The History Channel

In 1975, Travis Walton claims to have been abducted and taken aboard a space ship inhabited by extraterrestrial beings. Several people witnessed his encounter and nearly 40 years later Walton's story of alien abduction, missing time and mind-telepathy manipulation has not wavered. But researchers say that abductions are not a modern phenomenon. The Hebrew Bible is filled with stories of abductions by otherworldly beings. Jonah, Moses, Ezekiel and Enoch all depict what can best be described as physically being taken to other dimensions and then returned. Is it possible that extraterrestrial beings have been abducting humans for thousands of years and if so, might there be an alien agenda behind the phenomena? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Heading to Tucson, Arizona with his son Grant, Wolter is eager to investigate a mysterious cache of crosses, swords and other relics pulled from the desert in the 1920s. One sword has a date--800 AD--written in Latin, which would suggest a group of Europeans was in the American Southwest hundreds of years before Columbus made it to America. Wolter's investigation is particularly important for one man--the grandson of the man who helped discover the items. The investigation could determine whether the artifacts are part of an elaborate hoax or part of a find that could change history. 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

15,000 years ago man and the wolf form a partnership that shapes the future of Mankind. With the help of man's new best friend we domesticate more animals, sowing the first seeds of farming and civilization. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Communication is the vital ingredient in the building of civilization. The ability to share complicated ideas allowed early man to hunt, farm and build communities. And the creation of things like a 22-letter alphabet and the printing press allow Mankind to further expand, leading to the proliferation of new ideas and revolution. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Could there be a monstrous, undiscovered star orbiting our own Sun? Could it be scattering killer comets throughout our Solar System like clockwork every 26 million years? New scientific surveys are probing the edges of our Solar System--a realm populated by giant worlds and mysterious planetoid--hunting for Nemesis, the Sun's purported evil twin. We may be on the verge of discovering this ultimate death star, suspected of causing every mass extinction in Earth's history. We employ everyday experiences to explain what Nemesis is and why it's been so hard to find. Experts start a wildfire on a dry California hillside, race a NASCAR around an oval track, and juggle fire, all in the effort to present how Nemesis works, and why life on Earth may depend on its discovery. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

This special examines the roots of Nazi ideology, and how the Third Reich used twisted versions of history and religion to bolster its power and help drive Germany towards war and genocide. The Nazi belief in the Aryan Master Race characterized World War II as a war between the Aryan Germans and the "lesser races"-- the Russian Slavs and especially the Jews--a belief which reached its most terrible consequence in the Holocaust. TVPG VL | CC

In our lifelong battle to fight friction, Grease--in all its forms--is the unsung hero. Journey deep into places few people ever get to see, to discover the "hidden" uses of one of our most slippery products inside giant machines. We'll also investigate how it's made in a factory in New York, as well as what new advances some are working towards for grease of the future. But in the meantime, we'll witness how it is currently used inside a US Navy aircraft carrier, San Francisco's famous cable cars, elevators and escalators, assembly lines, huge excavators, amusement park rides, and even the Panama Canal. From pig fat to nano-particles... amazing Grease keeps everything rolling along--smooth and fast. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Enter the amazing and ingenious ultra-sturdy shelters, machines, containers, materials and packaging designed to deny the ruination of society. The drive to create the indestructible has inspired some of the most prolific and awe inspiring results: The Cold War spawned personal bomb shelters in the 1950s. They weren't truly safe and secure, but today's 21st century version will last a millennium. And so will the special food you can get, along with all the comforts of home--like running water, plumbing and electricity. Caskets serve as our final resting place, but how long do they really last? Investigate how valuable data from a plane crash survives in a "black box" (that's not really black), to explain what might have caused the accident. And get an intimate look at the new "home" that protects and preserves one of the world's most valuable documents--the case that houses the original Declaration of Independence. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Discover that the deadliest snakes, sports and weather events are closer and more treacherous than you think. Travel to the slopes of Mt. Rainier, America's most dangerous volcano, and find out why 100,000 people could be in serious trouble. Watch where you step, because the most dangerous snake in the U.S. slithers in great numbers and has a short temper. Learn where the most dangerous weather phenomenon, the tornado, can cause the most damage. We'll look for protection for the most dangerous hits football can muster. 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

15,000 years ago man and the wolf form a partnership that shapes the future of Mankind. With the help of man's new best friend we domesticate more animals, sowing the first seeds of farming and civilization. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Communication is the vital ingredient in the building of civilization. The ability to share complicated ideas allowed early man to hunt, farm and build communities. And the creation of things like a 22-letter alphabet and the printing press allow Mankind to further expand, leading to the proliferation of new ideas and revolution. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

