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Narrator: COMING UP ON "HOW DO THEY DO IT?"...
HOW DO THEY TURN A GOAT'S FAVORITE FOOD
INTO HAIR CONDITIONER?
HOW DO THEY BUILD ONE OF THE TOUGHEST TRUCKS ON EARTH?
AND HOW DO THEY DEFY DEATH
TO MAINTAIN ONE OF THE TALLEST TOWERS ON THE PLANET?
WE TAKE YOU AROUND THE WORLD TO SHOW YOU HOW
ON "HOW DO THEY DO IT?"
-- Captions by VITAC -- www.vitac.com
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
THE WORLD SPENDS $16 BILLION A YEAR ON HAIR CONDITIONER.
AND ONE OF THE MOST EXPENSIVE REQUIRES A RARE, NATURAL OIL
DERIVED FROM ARGAN TREES,
FOUND ONLY IN THE SEMIDESERT OF NORTH AFRICA.
[ GOAT BLEATS ]
BUT EXTRACTING IT REQUIRES GOAT DROPPINGS,
SMALL ROCKS, AND PLENTY OF ELBOW GREASE.
SO, HOW DO THEY DO IT?
SOUTHWEST MOROCCO.
AT THE EDGE OF THE SAHARA,
IT'S HOT AND EXTREMELY DRY,
PERFECT CONDITIONS FOR ARGAN TREES.
OVER 21 MILLION GROW IN THIS REGION.
THE FRUIT OF THESE THORNY TREES CONTAINS OIL-RICH KERNELS.
THE LOCAL PEOPLE HAVE KNOWN FOR CENTURIES
THAT THE OIL IS GOOD FOR YOUR HAIR.
NOW THE WORLD IS CATCHING ON.
ULYSSES MUELLER IS AN EXPORTER OF ARGAN OIL.
BUT THESE NUTS DON'T GIVE UP THEIR OIL THAT EASILY.
THE CHALLENGE IS TO GET OUT, THE KERNELS OUT OF THESE FRUITS.
AND SO THIS IS THE FRUIT WE HAVE TO SHELL, AND YOU FIND THE NUT.
AND INSIDE THIS NUT ARE THE KERNELS.
Narrator: ULYSSES' FRUIT IS COLLECTED ONCE IT FALLS FROM THE TREE.
IT DRIES IN THE HOT MOROCCAN SUN,
THEN IS SIMPLY PICKED FROM THE GROUND, READY FOR PROCESSING.
BUT, TRADITIONALLY, LOCALS USE A DIFFERENT TECHNIQUE.
GOATS SCALE THE GNARLED TRUNKS
AND EAT THE FRUIT STRAIGHT FROM THE TREE.
FAR FROM EATING AWAY AT THE PROFITS,
THE GOATS ARE HELPING WITH THE HARVEST.
THE ANIMALS DIGEST THE FLESHY PART OF THE FRUIT,
BUT NOT THE VALUABLE NUT.
SO, IT'S A MATTER OF WAITING FOR NATURE TO TAKE ITS COURSE,
THEN HARVESTING THE NUTS
STRAIGHT FROM THE GOATS' DROPPINGS.
GETTING THE NUTS FROM THE FRUIT
THAT HAVEN'T PASSED THROUGH A GOAT IS CHALLENGING.
IN THE SCORCHING SUN, THE FRUIT DRIES INTO A TOUGH OUTER LAYER.
THIS CRACK TEAM IS ARMED WITH ROCKS.
THIS TRADITIONAL METHOD HAS BEEN USED FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS,
AND IT WORKS LIKE ANY WELL-OILED PRODUCTION LINE.
THE WORKERS FIRST SEPARATE THE FRUIT FROM THE NUT.
THE NEXT STEP IS TO CRACK OPEN THE SHELL
TO GET AT THE OIL-RICH KERNELS INSIDE.
THEN IT'S ON TO THE GRINDING DEPARTMENT.
A STONE GRINDER WORKS THE OILY KERNELS INTO A PASTE.
BUT GETTING THE OIL OUT OF THE PASTE IS TRICKY.
A SPLASH OF WATER AND A DASH OF SCIENCE SOLVES THE PROBLEM.
OIL AND WATER DON'T MIX.
SO AS WATER IS ADDED, IT REPELS THE OIL,
WHICH SQUEEZES OUT OF THE DOUGH-LIKE MIXTURE.
110 POUNDS OF FRUIT MAKES AROUND 35 OUNCES OF OIL.
BUT THIS TRADITIONAL METHOD
ONLY EXTRACTS A FRACTION OF THE PRECIOUS OIL.
