The History Channel

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

There are 800 very old, very mysterious, man-made stone sites in the Northeastern part of the United States. Forensic geologist Scott Wolter heads to rural Pennsylvania to investigate one of them--a meticulously crafted stone chamber buried underground in the woods. When he realizes it may have been a ritual bath chamber for a secret society, he embarks on a quest for answers as to who built, when and why. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

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

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

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

Finding Cleopatra's tomb has been the lifelong passion for many an archaeologist. Some scholars believe Cleopatra's remains are at Taposiris Magna, while others believe her remains must be in the city of Alexandria, where she lived an infamous life with Julius Caesar and Mark Anthony. Zahi has finally permitted archaeologists from the Hellenic Institute to dive into the Mediterranean Sea and bring up a nine-ton pylon that is a confirmed part of her historic shrine. But with the persistent problems of permits and permissions, an impending storm approaching, the Minister of Culture and the worldwide international press waiting on the shoreline, Zahi's fury is felt by all the incompetent people working to get this 2000-year-old pylon out of Alexandria's Eastern Harbor. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Since the mid 1960s, the power of the presidency has risen and fallen. It's been burdened by the personal failings of the men who occupied the office; by a Congress determined to reassert its power; by a skeptical and fragmented media; and by a public that had grown indifferent to politics. The Cold War ended, but global terror networks rose to present a more complicated threat. Despite these new challenges, the power of the office has grown substantially since it was first imagined--remaining the shining symbol of America's noble experiment in democracy. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

This was the first time the English settlers engaged in the slaughter of Native Americans after years of relatively peaceful coexistence. Known as the Pequot War, this massacre in Mystic, Connecticut, set the pattern of possessing Indian land throughout the country. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. 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

The discovery of gold spurred tremendous financial and physical growth throughout the West. For the first time in history, individuals--not kings or sultans--could have gold for the taking, inspiring tens of thousands of people to make the arduous journey West. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Set against the backdrop of the 1901 World's Fair and the dawning of the new century, the assassination of President William McKinley ushered in a new Progressive Era under the presidency of Teddy Roosevelt. 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

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

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

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

Finding Cleopatra's tomb has been the lifelong passion for many an archaeologist. Some scholars believe Cleopatra's remains are at Taposiris Magna, while others believe her remains must be in the city of Alexandria, where she lived an infamous life with Julius Caesar and Mark Anthony. Zahi has finally permitted archaeologists from the Hellenic Institute to dive into the Mediterranean Sea and bring up a nine-ton pylon that is a confirmed part of her historic shrine. But with the persistent problems of permits and permissions, an impending storm approaching, the Minister of Culture and the worldwide international press waiting on the shoreline, Zahi's fury is felt by all the incompetent people working to get this 2000-year-old pylon out of Alexandria's Eastern Harbor. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

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

This was the first time the English settlers engaged in the slaughter of Native Americans after years of relatively peaceful coexistence. Known as the Pequot War, this massacre in Mystic, Connecticut, set the pattern of possessing Indian land throughout the country. TVPG VL | CC

Investigates the history and symbology so prominent in the creation of the United States, and traces the intricate connections of the Founders with Freemasonry, other secret organizations and between each other. How did the trademarks of the highly secretive Masons become integrated into the Great Seal, and on the dollar bill containing the All-Seeing Eye? Did the grid design of the nation's capital--commissioned by George Washington and completed by Pierre L'Enfant--contain occult symbols embraced by the Illuminati in 1776? Did Benjamin Franklin and George Washington deliberately enlist 33 Freemason generals from France to grow the fraternal brotherhood among Masonic nations? Explore the secret (and secretly dark) sides of the men responsible for laying the foundation of the United States. TVPG VL | CC

The discovery of gold spurred tremendous financial and physical growth throughout the West. For the first time in history, individuals--not kings or sultans--could have gold for the taking, inspiring tens of thousands of people to make the arduous journey West. TVPG VL | CC

Humans have always been fascinated with the one part of the world that we could not conquer--the sky. How did the earth's first flying creatures come to be? Examine the first vertebrate flyer, the pterosaur, which took to the air over 220 million years ago and eventually evolved to be the size of small airplanes. Scientists have long pondered how they, the largest flying creatures ever, were able to achieve such an astonishing feat. Scientists examine the fossil record compare pterosaurs to living birds to try and unlock how some species evolved to have the remarkable trait of flight. TVPG VL | CC