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

In his quest to find people with real superpowers, Daniel Browning Smith meets some extraordinary individuals including the man with the strongest neck on earth; a man who claims he's the world's first Cyborg; and a Seattle man whose yo yo skills push the limits of speed and dexterity. 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

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

It's early morning in Saqqara and Zahi is getting ready to open two sealed tombs for the first time in thousands of years, but Zoe is late again and his patience is wearing thin. At the "Festival of the Sacrifice," Derek and Allan begin to learn about the customs and traditions of their host country, while Zahi meets the press and reveals a completed renovation of one of the oldest operating monasteries in the world. If only the fellows hadn't made that unexpected stop to the Robber's Tomb, maybe things would have been different... 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

Now that two fellows are gone, it seems that Alice, the marine archaeologist from Alexandria, wants to ask Zahi for a spot in the fellowship program. Zahi sets her to task--her first assignment--ride with him on horseback through the vast open desert to the Falcon Galleries. Zahi wants to see if the long-forgotten Falcon Galleries can be restored as a new tourist destination. Inside, not only are there thousands of mummified birds, but deadly snakes and scorpions, too! 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

The world's largest, most active volcano system exists in the western US. 6,000 years ago, the Yellowstone Volcano erupted. Lava and pyroclastic flows covered 3,000-square miles with ash 3-feet thick. Fossils discovered as far away as Nebraska were found to have died from inhaling the Yellowstone debris. If--or perhaps we should say when--it erupts again, the Yellowstone "Mega-Volcano" will create a global cataclysm beyond human comprehension. Everything within 150 miles--including the cities of Cody, Wyoming and Bozeman, Montana--will be hit by an 800-degree blast of heat and 200 miles-per-hour winds. Thousands will be killed. That's just the local effects. Half the US will be buried beneath a blanket of volcanic ash. Crops in the Midwest--the world's breadbasket--will be destroyed. And it will take years before crops can grow again. Starvation, epidemics, and social chaos won't be long in coming. 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

Hawaii, 1868. The volcano, Mauna Loa, in its most spectacular eruption, spewed out enough lava to cover 40 percent of the Big Island. A similar eruption occurred in 1950. Now that the island has become developed, the potential for damage and loss from a major eruption is astronomical. Small villages have been replaced by large tourist resorts and luxury homes. Using state-of-the-art computer animation, take a look at how an event similar to 1868 would impact Hawaii. Watch buildings crumble during large earthquakes, see homes and resorts destroyed by speeding lava, and what's left of the island drown under tsunamis and mudflows. Thousands of people could be dead and the economy of this island paradise would be destroyed for years to come. 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

A controversial scientific theory states that gigantic eruptions of methane gas from deep in the ocean have occurred regularly throughout history. Although a global-scale methane eruption today is highly unlikely, there may be stagnant, oxygen-poor basins in the ocean where methane might accumulate. Even a small explosion could cause a catastrophe. Imagine what would happen if such an event occurred in the mid-Pacific. Tsunamis would be generated in continuous waves, striking Hawaii and the entire West Coast. Coastal areas would be flooded for miles inland. Methane/water clouds would auto-ignite and the massive fires could cause widespread destruction. Consequences could be global. Whatever humanity survives would be thrown into a Dark Age. 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 the face of bigotry and ignorance, the Tuskegee Airmen, an all-black fighter squadron, shattered racist stereotypes. Their exploits became the stuff of legend. Watch as pilots Wendell Pruitt and Lee Archer, the Gruesome Twosome; score their highest victory in a single day over the skies of the Po river valley in Northern Italy. Then pilot Charles Mc Gee knocks down an Fw190 near Pardubice, Czechoslovakia. Finally pilot Roscoe Brown and the Tuskegee Airmen take down three Me262 jet fighters in a wild engagement just south of Berlin. First-hand accounts, rare archival footage and original shooting supplement the remarkable computer graphics. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Recent warming trends in seawater and air temperature point to a possible mega drought in the next thirty to fifty years. Could we be facing a replay of the Dust Bowl of the 1930s on an even bigger scale? Scientists working with government authorities are highly cognizant of the need to conserve. Is it too late? Jump ahead to a scenario seventy years into the future--a twelve-year drought has left the country unstable and economically depressed. Cities across the west lie abandoned, states fight over limited water supplies and we are now dependant on other nations for food. Society has devolved into a desperate battle for survival as individuals fight over the scarce resource. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Traces the rise and fall of one of the world's greatest empires and weaves together the glittering and tempestuous stories of the Imperial rulers with the life of the Russian people to explore historic trends and turning points that shaped the nation's destiny. Part 1 begins with the founding of ancient "Rus" by Viking warlords, Russia's subjugation by Mongol hordes, the rise of Ivan the Terrible, and transformation from isolated borderland to powerful European state under Peter the Great. TVPG VL | CC

