The History Channel

It transports electricity, water, and heat. Our bodies can't survive without it, yet it can kill microbes in minutes. It brings music to our ears and beauty to our eyes. We'll delve into all of copper's impressive traits, history, and how it's mined. This versatile red metal's most famous attribute is its ability to conduct electricity--copper wires connect and energize the world. And it's revolutionizing the electronics industry by enabling ever-shrinking computer chips. It's also formed into plumbing pipes to convey water and is the metal of choice for beautiful roofs and sculptures. It doesn't only look good--it sounds great too. A visit to a bell foundry reveals why bronze, a copper alloy, has been used to make music for hundreds of years. In myriad shapes and for innumerable uses, copper figures prominently in our world. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

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

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

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

The medieval philosopher St. Thomas Aquinas said that those guilty of the sin of envy take "pleasure at another's misfortune." Italian writer Dante characterized the envious as "sinners [who] have their eyes sewn shut because they enjoyed watching others brought low." The sin of envy has led to murder, revolution and even the fall of empires. Yet in today's image-saturated world, has the sin of envy gone from vice to virtue? TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Hop aboard the longest privately owned train in the world, Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey's circus train. PT Barnum's circus train started in the 1870s; and the US military used circus loading techniques in World War I. Host Matt Bown and the circus must race against the clock to dismantle tons of equipment and get it on the rails. As they travel from Baltimore to the Washington, DC corridor in the dead of night, Matt discovers the less glamorous side to the greatest show on earth. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

The Hopi people have warned us that the world is headed for extinction. Based in the Arizona Desert, the Native American tribe of the Hopi has been prophesying about the fate of society for centuries. They have accurately predicted the coming of the settlers to their land, the birth of telecommunication, and the worldwide spread of the internet. The Hopi believe that our actions have caused the earth to become out of balance which will lead to a cataclysmic great purification of the planet that few will survive. To herald these end times, the Hopi believe that a blue star will arise in the heavens, followed by a great shaking of the earth. These prophecies have been passed down from generation to generation and warn of massive earthquakes, tsunamis and super-volcanos that threaten the lives of millions. The Foster family of Illinois is prepping in their own way to be ready for the end. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

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

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

If ancient aliens visited Earth, were they responsible for catastrophes, wars and other deadly disasters to control the fate of the human race? The story of the Great Flood sent by deities to destroy civilizations exists in many prehistoric cultures. There are ancient descriptions of extraterrestrial battles that caused wide-scale destruction, and even reports of UFOs lurking in the shadows of recent natural disasters. The Book of Revelations and the Dead Sea Scrolls describe a future apocalyptic battle between good and evil that will destroy our world. Are these ancient texts proof that aliens are hostile and planning a violent return? Or might they be our saviors, ensuring our survival as a species during times of devastation? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

For as long as mankind has questioned his own beginnings, he has been obsessed with how it will all end. Stephen Wohlberg is a Californian preacher who eagerly awaits--along with his wife and young children--the apocalyptic end of the world. Two British researchers propose a new theory and show new evidence that Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed by the fallout from an asteroid impact over 5,000 years ago. They believe the event was so devastating that it left a mark in every single Mediterranean religion, and actually gave birth to Western ideas of the Apocalypse. Today, global destruction does not require divine intervention: former Soviet nuclear defense specialist Stanislav Petrov tells the story of the day he saved the world from World War III. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Geologist and adventurer Scott Wolter explores a government-restricted site, and makes a startling discovery connecting the ancient Mayans with rural Georgia. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

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

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

For thousands of years, pyramids were the largest structures on Earth. The best known were constructed in Egypt and Central America, but others have been found all around the world, including in China, Africa and Indonesia. But what purpose did the pyramids serve? Researchers explore strange similarities between all pyramids, as well as the geographic, strategic and otherworldly connections between these mysterious monumental structures. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

The Tanakh of the Jews is an acronym that identifies the Hebrew Bible, equivalent to the Old Testament to Christians. Within the 24 books of the Tanakh (or Mikra as it was called during the period of its recording) are astounding predictions of the future. Many of the prophets who authored or appeared in the scriptures prophesied about the fate of the Jewish people and the State of Israel. We'll examine the prophecies and chronicle the birth, death, recent resurrection, and possible future of Israel. Supported by archival footage and dramatic recreations, on-camera experts representing the three major religions, and secular perspectives, we explore the most significant of these ancient prophecies. Are the prophecies real? Are they unfolding before our eyes? Who believes, who doesn't, and why? TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

The medieval philosopher St. Thomas Aquinas said that those guilty of the sin of envy take "pleasure at another's misfortune." Italian writer Dante characterized the envious as "sinners [who] have their eyes sewn shut because they enjoyed watching others brought low." The sin of envy has led to murder, revolution and even the fall of empires. Yet in today's image-saturated world, has the sin of envy gone from vice to virtue? TVPG VL | CC

A series of unsolved murders. A cryptic set of clues. A dead end at every corner. The serial killer known as the Zodiac long terrorized the residents of the San Francisco Bay area while taunting police. He was never caught. Now our team of investigators have identified a new suspect, and with the aid of a groundbreaking new DNA technology have the chance to come one step closer to finally solving the mystery of this murderous crime spree. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

