Chronicling the 25-year effort to build the Pacific Coast Highway.

The first truly modern weapons begin to be used in the Civil War.

When a burning gusher shoots flames into the air, only a handful of men know how to snuff out the monster. Fighting fire with fire, they place explosives around the flames to blow it out, or douse it with tons of water. The modern world depends on these risk takers, yet their industry began less than 100 years ago. Join us for a scorching hour as we review the rich history of this "breed apart", and look at modern heat-resistant clothing, new technology, and regulations that protect oil firefighters.

45min | Aired on Mar 03, 2004 | TV-PG | CC

Delve into the history of military communications, from tattooed messengers to satellite technology.

Discover the amazing ingenuity of common animals uniquely equipped to remake their world by producing towering structures, intricate tunnels and mighty dams.

45min | Aired on May 31, 2004 | CC

The use of technology is ever-present in the Bible.

The history of bathing and showering; how modern plumbing systems work; history of oral hygiene.

44min | Aired on Apr 21, 2004 | TV-PG | CC

The Allies devise new technology before D-Day.

Rubber shapes modern industrial society.

Nuclear technology has uses in medicine, food preparation and radiation detection.

45min | Aired on Jul 08, 2004 | TV-PG | CC

The space race accelerates technology and gets humans to the moon and back.

World War One epitomized the dark underbelly of the Industrial Revolution.

History of alcohol distillery; how each liquor is produced; spirits-tasting event.

Athens builds a new underground subway system to meet the needs of the 2004 Olympics.

44min | Aired on Aug 18, 2004 | TV-PG | CC

The X-1 jet breaks the sound barrier; the X-43 Scramjet.

45min | Aired on Aug 25, 2004 | TV-PG | CC

Experience the world's longest inland waterway, a system of rivers, lakes, canals, dams, and locks that stretches 2,400 miles.

Technology gives law enforcement the upper hand in modern pursuits.

Custom machines harvest each type of crop.

44min | Aired on Oct 06, 2004 | TV-PG | CC

Explore the construction problems of mega-skyscrapers, from New York's Empire State Building to the Taipei 101 in China.

Find out how engineers keep people comfortable inside a mega-skyscraper. Discover high-tech wonders such as the fastest high-speed pressurized elevators and the coolest 3,000-ton chillers.

For two years, we've followed the construction of the new California Department of Transportation headquarters in LA to learn the architectural, structural, and mechanical challenges of building mega-skyscrapers.

Tropicana Casino garage collapse; Transvaal Aqua Park roof collapse.

Presidential planes, trains and automobiles become high-tech cocoons.

Hydrogen use may one day replace the use of fossil fuels.

One hundred years from concept to completion, the Washington Monument stands over 55 stories high.

Love Canal; flaws in Patriot Missile systems.

The submarine tragedies of the past have not been forgotten. See how the Navy has been motivated to find even more effective ways to make subs safer.

Oil tanker explosion kills nine; subway tunnel cave-in.

Chicago flood; Alpine tunnel fires; riverboat boiler explosion; building collapse; plane crash.

It comes in many deadly shapes and sizes, and the transportation of dangerous cargo is one of the most meticulously planned procedures in the shipping world. We hitch a ride on a "dynamite run" from explosives factory to construction site; learn how liquid natural gas is shipped, a fuel that could vaporize entire city blocks if ignited; accompany a Drug Enforcement Administration truck as it transports confiscated illegal drugs to an incinerator site for destruction; fly with Air Net as it moves radioactive pharmaceuticals from factory to hospital; and tag along with two tigers, part of a breeding program for endangered species, as they travel from Texas to Ohio. As each story progresses, we explore the history of the transport of that particular form of Dangerous Cargo.

45min | Aired on Dec 21, 2004 | TV-PG | CC

Old fishing community; monstrous factory trawler; deep-sea fish farms.

44min | Aired on Dec 21, 2004 | TV-PG | CC

Underground explosion; dam collapse; school collapse; giant oil spill.

Potential for accidental nuclear-weapons launch; global warming; futuristic threats.

The second deadly hour examines more threats--both natural and manmade--that may endanger civilization. From the far reaches of space to tiny viruses, doomsday sources are many. But so are technologies used to keep doomsday at bay.