A look at the history of photography beginning as early as the eleventh century. Includes the advancements by Niepce and Daguerre in the 19th century and William Henry Fox and George Eastman in the 20th century.

The complete story of the feuds, the mistakes, the ingenuity, and the successes that made movies possible--and kept Edison at the front of the inventor pack. Includes rare early films from the Edison Studios.

Probably Thomas Edison's best known invention is the electric light. But the familiar light bulb is only the most obvious element of Edison's accomplishment. He also created from scratch a delivery system for his light. Edison's invention literally changed the world--putting the power of electricity at our fingertips.

We begin with electrical linemen perched precariously out a helicopter door, repairing 345,000-volt high-tension power lines. They are part of an army of technicians and scientists we'll ride, climb, and crawl with on this episode. They risk their lives so that we can have the services we take for granted--electric power and 21st century communications. They lay and maintain the wire that connects us one to another, as well as America to the rest of the world. The hardwiring of America is a story that is nearly two centuries old. And though satellites and wireless systems may be challenging the wire, it's not dead. Fiber optic cable, lines that transmit light, became a player in information delivery in the late 1970s. We may be entering a "wireless" age, but the infrastructure of wires laid by visionary scientists and industrialists are still vital to America. Wire technology will be with us, continuing to provide service, well into the next century.

Mankind controls the environment in a variety of ways, whether by capturing the force of a river, harnessing the power in coal or oil, controlling a nuclear reaction, or transforming the light of the sun into electricity. From Thomas Edison and Nikola Fermi to Albert Einstein, the world's greatest minds have enabled us to acquire light, heat, and power with a simple flip of the switch. Join us for an electrifying hour as we review the foundation for all of this - power plants.

From Alexander Graham Bell's crude creation, to today's high-speed wireless networks, we'll look into the past, present, and future of the telephone. We'll visit the AT&T archives to see how the very first telephone boxes wired together with telegraph cables have evolved into vast wireless networks. Enter into the inner workings of Los Angeles County's 911 emergency dispatch center, as well as explore advancements made by Lucent/Bell Labs in phone-embedded GPS technology. With telephone privacy issues making headlines, witness a demonstration of how easy it can be for someone to illegally tap your phone. We'll also look at a technology developed by NASA-Ames that might one day allow people to converse by merely thinking what they want to say.

The ability to transmit sound in stereo transformed the music of life into a rich symphony of sound. For over 100 years, enthusiasts and scientists have worked to create the ideal listening experience. From Thomas Edison's early phonograph to today's digital revolution, we examine this multi-billion dollar business.

Join us as we chart the colorful history of cartography--from ancient Marshall Islands' stick maps to the New York City Police Department's computerized super-map. Some are works of art, others are vital tools for law enforcement, space exploration, and agriculture. Now satellites and the global positioning system have sparked a revolution.

A look at the history of photography beginning as early as the eleventh century. Includes the advancements by Niepce and Daguerre in the 19th century and William Henry Fox and George Eastman in the 20th century.

The complete story of the feuds, the mistakes, the ingenuity, and the successes that made movies possible--and kept Edison at the front of the inventor pack. Includes rare early films from the Edison Studios.

Probably Thomas Edison's best known invention is the electric light. But the familiar light bulb is only the most obvious element of Edison's accomplishment. He also created from scratch a delivery system for his light. Edison's invention literally changed the world--putting the power of electricity at our fingertips.

We begin with electrical linemen perched precariously out a helicopter door, repairing 345,000-volt high-tension power lines. They are part of an army of technicians and scientists we'll ride, climb, and crawl with on this episode. They risk their lives so that we can have the services we take for granted--electric power and 21st century communications. They lay and maintain the wire that connects us one to another, as well as America to the rest of the world. The hardwiring of America is a story that is nearly two centuries old. And though satellites and wireless systems may be challenging the wire, it's not dead. Fiber optic cable, lines that transmit light, became a player in information delivery in the late 1970s. We may be entering a "wireless" age, but the infrastructure of wires laid by visionary scientists and industrialists are still vital to America. Wire technology will be with us, continuing to provide service, well into the next century.

