Modern Marvels

- Season 19

(2011)

Don't look now--but there's a lot more to your walls than you'd ever imagine. Take a penetrating look inside something we consider utterly mundane, and uncover a surprising and sometimes shocking world.

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.

We all scream for ice cream when Adam Richman visits the legendary Turkey Hill Dairy to see how they make their famous frosty treat for the masses. Then, sneak a peek into Dreyers's flavor development process. And the last bite is the best when we find out how Joy Cone bakes over 2-billion ice cream cones per year. From the cow to Carvel, from soft serve to sprinkles, discover how your favorite sweet treat comes to be, and the epic history behind it.

Teddy Roosevelt carried a revolver. The night they each died, Abraham Lincoln carried a $5 Confederate note and nine newspaper clippings, while John Wilkes Booth carried a candle and pictures of five women, including his fianc e. Why?

Food Trucks are hitting the big time--across much of America, they're changing the way we eat. From humble beginnings as chuck wagons and hot dog carts, they've taken off as ethnic eateries, gourmet specialists, and even high-tech mega trucks.

It has been said that necessity is the mother of all invention--but that is not always the case. Some strange machines are built for sheer spectacle, some a glimpse into the future or even the past, while others are just plain...Weird.

Follow as Adam Richman works the line at America's original fast-food chain, White Castle, to discover how they grill and serve over a million sliders per day. Then, we go to KFC headquarters to uncover the secret history behind Colonel Sanders' famous 11 herbs and spices. Plus, learn which restaurant claims to be the first drive-in in the United States.

Go behind the scenes to see how Jelly Belly creates delicious jellybeans in every flavor imaginable. Then Adam Richman explores kitchen innovator Blue Apron's 495,000 square foot facility to see how they churn out 4 million mouth-watering meals every month. And, we see how innovating can lead to out-of-this-world ice cream when we go inside the home of Dippin' Dots to see their super-cool process.

From the beginning of time we've worked to protect ourselves against the very element that keeps us alive...Water. We love it and hate it. With water covering 75% of the Earth's surface, it's no wonder we struggle to stay safe and dry.

Wood 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.

160 million Americans visit a convenience store every day. Why? Because it's fast. But what you probably didn't know is how every detail of its design has been engineered to work that way.

Tiny" weapons may not sound impressive...but small can kill, and it can also be easily concealed. From a pocket pistol used by the police...to a submachine gun wielded by a bodyguard...to a carbine in the hands of an Army Ranger.

Our 49th state is one tough terrain. In the air, on the ground--and deep beneath it--survival here requires an amazing array of technological innovations. From buildings to highways, this unforgiving landscape demands creative work-arounds.