We live in a highly mechanized world in which billions of products are made by machines--but there are some things that can be built only by using an even more sophisticated tool--the human hand.

They have been around for centuries, but we constantly improve upon them. Get an inside look at factories where every kind and style of Ropes & Chains are made.

Since 200 BC, when the Greek Philosopher Archimedes created a device for lifting water, the pump has been synonymous with transporting Earth's most precious resource. That principle still holds true today. We'll visit the pumping stations of the Colorado Aqueduct and learn what kinds of pumps are used to quench the thirst of over 16 million residents of Southern California. Next we'll learn how electric and diesel power has transformed the simple squirt bottle into a power pump that can cut through steel. A visit to a dairy shows how a new robotic milking pump is pushing the envelope of pump technology. Finally, we'll examine one of the most sophisticated pumps in the world--the one designed to save the human heart.

Vacuums aren't just for cleaning floors. There are giant vacuums that clean up after disasters like Hurricane Katrina and underwater vacuums that save coral reefs by suctioning up invasive algae. In the 19th century pneumatic vacuum tubes delivered mail speedily via miles of tubes. Visit the Hoover Vacuum Museum, see how the household sweeper was invented, and learn about some unusual applications. Finally, a trip to the world's largest vacuum chamber at NASA's Plum Brook Research Center reveals how NASA tests vehicles and equipment before their journey into the final frontier.

Spiraling deep into the ground...driving holes through solid rock...rotating, hammering, and scraping its way through whatever it may encounter...whether it's earth or ice, steel or stone, nothing can stand in its way! This episode penetrates the world of drilling and explores various types of drilling's colorful histories. From drilling for water in the New Mexico desert to searching for oil in the Gulf of Mexico, we'll show you how it's done. The program features the quest to drill the deepest hole ever and the scientific drill ship expected to perform the feat, and also looks at drills used to recover ice cores that will unearth thousands of years of climate history. We also examine the latest and greatest tunnel boring machines, robotic drills, and handheld power drills. Finally, we check out laser drills--both large and small--including a drill that can bore a hole a fraction of the diameter of a human hair.

Sink your teeth into the razor sharp world of saws. Cut across the centuries to discover how the Egyptians arduously sawed stone as compared to modern saws that slice through limestone like butter. Saws have been used as instruments of torture and tools for surgery. They are imperative for construction, salvage, demolition, and they even make music. Whether they have teeth of steel, carbide or diamond, you will be on the cutting edge of successful sawing.

From the Impressionist canvas to the Space Shuttle...from customized hot rods to the brilliant orange hue of the Golden Gate Bridge or tiny electronic devices--paint is one of our most ubiquitous products. And paint adds more than just pigmentation. It's a crucial engineering element, protecting ships from water corrosion, stovetops from heat, and the Stealth Bomber from radar detection. In homes and businesses, it provides a balanced spectrum of light and protects surfaces from wear. In this colorful hour, we discover how this marvel of chemistry and engineering is made, and how it is applied. Come see what's beneath the surface as we reveal one of man's most ingenious methods of defeating the elements and adding spice to life!

Invented by the Chinese in about 3000 BC, it spread the word of God and war.

We live in a highly mechanized world in which billions of products are made by machines--but there are some things that can be built only by using an even more sophisticated tool--the human hand.

They have been around for centuries, but we constantly improve upon them. Get an inside look at factories where every kind and style of Ropes & Chains are made.

Since 200 BC, when the Greek Philosopher Archimedes created a device for lifting water, the pump has been synonymous with transporting Earth's most precious resource. That principle still holds true today. We'll visit the pumping stations of the Colorado Aqueduct and learn what kinds of pumps are used to quench the thirst of over 16 million residents of Southern California. Next we'll learn how electric and diesel power has transformed the simple squirt bottle into a power pump that can cut through steel. A visit to a dairy shows how a new robotic milking pump is pushing the envelope of pump technology. Finally, we'll examine one of the most sophisticated pumps in the world--the one designed to save the human heart.

Vacuums aren't just for cleaning floors. There are giant vacuums that clean up after disasters like Hurricane Katrina and underwater vacuums that save coral reefs by suctioning up invasive algae. In the 19th century pneumatic vacuum tubes delivered mail speedily via miles of tubes. Visit the Hoover Vacuum Museum, see how the household sweeper was invented, and learn about some unusual applications. Finally, a trip to the world's largest vacuum chamber at NASA's Plum Brook Research Center reveals how NASA tests vehicles and equipment before their journey into the final frontier.

