How Do They Do It?
This series takes you behind the scenes of everyday objects and big machines to show the engineering and science that make them possible. Each episode breaks down how things are designed, built, and tested, turning complex processes into clear, satisfying explanations.
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Season 12
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1
E1
Logging, Tiles, Jaffa Cakes
A look at how skyline logging wrangles Vancouver's most elusive trees. Plus, muscle and skill turns ordinary clay into intricate tiles in a Spanish workshop.
May 10, 2015 -
2
E2
Heavy-Lift Aircraft, Hunting Boots, Bananas
Jets over to Spain to one of the most advanced and powerful planes in the world. Plus, there's a secret to making warm waterproof boots and how bananas get just...
May 14, 2015 -
3
E3
Monorail, Royal Copenhagen Porcelain, New York Cupcakes
Commuters rise above Mumbai's chaos by riding India's only monorail. In Denmark, porcelain statues are hand painted and take several weeks to complete. Creative cupcake recipes originate in Manhattan and stretch around the world.
May 21, 2015 -
4
E4
Wine, Goretex Extreme Weather Clothing
Travel down under, home to some of the largest wineries in the world and see how some of the most popular wines are produced. What does PTFE stand for? And how is it used to make extreme weather clothing for the most demanding customers.
May 28, 2015 -
5
E5
Screws, Marmalade, Printed Dresses
Building a fighter jet; Turning bitter oranges into marmalade; Printing out a dress fit for the catwalk.
Jun 4, 2015 -
6
E6
Road Rollers, Canned Bread, Vertu Phones
The powerful machines essential to building roads and highways are made; No pans are needed when you can bake bread in a can; Luxurious cell phones are made with rubies and sapphires.
Jun 11, 2015 -
7
E7
Tinned Grapefruit, Snow Machines, Conveyor Belts
Jun 18, 2015 -
8
E8
Harp Strings, Roof Windows, Belgian Waffles
Making the world's finest harp strings; Building roof windows that can keep out a hurricane; Making Belgian waffles.
Jul 3, 2015 -
9
E9
AGA Cookers, Incense Sticks, Jenever
Scrap metal is made into a gourmet cooking machine; The exotic aromas of India are created by hand; How sailors got their Dutch Courage.
Jul 9, 2015 -
10
E10
Robo-farm, Log Stacker, Piano Moving
A farm in the Netherlands is run almost entirely by robots. One of the largest toughest log stackers is put to work in Sweeden and grand pianos are navigated through the streets of New York.
Jul 23, 2015 -
11
E11
Bamboo Scaffolding, Strontium
Indian construction crews that use bamboo for their scaffolding needs; Mining strontium for multicolored fireworks.
Jul 30, 2015 -
12
E12
Espadrilles, Prefabricated Houses, Underground Storage
Fashionable footwear; prefabricated houses; underground storage for books and documents.
Aug 6, 2015 -
13
E13
Macadamia Nuts, Tap Water, Crowd Barriers
South Africa's macadamia farmers; Chicago's water-filtration system. Also: the use of Mojo Barriers to keep music fans safe at the Pinkpop Festival in the Netherlands.
Aug 13, 2015 -
14
E14
High Rise Construction, Dr. Marten Boots, Cooking Pans
How do they build the biggest apartment block on the planet? How do they make the classic British boot? And how do they make cooking pans tough enough to last...
Aug 20, 2015 -
15
E15
Sitar, Biltong, Bulldozers
How do they craft a classic Indian instrument, the Sitar? How do they make beef biltong? And how do they build monster bulldozers?
Aug 27, 2015 -
16
E16
Fedoras, Cement, Frozen Peas
How do they fashion the iconic Fedora hat? How do they make the cement that builds the world? And how do they harvest and freeze millions of peas in under...
Sep 3, 2015 -
17
E17
Mohair, Quadski, Harp
How do they turn goat fleeces into fabrics? How do they build a quad bike that turns into a jet-ski and how do they create the instrument of angels- the...
Sep 10, 2015 · 25m -
18
E18
Redbush Tea, Luggage Handling, Hairbrushes
How do they harvest thousands of tonnes of tea? How to they make sure that your luggage catches the same plane as you? And how do they make high-quality hairbrushes?
Sep 17, 2015 -
19
E19
Credit Cards, Indian Lunch Deliveries, Boat Lift
How do they keep the crooks from cracking into your credit card? And how do they lift a 1000 ton ship 70 meters into the air while it is still...
Sep 24, 2015 -
20
E20
Power Tunnel, Pizza Ovens, Playhouses
How do they build tunnels to prevent blackouts in one of the world's biggest cities? How do they turn millions of hectares of pine forest into perfect pieces of timber?
Oct 1, 2015