Engineering Connections: Series 1 (2008)

Starring: Richard Hammond Genres: Documentary, Lifestyle, Media, Television Origin: United Kingdom Certificate: G Languages: English Running Time: 200 min

synopsis

Join Richard Hammond's quest to find the Engineering Connections behind the world's most advanced structures: the Airbus, the largest Airliner ever to exist; the Taipei Tower, one of the tallest buildings on Earth; the huge Troll A Platform and the strongest telescope ever made, the WM Keck Observatory. These are jewels of technology, but Hammond discovers hidden deep in their DNA an amazing range of unexpected inventions spanning across history.

Airbus Nicknamed the Superjumbo, this passenger airliner is the largest in history. It's packed with cutting-edge technology but owes its very existence to the most unlikely breakthroughs - a Mongolian bow and a 19th century rocket.

Keck Observatory Host Richard Hammond reveals the engineering triumphs embedded in the Super Telescope. How could a sand-blaster, a Cold War spy gadget and the invention of refrigerators have led to the creation of this massive instrument?

Oil Platform The Troll A gas platform, tallest structure ever moved by man, owes its design to a 19th century French gardener, a 16th century German mayor, an American engineer and the dawn of the motor industry.

Skyscraper Richard Hammond travels to Taipei and discovers the secrets of one of the worlds tallest buildings, Taipei 101. This modern marvel of engineering stands at a jaw dropping 1671 feet. Built right next to a seismic fault line and in a typhoon hotspot its height is all the more impressive. Richard discovers just what it is in the Taipei 101s DNA, that allows it be so tall and cope with these extreme natural events. And what all this cutting edge engineering has in common with a bird cage, bamboo, racing yachts, sports cars and seat belts. Richard embarks on a fantastic journey of discovery that will take him from the mines of 18th century England via the early skyscrapers of Chicago to the top of one of the most advanced buildings in the world.