The History Channel

Was Albert Einstein a genius? Or was he superhuman? Was his genius "of this world," or was it "otherworldly?" Is it possible, as Ancient Astronaut theorists believe, of an extraterrestrial connection to the scientific genius of famous historical figures such as Albert Einstein, Galileo, Archimedes, and Aristotle? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Why were ancient civilizations around the world so focused on the Orion constellation? While scientists site many earthly connections, researchers suggest this point in the night sky may have been a so-called Stargate, or entry point, for alien life forms. If extraterrestrials have been visiting Earth for thousands of years, might they have originated from the Orion Nebula? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Egyptian hieroglyphs depict the use of light bulbs in tombs and secret chambers. And batteries may have been discovered among artifacts from Mesopotamia. Did the Ancients understand electricity, and if so, how did they discover this technology? Might they have had help from extraterrestrials? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

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

160 million Americans visit a convenience store every day. Why? Because it's fast. But what you probably didn't know is how every detail of its design has been engineered to work that way. Step inside one of the busiest 7-11's in America and find out what makes it tick. And go behind the scenes to see how favorite innovations--like slurpees, turbo ovens, and beef jerky--are made. The science of convenience will amaze you! 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

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

Scott Wolter investigates the mysterious disappearance of vast amounts of copper from Lake Superior. Through scientific testing a connection is made to a pre-historic civilization and the Bronze Age. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Geologist Scott Wolter visits a Minnesota farmer who wants to investigate the possible existence of bones from a giant he unearthed in his yard. The bones raise the question of whether Vikings could have traveled all the way to America. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

A man shows up at Scott Wolter's lab with a 500-pound discovery. In the flatbed of his truck is a large boulder he pulled from the Arkansas River, inscribed with a mysterious bull symbol. Wolter's investigation into who carved the stone and for what ritualistic purpose ultimately reveals a connection between the ancient Egyptian cult of the Apis bull, the mysterious religion known as Mithraism and a party of pre-Columbian explorers to Oklahoma's panhandle. In the end, carvings in a cave in America's Heartland shed light on an ancient connection that could prove a group of religious outcasts made it to America in pre-Columbian times. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

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

What are the latest discoveries in the deadly world of asteroids? Will a recently returned Japanese spacecraft become the first to bring an asteroid sample back to our planet? What would happen to America's East Coast if the massive asteroid impact that helped form Chesapeake Bay 35 million years ago struck today? And why did President Barack Obama choose an asteroid as the destination for the next great manned mission into space? Learning about these huge space rocks isn't just about science, it's about survival. 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

Erich von Daniken's landmark book, Chariots of the Gods, brought attention to the mysterious phenomena of the Nazca Lines. Hundreds of gigantic lines, some in the shape of animals, geometric patterns and even an alien-like being, extend for miles throughout a remote Peruvian desert. Scholars are divided as to who built them, and why. Some Ancient Astronaut theorists believe that the massive markings have an extraterrestrial connection, and perhaps the ancient people of the region created these gigantic figures in tribute to the gods who visited them. And with one of the largest deposits of nitrates in the world--a key ingredient in rocket fuel and weaponry--could Nazca have been a mining operation for advanced beings in the distant past? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

After his famous expedition to map the American West with William Clark, Meriwether Lewis recorded details of the adventure in a journal and intended to publish it. Before he could, he was shot and killed in an inn on the Natchez Trace. His death has been classified as a suicide, but as forensic geologist Scott Wolter discovers, there's reason to think he may not have killed himself. As Wolter investigates the death of America's most famous explorer he uncovers details that suggest President Jefferson himself may have had ulterior motives for the Lewis and Clark expedition that have never made it into the history books and may have led to his violent death. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

