Episode 212+

During a time of global conflict, another battle was raging — the arms race, in which every nation sought to gain a technological edge. From incendiary bats and flying wings to inflatable tanks and rifles that could shoot around corners — in wartime, no idea was too strange, though not all of them came to life. This show uncovers the history of weapons that changed the course of war and shaped the future. Some of the secret inventions — like the magnetron — are still in use today, such as in microwave ovens. From rockets and lasers to computers and jet engines — discoveries born of desperation sparked a technological revolution.