The History Channel

From the early cave dwellers who first stumbled upon psychedelic mushrooms to the over 6000-year-old tradition of opium cultivation in the East to a modern pharmaceutical industry with over 24,000 drugs on the market, drugs have played a role in our lives since well before recorded human history. Explore the reasons we've used drugs through the ages, while considering the devastating consequences that accompany the choice to use certain drugs. This fascinating, fresh, and insightful documentary will ask the question: overall, have drugs done more to help us or hurt us? Host Dean Norris will journey through the millennia and look in on the greatest civilizations in human history to discover if drugs helped these societies flourish or fail and whether drug use was holy or hedonistic, a savior or a curse? TVPG VL | CC

From the prehistoric drawings through the Roswell incident, reports of strange and unexplainable sightings in the skies have become part of an unofficial historic record. With the proliferation of video and photo technology in the modern era, reports of these events--along with visual evidence--have only increased. 95% of UFO sightings are false, resulting either from misidentification or deliberate hoaxes. But the other 5% cannot be dismissed. Based on the newly published book "UFO's: Generals, Pilots and Government Officials Go On the Record," this two-hour special explores sightings that are supported by numerous creditable sources, from Air Force and commercial pilots, FAA officials, investigators, military Generals and NASA officials as well as hard data: photos, film, radar and audio recordings. This evidence presents a startling look at the very real possibility of alien visitation. TVPG VL | CC

What if I told you Billy the Kid wasn't killed by Pat Garrett? For a more than a hundred years, it's been believed that Sheriff Pat Garrett shot the Kid dead in 1881, but new theories have emerged that Billy in fact survived and went on to live a long life. So how did Billy manage to escape from Pat Garrett, and why would Garrett lie about it? Investigating the life and adventures of the legendary outlaw may prove that the history of the American West needs to be rewritten. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Super-heated death rays... High-tech rockets... Powerful sonic weapons... Are these examples of modern day science or could these technologies have originated thousands of years ago? Is it possible that early man possessed scientific knowledge far beyond that of our own century? Ancient texts, folklore and art suggest humans witnessed disc-shaped flying machines and fire-spewing chariots. Could these be accounts of flying saucers and rocket ships? And if so, was advanced technology left here by visitors from the stars? Did mankind's quest to unlock the secrets of levitation, anti-gravity and laser technology merely spring from our imaginations or did these ideas come from otherworldly beings? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

The Mayan civilization dominated Central America for nearly 2000 years, but by the 9th century A.D., the great Mayan cities were abandoned, and the Mayan people vanished. What could have happened to this advanced culture? Might the Maya have left clues as to how they surpassed other cultures in science, mathematics, time keeping, and most importantly, astronomy? In recent years, hieroglyphs have been decoded to reveal that the Maya were able to accurately predict shifts in the Earth's axis every 26,000 years. Inscriptions on the sarcophagus of their most prominent ruler, King Pakal, tell of a journey to the Milky Way. And a sophisticated calendar foretells of the end of the world in 2012. Most striking is their belief that knowledge was passed to them by otherworldly beings who descended from the sky. Could the ancient Maya have actually conspired with extraterrestrial visitors to plan the future--and even the very end of the world? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

The Book of Revelation: the New Testament s blueprint of doom foretells the coming of the Four Horsemen of the apocalypse, heralding the end of days. These horsemen will usher in four divine judgments that promise to devastate humanity. While skeptics dismiss it as a mere allegory, every Sunday around the Christian world, church pews reverberate with its dark prophecies. With the potential for global pandemic hiding in every unchecked sneeze, worldwide hunger at an all-time high and the specter of World War III hanging over the Middle East, Revelation s followers believe its dark imagery is coming to light in modern times. Believer and prepper Ray Gano sees current events as a confirmation of the Book of Revelation s predictions and is preparing to face the divine fury of God. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Did a number of explorers discover the New World long before Christopher Columbus staked his claim in 1492? No less than a dozen cultures have tales of these adventurers woven into their histories, but they are noticeably absent in American history books. This documentary explores the possibility that the Chinese, Japanese, Polynesians, Norse, Welsh, Irish, Ancient Hebrews and the Solutreans all made it to the Americas earlier than Columbus. Rebuild the ships, trace the routes, test the artifacts and analyze blood evidence to finally learn the answer to one of the greatest mysteries of all time--who really discovered America? TVPG VL | CC

We may be a law-abiding nation but we also admire the outlaw, and the clash between rebels and the rules has shaped our states. Which states like to make their own rules, and which do the heat have on lockdown? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