He would become an emperor more powerful than Napoleon, capture more territory than Alexander the Great and create the largest army the world has ever seen. In 240 B.C. Chin Shi Huang Di, ruler of the Qin Kingdom, rose to power, defeated six states and created an empire that would lay the groundwork for modern day China. Learn about the life and times of this unique leader and see what still remains of the Qin Dynasty today--from the Great Wall of China to the army of 8,000 life-sized terracotta warriors and horses that guard his empire in the afterlife. TVPG VL | CC

Howard Hughes was a celebrity persona known around the world and an aeronautical genius, but he was a man with personal demons that drew the public to watch his every step. From producing movies to building aircraft for the government, Hughes was a dynamic figure. In 1948 Howard Hughes set out to prove many of his critics wrong by flying a machine that was termed "the Spruce Goose"--the H-4 Hercules, to date the largest plane ever built, was a flying boat designed to hold as many as 750 soldiers. In a moment only Howard Hughes could pull off, he would make history and prove that a 400,000-pound bird can fly. TVPG VL | CC

From building cutting-edge competition venues to the latest sports science training, winter sports use more technology than ever. This episode takes you behind the scenes of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter games. Olympic organizers race against the clock to build venues, expand transportation and security, and add futuristic touches to the ultimate Olympic icon--the Olympic torch. Meanwhile, US Olympic hopefuls use high-tech training tools to gain a competitive edge. Take in breathtaking views from the world's highest unsupported gondola and rocket down a bobsled track at 80 miles per hour, as we show you winter sports like you've never seen them before. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Witness some mind-blowing feats of strength starting with the world's most powerful elevators--one lifts fighter jets, the other lifts a giant stage filled with acrobats. Discover the world's strongest tire and the monster mine machine it rolls with. Take a 35-foot drop on the world's strongest mountain bike. See the world's strongest land transport vehicle that carries the Space Shuttle. Finally mix some drinks or chop a telephone into dust with the biggest and strongest home blender you've ever seen. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

In March 2002, in Vilnius, Lithuania, construction workers uncovered a mass grave filled with close to 2,000 skeletons. Scientists determined that the remains belonged to the last remnants of Napoleon's Grand Army retreating from Moscow in 1812. The find offers new insight into Napoleon's invasion of Russia, the largest military disaster ever recorded. Follow scientists as they seek to learn who these people were and how they died. Was it a massacre, an epidemic, or the result of brutal cold? TVPG VL | CC

From a once seething, hellish mass of molten rock to the world that inhabits life today, take a rollercoaster ride through the entire history of Planet Earth. Its 4.5 billion year epic, a story of unimaginable timescales, earth-shattering forces, incredible life forms, radical climates and mass extinctions. Discover how the continents were formed, canyons were carved, and why the world's animals live where they do. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

The biblical Garden of Eden was taken away from man because of his sins. The Bible says Eden was located east of Israel where four rivers meet--The Tigris and Euphrates and the Pison and Gihon. The later two have long been considered mythical; however recent satellite photography suggests these rivers did exist in Iraq. Another theory places Eden's location beneath the Black Sea. Do texts other than the Bible reinforce the idea of Eden? Both the Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh and Ancient Greek texts speak of a paradise lost. Sift through the evidence to decode an age-old mystery about how paradise was lost, and where it might be found. TVPG VL | CC

They defended the Holy Land through bloodshed and prayer. Founded in the 12th century, these Christian warrior monks reigned supreme for nearly 200 years before suffering a spectacular fall from grace. Tried for heresy, they were disbanded and their Grand Master burned at the stake. We'll search behind the legend for their lost world. We recreate the city they knew as Tortosa--now hidden among modern homes in the Syrian city of Tartus. We reveal secrets of their headquarters at Temple Mount in Jerusalem, with magnificent underground vaults that could stable 1,000 horses. And we visit the circular church in London built to resemble the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem and the site of the Templar's mysterious initiation rites. We bring to life the hilltop fortress that Lawrence of Arabia called "the finest castle in the world", and return to the Mediterranean island where the Knights Templar made their last stand against Moslem enemies. TVPG VL | CC

Gods and religion played an extremely important role in antiquity. The problem with so many religions being worshipped by the Greeks and Romans was how would the priests of these temples pay for their upkeep? Great scholars such as Philon, Ctesibius and Heron were patronized by the temples to create "magic". In return, they created intriguing and mind blowing objects. It was a heavy mix of religion and science. One of the most famous illusions was found in Alexandria at the temple of Serapis, where an iron chariot was suspended in mid air. It appeared to be the work of the gods. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

The assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a turning point for the Civil Rights movement and a clarion call for the nation. For a moment it seemed the long march towards social justice would die with its leader, but national support for the burgeoning Civil Rights movement was too powerful to fell, and instead of collapsing with the tragedy of Dr. King's death, it found new life in his legacy. Our resident historian Steve Gillon tells the stories of the unforgettable events that defined the Baby Boomer generation and changed the world. TVPG VL | CC

The deadliest natural weapon employed in the animal kingdom, venom has independently evolved in creatures as diverse as jellyfish, insects, snakes, and even mammals. Scientists from around the globe show how evolution adapted venom to fit the needs of the animals who wield it. Injecting venom into samples of his blood, Australia's Bryan Fry demonstrates how the world's deadliest snake, the inland taipan, has converted the building blocks of its body into lethal toxins. Toto Olivera will introduce us to the cone snail, pound-for-pound the most toxic creature in the world, able to continually update its chemical cocktails with the help of the world's fastest-evolving genes, guaranteeing the creatures stay one step ahead of their prey. TVPG VL | CC

Living organisms have entered into a battle for survival for hundreds of millions of years and the pressure to survive has resulted in ever changing shapes. From the hammerhead shark to the platypus, new and sometimes extreme shapes can mean survival for certain species. But, as nature has proven, sometimes the most basic shapes on earth have the staying power of survival. This episode will explore the evolution of animal shape and how the slightest alteration of a leg or a head can mean the difference between life and extinction. TVPG VL | CC

The search for the Loch Ness Monster has captivated the world for decades, but now a startling realization about "Nessie" might shatter this age-old myth. Could the Loch Ness Monster be dead, and do its remains lie hidden at the bottom of the lake? Robert Rines, a world renowned inventor, believes he may have seen the remains of this mythical beast and is on a mission to find evidence to prove it. Rines, who believes he saw the creature surface in the lake in 1972, caught sonar images of the monster's remains. He believes Nessie's death may explain the decrease of sightings in recent years. Our search team looks for evidence and deploys the latest technology including remote operating vehicles (ROVs) and sonar and underwater cameras as it goes on the ultimate search for Nessie's remains. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Across North America there is something strange and frightening circling overhead. Witnesses tell of human-like creatures that float or hover in the skies and often descend to attack. Legends and folklore tell of strange flying creatures, but in the 1940s and 1950s, strange humanoid forms were spotted above small towns, bringing waves of panic. Sceptics claim that misidentification explains these creatures, however the mounting evidence says otherwise. MonsterQuest will analyze the video proof of this monster while scientists work to discover the identity of an eerie corpse that may unlock the mystery of these flying humanoid monsters. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

The Roman Emperor Nero, renowned for playing the fiddle whilst Rome burned, was infamous for cruelty, incest and murder. TVPG VL | CC

A marauding barbarian with a reputation as one of history's monsters, even today Attila's name is a synonym for savagery. TVPG VL | CC

As a child, Hannibal from Carthage, modern-day Tunisia, was forced by his father to make a blood to destroy the Romans. His reputation as one of history's cruelest generals was earned as he ruthlessly slaughtered women and children along with tens of thousands of his own and enemy soldiers in the pursuit of defeating Rome. While he won several major battles, he curiously gave up before marching into Rome. TVPG VL | CC

Today, New York is the biggest city in the country... but it's got some dark secrets in its past. It was founded by covert groups, overrun with gangs and mob bosses, and ruled by secret societies. This is the true foundation of the city that never sleeps, and host Don Wildman is headed deep beneath the skyscrapers, taxicabs and street vendors into a New York that few have ever seen before. From a hidden Freemason tunnel and secret world of the Sandhogs, to mobster hideaways and gang escape routes, we're uncovering the secret societies that built New York--from the underground up. TVPG VL | CC

Chicago was once a playground for mobsters and corrupt politicians. It wouldn't be the third largest city in the U.S. today if it weren't for the shady dealings that went on just beneath its streets. From vice dens and top-secret railroad lines to sunken shipwrecks and the spark that created the A-Bomb, host Don Wildman unearths the true history of the Windy City. TVPG VL | CC

Follow the soybean from field to refinery with CHS, Inc. as they convert billions of soybeans into vegetable oils, flour, and soy meal. These products, in turn, end up in salad dressings and margarines, baked goods, animal feed and even bio-fuel and plastics. Pay a visit to the Kelley Bean Company which cleans 80,000 pounds of dry beans per day. B & M Baked Beans stirs up some New England tradition by baking beans in steel kettles and brick ovens. Then, Italian chef and bean lover Cesare Casella whips up a few bean dishes using rare heirloom beans, some of which cost $35 per pound. For dessert, Japanese pastry makers prepare traditional bean-based confections with the azuki bean. Fry up some falafel and puree some beans into a paste called hummus with the most widely consumed legume in the world...the chickpea. Last but not least, the makers of Beano explain how it works to prevent that unfortunate bean byproduct: gas. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

