The History Channel

A man shows up at Scott Wolter's lab with a 500-pound discovery. In the flatbed of his truck is a large boulder he pulled from the Arkansas River, inscribed with a mysterious bull symbol. Wolter's investigation into who carved the stone and for what ritualistic purpose ultimately reveals a connection between the ancient Egyptian cult of the Apis bull, the mysterious religion known as Mithraism and a party of pre-Columbian explorers to Oklahoma's panhandle. In the end, carvings in a cave in America's Heartland shed light on an ancient connection that could prove a group of religious outcasts made it to America in pre-Columbian times.

Mysterious legends and crumbling ruins are all that is left of our planet's lost worlds. But could there be proof of ancient alien visitors hidden among the artifacts of civilizations that have long vanished? Strange carvings suggest the Mayan city of Copan was ruled by the descendants of otherworldly beings. And some believe the ancient Nazca people altered their bodies--and their lands--to signal the star gods to return. Are the astounding accomplishments of lost civilizations merely the products of ancient folklore--or could they have been something... out of this world?

Take a look, if you dare, into what drives our deepest fears. Explore the fears of being buried alive, drowning, being burned alive and more. Examine the roots of each fear, how the fear has changed over time, and how the fear has been manipulated to create mass hysteria. Discover the science of how the body reacts to fear and the physiological cause of death. Listen to the stories of those who have survived a near-death experience. Doctors, historians, psychologists and scientists will give viewers perspective on our most primal fears.

Alien abduction is a common and highly documented phenomenon; proof of alien abduction in the form of objects implanted in people's bodies is not. This episode chronicles several close encounters with alien abductees who have been held captive, probed, examined and had objects implanted in their bodies. For the first time, viewers can observe surgery that removed an alien implant from an abductee's body. With the help of accredited doctors and scientists, the team will examine this object and if possible, determine its origin and composition to reveal just exactly what happened.

In the early morning hours of May 14, 2008, witnesses in Needles, CA saw a turquoise glowing object in a rapid descent over the Colorado River. Soon after, military helicopters carried away an object that appeared to be glowing, and according to witnesses, military personnel canvassed the town, intimidating witnesses and townspeople. But alleged cover-ups of strange crashes are nothing new--from Flatwoods, West Virginia to Kecksburg, Pennsylvania, reports of UFO clean-ups are rampant. The team visits the site of the most current UFO crash in the world to search for signs of what some say the government keeps trying to hide.

Scientists are continually challenged by unidentified strains of bacteria with mysterious origins. Could some of our most crippling plagues and epidemics be traced to the darkest voids of space--or even extraterrestrial intervention? During the Black Death of the Middle Ages, people reported bronze flying ships emitting a strange mist. As recently as 2011, NASA scientist Richard Hoover published evidence of life in meteorites. Is it possible that ancient aliens--as small as microbes--have shaped human history?

Unearthly visitations... Heavenly messengers... Close encounters... Accounts of humans interacting with celestial beings have existed since the beginning of mankind. Many of these encounters resulted in moral, philosophical and artistic inspirations. But did these contacts involve ethereal beings from heaven or extraterrestrials from other worlds? Are holy books the word of God, or guidebooks passed down by more advanced civilizations? Who told Joan of Arc how to defeat the English Army--saints or extraterrestrials? Could a young boy from India have learned advanced mathematical formulas from a Hindu goddess? What message did an American serviceman receive while touching an alien aircraft? If the Ancient astronaut theory is correct, then are beings from other worlds communicating with us for our benefit... or theirs? Just what is the purpose of these alien contacts?

People on every continent have claimed to see the footprints of Bigfoot. And ancient myths and legends speak of an ape-like giant stalking the earth. What if, as Ancient Astronaut theorists believe, there is evidence to connect Bigfoot with an alien species that once visited Earth in the distant past?

At nearly 14,000 years old, the ruins of Puma Punku are the oldest and most baffling on the face of the Earth. No one knows who designed and built this complex of sophisticated inter-locking blocks, and then vanished. Researchers investigate the ruins on-location in Peru and present new computer analyses. Forensic evidence on the ground, together with local myths and legends, suggest this site may have been designed and even once inhabited by a species of extraterrestrials.

Herod, king of Judea, was famous for creating a series of great buildings, and laying the foundations for Jerusalem. Watch as Herod's impressive projects are charted, including his masterpiece, Herod's Temple. Follow a team of historical detectives who use evidence from recent excavations, scientific studies and historical documents to piece together clues to what ancient locations looked like. They are brought to life by computer graphics which allow viewers to fly over, enter the streets, walk through the halls and peer into these vanished worlds.

Informational programming.

Informational programming.

Informational programming.

Informational programming.

The Vikings were fearsome warriors from Denmark and Norway who burst upon Western Europe, raiding and plundering at the end of the 8th century. They first targeted coastal monasteries, but later they constructed magnificent ships that could sail up rivers and sack inland towns. These raids resulted in the Viking invasion of Britain and Northern France. Many of the sites of the most crucial events in world history are now lost. Follow a team of historical detectives who use evidence from recent excavations, scientific studies and historical documents to see what these locations looked like. Computer graphics allow viewers to fly over, enter the streets and peer into these lost worlds.

Take a look, if you dare, into what drives our deepest fears. Explore the fears of being buried alive, drowning, being burned alive and more. Examine the roots of each fear, how the fear has changed over time, and how the fear has been manipulated to create mass hysteria. Discover the science of how the body reacts to fear and the physiological cause of death. Listen to the stories of those who have survived a near-death experience. Doctors, historians, psychologists and scientists will give viewers perspective on our most primal fears.

Alien abduction is a common and highly documented phenomenon; proof of alien abduction in the form of objects implanted in people's bodies is not. This episode chronicles several close encounters with alien abductees who have been held captive, probed, examined and had objects implanted in their bodies. For the first time, viewers can observe surgery that removed an alien implant from an abductee's body. With the help of accredited doctors and scientists, the team will examine this object and if possible, determine its origin and composition to reveal just exactly what happened.

In the early morning hours of May 14, 2008, witnesses in Needles, CA saw a turquoise glowing object in a rapid descent over the Colorado River. Soon after, military helicopters carried away an object that appeared to be glowing, and according to witnesses, military personnel canvassed the town, intimidating witnesses and townspeople. But alleged cover-ups of strange crashes are nothing new--from Flatwoods, West Virginia to Kecksburg, Pennsylvania, reports of UFO clean-ups are rampant. The team visits the site of the most current UFO crash in the world to search for signs of what some say the government keeps trying to hide.

Scientists are continually challenged by unidentified strains of bacteria with mysterious origins. Could some of our most crippling plagues and epidemics be traced to the darkest voids of space--or even extraterrestrial intervention? During the Black Death of the Middle Ages, people reported bronze flying ships emitting a strange mist. As recently as 2011, NASA scientist Richard Hoover published evidence of life in meteorites. Is it possible that ancient aliens--as small as microbes--have shaped human history?