The squabble between east coast and west coast leaves the rest of the country stuck in the middle. It's a rivalry that has made its way into our popular culture, but is there any common ground in this continental tug of war? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Battles over access to lakefront property have made the Great Lakes region the most contested land on the entire map, and even pushed the states to a border war. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Meet Dr. Benjamin Franklin--a far more complex figure than the squeaky-clean, larger than life Founding Father whose grandfatherly visage graces the hundred dollar bill. Inventor, politician, writer, businessman, scientist, diplomat--that, of course, is the mythic, legendary Ben Franklin. But it's not the only Ben Franklin. By his own admission, Franklin had more than his share of shortcomings and failures. Photographed largely on location in Philadelphia, and featuring in-depth interviews with biographers and historians, as well as liberal doses of Franklin's own, often humorous observations, the special allows viewers to "walk" in Franklin's footsteps. In this vivid portrait, we meet an earthy, brilliant, and flawed Franklin that one biographer believes would feel right at home in today's world. TVPG VL | CC

Our 49th state is one tough terrain. In the air, on the ground--and deep beneath it--survival here requires an amazing array of technological innovations. From buildings to highways, brutal winters to bug-infested summers, this unforgiving landscape demands creative work-arounds. And then there's the constant threat of natural disasters...tsunami, anyone? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Since the dawn of the Industrial Revolution, the United States has stamped, carved, cut, built and assembled its way into becoming the super power of product production. However, in the last 20 years, the "Made in America" tag began to fade, as the manufacturing landscape of industry went overseas. So what is still Made in the USA? Visit the world's biggest and oldest flag manufacturer, which has made some of the most famous flags in history. Go inside the factories that produce the last athletic shoe made in the US. See the strangest form of alternate transportation known to man--completely assembled in 30 minutes. Check out a hot toy company that believes it's imperative to keep their work here at home. Top it all off with some great food--some American success stories that may seem foreign at first glance. It's not just a label. It's a proud and important tradition. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Where in Washington D.C. is the nation's most incredible treasure chest? It's a library unlike any other in the world--the U.S. Library of Congress. Explode the myth that this 200-year-old institution is simply "where members of Congress borrow books." Viewers are taken beyond the magnificent Jefferson Building Great Hall into the secret vaults where more than 600 miles of shelves hold 130 million items, many of them priceless treasures--from George Washington's hand-written diaries to Galileo's first images of the moon to the original camera film of the movie Frankenstein. See how a staff of 4,000 catalogues protects and preserves these treasures and distributes them globally via a new World Digital Library. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Mother Nature unleashes a swarm of tornados on a group of storm chasers. A delivery driver in Japan gets swallowed by the deadliest tsunami in Japan's history. And finally, a massive avalanche barrels into a small town in Norway. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

In this episode, a flaming tornado terrorizes a team of firefighters. A Hawaiian volcano wipes an island paradise off the map. And an avalanche of rocks and debris obliterate a village in Honduras. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Hurricane Sandy was one of the most devastating super storms to hit our shores, claiming over 160 lives and causing billions of dollars in damage. This special examines what happened when Sandy hit and how it happened. We also hunt for clues that could reveal if we are entering an age when bigger, more deadly storms will become a regular occurrence. Is it possible to tell when the next super storm will strike and ultimately will we be prepared? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

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

On December 11, 1941, Adolf Hitler declared war on the United States. Among his stated reasons was that "[Roosevelt] ordered the German ships Phrygia, Idarwald, and Rhein to be shadowed by American ships until these steamers were compelled to scuttle themselves." Over six decades later, our Deep Sea Detectives John Chatterton and Richie Kohler dive a sunken wreck off Florida's coast and discover it is the Rhein, one of Hitler's lost merchant ships. Chatterton and Kohler track the twisting tale of its sinking--from cryptic newspaper reports to official US deck logs that appear to be missing important information. Along the way, they reveal the actions of an officially neutral US government in the tense period prior to her entry into WWII. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

The U-2513 is what's known as a Type 21 German U-boat. In the 1940s, the Type 21 was a secret weapon that threatened to change the course of two wars: WWII, and then later, the Cold War. During WWII, German hopes were riding on it, and the Allies were terrified of it. After the war, the British, Americans, and Russians couldn't wait to get their hands on it. It was a weapon that had the potential to change the balance of world power and determine the outcome of the Cold War. Join our Deep Sea Detectives, John Chatterton and Richie Kohler, as they dive in over 200 feet of water some 95 miles offshore of Key West. There they investigate the wreck of a one of WWII's most significant naval innovations--a boat design that changed history. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

In 1718, the infamous pirate Blackbeard and his flagship, the Queen Anne's Revenge, wreaked havoc raiding British supply routes to and from their American colonies. Then, the British offered a pardon to all pirates who would give up their dastardly ways. Blackbeard decided to accept, but as he moved toward the coast of North Carolina, his flagship ran aground in what is now known as Beaufort Inlet. Eventually Blackbeard abandoned the Queen Anne's Revenge, leaving her to succumb to the elements...or so the story goes. In 2001, underwater archaeologists found the remains of a ship in the inlet. Join our veteran divers John Chatterton and Richie Kohler as they embark on a journey to solve the mystery of the ship's identity. Could this be the final resting place of Blackbeard's ship? And did the famed master seaman really run aground, or was that all part of another notorious Blackbeard scheme? TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

