Author Steven Johnson uncovers extraordinary stories behind the ideas that made modern life possible. Broken down into six themes -- cold, time, light, clean, glass and sound -- each episode highlights the men and women whose innovations have impacted nearly every aspect of everyday life. Segments include how adding chlorine to Jersey City's water made it safe to drink; a railway clerk who sought to standardize U.S. time into four zones; Clarence Birdseye's development of frozen food; and the role of sound in medicine.