In the pre-dawn darkness of December 14, 1986, a peculiar aircraft lumbers down an immense runway in the California high desert. With a wingspan larger than a 727, it weighs scarcely 2000 pounds when empty. Maverick aircraft designer Burt Rutan has designed this plane to fly nonstop around the globe. With his brother, decorated fighter pilot Dick Rutan at the controls, this is the moment of truth--the culmination of six years of work. The bizarre craft, Voyager, is like no flying machine ever built. When Voyager does get airborne, there are nine more days of perilous near-death experiences as it attempts to set the last great aviation record. TVPG VL | CC

Howard Hughes was a celebrity persona known around the world and an aeronautical genius, but he was a man with personal demons that drew the public to watch his every step. From producing movies to building aircraft for the government, Hughes was a dynamic figure. In 1948 Howard Hughes set out to prove many of his critics wrong by flying a machine that was termed "the Spruce Goose"--the H-4 Hercules, to date the largest plane ever built, was a flying boat designed to hold as many as 750 soldiers. In a moment only Howard Hughes could pull off, he would make history and prove that a 400,000-pound bird can fly. TVPG VL | CC

Best-selling author Brad Meltzer and his team try to penetrate Bohemian Grove, one of America's most tightly guarded gatherings of the rich and powerful. The Decoded team converges on the group's hideaway in a northern California redwood forest to pursue rumors of ritual sacrifice and secret agreements that control the lives of everyday Americans. Brad soon finds out just how difficult it is to uncover Bohemian Grove's secrets. He knew sending the team into the Grove would be risky, but he never expected they'd be calling him for bail money. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

As head of the powerful 15th-century Florentine family, Lorenzo de' Medici was the ultimate Renaissance man. The leadership of Lorenzo and his family created an atmosphere of culture, sophistication, and wisdom that enabled Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Botticelli to flourish artistically. Just as skilled at politics, the wealthy Medici ruled Florence for centuries without holding an office. Their power to bestow and withhold favors made them feared and revered, loved and hated. On April 26, 1478, a gang of men repeatedly attacked Lorenzo and his brother Giuliano with knives in the Duomo cathedral during high Mass. Giuliano died, but a wounded Lorenzo survived. For centuries, historians believed the Pazzi family, Medici banking rivals, were at the center of the complex plot. Now, Dr. Marcello Simonetta, a historian at Wesleyan University, offers a shocking twist. Did the Pazzi Conspiracy include a much broader range of perpetrators, reaching all the way to the Vatican? TVPG VL | CC

In March 2002, in Vilnius, Lithuania, construction workers uncovered a mass grave filled with close to 2,000 skeletons. Scientists determined that the remains belonged to the last remnants of Napoleon's Grand Army retreating from Moscow in 1812. The find offers new insight into Napoleon's invasion of Russia, the largest military disaster ever recorded. Follow scientists as they seek to learn who these people were and how they died. Was it a massacre, an epidemic, or the result of brutal cold? TVPG VL | CC

The Bible has been studied by millions of people over thousands of years--but it continues to mystify us even today. Did Noah's Ark really exist--and is it trapped in the snow and ice on a mountaintop in Turkey? Have archeologists found the remains of the evil cities of Sodom and Gomorrah? Was the Shroud of Turin really the burial cloth of Jesus Christ--or just a medieval forgery? And are there secret messages and codes hidden within the text of the Old Testament? TVPG VL | CC

The biblical Garden of Eden was taken away from man because of his sins. The Bible says Eden was located east of Israel where four rivers meet--The Tigris and Euphrates and the Pison and Gihon. The later two have long been considered mythical; however recent satellite photography suggests these rivers did exist in Iraq. Another theory places Eden's location beneath the Black Sea. Do texts other than the Bible reinforce the idea of Eden? Both the Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh and Ancient Greek texts speak of a paradise lost. Sift through the evidence to decode an age-old mystery about how paradise was lost, and where it might be found. TVPG VL | CC

The pull of the moon and spin of the earth generates mighty forces in the oceans that sweep relentlessly around the planet. Four of the Underwater Universe's most powerful tides and currents pose the greatest potential threat to mankind: the Gulf Stream, the extreme tides of England's Morecambe Bay, the killer rip currents of Kauai and finally--biggest of all, one that helped wipe out over 80 percent of all species some 251 million years ago, the Great Ocean Conveyor. How did an ocean current trigger the planet's most devastating mass extinction event? And could it happen again? TVPG VL | CC

