Blade implements have been a part of civilized man's arsenal since the Paleolithic Age, when sharp tools were chipped off of flint or obsidian. But with the discovery of metallurgy, people were able to forge stronger, more versatile blade implements. We visit an axe-throwing contest in Wisconsin for an introduction to the least subtle of the blade tools. Then we visit a swordsmith and an experienced swordfighter who work in traditional methods from ancient sources, and review the history of knives.

From battle armor to bubble gum, you might be surprised by what soldiers have carried into battle... and what they'll be carrying in future wars. Discover how weapons and equipment are developed, in Season 8, Episode 18, "Battle Gear.

In this fiery hour, we profile five of man's deadliest weapons, focusing on the inventors, battles, and dark technology behind their lethality. We begin with the deadliest bomb ever created, the Tsar Bomba--a 50-megaton nuclear bomb with a yield thousands of times greater than the one dropped on Hiroshima. During WWI, technological advances in weaponry led to the deaths of over 8-million, and one of the deadliest killers was the machine gun. In WWII, the use of incendiary bombs killed hundreds of thousands of people. Another deadly invention of WWII was the proximity fuse, or VT fuse, that allowed artillery to detonate within a predetermined range of an enemy target. Finally, we examine VX nerve gas, thought by many to be the deadliest chemical agent ever created and suspected to have been used by Saddam Hussein with devastating results. We'll visit Edgewood Chemical BioCenter, which plays a large role in protection and detection for our troops in Iraq.

Titans that can rise more than 100 stories, they remain a symbol of corporate America--monuments to wealth, commerce, and capitalism. In the days following 9/11, corporate high-rise buildings emerged as a prime target for large-scale terrorist attacks. To defend these giants and those who work and live in them, an army of scientists, engineers, and security advisors set out on a vital mission--to develop a web of technologies to secure corporate America safe against terrorist attack.

Witness the construction of a terrorist-proof safe room. Discover how your windows might someday act as biological weapons detectors. Learn how scientists are protecting the food you eat and water you drink. In the biggest technological push since the space race, inventors are creating cutting-edge devices, gadgets, and gizmos to keep you and your family--and even your pets--safe. Find out what technology can do to protect you, and how you can use technology to protect yourself.

From the LAPD's sharp shooters to Army snipers, discover what it means to be armed and accurate.

From "safe" bullets that stop hijackers but leave aircraft unscathed to bullets that chain-saw through steel and "smart" bullets computer-programmed to hit a target, this explosive hour examines the evolution of bullets from origin--stones and round lead balls shot from iron and bamboo tubes. Lead balls ruled until 1841 when a conical-shaped bullet changed ammo forever. We learn how to construct a modern cartridge and at pistol and rifle ranges view demonstrations of modern firepower.

Gotcha! Traps are a device designed to capture and kill, but they don't always harm their prey. Often necessary to the survival of a species, watch as Black Bears are trapped by the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources biologists for a population study. Feral cats left stranded in New Orleans after Katrina are trapped, neutered, and released. Head underwater to see how giant screw traps count salmon on the Columbia River. Man traps? See high tech versions, straight out of action movies.