Precision-guided munitions, smart bombs were the media buzz of the first Gulf War and a major military and political driving force of the second. But their apparent sudden celebrity is deceptive. The history of smart bombs goes back to World War I and includes an ingenious, if eccentric, group of inventions and a cast of characters that boasts a Kennedy and a president of General Motors. Join us for the underground history of smart bombs, and a glimpse into the future of precision weapons.
Archive for September, 2003
Smart Bombs
Tuesday, September 30th, 2003Miracle Doctors
Sunday, September 28th, 2003
Nepal
Lisa Ling journeys to Nepal with two eye specialist of the Hamalayan Cataract Project to witness these doctors restore sight to tens of thousands of Nepalis from the country’s most remote villages.
Machu Picchu
Wednesday, September 24th, 2003
The engineering marvel Machu Picchu sits perched on a ridge in the Peruvian Andes. Originally built by the Incas, this magnificent structure remains a mystery. Was it an observatory? Pleasure retreat? Fortress? This program presents the most current theories.
Wild Vet: Extreme Challenge
Sunday, September 14th, 2003
Namibia
NGC correspondent Mireya Mayor travels to Namibia, to profile the efforts of Ulf Tubbesing, a pioneering veterinarian, in his fight to save a family of leopards battling a deadly brain disorder.
John Goodman
Sunday, September 14th, 2003
Actor John Goodman is interviewed about his career.
Terror Tech: Civilian
Monday, September 8th, 2003
Inventors create cutting-edge technology to keep civilians safe.
Overseas Highway
Wednesday, September 3rd, 2003
A spectacular roadway nearly 120 miles long, the Overseas Highway links mainland Florida with the Florida Keys, and contains 51 bridges, including the Seven-Mile Bridge. A boat was the only mode of travel from Miami to Key West until oil tycoon Henry Flagler completed his railroad line in 1912. After a 1935 hurricane destroyed 40 miles of track, the scenic highway was built using Flagler’s bridges. A $175-million refurbishment that ended in 1982 resulted in today’s remarkable Overseas Highway.
