Modern Marvels

Even in ancient times, city dwellers needed a scenic break from the urban landscape; but parks play a more important role than mere relief from tension, they also keep temperatures down and supply much-needed oxygen in congested cities.

Espionage has been used for at least the last 4,000 years; the episode focus on the last 100 years of cloak and dagger technology, from early code-breaking computers to satellite reconnaissance and take a look at Bond-type gadgets of the Cold War.

In this history of medicine under fire, a small army of medics, nurses, surgeons, stretcher-bearers, and ambulance drivers races to keep pace with the deadly advances of war.

Advancements in rescue technology, including the Jaws of Life and a Searchcam system that locates buried victims.

Digging up salt mining's history, from the "white gold" on the table to the oceanic and underground deposits whence it came; today people take salt for granted, but most life depends on it.

Exploring the ocean floor using old and new technology and examining revolutionary biological and geological discoveries.

How dynamite has been used in the construction of roads, tunnels and dams. Included: the invention of dynamite.

Offshore oil drilling is one of mankind's greatest technological feats; from the beginning of oil discovery, the oceans' vast reserves have been the ultimate frontier; see how these superstructures revolutionized the search for crude oil.

The task was monumental: build the world's largest dam in the middle of the desert, and tame the river that carved the Grand Canyon, all in seven years; when the Hoover Dam was completed in 1935, it was the largest dam in the world.

A tour of those remarkable edifices of the national pastime, baseball stadiums; from the sandlots and wooden ballparks of the 1800 and 1900s to the monolithic multipurpose stadiums of today, baseball parks have grown into technological wonders.

Much of New York City's history can be viewed via its bridges, all 18 that connect Manhattan Island to its neighbors; the episode looks at these architectural masterpieces from the age of iron and steel and show how they have changed destinies.

Delves into the little-known, hugely important, multi-billion-dollar industry of product testing, where wrinkles get ironed out and goods are stripped of marketing and hype to see if they work; meet product testers who serve as truth squads.

The idea of floating to earth from great heights dates back centuries, and from the beginning parachutes combined entertainment with life-saving utility; the parachute has also played a vital role in modern warfare since WWI.

Emergency room medicine has only been a recognized specialty since 1989; episode examines advances that led to the modern emergency room - from the Byzantine's establishment of the first hospitals around 1050 A.D. to today's telemedicine.

Well over two million years before modern man evolved, his primitive ancestors were making tools; the ability to extend the hand and strengthen the arm is considered one of the keys to human evolution.

An exciting spin through the history of the casino going behind the neon lights, free drinks, and 24-hour gambling to see how the gaming industry has evolved from a simple house of cards to a high-tech multi-billion dollar industry.