To this day no one knows the true purpose of Stonehenge, the ancient monument in the British countryside. There are many theories: a shrine celebrating a god; an ancient solar calendar; or maybe a sacrificial altar for an unknown pagan religion. MysteryQuest travels to the ancient ruin with a new theory--that ancient people may have used the sound reverberations inside this circle to induce a trance-like state among participants in ancient rituals. Were there bizarre rituals, even sacrifices, to some long-forgotten god? The team will attempt to find evidence that could crack open this persistent mystery. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Hop aboard the longest privately owned train in the world, Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey's circus train. PT Barnum's circus train started in the 1870s; and the US military used circus loading techniques in World War I. Host Matt Bown and the circus must race against the clock to dismantle tons of equipment and get it on the rails. As they travel from Baltimore to the Washington, DC corridor in the dead of night, Matt discovers the less glamorous side to the greatest show on earth. TVPG VL | CC

Throughout history man has gone to great lengths to develop the technology of torture. Learn about a new discovery that proves victim's bones were snapped apart on the rack--not the joints being pulled apart as previously believed. Investigate the actual cause of death for those who were burned at the stake. Watch as a stuntman is set on fire to reveal the truth behind roman emperor Nero's burning tunic of death. Discover how Vlad the Impaler impaled his victims from top to bottom with 3-inch wide stakes--while still keeping them alive for up to three days. Historians, doctors, model makers and virtual reality artists will help to reveal the startling torture technologies of the ancient world. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Holding off invasion and protecting its people, ancient civilizations came up with creative, efficient and effective means of self-protection and defense. Walk the grounds of the castle that helped create Great Britain and learn why it was such an impregnable fortress. Discover the invisible underground defensive systems of Cappadocia and how they proved so successful that it is the longest continually inhabited fortress in history. Test the ancient Mayan killer bee castle defenses, and release bees in an attack. Next, build a replica section of the ancient Roman fort of Alesia and discover whether the great general Julius Caesar could really have built 24 miles of defenses in just six weeks. Investigate the most impregnable walls in history--the multi-layered defenses of Constantinople, and discover the type of cannon that the sultan Mehmet used to finally destroy them in the great siege of 1453. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

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

Asteroids on a collision course with Earth, super volcanoes, global warming, killer viruses--all are potential catastrophes that threaten to wipe out life on our planet. Are these simply natural disasters that have been occurring since time immemorial? Or are these threats terrifying prophesies from the Bible that are at last coming true? Are our fears overblown? Or are the infamous Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse riding among us in a countdown to Armageddon? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

For as long as mankind has questioned his own beginnings, he has been obsessed with how it will all end. Stephen Wohlberg is a Californian preacher who eagerly awaits--along with his wife and young children--the apocalyptic end of the world. Two British researchers propose a new theory and show new evidence that Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed by the fallout from an asteroid impact over 5,000 years ago. They believe the event was so devastating that it left a mark in every single Mediterranean religion, and actually gave birth to Western ideas of the Apocalypse. Today, global destruction does not require divine intervention: former Soviet nuclear defense specialist Stanislav Petrov tells the story of the day he saved the world from World War III. TVPG VL | CC

Ancient underwater cities can be found around the globe, but could these aquatic worlds be the ruins of unknown civilizations--or even proof of extraterrestrial visitations? The infamous tale of the long lost city of Atlantis may be a preserved memory of an ancient alien metropolis. Beneath Lake Titicaca in Peru, the ruins of recently discovered temples support local legends of an underwater UFO base. Ancient Indian texts, known as Sangams, describe sunken cities where aliens and humans intermingled thousands of years ago. Who could have built the 600-foot stepped stone structure off the coast of Japan--a site that may predate the Egyptian pyramids by thousands of years? Could evidence of ancient alien contact lie buried in Earth's deepest oceans? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Myths and legends have long been regarded as fantastic stories that describe powerful gods, mutant giants and fearsome monsters. But why do so many different cultures, separated by vast distances, tell the same stories? Is it possible that myths and legends were really eyewitness accounts of ancient astronauts descending to Earth? Ancient texts are filled with stories of gods interacting with humans, offering wisdom, technology, and even impregnating women. Could the demigods of mythology have been the offspring of alien and human unions? If so, could aliens have supplied the Missing Link that accelerated human evolution, advancing our civilization and making us who we are today? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

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

Home to the legend of the Loch Ness Monster, this lake holds more water than any other lake in Britain. It's only 10,000 years old, but billions of years in the making. Trace the extraordinary story of Loch Ness: from the three billion year old bedrock of Northern Scotland, to the giant glaciers that carved out the Loch. On this incredible journey we reveal that Loch Ness was once part of America, giant dinosaurs, suspiciously similar to the fabled monster once roamed the area, and that the entire region was engulfed by huge volcanic eruptions as Scotland was ripped from its birth place on the American continent. Could the mythical Loch Ness monster be a descendant of the dinosaurs, somehow surviving in the murky waters of the loch? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

It is the tallest and biggest mountain on earth, as far removed from sea level as it's possible to be--and yet its sedimentary layers contain fossils that were once creatures that lived on the ocean seabed. The Himalayas formed when India smashed into Asia--propelled by plate tectonics. Everest is still rising but its height is limited--extreme erosion counteracts and limits the amount of uplift. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

The Tanakh of the Jews is an acronym that identifies the Hebrew Bible, equivalent to the Old Testament to Christians. Within the 24 books of the Tanakh (or Mikra as it was called during the period of its recording) are astounding predictions of the future. Many of the prophets who authored or appeared in the scriptures prophesied about the fate of the Jewish people and the State of Israel. We'll examine the prophecies and chronicle the birth, death, recent resurrection, and possible future of Israel. Supported by archival footage and dramatic recreations, on-camera experts representing the three major religions, and secular perspectives, we explore the most significant of these ancient prophecies. Are the prophecies real? Are they unfolding before our eyes? Who believes, who doesn't, and why? TVPG VL | CC

