From the crash of an El Al 747 into an Amsterdam Apartment buiding to the collapse of an Indiana road bridge due to inadequate support during construction, this episode explores 5 engineering disasters and the changes each one brought about.
A look at several disasters caused at least in part by failures in engineering. Includes the Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.
A look at nuclear weapons development, the Cold War, and what present nuclear weapons exist.
A flourite tailings dam in the Italian Alps fails, sending a massive flood through the Val di Stava, destroying the towns of Tesoro and Stava, and costing 265 lives. The dam is found to have had defects in design and maintenance, with implications for other tailings dams worldwide.
Why planes crash and new aviation methods to reduce the number of future crashes.
Modern Marvels - Empire State Building The Empire State building rose to become the world's tallest man-made structure at a time when dreams were in short supply. Planned during the 1920s, construction was almost grounded by the Depression until the "Cathedral of Dreams" came to symbolize the indomitable American spirit. "Two stories a day" became the mission. Up went the rivets, the steel and the fearless men. In just two years the miracle of engineering was finished, justifying a nation's belief in itself. Here is the colorful story of this beloved building, including the innovations it inspired, and its enduring popularity today. From the first plans to the final rivet, explore the incredible story of the EMPIRE STATE BUILDING
Amtrak's worst accident in its history takes place in Big Bayou Canot, near Mobile, AL., when the Sunset Limited derails from a bridge into the water, killing 44. The accident occurred after a towboat with barges struck the bridge and deformed the rails. The towboat's pilot became lost in the dense fog and left his intended course up the Mobile River.
Kyle Krichbaum, a 12-year-old Michigan boy and member of the Vacuum Cleaner Collectors Club, featured on Modern Marvels.
The science of survival in natural disaster situations.
When methylisocyanate gas leaks from a tank at the Union Carbide Plant in Bhopal, India, hundreds die of the effects. The investigation implicates poor safety practices, worker fatigue, and company negligence as the cause. Union Carbide insists that the leak was the result of a disgruntled worker's sabotage.
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