The BEST episodes written by La Monte Westmoreland
#1 - Cannons
Modern Marvels - Season 8 - Episode 24
Cannons have fired balls of iron and atomic bombs, changed the way wars are fought, and now come equipped with smart weapons. Beginning with 13th-century cannons that were designed to penetrate forts of the day, we'll see how cannons were first cast and later forged, and show how large cannons terrorized civilians and soldiers in WWI and WWII. Moving to the present, we feature the 40-ton self-propelled Crusader that launches 100-pound steel artillery shells more than 33 miles.
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#2 - Hangars
Modern Marvels - Season 9 - Episode 26
Come in for a smooth landing as we explore the history of hangars--stark, massive structures that house and protect flight vehicles. We visit the first hangar, built on a German lake; Boeing's Delta 4 rocket hangar; Hangar Number One in Lakehurst, New Jersey, that housed all US airships built in the 1920s and '30s; and the Space Shuttle's hangar--as big as four skyscrapers! Back in Germany, Cargolifter's mammoth hangar, large enough to enclose the Superdome, signals the rebirth of an industry.
#3 - Niagara Power
Modern Marvels - Season 6 - Episode 40
An exploration of the rich history of one of the world's greatest technological achievements--the harnessing of power from Niagara Falls. From the "War of the Currents", a battle between geniuses Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla, to the Robert Moses Plant, primed to take the powerhouse into the 21st century, we highlight its story.
#4 - Hardware Stores (1)
Modern Marvels - Season 8 - Episode 19
Join us for a nuts-and-bolts look at the history and evolution of those places that hold our world together. From the local blacksmith to Home Depot, it's the story of nails, screws, mollybolts, duct tape, and superglue. We visit one of the oldest hardware stores in America, Placerville True Value, and wander the aisles of the mega-giants. As we chronicle the rise of the hardware "Big Box" superstores, we also see how the mom-and-pop local hardware stores still manage to survive.