Episode 64: Modern Engineering Marvels

On August 16, 1858, Britain sent the United States an inaugural message via a transatlantic telegraph cable. In it, Queen Victoria congratulated President James Buchanan on their countries' mutual success at building the very cable she was using to talk to him.  The International Space Station is a truly global effort: nations ranging from America to Russia provided parts for and assembled the ISS. The assembly alone took more than 30 missions. Travelling at 17,500 mph and orbiting the earth every 90 minutes, the ISS is an engineering achievement that is truly out of this world. The episode also covers the other engineering marvels, like the English Channel Tunnel and the Netherlands Delta Works system which keeps Netherlands' coastal areas safe from floods from the North Sea.