The History Channel

An old-fashioned style of cooking, barbecue has evolved into a modern food craze and spawned a multi-billion dollar industry. We digest famous barbecue cook-offs and visit long-established barbecue restaurants like Arthur Bryant's in Kansas City, where the huge grills and taste thrills of true barbecue are more popular than ever. At home, three out of four US households own a grill. After WWII's end, the phenomenon of backyard barbecuing swept the nation, thanks to inexpensive and mass-produced grills, including the kettle-shaped Weber. Our tour of Weber's modern factories shows how they keep pace with demand by manufacturing more choices than ever, including portable mini-grills. We also examine the variety of fuels available for the savory selection of spicy sauces and rubs. Join us as we devour the mouthwatering flavors of BBQ in this episode. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

It's a great American wilderness--millions of acres of wild, primeval land with its own people, its own technology...and its own rules. Survival there depends on smarts and science, guts and grueling work...and a unique approach to one of the world's most uncompromising environments--swamps. Watch an assembly of the distinctive airboat, then hop on board for a breathtaking journey and discover the surprising history behind this swamp staple of transportation. Take a wild ride on a big-tired swamp buggy, and taste test some local delicacies that bring new meaning to "acquired taste." Witness a massive engineering project to divert the mighty Mississippi River, and meet the machines that make that job possible. Plus come face to face, literally, with enormous pythons and menacing alligators. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

From playgrounds to office cubicles, we love chowing down a meal from the lunch box. Ever wonder why a peanut butter sandwich sticks to the roof of your mouth? Did you know baby carrots might all be purple if it weren't for the Dutch? What mysterious filling other than vanilla creme used to be inside a Twinkie? Host Bobby Bognar seeks out the answers to these and other intriguing questions as he travels across America uncovering the secrets of our favorite lunch box treats. Along the way, he discovers everything from how the juice starts flowing into a juice box before it has a bottom to hold it...to the surprise that awaits us if we look inside a Goldfish cracker after we bite it. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

They are the one-stop-shopping places for learning all about the nature and variety of stars in the Universe. They're unique, because in clusters, all the stars were born at about the same time, from the same material and all are at the same approximate distance from Earth. This means we can be sure that any differences among them are due to their true natures and not distorted by different distances from Earth and other factors. In this episode, two kinds of star clusters in the galaxy are explored. "Open Clusters" are young, live in the spiral arms of the galaxy and give us insight into the birth and formation of stars. "Globular Clusters" are old, live in the outskirts of the galaxy and could be nearly as old as the Universe itself. In addition, explore Galaxy clusters to reveal the large-scale structure of the Universe, which is expanding so fast that eventually all other galaxies, except for our own, will literally disappear from our sight. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

The planets of our solar system have experienced epic catastrophes throughout their long history, both raining down from outside and bubbling up from within. We'll voyage back in time to investigate the violent events that profoundly shaped the planets, including earth itself. We'll witness stunning revelations about what transformed Mars into a barren, hostile desert...The disaster that changed Venus from temperate to hellish...The impact that blew away Mercury's mantle, turning it into a planetary core...A colossal disturbance that rearranged the orbits of the gas giants...Titanic impacts on Jupiter...And how a lost moon may finally explain Saturn's rings. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Asteroids, comets, gamma ray bursts and the sun all combine to make the Earth a dangerous place to live. NASA's top brass and other scientists are arming themselves with the latest technology to pre-empt an apocalyptic attack. Watch and investigate bizarre, and terrifying apocalyptic scenarios and the ways that scientists are racing against the clock to develop technology to defend our planet. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

For centuries, tales of monsters have piqued our curiosity. Legendary beasts from folklore, literature and film have captivated audiences around the world. But some say monsters are not confined to just our imaginations. Stories of the Abominable Snowman, Bigfoot, and the Loch Ness Monster have triggered worldwide investigations...and continue to enthrall believers and skeptics alike. TVPG VL | CC

Area 51 is considered the ultimate top secret facility, one that UFO investigators believe houses an extraterrestrial secret. But is there an even more secretive facility? In Dugway, UT, there is a remote testing facility sometimes referred to as Area 52. UFO watchers in this part of Utah have witnessed strange phenomena at this military site for over 10 years, leading to speculation that much of Area 51's secretive work is now conducted at Area 52. The team examines video of bizarre beams of light seen shooting up from the area, meets with an astrophysicist who has charted mysterious cosmic rays operating out of Dugway, and analyzes photos that suggest something very strange is taking place. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

UFOs are the biggest mystery of our time and somebody--or something--seems determined to keep it that way. Hundreds of UFO researchers and witnesses have told of terrifying encounters with mysterious men, usually dressed completely in black, who threaten terrible consequences if they don't keep silent. The Men in Black seem to appear out of nowhere, know facts the witnesses haven't divulged to anybody, and frequently display bizarre behavior, leading some to question whether they are in fact, human. The team interviews men who are only now willing to come forward to tell their stories. A sketch artist will create portraits of the MIB to see if the sightings match. The team will also analyze the only known photograph of a MIB and talk to the photographer. Finally, the team travels to "the new Area 51" in the Utah desert, to a site rumored to be the place where the MIB originate. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

For years, people have claimed to have had direct, personal contact with an alien. In this episode of our series, the team tracks down several people who claim to have had such contact. They'll also work along side medical and scientific professionals to try and discover what, if anything, really happed to these people. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