How has our ability to communicate defined us as a species? Sharing information with each other has allowed humans to rise to the top of the food chain and dominate our environments. But humans aren't the only species that can communicate. Organisms as simple as bacteria can communicate, a strategy that lets them cooperate to take down creatures millions of times their own size. Fish use pheromones to warn each other about predators and find mates. Chemicals are also an effective means of communicating on land, and they've allowed insects--some of nature's smallest and most unassuming animals--to become the most populous and prolific on earth. The ability to interact stretches back billions of years and has often been one of the primary factors in a species ability to evolve and survive. TVPG VL | CC

Set against the backdrop of the 1901 World's Fair and the dawning of the new century, the assassination of President William McKinley ushered in a new Progressive Era under the presidency of Teddy Roosevelt. TVPG VL | CC

Join train conductor and host Matt Bown as he joins the coal train hauling of a priceless cargo of coal through Pennsylvania from mine to power plant. Matt pitches in with the crew as they load up the train and also learns how the Nazis tried to blow the tracks during World War II. Discover the huge part that trains have played in shaping American history and how trains are vital to American life today. TVPG VL | CC

Running from Washington, DC to Boston, the Acela is a high-tech wonder that runs on lines dating to the Great Depression. It is the fastest train in the country and is powered by high-voltage overhead electrical wires. Join hosts Matt Bown as he meets the workers who are just inches from possible electrocution on a daily basis. Filming here was so dangerous that the production crew had to take and pass a special course before they were allowed to begin. Also, take a look at historic Penn Station and discover why it had to be demolished. TVPG VL | CC

The sensational courtroom battle between William Jennings Bryan and Clarence Darrow over the teaching of evolution in a small Tennessee town underscored a deep schism within the American psyche -- religion versus science, church versus state, elitism versus populism. TVPG VL | CC

Sail the high seas on a swift, agile, and deadly pirate ship as it strikes fear in the hearts of swabbies everywhere! We'll go onboard these highly maneuverable ships with their skull and crossbones ensign, and find out why no one really ever walked the gangplank. TVPG VL | CC

How did one awesome battleship spark the 20th century's first arms race? Journey back to the start of the 20th century in England for a look at the HMS Dreadnought and one admiral's devastating vision. TVPG VL | CC

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

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

In 327 BC, Greece goes head-to-head with India in Alexander the Great's final campaign. As Alexander leads his armies into India, he faces one of the most difficult tactical challenges any ground commander can confront--a forced river-crossing, a raging thunder storm and a vicious enemy. Alexander is able to deceive the Indian General Porus into believing that they would not attempt a crossing, instead he maneuvers his infantry across the river at night--catching the Indian Legions unaware. Victory is at hand thanks to this strategic brilliance. 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

Sierra Leone, once exporting a lucrative 2 million karats of diamonds per year, would fall victim to political greed and become one of the poorest nations on earth--ripe for revolution. In 1991, a rebel army called the Revolutionary United Front began a ten-year civil war, attacking the civilian population, including children, and murdering and raping countless others. Control of the diamond fields was one of the key objectives, funding civil wars throughout Africa, resulting in 4 million deaths. We explore the history behind the issue known as "blood diamonds", fueled by the illicit trade of diamonds, the diamond industry's response, and investigate the possibility of the blood diamond issue repeating. The heart of the story is related through the harrowing personal accounts of Sierra Leoneans, who vividly describe their individual tragedies and struggles to recover after the war. TVPG VL | CC

America in 1824 saw the era of the Founding Fathers coming to an end. Over the next 25 years, six presidents would reflect the country's sometimes uneasy transition from old traditions to an expansion of land, influence and opportunity. Democracy was the word on everyone's lips, and the true power of the nation's leader would be found in the common man. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

America by the mid-1800s was triple its original size thanks to bold and controversial decisions by Presidents such as Jefferson, Jackson, and Polk. But with new territory came old confrontations. Slavery--the question that had been avoided since the country's birth--now had to be answered. Some leaders pinned their hopes on compromise, until one used the Presidency to defend freedom and the Union--at any cost. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