The oldest known weapon is the staff. Watch with surprising results a comparison test between a staff and a shotgun. Learn about the ermei--a deadly Chinese underwater attack weapon. Which is more powerful, a meteor hammer or a punch? Can Chi Warriors really kill a man with a single touch? Investigate the ability of eastern warriors to withstand pain such as smashing concrete on live human heads. Finally, ancient Chinese crossbows are examined, including one small enough to fit up your sleeve. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Travel to the farthest corners of the ancient East to uncover weapons never before seen by the world at large. In India, we encounter martial artists wielding terrifying six foot long flexible steel swords, a steel projectile that can sever the limbs of any enemies, and an ancient Indian booby trap which impales its victims as they sleep. In Egypt, the ways in which a camel was turned into a weapon of war are explored and tested. Traveling further east to China, experts investigate how armor that could stop arrows were made of nothing more than paper. Finally, through painstaking research, we construct the world's first unmanned weapon that went onto the battlefield over 2000 years ago. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

A bird roasted to perfection, a steaming plates of succulent sides, a kaleidoscope of colorful holiday sweets...nothing quite announces the holiday season like food. Join us as we take a festive look at America's most delicious holiday foods. Among American's favorite trimmings are bread stuffing, candied yams and cranberry sauce--first introduced in 1864 when General Ulysses S. Grant ordered it served to the troops during the siege of Petersburg. We'll also take a look back at America's obsession with the sweeter side of the holidays, from gingerbread to candy canes. Learn why the dreaded fruitcake--an invention dating back to Roman times--was once against the law! New trends in holiday feasting are always a hit, from a deep fried turkey born out of the Bayou of Louisiana, to the ever-humorous, and delicious, Turducken: a chicken stuffed inside a duck inside a turkey. TVPG VL | CC

In a 2-hour special, we scrutinize ancient writings that didn't "make the cut" in the battle to create a Christian Bible in the new religion's first few centuries. Biblical archaeologists and scholars examine why they were left out and if others might yet be found. Beginning with the little-known Life of Adam and Eve, we also peruse the Book of Jubilees, the Book of Enoch, the Gospel of Thomas, the Protevangelium of James, the Gospel of Mary, the Gospel of Nicodemus, and the Apocalypse of Peter. TVPG VL | CC

If ancient aliens visited Earth, who were they, and where did they come from? Possible historic evidence and beliefs are examined around the world. The Dogon people possess knowledge of a galaxy they claim was given to them by a star god named Amma. The Hopi and Zuni people celebrate Kachinas, gods from the sky, whose headdresses and costumes appear to resemble modern helmets and protective clothing. Halfway around the world, Chinese legends tell of the Han leader, Huangdi, arriving on Earth on a flying, yellow dragon. Was this dragon more likely a spacecraft? Ancient astronaut theorists believe that these are far from chance encounters and that extraterrestrials not only interacted with us, but changed the course of human history. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

For 3000 years the Siege of Troy has remained steeped in mystery. Journey with us to the site in Turkey believed to be the location of the real Troy, as we analyze one of the world's greatest historical battlegrounds for new clues. This program takes us behind the Troy celebrated by Hollywood to uncover fascinating evidence in regard to Achilles' duel against Hector, the sailing of the vast Mycenaean fleet and the wooden horse of Troy. Watch as we apply modern technology, archaeology and engineering to uncover the real story behind the legend of Troy. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

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

In recent years there have been a number of extraordinary discoveries of ships from the ancient world. But what do these finds say about the societies which created them, and the techniques they used in their construction? Travel back to ancient Egypt and learn about the "Khufu Boat" which had not one metal nail in its construction, and uncover huge sailing vessels, dating from 3000 B.C., in Abydos near the Nile. Some of the most exciting discoveries that have been made include the warship, and one carried as many as 7000 crewman. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

The Maya, an ancient South American culture, predicted that time would end in a violent apocalypse on December 21, 2012. They created an elaborate astronomical calendar called "The Long Count," which stops abruptly in 2012. This date, which is also the winter equinox, coincides with an incredibly rare galactic alignment that happens once every 26,000 years. What did the Mayans think would happen when their calendar ended? And were they joined by other cultures--from different parts of the world and in different centuries--all pointing to 2012 as a calamitous end time? The Hopi Indians and Eastern Hindus have similar calendars, which are remarkably synchronous. One counter-culture mystic even uses an Ancient Chinese philosophy to unlock the key to a 2012 prophecy. Nostradamus himself suggests the world is headed toward a coming cataclysm. What can we do to head the warning of the Mayan apocalypse? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Nightmarish terrors long relegated to the pages of science fiction are threatening to become a reality in the 21st Century. As science continues to evolve, the boundaries of fantasy and reality have blurred as we uncover new truths about our world and beyond. This countdown to future Apocalypse has lead everyday people to prepare for survival in the face of the looming Doomsday. Utah housewife Peggy Layton has stored years worth of food in an underground shelter and zombie researcher Matt Mogk has developed his own survival plan including a stockpile of weapons specifically chosen to fend off a zombie attack. 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

Is it possible that sightings of alien beings or UFOs may actually be evidence of time travelers from the future? And might ancient astronauts actually be time travelers from our future? Scientists explore the theoretical possibility of time travel. How can it be achieved? And what might people from 10,000 years in the future look like? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Might an examination of Leonardo Da Vinci's masterful paintings, highly technical hand-drawn sketches, and private journals reveal knowledge of otherworldly technology and extraterrestrial beings? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Angkor Wat, Cambodia, is the world's largest ancient religious temple. Within its megalithic ruins, researches have discovered a depiction of a species of dinosaur--a stegosaurus. But how could the ancients have had knowledge of animals that mainstream science says died out millions of years ago? Why are dinosaurs extinct? Did an alien race of beings kill off the dinosaurs to make room for humankind? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