The Abominable Snowman is among the most frightening and notorious monsters in history. This ferocious nocturnal creature is said to attack people and slaughter their animals. Witnesses report sightings of a strange, hair-covered beast and claim to have heard blood-curdling screams. Evidence amassed over the last century may point to a startling conclusion: that something real and unknown stalks the desolate mountains of the Far East. Scientists and experts will examine the clues while the MonsterQuest team will undertake their most dangerous expedition to date with an epic ascent onto the snowy peaks where recent evidence of the beast was found. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Join an expedition into the wilderness of South America on the hunt for a monster-sized predatory spider. In the forests of Venezuela there are reports of spiders big enough to hunt and eat a small dog, and villagers build their huts in such a way as to keep giant spiders out. In 2006 an American soldier in Iraq was photographed with what appeared to be a three foot long arachnid. Watch as experts investigate the validity of these and other strange sightings, and examine man's fear of spiders. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

A vampire scare in New England in the 1700s lasted more than a century and turned families and communities upside down. The dead bodies of those suspected of vampirism were exhumed and ancient curse-breaking rituals were performed on them. Watch as the latest technology is used to analyze historic evidence of the New England vampires and discover if there was any basis for the panic. Medical science is also used to examine those who believe themselves to be modern day vampires. Is there a common element between the suspected vampires of America's past and present? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Chimpanzees are known to us as amusing circus attractions and are even popular as pets, but when they attack the results are frightening and horrific. Just as disturbing, across the U.S., witness reports suggest that chimpanzees may be on the loose. In the 1920s and 30s, chimps were common in Florida as part of road side carnivals and zoos, but in some cases these animals were let loose or escaped. Today, not only are attacks from pet chimps on the rise, but witnesses in Florida describe encounters with what may be wild chimpanzees. Now, MonsterQuest trackers and primatologists investigate how vicious chimps can actually get, and whether the environment could sustain these primates by searching the swamps and wilderness for a population of wild chimps in America. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

A deadly, slithering menace is taking over Florida and may be heading north. For more than 100 years, giant pythons have been discovered in parts of the Sunshine State, but since Hurricane Andrew in 1992, their territory has rapidly spread. Now, MonsterQuest searches for incursions in the outskirts of Miami, a population hotspot that is just moments from schools and homes. The team investigates whether pythons could hybridize and adapt, enabling them to threaten every state in the US. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

He was a priest, soldier and scholar. The first century historian, Flavius Josephus, is the most frequently quoted scholar when it comes to the history of Jesus' time. His vivid descriptions of historic events give us a clear picture of Roman times. But is it an accurate picture? Is there archaeological proof? We get a profile of the controversial historian. TVPG VL | CC

You may think you know the president, but do you know what it's like to be the President? From the mundane tasks to the madness we'll reveal the perks and perils of being the most powerful man in the world. We reveal secret details of the President's every day life inside the White House. Featuring interviews with past presidents, rarely seen recordings, and home movies, this two-hour special explores and exposes the day-to-day lives of our Commanders in Chief. Get a fresh perspective on the men you thought you knew. A look that trades everyday politics for their everyman side. TVPG VL | CC

Visit one of the most haunted houses in America, the Lizzie Borden house, scene of the famous 19th century double murder. Watch as paranormal expert's record bizarre goings on in this house with eight cameras rolling, including the highest resolution infrared camera ever used in a paranormal investigation. Will science and technology finally prove the existence of ghosts? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

The Bible paints a picture of King David as a mighty hero--capable of slaying giants, conquering enemies, and starting the messianic line that leads to Jesus. But for decades archaeologists have been struggling to find evidence of David's mighty kingdom. Join host Simcha Jacobovici as we examine the archaeological remains of three sets of gates in three ancient cities which might just hold the key to verifying David's story. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Saga of the Viking thought to be the first European to land in America. The son of the explorer Eric the Red, Leif brought Christianity to Greenland and sailed to a place he called "Vinland", which most scholars believe to be in modern New England. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Story of the search for the mountain where Moses spoke to God and received the Ten Commandments. Explores the possibility that the site could be at St. Catherine's monastery. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

A look at the Colosseum, Pantheon, Forum, and other ancient monuments that were often places of ritualistic human sacrifices and torture. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Biblical brothers' bonds are broken by murder in Eden in one of the most chilling accounts in the Old Testament. Journey back to the Land of Nod, where the guilt-ridden fugitive was banished, and find out how Cain lived out his days. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

The jagged backbone of Europe, spanning seven countries and providing essential water to millions, the Alps is Europe's most important geographic landmark. But how did marine fossils get here, seven thousand feet above sea level? Investigators as far back as Leonardo da Vinci have attempted to fathom out how the Alps evolved, a story that takes us to the bottom of the sea, up the slopes of the infamous Eiger and Matterhorn and deep into the heart of a glacier. But these iconic peaks won't be here for long. The mountains are tumbling down, glaciers are melting and the Alps are being washed away. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Though the Caribbean is renowned for its cruises and hedonistic vacation resorts, the ghosts that haunt these islands, as well as the traditions used to both fend them off and call them to life, are a reminder that on every sun-kissed beach there may lurk a dark and disturbing shade! Home to supernatural spirits since Columbus landed in the Bahamas and began slaughtering the native Arawak, the Caribbean is also known for its zombies, pirate ships, and the infamous Bermuda Triangle. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

From the dawn of the universe to this very day, Satan is believed to roam the earth, vowing to destroy man. Where there is light, Satan brings darkness. Where there is peace, he wages war. Where he finds love, he ushers in hate. Join us as we tell the story of the fallen angel Lucifer, the light bearer, who became the keeper of darkness. TVPG VL | CC

