powerful war machine, forever altering how, when, where, ...

EP 41: Liberty Ships of World War II

Between 1941 and 1945, U.S. shipyards built more shipping tonnage than had been previously produced in the history of the world. A...

EP 42: Magnets

We played with them as children, but the world of magnets isn’t kid’s stuff! The pervasive magnet serves as the underpinning for m...

EP 43: The Chrysler Building.

The 1,046-foot Chrysler Building in New York City, erected between 1928 and 1930, was the world's tallest edifice–until the Empire...

EP 44: The Autobahn

Imagine a superhighway designed for speed…thousands of miles of roadway unhindered by limits of any kind. Buckle up for safety as ...

EP 45: Home Tech

From the outhouse to the smart house, our lives have improved drastically in the last 150 years. Convenience and comfort have alwa...

EP 46: Cranes

One of the most useful machines ever created, the crane is a simple but important combination of the pulley and the lever. Though ...

EP 47: The Internet: Behind The Web

Over 200-million people around the world use the Internet–yet no one owns or controls it. Its phenomenal usage puts it on a par wi...

EP 48: Sherman Tanks

An exciting series that takes viewers into the heart of action as it focuses on a particular machine from WWII, beginning with the...

EP 49: Great Train Disasters

Throughout railroad history, disasters lay at the heart of progress since expansion and profit proved the main goals of management...

EP 50: Secret Life Of The Crash Test Dummy

The crash test dummy, patron saint of vulnerable motorists, has become a modern icon and is a potent symbol of safety in a risk-ob...

EP 51: High Tech Sex

Join us for a walk on the wild side of the history of sexual enhancement and contraception–from Cleopatra’s box of buzzing bees to...

EP 52: The Spitfire

Designed in 1935 by R.J. Mitchell, the Supermarine Spitfire was a revolutionary fighter plane, which proved to be more than a matc...

EP 53: Garbage

Modern Marvels examines the ever-changing nature of trash, the history of our efforts to dispose of unwanted material, and the evo...

EP 54: More Bond Gadgets

He’s everyone’s favorite spy, the man with a woman in every port and a gadget in every pocket! No villain is too strong, no situat...

EP 55: Limos

Limousines have been stretched to greater and greater lengths–as has the notion of what can be done inside them! You can have a ro...

EP 56: Digi-Tech

DVD, CD, PDA, HDTV, PVR–they are the ultimate in “gotta have it” gadgets and gizmos and “to die for” technology that populate a di...

EP 57: Salt Mines

It’s the only rock we eat – a priceless commodity essential to our very survival. It has over 14,000 uses – from de-icing our roa...

EP 58: Concept Cars

They were pure fantasy on wheels, machines designed to make the heart race and the mind ask…what if? Explore the world of 1950s co...

EP 59: Runways

What do you think about when you gaze out the window as your plane takes off? Probably not about the least heralded part of our in...

EP 60: Failed Inventions.

Join us for a salute to the dreamers and schemers who brought the world an odd assortment of flawed ideas–like flying, swimming, a...

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 >>

Breweries.

Episode 1

From Pilgrim brew masters to early commercial ventures to today's monolithic cor...

War Planes of World War II

Episode 2

Flight was born in America at the turn of the 20th century. But WWII saw more pl...

The Winchester

Episode 3

Winchester…the name still evokes images of the Wild West and the taming of the f...

Big Rigs of Combat: Tanks and Jeeps

Episode 4

The rousing story of the tank, from its primitive appearance in WWI to the high-...

Tunnels of Vietnam.

Episode 5

Here is the heroic story of a intrepid band of infantry soldiers, the "Tunnel Ra...

Helicopters

Episode 6

From the early “egg beaters” of World War II to the “flying tanks” of Operation ...

Private Jets

Episode 7

From today’s ultra chic, state-of-the-art private jets to Lockheed’s 1957 Jetsta...

James Bond Gadgets.

Episode 8

His movies are legend, his women beautiful, and his toys the best in the world. ...

Remote Control

Episode 9

Press a button and you can soar in the sky, command a virtual pet, adjust the th...

Million Dollar Tech

Episode 10

For millennia, luxury toys have functioned as flashy instruments of affluence, a...

Pleasure Boats

Episode 11

As we power-up and unfurl the sails on a magical cruise through time, viewers me...

Bulletproof.

Episode 12

How do you stop a speeding bullet? From body armor to armored cars and trucks, w...

Siege Machines.

Episode 13

A look at siege machines that convert energy into mechanical force to go over, u...

The Junkyard

Episode 14

It’s the place where one man’s trash is truly another man’s treasure. Enter the ...

The F-14

Episode 15

October 7, 2001: Missiles from lethal U.S. jets rain down onto Afghanistan. One ...