During the heyday of piracy, fearsome buccaneers sailed the Caribbean in search of booty. Fortresses are raided, swords are drawn and galleons clash in an incredible story of glittering treasure and swashbuckling adventures. From the icy docks of Bristol to the tropical paradise of the Caribbean, discover the incredible world of the buccaneers. Follow a team of historical detectives who use evidence from recent excavations, scientific studies and historical documents to piece together clues as to what the pirate world looked like. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. 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

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

For more than a thousand years, the Ta no people flourished on the islands comprising the Greater Antilles--modern-day Cuba, Jamaica, Haiti, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic. Five centuries ago, they seemingly vanished--millions of people gone in the blink of an eye. The DSD team explores the archaeological record, a lost city deep in the jungle, disturbing legends, and secret water-filled caves to learn how a people rich in natural resources could so quickly fall victim to malnutrition and unspeakable violence. The most sacred of their caves, known as "eyes of the beast", hold artifacts in their murky depths that may reveal the true fate of the Ta no. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

September 14, 1944--the South Pacific. While clearing mines for the Allied invasion of the Palau Islands, the USS Perry is rocked by a huge explosion and immediately begins to list. All hands abandon ship into open waters, drawing enemy fire from shore. Two days later the Allied invasion begins and quickly becomes one of the bloodiest battles of the Pacific Campaign--the Battle of Peleliu. Deep Sea Detectives John Chatterton and Richie Kohler follow one survivor's journey to find the USS Perry's final resting place...and try to bring closure to an unfinished journey of their own. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

In one of the most hostile lands on the planet, an ancient people called the Israelites forged an army and carved out an empire. Their ancient military exploits are described in one of history's most famous religious texts--the Old Testament of the Bible. But by reading between the religious lines, military historians unlock the soldiers' secrets of the Bible by examining the weapons, strategies, and the commanders, some of whom are not always thought of as warriors, like Abraham, Moses, and Deborah. In this 2-hour special, we explore the biblical world from a military perspective from the time of Abraham until David's ascension to the throne. Blood often flows more freely than holy water in the days of the Old Testament, and the military secrets of the Bible have yet to be revealed...until now! TVPG VL | CC

Discover a book that has never been seen in the west until now. In a world exclusive we track down the secret manual that explained how the Vietnamese defeated not only the US in the 20th century, but the Mongols 700 years earlier--including a revelation of the largest booby trap in history--one that snagged an entire battle fleet. Next, discover how king Mithridates used a substance called burning mud in his revolt against Rome. Learn how the terrorist booby-traps and letter bombs of today were invented hundreds of years ago. Investigate the legend that the Christians wiped out paganism in an attack on their temples with fire so hot it could melt bronze. And, learn how the great ancient revolutionary Spartacus kick-started his great revolt against the Roman Empire. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

A mysterious, stark terrain, 90 miles north of Las Vegas, goes by many names: The Box, Paradise Ranch, Groom Lake, Watertown Strip, and Dreamland. But most refer to the region as Area 51. Since the late 1950s, an array of UFO sightings has been reported above its skies. In 1989, revelations of Las Vegas resident Bob Lazar brought Area 51 to national attention. Lazar claimed to possess amazing inside information, but he wasn't the first to state that something strange was going on. Those who discount Lazar's theories think the government kept its activities from the general public for a more plausible reason. The base, built at the Cold War's height, housed testing of cutting-edge aviation technology. The cloak of secrecy was to keep the Soviet Union in the dark, not the American public, and experts expostulate that the government perpetuated these theories to disguise its real activities. TVPG VL | CC

What came down in the forest outside the sleepy hamlet of Kecksburg, Pennsylvania on December 9, 1965? Some residents claimed to see an acorn-shaped metal object with strange, hieroglyphic writing on its side, half-buried on the forest floor. Astronomer Von Del Chamberlain wrote that the Kecksburg object was a meteorite. NASA consultant James Oberg theorized that it was a failed Russian probe, but now also thinks it was probably a meteorite. Often called the "Pennsylvania Roswell" in UFO circles, the debate raged until, in late December 2003, NASA finally released 39 pages of material and the Air Force released 2,800 pages on the case from its files. The only thing the government documents conclusively prove is that the object was not a Russian probe. But for UFO enthusiasts and researchers, many questions remain unanswered. TVPG VL | CC

During the heyday of piracy, fearsome buccaneers sailed the Caribbean in search of booty. Fortresses are raided, swords are drawn and galleons clash in an incredible story of glittering treasure and swashbuckling adventures. From the icy docks of Bristol to the tropical paradise of the Caribbean, discover the incredible world of the buccaneers. Follow a team of historical detectives who use evidence from recent excavations, scientific studies and historical documents to piece together clues as to what the pirate world looked like. TVPG VL | CC

In this hour of our innovative and comprehensive look at the history of Ancient Egypt, we ask how Egypt maintained its relative independence for 3000 years. We answer this through Thutmosis III. He conquers more land than any other pharaoh. Yet ultimately he has no interest in establishing an expanding empire abroad. Like all pharaohs he is guided by the wish to establish peace and stability at home and secure the borders through forward defense. The pursuit of peace remains a key part of Egypt's success story. TVPG VL | CC