Mormons massacre a wagon train filled with overland settlers. Horse thieves decimate a camp of Chinese prospectors. Yavapai Indians slay a stagecoach full of passengers. No stranger to the Old West, technology often lent a helping hand to atrocity. From the swivel gun of the 1830s to a makeshift armored car in 1914, host David Carradine looks at the role technology played in some of the most heinous crimes in Wild West history. TVPG VL | CC

In 1994 a secret manuscript hidden in the Vatican Library revealed a previously unknown apocalyptic prophesy credited to history's most notorious seer, Michel de Nostradamus. Where did this "Lost Book" come from and who was its author? The answers to these questions might help establish whether the horrible illustrations in the book point to mankind's violent end. Although the book's cover displays the name Michel Nostradamus, some believe the true author is his eldest son, Cesar. Was Cesar Nostradamus also a prophet? One who struggled with his own visions? Did he, like his father, operate in the shadow of a powerful and unforgiving Church? And was he, too, cursed with the ability to see mankind's doomed future in order to warn future generations? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

During WWI, trenches and barbed wire ran across Europe from the Mediterranean to the North Sea. On July 1, 1916 at 7:30 a.m., after a week of artillery bombardment designed to destroy German barbed wire and concrete bunkers, 27 British divisions advanced on 16 German divisions. Expecting minor resistance, as they picked their way across no man's land, guns opened fire, shells burst overhead, and waves of men were gunned down. Almost 60,000 British were killed or wounded--a military catastrophe of unprecedented proportions. Filmed at the battlefield, in laboratories, and on firing ranges--archaeologists, military historians, and other experts, including metallurgists and geologists, conduct tests to replicate and understand the factors that turned one terrible day into the British Army's bloodiest. TVPG VL | CC

During Mardi Gras, New Orleans sets records for alcohol consumption; but there's another form of "spirit" for which the "Big Easy" is also famous. Meet a Voodoo Queen said to lurk the grounds of a gothic graveyard; the ghosts of two poisoned children who play in Myrtles Plantation; and a family of phantoms backstage at Le Petit Theatre. TVPG VL | CC

The Book of Revelation, the most terrifying and controversial book of the Bible, was written by an exiled prophet almost two thousand years ago. The final chapters of the New Testament describe mankind's violent end of days--a seven-year period of unparalleled death and destruction. Jesus breaks seven seals that unleash three waves of devastation--natural and man-made, from the sky and from deep within the earth. The Antichrist will rise. Pestilence, famine, war, and natural disasters will purge humanity before Jesus returns for the final battle between good and evil. But who is the Antichrist? Who will survive God's wrath? And when will this apocalypse happen? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Dawn, June 6, 1944. The largest invasion in history is underway. Four miles to the west of the Allied landings at Omaha Beach, a flotilla of landing craft head towards Hitler's "Atlantic Wall" defenses. They are carrying just 200 men of a newly trained elite force--the United States Rangers. Their objective is the vital German coastal defense gun battery on a headland known as the Pointe du Hoc. Climbing the 90 foot cliffs under a storm of German bullets and grenades, the Rangers find that the German guns are not where they should be. What follows is a desperate game of cat and mouse, as the Rangers attempt to hunt down the guns. The story of their mission is remembered now as one of the most extraordinary aspects of the D-Day landings. TVPG VL | CC

For thousands of years London has been among the most powerful cities in the world. However, below the busy streets and marketplaces another city hides--a city of Roman baths, secret crypts, lost rivers and indestructible bunkers that could hold up to 8,000 people. Join host Eric Geller as he reveals the subterranean secrets found below London's most famous landmarks and even finds Winston Churchill's hidden war rooms. TVPG VL | CC

When millions of people all over the world vanish, a biblical prophecy that has come to be known as the Rapture will be fulfilled, and a floodgate of horrors will be opened on those who are left behind. The Apostle Paul foresaw a moment when all Christians would suddenly be caught up into the air with their Messiah. This would occur prior to the final outpouring of God's wrath upon the wicked. Even Native America Hopi predicted the faithful would be taken off the Earth in advance of a final war between good and evil. Many claim that all of the events that presage the Rapture have already happened. Does this mean that the Rapture is almost upon us? If so, we are now on the threshold of an Apocalypse. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

September 17, 1944: An Allied plan to drive deep behind enemy lines into German-held Holland begins. In history's largest airborne operation, more than 30,000 US, British, and Polish troops are dropped behind enemy lines to try to end WWII by Christmas. Devised by British Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery, Operation Market Garden was far from a decisive masterstroke--it was one of the worst Allied defeats of the war. The question is, why? Using innovative research on the ground over which the campaign was waged, we uncover new insights in the fields of intelligence, communications, weaponry, and terrain. Was it a daring plan that almost succeeded, or fatally flawed before it began? TVPG VL | CC

13,000 years ago, a large comet exploded over eastern Canada unleashing a mass of burning fragments that ignited a mega storm of fire spreading for thousands of miles. Nearly every living thing on the North American continent was destroyed, including an ancient civilization known as the Clovis. 3-D computer animations will recreate this storm and offer an idea of the level of destruction a similar comet explosion would cause today. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