The Aztecs have built a mighty empire that dominates Central America. But it will be destroyed because of a domino effect. 7,000 miles away in modern-day Turkey, the great trading center of Constantinople is overrun by an Islamic army. Europeans race to find a new route to the spice-rich East. Instead, Christopher Columbus lands in America--and discovers gold. Within 30 years the Aztecs will be conquered. In the Andes, the Spanish open up the largest silver mine in the world--and mint millions of pesos de ocho (pieces of eight). These coins transform the global economy. They fill the treasure chests of pirates. They fuel a stock market boom. They help pay for the Taj Mahal. As trade booms, millions of people come to the New World as slaves. But a handful of Pilgrims come as pioneers--looking for freedom. (2 hours.) TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Five thousand years ago man first throws a handful of rocks into a campfire and stumbles upon a discovery that changes the world: Metal. Copper, Tin and Bronze empower the ancient world and allow empires to expand, armed with sharp, hard-wearing weapons. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Early man rubbed two sticks together and created fire. We learn to cook our food, saving vital energy. As a result, our brains expand--making us the most intelligent species on the planet. Armed with fire, we experiment by heating minerals to make stronger tools allowing us to fight wars and build civilizations. But burning wood destroys our landscape, so Mankind exploits a new energy--oil. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Zahi is supervising the restoration of the Step Pyramid, the oldest pyramid in Egypt. It's there that we meet the new members of his fellowship program: Late to show up, Lindsay nearly loses her job before it actually begins! Meanwhile, Fellowship Coordinator Dr. Allan Morton realizes the erroneous assignment of Zoe to the program. Allan gets an earful from Zahi for his mistake before Zoe begs him for the chance to go inside the Step Pyramid for some photos...after all, she's traveled so far! Zoe goes deep inside the bowels of the pyramid with a cameraman, then gets stuck and locked inside. Zahi races back to Saqqara to open up the pyramid and save them both. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

We join the Vandals as they infiltrate the Roman borders in northern Gaul, and sweep into Spain, burning and pillaging everything in their path. This ragged, homeless tribe launches the largest ever sea-borne movement of the barbarian peoples making their name synonymous with lawless destruction, looting and terror. As their great leader, Gaiseric, and his blood-thirsty son, Huneric ravage North Africa, and eventually Rome, itself, we see them face the crushing military of the Roman Empire, the devious trickery of Roman General Aetius, and the devout beliefs of the Holy Roman Church. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Travel with the Saxon pirates as they ravage the British coast. In an orgy of pagan worship, the early Saxon leaders sweep across Britain, facing the Christians and their barbarian brothers in a bloody rivalry for power and land. After witnessing the slaughter of his entire family, Saxon prince, Edwin, flees across Britain, until he's strong enough to face down his arch-enemy, Aethelfrith, to become one of the greatest kings of his tribe. His power and fame are unparalleled until the young king, Alfred, defends his people against the Viking invaders, uniting his land, and defining what it means to be English. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

We experience the birth of a barbarian empire in the Franks, as Merovius, a legendary leader said to be half-man, half-monster descends upon Gaul, setting the stage for his sons' conquest over both Roman and Visigoth armies. His grandson, Clovis, will relinquish his fierce pagan ways only when it seems that the Christian god grants him greater victory in battle. It is Clovis who leads his people to conquest over France, and builds the bridge between barbarian and statesman that the future king, Charlemagne finally embodies. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Explore the primal pagan rites of the Lombard's, as they fight for land and for a barbarian bride. We travel with the brutal Lombard leader, Alboin, as he breaks through the Roman defenses in Italy, and forces his captured wife to drink from her murdered father's skull. The skilled Lombard king Liutprand will face both Roman and Frankish attacks, as he vies for supremacy on the crowded peninsula. He will create laws, linking bloody barbarian rites with ancient Roman justice and establishing a new culture in the former center of the fallen Roman Empire that will last for centuries. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