It is the largest and most fearsome volcanic island on the planet. We'll scour the island for clues, to address the mystery of what powerful forces are ripping Iceland apart and lighting its fiery volcanoes. Here, lava rips huge tears in the ground and new islands are born from the waves. Yet despite the active volcanoes, Iceland historically has been covered in and carved by ice. Fire and ice collide, locked in a titanic battle, as glaciers explode and cataclysmic floods decimate the landscape. But Iceland's volcanoes have had ramifications far beyond the shores of Iceland, causing climatic chaos and devastation across the planet; a fate which may one day happen again. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

When it comes to working in extreme environments, our movers are ready! In this episode, we travel from Florida to Hawaii where our movers confront two different working conditions--both considered danger zones. In Florida, they battle the elements to preserve a hurricane-ravaged beach by moving nearly 3 million cubic yards of sand from the ocean floor to the coastline. In Hawaii, an old plantation house is moved deep into a rain forest on the edge of an active volcano. Join us as we learn the ways the pros who know the conditions get the job done. TVPG VL | CC

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

Might the stories of the Bible have their basis in ancient scientific fact? How big was the giant Goliath, and what was the tech of the sling that brought him down? We'll demonstrate that the tower of Babel could have been as tall as two miles in height. Create fire from water as Elijah may have done. And in a never before attempted investigation, watch as archeologists fully levitate a replica of the Ark of the Covenant. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

New York's towering skyline and world-leading technology have made it the ultimate city, yet breathtaking new discoveries reveal that the blueprints for this megametropolis were in fact laid thousands of years ago. From brutal bloodsports staged in ancient Madison Square Gardens to Times Square-style celebrations at a gigantic neolithic calendar, you are about to discover that everything you thought you knew about the Big Apple comes from our distant forefathers. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Modern medicine it isn't, but at the time, it was the best that could be done--and perhaps may have new applications in our world. Examine how the leech was used as an ancient medical cure and test one on a live patient to see how much blood comes out. Travel to Spain to take a reading from a live torpedo fish and to do a pain test with the same level of electricity on a live volunteer. Investigate trepanning, the ancient Inca art of relieving pressure on the brain by cutting open a hole in the skull, as well as Roman battlefield surgery techniques and tools. Learn how snake venom was used as medicine in the ancient world--a technique that medics are re-learning today. Using replica tools and virtual surgery in the computer, see how brain surgery performed on Prince Henry V of England to remove an arrow from his skull--the first ever life-saving surgery ever performed on a historical figure. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

The colossal cornerstones of commerce. Oversized outfitters. Merchandise Moguls. Mega Stores are giant facilities engineered to keep up with America's supersized habits. They are the largest, busiest places in the country. Their greatest challenge: keeping up with demand on a massive scale, and to do it, they have everything from scuba divers to sandblasters. It's not what's on the shelves--it's what happens behind the scenes. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Christmas is observed by nearly one-third of the world's population...and probably more if you count the non-Christians who incorporate some of the more secular traditions into their winter season. Every year, revelers go all out with trees, ornaments, lights, window displays and Christmas treats. Technological advancements have made them cheaper, easier and safer. We'll visit Rockefeller Center for a look at their yearly tree preparations and then take a walk to Macy's, Herald Square, where we'll find out what it takes to design, assemble and install their annual holiday windows. How is the 3,300 pound UNICEF crystal snowflake hoisted above Fifth Avenue every year? Then it's off to Yule Tree Farms, one of Oregon's largest Christmas tree farms and we'll visit a bakery in Texas that bakes and ships about 33,000 fruitcakes per day during the holiday season. So plug in the tree, grab some eggnog, sit back and enjoy! TVPG VL | CC Show Site

To this day no one knows the true purpose of Stonehenge, the ancient monument in the British countryside. There are many theories: a shrine celebrating a god; an ancient solar calendar; or maybe a sacrificial altar for an unknown pagan religion. MysteryQuest travels to the ancient ruin with a new theory--that ancient people may have used the sound reverberations inside this circle to induce a trance-like state among participants in ancient rituals. Were there bizarre rituals, even sacrifices, to some long-forgotten god? The team will attempt to find evidence that could crack open this persistent mystery. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Travel to Egypt and join a team of archaeologists who have uncovered what evidence reveals is the lost fourth pyramid of Giza. Radjedef, son of the great Khufu, would stamp his supremacy by erecting the highest pyramid ever built, towering some 60 feet above Khufu's Great Pyramid of Giza. However, Radjedef's pyramid was forgotten and almost buried beneath the encroaching desert sands and its significance to the three great pyramids was lost. State-of-the-art CGI demonstrates how all four pyramids were connected. Interwoven through the exciting finds of this new excavation is the story of the most powerful, prolific, and arguably, the most cruel and debauched of all Egypt's dynasties. TVPG VL | CC