In 1947, ancient scrolls were discovered in desert caves near the Dead Sea. One of the texts, now called the War Scroll, spells out in chilling detail a future apocalyptic war that will end the world. Are modern events fulfilling the prophecy of The War Scroll? In fear of imminent death, the Qumran settlers hid the War Scroll along with other records of the Hebrew Bible. Soon afterward, they disappeared into the dust of history, leaving a grim prophecy of doom. Now, researchers explore the writings in the War Scroll and search our world for clues that the apocalypse foretold may be approaching. Visit the Dead Sea ruins--where it all began--to examine the cultural and spiritual conflicts in which the Dead Sea Scrolls were born. Experts point to an amazing coincidence of events that occurred then and that are happening now. Could ancient horrors herald a warning of terror today that could lead to our annihilation? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

In 1944 the Ardennes region of Belgium is the frontier between Nazi Germany and the Allies. After six months of hard but successful fighting, Allied troops have taken up winter quarters ready for the expected invasion of Germany in spring 1945. Then on December 16th a quarter of a million German troops launch a shattering offensive through the Ardennes. Allied troops are taken completely off guard. They had thought the war was almost over. Now they are engulfed in a great land battle. At first, Hitler's Ardennes Offensive is successful, but nearly two months of fighting left the German Army in ruins. Scientists and historians investigate why did the battle of the Bulge ended in total defeat for Germany. TVPG VL | CC

Travel to the heart of the Roman Empire to examine it's remarkable civil engineering project that resulted in a 53-thousand mile network of highways. Host Michael Guillen takes us on a chariot ride through ancient Rome and discovers that many of the highway amenities that we imagine as modern developments date back over 2000 years. It's an amazing look at a travel network where so little has changed after so many years. TVPG VL | CC

In 2006, The New York Times revealed a sinister plan by Soviet dictator Josef Stalin to create monsters by crossing humans with apes. Travel to Russia to find out if this was true and if so how far did he get? Take a look at the many efforts, both by man and Mother Nature, to combine the strength of apes with the intelligence of man. This real Frankenstein story involves everything from head transplants in the U.S. to cases of ape on human attacks. One-part history, one-part science and one part monster, discover the truth behind legendary monsters. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Twenty-five hundred years before modern air travel the ancient Chinese had learned the complicated principles of fluid and aerodynamics. Travel half way around the world to China where the notion of "hard air" (air pressure) was understood by Taoist monks thousands of years ago and who according to some accounts were actually able to parasail from mountain to mountain. Host Michael Guillen demonstrates how the ancient Chinese paper and silk making skills allowed them to make lighter than air objects and see how this knowledge let them to sail into the wind and uncover a number of maritime innovations. TVPG VL | CC

Plagued by invasions, disease, and religious strife, Scotland's City of Edinburgh is steeped in murder, mystery, and mayhem. Occupied since the Bronze Age, Edinburgh took shape during the 11th century--and soon after tales of ghosts and goblins began to surface. Scary locations on our tour include: Holyrood Palace, rumored to be haunted by Mary, Queen of Scots, and her Italian secretary David Rizzio, who was murdered there; and an abandoned underground city, where thousands died during the 1645 plague. TVPG VL | CC

Tutankhamun died young, forgotten by his people, but gained everlasting glory for the treasures buried with him--and infamy for the deaths of those who uncovered his tomb. Now, 82 years after the opening of his tomb, epidemiologist Mark Nelson examines biological agents left in his tomb and looks at the life, death, and possible murder of the Boy-King. Egyptologist Emily Teeter, police profiler Mike King, and Dr. James Harris, the last man allowed to X-ray Tut's skull, add their deductions. TVPG VL | CC

Since the 15th century, the Bermuda Triangle has mysteriously vanished an untold number of ships, planes and lives with three more known incidents in 2004. Using today's scientific knowledge and investigative techniques, we study the riddle of the Bermuda Triangle. Through computer graphics, highly stylized recreations, and underwater cameras, we will dramatically visualize the accidents as well as investigate the possible causes and explanations. On-camera interviews with both skeptics and believers will help lay out the facts and opinions of the cases. Can the latest science available today finally lay to rest the mysteries of the Triangle? TVPG VL | CC

Join us for the amazing story of one of nature's most terrifying forces. With striking visuals from ships in storm-tossed seas, the special presents dramatic tales of rogue wave disasters throughout history, and explores the astonishing scientific discoveries surrounding this deadly phenomenon. Aided by mind-blowing CGI footage from the motion picture Poseidon by Wolfgang Petersen, director of The Perfect Storm, we reveal the awesome power of this ocean menace as it really is--a monster rising from the deep! TVPG VL | CC

Tunneled into the bowels of ancient Rome is a dank labyrinth of beautifully decorated burial chambers and vaults where religious outcasts--pagans, Jews, and Christians--secretly preserved forbidden rituals for fear of persecution. Delve beneath Rome's heights to uncover the secrets of her catacombs and eternal residents. TVPG VL | CC

Mormons massacre a wagon train filled with overland settlers. Horse thieves decimate a camp of Chinese prospectors. Yavapai Indians slay a stagecoach full of passengers. No stranger to the Old West, technology often lent a helping hand to atrocity. From the swivel gun of the 1830s to a makeshift armored car in 1914, host David Carradine looks at the role technology played in some of the most heinous crimes in Wild West history. TVPG VL | CC

In 1943, a warship was rendered invisible in the Philadelphia Naval Yard, then teleported instantly to Norfolk, Virginia and back. But this technological breakthrough was achieved at such horrific human cost--crewmen missing or gone insane, dead sailors fused into bulkheads--that authorities deep-sixed the experiment. Or so goes the legend that still flourishes. We examine this tallest of seaman's tales and learn how real anti-submarine technology led to talk of disappearing ships. TVPG VL | CC