The gladiators of ancient Rome were the ultimate fighting machines. They waged bloody battles to the death for the entertainment of the masses--and to earn their freedom. From the depths of the vicious and magnificent Flavian amphitheater, to the buried brothel where they lived their last days, these are the secret lives of Rome's famed slave warriors. Peel back the layers to uncover the origin of these fierce fighters, as host Don Wildman heads into ancient crypts, subterranean chambers used for pagan worship, and to the school that taught the gladiators how survive... and how to kill. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Most people experience something rare or exceptional once or twice in a lifetime, but Zahi Hawass, unimpeded by his tireless lust for adventure, lives many lifetimes in a single day; Zahi moves from a dig site in Saqqara...descending deep underground to uncover a cache of mummies; to the Workmen's Cemetery; and finally, discovers a rare and important piece of Egyptian history...a beautiful anthropoid sarcophagus from the 26th Dynasty! After a day like that, anyone would be ready to end their day...not Zahi...he's going to party at one of Cairo's latest hotspots! TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

In 1961, lifelong gambler Manny Kimmel, a "connected" New York businessman, read an article by MIT math professor Ed Thorp claiming that anyone could make a fortune at blackjack by using math theory to count cards. The mob-connected sharpie offered the young professor a deal: he would put up the money, if Thorp would put his theory to action and card-count their way to millions. From Thorp's initial research to the partnership's explosive effect on the blackjack landscape, this episode boasts fascinating facts about the game's history, colorful interviews (including with Thorp), and archival footage that evokes the timeless allure and excitement of the thriving casinos in the early `60s. TVPG VL | CC

Keith Taft was the last person you'd imagine as a Vegas cheat--a deeply religious Baptist, director of church choirs, and family man. But in fact, a serendipitous visit to a Reno casino transformed Taft into a "mad scientist" obsessed with beating blackjack, who even enlisted his children as accomplices. A creative gadget genius, Taft built everything from LED eyeglasses to handheld lasers that could mark cards from 15 feet away. Join us for a riotous ride with one of the unlikeliest of casino cheats in the driver's seat as we reveal the raucous trials, outrageous close calls, exhilarating triumphs, and tumultuous ups and downs of this odd clan of Vegas cheats. TVPG VL | CC

The most used room in the home is the bathroom and it's full of tech. Visit Kohler and see the new digitally controlled uber-shower, complete with steam, music and LED chromatherapy. Check out American Standard's Champion 4--the supposedly "uncloggable" toilet. Learn all about the low-flow alternatives for showers and toilets. Finally, what is New York City's latest hi-tech solution for going on the go? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

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

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

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

For centuries, humans have ventured in to the wild in search of adventure, discovery, and sometimes enlightenment. We take a hair-raising journey with two explorers who dare to be the first to dive into the icy caves of Antarctica's glaciers--discovering new forms of life and new familiarity with their own mortality. Three Mexican fishermen tell their incredible story of survival, adrift for nine months on the Pacific without food or water in a tiny open-top boat. And we meet Sarah, a teenage girl with an astonishing ability to communicate with wild animals. TVPG VL | CC

Our fascination with death is universal, but around the world we deal with it in wildly different ways--from the burning corpses that fill the Ganges in India, to the macabre exhibitions of "plastinated" bodies created by German anatomist Gunther von Hagens. In Toraja, Indonesia, dead relatives stay in the house for years, and are worshiped as shrines, and offered food and drink. And in Mexico, witness the ancient Toltec ritual of being buried alive for a night--one that's enjoying a revival as a new-age quest for enlightenment. TVPG VL | CC

Many scientists now believe that a "killer asteroid" wiped out the dinosaurs and 70% of all living things 160-million years ago. How likely is it that a similar event can occur again? In this episode, we explore the catastrophic effects of a 2-kilometer-long asteroid hitting just off the coast of Los Angeles. Using the Chicxulub asteroid impact of 160-million years ago (the one that killed off the dinosaurs), we watch--moment by moment--as the blast annihilates not just Los Angeles, but communities within 100 miles of the coast. A firestorm consumes much of southern California and tsunamis wreak havoc up and down the entire western US coast. The resultant dust cloud covers much of the Midwest, devastating crops for at least a year. Millions of people die from the direct effects of the impact, and millions suffer a famine the likes of which the world has never seen. The good news is that technology has given us the tools to--perhaps--avert such a disaster. 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

