The History Channel

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

The story of Thanksgiving, with its costumed Pilgrims, turkeys and pumpkin pie, zigzags through American history with some surprising twists. At the iconic Thanksgiving feast of 1621--no pumpkin pie or cranberry sauce was served, and that event was wiped from the history books for 200 years! In the 19th Century, some southern states thought Thanksgiving was an abolitionist plot and refused to celebrate it. Thanksgiving didn't become an annual national holiday until World War II. What started as a somber Puritan day of prayer is now about football and food. How did we get there? TVPG VL | CC

Does Mount Rushmore, one of America's greatest icons of Democracy have a more sinister meaning? Buddy, Mac and Scott travel to Big Sky country to decode the intended message possibly hidden within this great American symbol. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

The Declaration of Independence is the founding document of American Democracy. Could it contain hidden messages from our nation's forefathers intended to be discovered years later? Buddy, Mac and Scott travel across America to try and uncover the mysteries behind our nation's most prized document. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

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

The Tecumseh was an iron-hulled, single-turret monitor, similar in design to the famous USS Monitor. In August 1864, she was in the vanguard of a monitor flotilla that spearheaded the Federal attack on Mobile Bay. The Confederate defense centered on their shore batteries and the CSS Tennessee, a powerful ironclad ram. As Tecumseh tacked to engage the attacking Tennessee, she suddenly listed, as an explosion erupted beneath the hull. Tecumseh sank quickly with all crewmen. Conventional wisdom and navy records indicated a "torpedo"--an underwater mine--caused the explosion. Others believe this could have been the work of the shore-based artillery, while still others believe it was a Confederate submarine. Join our veteran divers as they try to solve the mystery. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

It was one of the great intellectual debates of the day: was there a northern sea route to the East Indies? Henry Hudson, chosen by an English merchant company, leads what will be the first of four epic voyages in search of a northern passage. But Hudson's obsessive search and his ultimate failure leads to something far more significant--the conquest and colonization of Northeast America. The Dutch colony of New Netherland, founded in 1624, is a model of multiculturalism and religious tolerance. By contrast, the English have only established a shaky beachhead in Virginia and the Pilgrims won't land for a few more years. The Dutch and the English soon become enemies, and the American northeast will experience decades of Anglo-Dutch conflict--until 1664, when the English take over the thriving Dutch colony that will one day become New York City. 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

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

Explore the complex logistics behind creating feasts for the largest and most ravenous crowds. At the U.S. Naval Base in Bangor, Washington, hop aboard a nuclear submarine stuffed with enough food for a 120-day mission. At the U.S. Marine Corps' base in Twentynine Palms, California, follow a brigade of cooks as they prepare their "Victory Meal" for more than a thousand Marines. At the Philadelphia Eagles' football stadium, see how a major food supplier satisfies 69,000 fans during an NFL game. Watch a team of experts rapidly assemble a remote kitchen as they prepare to cater the official after party of the American Music Awards. In Las Vegas, the cooking team at Planet Hollywood's Spice Market Buffet will show viewers what it takes to feed a never-ending line of gamblers. And at Gate Gourmet kitchen in New York, watch as thousands of airline meals are whipped together in just one day. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

It's the centerpiece on your Thanksgiving dinner table--and one of the most famous birds in North America. From the moment a baby turkey pecks through its shell to the factory that transforms turkey waste into crude oil, see a world few have ever seen. Tour the Butterball factory in North Carolina, where millions of domesticated turkeys are processed, take a trip to a wild turkey hunt in the Montana wilderness, and stop at America's most famous turkey-themed restaurant, The Strongbow Inn, for a plate of turkey testicles and turkey eggs. From pets to presidential pardons, it's an up-close look at the feisty fowl that's the reluctant star of our holiday dinners. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Does Canada have its own Bigfoot? Owners of a fly-in fishing cabin report attacks by an unknown creature. Can DNA tests on blood and tissue from the alleged beast reveal its true identity? The test results will surprise you. One-part history, one-part science and one part monster, discover the truth behind these beasts and take a scientific look at legendary creatures around the world. The best evidence available will be examined, from pictures and video, to hair and bones. Scientists will be brought in to tell viewers what the evidence reveals. Ultimately the evidence will reveal the truth....or in some cases continue the mystery. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Something has been attacking a remote cabin in Northern Ontario, Canada--it may have left behind a blood trail. DNA analysis suggests that the creature is a non-human primate. A follow up test will confirm or deny this, and the results could change history. Meanwhile, a new expedition, outfitted with the most advanced surveillance and detection equipment, will set up camp at the cabin and wait for the creature's imminent return. Scientists will be brought in to tell viewers what the evidence reveals. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Analysis of video taken of an alleged UFO over Illinois suggests the object could have been as large as 1500 feet across. The video, featured on UFO HUNTERS, captured three bright lights in a triangular pattern. It was part of a mass sighting of over fifty reports near Tinley Park, Illinois in 2004. Upon investigating, the team discovered that similar objects were reported all over the world in the days surrounding this event--from Australia to Canada. Sightings of triangular-shaped UFOs have been on the rise in recent decades, but was the Tinley Park mass sighting a solid object, or as some believe, a hoax involving weather balloons and flares? Analysis of the video suggests it could have been a solid object larger than any known craft. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