A documentary about the training, battles, and lives of the Tuskegee Airmen. Narrated by Cuba Gooding, Jr., this special includes original wartime footage and is interspersed with the words of living Tuskegee Airmen. TVPG VL | CC

The assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a turning point for the Civil Rights movement and a clarion call for the nation. For a moment it seemed the long march towards social justice would die with its leader, but national support for the burgeoning Civil Rights movement was too powerful to fell, and instead of collapsing with the tragedy of Dr. King's death, it found new life in his legacy. Our resident historian Steve Gillon tells the stories of the unforgettable events that defined the Baby Boomer generation and changed the world. TVPG VL | CC

If extraterrestrials influenced human history, can evidence of their existence be found in hidden tunnels and caverns around the world? Could a cave in Ecuador contain metallic books inscribed with secrets of alien technology? Was an ancient underground city in Turkey built with alien help... or as a refuge from an alien attack? Rumors of the U.S. military working alongside aliens in a secret base inside a mesa in New Mexico continue to swirl, Native American legends mention strange inner-Earth beings, and recent archaeological discoveries in the Yucatan may point to an extraterrestrial reality behind. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Follow veteran criminal profiler George Deuchar and renowned cryptozoologist, Ken Gerhardt as they investigate the legend of the notorious Wolfman. Between the years of 1764 and 1767, the small French hamlet of Gevaudan was plagued by a mysterious beast that attacked and killed 102 villagers. The victims (mostly women and children) were all maliciously mauled and decapitated. All bore the bite marks of a non-human creature, and even more bizarre, many victims were found undressed and sexually assaulted. For centuries, the true identify of this mysterious "wolfman" has remained a mystery. Digging deeply into the mythology of Werewolves, they uncover reported paranormal transformations, diseases that make men look and act like animals, strange but true stories of children raised by wolves, and the truth about wolfsbane and silver bullets. Their modern-day forensic investigation leads them to the horrific truth behind the Werewolf murders. TVPG VL | CC

Featuring exclusive interviews with President Barack Obama and other senior aides, this two-hour special event will take viewers inside the dedicated effort to hunt and kill Osama Bin Laden. We'll also examine the historical ramifications for President Obama's administration, as well as look at the role of the men and women who worked for many years over several administrations to make this possible. Rigorously researched, Targeting Bin Laden uses historical footage, photographs and dramatic re-enactments to illustrate one of the most important missions in our nation's history. In addition to President Obama, interviewees include National Security Advisor, Tom Donilon; White House Chief Counter-Terrorism Advisor, John O. Brennan; Ben Rhodes, Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications; former CIA Director, Gen. Michael Vincent Hayden; former CIA Deputy Director of Counter-Terrorism, Philip Mudd; members of Congress; policy experts and others. TVPG VL | CC

Join host Don Wildman as he travels to Sicily to trace the mafia's roots back to when they were a vigilante secret society in an underground network. The original mafia was created to hold trials against corrupt city officials and execute the accused. Follow Don as he tracks the escape route of a most-wanted mob boss through ancient subterranean waterways. There he'll discover a bone-crypt that holds the key to Sicily's violent past. Finally, Don will reveal how the mafia entrenched themselves forever into Sicilian society by teaming up with the Allies during WWll and undermining the Axis' bunkers deep within the Sicilian hillsides. TVPG VL | CC

Few people realize that the Baath party was actually formed upon the principles and organizational structure of the Nazi party. Iraq, because of its oil and hatred of Jews, was an important battleground between the Axis and Allied powers in World War II. Nazi propaganda was broadcast throughout Baghdad, and Iraqis often went on rampages against Jews throughout the war. One of the most ardent Nazi supporters during WWII was named Khairallah Talfah. Talfah was Saddam's uncle. After the war, many of the key Iraqi Nazi supporters, all of whom evaded prosecution, wound up involved in Saddam's rise to power. This special examines the key individuals of the Iraqi-Nazi connection, the little-known battle for Iraq in WWII, and the strange link to Saddam Hussein. TVPG VL | CC

Witness some mind-blowing feats of strength starting with the world's most powerful elevators--one lifts fighter jets, the other lifts a giant stage filled with acrobats. Discover the world's strongest tire and the monster mine machine it rolls with. Take a 35-foot drop on the world's strongest mountain bike. See the world's strongest land transport vehicle that carries the Space Shuttle. Finally mix some drinks or chop a telephone into dust with the biggest and strongest home blender you've ever seen. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

