HISTORY Countdown

Amazing people, amazing places, and amazing things! This special zips across the U.S. looking for the facts, from our founding fathers' favorite treats to gold and gems in unusual places.

A panel of the world's most renowned tech gurus identifies the most influential gadgets ever invented, from the Zippo lighter to the hypodermic needle.

Take a closer look at the inventions that have transformed our lives far beyond our homes (the steam engine), our planet (the telescope), and our wildest dreams (the Internet).

This is the countdown of fast foods that take us back (beef jerky), propel us forward (space food), and sometimes even help us gaze into the future (the fortune cookie).

Our lives are so full of stuff that the average object is instantly forgettable. But when fate and history combine, even the simplest of objects can change the world.

Assess the weapons that have fueled the expansion of every empire and enabled humans to be the ultimate predator at every corner of history.

What is the world's sharpest? Discover all the possibilities, from the Katana blade of the Samurai to industrial wood chippers to disposable razor blades found in any corner store.

Travel over land and sea to find more of the biggest, baddest, most audacious feats of engineering in the world.

"Strength" is a powerful word, but how is it measured? Why are some things simply stronger than others? Find out what makes the strongest tractor, the strongest rope, and the strongest natural mineral on earth.

Get an introduction to the machines gutsy enough to call themselves "the world's biggest." See what they do and how they operate, and go behind the scenes to see how they're designed and assembled.