THE REST USED TO BE LOST.
BUT IN ULYSSES' FACTORY, THEY HAVE A SOLUTION.
HERE, SPECIALLY DESIGNED MACHINES
SQUEEZE ALMOST EVERY LAST DROP OUT OF THE KERNELS.
THE KERNELS ARE INSIDE HERE.
THEY GET DOWN AND THEY PASS A PIECE WHICH LOOKS THIS WAY.
IT TURNS VERY SMOOTH AND IT PRESSES THE OIL OUT.
Narrator: ULYSSES PRODUCES 50 GALLONS OF ARGAN OIL A DAY.
Mueller: WITH THIS KIND OF EXTRACTION, WE ARE CAPABLE
TO BRING OUT ABOUT 90% OF ALL THE OIL IN THE KERNELS.
WITH THE TRADITIONAL ONE, YOU GET MAYBE 30% OR 50% OUT.
THAT'S A BIG DIFFERENCE.
Narrator: THIS RAW ARGAN OIL IS THE KEY INGREDIENT,
BUT YOU WOULDN'T WANT TO PUT IT ON YOUR HAIR JUST YET.
THE FRESHLY PRESSED ARGAN OIL IS REFINED
BY PASSING THROUGH 23 TEXTILE FILTERS TO REMOVE IMPURITIES.
THIS REFINED ARGAN OIL CONTAINS THE ANTIOXIDANT VITAMIN E,
WHICH RESTORES DAMAGED HAIR CELLS.
IT'S ALSO RICH IN FATTY ACIDS
THAT ACT AS A LONG-TERM MOISTURIZER.
BUT TO TURN THESE BARRELS OF OIL INTO TUBES OF HAIR CONDITIONER,
YOU NEED SOME MANUFACTURING KNOW-HOW.
AND THE PLACE TO FIND IT
IS OVER 1,200 MILES AWAY IN SOUTHERN ENGLAND.
THIS IS ONE OF THE U.K.'s LEADING COSMETIC FACTORIES.
PURE ARGAN OIL IS OVER 20 TIMES THE PRICE
OF THE CONDITIONER MADE HERE.
SO THE CHALLENGE IS TO COMBINE IT WITH WAXES AND EMULSIFIERS
TO MAKE AN AFFORDABLE CONDITIONER
WITH THE UNIQUE PROPERTIES OF ARGAN OIL.
AND MAKE IT A NICE, SMOOTH CONSISTENCY.
THAT HAPPENS
IN THIS COMPUTER-DRIVEN PROCESSING PLANT.
TO ENSURE ALL THE INGREDIENTS MIX EVENLY,
THESE VATS ARE HEATED TO EXACTLY 170 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.
THIS THINS THE OIL'S EMULSIONS AND WAXES,
ALLOWING THEM TO BE STIRRED TO THE PERFECT CONSISTENCY
WITH TWO GIANT BLADES ROTATING 15 TIMES PER MINUTE.
IT TAKES 8 HOURS TO CREATE A 2-TON BATCH OF HAIR CONDITIONER.
THE MIXTURE HARDENS AS IT COOLS,
SO IT'S A RACE TO GET THE CONDITIONER INTO BOTTLES.
FROM THE VATS,
IT'S PUMPED INTO GIANT SACKS OF AIRTIGHT POLYTHENE,
THEN TRANSPORTED TO THE BOTTLING LINE.
THEY CAN FILL UP TO 1,400 BOTTLES AN HOUR.
A COMPUTER-CONTROLLED FILLING MACHINE COUNTS THE BOTTLES,
THEN ADDS PRECISELY SIX OUNCES OF CONDITIONER INTO EACH ONE.
PUMPS ARE INSERTED BY HAND
TO DISPENSE JUST THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF THIS PRECIOUS PRODUCT.
THE FINISHED BOTTLES SHIP TO SHOPS AND SALONS EVERYWHERE
FROM LONDON, ONTARIO, TO LONDON, ENGLAND.
STILL TO COME,
HOW DO THEY BUILD ONE OF THE TOUGHEST TRUCKS IN THE WORLD?
JOIN US AFTER THE BREAK TO FIND OUT HOW ON "HOW DO THEY DO IT?"
Narrator: THIS IS ONE OF THE TOUGHEST TRUCKS EVER BUILT.
FAMED FOR ITS INCREDIBLE ENDURANCE,
RUGGED ENOUGH TO COPE WITH THE AFRICAN DESERT
OR THE SIBERIAN WINTER.
IT'S THE WORKHORSE OF THE RUSSIAN MILITARY.
