Richard Hammond's Engineering Connections

The presenter explores the design secrets of the world's tallest hotel, Burj Al Arab, which is located on a custom-built island off the shore of Dubai. He discovers how engineers tackled the challenges of building a steel structure in the desert heat and protecting the island from wave damage, and learns how a component from a camera flash helps prevent fires in the hotel's rooms.

Richard Hammond reveals the surprising engineering connections behind the Formula 1 car. The stars of the most glamorous, and expensive sport on earth wouldn't even cross the starting line without inspiration drawn from a revolutionary 19th-century cannon, ancient sailing boats, jet engine fan blades, body armour and a technique practised by blacksmiths for thousands of years.

How Hard Can It Be - to pilot a remotely operated vehicle 12,000 foot down onto the ocean floor? This is literally an underwater voyage of discovery.

Richard Hammond reveals how engineers made one of the longest bridges in the world earthquake-proof. Defying disaster called for solutions inspired by fragrant Indian incense, the ring-pull in a soda can, a toboggan, a hammock, and some shiny steel chimneys.

Richard Hammond reveals the engineering connections in NASA's Space Shuttle - the world's first re-usable space craft. He goes backstage at Kennedy Space Centre, in Florida, to discover how an organ pump, tram tracks, a WWII anti-sonar device, a camera iris and a cannonball all helped create the most technologically advanced machine ever engineered by man.

Richard Hammond reveals the surprising engineering connections in Japan's Bullet Train, the world's first high speed train. It could not run without ancient charioteers, a crowbar, a medieval clock, the electric telegraph, and a 19th century luxury racing car.