Modern Marvels: Power Plants

From Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla to Enrico Fermi and Albert Einstein, the world's greatest minds have enabled us, with a simple flip of a switch, to bring light, heat, power, to our lives. But capturing the force of a river, controlling a nuclear reaction or transforming the light of the sun into electricity is anything but simple. 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. Join us for an electrifying hour as we review the foundation for all of this - Power Plants from the History Channel series Modern Marvels. See it here - posted in 5 Parts on Saturday, June 28th!

Trivia

All natural substances contain radioactive material. In fact, beer contains thirteen times as much radioactivity as the cooling water discharged from a nuclear power plant.


The United States has five percent of the world's population yet consumes twenty five percent of its energy supply.


In 1984 Brazil built the world's largest hydroelectric plant, which provides as much energy as thirteen nuclear reactors.


George Westinghouse built the first illuminated tennis court at his house. It had 1500 light bulbs and its own power plant.