During Mardi Gras, New Orleans sets records for alcohol consumption; but there's another form of "spirit" for which the "Big Easy" is also famous. Meet a Voodoo Queen said to lurk the grounds of a gothic graveyard; the ghosts of two poisoned children who play in Myrtles Plantation; and a family of phantoms backstage at Le Petit Theatre. TVPG VL | CC

An exploration of the Giganto (King Kong) legend using modern science, technology, and historic eyewitness accounts. Gigantopithecus (the Latin term for "Giant Ape") is believed to have existed 9 to 5-million years ago and supposedly was around 10-feet tall. Some fossil evidence shows that it may have lived in China or India. Scientists of varying fields will attempt to genetically connect Giganto to modern-day creatures from around the world. Could Bigfoot be a relative? Forensic testing, extensive scientific research, 3-D animation, and body reconstruction will help determine the true mystery behind this prehistoric ape. TVPG VL | CC

19th-century explorers in the American southwest encountered the ruins of a vanished civilization that spread across Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, and Arizona. Why were these spectacular cities abandoned? Where had the inhabitants gone? Modern anthropologists hint at a disturbing past in contrast with earlier peaceful perceptions. TVPG VL | CC

For thousands of years London has been among the most powerful cities in the world. However, below the busy streets and marketplaces another city hides--a city of Roman baths, secret crypts, lost rivers and indestructible bunkers that could hold up to 8,000 people. Join host Eric Geller as he reveals the subterranean secrets found below London's most famous landmarks and even finds Winston Churchill's hidden war rooms. TVPG VL | CC

From the late 1800s to the mid-20th century, a stream of immigrants crowded into New York's downtown slums. Though today, the area once known as the Five Points houses a federal court, this cradle of crime gave birth to the American gang and nurtured Al Capone, Lucky Luciano, and Meyer Lansky. TVPG VL | CC

13,000 years ago, a large comet exploded over eastern Canada unleashing a mass of burning fragments that ignited a mega storm of fire spreading for thousands of miles. Nearly every living thing on the North American continent was destroyed, including an ancient civilization known as the Clovis. 3-D computer animations will recreate this storm and offer an idea of the level of destruction a similar comet explosion would cause today. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

The epic tragedy of Medusa, the most infamous female fiend in Greek mythology, whose look turned every living thing to stone. But what is the true story behind the myth? Find out this evil Gorgon's real world connection to human corpses, and learn what clues the night sky holds about the origins of the tale of Medusa. TVPG VL | CC

The sin of anger is the sin that kills. The prophet Moses was prone to fits of rage. The mythic warriors of Sparta meditated in order to banish the sin of anger before a battle. Italian writer Dante placed those that committed the sin of anger in the "Fourth Circle of Hell," tearing each other limb from limb for eternity. Those who study demonology claim the sin of anger is really the possession of the body by the demon Ammon. Today, neuroscientists believe they've found the emotion of anger in the "amygdala." So, is the sin of anger demonic or chemical? TVPG VL | CC

The towering 80-ton statues on Easter Island and the 800-ton trilithon stones of the Roman God of Thunder's Temple are examples of ancient engineering miracles that would appear to be too heavy to move. Scientists and engineers search for clues and set out to solve the mysteries of how primitive man pushed the limits of ingenuity and pulled off the impossible. TVPG VL | CC

A bloody gunfight. A jilted lover with murder on his mind. A bawdy dance hall overrun with spirits of the past. These are a few of the spectral snapshots in our photo album of one of the Old West's most notorious towns--Tombstone, Arizona. The dusty streets of this lonely crossroad gave birth to legends and death to the desperate. Narrated by John Glover. TVPG VL | CC

The Italian writer Dante called the sin of pride the "Chief of All Sins" -- the sin of Satan himself. The sin of pride was condemned by the Bible and the philosopher Socrates, while Romans and Vikings made it their greatest virtue. The sin of pride is thought to have led to the fall of Satan but strangely enough, the most famous story about Satan is not in the Bible. So what is the origin of the sin of pride? TVPG VL | CC

The Bermuda Triangle, a 500,000 square mile area in the Atlantic is the world's greatest unexplained mystery. Ships and planes simply disappear without a trace. The MysteryQuest team takes one of the few survivors of a Triangle encounter on a flight through it to try to determine what could be disorienting pilots. The expedition team dives in the waters of the Bahamas to try to locate the first wreckage of an aircraft lost in a Triangle disappearance. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Gargantuan creatures rising from ocean depths to wreak havoc on man! Are they figments of the imagination or living relics of prehistoric times? We investigate the first documented American sea serpent sighted at Cape Ann, Massachusetts in 1639, and the weird fish Coelacanth, caught off Africa and thought to be extinct for 70-million years. We also feature footage, shot by a fisherman off Vancouver's coast, of Cadborosauras, a large creature that is "to science, an unknown animal." TVPG VL | CC

Tutankhamun died young, forgotten by his people, but gained everlasting glory for the treasures buried with him--and infamy for the deaths of those who uncovered his tomb. Now, 82 years after the opening of his tomb, epidemiologist Mark Nelson examines biological agents left in his tomb and looks at the life, death, and possible murder of the Boy-King. Egyptologist Emily Teeter, police profiler Mike King, and Dr. James Harris, the last man allowed to X-ray Tut's skull, add their deductions. TVPG VL | CC

