Season 8 Episodes
1. Wright Brothers Patents
Our curator of transportation talks about the Wright brothers' battle to protect their airplane patents with host Mo Rocca, who also shows us a soft serve ice cream maker for your countertop, an app that translates your dog’s barks, and special drones helping hunt down invasive pythons in the Florida Everglades.
2. Apples
Our curator of agriculture demonstrates the old-fashioned way to make apple cider for host Mo Rocca, who also shows us a high-tech bird feeder that lets you shoot pictures and video of your feathered friends, a bottle cap that purifies water with light, and see-through urban beehives that let you watch how the honey is made.
3. Convertibles
Our curator of transportation discusses when the convertible became the coolest car on the road with host Mo Rocca, who also shows us GPS trackers disguised as sea turtle eggs to help catch poachers, a new way of timing a timer, and the self-cleaning door handle.
4. Spinning
Our chief curator discusses the machines that spin the thread for your threads with host Mo Rocca, who also shows us a robotic restaurant kitchen, how to keep your belongings safe at the beach or pool, and the artist telling time with a paint brush.
5. Toll Roads
Our curator of transportation discusses the history of toll roads with host Mo Rocca, who also shows us how police dogs are being kept safe on the job, the safety vest lighting the way for nighttime runners, and the webcam that's revolutionizing video calls.
6. Children’s Furniture
Our curator of decorative arts shares downsized furniture for kids with host Mo Rocca, who also shows us a stylish bracelet that sends out an SOS if the wearer needs help, the scanning technology preserving classic car design, and ski poles that help keep skiers' hands warm.
7. Tomato Harvester
Our curator of agriculture & the environment shares the history of mechanized tomato harvesting with host Mo Rocca, who also shows us a water-filled blanket, the filter keeping washing machine microfibers out of the oceans, and building a better mousetrap.
9. Taxicabs
Our curator of transportation discusses the evolution of the taxicab with host Mo Rocca, who also shows us how to feel music with haptic speakers, stylish homes made from shipping containers, and an air filtration system made of plants.
10. Public Education
Our curator of domestic life discusses the advent of public education with host Mo Rocca, who also shows us how solar energy is powering water filtration, a new satellite keeping track of the earth’s climate, and a targeted red light therapy device.
11. Cast Iron Cookstoves
Our curator of domestic life discusses cast iron cookstoves with host Mo Rocca, who also shows us a pool escape ramp for critters, an app helping PTSD survivors, and renewable energy created from crop waste.
12. Best of – Wright Brothers Patents
Our curator of transportation discusses the Wright brothers' battle to protect their patents with host Mo Rocca, who also shows us a stylish bracelet that sends out an SOS if the wearer needs help, GPS trackers disguised as sea turtle eggs to help catch poachers, and a beehive that lets you see how the honey is made.
13. Dr. Howard
Our curator of public life discusses 19th-century medicine with host Mo Rocca, who also shows us how AR is helping surgeons see inside their patients, the doorway roller easing backaches, and a status report on previously featured innovators.
14. Studio Glass
Our curator of decorative arts discusses the beautiful art of studio glass with host Mo Rocca, who also show us a speaker powered by water, the car seat net that stops your things from taking flight, and GPS for your pet’s collar.
15. Baseball
The director of Greenfield Village discusses baseball's beginnings with host Mo Rocca, who also shows us dry dock boat storage that works like a vending machine, the heads-up display showing pilots what’s behind the clouds, and the device measuring the air in your lungs.
16. Airplane Racing
Our curator of transportation discusses airplane racing with host Mo Rocca, who also shows us a smart notebook, swim goggles that display real-time metrics, and the wristband GPS for extreme sports and boating.
17. Best of – Convertibles
Our curator of transportation discusses how the convertible became the coolest car on the road with host Mo Rocca, who also shows us a water-filled blanket, a way to keep police dogs safe, and an air filtration system made of plants.
18. Standard Sizes
Our chief curator discusses standard sizes with host Mo Rocca, who also shows us a tennis ball bot, a device saving lives by keeping transplant hearts beating, and a blow-dry box for pets.
22. Best of – Tomato Harvester
Our curator of agriculture & the environment shares the history of mechanized tomato harvesting with host Mo Rocca, who also shows us a soft serve ice cream maker for your countertop, the webcam that's revolutionizing video calls, and building a better mousetrap.