The History Channel

In 2004 the American School of Classical Studies in Greece made a surprising discovery of two limestone coffins which dated back 3000 years. Archaeologist Guy Sanders was not only surprised by the quality of the sarcophagi but shocked by their size and weight. The coffins weighed 3 tons, and he concluded that the people of the Geometric Period must have used massive machines to move them. From the Pharos of Alexandria to the Parthenon on the Acropolis we will delve into the world of the ancient heavy engineers, and discover how their machines were used to build and transport some of the most amazing structures in Antiquity.

Humans have mapped every corner of the globe--from jungles and deserts to the depths of space. Yet we've gone only seven miles below the Earth's surface--just one five hundredth of the way to the Core. This documentary special goes deeper: 4,000 miles down to the heart of our planet. Along the way, scientists, engineers, explorers and adventurers encounter an underground world where: strange life forms inhabit deadly environments over a mile down; trees force their way through 400 feet of rock to find water; 1500-foot tall skyscrapers are built on sand; mines are the size of cities; and prospectors give the Earth electric shocks to help find oil. It also a place where people run marathons, make parachute jumps and scuba divers edge their way to the base of the world's deepest caves. Finally, find out how our very existence depends on the mysterious underground forces that shape the Earth.

In Mexico, explorers use a sacred ancient Mayan temple code to search for an occult underworld engineered in the depths of the earth--a mysterious site where no TV cameras have ever ventured. In Britain, investigators uncover the secret technologies behind a life size statue of Jesus Christ that miraculously came to life. Weapons experts reveal the science that saved a holy military order from certain annihilation in the bloodiest siege in history. In Greece, archaeologists solve the mystery of the oracle of the dead; an eerie sanctuary where flying ghosts appeared from the depths of hell.

In 2004 the American School of Classical Studies in Greece made a surprising discovery of two limestone coffins which dated back 3000 years. Archaeologist Guy Sanders was not only surprised by the quality of the sarcophagi but shocked by their size and weight. The coffins weighed 3 tons, and he concluded that the people of the Geometric Period must have used massive machines to move them. From the Pharos of Alexandria to the Parthenon on the Acropolis we will delve into the world of the ancient heavy engineers, and discover how their machines were used to build and transport some of the most amazing structures in Antiquity.

The 1980 Mount St. Helens' eruption alerted the world to the dangers of an explosive volcano in the Cascade Range. The fiery blast that killed every living thing within a 25-mile radius and unleashed the biggest landslide in recorded history. Now, Mount Rainier, 60 miles east of Seattle, threatens an even greater loss of life and property. This 14,000-foot peak holds more ice and snow than all other volcanoes in the Cascade Range combined. Even a small eruption at Rainier could unleash a debris mudslide that would entomb several towns in the valley below. Tens of thousands of people are in grave danger. Geologists say that it's not a question of if Rainier, an active volcano, will erupt...but when. Experts have mapped out the hazard zone and engineered a sophisticated warning system. But when Rainier blows, the window for evacuation is small. As we'll see, people must have an efficient evacuation plan, or else the loss of lives will be incredible.

The world's largest, most active volcano system exists in the western US. 6,000 years ago, the Yellowstone Volcano erupted. Lava and pyroclastic flows covered 3,000-square miles with ash 3-feet thick. Fossils discovered as far away as Nebraska were found to have died from inhaling the Yellowstone debris. If--or perhaps we should say when--it erupts again, the Yellowstone "Mega-Volcano" will create a global cataclysm beyond human comprehension. Everything within 150 miles--including the cities of Cody, Wyoming and Bozeman, Montana--will be hit by an 800-degree blast of heat and 200 miles-per-hour winds. Thousands will be killed. That's just the local effects. Half the US will be buried beneath a blanket of volcanic ash. Crops in the Midwest--the world's breadbasket--will be destroyed. And it will take years before crops can grow again. Starvation, epidemics, and social chaos won't be long in coming.

We reveal how the science and technology of ballistics actually dates back thousands of years to the ancient world. Using state of the art forensic techniques and the world's leading firearms experts, this groundbreaking show reveals the accuracy, power and range of ancient bullets, rockets and bombs.

Exactly as they do today, ancient commandos fought deep behind enemy lines in some of the harshest terrains know to man. Battle through storms and five foot snowdrifts to reveal the tech and truth behind the world earliest known ski commandos. Journey to the deserts of Egypt and reveal how a tiny army beat off a major invasion force using deception and a bunch of farm animals. The famous Bayeux tapestry that tells the story of the last invasion of England in 1066 hides a secret clue to the triumph of an elite fighting force. We reveal how the simple stirrup changed the entire course of history. Then, uncover the secrets of the Naftun--one of the ancient worlds most feared and successful commando units.

