Megacities Episode 7: Mexico City

Megacities Episode 7: Mexico City

Its the worlds biggest city. It sprawls across more than 1,400 square kilometers. But for the 18 million people who live here, its not just another metropolis. Mexico City is ground zero. This Mega-city violates the first rule of real estate: location. On one side: one of the worlds most earthquake-prone hotspots. On the other: one of the worlds most active volcanoes. And beneath their feet - a shaky foundation of landfill. To Mother Nature, Mexico City is one big target. And any moment, the Big One could hit. But against the most destructive force of nature, the city is tapping the power of science. From subways to freeways, Mexico City is harnessing cutting-edge technology to build in safety. Towering over the city is Latin Americas tallest skyscraper - built to ride out an earthquake on giant shock absorbers. Most of all, the city is now armed with a slender line of defense: an earthquake detection system, built to give the city a one-minute warning before a quake arrives. Because today, the question isnt if another earthquake will hit - but when.

Megacities takes a revolutionary look at the places where most of us live: the modern Metropolis. Megacities focuses on the single aspect of a city's infrastructure which best informs the life and functions of that place. Each city is examined as an organism: living, breathing, and growing. In order to survive, these infrastructures must each function independently, and yet blend into a harmony of man, machine, strategy and system, which defines it as a mega city. Megacities examines the infrastructure of iconic locations around the world: Las Vegas, Mexico City, Hong Kong, London, Paris, Sao Paulo, Mumbai, New York. Through dramatic storytelling, unparalleled access and sophisticated computer graphics blended seamlessly with live action, Megacities takes viewers beyond the monuments - and into the machinery - that is the true, living marvel of each mega city.