The Dead Sea Scrolls are arguably the most important manuscript discovery in history. Believers hoped they would provide clues about the origins of Judaism and Christianity and that the name Jesus might appear in documents written during his life. We follow one scholar in search of new caves that might contain scrolls. As the dig team works along a cliff face near Qumran, we trace the history of the Dead Sea Scroll controversy and the evolving interpretation of what was written 2,000 years ago. TVPG VL | CC

Rennes le Ch teau is a small village in the Pyr n es of Southern France. It's a quiet place until tourists arrive hunting its secrets. According to legend, the Knights Templar brought the Holy Grail here for safekeeping. Those who come on pilgrimage think the Grail is very different than history records. Was it proof of marriage between Jesus and Mary Magdalene? Did it verify their bloodline survived? Permission has been granted to dig in Rennes le Ch teau...and history or legend is about to change. TVPG VL | CC

Despite common belief, the Civil War does not end in 1865, and the blood of many Americans continues to flow freely. It is a period known as "Reconstruction." America is supposed to be reuniting and healing its wounds, but what emerges is a picture of murder, terrorism and chaos as "free" black men and women remain enslaved by a South that does not completely surrender. Insurgencies led by ex-Confederate soldiers rip through every southern state. America's first terrorist group, the Ku Klux Klan, is formed. Hundreds are butchered in citywide race riots, like the infamous New Orleans Massacre of 1866. Counter-insurgency groups form, like the Lowry Gang, who fights a guerilla-style battle against Confederates and northern carpetbaggers like D.P. Upham, who battles the Klan in Arkansas. All Americans feel the Civil War's aftershocks for years, while some believe its tremors are felt even today. TVPG VL | CC

During America's Age of Reconstruction, from Andrew Johnson (Lincoln's vice president) to Chester A. Arthur, the ruptured nation faced the difficult task of rebuilding a union after four years of civil war and a presidential assassination. This period was also known as the era of "The Ohio Generals"--three of the five presidents featured in this hour were generals in the Civil War, all from the state of Ohio. Defining moments include the impeachment trial of Andrew Johnson (by a margin of one, the Senate voted not to convict him), the triumphant ascendancy of Ulysses S. Grant, the back-room politics of Rutherford B. Hayes, the unrequited aspirations of James Garfield, and the civil service reforms of Chester A. Arthur. TVPG VL | CC

For generations, Alaska has exerted a powerful pull as the place to head for a job like no other; work that promises the adventure of a lifetime, the chance to strike it rich, and the very real prospect of never making it back alive. Plying their trades on America's last frontier, soldiers, Coast Guard crewmen, bush pilots, and truckers all work for the same boss from hell: a dangerous territory full of the most inhospitable weather and extreme terrain on earth. Even today, Alaska boasts four of the country's top 10 most dangerous jobs. We'll feature dramatic stories of four killer jobs from the last 150 years of Alaskan history and experience what it takes to survive and thrive in this intense and harsh climate by riding along with today's workers and hearing from old-timers who forged the way. And we'll weave in the traditions, technology, and tools that can mean the difference between life and death in Alaska's killer jobs. TVPG VL | CC

Relive the breathtaking story of Apollo 11, the first manned landing on the Moon. Interlaced with original NASA footage transferred to high definition, this two-hour special puts viewers aboard the rocket and takes them on the eight-day round-trip to outer space. Life behind the scenes and edge-of-your-seat moments in space are dramatized in this film that stretches from the crew's earliest days at NASA to the moment when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin stepped on the Moon. From home life and families, to the argument over who would be the first to walk on the lunar surface, this is the remarkable story of one of the most chronicled events in history. TVPG VL | CC

Viewers will go where only the most elite insiders from the highest levels of the US government are allowed--on board Air Force One. Discover what makes this uniquely modified Boeing 747 faster, more secure, more comfortable and more capable than any other comparable plane. Take a 20,000-mile voyage through the heart of Africa and join the crew and privileged passengers on one of Air Force One's most challenging missions. TVPG VL | CC

Director and host James Fox assembles the most credible UFO witnesses from around the world to testify on the subject and share their experiences and observations. Air Force generals, astronauts, military and commercial pilots, government and FAA officials from seven countries gather at the National Press Club in Washington D.C. to tell stories that, as former Arizona governor Fife Symington states, "will challenge your reality." These accounts reveal a behind-the-scenes U.S. operation whose policy, in the eyes of some observers, seems to involve confiscation of substantiating evidence from close encounters--to the extent that even Presidents have failed to get straight answers. 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

Might the tools and technology of ancient builders have come from distant galaxies? Evidence suggests that an ancient mountaintop fortress in Peru was constructed with laser-like tools... temples at Vijayanagara India were built to harness cosmic energy... and an acoustic chamber in Malta enabled interplanetary communication. If the ancient builders did use advanced technology, could it prove that aliens visited Earth thousands of years ago? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

