People are surrounded by great inventions that have transformed their daily lives. Explores great inventions by considering just how pervasive inventions are, how they work, who invented them and why.

Stepping back to the Stone Age to look at the craft of pottery and the development of metals; although one might think of ancient people as primitive, early humans are observant about the world around them; several complex inventions.

Technology and material abundance; how the Agricultural Revolution changes life for early humans; tracing the development of alcoholic beverages, from the earliest days of civilization through the Middle Ages; the cultural insights alcohol can offer.

Technology, whether it is an oxcart or a telecommunications network, facilitates interaction between people; exploring the role of trade in early societies; how ships, coins and the alphabet shape the civilizations of the ancient Mediterranean.

Studying the use of technology in securing and maintaining political power; examining the role of the crossbow in the Warring States era of China; the crossbow is a marvel of engineering that shapes the political history of China for centuries.

The glory of Roman engineering, from the Romans' system of roads to their impressive monuments; how these structures work from a technical standpoint; why build them; studying Roman history; exploring the way in which technology serves state ends.