During WWI, trenches and barbed wire ran across Europe from the Mediterranean to the North Sea. On July 1, 1916 at 7:30 a.m., after a week of artillery bombardment designed to destroy German barbed wire and concrete bunkers, 27 British divisions advanced on 16 German divisions. Expecting minor resistance, as they picked their way across no man's land, guns opened fire, shells burst overhead, and waves of men were gunned down. Almost 60,000 British were killed or wounded--a military catastrophe of unprecedented proportions. Filmed at the battlefield, in laboratories, and on firing ranges--archaeologists, military historians, and other experts, including metallurgists and geologists, conduct tests to replicate and understand the factors that turned one terrible day into the British Army's bloodiest. TVPG VL | CC

At 7:15AM on June 30, 1908, a giant fireball, as bright the Sun, explodes in the Siberian sky with a force a thousand times greater than the Hiroshima bomb. It decimates 1,000 square miles of forest--over half the size of Rhode Island, and was the biggest cosmic disaster in the history of civilization. What caused the apocalyptic fire in the sky? Over a hundred theories surround what is called the Tunguska event, varying from asteroids and comets to black holes and alien spaceships. Most scientists agree the Tunguska event will happen again, and next time, the human toll could be unimaginable. Now, NASA and other organizations race against time to stop the next planet killer before it ignites Armageddon. TVPG VL | CC

Join us for the amazing story of one of nature's most terrifying forces. With striking visuals from ships in storm-tossed seas, the special presents dramatic tales of rogue wave disasters throughout history, and explores the astonishing scientific discoveries surrounding this deadly phenomenon. Aided by mind-blowing CGI footage from the motion picture Poseidon by Wolfgang Petersen, director of The Perfect Storm, we reveal the awesome power of this ocean menace as it really is--a monster rising from the deep! TVPG VL | CC

Dawn, June 6, 1944. The largest invasion in history is underway. Four miles to the west of the Allied landings at Omaha Beach, a flotilla of landing craft head towards Hitler's "Atlantic Wall" defenses. They are carrying just 200 men of a newly trained elite force--the United States Rangers. Their objective is the vital German coastal defense gun battery on a headland known as the Pointe du Hoc. Climbing the 90 foot cliffs under a storm of German bullets and grenades, the Rangers find that the German guns are not where they should be. What follows is a desperate game of cat and mouse, as the Rangers attempt to hunt down the guns. The story of their mission is remembered now as one of the most extraordinary aspects of the D-Day landings. TVPG VL | CC

Two men sharing startling visions of the future possess distinctly different backgrounds: Michel de Nostradamus was a French apothecary and healer in the 16th century; he would become the most famous seer in history. His 21st century counterpart is Dr. Bruce Bueno de Mesquita, a renowned political scientist who teaches game theory at New York University and Stanford. While Nostradamus looked to the stars and mysticism to divine his apocalyptic revelations, Dr. Bueno de Mesquita relies on the most omnipotent tool ever designed by man to predict future events: the computer. This special explores not only the commonalities of these men's visions about World War III, famine and the coming of the Anti-Christ, but it also traces the evolution from mysticism to hard math, and determines whether science has always existed in prophecy, manifesting itself in different forms through the ages. TVPG VL | CC

September 17, 1944: An Allied plan to drive deep behind enemy lines into German-held Holland begins. In history's largest airborne operation, more than 30,000 US, British, and Polish troops are dropped behind enemy lines to try to end WWII by Christmas. Devised by British Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery, Operation Market Garden was far from a decisive masterstroke--it was one of the worst Allied defeats of the war. The question is, why? Using innovative research on the ground over which the campaign was waged, we uncover new insights in the fields of intelligence, communications, weaponry, and terrain. Was it a daring plan that almost succeeded, or fatally flawed before it began? TVPG VL | CC

Reveals for the first time the cockpit and control tower audio recordings of pilot and astronaut confrontations and sightings of unidentified flying objects high in our skies. From a detailed account of one of the very the first reported pilot case, the Arnold case in 1947, to recent recordings over New England and Texas, to NASA recordings and video from 2005, this special features interviews with pilots, witness and experts, including UCLA's Joseph Nagy, actor Ed Asner, and pilot/UFO researcher Don Berliner. TVPG VL | CC

An exploration of the Giganto (King Kong) legend using modern science, technology, and historic eyewitness accounts. Gigantopithecus (the Latin term for "Giant Ape") is believed to have existed 9 to 5-million years ago and supposedly was around 10-feet tall. Some fossil evidence shows that it may have lived in China or India. Scientists of varying fields will attempt to genetically connect Giganto to modern-day creatures from around the world. Could Bigfoot be a relative? Forensic testing, extensive scientific research, 3-D animation, and body reconstruction will help determine the true mystery behind this prehistoric ape. TVPG VL | CC

In 1944 the Ardennes region of Belgium is the frontier between Nazi Germany and the Allies. After six months of hard but successful fighting, Allied troops have taken up winter quarters ready for the expected invasion of Germany in spring 1945. Then on December 16th a quarter of a million German troops launch a shattering offensive through the Ardennes. Allied troops are taken completely off guard. They had thought the war was almost over. Now they are engulfed in a great land battle. At first, Hitler's Ardennes Offensive is successful, but nearly two months of fighting left the German Army in ruins. Scientists and historians investigate why did the battle of the Bulge ended in total defeat for Germany. TVPG VL | CC