The axe is one of the world's oldest, most dangerous and efficient cutting tools. Watch as competitive lumberjacks and Jills chop through 12-inch logs in a matter of seconds. Visit one of the nation's largest axe manufacturers to see hot metal forged into a modern axe. Take a swing with a Vikings' battleaxe and then see which knight would win in a fight of sword versus axe. Learn why the Native American tomahawk is making a comeback as a modern tactical weapon. Finally, see how the classic fireman's axe has evolved into a trailer full of high tech rescue tools.

Shoes have come a long way from their humble beginnings as simple leather moccasins. Today footwear is built to withstand any extreme environment where a foot can tread -- from the heart of a burning building to the track of an Olympic stadium. From high-tech soles to shoelaces, cowboy boots to sneaker design -- step behind the scenes with the products that keep your feet covered.

Every aspect of our lives involves pressure. It's what puts the bubbles in soft drinks, propels shaving cream from its can, cools the contents of your refrigerator, and causes volcanoes to erupt. But when pressure suddenly changes, you better look out! Rapid pressure changes can be as violent as explosions. And variable atmospheric pressure? We call that the weather.

It's a rivalry that tears us apart every four years, but how did our nation divide into red states vs. blue states, and what happens to the states caught in the middle?

Deep in the Rust Belt the white collar and blue collar divide has shaped our cities and our states. How did this rivalry change the way we all bring home the bacon?

The final hour of the series brings us to precipice of the 2005 inauguration. This is an era marked by a new world order, defined by the fall of the Berlin Wall, then shattered by the specter of global terrorism. Defining moments include Jimmy Carter's economic malaise and the Iran Hostage Crisis; the election of actor Ronald Reagan, bringing another assassination attempt, Iran-Contra, and the Strategic Defense Initiative; George H.W. Bush's Gulf War; Bill Clinton's booming economy, sex scandals, and impeachment; and the terror strikes on America on 9/11, George W. Bush's handling of the crisis, the War on Terror, doctrine of preemptive strikes, and invasion of Iraq. We also look at the contentious 2004 reelection of Bush over John Kerry.

Informational programming.

Informational programming.

Informational programming.

Informational programming.

On June 5, 1968, just after midnight, Robert F. Kennedy was fatally wounded in the pantry of the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles following his win in that night's California presidential primary. The armed assailant was taken into custody that night and later identified as a 25-year-old Palestinian immigrant, Sirhan Bishara Sirhan. He remains in prison to this day for the assassination of Senator Kennedy. More than 35 years later, questions in the Robert Kennedy murder remain: Was there a second gunman in the pantry? Is there evidence of a police cover-up? What was Sirhan Sirhan's mental state that night and what drove him to assassinate RFK?

The 1980 Mount St. Helens' eruption alerted the world to the dangers of an explosive volcano in the Cascade Range. The fiery blast that killed every living thing within a 25-mile radius and unleashed the biggest landslide in recorded history. Now, Mount Rainier, 60 miles east of Seattle, threatens an even greater loss of life and property. This 14,000-foot peak holds more ice and snow than all other volcanoes in the Cascade Range combined. Even a small eruption at Rainier could unleash a debris mudslide that would entomb several towns in the valley below. Tens of thousands of people are in grave danger. Geologists say that it's not a question of if Rainier, an active volcano, will erupt...but when. Experts have mapped out the hazard zone and engineered a sophisticated warning system. But when Rainier blows, the window for evacuation is small. As we'll see, people must have an efficient evacuation plan, or else the loss of lives will be incredible.

The world's largest, most active volcano system exists in the western US. 6,000 years ago, the Yellowstone Volcano erupted. Lava and pyroclastic flows covered 3,000-square miles with ash 3-feet thick. Fossils discovered as far away as Nebraska were found to have died from inhaling the Yellowstone debris. If--or perhaps we should say when--it erupts again, the Yellowstone "Mega-Volcano" will create a global cataclysm beyond human comprehension. Everything within 150 miles--including the cities of Cody, Wyoming and Bozeman, Montana--will be hit by an 800-degree blast of heat and 200 miles-per-hour winds. Thousands will be killed. That's just the local effects. Half the US will be buried beneath a blanket of volcanic ash. Crops in the Midwest--the world's breadbasket--will be destroyed. And it will take years before crops can grow again. Starvation, epidemics, and social chaos won't be long in coming.

We reveal how the science and technology of ballistics actually dates back thousands of years to the ancient world. Using state of the art forensic techniques and the world's leading firearms experts, this groundbreaking show reveals the accuracy, power and range of ancient bullets, rockets and bombs.