A mysterious, stark terrain, 90 miles north of Las Vegas, goes by many names: The Box, Paradise Ranch, Groom Lake, Watertown Strip, and Dreamland. But most refer to the region as Area 51. Since the late 1950s, an array of UFO sightings has been reported above its skies. In 1989, revelations of Las Vegas resident Bob Lazar brought Area 51 to national attention. Lazar claimed to possess amazing inside information, but he wasn't the first to state that something strange was going on. Those who discount Lazar's theories think the government kept its activities from the general public for a more plausible reason. The base, built at the Cold War's height, housed testing of cutting-edge aviation technology. The cloak of secrecy was to keep the Soviet Union in the dark, not the American public, and experts expostulate that the government perpetuated these theories to disguise its real activities. TVPG VL | CC

To what degree was Egyptian cult part of Egypt's success story? Through Akhenaten's ill fated revolution we discover just how powerful Egypt's religious tradition really was. Egyptian cult prevails even when threatened by the pharaohs. The cult was the backbone of the country's civilization; it was seen as the guarantor of the worldly order, and thereby helped to maintain inner peace and stability. TVPG VL | CC

An innovative and comprehensive look at the history of Ancient Egypt, from the pre-dynastic through to the late dynasties. This episode looks at how Egypt was founded. King Narmer claimed it was warfare. We discover that peace and collaboration were at least as important as the big battle that united Upper and Lower Egypt. Both war and peaceful collaboration laid the foundations for the Egyptian success story lasting more than 3000 years. TVPG VL | CC

Bridges have been pushed, airlifted and taken apart, but if needed, can one of the world's longest and most famous suspension bridges be moved? Experts say San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge can be relocated and they'll show how. In Rhode Island, the team is challenged when they take on the job to haul the world's widest network-arched bridge 15 miles up river and set it in place. TVPG VL | CC

If you thought our borders were set in stone, you'd be wrong. Who stole a corner of Washington, DC? Is Ohio actually a state? And why isn't St. Louis our nation's capital? One thing's for sure -- our map could look very different. How did we create order out of so much chaos? With the vote. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

How has water has literally shaped the States? There's surprising history hidden in the blue, squiggly lines on the map. Did the founding fathers make a mistake along the Georgia Tennessee border? Can that boundary actually change because of water? Why does Maine have so much water? Why was Nevada was left high and dry? -- All these answers can be found in the unique shapes of these states. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Ever since the Pilgrims boarded the Mayflower, what we believe and how we believe has shaped the American map. Could Utah have been bigger than Texas? How did religion shatter New England into such odd little shapes? And did the Civil War actually begin... in Kansas? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Take a look at the tallest doors in the world at the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center. Visit a company that makes blast doors and bulletproof doors. Learn about the surprisingly complex process involved in making home doors, as well as what goes into those commercial entries and exits we use everyday--the revolving door and the turnstile. At the Southwestern Foundation for Biomedical Research, enter through an airlock into their level 4 biohazard lab. The Cleveland Federal Reserve doesn't even send people into their vaults; its robots go in and out. Try some aviation entries and exits--the jet way used to board a plane, the airplane emergency exit procedures we hope to never use, and ejection seats, the fastest exit anywhere. Then, an engineering firm that designs hidden doors will take viewers to see a few of their secret entries. Finally, take a quick look at doors that go nowhere, at the Winchester Mystery House. 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

In recent years the destructive power of natural disasters has been recorded--from Hurricane Katrina to the earthquake and tsunami that devastated Japan. Serial Killer Earth brings together a top team of experts to examine the most compelling footage from news and home video, as well as hear from eyewitness testimony in order to explain, understand and inform viewers of what actually happened during these disasters and how they compare and contrast with the most historic natural disasters of the past. In this episode, a massive tornado rips through a Midwestern town, destroying everything in it's path. Mother Nature unleashes a giant wall of snow in Canada and sends a monster tsunami into southeast Asia, killing two hundred and eighty three thousand people. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