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

The existence and location of the Ark of the Covenant has remained one of the most enduring mysteries in archaeology. Professor Tudor Parfitt from London's School of Oriental and African Studies will reveal where he believes the Ark is. Parfitt is well-known for discovering that the Lemba tribe in Zimbabwe is one of the lost tribes of Israel. Follow this global quest-detective as he decodes ancient texts and pieces together clues. Ultimately he builds a picture of what he thinks the Ark looks like and where it is. The journey takes viewers through Israelite wars, Philistine shrines, Solomon's Temple and Africa to the final, critical clue which led Parfitt to its current location. TVPG VL | CC

Explore the complex logistics behind creating feasts for the largest and most ravenous crowds. At the U.S. Naval Base in Bangor, Washington, hop aboard a nuclear submarine stuffed with enough food for a 120-day mission. At the U.S. Marine Corps' base in Twentynine Palms, California, follow a brigade of cooks as they prepare their "Victory Meal" for more than a thousand Marines. At the Philadelphia Eagles' football stadium, see how a major food supplier satisfies 69,000 fans during an NFL game. Watch a team of experts rapidly assemble a remote kitchen as they prepare to cater the official after party of the American Music Awards. In Las Vegas, the cooking team at Planet Hollywood's Spice Market Buffet will show viewers what it takes to feed a never-ending line of gamblers. And at Gate Gourmet kitchen in New York, watch as thousands of airline meals are whipped together in just one day. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

In April 1897--50 years before the alleged UFO crash in Roswell, New Mexico--a mysterious airship crash rocked the small town of Aurora, Texas...or at least, that's how the legend goes! The tale includes the wreckage from the ship, a funeral for the dead "alien" pilot, and thousands of witnesses from across the country. And the Aurora crash allegedly took place five years before the Wright Brothers flew at Kitty Hawk, so whatever was in the air was not manmade. Eyewitness accounts of the crash, mysterious metal found at the site, and the hunt for the only known alien graveyard are all combined into a story that has even the most adamant debunkers baffled. Is this the case that finally proves that UFOs are real? Join us as we separate fact from fiction. TVPG VL | CC

Mass suicides. Human sacrifices. Unholy rituals. Throughout history, people have claimed to have otherworldly knowledge, and have led followers to commit horrific acts of violence. Are they con men? Are they insane? Or might the voices in their heads really be of an extraterrestrial origin? And if so, did they simply misinterpret the messages they received? Or might there be extraterrestrials with a sinister agenda? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Does Canada have its own Bigfoot? Owners of a fly-in fishing cabin report attacks by an unknown creature. Can DNA tests on blood and tissue from the alleged beast reveal its true identity? The test results will surprise you. One-part history, one-part science and one part monster, discover the truth behind these beasts and take a scientific look at legendary creatures around the world. The best evidence available will be examined, from pictures and video, to hair and bones. Scientists will be brought in to tell viewers what the evidence reveals. Ultimately the evidence will reveal the truth....or in some cases continue the mystery. 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

Heroes who fight tax collectors and moral crusaders, or just common criminals? Like it or not, America was built by rumrunners, moonshiners, and bootleggers--even founding father John Hancock was a smuggler. In the 1920s, Prohibition turned fishermen into rumrunners and two-bit gangsters into millionaires, and moonshine haulers in their souped-up cars helped create NASCAR. Rare archival footage and photos help weave the compelling tale of our nation's love-hate relationship with illegal alcohol. TVPG VL | CC

