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With the growth of technology and human ingenuity man is capable of creating mind-blowing wonders. The era of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World is over. Say hello to the 21st century, and the 15 man-made marvels of the modern world!

Henderson Waves

This extraordinary 899-feet long pedestrian bridge is located in Singapore at 118 ft above ground which makes it the highest pedestrian bridge in Singapore. The wave-formed construction has 7 curved steel ribs which rise over and below the deck. The ribs serve as shelters as they form alcoves with seats in them. The bridge connects two parks- Mount Faber and Telok Blangah Hill. Anyone who has ever walked on that bridge cannot deny the beauty of its wavy forms.







The Ledge at Willis Tower

How would you feel if you stood in a glass box suspended 1,353 feet above ground? Chicago’s former Sears Tower (currently named Willis Tower) can now offer height lovers a new thrilling experience. Protruding viewing chambers with transparent walls, floor and ceiling are suspended in the air from the building’s 103rd floor and give visitors a unique possibility to observe Chicago’s enchanting cityscape from bird’s eye view.




Grand Canyon Skywalk

If you thought The Ledge at Willis Tower was a breathtaking experience- wait until go visit the U-shaped walkway- a glass-bottomed bridge which sits 4 000 feet above the Colorado River. If you have ever wondered how it would feel to walk in the sky, you should definitely visit this extraordinary construction.







Palm Jumeirah

Up until recently there were only a few man-made wonders that could be seen from the International Space Station- like the Great Wall of China and the Great Pyramid of Giza. Today astronauts can also behold another beautiful creation of man- the artificial island of Palm Jumeirah in Dubai. The creation of this paradise on earth, this place of luxurious hotels and expensive villas, is estimated to have used 7 million tons of rock and 94 million cubic meters of sand and cost 12.3 billion dollars.




Channel Tunnel

The Chanel Tunnel is one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World. With its length of 31.4 mi the Chanel Tunnel connects Folkestone, England with Calais, France and has the world’s longest underwater section. The tunnel carries not only trains but cars as well- its car transport trains have the longest railway carriages.





Akashi-Kaikyō Bridge

Another bridge which deserves our attention carries the name Akashi-Kaikyō Bridge and it is also known as “The Pearl Bridge”. This majestic construction connects the Japanese islands of Honshu and Awaji. Currently this is the longest suspension bridge in the world with a total length of more than 12 000 feet. The bridge cost nearly $6 billion and every day about 23 000 cars use it.





Three Gorges Dam

Although this project is strongly controversial, The Three Gorges Dam in China is undoubtedly a staggering man-made construction. The world’s largest hydroelectric power station has a 397-mile-long reservoir. The project began in 1994 and it is yet to be completed in 2011. The whole operation cost $70 billion but the reason why it is so controversial is because over 1 million citizens had to be displaced and many historical and cultural sites were forever submerged underwater.





Panama Canal

This great example of human persistence and ingenuity took 34 years to complete and reduced shipping distance between New York and San Francisco with 8 000 miles. The canal connects the Atlantic and the Pacific Ocean and it is 50.72-mile-long. The construction of the canal was initiated by France and completed by the US. While the USA were working on the canal a total of 211 million cubic yards of dirt and rock were removed from the ocean floor.





The Dreamliner

While some man-made wonders receive mixed reviews because of their effect on the environment, others are welcomed wholeheartedly by everyone. The new Boeing 787 Dreamliner is the world’s first commercial plane which is constructed mainly from carbon-reinforced plastic. It is the Boeing’s most fuel-efficient airplane because of the material the plane is built from- carbon-reinforced plastic is both light and strong, it does not corrode and is not susceptible to metal fatigue. First planes are expected to be used by Nippon airlines in late 2010.



Hoover Dam

In case China is too far away, you might consider visiting Hoover Dam on the border between Nevada and Arizona. Also known as the Boulder Dam, it is located in the Black Canyon on the Colorado River. This is the highest concrete arch dam in the US- about 726.4 feet. The energy generated by the dam is used by Arizona, Nevada and California- a total of 4 billion kilowatt-hours of hydrolic power per year.





Time Warner Center

This mix-used skyscraper is the largest building constructed in New York after the Sept. 11, 2001. The skyscraper consists of two 750 ft towers. The skyscraper has a residential part, offices, a 1,200 seat theater, many luxurious stores and also CNN studios where a lot of its shows are broadcast. The building is so tall that it catches the last sunrays at sunset, and this gives it a golden glow while the rest of the town is already in twilight.







International Space Station

Living in space is no longer a privilege available only to astronauts- now you can spend several days in zero gravity and the only condition is to have approximately $25 million to spare. Its primal function is not just a space hotel of course- it is used mainly for research. This is, in fact, the biggest most complex international scientific project in the history of mankind.






Oasis of the Seas

The world’s largest cruise ship for 2009 weighs 5 times more than Titanic and it is 1.5 times longer than the U.S. Capitol building. Departing from Port Everglades in Florida and sailing in the eastern and western Caribbean, the ship offers its passengers a huge variety of amenities including a casino, mini-golf course, four swimming pools, volleyball and basketball courts, many night clubs, gyms, theme parks and many more. The Oasis of the Seas has 16 decks and a capacity for 6,296 guests.


Millau Viaduct

The Millau Viaduct is the world’s tallest vehicular bridge. It is located the valley of the river Tarn in southern France. Thanks to its special design the bridge resembles a row of great white sailboats. Each pillar rises 1,125 feet- this is slightly taller than the Eiffel Tower and a little shorter than the Empire State Building.



Burj Khalifa

Dubai’s goal is to always set the lever higher and higher with its urban masterpieces. And it does it with style. Open in January 2010, Burj Khalifa is the world’s tallest building with its 2,717 feet and 160 floors. The building has a residential part, a hotel and even a mosque. The building was originally named Burj Dubai, however it was named in honor of Sheik Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan (the Sheik of Abu Dhabi) who helped Dubai financially with its enormous debt problems.