The cause of the Biblical Great Flood may have been a massive three-mile wide comet that crashed in the Indian Ocean, 4,800 years ago. It is believed to have decimated over 60% of Earth's population. A similar comet, crashing into the Pacific Ocean near San Francisco, could cause millions of casualties followed by a lethal mega tsunami, earthquake, torrential rains and a nuclear winter. Is the next massive impact just around the corner? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

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

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

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

On the road to Dakhla, the fellows learn quickly just how fast everything can change when Zahi is in the driver's seat! Army maneuvers have shut down their journey to restore an ancient minaret and now they must take a treacherous journey through the White Desert to camp overnight in a deserted oasis. If only the fellows had prepared for this! With their food spoiled from 115 temperatures, only Zahi can show them how to make friends with the local Bedouins, who feed the starving group. The next day, Zahi must fly out to meet former First Lady Laura Bush in Dallas and speak about his recent discovery of Queen Sesheshet's Pyramid. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

In this bloody first battle of the conquest of the Promised Land, Joshua's special operations forces secretly infiltrate and destroy Jericho from the inside out. The walls of Jericho are believed to be impenetrable. But Joshua's spies find a defector in Jericho named Rahab. As Joshua's army parades around the walled city for six days, the Israelites sneak special ops forces into Rahab's house. Once they amass forty soldiers inside, Joshua and his army outside the city blow their horns and attack. The forty troops inside catch the city completely unaware, and the city falls. Only Rahab is spared from the massive bloodletting that is the taking of Jericho. TVPG VL | CC

What begins as a dispute over a buffer zone escalates quickly into a struggle for regional dominance as two of the great Empires of the Ancient world trade blows. The Egyptian Pharaoh Ramses is baited into overextending his armies, believing the first fighting force to arrive at the contested city of Kadesh will be victorious. But Ramses has been deceived... the Hittite Army lies in wait. They strike when he is at his weakest, and his troops exhausted. Ramses suffers desertion and heavy losses. His weakened force is surrounded on three sides. Amazingly, the pure fighting ability of the Egyptian soldiers is enough to enable them to battle their way out of their corner and escape. TVPG VL | CC

Finding unopened tombs in modern-day Egypt is very rare indeed, but with all his fellows in tow, Zahi heads to Sheikh Sobey and discovers an amazing mummy inside a sarcophagus. Also, Zahi makes it clear to the world community that every important Egyptian artifact must be returned to Egypt. And so, a missing piece of an offering table is headed back to Karnak Temple in Luxor from New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art. It's up to Zahi's consulting archaeologist, David Cheetham, to safely transport the piece from the airport to the museum--or he will he have hell to pay! Can Cheetham juggle the piece and the fellows' growing discontent with Zahi's program? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

A small island in the southwestern Pacific, Guadalcanal was the place the US chose to confront the Japanese on the ground for the first time in WWII. Here, beginning in August 1942, Americans and Japanese were brought face-to-face in close-quarter shootouts that became a turning point of the war. From the near-total annihilation of Colonel Frank Goettge's intelligence patrol to the battles of Bloody Ridge, both sides learned what the other was made of. The Japanese were willing to fight to the death, and the Americans were eager to offer them that chance. The victory ultimately belonged to the US, but in the man-on-man struggles that characterized the campaign, winning or losing became personal and the difference between survival and death. Experience the thick of battle from the perspective of soldiers from both sides. TVPG VL | CC

The Pacific Ocean is a vast emptiness, where World War Two is fought on tiny specks of land. As the big battles unfold, soldiers come face- to-face at close quarters with their enemies. In this episode, we head right into the middle of a daring raid on the Makin Atoll; on New Georgia in the Solomon Islands, a solo machine gunner is outnumbered; two dozen Marines face hundreds of Japanese on Peleliu; and a single rifleman holds off two companies in the Philippines. Sometimes they took minutes, at others they took hours. Join us as we examine these famous shootouts in history--from the perspectives of both sides of the fight. Meet the men with guns in their hands, thousands of miles from home, where the winners are the only ones left alive. TVPG VL | CC