Spiraling deep into the ground...driving holes through solid rock...rotating, hammering, and scraping its way through whatever it may encounter...whether it's earth or ice, steel or stone, nothing can stand in its way! This episode penetrates the world of drilling and explores various types of drilling's colorful histories. From drilling for water in the New Mexico desert to searching for oil in the Gulf of Mexico, we'll show you how it's done. The program features the quest to drill the deepest hole ever and the scientific drill ship expected to perform the feat, and also looks at drills used to recover ice cores that will unearth thousands of years of climate history. We also examine the latest and greatest tunnel boring machines, robotic drills, and handheld power drills. Finally, we check out laser drills--both large and small--including a drill that can bore a hole a fraction of the diameter of a human hair.

Sink your teeth into the razor sharp world of saws. Cut across the centuries to discover how the Egyptians arduously sawed stone as compared to modern saws that slice through limestone like butter. Saws have been used as instruments of torture and tools for surgery. They are imperative for construction, salvage, demolition, and they even make music. Whether they have teeth of steel, carbide or diamond, you will be on the cutting edge of successful sawing.

From the Impressionist canvas to the Space Shuttle...from customized hot rods to the brilliant orange hue of the Golden Gate Bridge or tiny electronic devices--paint is one of our most ubiquitous products. And paint adds more than just pigmentation. It's a crucial engineering element, protecting ships from water corrosion, stovetops from heat, and the Stealth Bomber from radar detection. In homes and businesses, it provides a balanced spectrum of light and protects surfaces from wear. In this colorful hour, we discover how this marvel of chemistry and engineering is made, and how it is applied. Come see what's beneath the surface as we reveal one of man's most ingenious methods of defeating the elements and adding spice to life!

Invented by the Chinese in about 3000 BC, it spread the word of God and war.

We live in a highly mechanized world in which billions of products are made by machines--but there are some things that can be built only by using an even more sophisticated tool--the human hand.

They have been around for centuries, but we constantly improve upon them. Get an inside look at factories where every kind and style of Ropes & Chains are made.

Since 200 BC, when the Greek Philosopher Archimedes created a device for lifting water, the pump has been synonymous with transporting Earth's most precious resource. That principle still holds true today. We'll visit the pumping stations of the Colorado Aqueduct and learn what kinds of pumps are used to quench the thirst of over 16 million residents of Southern California. Next we'll learn how electric and diesel power has transformed the simple squirt bottle into a power pump that can cut through steel. A visit to a dairy shows how a new robotic milking pump is pushing the envelope of pump technology. Finally, we'll examine one of the most sophisticated pumps in the world--the one designed to save the human heart.

Vacuums aren't just for cleaning floors. There are giant vacuums that clean up after disasters like Hurricane Katrina and underwater vacuums that save coral reefs by suctioning up invasive algae. In the 19th century pneumatic vacuum tubes delivered mail speedily via miles of tubes. Visit the Hoover Vacuum Museum, see how the household sweeper was invented, and learn about some unusual applications. Finally, a trip to the world's largest vacuum chamber at NASA's Plum Brook Research Center reveals how NASA tests vehicles and equipment before their journey into the final frontier.

Spiraling deep into the ground...driving holes through solid rock...rotating, hammering, and scraping its way through whatever it may encounter...whether it's earth or ice, steel or stone, nothing can stand in its way! This episode penetrates the world of drilling and explores various types of drilling's colorful histories. From drilling for water in the New Mexico desert to searching for oil in the Gulf of Mexico, we'll show you how it's done. The program features the quest to drill the deepest hole ever and the scientific drill ship expected to perform the feat, and also looks at drills used to recover ice cores that will unearth thousands of years of climate history. We also examine the latest and greatest tunnel boring machines, robotic drills, and handheld power drills. Finally, we check out laser drills--both large and small--including a drill that can bore a hole a fraction of the diameter of a human hair.

Sink your teeth into the razor sharp world of saws. Cut across the centuries to discover how the Egyptians arduously sawed stone as compared to modern saws that slice through limestone like butter. Saws have been used as instruments of torture and tools for surgery. They are imperative for construction, salvage, demolition, and they even make music. Whether they have teeth of steel, carbide or diamond, you will be on the cutting edge of successful sawing.

From the Impressionist canvas to the Space Shuttle...from customized hot rods to the brilliant orange hue of the Golden Gate Bridge or tiny electronic devices--paint is one of our most ubiquitous products. And paint adds more than just pigmentation. It's a crucial engineering element, protecting ships from water corrosion, stovetops from heat, and the Stealth Bomber from radar detection. In homes and businesses, it provides a balanced spectrum of light and protects surfaces from wear. In this colorful hour, we discover how this marvel of chemistry and engineering is made, and how it is applied. Come see what's beneath the surface as we reveal one of man's most ingenious methods of defeating the elements and adding spice to life!

Invented by the Chinese in about 3000 BC, it spread the word of God and war.