Holding off invasion and protecting its people, ancient civilizations came up with creative, efficient and effective means of self-protection and defense. Walk the grounds of the castle that helped create Great Britain and learn why it was such an impregnable fortress. Discover the invisible underground defensive systems of Cappadocia and how they proved so successful that it is the longest continually inhabited fortress in history. Test the ancient Mayan killer bee castle defenses, and release bees in an attack. Next, build a replica section of the ancient Roman fort of Alesia and discover whether the great general Julius Caesar could really have built 24 miles of defenses in just six weeks. Investigate the most impregnable walls in history--the multi-layered defenses of Constantinople, and discover the type of cannon that the sultan Mehmet used to finally destroy them in the great siege of 1453. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Travel to Egypt to discover the mysteries of the mummified crocodiles of Kom Ombo. We'll x-ray an ancient mummy that has held a secret for 2000 years, and reveal the lengths that people will go to to ritualize death. New discoveries at the site of the world famous terracotta army in China reveal incredible insights into the mind-state of the great first emperor of China and his people; and what they believed about death. In Britain, forensic scientists solve a year old murder using 15th century forensic science, as well as hundreds of mini-detectives--blowflies. And using virtual reality techniques doctors will now look inside the body of a victim during a live crucifixion to discover horrific new truths about the suffering on the cross. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

For 3000 years the Siege of Troy has remained steeped in mystery. Journey with us to the site in Turkey believed to be the location of the real Troy, as we analyze one of the world's greatest historical battlegrounds for new clues. This program takes us behind the Troy celebrated by Hollywood to uncover fascinating evidence in regard to Achilles' duel against Hector, the sailing of the vast Mycenaean fleet and the wooden horse of Troy. Watch as we apply modern technology, archaeology and engineering to uncover the real story behind the legend of Troy. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

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

The Maya, an ancient South American culture, predicted that time would end in a violent apocalypse on December 21, 2012. They created an elaborate astronomical calendar called "The Long Count," which stops abruptly in 2012. This date, which is also the winter equinox, coincides with an incredibly rare galactic alignment that happens once every 26,000 years. What did the Mayans think would happen when their calendar ended? And were they joined by other cultures--from different parts of the world and in different centuries--all pointing to 2012 as a calamitous end time? The Hopi Indians and Eastern Hindus have similar calendars, which are remarkably synchronous. One counter-culture mystic even uses an Ancient Chinese philosophy to unlock the key to a 2012 prophecy. Nostradamus himself suggests the world is headed toward a coming cataclysm. What can we do to head the warning of the Mayan apocalypse? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Myths and legends have long been regarded as fantastic stories that describe powerful gods, mutant giants and fearsome monsters. But why do so many different cultures, separated by vast distances, tell the same stories? Is it possible that myths and legends were really eyewitness accounts of ancient astronauts descending to Earth? Ancient texts are filled with stories of gods interacting with humans, offering wisdom, technology, and even impregnating women. Could the demigods of mythology have been the offspring of alien and human unions? If so, could aliens have supplied the Missing Link that accelerated human evolution, advancing our civilization and making us who we are today? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

For thousands of years, there have been places around the world considered dangerous to humans. Might these locations hold the key to an otherworldly connection? At Australia's Black Mountains, local myths speak of ancient serpent gods and hikers disappearing. Every year hundreds are drawn to a dark forest at the base of Mount Fuji in Japan--to commit suicide. What causes these places to be evil? Could there be evidence that past extraterrestrial activity lead to the negative energy in Earth's evil places? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Is it possible that sightings of alien beings or UFOs may actually be evidence of time travelers from the future? And might ancient astronauts actually be time travelers from our future? Scientists explore the theoretical possibility of time travel. How can it be achieved? And what might people from 10,000 years in the future look like? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

It's the most popular fish in the American diet. From the school lunch box--to the high end sushi bar--to the outdoor barbecue, tuna crosses all demographic lines. We'll go fishing with the men who risk their lives to bring in a haul, stop in at Bumble Bee, the only major tuna cannery still operating in America, and visit the world's largest fish market in Tokyo, where a single tuna can sell for as much as $100,000. We'll also explore worldwide efforts to save the giant bluefin tuna, which has been over-fished to a point of peril. Then we'll head to sea with scientists who track the tunas' inter-oceanic migrations, and travel to South Australia, where entrepreneurs seek to breed the mighty bluefin in captivity. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Candy is America's sweetest guilty pleasure--so appealing that we spend $25 billion annually to experience it. Our cameras venture from Chicago to Santa Cruz, California to show you that behind every delicious bite is a fascinating story of imagination and innovation. Fourth-generation candy makers Nick and Gino Marini reveal how they're redefining the limits of confectioneering with their latest sensation...chocolate-covered bacon. The crew that makes the iconic red and white Starlight Mints demonstrates how they give each piece its trademark color pattern. As your mouth waters throughout the hour, you'll also discover they key ingredient that gives Lemonheads their sour punch...and the surprising substance that puts the polish on Mike and Ikes. And you'll be shocked to learn how little sugar is in cotton candy. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