Engines

Episode 16

Story of the development of engines and motors, with particular emphasis on the ...

The Magnum

Episode 17

It’s known as the most powerful handgun in the world, made famous by Clint Eastw...

The Wheel

Episode 18

Spinning your wheels isn’t just going around in circles. In fact, it’s revolutio...

Star City

Episode 19

Star City, the Gagarin Center for Training Cosmonauts, was established by the fo...

Ice Breakers

Episode 20

They are the toughest ships in the water, plowing headlong into one of nature’s ...

Fire and Ice.

Episode 21

Who could imagine life without our "man-made weather"? On cold winter nights and...

Muscle Cars

Episode 22

Pop open the hood, check out the carbs, and hear the engines roar as we journey ...

Axes, Swords and Knives.

Episode 23

Blade implements have been a part of civilized man's arsenal since the Paleolith...

The World's Biggest Machines.

Episode 24

Join us for a look at the biggest, heaviest, tallest, longest, meanest machines ...

Drag Racing

Episode 25

Legendary drivers lead us on a record-breaking race through a century-long searc...

The Manhattan Project.

Episode 26

At 5:30 a.m., July 16, 1945, scientists and dignitaries awaited the detonation o...

The Tackle Box

Episode 27

From ancient Egyptian fishing parties to today's high-tech bass tournaments, we ...

Hunting Gear.

Episode 28

They are lethal tools that ensured our survival, altered our evolution, and main...

Camouflage

Episode 29

From ancient hunters’ camouflage to computer-generated digital pattern uniforms,...

Models

Episode 30

Though they duplicate the real world for fun and fantasy, models are not always ...

Hangars

Episode 31

Come in for a smooth landing as we explore the history of hangars–stark, massive...

Beach Technology

Episode 32

now-playing-animation

The Big Dig

Episode 33

The Massachusetts Central Artery/Tunnel Project, a.k.a. The Big Dig, is the most...

Super Guns

Episode 34

They are the cutting edge in firearm technology. They fight simulated battles on...

Strategic Air Command.

Episode 35

With the ironic motto "Peace is our Profession", the Strategic Air Command was i...

Gasoline

Episode 36

Traces the history and evolution of the world’s most important fossil fuel. With...

Towing.

Episode 37

Think you know towing? As simple as engaging a tow man when your car is stalled?...

Jet Engines

Episode 38

This program will tell the story of jet propulsion, which has radically transfor...

Nordhausen

Episode 39

It was the world’s largest underground factory–seven miles of tunnels built to m...

War Trains

Episode 40

Examines how the great 19th-century peacetime invention developed into a powerfu...

Liberty Ships of World War II

Episode 41

Between 1941 and 1945, U.S. shipyards built more shipping tonnage than had been ...

Magnets

Episode 42

We played with them as children, but the world of magnets isn’t kid’s stuff! The...

The Chrysler Building.

Episode 43

The 1,046-foot Chrysler Building in New York City, erected between 1928 and 1930...

The Autobahn

Episode 44

Imagine a superhighway designed for speed…thousands of miles of roadway unhinder...

Home Tech

Episode 45

From the outhouse to the smart house, our lives have improved drastically in the...

Cranes

Episode 46

One of the most useful machines ever created, the crane is a simple but importan...

The Internet: Behind The Web

Episode 47

Over 200-million people around the world use the Internet–yet no one owns or con...

Sherman Tanks

Episode 48

An exciting series that takes viewers into the heart of action as it focuses on ...

Great Train Disasters

Episode 49

Throughout railroad history, disasters lay at the heart of progress since expans...

Secret Life Of The Crash Test Dummy

Episode 50

The crash test dummy, patron saint of vulnerable motorists, has become a modern ...

High Tech Sex

Episode 51

Join us for a walk on the wild side of the history of sexual enhancement and con...

The Spitfire

Episode 52

Designed in 1935 by R.J. Mitchell, the Supermarine Spitfire was a revolutionary ...

Garbage

Episode 53

Modern Marvels examines the ever-changing nature of trash, the history of our ef...

More Bond Gadgets

Episode 54

He’s everyone’s favorite spy, the man with a woman in every port and a gadget in...

Limos

Episode 55

Limousines have been stretched to greater and greater lengths–as has the notion ...

Digi-Tech

Episode 56

DVD, CD, PDA, HDTV, PVR–they are the ultimate in “gotta have it” gadgets and giz...

Salt Mines

Episode 57

It’s the only rock we eat – a priceless commodity essential to our very survival...

Concept Cars

Episode 58

They were pure fantasy on wheels, machines designed to make the heart race and t...

Runways

Episode 59

What do you think about when you gaze out the window as your plane takes off? Pr...

Failed Inventions.

Episode 60

Join us for a salute to the dreamers and schemers who brought the world an odd a...