From PBS: To extract precious metals found beneath the earth requires a massive 232-ton, two-story-tall dump truck with a load capacity of 320 tons — a giant earth-mover like the Komatsu 930 E. This amazing engineering achievement is made possible by five essential raw ingredients: coal, chromium, mineral oil, latex rubber and sulphuric acid, an electron superhighway that generates massive power.

From PBS: It’s a century-old obsession to find the right raw materials to build a car that is fit for both king and race car driver — perfectly luxurious and perfectly fast. The Bentley Motor Company has built common raw ingredients into their signature Mulsanne, an engineering achievement made possible by aluminum, leather, iron, wood and pigment.

From PBS: The highway truck — a modern workhorse, a heavy hauler vital to commerce — carries an 80,000-pound payload and must operate in every condition from sub-zero cold to triple-digit heat. To survive, it must be strong, durable and fuel-efficient, like the Mack Pinnacle, an engineering achievement made possible by platinum, petroleum, copper, manganese and polyurethane.

From PBS: Short-range regional jets are the backbone of domestic air travel. To withstand a high volume of flights, these jets must be comfortable, durable and fuel efficient, like the Bombardier CRJ-1000. Glass, titanium, fiberglass, lacquer and aluminum alloy each transcend their original states, harnessed to create a modern cutting-edge machine.