They crunch; they ooze; they crackle; they pop--mmmmm, yeah! Soft drinks, donuts, meat snacks, popcorn, and gum. What's your weakness? From the handmade treats of the earliest civilizations to hi-tech mass production, these snacks are borne of man's need to feed his cravings. Join us for an hour-long tasty treat as we examine the history of snackfoods and check out how they are made today. 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

In 1961, lifelong gambler Manny Kimmel, a "connected" New York businessman, read an article by MIT math professor Ed Thorp claiming that anyone could make a fortune at blackjack by using math theory to count cards. The mob-connected sharpie offered the young professor a deal: he would put up the money, if Thorp would put his theory to action and card-count their way to millions. From Thorp's initial research to the partnership's explosive effect on the blackjack landscape, this episode boasts fascinating facts about the game's history, colorful interviews (including with Thorp), and archival footage that evokes the timeless allure and excitement of the thriving casinos in the early `60s. TVPG VL | CC

The marauding mercenary of English folklore is one of history's best-known tales, and the legend of Robin Hood is the inspiration for more movies, radio and TV programs than any other folk hero. But the image of a hero in tights and a feathered cap is a somewhat recent addition to the myth. In reality, Robin Hood is a composite of several historical figures whose exploits date back to the age of the Crusades. In the film Robin Hood, starring Russell Crowe, director Ridley Scott's production is based on the most solid and recent historical research into the character and promises a startlingly fresh interpretation of Robin Hood for a new generation. This special will distinguish between historical evidence and Hollywood fiction, and seek to create a realistic portrait of the mythical hero. Includes clips from the film as well as interviews with director Scott, principal Robin Hood cast members and renowned historians. 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

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

In the late 1500s, years before Jamestown, the English sought to create their first settlement in America at Roanoke. A party of 119 colonists came over and settled but ultimately vanished. The fate of the Lost Colony of Roanoke has eluded archaeologists, historians and North Carolina locals, but as forensic geologist Scott Wolter discovers, a series of 48 stone clues that have been largely ignored and considered frauds may in fact hold the answer to America's oldest cold case. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

For centuries, humans have ventured in to the wild in search of adventure, discovery, and sometimes enlightenment. We take a hair-raising journey with two explorers who dare to be the first to dive into the icy caves of Antarctica's glaciers--discovering new forms of life and new familiarity with their own mortality. Three Mexican fishermen tell their incredible story of survival, adrift for nine months on the Pacific without food or water in a tiny open-top boat. And we meet Sarah, a teenage girl with an astonishing ability to communicate with wild animals. TVPG VL | CC

It sounds like a Hollywood blockbuster: a deadly asteroid is on a collision course with Earth. But in reality, it's only a matter of time before a giant space rock threatens to wipe out civilization. An asteroid took out the dinosaurs sixty-five million years ago. Are we next? This episode analyzes the threat and explores the many ways--from a nuclear bomb to ingenious new technology--that experts are proposing to stop Armageddon. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

It's been said that our universe is a cosmic shooting gallery. Gravity is moving everything around and things are bound to collide. Astronomers are attempting to understand how these collisions occur in the dark recesses of space. Learn about collisional families, which are clusters of comets and asteroids; planetary collisions; mass extinction impacts involving asteroids and comets; stars collisions; and galaxy cluster collisions. Cutting-edge computer graphics are used to bring this series down to earth as the heavens yield their greatest secrets. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Many scientists now believe that a "killer asteroid" wiped out the dinosaurs and 70% of all living things 160-million years ago. How likely is it that a similar event can occur again? In this episode, we explore the catastrophic effects of a 2-kilometer-long asteroid hitting just off the coast of Los Angeles. Using the Chicxulub asteroid impact of 160-million years ago (the one that killed off the dinosaurs), we watch--moment by moment--as the blast annihilates not just Los Angeles, but communities within 100 miles of the coast. A firestorm consumes much of southern California and tsunamis wreak havoc up and down the entire western US coast. The resultant dust cloud covers much of the Midwest, devastating crops for at least a year. Millions of people die from the direct effects of the impact, and millions suffer a famine the likes of which the world has never seen. The good news is that technology has given us the tools to--perhaps--avert such a disaster. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Are sacred places the product of man's reverence for God--or the result of contact with ancient space travelers? Jerusalem's Temple Mount has been called a heavenly gateway. Islam's shrine at Mecca displays a Black Stone believed to have fallen from heaven. And the temple at Baalbek, Lebanon was built on a massive stone structure resembling a landing pad. Did man encounter divine beings at these holy places, or might they have met ancient extraterrestrials? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

