Quick Summary
The series puts everyday items under the microscope, offering an in‑depth look at how they are designed, produced and assembled. It examines the manufacturing processes behind space pens, reef aquariums and metal caskets, revealing the specialised techniques, materials and engineering that bring each product to market.
About This Program ✦
The series titled Space Pens/Reef Aquariums/Metal Caskets is presented as a programme episode that turns the spotlight onto ordinary objects we often overlook. Rather than focusing on grand inventions, it treats everyday items as the subject of investigation, inviting viewers to see the familiar in a new light. It treats the mundane as a subject worthy of close inspection, encouraging curiosity about the things we're using daily. In this installment the camera moves inside the production lines of three seemingly unrelated products – the space‑pen, the reef aquarium and the metal casket. Each segment breaks down the steps involved in turning raw material into the finished item, giving a clearer picture of the techniques and machinery that bring them into being. By examining the construction of these objects, the episode highlights the craftsmanship behind items we normally take for granted. The narrative walks through each phase, from raw components to the final product, showing how design and engineering intersect. The approach is essentially a microscopic look at manufacturing, offering a detailed view of how these everyday things are assembled. Viewers get a closer inspection of the processes that shape a pen designed for zero‑gravity, a tank that houses marine life, and a container built from metal. By pulling back the curtain on these processes, the programme aims to give viewers a tangible sense of the effort behind items that appear simple. The programme’s aim is simply to reveal the hidden work that goes into making such commonplace products.
How It's Made broadcasts on Discovery Science at 8:30pm, Monday, 9 February 2026. (Subtitles)