SO, WHEN IT COMES TO BUILDING AN UNSTOPPABLE SUPERTRUCK,
HOW DO THEY DO IT?
NABEREZHNYE CHELNY, RUSSIA.
HOME OF THE KAMAZ FACTORY --
43 MILLION SQUARE FEET OF ENGINEERING MIGHT.
HERE THEY CHURN OUT OVER 51,000 TRUCKS A YEAR.
THEY'RE BUILT TO SURVIVE IN THE MOST PUNISHING CONDITIONS.
EVERY SINGLE COMPONENT HAS TO COPE WITH EXTREME ENVIRONMENTS
OVER HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF MILES.
TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE TOUGH ENOUGH,
KAMAZ HAS ITS OWN FOUNDRY.
VAST FURNACES HEAT IRON ORE TO OVER 2,700 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.
STEEL IS ADDED FOR STRENGTH.
ENGINE BLOCKS AND AXLES CAN NOW BE CAST
FROM A SINGLE, SOLID PIECE OF THIS MOLTEN METAL.
FOR FOREMAN ZUFAR NIZAMOV, IT'S A DEMANDING WORKPLACE.
[ SPEAKS RUSSIAN ]
Narrator: THE ENGINE BLOCK IS THE BIGGEST SINGLE PIECE
CAST IN THE FOUNDRY.
BUT THE CASTING PROCESS CAUSES A PROBLEM.
IT LEAVE A ROUGH SURFACE
WHICH WILL DESTROY PISTONS AND CRANKSHAFTS IN SECONDS.
SO THE BLOCK IS SENT FOR POLISHING,
AND NO ORDINARY ABRASIVE SURFACE WILL DO.
A FOUR-AXIS HONING MACHINE IS DIAMOND-TIPPED
TO CARVE THROUGH THE METAL LIKE BUTTER...
...SMOOTHING INSIDE THE ENGINE BLOCK'S CYLINDERS.
TOLERANCE LEVELS ARE MICROSCOPIC --
NINE TIMES THINNER THAN A HUMAN HAIR.
THE ONLY WAY TO CHECK THIS LEVEL OF ACCURACY
IS WITH COMPUTERIZED MEASURING EQUIPMENT.
TEST PASSED, AND THE BLOCK IS COMPLETE.
TO TURN IT INTO AN ENGINE,
IT GOES TO A MASSIVE PRODUCTION LINE.
880 WORKERS PUMP OUT 260 ENGINES A DAY.
TO MAXIMIZE EFFICIENCY,
THE PROCESS IS RUN WITH MILITARY PRECISION.
FIRST, THEY ADD THE CRANKSHAFT, THE SPINE OF THE ENGINE,
WHICH COORDINATES THE MOVEMENT OF THE PISTONS.
THIS 10-LITER V8 ENGINE
WILL PUMP OUT 260 HORSEPOWER EVERY DAY FOR YEARS,
SO ALL EIGHT PISTONS MUST BE PERFECTLY ALIGNED.
NEXT UP, THE CLUTCH AND TRANSMISSION,
BUT THEY HAVE TO BE INSTALLED
UNDERNEATH THE 2,000-POUND ENGINE.
SO THEY FLIP THE ENTIRE ENGINE OVER.
58 MINUTES AFTER THE PROCESS STARTS, THE ENGINE IS FINISHED.
THE ASSEMBLY LINE NOW MARRIES ENGINE AND CHASSIS TOGETHER,
AND THE TRUCK MOVES ONE STEP CLOSER TO COMPLETION.
THE FINAL KEY COMPONENT IS THE CAB,
WHICH HAS TO ENDURE EVERYTHING MOTHER NATURE THROWS AT IT.
IT NEEDS A PAINT JOB TOUGH ENOUGH
TO WITHSTAND A LIFETIME OF SANDSTORMS OR FROST.
PAINT DOESN'T BOND WELL TO BARE METAL,
SO EVERY CAB GETS A DIP IN EPOXY PRIMER.
PAINTING THE CABS BY HAND WOULD BE TOO LABOR-INTENSIVE,
EVEN FOR THIS MONSTER WORKFORCE.
BUT THE KAMAZ PAINTING ROBOTS
RISE FEARLESSLY TO THE CHALLENGE.
ARMED WITH COMPRESSED-AIR SPRAY GUNS,
THIS TEAM OF MACHINES CAN APPLY A COAT
IN JUST TWO AND A HALF MINUTES,
MOSTLY IN KAMAZ'S SIGNATURE ORANGE.
THE ROBOTS GET THROUGH 2,700 POUNDS OF PAINT PER DAY.