There are numerous historical, religious and mythic accounts of ancient civilizations being wiped out by volcanoes, earthquakes, floods, and meteors. Did god, or nature bring about such disasters? Or is it possible that celestial beings had a hand in the ancient world's catastrophic disasters? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

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

After years of perceived disrespect, a gravely offended Persian army sets sail to teach the insolent Athenians a lesson. The massive Persian fleet seems predestined to overpower the small Athenian army, abandoned by their allies the Spartans. But a brilliant defensive strategy, the extreme mettle of Greek troops, and a runner whose route would go down in history, all combine to drive the Persians back across the Aegean defeated, dripping in their own blood. The Battle of Marathon sets up one of the most famous battles between Greece and Persia... the Battle of the 300. TVPG VL | CC

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

In 2009, 46 years after he was shot, JFK will be gone for as long as he was alive. While the moments and hours after his tragic assassination were some of the most formative and important for our country, that story has rarely, and only partially, been told. For the first time, using never-before-seen transcripts only recently made public, this film pieces together the 24-hour period after the shots were fired. The timeline reveals startling new information about the death of the president and the traumatic transfer of power to his successor, Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson. From new details about when JFK really died, to the truth behind LBJ's Oath of Office photo on Air Force One, this special uncovers an unfamiliar story born out of one of the most crucial days in American history. TVPG VL | CC

Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt were Washington's first couple with a New Deal. But historian and author David Eisenbach reveals that the Roosevelts' marriage was a political arrangement of epic proportions. FDR had a long-running affair with his wife's secretary, and Eleanor was a closet lesbian in love with a female news reporter. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

The most used room in the home is the bathroom and it's full of tech. Visit Kohler and see the new digitally controlled uber-shower, complete with steam, music and LED chromatherapy. Check out American Standard's Champion 4--the supposedly "uncloggable" toilet. Learn all about the low-flow alternatives for showers and toilets. Finally, what is New York City's latest hi-tech solution for going on the go? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Americans hit the car wash 2 million times a day--at a cost of $25 billion dollars a year. From tunnel systems to in-bay automatics, we'll go beyond the suds to see how car washes are built to clean. We'll get wet inside the largest car wash in the U.S.--a seven acre mega facility complete with a dog wash, chapel, and barber shop. We'll head to a car wash manufacturer where electric eyes are trained, auto conveyers are built, and mega vacuums suck up bowling balls. We'll learn some tips on how to clean our cars at home. Watch as we plaster a $160,000 Porsche with tar, glue, egg, bird droppings, and a bucket full of sludge... and then challenge a detailer to get it off. Cleaning radioactive waste from a train? No problem, if you go to the Energy Solutions rail car wash. Then, it's off to see how car manufacturers design and build vehicles to survive the car wash. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

They crunch; they ooze; they crackle; they pop--mmmmm, yeah! Soft drinks, donuts, meat snacks, popcorn, and gum. What's your weakness? From the handmade treats of the earliest civilizations to hi-tech mass production, these snacks are borne of man's need to feed his cravings. Join us for an hour-long tasty treat as we examine the history of snackfoods and check out how they are made today. 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

Egypt's belief in the afterlife could be part of its long term success. How could a society apparently obsessed with death survive for so long? We discover that Egypt's specific belief in the afterlife was essential to the longevity of her civilization. The Egyptians liked their life so much; they wanted it to continue after their demise. Egypt's belief in the afterlife provided focus for the population for more than 3000 years. TVPG VL | CC