Mankind controls the environment in a variety of ways, whether by capturing the force of a river, harnessing the power in coal or oil, controlling a nuclear reaction, or transforming the light of the sun into electricity. From Thomas Edison and Nikola Fermi to Albert Einstein, the world's greatest minds have enabled us to acquire light, heat, and power with a simple flip of the switch. Join us for an electrifying hour as we review the foundation for all of this - power plants.

From Alexander Graham Bell's crude creation, to today's high-speed wireless networks, we'll look into the past, present, and future of the telephone. We'll visit the AT&T archives to see how the very first telephone boxes wired together with telegraph cables have evolved into vast wireless networks. Enter into the inner workings of Los Angeles County's 911 emergency dispatch center, as well as explore advancements made by Lucent/Bell Labs in phone-embedded GPS technology. With telephone privacy issues making headlines, witness a demonstration of how easy it can be for someone to illegally tap your phone. We'll also look at a technology developed by NASA-Ames that might one day allow people to converse by merely thinking what they want to say.

The ability to transmit sound in stereo transformed the music of life into a rich symphony of sound. For over 100 years, enthusiasts and scientists have worked to create the ideal listening experience. From Thomas Edison's early phonograph to today's digital revolution, we examine this multi-billion dollar business.

Join us as we chart the colorful history of cartography--from ancient Marshall Islands' stick maps to the New York City Police Department's computerized super-map. Some are works of art, others are vital tools for law enforcement, space exploration, and agriculture. Now satellites and the global positioning system have sparked a revolution.

A look at the history of photography beginning as early as the eleventh century. Includes the advancements by Niepce and Daguerre in the 19th century and William Henry Fox and George Eastman in the 20th century.

The complete story of the feuds, the mistakes, the ingenuity, and the successes that made movies possible--and kept Edison at the front of the inventor pack. Includes rare early films from the Edison Studios.

Probably Thomas Edison's best known invention is the electric light. But the familiar light bulb is only the most obvious element of Edison's accomplishment. He also created from scratch a delivery system for his light. Edison's invention literally changed the world--putting the power of electricity at our fingertips.

We begin with electrical linemen perched precariously out a helicopter door, repairing 345,000-volt high-tension power lines. They are part of an army of technicians and scientists we'll ride, climb, and crawl with on this episode. They risk their lives so that we can have the services we take for granted--electric power and 21st century communications. They lay and maintain the wire that connects us one to another, as well as America to the rest of the world. The hardwiring of America is a story that is nearly two centuries old. And though satellites and wireless systems may be challenging the wire, it's not dead. Fiber optic cable, lines that transmit light, became a player in information delivery in the late 1970s. We may be entering a "wireless" age, but the infrastructure of wires laid by visionary scientists and industrialists are still vital to America. Wire technology will be with us, continuing to provide service, well into the next century.

Mankind controls the environment in a variety of ways, whether by capturing the force of a river, harnessing the power in coal or oil, controlling a nuclear reaction, or transforming the light of the sun into electricity. From Thomas Edison and Nikola Fermi to Albert Einstein, the world's greatest minds have enabled us to acquire light, heat, and power with a simple flip of the switch. Join us for an electrifying hour as we review the foundation for all of this - power plants.

From Alexander Graham Bell's crude creation, to today's high-speed wireless networks, we'll look into the past, present, and future of the telephone. We'll visit the AT&T archives to see how the very first telephone boxes wired together with telegraph cables have evolved into vast wireless networks. Enter into the inner workings of Los Angeles County's 911 emergency dispatch center, as well as explore advancements made by Lucent/Bell Labs in phone-embedded GPS technology. With telephone privacy issues making headlines, witness a demonstration of how easy it can be for someone to illegally tap your phone. We'll also look at a technology developed by NASA-Ames that might one day allow people to converse by merely thinking what they want to say.

The ability to transmit sound in stereo transformed the music of life into a rich symphony of sound. For over 100 years, enthusiasts and scientists have worked to create the ideal listening experience. From Thomas Edison's early phonograph to today's digital revolution, we examine this multi-billion dollar business.

Join us as we chart the colorful history of cartography--from ancient Marshall Islands' stick maps to the New York City Police Department's computerized super-map. Some are works of art, others are vital tools for law enforcement, space exploration, and agriculture. Now satellites and the global positioning system have sparked a revolution.