A massive landslide chases a group of construction workers. A tornado tears through an airport; and an earthquake threatens a 700-year-old church. Mother Nature continues her killing spree. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Throughout history, tidal waves have drowned us, storm surges have sunk cities, and hurricanes and cyclones--fueled by the ocean--have blown away all in their path. Today, science forecasts that the oceans are getting fiercer, rising up to reshape our coastlines and create untold devastation, social unrest and economic crisis. Track the history and evolution of the ocean's seven deadliest zones--locations that throughout history have been the direct causes of human devastation by floods, tsunamis, hurricanes, whirlpools, ice, underwater volcanoes, and shipping graveyards. Using expedition footage, 3D animation, and commentary from leading oceanographers, we'll depict the awesome cosmic and geological fluctuations that make the oceans deadly over time. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Discover a book that has never been seen in the west until now. In a world exclusive we track down the secret manual that explained how the Vietnamese defeated not only the US in the 20th century, but the Mongols 700 years earlier--including a revelation of the largest booby trap in history--one that snagged an entire battle fleet. Next, discover how king Mithridates used a substance called burning mud in his revolt against Rome. Learn how the terrorist booby-traps and letter bombs of today were invented hundreds of years ago. Investigate the legend that the Christians wiped out paganism in an attack on their temples with fire so hot it could melt bronze. And, learn how the great ancient revolutionary Spartacus kick-started his great revolt against the Roman Empire. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Military innovation is consistently at the cutting edge of technological advances. Almost all technology on the planet today owes its origins to inventions driven by one purpose--war. From apocalyptic skyscraper siege machines to ancient landmines and flamethrowers which had the potential to extinguish hundreds of lives in minutes, most of today's lethal weapons owe their origins to the inventors of the ancient world. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Does a remote island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean hold the final clue to the Mayan's apocalyptic predictions concerning 2012? One explorer thinks he's discovered the answers that have eluded man for centuries. Jim Turner stumbled on this remote artifact over a decade ago and has spent the past ten years preparing an expedition to prove that this is the place they foretold that the gods would come to watch the final minutes of civilization as we know it. 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

Imagine trying to move a 475,000 pound structure from Texas to Minnesota. Forget freeways, it'll never clear bridges or overpasses. Flight is out of the question. The only way to do it--lift it by crane, load it onto a barge and float it up the mighty Mississippi River... an amazing move that will travel past 10 states and cover more than 2400 miles. TVPG VL | CC

Ships are routinely sunk for a variety of reasons. Sometimes they are sunk to be kept out of enemy hands or they are decommissioned and turned into artificial reefs. Watch as a World War II transport ship the U.S.S. Queens--later renamed the Texas Clipper--is sunk to develop a desperately needed artificial reef. Discover the challenges the team encounters trying to place a 500-foot long ship at precise spot 130-feet down on the bottom of the ocean. TVPG VL | CC

How have massive geological events helped create the American map? Long before the Founding Fathers drew the map, mother nature shaped some states. How did an asteroid create the border for three states and change history? How did glaciers plow the great plains and how did natural disasters continue to alter the map? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

How did the most rebellious states took shape? How did they earn their outsized features and outspoken reputations. For instance, why does Montana looks like it took a bite out of Idaho? Why wasn't Texas broken up into five states? And why exactly do we have not one but two Carolinas? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

During America's Age of Reconstruction, from Andrew Johnson (Lincoln's vice president) to Chester A. Arthur, the ruptured nation faced the difficult task of rebuilding a union after four years of civil war and a presidential assassination. This period was also known as the era of "The Ohio Generals"--three of the five presidents featured in this hour were generals in the Civil War, all from the state of Ohio. Defining moments include the impeachment trial of Andrew Johnson (by a margin of one, the Senate voted not to convict him), the triumphant ascendancy of Ulysses S. Grant, the back-room politics of Rutherford B. Hayes, the unrequited aspirations of James Garfield, and the civil service reforms of Chester A. Arthur. TVPG VL | CC

America protects its homeland with the most technologically advanced military force ever conceived. Although they fight 21st-century battles worldwide, the technology unleashed is directly descended from a war fought more than 140 years ago. This episode explores how the War between North and South was the first modern war, and the technology used in it was a quantum leap beyond any previous conflict. The machine gun, aerial reconnaissance, advanced battlefield medicine, instantaneous communication, ironclad ships, even the first aircraft carrier were all innovations developed during the Civil War. We'll investigate improvements in weapons, sea power, transportation, troop conveyance, food processing, medical care, and telecommunications. At a time when the nation was divided, Civil War technology revolutionized the way war was waged. Today, those technological milestones have evolved to ensure that our modern military has no equal in the world. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Take a look at the tallest doors in the world at the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center. Visit a company that makes blast doors and bulletproof doors. Learn about the surprisingly complex process involved in making home doors, as well as what goes into those commercial entries and exits we use everyday--the revolving door and the turnstile. At the Southwestern Foundation for Biomedical Research, enter through an airlock into their level 4 biohazard lab. The Cleveland Federal Reserve doesn't even send people into their vaults; its robots go in and out. Try some aviation entries and exits--the jet way used to board a plane, the airplane emergency exit procedures we hope to never use, and ejection seats, the fastest exit anywhere. Then, an engineering firm that designs hidden doors will take viewers to see a few of their secret entries. Finally, take a quick look at doors that go nowhere, at the Winchester Mystery House. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

America's infrastructure is collapsing. Tens of thousands of bridges are structurally deficient or functionally obsolete. A third of the nation's highways are in poor or mediocre shape. Massively leaking water and sewage systems are creating health hazards and contaminating rivers and streams. Weakened and under-maintained levees and dams tower over communities and schools. And the power grid is increasingly maxed out, disrupting millions of lives and putting entire cities in the dark. The Crumbling of America explores these problems using expert interviews, on location shooting and computer generated animation to illustrate the kinds of infrastructure disasters that could be just around the bend. TVPG VL | CC