After Custer, Thermopylae is the most famous last stand in history. In a narrow pass in Northern Greece, seven thousand Greek soldiers await an onslaught of epic proportions. They will soon face the largest fighting force ever assembled--the war machine of the mighty Persian Empire, estimated at over a million men. The Greeks are led by three hundred of the most ferocious warriors of the ancient world--the Spartans. Their leader is the fearless King Leonidas, who after this battle would be catapulted into legend. When it is over, every Spartan in the pass will have sacrificed his life for freedom. Creating a fresh visual style and using new technologies we will dramatically recreate the significant events that lead to Thermopylae and the clash of arms. 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 cause of the Biblical Great Flood may have been a massive three-mile wide comet that crashed in the Indian Ocean, 4,800 years ago. It is believed to have decimated over 60% of Earth's population. A similar comet, crashing into the Pacific Ocean near San Francisco, could cause millions of casualties followed by a lethal mega tsunami, earthquake, torrential rains and a nuclear winter. Is the next massive impact just around the corner? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

These giant mountain-sized boulders from space have wrought death and destruction throughout the millennia but until recently geologists could find no evidence that they had actually struck the earth. Follow the remarkable detective story that begins at Meteor Crater in Arizona as mining engineers desperately try to unearth the billion dollar iron boulder they thought was lying there. It's a detective story that also uncovers immense riches; the world's biggest nickel deposit in Sudbury, Canada, vast oil reserves in the Gulf of Mexico and a gold mine in South Africa--all the result of asteroid impacts. Evidence is also unearthed of violent impacts that decimated some of the first people to live in America. What clues do asteroids, and their smaller cousins, meteorites, hold in the formation of the early Earth and perhaps life itself? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

It sounds like a Hollywood blockbuster: a deadly asteroid is on a collision course with Earth. But in reality, it's only a matter of time before a giant space rock threatens to wipe out civilization. An asteroid took out the dinosaurs sixty-five million years ago. Are we next? This episode analyzes the threat and explores the many ways--from a nuclear bomb to ingenious new technology--that experts are proposing to stop Armageddon. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

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

Legends of a terrifying monster lurking in the back hills of Kentucky date back to the days of frontiersman Daniel Boone, but encounters with this mystery beast are increasing. Witnesses report alleged attacks by the creature and the sounds of ferocious screams from the wilderness. New photographic evidence may hold the key to uncovering the mystery. The MonsterQuest team goes on location to analyze the evidence, and heads deep into the dark forests, where they have their own frightening encounter. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Are sacred places the product of man's reverence for God--or the result of contact with ancient space travelers? Jerusalem's Temple Mount has been called a heavenly gateway. Islam's shrine at Mecca displays a Black Stone believed to have fallen from heaven. And the temple at Baalbek, Lebanon was built on a massive stone structure resembling a landing pad. Did man encounter divine beings at these holy places, or might they have met ancient extraterrestrials? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

A unique perspective on the rise of Nazi Germany and how millions of people were so vulnerable to fascism, told through rare and never-before-seen amateur films shot by the Germans who were there. TVPG VL | CC

Known affectionately as "Uncle Billy" by Union soldiers, but reviled in the South as a brutal war criminal, General William Tecumseh Sherman is one of the truly enigmatic and complex figures in the American pantheon. His legacy was built during a five-week campaign of terror and destruction that would become known as "total war". Sherman ordered his troops to burn crops, kill livestock, destroy railroads, pilfer food supplies and to make sure the South's civilian infrastructure was shattered. Although the concept had been around for centuries, this is the first time in modern warfare that total war was used to such an extensive degree. First Savannah was captured, and then he marched from Georgia through South Carolina and burned the capital to the ground. On the heels of Sherman's destructive onslaughts, the Confederacy officially conceded victory to the Union on April 9, 1865. TVPG VL | CC

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

160 million Americans visit a convenience store every day. Why? Because it's fast. But what you probably didn't know is how every detail of its design has been engineered to work that way. Step inside one of the busiest 7-11's in America and find out what makes it tick. And go behind the scenes to see how favorite innovations--like slurpees, turbo ovens, and beef jerky--are made. The science of convenience will amaze you! 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