Prepare for an exercise in imagination. Suppose that an alien spacecraft crashed in the desert and we humans recovered it. What could we learn from its engineers? Using data gleaned from years of UFO sightings, we recreate a typical ship using cutting-edge animation, discover why aliens choose the craft shapes they do, learn how they overcome the effects of Earth's atmosphere, defy gravity, cancel inertia, and travel faster than the speed of light! Our experts--reverse engineers--show us what's "under the hood" of alien craft. We explore the technology that makes other-world visitations possible, what distance-shrinking device or wormhole excavator permits ships to travel space's expanse in minutes, and how the semi-transparent spacecraft skin functions. At first inspection, the technology seems crazy, but according to our experts, nothing is beyond the realm of possibility. TVPG VL | CC

Take a look at the technology shown throughout the six Star Wars films and examine their viability through the eyes of cold hard science. Could a Death Star really be built? Can you build an army of clones? What is 3-D imaging, and where the can you get a Light Saber? Travel to a galaxy far, far away to answer all of these questions and more. TVPG VL | CC

The planets of our solar system have experienced epic catastrophes throughout their long history, both raining down from outside and bubbling up from within. We'll voyage back in time to investigate the violent events that profoundly shaped the planets, including earth itself. We'll witness stunning revelations about what transformed Mars into a barren, hostile desert...The disaster that changed Venus from temperate to hellish...The impact that blew away Mercury's mantle, turning it into a planetary core...A colossal disturbance that rearranged the orbits of the gas giants...Titanic impacts on Jupiter...And how a lost moon may finally explain Saturn's rings. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Follow veteran criminal profiler George Deuchar and renowned cryptozoologist, Ken Gerhardt as they investigate the legend of the notorious Wolfman. Between the years of 1764 and 1767, the small French hamlet of Gevaudan was plagued by a mysterious beast that attacked and killed 102 villagers. The victims (mostly women and children) were all maliciously mauled and decapitated. All bore the bite marks of a non-human creature, and even more bizarre, many victims were found undressed and sexually assaulted. For centuries, the true identify of this mysterious "wolfman" has remained a mystery. Digging deeply into the mythology of Werewolves, they uncover reported paranormal transformations, diseases that make men look and act like animals, strange but true stories of children raised by wolves, and the truth about wolfsbane and silver bullets. Their modern-day forensic investigation leads them to the horrific truth behind the Werewolf murders. TVPG VL | CC

We live in a highly mechanized world in which billions of products are made by machines--but there are some things that can be built only by using an even more sophisticated tool--the human hand. In New Mexico, a pilot who builds his own jet-powered glider takes to the skies--his very life depending on his handiwork. Canoe makers in Montana, and a knife maker in Washington, handcraft items so unique that customers are willing to pay significantly higher prices than if they were machine made. In the farmlands of Central California, craftsmen keep alive the ancient art of weapon making--see their gleaming suits of armor in action, as weekend warriors do battle. Ever wonder how those impressive animal skeletons in museums are constructed? The artists of Skulls International in Oklahoma City share their secrets. And in Hollywood, the Chiodo brothers reveal how handmade special effects have a charm and character that today's computer animators can't duplicate. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Hundreds of ghost stories lurk in the shadows of London, England, but behind every myth and legend is the terrifying truth that sheds light on one of the darkest periods of this city's history. In Victorian times, violent crimes, extreme poverty and lawlessness forced Londoners to band together to survive. In a time when science and medicine challenged the Church, and disease and overpopulation drove the poor to do jobs only the Devil himself could imagine, London set the stage for chaos. From body snatchers and serial killers to occult clubs and pagan rituals, Victorian Londoners lived by their own rules...both above and below ground. Don Wildman explores London from the bottom up and tells the stories most would rather remain buried. TVPG VL | CC

The Bermuda Triangle, a 500,000 square mile area in the Atlantic is the world's greatest unexplained mystery. Ships and planes simply disappear without a trace. The MysteryQuest team takes one of the few survivors of a Triangle encounter on a flight through it to try to determine what could be disorienting pilots. The expedition team dives in the waters of the Bahamas to try to locate the first wreckage of an aircraft lost in a Triangle disappearance. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

They are the one-stop-shopping places for learning all about the nature and variety of stars in the Universe. They're unique, because in clusters, all the stars were born at about the same time, from the same material and all are at the same approximate distance from Earth. This means we can be sure that any differences among them are due to their true natures and not distorted by different distances from Earth and other factors. In this episode, two kinds of star clusters in the galaxy are explored. "Open Clusters" are young, live in the spiral arms of the galaxy and give us insight into the birth and formation of stars. "Globular Clusters" are old, live in the outskirts of the galaxy and could be nearly as old as the Universe itself. In addition, explore Galaxy clusters to reveal the large-scale structure of the Universe, which is expanding so fast that eventually all other galaxies, except for our own, will literally disappear from our sight. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

The planets of our solar system have experienced epic catastrophes throughout their long history, both raining down from outside and bubbling up from within. We'll voyage back in time to investigate the violent events that profoundly shaped the planets, including earth itself. We'll witness stunning revelations about what transformed Mars into a barren, hostile desert...The disaster that changed Venus from temperate to hellish...The impact that blew away Mercury's mantle, turning it into a planetary core...A colossal disturbance that rearranged the orbits of the gas giants...Titanic impacts on Jupiter...And how a lost moon may finally explain Saturn's rings. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Asteroids, comets, gamma ray bursts and the sun all combine to make the Earth a dangerous place to live. NASA's top brass and other scientists are arming themselves with the latest technology to pre-empt an apocalyptic attack. Watch and investigate bizarre, and terrifying apocalyptic scenarios and the ways that scientists are racing against the clock to develop technology to defend our planet. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

