Science -- Earth6 - Useful Materials
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- StarsLloyd SherrFrom the Stone Age, to the Space Age, we've built our world from rocks. Modern Marvels travels to America's horde of moon rocks located at NASA's Johnson Space Center. These rocks give us clues as to how the planets were formed, and how old the solar system is.
- StarsMichael MerrillMichael RichterLloyd SherrSalt isn't just for your dinner table. Learn the many ways salt is mined and its many uses.
- DirectorNatalia ArmientaBolivia holds a sea of salt, the heart of the spirit of the earth called Salar de Uyuni, the world larges reserve of lithium, that protects us from UV rays. On the eve of a change of energy the entire planet, will share their future.
- StarsStewart BaileyWilliam CalimerSpike CarlsenWood and its many uses are profiled. Includes the milling and processing of lumber past and present. Features matches, wooden wheels, and wood's role in planes, ships, and housing. Also featured are charcoal briquettes, timber sports and how wood can even hold up entire cities.
- DirectorPaul OldingStarsSteven JohnsonThe invention of the mirror gives rise to the Renaissamce; glass lenses reveal worlds within worlds worlds; glass is essential; for communication in the deep ocean; glass lens allows millions to watch a man walk on the moon.
- DirectorTerri RandallStarsAomawa BakerEdo BergerJeanette CainesHistory's most important metals and how they advanced civilization.
- StarsHenry BessemerWilliam M. Heenan Jr.Lawrence KavanaghA look at the history of metal from the Bronze Age to the present.
- DirectorChris SchmidtStarsDavid PogueMike LassiterLawrence L. JonesWhere do nature's building blocks, called the elements, come from? They're the hidden ingredients of everything in our world, from the carbon in our bodies to the metals in our smartphones. Watch as David Pogue unlocks their secrets.
- StarsLloyd SherrThe history and the many uses of copper including how it helped create the Bronze Age and how it's mined. Among the many uses for the red metal explored are its corrosion resistant properties on sea going vessels, it's decorative appeal, and it's antimicrobial properties. Also featured are copper bells, roofs, electronics, pipes, and wires.
- StarsLloyd SherrIron is the most abundant element on earth. Learn how it's mined and how it's used in our everyday lives.
- StarsEarl BoenAndrew CarnegieTony De ArdoAn exploration of the past and future of the steel industry in America.
- DirectorElizabeth BeatonStarsBarbara Carver
- DirectorBert EhgartnerAluminum is booming and found its way into every facet of our lives: But what do we actually know about the side effects of our daily companions?
- DirectorSavas GeorgalisStarsLloyd SherrAt one time, it was more valuable than gold, but now it helps define modern life. In Modern Marvels: Aluminum we'll stretch it, pound it, melt it, and even make a foam from it. We'll see how aluminum is made from a powder and molted into massive 30,000 pounds ingots.
- StarsLloyd SherrSome metals are so critical to the US economy the the Federal Government retains a strategic stock pile of them. This program describes how these metals are produced and what they are used for that make them so valuable: copper, iron, lead, nickel, uranium and zinc.
- DirectorKatherine ChurcherStarsDeirdre BoundsA look at the British gold industry focusing on ethical sources, mining techniques and gold recycling.
- DirectorRachel ScarrottStarsCorey JohnsonRichard GoldfarbChris RalphThe history of discovery of gold deposits in California and Nevada and the diverse geological processes the produced the deposits are described.
- StarsGeorge HearstWilliam Randolph HearstPeter G. LeonardSilver is part of our lives from your utensils, to your electronics, and your car among others. A ubiquitous necessity that doesn't grow on trees. Go behind the scenes to see how silver is mined and how it's processed into everyday objects.
- DirectorKate DartDoug HamiltonStarsPaul EkinsZhiqiang FengJanice GillespieAn examination of fossil fuels. Included: modern-day oil prospecting in California; and a utility company that struggles to keep the lights on during hot summer days.
- DirectorRisteard O'DomhnaillStarsBrendan GleesonDocumentary about the two big resources in the North Atlantic, fish and oil, and the impact of their exploitation on the environment in various countries on both sides of the Atlantic.
- StarsMichael BartleyThe birth of the oil industry, 150 years ago in northwestern Pennsylvania.
- StarsJames Bolam
- DirectorPeter MettlerThe huge tar sands in Alberta are a potentially profitable resource, but the environmental impact could be heavy and long-term.
- StarsLloyd SherrA look at other products derived from crude oil including plastics, lubricating oils, food grade oils, and cosmetics.
- StarsFred CaudillPamela ConradBruce DaleAll life forms, including us, are built upon atoms of carbon. But modern technology is also built on a foundation of carbon. Modern Marvels: Carbon explores how such a simple element burns hotter, cuts deeper, dies harder, insulates more thoroughly, and absorbs more fully than any other material. From diamonds to coal, carbon fiber race cars to graphite pencils, you'll see why carbon is not just the stuff of life, but the key to modern technology. You'll also learn why "activated carbon" is the material of choice for absorbing everything from toxic heavy metals in your drinking water to funky odors in your shoes. And you'll see how NASA is using carbon aerogel, the lightest, most insulating substance in the world, to search for clues about-you guessed it-carbon-based life forms.