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The Best Episodes of Modern Marvels

Every episode of Modern Marvels ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of Modern Marvels!

The Best Episodes of Modern Marvels

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...
  1. Background image for The World Trade Center
    10.0/10(1 votes)

    #1 - The World Trade Center

    S8:E19

    An historical look at the technological engineering of the World Trade Center. The special was completed and the interviews took place before the tragic events of September 11, 2001. Rather than remake the program to reflect the horrors of that day, our program stands as an historical record to the wonder it once was–from the construction of this technological feat to the daily working of its complex system. The program offers some of the last interior footage of the Twin Towers.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  2. Background image for Japanese Guns of WWII
    9.2/10(9 votes)

    #2 - Japanese Guns of WWII

    S10:E14

    As Japan bombed its way into the Pacific during WWII, Imperial soldiers carried pride, a sense of invincibility, and an arsenal of clumsy and outdated weapons. Convinced that the tactics and tools that led to victory over colonial enemies would be just as effective against the Allies, Japan would see its weaponry lead to defeat.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  3. Background image for Forts
    8.8/10(17 votes)

    #3 - Forts

    S6:E41

    The art of fortification evolved along with man’s need to defend his territory from attack. There was no other reason. From hills surrounded by branches and crude fences to intricate walled cities, to impenetrable castles – the strongholds of the past echo the history of great battles for territorial control.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  4. Background image for Engineering Disasters 22
    8.8/10(17 votes)

    #4 - Engineering Disasters 22

    S17:E4

    They are catastrophic failures with deadly consequences. Caused by a single spark or a massive collapse, these disasters reveal one thing–the danger inherent in our most common industries. From a massive oil spill to refinery blaze to a downed plane, find out what went wrong… and how to prevent the next engineering disaster.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  5. Background image for Dogs
    8.8/10(16 votes)

    #5 - Dogs

    S17:E5

    Man's best friend–fearless, faithful, determined and swift. They're our sharpest eyes, noses and ears–and among the bravest hunters, soldiers, rescuers, and protectors. From natural instincts to complex training, see what makes dogs a perfectly engineered Modern Marvel.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  6. Background image for Medical Imaging
    8.7/10(14 votes)

    #6 - Medical Imaging

    S6:E11

    The story of medical imaging, the technology that allows us to see inside the human body, is full of amazing stories. Learn how X-rays were discovered in 1895, completely by accident; how ultrasound was developed to locate enemy submarines, and how the CAT Scan might never have been built if it weren’t for The Beatles!

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
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  8. Background image for Tank Crews
    8.7/10(17 votes)

    #7 - Tank Crews

    S10:E23

    During WWII, American tank crews duked it out with Nazi Panzers in a high-explosive duel to the death. The German tanks had thicker armor and better guns than the mainstay of the U.S. armored forces, the M-4 Sherman. For many crewmen, the Sherman lived up to its nickname as a steel coffin. But what the tanks lacked in firepower and protection, the crews made up for in guts and good old-fashioned Yankee ingenuity. We’ll meet some of these armored warriors from WWII.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  9. Background image for The Police Car
    8.6/10(13 votes)

    #8 - The Police Car

    S6:E9

    More than the gun, more than the billy club, it is the critical weapon in law enforcement’s arsenal. But for decades, police have struggled to stay ahead of well-equipped bad guys. Rare photos and interviews tell the story of their battle for high-tech horsepower.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  10. Background image for Gunslingers
    8.6/10(12 votes)

    #9 - Gunslingers

    S10:E32

    No description available

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  11. Background image for Engineering Disasters 4
    8.6/10(14 votes)

    #10 - Engineering Disasters 4

    S10:E34

    Engineering disasters can result in personal tragedy, national humiliation, and economic ruin. But buried within their wreckage lie lessons that point the way to a safer future. The fire at the Las Vegas MGM Grand Hotel, the collapse of Seattle’s Lacey V. Murrow Floating Bridge, the car that spurred creation of the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, and the flaw that grounded the first commercial jet are among the engineering disasters that led to improvements in design and safety.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  12. Background image for More Engineering Disasters
    8.5/10(14 votes)

    #11 - More Engineering Disasters

    S10:E33

    No description available

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  13. Background image for More Engineering Disasters.
    8.4/10(25 votes)

    #12 - More Engineering Disasters.

    S6:E45

    Throughout history the same builders and engineers that paved man's path out of the caves and into the modern world also caused some of mankind's worst disasters. Often a huge calamity is traced back to a tiny cause, insignificant in itself, but triggering a domino effect. We'll revisit notable disasters and search for probable causes.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  14. Background image for Niagara Power
    8.4/10(12 votes)

    #13 - Niagara Power

    S6:E46

    An exploration of the rich history of one of the world’s greatest technological achievements–the harnessing of power from Niagara Falls. From the “War of the Currents”, a battle between geniuses Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla, to the Robert Moses Plant, primed to take the powerhouse into the 21st century, we highlight its story.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  15. Background image for Rube Goldberg
    8.4/10(12 votes)

    #14 - Rube Goldberg

    S13:E31

    No description available

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  16. Background image for T-34: Russian Victory
    8.3/10(10 votes)