The Atacama desert is considered the driest place on Earth. Since human records of the area began, some places have never received rain. But the records don't stop there--the Atacama is also the oldest desert in the world, and recently it has been dated to an amazing 150 million years old. Other research shows that the surface of this desert is also incredibly ancient, with boulders lying there that have not moved for over 23 million years--more than 50 times longer than it's taken for our human species to evolve. The soil is so dry, it has been used as a test bed for the Mars rovers. And though the desert was once thought to be completely lifeless, strange bacteria discovered there have given scientists new hope that they might find life on the red planet. Atacama is also home to the largest copper mine in the world. Inspect the riddle of the Atacama and uncover how this extraordinarily dry landscape was created. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Chili head alert! It's time to get hot and spicy. First we'll take you to the home of sizzling Tabasco sauce--McIlhenny Company of Louisiana, and to McCormick in Baltimore, Maryland--the leading spice manufacturer in the world. Then, head down south to see who likes it hot at the Southern Mississippi Chili Cook Off. At the Chile Pepper Institute, taste the rare "Bhut Jolokia," the hottest Chile pepper in the world, and learn about the chemical substance capsaicin, which gives the "Bhut" and other popular peppers their tongue-burning heat. At Sol Toro restaurant in Connecticut, owned by basketball great Michael Jordan, customers need to sign a waiver to dine on their sizzling dishes. Go to the manufacturers of horseradish, wasabi and mustard to find out how their roots and seeds deliver their own distinctive blazing burn. Using the same heat many savor, we'll demonstrate the powerful punch of pepper spray as a weapon. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Rubber, Plastic, Nylon, Aerosols, Resins, Solvents, and Lubricants--none can exist without oil. If we stopped driving our cars tomorrow, America would still need five million barrels of oil a day. Visit Vulcan Materials, where oil tanks are emptied into massive double-barrel mixers to make asphalt and then continue to the Rolls Royce Aerospace Facility where complex jet fuels are blended. Travel back to the 1870's to see how an unemployed whale oil salesman turned a greasy oil-drilling by-product into a household staple: Vaseline. Finally discover how cutting-edge recycling techniques can breathe new life into used motor oil, and where a number of renewable fuels and technologies take aim at oil sovereignty. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

For centuries, science and faith have been polarized on some of the most fundamental questions in the universe, sometimes with deadly consequences. But as mankind seeks to answer the ultimate question--whether God exists--religion and science have joined in an unlikely alliance. Can new scientific discoveries and digital age technology reveal tangible proof of God? From the far reaches of the cosmos to the inner working of the human mind, scientists and believers around the world are using science to open new frontiers in this ultimate quest. TVPG VL | CC

Throughout the world, ancient rites and rituals are believed to connect humans to another dimension. But just who--or what--are we communicating with? Could today's rituals, such as festivals, coronations and funerals, be based on early man's attempts to emulate ancient alien visitors? If so, what other ancient rituals might find their roots in a kingdom--not of this world? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Was Leonardo Da Vinci, one of history's great philosophers, artists and engineers, a secret prophet? And did he envision world destruction of such biblical proportions that it haunted him until the end of his days? Clues hidden in Da Vinci's paintings, his re-discovered prophetic "riddles" and the events of his life now suggest that he, too, was influenced by the Nostradamus Effect. 400 years ago, Da Vinci may have intercepted signs and warnings as early as his boyhood. He witnessed a devastating flood that ravaged his city and that seems to have haunted him with depictions of a watery apocalypse similar to the biblical great flood. Are the clues Da Vinci hid within his writings, his sketches and his masterpieces, all a secret code pointing to a great deluge that will wipe out all mankind? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

In recent years there have been a number of extraordinary discoveries of ships from the ancient world. But what do these finds say about the societies which created them, and the techniques they used in their construction? Travel back to ancient Egypt and learn about the "Khufu Boat" which had not one metal nail in its construction, and uncover huge sailing vessels, dating from 3000 B.C., in Abydos near the Nile. Some of the most exciting discoveries that have been made include the warship, and one carried as many as 7000 crewman. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Best-selling author Brad Meltzer and the team search for the true meaning of the mysterious Georgia Guidestones. Often called America's Stonehenge, this granite monument is located on a remote hilltop outside Atlanta. Brad and the team examine the multilingual messages carved into the stones for any clues to the monument's anonymous creator, who's known only by the pseudonym -- J.C. Christian. The Decoded team checks out rumors that the Guidestones are really the work of a secretive religious sect called the Rosicrucians, who've been accused of practicing alchemy and mind control. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Best-selling author Brad Meltzer and the team race against time to decipher ancient prophecies that warn of worldwide destruction in the year 2012. In fact, Christians, Jews, Muslims and even Native Americans have eerily similar visions as to how the world will end. And now computer models with tremendous accuracy ratings are said to have predicted hurricane Katrina, the anthrax scare and even 9-11. What these same computer models predict for the year 2012... is terrifying. Is this the beginning of the end of world? Brad begins the search for answers by sending the Decoded team to the American southwest. They'll check out the famous Hopi prophecy rock, whose centuries-old carvings seem to have reliably foretold cataclysmic world events. 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

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

December 21, 2012: a prophetic date delivered in stone by the ancient Maya. Revered by scientists for their extremely accurate calendars, the Maya are also known for their mysterious ability to predict unsettling events so many are taking the December date seriously. On this date a rare galactic alignment will take place and coincidentally, as the alignment happens, our sun will be entering its most violent solar storm cycle. And, all of this comes at a time when scientists believe Earth s magnetic defense shield, which protects us from dangerous solar radiation, may be compromised. Our planet may become paralyzed. People are heeding the warning and getting prepared, including a group of everyday Americans learning how to fend for themselves and live off the grid. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Angkor Wat, Cambodia, is the world's largest ancient religious temple. Within its megalithic ruins, researches have discovered a depiction of a species of dinosaur--a stegosaurus. But how could the ancients have had knowledge of animals that mainstream science says died out millions of years ago? Why are dinosaurs extinct? Did an alien race of beings kill off the dinosaurs to make room for humankind? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

The Maya created the most sophisticated calendar systems in the ancient world, and according to many scholars their Long Count Calendar will come to an end on December 21, 2012. What does this mean for mankind? Some researchers believe it will usher in the return of Bolon Yokte--a mysterious god associated with creation and war. Could this god actually be an extraterrestrial as some ancient astronaut theorists believe? Other scholars believe the end of the calendar will bring about a series of catastrophic events that may threaten the very existence of mankind. They point to a rare galactic alignment that will coincide with the end of the Mayan calendar as proof of an impending geological catastrophe. If these doomsday prophecies prove to be true, will it mean the end of the world as we know it? Or could it reveal some profound truth about the origins of the human race? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