A FINAL QUALITY-CONTROL CHECK,
AND THE CABIN IS GIVEN THE OKAY FOR ASSEMBLY.
THE FINAL ASSEMBLY IS A CRITICAL STAGE.
EVERYTHING HAS TO FIT PRECISELY
IN ORDER TO ENSURE THE RUGGEDNESS OF THE CHASSIS
BEFORE THE CAB IS LOWERED AND BOLTED ONTO ITS MOUNTS.
IT TAKES FIVE MECHANICS ONE HOUR TO FINISH THE JOB.
FINALLY, THE TRUCK IS GIVEN LEAF-SPRING SUSPENSION
TO DEAL WITH UNEVEN GROUND
AND HEAVY-DUTY TIRES.
A FINAL ONCE-OVER ENSURES EVERYTHING'S PERFECT.
AND ANOTHER KAMAZ TRUCK SHIPS OUT
TO DO BATTLE WITH THE WORLD'S TOUGHEST ROADS.
STILL TO COME... HOW DO THEY MAKE SURE
ONE OF THE TALLEST TOWERS ON EARTH
IS ONE OF THE SAFEST?
JOIN US AFTER THE BREAK TO FIND OUT HOW ON "HOW DO THEY DO IT?"
Narrator: MODERN SKYSCRAPERS DRAW TOURISTS IN
WITH THEIR BREATHTAKING VIEWS,
BUT THIS BEAUTIFUL VIEW HIDES VERY REAL DANGERS,
LIKE EARTHQUAKES, HIGH WIND, AND LIGHTNING.
SO, WHEN IT COMES TO KEEPING PEOPLE SAFE
AT GRAVITY-DEFYING HEIGHTS, HOW DO THEY DO IT?
THE CITY OF GUANGZHOU IS HOME TO THE BIGGEST TOWER IN CHINA.
AT 2,000 FEET,
IT'S THE FOURTH-TALLEST FREE-STANDING STRUCTURE
IN THE WORLD.
BUT THERE ARE NO APARTMENTS OR OFFICES OVER ITS 112 FLOORS.
THIS IS A 110,000-TON TOWER OF ENTERTAINMENT.
PEOPLE ARRIVE BY THE THOUSANDS TO EAT, WATCH A MOVIE,
OR TAKE IN THE VIEW FROM THE BEST SEAT IN TOWN.
BUT WITH OVER 3 MILLION VISITORS A YEAR, SAFETY IS CRUCIAL.
[ THUNDER CRASHES ]
THE CANTON TOWER STANDS IN AN AREA KNOWN FOR EXTREME WEATHER,
AND IT'S MADE FROM A LOT OF METAL.
A LIGHTNING STRIKE COULD CAUSE A CATASTROPHE.
MR. YU MONITORS WHETHER IT'S SAFE TO OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
[ SPEAKS CHINESE ]
Narrator: INCREDIBLY, THE TOWER IS STRUCK AROUND 150 TIMES A YEAR.
CLOSING IT DOWN PROTECTS THE PEOPLE,
BUT NOT THE BUILDING.
FOR THAT, THEY HAVE A LIGHTNING ROD AT THE TOP OF THE TOWER.
IT CONDUCTS ELECTRICITY THROUGH FOUR TIERS OF PROTECTION,
THEN SAFELY DOWN TO EARTH.
BUT THERE ARE WORSE THREATS THAN LIGHTNING.
THIS IS EARTHQUAKE AND HURRICANE TERRITORY.
PREVENTING DISASTER
CALLS FOR A COMBINATION OF SUPER-SCALE CONSTRUCTION
AND THE LATEST ARCHITECTURAL TECHNOLOGY.
46 SOLID STEEL RING BEAMS
AND 24 CONCRETE-FILLED COLUMNS
SINK 64 FEET INTO THE GROUND
TO PROVIDE A SUPER-STRONG FOUNDATION,
BUT THAT'S NOT ENOUGH.
HIGH WINDS OR EARTHQUAKES
COULD STILL UNBALANCE THE TOP-HEAVY TOWER.
THE KEY TO ITS STABILITY TAKES UP TWO OF THE TOP FLOORS --
A REVOLUTIONARY MOTION-DAMPER SYSTEM.
TWO MASSIVE BALLAST TANKS,
EACH HOLDING 660 TONS OF WATER,
ARE FITTED TO A MOTORIZED RACK.
WHEN VIBRATION OR WIND EXCEEDS A SET NORMAL RANGE,
THE TANKS MOVE TO AUTOMATICALLY LEVEL THE TOWER.
