Tue, Apr 15, 2014
Stunning CGI animation to explodes open the fastest accelerating vehicle on the planet--the Top Fuel Dragster--to reveal the extraordinary technology it uses to propel it to speeds over 500km/hr. In Pomona, California, the world's fastest dragsters are battling it out in the final of the NHRA World Championships. Leading them all is the astonishing Al-Anabi Top Fuel dragster. But can its driver, Shawn Langdon, hold onto his advantage and win the championship? At critical moments, spectacular we will uncover the engineering breakthroughs and reveal the extraordinary lessons from history and nature that helped this lightning-fast vehicle evolve: What connects an ancient Chinese war machine with the dragster's extraordinary acceleration? How did a 20 million year-old flying squirrel inspire a high performance brake? And how does the structure of bamboo keep Shawn safe in a crash?
Tue, Apr 29, 2014
This episode explodes open the world's largest passenger plane, the Airbus A380, to reveal the incredible technology that pushes 600 tons of aircraft nearly 6,000 miles in just ten hours. The A380 is packed with technology to allow it to carry more passengers, in more comfort and with greater fuel efficiency than any jet in its class. How do the A380's shape-shifting wings mimic a bald eagle's flexible feathers? How have the fan-blades inside the A380's super-powered jet engines evolved from the slashing Samurai sword? How did a 3,000-year-old warrior's tunic develop into the ultra-tough yet millimeter-thin skin of this massive aircraft? With 300,000 pounds of thrust and the world's most advanced airplane wings at his disposal, every minute counts as Captain Godel streams through the skies at a speed of 600 miles an hour. Can the Super Jumbo's hidden innovations make up a two-hour delay and allow 300 passengers to catch their connecting flights?
Tue, Mar 25, 2014
Stunning CGI animation explodes open one of the world's fastest trains--the Italo AGV--to reveal the extraordinary technology that it depends on to race 300 miles in less than four hours. Driver Gabriele Cicalini pulls out of Venice's historic train station at precisely 9.55am. His Italo AGV is the Ferrari of high-speed trains, cutting through the Italian countryside at 180 miles per hour. But even with the horsepower of 16 Formula One cars behind Gabriele, arriving on time in Rome will push man and machine to the brink. En route, Gabriele must handle sharp turns, a crowded national rail network and 11-mile long tunnels. Can he keep Italo's reputation intact and deliver hundreds of passengers to Rome safely and on time? Exploring the engineering breakthroughs within this 200-meter-long metal bullet will reveal surprising secrets of how the technology evolved, inspired by extraordinary lessons from nature and history.