America after the Civil War was a traumatized country in desperate need of leadership. The President who'd seen the nation through its most divisive conflict was dead, leaving no road map for peace. Over the next three decades, a series of weak Presidents lacked any vision for the future and showed little interest in real leadership. Each successive man took a back seat to Congress and to captains of industry--and the Presidency hit rock bottom. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Idolized in ancient Norse mythology as the protector god, Thor battles evil ogres and a giant serpent bent on destroying mankind. It's the quintessential fight for survival that culminates in a final showdown between good and evil. But was the rise and fall of the hero Thor ancient code for something greater? Today, new discoveries unlock the hidden truth behind the Norse god of Thunder. TVPG VL | CC

The tale of the strongest superhero in Greek mythology and his quest for redemption. To atone for committing a heinous crime, Hercules embarks on a series of impossible challenges known as the 12 Labors. Hercules endures as one of history's most influential demi-Gods, but recent archaeological discoveries suggest that mythology's strongest man may have been inspired by a real person. TVPG VL | CC

In Greek mythology, ancient Greece's most powerful god wages an epic struggle against his father for control of the universe. It's the ultimate power struggle as the Olympians challenge the Titans in mythology's greatest showdown. This is a pivotal battle that experts believe may have been ancient code for a real world event--one of the greatest natural disasters the Earth ever experienced. TVPG VL | CC

Don't look now--but there's a lot more to your walls than you'd ever imagine. Take a penetrating look inside something we consider utterly mundane, and uncover a surprising and sometimes shocking world. A computer-managed home in Colorado showcases the high tech gadgetry destined to inhabit every wall in the future. At the headquarters of Orkin in Atlanta, a network of walls with cutouts and Plexiglas windows reveal how pests and creepy crawlies of all kinds can congregate in huge numbers inside our homes. In Washington, scientists at Underwriters Labs play with fire in the name of research, investigating how our walls can keep us safe--or expose us to a fiery death. And in Los Angeles, a security company demonstrates innovative new technology that can "see" through walls--detecting motion, heat, breathing, even heartbeats. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Every aspect of our lives involves pressure. It's what puts the bubbles in soft drinks, propels shaving cream from its can, cools the contents of your refrigerator, and causes volcanoes to erupt. But when pressure suddenly changes, you better look out! Rapid pressure changes can be as violent as explosions. And variable atmospheric pressure? We call that the weather. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Until the diesel age, trains were powered by steam, and we'll trace the steam train's 160-year history. We travel to Steamtown National Park to see these 19th-century technological wonders in action; and, visit Union Pacific's Steam Operations Division to profile #3985, the largest operating steam locomotive in the world. TVPG VL | CC

How would you recognize the most evil person on Earth? According to many historical texts, you should look for a brilliant, enigmatic public figure who transforms the world for good--for a while. Basically, the last person you'd tap as Satan's human emissary. While many believe the Antichrist has come and gone, just as many believe he will soon arrive, if he's not already in our midst. Join us for harrowing look at an evil so obscure that he answers only to Satan. Real? Our group of prophecy believers and historical experts help sort it out. We follow the emergence of the Antichrist from pre-Judaic texts, through the Book of Daniel and Revelation, into Christian writings of the Middle Ages, and other religious traditions as well. Aided by interviewees both religious and secular, comprised of eminent clergy, scholars, historians, psychologists, and culture makers, we'll examine the evil enigma from every conceivable angle. TVPG VL | CC

From popes and presidents to dictators, Antichrists have been identified in all periods of recorded history and in all walks of life. Even nations, movements, and technologies have been thought by some to be the agents of the Antichrist. Throughout history, people have seen their own times as the most morally bankrupt and have recognized signs of the coming of the Apocalypse. If the end is near, what will it be like? What is the Antichrist's agenda? How does he intend to take over the world and wreak destruction? Is this escapist fantasy or inescapable fate? 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

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

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

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

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

George S. Patton was WWII's greatest combat general. His armored troops rolled to stunning and important victories in North Africa and Europe. But Patton suffered from dyslexia, he never wore those pearl-handled pistols, and he was even an international contraband smuggler. Maverick historian David Eisenbach uncovers Patton's secrets. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

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

The United States of America was a bold invention of enormous risk. An 8-year war of independence, followed by intense political debate produced a government of, by and for the people. This democracy in a world ruled by Kings and Emperors was a new experiment with three branches--a Court, a Congress and an Executive--all sharing power; a precarious balancing act purposely left open to interpretation. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

America in 1824 saw the era of the Founding Fathers coming to an end. Over the next 25 years, six presidents would reflect the country's sometimes uneasy transition from old traditions to an expansion of land, influence and opportunity. Democracy was the word on everyone's lips, and the true power of the nation's leader would be found in the common man. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