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

Follow the soybean from field to refinery with CHS, Inc. as they convert billions of soybeans into vegetable oils, flour, and soy meal. These products, in turn, end up in salad dressings and margarines, baked goods, animal feed and even bio-fuel and plastics. Pay a visit to the Kelley Bean Company which cleans 80,000 pounds of dry beans per day. B & M Baked Beans stirs up some New England tradition by baking beans in steel kettles and brick ovens. Then, Italian chef and bean lover Cesare Casella whips up a few bean dishes using rare heirloom beans, some of which cost $35 per pound. For dessert, Japanese pastry makers prepare traditional bean-based confections with the azuki bean. Fry up some falafel and puree some beans into a paste called hummus with the most widely consumed legume in the world...the chickpea. Last but not least, the makers of Beano explain how it works to prevent that unfortunate bean byproduct: gas. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

What if I told you that the Mafia and organized crime have taken on a brand new look that most people would never recognize? Today's mob has evolved into something more powerful, sophisticated and deadly than ever. Starting with Al Capone's notorious Chicago Outfit, Decoded traces the progression of the mob from Whitey Bulger's fearsome Irish Mafia, to today's Mexican cartels who are bringing their violent operations onto American soil, and the Cyber Mafia--online gangsters who can steal your money and identity without leaving their home. So what exactly does the new Mafia look like today, and what can we do to protect ourselves? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Best-selling author Brad Meltzer and his team try to penetrate Bohemian Grove, one of America's most tightly guarded gatherings of the rich and powerful. The Decoded team converges on the group's hideaway in a northern California redwood forest to pursue rumors of ritual sacrifice and secret agreements that control the lives of everyday Americans. Brad soon finds out just how difficult it is to uncover Bohemian Grove's secrets. He knew sending the team into the Grove would be risky, but he never expected they'd be calling him for bail money. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Man uses plants to feed, heal and clothe himself, to build his world and even to alter how he feels. The use of plants like corn, tobacco and cotton become such an important part of our lives that they play a central role in our evolution, and lead to everything from War to Prohibition. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Gods and religion played an extremely important role in antiquity. The problem with so many religions being worshipped by the Greeks and Romans was how would the priests of these temples pay for their upkeep? Great scholars such as Philon, Ctesibius and Heron were patronized by the temples to create "magic". In return, they created intriguing and mind blowing objects. It was a heavy mix of religion and science. One of the most famous illusions was found in Alexandria at the temple of Serapis, where an iron chariot was suspended in mid air. It appeared to be the work of the gods. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

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

Living organisms have entered into a battle for survival for hundreds of millions of years and the pressure to survive has resulted in ever changing shapes. From the hammerhead shark to the platypus, new and sometimes extreme shapes can mean survival for certain species. But, as nature has proven, sometimes the most basic shapes on earth have the staying power of survival. This episode will explore the evolution of animal shape and how the slightest alteration of a leg or a head can mean the difference between life and extinction. TVPG VL | CC

The crushing weight of water generates the Underwater Universe's ultimate weapon: Pressure. It has banished humans from much of the world's oceans, only a handful have defied it head on and survived. The deeper man goes, the greater the power of water. The bends, exploding lungs, oxygen toxicity, nitrogen narcosis, and imploding submersibles... Is it possible for anything to survive the deepest place on earth some seven miles down? Answers will surprise. Plunge through five ocean zones, each deadlier than the last, to uncover the mysteries of "Fatal Pressure." TVPG VL | CC

The pull of the moon and spin of the earth generates mighty forces in the oceans that sweep relentlessly around the planet. Four of the Underwater Universe's most powerful tides and currents pose the greatest potential threat to mankind: the Gulf Stream, the extreme tides of England's Morecambe Bay, the killer rip currents of Kauai and finally--biggest of all, one that helped wipe out over 80 percent of all species some 251 million years ago, the Great Ocean Conveyor. How did an ocean current trigger the planet's most devastating mass extinction event? And could it happen again? TVPG VL | CC

Across North America there is something strange and frightening circling overhead. Witnesses tell of human-like creatures that float or hover in the skies and often descend to attack. Legends and folklore tell of strange flying creatures, but in the 1940s and 1950s, strange humanoid forms were spotted above small towns, bringing waves of panic. Sceptics claim that misidentification explains these creatures, however the mounting evidence says otherwise. MonsterQuest will analyze the video proof of this monster while scientists work to discover the identity of an eerie corpse that may unlock the mystery of these flying humanoid monsters. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

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

If extraterrestrials influenced human history, can evidence of their existence be found in hidden tunnels and caverns around the world? Could a cave in Ecuador contain metallic books inscribed with secrets of alien technology? Was an ancient underground city in Turkey built with alien help... or as a refuge from an alien attack? Rumors of the U.S. military working alongside aliens in a secret base inside a mesa in New Mexico continue to swirl, Native American legends mention strange inner-Earth beings, and recent archaeological discoveries in the Yucatan may point to an extraterrestrial reality behind. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