In recent years the destructive power of natural disasters has been recorded--from Hurricane Katrina to the earthquake and tsunami that devastated Japan. Serial Killer Earth brings together a top team of experts to examine the most compelling footage from news and home video, as well as hear from eyewitness testimony in order to explain, understand and inform viewers of what actually happened during these disasters and how they compare and contrast with the most historic natural disasters of the past. In this episode, a massive tornado rips through a Midwestern town, destroying everything in it's path. Mother Nature unleashes a giant wall of snow in Canada and sends a monster tsunami into southeast Asia, killing two hundred and eighty three thousand people. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Viewers will go where only the most elite insiders from the highest levels of the US government are allowed--on board Air Force One. Discover what makes this uniquely modified Boeing 747 faster, more secure, more comfortable and more capable than any other comparable plane. Take a 20,000-mile voyage through the heart of Africa and join the crew and privileged passengers on one of Air Force One's most challenging missions. TVPG VL | CC

An inside look at the secret protocols, elite security and hidden history of the world's most public of private residences. What is the most secret room in the White House and what makes it so powerful? What secret visitors have been to the White House--invited or not? What kind of background checks are needed to work at the White House? What security measures go into effect if the White House is under attack? For over 200 years, the White House has functioned as a Presidential residence, Executive Office and national command center. But more guarded than the White House itself--are its secrets. Secrets that have remained untold...until now. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

From the prehistoric drawings through the Roswell incident, reports of strange and unexplainable sightings in the skies have become part of an unofficial historic record. With the proliferation of video and photo technology in the modern era, reports of these events--along with visual evidence--have only increased. 95% of UFO sightings are false, resulting either from misidentification or deliberate hoaxes. But the other 5% cannot be dismissed. Based on the newly published book "UFO's: Generals, Pilots and Government Officials Go On the Record," this two-hour special explores sightings that are supported by numerous creditable sources, from Air Force and commercial pilots, FAA officials, investigators, military Generals and NASA officials as well as hard data: photos, film, radar and audio recordings. This evidence presents a startling look at the very real possibility of alien visitation. TVPG VL | CC

What if I told you Billy the Kid wasn't killed by Pat Garrett? For a more than a hundred years, it's been believed that Sheriff Pat Garrett shot the Kid dead in 1881, but new theories have emerged that Billy in fact survived and went on to live a long life. So how did Billy manage to escape from Pat Garrett, and why would Garrett lie about it? Investigating the life and adventures of the legendary outlaw may prove that the history of the American West needs to be rewritten. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Super-heated death rays... High-tech rockets... Powerful sonic weapons... Are these examples of modern day science or could these technologies have originated thousands of years ago? Is it possible that early man possessed scientific knowledge far beyond that of our own century? Ancient texts, folklore and art suggest humans witnessed disc-shaped flying machines and fire-spewing chariots. Could these be accounts of flying saucers and rocket ships? And if so, was advanced technology left here by visitors from the stars? Did mankind's quest to unlock the secrets of levitation, anti-gravity and laser technology merely spring from our imaginations or did these ideas come from otherworldly beings? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

The Mayan civilization dominated Central America for nearly 2000 years, but by the 9th century A.D., the great Mayan cities were abandoned, and the Mayan people vanished. What could have happened to this advanced culture? Might the Maya have left clues as to how they surpassed other cultures in science, mathematics, time keeping, and most importantly, astronomy? In recent years, hieroglyphs have been decoded to reveal that the Maya were able to accurately predict shifts in the Earth's axis every 26,000 years. Inscriptions on the sarcophagus of their most prominent ruler, King Pakal, tell of a journey to the Milky Way. And a sophisticated calendar foretells of the end of the world in 2012. Most striking is their belief that knowledge was passed to them by otherworldly beings who descended from the sky. Could the ancient Maya have actually conspired with extraterrestrial visitors to plan the future--and even the very end of the world? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

The Book of Revelation: the New Testament s blueprint of doom foretells the coming of the Four Horsemen of the apocalypse, heralding the end of days. These horsemen will usher in four divine judgments that promise to devastate humanity. While skeptics dismiss it as a mere allegory, every Sunday around the Christian world, church pews reverberate with its dark prophecies. With the potential for global pandemic hiding in every unchecked sneeze, worldwide hunger at an all-time high and the specter of World War III hanging over the Middle East, Revelation s followers believe its dark imagery is coming to light in modern times. Believer and prepper Ray Gano sees current events as a confirmation of the Book of Revelation s predictions and is preparing to face the divine fury of God. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Did a number of explorers discover the New World long before Christopher Columbus staked his claim in 1492? No less than a dozen cultures have tales of these adventurers woven into their histories, but they are noticeably absent in American history books. This documentary explores the possibility that the Chinese, Japanese, Polynesians, Norse, Welsh, Irish, Ancient Hebrews and the Solutreans all made it to the Americas earlier than Columbus. Rebuild the ships, trace the routes, test the artifacts and analyze blood evidence to finally learn the answer to one of the greatest mysteries of all time--who really discovered America? TVPG VL | CC

