Carbon

S14 E2: All life forms, including us, are built upon atoms of carbon. But modern technology is also built on a foundation of carbon. On Modern Marvels: Carbon, you'll find out just how versatile this simple element can be. We'll see why carbon is the key both in heavy-duty industries, like Pennsylvania's steel mills and North Dakota's coal-fired power plants, and in amazingly useful tools like the graphite pencil, the charcoal water filter, and the diamond saw blade. We'll also watch how carbon fiber, a material stronger than steel and lighter than fiberglass, is made into the chassis of a California racecar and the fuselage of Boeing's new 787 Dreamliner. Carbon burns hotter, cuts deeper, dies harder, insulates more thoroughly, and absorbs more fully than any other material. You'll see how one powerful hydrocarbon fuel, cellulose-based ethanol, is replacing another petroleum. You'll learn why "activated charcoal" is the material of choice for absorbing everything from toxic heavy metals in your drinking water to funky odors in your shoes. And you'll see how NASA will launch into space a collector made of carbon aerogel, the lightest, most insulating substance in the world, to search for clues about, you guessed it, carbon-based life forms.