In our forward-thinking world, we tend to think that ancient technology is, well, ancient. But all of our modern innovations rely on advancements made long ago, sometimes thousands of years in the past.

Above is an exclusive clip from an upcoming show The Link, which explores the connections between old technology and new. The show will look at how innovations in one field — such as science, art, finance, or medicine – jump to others. It will discover the connections between ancient Roman concrete and modern automated oil rigs or early Chinese fireworks and modern virtual reality.

In this sneak preview, we see the history of the humble chain drive, which was invented in ancient Greece, yet didn’t find widespread use until the 20th century when the bicycle-repairing Wright Brothers used it to help build the first powered airplane.

The Link premieres on the National Geographic Channel on May 25 at 7 p.m. EDT/PDT.