AV-8-Harrier jump jet; Ford Explorer-Firestone tire rollovers; offshore oil-rig fire; derailment of a high-speed train; computer errors almost set off nuclear war.
Archive for April, 2004
Engineering Disasters 6
Thursday, April 29th, 2004Lost Gold of the Republic
Friday, April 23rd, 2004
Atlantic ocean
Lisa Ling dives more than 1,600 feet deep into the Atlantic ocean onboard a high-tech submersible to explore the wreck of the S.S. Republic, a Civil War-era steamship that sank off the coast of Georgia 138 years ago. The vessel sank carrying a fortune of gold and silver coins now valued at more than $100 million.
Making of ‘Roar’
Friday, April 23rd, 2004
Lions
The making of the new large format film ‘Roar: Lions of the Kalahari’ by Tim Liversedge, is spotlighted.
Bathroom Tech
Thursday, April 22nd, 2004
From tub to toilet to toothpaste, here’s everything you ever wanted to know about the most used and least discussed room in the house. From the first home bathrooms in ancient India, Roman latrines, and bizarre Victorian-era bath contraptions, to modern luxurious master bathroom suites, we trace the history of bathing, showering, and oral hygiene. And we reveal the messy truth about what was used before toilet paper–brainchild of the Scott Brothers of Philadelphia–and why astronauts wear diapers.
Avalanche: Surviving Tragedy
Sunday, April 18th, 2004
Avalanche
Correspondent Michael Davie investigates the 2003 avalanche that took the lives of 14 people including seven teenagers in Canada’s Glacier National Park. Includes interviews with survivors as well as the families of the victims, some of whom speak out for the first time.
Walking With Lions
Saturday, April 17th, 2004
Lions
In Northern Zimbabwe, during the 8 month dry season, herds of thirsty animals flock to the spring in their thousands. But they must also walk among the pack of lions headed by a male lion named Kavingo. These lions have made the spring area their hunting ground.
The Power Grid
Thursday, April 15th, 2004
The electronic power grid is comprised of a huge complex of power plants, sub-stations, and transmission lines.
Bible Tech
Thursday, April 8th, 2004
Arguably the most influential book ever written, the Bible provides a glimpse into the origins of ancient technology and its use to withstand the elements, build great structures, wage war, and conserve precious water. We examine the technological plausibility of biblical structures and machines–including the Tower of Babylon, the Temple of Jerusalem, ancient bronze and iron forging, and shipbuilding skills that might have been employed to build Noah’s Ark.
Nature’s Engineers
Thursday, April 1st, 2004
Towering skyscrapers buzzing with life, intricate tunnels connecting entire communities, mighty dams that tame the wildest rivers–this is construction animal style! Take a walk on the wild side as we investigate common creatures seemingly designed to alter their habitat and remake the world. Our ability to learn and capacity for abstract thought may separate us from beavers, honeybees, birds, termites, and spiders, but these engineers of nature remind us that we’re merely the latest in a long line.