We may be a law-abiding nation but we also admire the outlaw, and the clash between rebels and the rules has shaped our states. Which states like to make their own rules, and which do the heat have on lockdown? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

The squabble between east coast and west coast leaves the rest of the country stuck in the middle. It's a rivalry that has made its way into our popular culture, but is there any common ground in this continental tug of war? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Battles over access to lakefront property have made the Great Lakes region the most contested land on the entire map, and even pushed the states to a border war. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Meet Dr. Benjamin Franklin--a far more complex figure than the squeaky-clean, larger than life Founding Father whose grandfatherly visage graces the hundred dollar bill. Inventor, politician, writer, businessman, scientist, diplomat--that, of course, is the mythic, legendary Ben Franklin. But it's not the only Ben Franklin. By his own admission, Franklin had more than his share of shortcomings and failures. Photographed largely on location in Philadelphia, and featuring in-depth interviews with biographers and historians, as well as liberal doses of Franklin's own, often humorous observations, the special allows viewers to "walk" in Franklin's footsteps. In this vivid portrait, we meet an earthy, brilliant, and flawed Franklin that one biographer believes would feel right at home in today's world. TVPG VL | CC

Our 49th state is one tough terrain. In the air, on the ground--and deep beneath it--survival here requires an amazing array of technological innovations. From buildings to highways, brutal winters to bug-infested summers, this unforgiving landscape demands creative work-arounds. And then there's the constant threat of natural disasters...tsunami, anyone? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Since the dawn of the Industrial Revolution, the United States has stamped, carved, cut, built and assembled its way into becoming the super power of product production. However, in the last 20 years, the "Made in America" tag began to fade, as the manufacturing landscape of industry went overseas. So what is still Made in the USA? Visit the world's biggest and oldest flag manufacturer, which has made some of the most famous flags in history. Go inside the factories that produce the last athletic shoe made in the US. See the strangest form of alternate transportation known to man--completely assembled in 30 minutes. Check out a hot toy company that believes it's imperative to keep their work here at home. Top it all off with some great food--some American success stories that may seem foreign at first glance. It's not just a label. It's a proud and important tradition. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Where in Washington D.C. is the nation's most incredible treasure chest? It's a library unlike any other in the world--the U.S. Library of Congress. Explode the myth that this 200-year-old institution is simply "where members of Congress borrow books." Viewers are taken beyond the magnificent Jefferson Building Great Hall into the secret vaults where more than 600 miles of shelves hold 130 million items, many of them priceless treasures--from George Washington's hand-written diaries to Galileo's first images of the moon to the original camera film of the movie Frankenstein. See how a staff of 4,000 catalogues protects and preserves these treasures and distributes them globally via a new World Digital Library. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Mother Nature unleashes a swarm of tornados on a group of storm chasers. A delivery driver in Japan gets swallowed by the deadliest tsunami in Japan's history. And finally, a massive avalanche barrels into a small town in Norway. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

In this episode, a flaming tornado terrorizes a team of firefighters. A Hawaiian volcano wipes an island paradise off the map. And an avalanche of rocks and debris obliterate a village in Honduras. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Hurricane Sandy was one of the most devastating super storms to hit our shores, claiming over 160 lives and causing billions of dollars in damage. This special examines what happened when Sandy hit and how it happened. We also hunt for clues that could reveal if we are entering an age when bigger, more deadly storms will become a regular occurrence. Is it possible to tell when the next super storm will strike and ultimately will we be prepared? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

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

It is not only a place of natural splendor but a geologic treasure trove as well. Hidden in the sediments of the rocks in its walls is evidence of the coldest time on our planet--ironic in one of the hottest places on Earth. Death Valley is literally being pulled apart and the floor is collapsing and lower than sea level. Here and across much of Nevada is the Basin and Range province--a series of ridges of mountain ranges that are being pulled apart and the basins between them getting wider and flat as they fill with eroded sediment. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Gold dates from the time of the supernova explosion that gave birth to the building blocks of our solar system. When it was created, the Earth included a tiny percentage of gold atoms, and over the aeons geologic processes have concentrated it into various nooks and crannies around the globe. The best of it is in the ancient Precambrian rocks in South Africa, where the deepest mines in the world extract it. In other regions of the world, gold can be gathered from younger sedimentary rocks that have been eroded off older Precambrian rocks. The American gold rush was this type of deposit. Now in Nevada, sedimentary rocks are leached on a truly vast scale to extract the gold. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Why do we have ice ages and when is the next one due? Chart the progress of different ice ages through the history of our planet, from Snowball Earth hundreds of millions of years ago to the recent ice ages. As the Earth circles the sun, its orbit changes slightly and so does it angle of rotation. When the right wobble in our rotation combines with the right orbit, the Earth is, and will again be, plunged into an ice age--but maybe not for a few thousand years. TVPG VL | CC Show Site