How has our ability to communicate defined us as a species? Sharing information with each other has allowed humans to rise to the top of the food chain and dominate our environments. But humans aren't the only species that can communicate. Organisms as simple as bacteria can communicate, a strategy that lets them cooperate to take down creatures millions of times their own size. Fish use pheromones to warn each other about predators and find mates. Chemicals are also an effective means of communicating on land, and they've allowed insects--some of nature's smallest and most unassuming animals--to become the most populous and prolific on earth. The ability to interact stretches back billions of years and has often been one of the primary factors in a species ability to evolve and survive. TVPG VL | CC

The story behind the world's most renowned modern myth. Enter creator J.R.R. Tolkien's fantastical world of hobbits, orcs and wizards, and uncover the real life influences that shaped his epic fantasy, The Lord of the Rings. TVPG VL | CC

Idolized in ancient Norse mythology as the protector god, Thor battles evil ogres and a giant serpent bent on destroying mankind. It's the quintessential fight for survival that culminates in a final showdown between good and evil. But was the rise and fall of the hero Thor ancient code for something greater? Today, new discoveries unlock the hidden truth behind the Norse god of Thunder. TVPG VL | CC

Running from Washington, DC to Boston, the Acela is a high-tech wonder that runs on lines dating to the Great Depression. It is the fastest train in the country and is powered by high-voltage overhead electrical wires. Join hosts Matt Bown as he meets the workers who are just inches from possible electrocution on a daily basis. Filming here was so dangerous that the production crew had to take and pass a special course before they were allowed to begin. Also, take a look at historic Penn Station and discover why it had to be demolished. TVPG VL | CC

Go on a sweeping adventure into the mystery of the history of oil. Where does it come from? When will it run out? Where is it driving us? This amazing fluid that powers our lives has made a 160 million year journey to reach our gas tanks and plastic bags. Learn about Earth's extraordinary Carbon Cycle, and the role of oil in current concerns regarding the environment. The Oil Age we now take for granted began less than a century and a half ago, and it could be over in our lifetime. TVPG VL | CC

How did one awesome battleship spark the 20th century's first arms race? Journey back to the start of the 20th century in England for a look at the HMS Dreadnought and one admiral's devastating vision. TVPG VL | CC

Throughout railroad history, disasters lay at the heart of progress, since expansion and profit proved the main goals of management. In 1875 alone, an average of 22 train accidents happened daily; in 1890, over 6,000 people were killed. We'll examine how safety, once a secondary consideration, became a primary goal. TVPG VL | CC

Until the diesel age, trains were powered by steam, and we'll trace the steam train's 160-year history. We travel to Steamtown National Park to see these 19th-century technological wonders in action; and, visit Union Pacific's Steam Operations Division to profile #3985, the largest operating steam locomotive in the world. TVPG VL | CC

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

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

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

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

America after the Civil War was a traumatized country in desperate need of leadership. The President who'd seen the nation through its most divisive conflict was dead, leaving no road map for peace. Over the next three decades, a series of weak Presidents lacked any vision for the future and showed little interest in real leadership. Each successive man took a back seat to Congress and to captains of industry--and the Presidency hit rock bottom. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

America at the beginning of the 20th century found a growing chasm between the rich and poor. The country's priorities were changing, as was the Presidency. Since the end of the Civil War, Congress and the deep pockets of Big Industry had dictated the course for the nation. But one President took back the reigns, fighting for the common man, just as a grisly international fight began to emerge that would test America's strength and its leader's resolve. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

America in the 1920s was a country poised for a fresh start. The horrific brutality of the first global war was over. The economy was beginning to "roar," and the Presidents at the helm were happy to take a backseat to Congress. But as America crashed into Depression--and then another World War--the times called for a stronger leader, one who set the table for presidential power in the 20th century. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

In Greek mythology, ancient Greece's most powerful god wages an epic struggle against his father for control of the universe. It's the ultimate power struggle as the Olympians challenge the Titans in mythology's greatest showdown. This is a pivotal battle that experts believe may have been ancient code for a real world event--one of the greatest natural disasters the Earth ever experienced. 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