    #15 - T-34: Russian Victory

    S10:E22

    Born out of a desperate need to defend the Motherland, Stalin enlisted the ideas of an American engineer, J. Walter Christie, to develop in total secrecy one of the most formidable tanks in history. In 1941, straining under Operation Barbarossa, Stalin ordered his new weapon into the fray and changed the course of WWII. Using detailed reenactments and interviews, we reveal what life was like inside Russia’s “secret” weapon, the T-34, and the horrifying reality of combat on the Eastern Front.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  17. Background image for Dangerous Cargo
    8.3/10(13 votes)

    #16 - Dangerous Cargo

    S10:E31

    Toxic traffic is everywhere! An average of 800,000 shipments of hazardous materials hit our highways and railways daily. From Wild West wooden crates filled with explosives to HAZMAT containers of nuclear waste, we shadow dangerous cargo. We ride shotgun on a hazardous material shipment that's tracked by satellites; hunt down the hush-hush "ghost fleet"–trucks carrying classified government materials; and board a Con-Air flight moving another kind of nasty stuff–dangerous felons!

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  18. Background image for Plane Crashes
    8.3/10(11 votes)

    #17 - Plane Crashes

    S11:E19

    When the most sophisticated machines fail, they do so horrifically, plunging to earth with a terrifying loss of life. From the beginning of manned flight, plane crashes have plagued the aviation industry and terrorized the public. But the truth is, passengers have never been safer because of the brightest minds, best technology, and billions of dollars focused on preventing air disasters. Using famous crashes like TWA Flight 800, we examine safety improvement and what still needs to be done.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  19. Background image for SOS Tech
    8.3/10(10 votes)

    #18 - SOS Tech

    S11:E44

    A look at the technology that changed the serious game of Search and Rescue forever. At the mouth of Oregon’s Columbia River, we visit the Coast Guard’s Motor Lifeboat School, the training ground for High Surf Rescue. Then, we trace the evolution of life-saving technology at sea, and learn why the EPIRP (Emergency Position Indication Radio Beacon) is the pleasure boater’s greatest friend. And we take a look at how the U.S. Navy deals with accidents classified as “Man Overboard” in the 21st century.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  20. Background image for Roller Coasters
    8.2/10(18 votes)

    #19 - Roller Coasters

    S4:E9

    Since the turn of the 20th century, designers have competed to build them faster, taller, and steeper. But as technology pushes the envelope with flips, weightlessness, and more g-force than a jet, how many thrills can the human body take?

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  21. Background image for Polio Vaccine
    8.2/10(9 votes)

    #20 - Polio Vaccine

    S5:E1

    When “poliomyelitis” swept the nation, thousands died or were disabled before American ingenuity, trial and error, and blatant acts of desperation led to one of the greatest scientific breakthroughs in history. We’ll see how polio shaped the vision of FDR, and catapulted the young unknown doctor Jonas Salk to international celebrity.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  22. Background image for Baseball Parks
    8.2/10(10 votes)

    #21 - Baseball Parks

    S6:E31

    Step up to the plate and play ball as we take you on a tour of those amazing 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 that pull in and cost millions.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  23. Background image for Torture Devices
    8.2/10(26 votes)

    #22 - Torture Devices

    S10:E25

    For more than 3,000 years, emperors and generals, dictators and police, criminals, clerics, and even medical doctors have created and used a vast array of torture devices–everything from the ancient Greeks' Brazen Bull, which slowly barbecued the victim, to the elaborate mechanical apparatuses of the Spanish Inquisition. A medical doctor who specializes in victims of torture reveals how the human body responds to their use–from the earliest excruciating contrivances to the more modern.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  24. Background image for Nature Tech: Tsunamis
    8.2/10(17 votes)

    #23 - Nature Tech: Tsunamis

    S10:E35

    Among the most mysterious disasters, tsunamis–Japanese for “harbor waves”–claimed over 50,000 lives in the 20th century! Generated by offshore earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and landslides, these giant water walls result from large-scale displacement of seabed sediment. Rolling rapidly over the ocean floor, a tsunami rises to rapturous heights when it hits land. Scientists in Japan, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington, and California show the latest technology used to predict these killer waves.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  25. Background image for Convertibles
    8.2/10(20 votes)

    #24 - Convertibles

    S10:E40

    Topless, unobstructed–the convertible completely transforms the driving experience and unlike any other car, sets the driver free. During this face-paced hour, experts highlight the history of the world’s most dynamic car design and the essential quality that makes it so unique. From the very first convertible design in 1915 to modern-day marvels of retractable hardtops, we peer under the hoods to see why the convertible remains the car that everybody wants, but only a few are bold enough to own.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  26. Background image for Terror Tech: Defending the Highrise
    8.2/10(22 votes)

    #25 - Terror Tech: Defending the Highrise

    S10:E46

    No description available

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

Best Episodes Summary

"The World Trade Center" is the best rated episode of "Modern Marvels". It scored 10/10 based on 1 votes. Directed by Unknown and written by Unknown, it aired on 6/25/2001. This episode scored 0.8 points higher than the second highest rated, "Japanese Guns of WWII".