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

Scott Wolter investigates the mysterious disappearance of vast amounts of copper from Lake Superior. Through scientific testing a connection is made to a pre-historic civilization and the Bronze Age. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Geologist Scott Wolter visits a Minnesota farmer who wants to investigate the possible existence of bones from a giant he unearthed in his yard. The bones raise the question of whether Vikings could have traveled all the way to America. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

A man shows up at Scott Wolter's lab with a 500-pound discovery. In the flatbed of his truck is a large boulder he pulled from the Arkansas River, inscribed with a mysterious bull symbol. Wolter's investigation into who carved the stone and for what ritualistic purpose ultimately reveals a connection between the ancient Egyptian cult of the Apis bull, the mysterious religion known as Mithraism and a party of pre-Columbian explorers to Oklahoma's panhandle. In the end, carvings in a cave in America's Heartland shed light on an ancient connection that could prove a group of religious outcasts made it to America in pre-Columbian times. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

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

What are the latest discoveries in the deadly world of asteroids? Will a recently returned Japanese spacecraft become the first to bring an asteroid sample back to our planet? What would happen to America's East Coast if the massive asteroid impact that helped form Chesapeake Bay 35 million years ago struck today? And why did President Barack Obama choose an asteroid as the destination for the next great manned mission into space? Learning about these huge space rocks isn't just about science, it's about survival. 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

Erich von Daniken's landmark book, Chariots of the Gods, brought attention to the mysterious phenomena of the Nazca Lines. Hundreds of gigantic lines, some in the shape of animals, geometric patterns and even an alien-like being, extend for miles throughout a remote Peruvian desert. Scholars are divided as to who built them, and why. Some Ancient Astronaut theorists believe that the massive markings have an extraterrestrial connection, and perhaps the ancient people of the region created these gigantic figures in tribute to the gods who visited them. And with one of the largest deposits of nitrates in the world--a key ingredient in rocket fuel and weaponry--could Nazca have been a mining operation for advanced beings in the distant past? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

After his famous expedition to map the American West with William Clark, Meriwether Lewis recorded details of the adventure in a journal and intended to publish it. Before he could, he was shot and killed in an inn on the Natchez Trace. His death has been classified as a suicide, but as forensic geologist Scott Wolter discovers, there's reason to think he may not have killed himself. As Wolter investigates the death of America's most famous explorer he uncovers details that suggest President Jefferson himself may have had ulterior motives for the Lewis and Clark expedition that have never made it into the history books and may have led to his violent death. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

The Aztecs have built a mighty empire that dominates Central America. But it will be destroyed because of a domino effect. 7,000 miles away in modern-day Turkey, the great trading center of Constantinople is overrun by an Islamic army. Europeans race to find a new route to the spice-rich East. Instead, Christopher Columbus lands in America--and discovers gold. Within 30 years the Aztecs will be conquered. In the Andes, the Spanish open up the largest silver mine in the world--and mint millions of pesos de ocho (pieces of eight). These coins transform the global economy. They fill the treasure chests of pirates. They fuel a stock market boom. They help pay for the Taj Mahal. As trade booms, millions of people come to the New World as slaves. But a handful of Pilgrims come as pioneers--looking for freedom. (2 hours.) TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Five thousand years ago man first throws a handful of rocks into a campfire and stumbles upon a discovery that changes the world: Metal. Copper, Tin and Bronze empower the ancient world and allow empires to expand, armed with sharp, hard-wearing weapons. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Early man rubbed two sticks together and created fire. We learn to cook our food, saving vital energy. As a result, our brains expand--making us the most intelligent species on the planet. Armed with fire, we experiment by heating minerals to make stronger tools allowing us to fight wars and build civilizations. But burning wood destroys our landscape, so Mankind exploits a new energy--oil. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

This 2-hour special, narrated by Deon Cole, gives a fresh perspective of the black movement in America, from Emancipation to the Civil Rights era. The special uses first-hand accounts, rare audio recordings, never-before-seen archival footage, and home movies to chronicle African American life as lived by regular people, in their own words, through 150 years of social upheaval. TVPG VL | CC