Modern Marvels· Season 12 · Episode 3
The Arch
Join us as we explore the vast and varied world of the arch, one of the strongest and most versatile structures made by man. Deceptively simple, an arch can support tremendous weight because its structure is compressed by pressure, and it provides a much more spacious opening than its predecessor–post and lintel construction. Although ancient Egyptians and Greeks experimented with the arch, the Romans perfected it. Medieval Arabs incorporated it into stunning mosque architecture, soon followed by Europe's great medieval churches. In the 19th and 20th centuries, the steel arch became a favorite of architects and structural engineers. Dam builders employed it horizontally, using the water behind the dam to provide the pressure to compress it. And tomorrow, the arch will continue to serve mankind in every form–from nanotechnology to domes on Mars and beyond.
Streaming on (US) 
See all
Shows like Modern Marvels
The closest matches on shared genres, ranked by match strength and popularity.
- 01Mystery·Nature·HistoryCosmos1980–2020·National GeographicHosted by renowned astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, Cosmos will explore how we discovered the laws of nature and found our coordinates in space and time.
- 02Mystery·Nature·HistoryWhat on Earth?2015·Science
What on Earth? is a documentary series using satellite images of strange geological occurrences and man-made structures on Earth to examine such matters as the planet's extreme locations, phenomena and species. - 03Mystery·Nature·HistoryThe Sky at Night1957–present·BBC FourOur team of astronomers tell us what's on view in the night sky.
- 04Mystery·Nature·HistoryLost Treasures of Egypt2019–present·National Geographic
An immersive, action-packed series follows international teams of Egyptologists as they unearth the world's richest seam of ancient archaeology — Lost Treasures of Egypt. - 05Mystery·Nature·HistoryStrip the Cosmos2014–2020·ScienceIn each episode of Strip the Cosmos, stunning CGI strips major planets, moons, black holes, stars and galaxies of gases, minerals, rock, magma and gravitational force-fields – layer by layer – revealing the destiny,…
- 06Mystery·History·AdventureExpedition Unknown2015–present·DiscoveryIn the hit series Expedition Unknown, Travel Channel's witty explorer Josh Gates seeks answers to some of the world's most captivating unsolved stories and legends.