For centuries, tales of monsters have piqued our curiosity. Legendary beasts from folklore, literature and film have captivated audiences around the world. But some say monsters are not confined to just our imaginations. Stories of the Abominable Snowman, Bigfoot, and the Loch Ness Monster have triggered worldwide investigations...and continue to enthrall believers and skeptics alike. TVPG VL | CC

Area 51 is considered the ultimate top secret facility, one that UFO investigators believe houses an extraterrestrial secret. But is there an even more secretive facility? In Dugway, UT, there is a remote testing facility sometimes referred to as Area 52. UFO watchers in this part of Utah have witnessed strange phenomena at this military site for over 10 years, leading to speculation that much of Area 51's secretive work is now conducted at Area 52. The team examines video of bizarre beams of light seen shooting up from the area, meets with an astrophysicist who has charted mysterious cosmic rays operating out of Dugway, and analyzes photos that suggest something very strange is taking place. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

UFOs are the biggest mystery of our time and somebody--or something--seems determined to keep it that way. Hundreds of UFO researchers and witnesses have told of terrifying encounters with mysterious men, usually dressed completely in black, who threaten terrible consequences if they don't keep silent. The Men in Black seem to appear out of nowhere, know facts the witnesses haven't divulged to anybody, and frequently display bizarre behavior, leading some to question whether they are in fact, human. The team interviews men who are only now willing to come forward to tell their stories. A sketch artist will create portraits of the MIB to see if the sightings match. The team will also analyze the only known photograph of a MIB and talk to the photographer. Finally, the team travels to "the new Area 51" in the Utah desert, to a site rumored to be the place where the MIB originate. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

For years, people have claimed to have had direct, personal contact with an alien. In this episode of our series, the team tracks down several people who claim to have had such contact. They'll also work along side medical and scientific professionals to try and discover what, if anything, really happed to these people. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

The Abominable Snowman is among the most frightening and notorious monsters in history. This ferocious nocturnal creature is said to attack people and slaughter their animals. Witnesses report sightings of a strange, hair-covered beast and claim to have heard blood-curdling screams. Evidence amassed over the last century may point to a startling conclusion: that something real and unknown stalks the desolate mountains of the Far East. Scientists and experts will examine the clues while the MonsterQuest team will undertake their most dangerous expedition to date with an epic ascent onto the snowy peaks where recent evidence of the beast was found. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Join an expedition into the wilderness of South America on the hunt for a monster-sized predatory spider. In the forests of Venezuela there are reports of spiders big enough to hunt and eat a small dog, and villagers build their huts in such a way as to keep giant spiders out. In 2006 an American soldier in Iraq was photographed with what appeared to be a three foot long arachnid. Watch as experts investigate the validity of these and other strange sightings, and examine man's fear of spiders. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

A vampire scare in New England in the 1700s lasted more than a century and turned families and communities upside down. The dead bodies of those suspected of vampirism were exhumed and ancient curse-breaking rituals were performed on them. Watch as the latest technology is used to analyze historic evidence of the New England vampires and discover if there was any basis for the panic. Medical science is also used to examine those who believe themselves to be modern day vampires. Is there a common element between the suspected vampires of America's past and present? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Our in-depth history of Hades begins with the story of a negative near-death experience, in which a man thinks he went to Hell after being declared clinically dead and before resuscitation. Following Lucifer's trail from cave paintings in France circa 6,000 BC to current portrayals in popular culture, our 2-hour exploration shows how Hell and the Devil remain powerful forces--at a church in Texas, where souls are delivered from Satan's grip; in talks with a survivor of the 1980s recovered memory craze, who "recalled" attending Witches' Sabbaths that practiced cannibalism; and at the modern Church of Satan. We review literary landmarks that expanded our ideas of the Underworld, from Dante's Inferno and Milton's Paradise Lost to Mark Twain's anti-hero, and trace development of Christian, Moslem, Jewish, and Buddhist conceptions of the afterlife. TVPG VL | CC

99% of all animal and sea creatures who ever lived have become extinct. Watch as some of the most bizarre and strangest creatures are brought back to life. Meet the nothronychus (a strange amalgam of bird and sloth), the anomalocarus (a 7-foot shrimp), as well as saber-toothed cats, mastodons and wooly rhinoceros. Advanced computer graphics, location shooting and expert interviews, will reveal detailed illustrations of what these ancient monsters looked like, where and how they lived, and how they died. TVPG VL | CC

Halloween has become a six billion dollar industry. Go behind-the-scenes at Knott's Berry Farm's 35th annual Halloween Haunt. Learn how to apply Hollywood grade monster make-up, watch scary latex masks cranked out by the thousands and discover which costumes are past and present winners. See the most extreme jack-o-lanterns ever made, find out how hundreds of gallons of fake blood are manufactured and finally visit a haunted house with an annual attendance of over 50,000. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

What is the Monster of Whitehall? In 1976, in upstate New York, several police officers reported seeing an animal that they couldn't identify. It was described as a "large creature, seven to eight feet tall, walking like a gorilla hunched over and making a sound like "a woman screaming." More than 30 years have passed and the sightings continue. The original police officers have agreed to be tested. Follow our team as they work with local researchers and renowned wildlife experts on the trail of the Monster of Whitehall. TVPG VL | CC Show Site