This is How Humans Have Changed the World | Generation Earth | BBC Earth Science

Summary

The script explores the world's largest engineering feats, from China's massive aqueduct project that will supply water to millions by 2030, to Bingham Canyon Mine's vast copper extraction crucial for modern technology. It delves into the intricacies of constructing mega-ships, the efficiency of container shipping, and the bustling underground transit systems of London and Tokyo, showcasing the scale and precision behind these monumental human endeavors.

Takeaways

• 🌏 The Chinese are building the world's largest aqueduct, a massive engineering project that is being constructed in 50m-long sections.
• 🏗️ Each section of the aqueduct starts as a steel rod framework, weighing 1,200 tonnes, and is moved into place by powerful cranes.
• 🚜 The positioning of the aqueduct sections is critical to allow water to flow naturally to Beijing without the need for pumps.
• 🕰️ The aqueduct project is expected to be fully operational by 2030, providing water to millions in northern China.
• 🏭 Bingham Canyon Mine is the largest open-pit mine globally, producing enough ore annually to rewire every home in the USA and Mexico.
• 🔨 The mine's operations involve massive machinery, including trucks weighing more than jumbo jets, to remove waste rock and extract copper.
• 🚜 Copper is essential for modern life, used in wiring, plumbing, cellphones, and hybrid cars, and Bingham Mine has been mining for over 100 years.
• 💡 The construction of a new super sewer in Mexico City highlights the challenges of managing sewage in densely populated urban areas.
• 🤿 Professional scuba divers like Julio face dangerous and vile conditions, diving in raw sewage to unblock pipes by hand.
• 🚢 The construction of mega-container ships requires a massive workforce, immense engines, and precision crane operations.
• 🚢 The scale of shipbuilding is immense, with shipyards producing approximately 100 mega-ships a year, each capable of holding 13,000 shipping containers.
• 🚅 The London Underground and Tokyo's subway system exemplify the complexity and efficiency of urban transportation, moving millions of people daily.

Q & A

What is the significance of the giant raised canal or aqueduct being constructed by the Chinese?

The giant raised canal or aqueduct is the largest engineering project on Earth, being constructed to build a man-made river across the landscape to carry water north to Beijing without the need for pumps, benefiting millions in northern China.

How are the sections of the aqueduct being constructed?

The sections are constructed on site, piece by piece, in separate 50m-long sections. Each section starts as a giant framework of steel rods, built by a team of 20 men, and then encased in concrete before being moved into position.

What is the weight of each aqueduct section and how is it moved into position?

Each section weighs 1,200 tonnes, which is more than three jumbo jets. It is moved into position with one of the world's most powerful cranes operated by a 25-year-old crane driver named Guang Ah Fung.

What is the critical aspect of positioning the aqueduct sections?

Positioning the blocks is critical because the water has to flow north to Beijing of its own accord without pumps. The gradient must be set perfectly, with one end just a centimetre lower than the other.

When is the aqueduct expected to be fully operational?

The aqueduct is expected to be fully operational by 2030.

What is the scale of Bingham Canyon Mine and why is it so large?

Bingham Canyon Mine is the largest open-pit mine in the world, producing enough ore each year to rewire every home in the USA and Mexico. It is so large because the ore contains only a tiny amount of copper, requiring the mining of a vast amount of material to extract enough pure metal.

What is Matt Lengerich's role at Bingham Canyon Mine?

Matt Lengerich is the operations manager in charge of the mine.

How long does it take to reach some of the deeper copper seams in Bingham Canyon Mine?

Some seams of copper are so deep that it takes seven years to dig through waste rock just to reach them.

What is the role of professional scuba diver Julio in Mexico City's sewer system?

Julio has one of Mexico's dirtiest jobs, diving in raw sewage to unblock pipes by hand, ensuring that the city's sewage continues to move out.

What is the Tube and how does it relate to the London Underground?

The Tube is a nickname for the London Underground. It is the oldest subway system in the world and during morning rush, over half a million people use it to commute to work, with over 500 trains running on 250 miles of track moving nearly three million people daily.

Why is the Tokyo subway system considered the busiest in the world?

The Tokyo subway system is considered the busiest because it handles eight million commuters daily, resulting in an astonishing three billion journeys a year.

How do modern container ships facilitate the efficient loading and unloading of goods?

Modern container ships facilitate efficient loading and unloading through the use of standardized shipping containers, which are easy to get on and off ships. Cranes at ports can handle a large number of these containers in a short amount of time, such as 35 containers per hour per crane.