FROM HIS CONTROL ROOM IN THE CLOUDS,
MR. *** HAS ABSOLUTE CONFIDENCE IN THE SYSTEM.
AND THE WATER IN THESE TANKS ISN'T JUST COUNTERWEIGHT.
THEY'RE LINKED TO SPRINKLERS AND PUMPING STATIONS,
WHICH CAN MOVES MASSES OF WATER AROUND THE BUILDING
TO TARGET A FIRE.
TECHNOLOGY KEEPS THE TOWER SAFE
FOR TOURISTS TO ENJOY THE ATTRACTIONS,
BUT BEFORE THEY GET TO SAMPLE TO HIGH LIFE,
THEY HAVE TO GET PAST SECURITY.
Narrator: PATROLLING THE CANTON TOWER IN CHINA
IS A BATTALION OF 38 GUARDS.
ACCESS TO THE TOWER
RIVALS SECURITY AT AN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT,
WITH METAL DETECTORS
AND STATE-OF-THE-ART SCANNING EQUIPMENT.
BUT THIS IS JUST THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE.
BEHIND THE SCENES, SECURITY IS ALWAYS WATCHING.
IN THIS CASE, HEAD OF SECURITY JIANG ZHANG BIN.
[ SPEAKS CHINESE ]
Narrator: UP TO 20,000 TOURISTS A DAY PASS THROUGH SECURITY.
THAT MEANS OVERCROWDING COULD BE A MAJOR PROBLEM.
SIX REVOLUTIONARY, DOUBLE-DECKER ELEVATORS
CAN MOVE 1,800 VISITORS AN HOUR.
THESE HIGH-SPEED SHUTTLES ROCKET SKYWARD AT 16 FEET PER SECOND
AND REACH THE 1,400-FOOT VIEWING DECK IN 1 1/2 MINUTES --
FAST ENOUGH TO MAKE YOUR EARS POP.
BUT IT'S WORTH IT FOR THE RIDE DOWN.
THE 16 SCENIC SKYPODS ARE GREAT FOR PHOTOS,
OR YOU CAN TAKE THE HIGHEST THRILL RIDE ON EARTH --
SKY DROP.
[ PEOPLE SCREAMING ]
BUT WHILE TOURISTS FEEL THE FEAR,
SAFETY TECHNICIANS LIKE MR. LUI CAN'T AFFORD TO GET NERVOUS.
TODAY, MR. LUI IS GREASING THE WINDING GEAR FOR SKY DROP.
AT THE TOP OF THE MAINTENANCE LADDER,
MR. LUI STRAPS ON A SAFETY HARNESS,
THEN RIDES SKY DROP LIKE AN ELEVATOR
UNTIL HE'S 1,600 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND,
HIGHER THAN THE EMPIRE STATE BUILDING.
AFTER GREASING THE GEAR AT THE RIDE'S SUMMIT,
HE CLEANS THE MECHANISM ON THE WAY DOWN,
AND IT'S TIME FOR TESTING.
IF YOU THINK ROLLER COASTERS ARE FRIGHTENING,
MAYBE THIS ONE'S NOT FOR YOU.
OH, MY GOD.
Narrator: FOR VISITORS WHO DON'T WANT TO PLUMMET
FROM NEARLY 1,600 FEET UP,
THE BIGGEST ATTRACTION IS THE VIEW.
ALMOST 9,000 REINFORCED-GLASS WINDOWS
OPEN OUT ACROSS THE CITY AND SURROUNDING COUNTRYSIDE.
CLEANING INSIDE IS STRAIGHTFORWARD.
CLEANING THE OUTSIDE IS TRICKIER.
THAT CALLS FOR SOME SPECIALISTS' SKILLS.
THESE GUYS HAVE ABSEILING AND MOUNTAINEERING BACKGROUNDS.
WAN CHENG YIN STEPS STRAIGHT INTO THE SKY,
ALMOST A QUARTER OF A MILE UP.
EXTREME HEIGHT ASIDE, HIS BIGGEST PROBLEM
IS STAYING WITHIN REACH OF THE WINDOWS.
SO HE USES THIS TRUSTY SUCKER,
WHICH ANCHORS HIM IN PLACE AND ALLOWS HIM TO WORK.
THANKS TO HIGH SECURITY ON THE GROUND,
HIGH-TECH IN THE MIDDLE,
AND HIGH-FLYING MAINTENANCE TEAMS IN THE SKY,
TOURISTS CAN HAVE THEIR HEADS IN THE CLOUDS,
THEN GET THEIR FEET SAFELY BACK ON THE GROUND.
FOR MORE "HOW DO THEY DO IT?" CHECK OUT...