Who are the beings with big heads and giant eyes that seem to have been visiting our planet for millennia? Known by researchers as the "greys," these mysterious beings have been depicted in rock-art and carved stone figures throughout the ages and all over the world. Who are they, what planet do they come from, and what do they want? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Every aspect of our lives involves pressure. It's what puts the bubbles in soft drinks, propels shaving cream from its can, cools the contents of your refrigerator, and causes volcanoes to erupt. But when pressure suddenly changes, you better look out! Rapid pressure changes can be as violent as explosions. And variable atmospheric pressure? We call that the weather. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

No matter what you might think of him, in all corners of the globe, Jesse James is respected for his incredible skills, vision and dogged determination. Jesse is known as the Master Fabricator, he is a world-class welder, operates the violent power hammer with grace and agility and he even became a coppersmith to make one of his bikes out of copper. There is only one discipline left for him to tackle before mastering all aspects of metal working--blacksmithing. It's been years since we last saw Jesse do what we love to watch him do the most, build an amazing one-of-a-kind creation and then take us along for a ride. For the first time ever, Jesse will build his first engine--but not just any engine, he takes on the near impossible mission of tracking down a rare 1930's race car engine and rebuilds it to go into a new bike. With no blueprints, no instructions, he goes on a hunt to find a rare breed of craftsmen and builders who might know something about how to help him achieve his goal. TVPG VL | CC

From popes and presidents to dictators, Antichrists have been identified in all periods of recorded history and in all walks of life. Even nations, movements, and technologies have been thought by some to be the agents of the Antichrist. Throughout history, people have seen their own times as the most morally bankrupt and have recognized signs of the coming of the Apocalypse. If the end is near, what will it be like? What is the Antichrist's agenda? How does he intend to take over the world and wreak destruction? Is this escapist fantasy or inescapable fate? TVPG VL | CC

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

There are 800 very old, very mysterious, man-made stone sites in the Northeastern part of the United States. Forensic geologist Scott Wolter heads to rural Pennsylvania to investigate one of them--a meticulously crafted stone chamber buried underground in the woods. When he realizes it may have been a ritual bath chamber for a secret society, he embarks on a quest for answers as to who built, when and why. 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

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

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

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

Not long ago South Africa stood poised on the edge of anarchy. The flames of violence threatened to engulf a nation that had already fought long and hard against the brutal burden of Apartheid. Massacres and assassinations unleashed a storm of angry recriminations that thundered over the land and echoed in the empty negotiating halls where peace talks had stalled. But, just over a year later, the country was celebrating its first, fully democratic election that culminated in the joyful inauguration of President Nelson Mandela. They achieved the unimaginable: a rainbow nation at peace with itself and the world. This is the remarkable story of South Africa's transition to democracy, a singular achievement that astounded and inspired the world. Includes personal anecdotes from world leaders, local and global celebrities who tell of their small, but valuable contributions to the liberation of South Africa and her people. 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

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

Who are the beings with big heads and giant eyes that seem to have been visiting our planet for millennia? Known by researchers as the "greys," these mysterious beings have been depicted in rock-art and carved stone figures throughout the ages and all over the world. Who are they, what planet do they come from, and what do they want? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

No matter what you might think of him, in all corners of the globe, Jesse James is respected for his incredible skills, vision and dogged determination. Jesse is known as the Master Fabricator, he is a world-class welder, operates the violent power hammer with grace and agility and he even became a coppersmith to make one of his bikes out of copper. There is only one discipline left for him to tackle before mastering all aspects of metal working--blacksmithing. It's been years since we last saw Jesse do what we love to watch him do the most, build an amazing one-of-a-kind creation and then take us along for a ride. For the first time ever, Jesse will build his first engine--but not just any engine, he takes on the near impossible mission of tracking down a rare 1930's race car engine and rebuilds it to go into a new bike. With no blueprints, no instructions, he goes on a hunt to find a rare breed of craftsmen and builders who might know something about how to help him achieve his goal. TVPG VL | CC

It starts with a spark, but some ideas catch fire and in the process change the world. Necessity is the mother of invention--from darkness, man found light (the candle) and from even the farthest distances we can still find each other (the telephone). But some inventions have transformed our lives far beyond our homes (the steam engine), our planet (the telescope), and our wildest dreams (the Internet). This countdown highlights how human ingenuity comes in all shapes and sizes. Some were born from the humblest means (the hammer) while others push the limits of what was ever believed possible (the airplane). But regardless of the ratio of inspiration to perspiration, each invention to make the cut was destined to change our lives forever. TVPG VL | CC