Machines: How They WorkWW

Sign In With Your TV Provider

You’re just a few clicks away from the show you want to watch. Please sign in with your TV provider to watch this episode and other great programs.

Sign in to Watch

Machines: How They Work

ShareTweet

Escalators, Leaf Blowers, and Tape Measures

Season 1 • Episode 3

How does an escalator, a leaf blower, and a tape measure really work? Go inside the incredible machinery behind these everyday objects to see their extraordinary inner workings.

21 min|TV-G|Premiered 02/04/2016

Available Full Episodes

More from this Episode

It appears to be the size of Australia, and it moves across Earth’s surface. It disappeared after 4 hours.WWW

02:19

What on Earth?W

What is This Giant Black Spot on Earth?

i

It looked like a massive spacecraft launching from the sun. What was the mysterious dark object?WWW

03:08

NASA's Unexplained FilesW

The Time Scientists Thought They Saw The Real Death Star

i

Why is it that barely a month goes by without a boat or plane being claimed by the Bermuda Triangle?WWW

01:23

The Bermuda Triangle

i

This teacher attempted to ignite alcohol vapor in a bottle, but things didn’t go as planned.WWW

01:28

Outrageous Acts of ScienceW

Science Experiment Gone Wrong

i

You May Also Like

Power Steering Pumps, Asian Bowl Meals, and Walking CanesW

Find out how power steering pumps, Asian bowl meals, and walking canes are made.WWW

How It's MadeW

Season 22 · Episode 18

i

Seriously?W

We're bending minds with the freakiest clips on the web. We'll watch a man eat a red hot coal, a robot solve a Rubik's Cube in a second, and a freaky creature with a glowing beak.WWW

Outrageous Acts of ScienceW

Season 8 · Episode 5

i

Ground BreakersW

We're breaking new ground with the internet's most astonishing trend setters. We'll see everything from the world's first mountain bike on skis to a real-life Iron Man suit. These front runners leave all things ordinary in the rear-view mirror.WWW

Outrageous Acts of ScienceW

Season 8 · Episode 6

i

Lost Treasure of the Grand CanyonW

Strange spots near the Grand Canyon may hold clues to the legendary treasure of a notorious bandit. Satellite images could explain desert ruins rumored to be an entrance to an underworld. A city-size chunk of ice suddenly disappears in Antarctica.WWW

What on Earth?W

Season 3 · Episode 1

i

The Curse of MerlinW

The myth of Merlin is associated with an arrangement of stones in northern France, and satellite images might finally explain this ancient riddle. Investigators uncover something strange buried beneath the Gulf of Mexico. An island suddenly appears.WWW

What on Earth?W

Season 3 · Episode 20

i

Motorcycle Myth CountdownW

Countdown the best motorcycle myths in MythBusters history.WWW

MythBusters on ScienceW

Season 99 · Episode 1

i

Hunt for the Hidden CosmosW

New telescope technology has helped astronomers to explore the never-before-seen invisible universe. These modern marvels ushered in a new age of discovery, revealing secrets of greatest enigmas in the cosmos, from giant black holes to supernovas.WWW

Space's Deepest SecretsW

Season 3 · Episode 1

i

Search for Alien EarthsW

Astronomers and researchers are on the hunt for the groundbreaking discovery that confirms extraterrestrial life. Using state-of-the-art technology like the Kepler telescope, scientists examine thousands of exoplanets in search of another Earth.WWW

Space's Deepest SecretsW

Season 3 · Episode 4

i

Hidden City of the IncasW

The lost city of Machu Picchu is one of the greatest mysteries in archaeology. Scientists do not know why this city in the clouds was built, but investigations into secret Inca codes and deformed skeletons might finally reveal its ultimate mystery.WWW

UnearthedW

Season 2 · Episode 7

i

Treasures of the Terracotta ArmyW

The Terracotta Army is one of China's greatest treasures, but there are still dark secrets surrounding this super-tomb. Newly discovered artifacts reveal the soldiers' supernatural enemy, and human remains point to ancient China's violent origins.WWW

UnearthedW

Season 2 · Episode 8

i

Sex, Lies, and the Taj MahalW

The Taj Mahal is one of the world's most beautiful monuments, but new investigations reveal dark secrets. Scientists are uncovering codes that tell a shocking story of power and betrayal, challenging everything we thought we knew about the Taj Mahal.WWW

UnearthedW

Season 2 · Episode 10

i

Fast & Furious Ejector SeatW

Elite builders face off to become the next MythBusters and test two tall tales: the sideways ejector seat from The Fast & the Furious and Deflategate, one of the most infamous football scandals of all-time.WWW

MythBusters: The SearchW

Season 1 · Episode 1

i

Painting with Explosives RevisitedW

One contestant has been eliminated, and nine hopefuls remain to test a classic myth that Adam and Jamie never mastered: Can you paint with explosives? They'll also test if alcohol makes you more creative.WWW

MythBusters: The SearchW

Season 1 · Episode 2

i

Shooting BlindW

Eight contestants are left to build and race two full-sized boats made completely of cardboard. Next, they'll put Hollywood on trial and test everyone's gun skills: Can you shoot a bad guy blindfolded?WWW

MythBusters: The SearchW

Season 1 · Episode 3

i

Revenge of the Needle in a HaystackW

Seven contestants remain to test one of Adam and Jamie's most challenging myths: the needle in a haystack. Then, they try to bust a classic Hollywood cliche: Can you pick handcuffs with a hairpin?WWW

MythBusters: The SearchW

Season 1 · Episode 4

i

The A-Team ChallengeW

The search for the next MythBusters continues as the contestants test a myth straight out of the A-Team: can you make a weapon out of junkyard scrap? Then, they find what it takes to make a bike impossible to ride.WWW

MythBusters: The SearchW

Season 1 · Episode 5

i