For thousands of years, pyramids were the largest structures on Earth. The best known were constructed in Egypt and Central America, but others have been found all around the world, including in China, Africa and Indonesia. But what purpose did the pyramids serve? Researchers explore strange similarities between all pyramids, as well as the geographic, strategic and otherworldly connections between these mysterious monumental structures. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Welcome to the world of sizzling hot oil. First, it's a trip to the fair to discover the secrets behind fried classics such as funnel cakes and churros. And how about some deep fried treats such as frogs legs, and Twinkies and Coke? At Mickey's Diner in St. Paul, Minnesota, get schooled in the tricks of the fried food trade from a master short order cook. See what goes into forging the classic cast iron frying pan, supplying deep fryers for American restaurants, and producing billions of pounds of cooking oil. At Kentucky's World Chicken Festival, witness the world's largest stainless steel frying pan fry up to six hundred chicken quarters at a time. Find out what makes international favorites like British fish and chips, Japanese tempura, and Chinese stir-fry so tasty. Cooking oil is now being deployed as a fuel. Marvel at how San Francisco fire trucks are fueling up on the city's used cooking oil. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

It is the bane of every suburban parent and the joy to every school kid. Born in a swirling storm cloud through a process called nucleation, the characteristics of snow flakes are threatened by pollution trapped in the clouds. We'll travel two miles into the sky, where scientists study the inner workings of clouds while perched high on a mountaintop at the Storm Peak Laboratory. Then we'll head to the finest ski resorts in Colorado to discover how they manage the snow on their slopes and how snowmaking really works. These resorts also reside in one of the most avalanche-prone regions of the world. Despite best efforts of experts, avalanches still occur. Discover the new technology that gives rescuers a critical assist to quickly find skiers buried alive when the beauty of snow quickly turns to terror. We'll also go to Buffalo, New York the "Blizzard Capital of America" to watch how a TV Weatherman forecasts blizzards and warns his viewers to prepare for the onslaught. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Did you know that the quaint custom of Christmas caroling actually began with drunk and rowdy revelers threatening people door to door looking for food and liquor? Early versions of the heartwarming legend of Santa Claus described him as a horrible devil named Krampus who beat and kidnapped naughty children. In America during the 17th and 18th Centuries, celebrating Christmas was against the law! There's a lot to tell about the history of Christmas, and a lot you may not know. Along the way, meet Ebenezer Scrooge and George Bailey, The Grinch and Rudolph, and learn the true origins of our Christmas traditions. So grab some eggnog and a slice of fruitcake as HISTORY unwraps The Real Story of Christmas. TVPG VL | CC

Geologist and adventurer Scott Wolter explores a government-restricted site, and makes a startling discovery connecting the ancient Mayans with rural Georgia. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Christmas is observed by nearly one-third of the world's population...and probably more if you count the non-Christians who incorporate some of the more secular traditions into their winter season. Every year, revelers go all out with trees, ornaments, lights, window displays and Christmas treats. Technological advancements have made them cheaper, easier and safer. We'll visit Rockefeller Center for a look at their yearly tree preparations and then take a walk to Macy's, Herald Square, where we'll find out what it takes to design, assemble and install their annual holiday windows. How is the 3,300 pound UNICEF crystal snowflake hoisted above Fifth Avenue every year? Then it's off to Yule Tree Farms, one of Oregon's largest Christmas tree farms and we'll visit a bakery in Texas that bakes and ships about 33,000 fruitcakes per day during the holiday season. So plug in the tree, grab some eggnog, sit back and enjoy! TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Take another look at ancient texts that were edited out of the Bible. Are they the missing links to Christ's true teachings, or heretical attempts to rewrite history? Explore the kabalistic stories of angels and demons disavowed by orthodox leaders, and the apocalyptic visions and the sexual imagery that were barred from the Old Testament. Why was Peter's account of a "Lord of The Rings"-style battle of wits and magic repressed by Rome? With discoveries being made all across the world--in caves, ruined temples, ancient libraries and monasteries--these tantalizing fragments continue to be found and debated. Are they heresy or hidden truth? TVPG VL | CC

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

Throughout the world, ancient rites and rituals are believed to connect humans to another dimension. But just who--or what--are we communicating with? Could today's rituals, such as festivals, coronations and funerals, be based on early man's attempts to emulate ancient alien visitors? If so, what other ancient rituals might find their roots in a kingdom--not of this world? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Was Leonardo Da Vinci, one of history's great philosophers, artists and engineers, a secret prophet? And did he envision world destruction of such biblical proportions that it haunted him until the end of his days? Clues hidden in Da Vinci's paintings, his re-discovered prophetic "riddles" and the events of his life now suggest that he, too, was influenced by the Nostradamus Effect. 400 years ago, Da Vinci may have intercepted signs and warnings as early as his boyhood. He witnessed a devastating flood that ravaged his city and that seems to have haunted him with depictions of a watery apocalypse similar to the biblical great flood. Are the clues Da Vinci hid within his writings, his sketches and his masterpieces, all a secret code pointing to a great deluge that will wipe out all mankind? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Best-selling author Brad Meltzer and the team search for the true meaning of the mysterious Georgia Guidestones. Often called America's Stonehenge, this granite monument is located on a remote hilltop outside Atlanta. Brad and the team examine the multilingual messages carved into the stones for any clues to the monument's anonymous creator, who's known only by the pseudonym -- J.C. Christian. The Decoded team checks out rumors that the Guidestones are really the work of a secretive religious sect called the Rosicrucians, who've been accused of practicing alchemy and mind control. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Best-selling author Brad Meltzer and the team race against time to decipher ancient prophecies that warn of worldwide destruction in the year 2012. In fact, Christians, Jews, Muslims and even Native Americans have eerily similar visions as to how the world will end. And now computer models with tremendous accuracy ratings are said to have predicted hurricane Katrina, the anthrax scare and even 9-11. What these same computer models predict for the year 2012... is terrifying. Is this the beginning of the end of world? Brad begins the search for answers by sending the Decoded team to the American southwest. They'll check out the famous Hopi prophecy rock, whose centuries-old carvings seem to have reliably foretold cataclysmic world events. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

