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Awe-inspiring palaces are the legacy that demonstrates the brilliance of Islamic engineers, working centuries before Western Europe began its own engineering revolution. It’s a process that culminated in what is arguably the most beautiful building in the World – the Taj Mahal.

As the battle distance continued to grow with each new weapon humans put their best minds to work refining and evolving their designs over the millennia to gain the upper hand.

Since the earliest civilizations, humans have needed walls to protect them. From rudimentary walls around early towns and cities to vast fortresses and castles, culminating in one of the greatest engineering triumphs of all time – the Great Wall of China.

Migration travel and trade are all key components of human life. Our ancient ancestors had to come up with ingenious solutions and structures to travel freely – over the hills valleys and rivers of our world which can sometimes pose difficult obstacles to cross.

The ancient ancestors realized that building structures and machines to harness water to provide transport power drainage and irrigation was vital to the success of their civilizations.

This episode charts the groundbreaking developments that led us to a technologically sophisticated society. Discover the first ever data recording device from over 5000 years ago how weaving created binary code and that electric cars were invented a hundred years earlier than you think they were.

From living in caves to grand mansions shelter has always been high on the list of our priorities. But form and function varies wildly throughout civilizations. We explore how houses have developed through the ages – from simple tents made from animal hides to the first cities.

Throughout history our ancestors have always strived to go higher bigger deeper further - and this is reflected in the buildings and structures around our globe. But what secrets can these ancient structures reveal?

This episode explores some of history's most ingenious yet lesser-known engineering solutions. Beginning with a recently uncovered 6300 year old Croatian wooden well that has been termed 'the world's oldest engineering marvel' through to the the Persian yakhchal.

Building for God reached a high point in the Middle Ages when a new engineering movement emerged in Europe, changing the rules forever. It aimed to use pioneering construction methods and architecture to create a glimpse of heaven...on earth.

Even before the start of recorded history, ancient engineers across the World were erecting giant monuments. What was their purpose? And how did early peoples move such massive slabs of stone across hundreds of miles – long before the wheel had been invented?

The Great Pyramid at Giza is the only survivor of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Its scale is breath-taking and it is built to the mind-boggling degree of precision. How did ancient engineers achieve this feat, and what was the purpose of this monumental and mysterious structure?