Analysis of video taken of an alleged UFO over Illinois suggests the object could have been as large as 1500 feet across. The video, featured on UFO HUNTERS, captured three bright lights in a triangular pattern. It was part of a mass sighting of over fifty reports near Tinley Park, Illinois in 2004. Upon investigating, the team discovered that similar objects were reported all over the world in the days surrounding this event--from Australia to Canada. Sightings of triangular-shaped UFOs have been on the rise in recent decades, but was the Tinley Park mass sighting a solid object, or as some believe, a hoax involving weather balloons and flares? Analysis of the video suggests it could have been a solid object larger than any known craft. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Six "doughnut-shaped aircraft" were spotted off the coast of Maury Island, WA one week before the reported UFO crash in Roswell, NM. Harold Dahl and his son witnessed the aircraft dancing in unknown form and one spewing white-hot fragments over the water and beach. The falling debris killed Dahl's dog. The military was informed and two Air Force intelligence officers arrived in Tacoma, conducted interviews and collected the remaining wreckage. The officers departed from McCord Field but their plane lost communication and crashed near the town of Kelso. Now our team has located the crash scene and together with an archeologist, will scour the debris field and analyze the evidence. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

In April 1897--50 years before the alleged UFO crash in Roswell, New Mexico--a mysterious airship crash rocked the small town of Aurora, Texas...or at least, that's how the legend goes! The tale includes the wreckage from the ship, a funeral for the dead "alien" pilot, and thousands of witnesses from across the country. And the Aurora crash allegedly took place five years before the Wright Brothers flew at Kitty Hawk, so whatever was in the air was not manmade. Eyewitness accounts of the crash, mysterious metal found at the site, and the hunt for the only known alien graveyard are all combined into a story that has even the most adamant debunkers baffled. Is this the case that finally proves that UFOs are real? Join us as we separate fact from fiction. TVPG VL | CC

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

The story of Thanksgiving, with its costumed Pilgrims, turkeys and pumpkin pie, zigzags through American history with some surprising twists. At the iconic Thanksgiving feast of 1621--no pumpkin pie or cranberry sauce was served, and that event was wiped from the history books for 200 years! In the 19th Century, some southern states thought Thanksgiving was an abolitionist plot and refused to celebrate it. Thanksgiving didn't become an annual national holiday until World War II. What started as a somber Puritan day of prayer is now about football and food. How did we get there? TVPG VL | CC

Does Mount Rushmore, one of America's greatest icons of Democracy have a more sinister meaning? Buddy, Mac and Scott travel to Big Sky country to decode the intended message possibly hidden within this great American symbol. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

The Declaration of Independence is the founding document of American Democracy. Could it contain hidden messages from our nation's forefathers intended to be discovered years later? Buddy, Mac and Scott travel across America to try and uncover the mysteries behind our nation's most prized document. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

What is the meaning behind secret messages found throughout Washington, D.C.? Did America's Founding Fathers know something about ancient aliens that the general public did not? And if so, could this knowledge have been incorporated into the symbols, architecture, and even the founding documents of the United States of America? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Ancient Astronaut theorists believe aliens have been visiting earth for thousands of years. If so, might we find evidence of this even in the stories of America's Old West? In Aurora, Texas, the local cemetery claims to hold the body of an alien whose ship crashed there in 1897. In Utah, petroglyphs depict strange beings wearing what look like space suits. In southern California, 19th century ranchers reported seeing an otherworldly creature emerge from Elizabeth Lake. And even in Tombstone, Arizona, the home of Wyatt Earp and the site of the gunfight at the O.K. Corral, cowboys claimed to have shot at a giant, metallic bird Are these simply campfire tales, or did the cowboys and native people of America's Wild West actually come in contact with alien beings from another--much more distant--frontier? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Centuries ago the prophet Nostradamus had visions of the end of our modern world. Now, scholars decipher his mysterious predictions and learn of terrible tragedies and catastrophic events that threaten to annihilate global populations. Nostradamus has successfully predicted the rise of Hitler, the assassination of John F. Kennedy, the detonation of the atomic bomb, and countless other events. Many fear that the remaining unfulfilled prophecies of Nostradamus will manifest before our very eyes. At Radius Engineering in Texas, Walton McCarthy shows state of the art underground shelters to a concerned family and in South Florida, Billy Carson of Fort Terra Nova meets with a prospective client interested in joining an underground shelter community large enough to house over 350 people. TVPG VL | CC Show Site