15,000 years ago man and the wolf form a partnership that shapes the future of Mankind. With the help of man's new best friend we domesticate more animals, sowing the first seeds of farming and civilization. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Communication is the vital ingredient in the building of civilization. The ability to share complicated ideas allowed early man to hunt, farm and build communities. And the creation of things like a 22-letter alphabet and the printing press allow Mankind to further expand, leading to the proliferation of new ideas and revolution. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Could there be a monstrous, undiscovered star orbiting our own Sun? Could it be scattering killer comets throughout our Solar System like clockwork every 26 million years? New scientific surveys are probing the edges of our Solar System--a realm populated by giant worlds and mysterious planetoid--hunting for Nemesis, the Sun's purported evil twin. We may be on the verge of discovering this ultimate death star, suspected of causing every mass extinction in Earth's history. We employ everyday experiences to explain what Nemesis is and why it's been so hard to find. Experts start a wildfire on a dry California hillside, race a NASCAR around an oval track, and juggle fire, all in the effort to present how Nemesis works, and why life on Earth may depend on its discovery. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Mankind embarks on a new age of exploration, and tames the wilderness. In North America, Siberia and Australia, ancient traditions are swept away in the name of commerce and science. Within a hundred years, the irrational fear that produced a witch trial in Salem gives way to a very rational cry for freedom. American revolutionaries confront a mighty empire. The battle for the modern world begins. Two great revolutions entwine. The American Revolution inspires dreams of political and personal liberty. The Industrial Revolution replaces muscle power with machines, freeing Mankind from nature's limits. But our oldest foe--disease--thrives in industrial cities. With the American Civil War, the two revolutions collide. The world's first industrial war, it is a battle to define "freedom." (2 hours.) TVPG VL | CC Show Site

To the Nazis of WWII, film was a weapon used to justify murder and even genocide. Joseph Goebbels, the head of the Nazi propaganda machine, personally commissioned The Titanic; he saw it as a potent weapon in demonizing the English. In his pursuit of creating what was to be the Third Reich's cinematic masterpiece he was ruthless. He had the first director murdered and poured in unrivalled resources even bringing troops back from the front to use as extras. The film was intended to show German valor and Allied weakness, but when it was finished it portrayed an entirely different message. It had become an allegory for Nazism itself. There was an all too apparent parallel of a country heading towards its own iceberg and sinking. The story of the Nazi Titanic had an unpleasant sting in its tail. The boat used to play the Titanic in the film, the Cap Arcona, was sunk by allied bombers with an even greater loss of life than the original ship. TVPG VL | CC

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

15,000 years ago man and the wolf form a partnership that shapes the future of Mankind. With the help of man's new best friend we domesticate more animals, sowing the first seeds of farming and civilization. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Communication is the vital ingredient in the building of civilization. The ability to share complicated ideas allowed early man to hunt, farm and build communities. And the creation of things like a 22-letter alphabet and the printing press allow Mankind to further expand, leading to the proliferation of new ideas and revolution. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

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

Man uses plants to feed, heal and clothe himself, to build his world and even to alter how he feels. The use of plants like corn, tobacco and cotton become such an important part of our lives that they play a central role in our evolution, and lead to everything from War to Prohibition. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

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

According to the Bible, Jesus came back from the dead and walked the earth for 40 days before ascending to heaven. But the New Testament reveals little about this defining miracle of the Christian faith. Using tools of history, technology, science and faith, HISTORY tells the little-known story. Long-buried non-Biblical sources, such as the Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Mary Magdalene, the Secret Revelation of John and the writings of the Jewish historian Josephus yield astonishing information and detail about these seemingly lost 40 days. Could Jesus' words in these ancient manuscripts contain some of his most important teachings, even though they were not included in the New Testament? The producers also build upon the CGI image of the crucified Christ created from the Shroud of Turin in The Real Face of Jesus to visually depict the moments when Jesus appears to his followers in resurrected form. TVPG VL | CC

There is evidence that suggests we experienced 20th century alien contact. In 1942, the Battle of Los Angeles involved the US military and Air Defense allegedly fighting a UFO. WWII Allied Air Force planes were buzzed by balls of light that some think could have been extraterrestrial. And the alleged crash of a flying saucer in Roswell, New Mexico in 1947 propelled the world into the age of UFOs. For decades, some people have been searching for the sounds of extraterrestrial intelligence, while others have been sending messages out into deep space. What would happen if aliens answered... or came calling? What protocols exist to determine who would speak on behalf of mankind, and how might we communicate? What happens if they return? Some believe they already have. TVPG VL | CC Show Site