In 1994, Italian journalist Enza Massa was at the Italian National Library in Rome when she stumbled upon an unusual find. It was a manuscript dating to 1629, titled: Nostradamus Vatinicia Code. Michel de Notredame, the author's name, was on the inside in indelible ink. The book contains cryptic and bizarre images along with over eighty watercolor paintings by the master visionary himself. Follow the investigative trail of how the manuscript was found in the archives and exactly how it got there. New insight is given into the life of Nostradamus and his relationship with Pope Urban VIII, who knew about this manuscript and in whose possession it was for many years. TVPG VL | CC

If ancient aliens visited Earth, were they responsible for catastrophes, wars and other deadly disasters to control the fate of the human race? The story of the Great Flood sent by deities to destroy civilizations exists in many prehistoric cultures. There are ancient descriptions of extraterrestrial battles that caused wide-scale destruction, and even reports of UFOs lurking in the shadows of recent natural disasters. The Book of Revelations and the Dead Sea Scrolls describe a future apocalyptic battle between good and evil that will destroy our world. Are these ancient texts proof that aliens are hostile and planning a violent return? Or might they be our saviors, ensuring our survival as a species during times of devastation? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

The Maya created the most sophisticated calendar systems in the ancient world, and according to many scholars their Long Count Calendar will come to an end on December 21, 2012. What does this mean for mankind? Some researchers believe it will usher in the return of Bolon Yokte--a mysterious god associated with creation and war. Could this god actually be an extraterrestrial as some ancient astronaut theorists believe? Other scholars believe the end of the calendar will bring about a series of catastrophic events that may threaten the very existence of mankind. They point to a rare galactic alignment that will coincide with the end of the Mayan calendar as proof of an impending geological catastrophe. If these doomsday prophecies prove to be true, will it mean the end of the world as we know it? Or could it reveal some profound truth about the origins of the human race? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

For thousands of years, pyramids were the largest structures on Earth. The best known were constructed in Egypt and Central America, but others have been found all around the world, including in China, Africa and Indonesia. But what purpose did the pyramids serve? Researchers explore strange similarities between all pyramids, as well as the geographic, strategic and otherworldly connections between these mysterious monumental structures. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Geologist and adventurer Scott Wolter explores a government-restricted site, and makes a startling discovery connecting the ancient Mayans with rural Georgia. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

It is the bane of every suburban parent and the joy to every school kid. Born in a swirling storm cloud through a process called nucleation, the characteristics of snow flakes are threatened by pollution trapped in the clouds. We'll travel two miles into the sky, where scientists study the inner workings of clouds while perched high on a mountaintop at the Storm Peak Laboratory. Then we'll head to the finest ski resorts in Colorado to discover how they manage the snow on their slopes and how snowmaking really works. These resorts also reside in one of the most avalanche-prone regions of the world. Despite best efforts of experts, avalanches still occur. Discover the new technology that gives rescuers a critical assist to quickly find skiers buried alive when the beauty of snow quickly turns to terror. We'll also go to Buffalo, New York the "Blizzard Capital of America" to watch how a TV Weatherman forecasts blizzards and warns his viewers to prepare for the onslaught. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Did you know that the quaint custom of Christmas caroling actually began with drunk and rowdy revelers threatening people door to door looking for food and liquor? Early versions of the heartwarming legend of Santa Claus described him as a horrible devil named Krampus who beat and kidnapped naughty children. In America during the 17th and 18th Centuries, celebrating Christmas was against the law! There's a lot to tell about the history of Christmas, and a lot you may not know. Along the way, meet Ebenezer Scrooge and George Bailey, The Grinch and Rudolph, and learn the true origins of our Christmas traditions. So grab some eggnog and a slice of fruitcake as HISTORY unwraps The Real Story of Christmas. TVPG VL | CC

For thousands of years, pyramids were the largest structures on Earth. The best known were constructed in Egypt and Central America, but others have been found all around the world, including in China, Africa and Indonesia. But what purpose did the pyramids serve? Researchers explore strange similarities between all pyramids, as well as the geographic, strategic and otherworldly connections between these mysterious monumental structures. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Geologist and adventurer Scott Wolter explores a government-restricted site, and makes a startling discovery connecting the ancient Mayans with rural Georgia. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Take another look at ancient texts that were edited out of the Bible. Are they the missing links to Christ's true teachings, or heretical attempts to rewrite history? Explore the kabalistic stories of angels and demons disavowed by orthodox leaders, and the apocalyptic visions and the sexual imagery that were barred from the Old Testament. Why was Peter's account of a "Lord of The Rings"-style battle of wits and magic repressed by Rome? With discoveries being made all across the world--in caves, ruined temples, ancient libraries and monasteries--these tantalizing fragments continue to be found and debated. Are they heresy or hidden truth? TVPG VL | CC