The Lightbulb Moment

Season 1 Episode 9 - Interstate: How the Interstate Connected and Divided America

Season 1

• Season 1

S01:E01 - Like Button: The Unintended Consequences of the Facebook Like Button

At first Mark Zuckerberg worried that the like button would discourage meaningful interaction.

S01:E02 - Cubicle: How the Cubicle Became Universally Hated

A futuristic designer named Robert Propst dreamed up the cubicle as a groovy 1960s workplace utopia.

S01:E03 - Barcode: How the Barcode Shaped Our Modern Economy

Barcodes have helped fuel the rise of everything from massive companies to world powers.

S01:E04 - Florida: How Real Estate Rogues Invented Florida as We Know It

An army of real estate boosters changes Florida from a backwater to a vacation destination.

S01:E05 - Mauve: The Fake Color That Made Our Modern World

In 1856, a chemistry student accidentally created a strange substance with a rich purple hue.

S01:E06 - Vanilla: The Bean That Shaped the Future of Food

The vanilla bean takes the world by storm, sparking the artificial flavor revolution.

S01:E07 - Wi-Fi: The Hollywood Actress Who Laid the Groundwork for Wi-Fi

Hedy Lamarr invented a technology that laid the groundwork for the wireless internet of today.

S01:E08 - Streaming: The Invention That Revolutionized Streaming Video

A technological breakthrough in streaming video sets the foundation for the era of Netflix.

S01:E09 - Interstate: How the Interstate Connected and Divided America

The interstate highway system was a plan to connect all corners of America and boost the economy.

S01:E10 - Edison: How Edison Reinvented Invention

Edison pioneered the world's first research and development center in Menlo Park.