The History Channel

Spiraling deep into the ground...driving holes through solid rock...rotating, hammering, and scraping its way through whatever it may encounter...whether it's earth or ice, steel or stone, nothing can stand in its way! This episode penetrates the world of drilling and explores various types of drilling's colorful histories. From drilling for water in the New Mexico desert to searching for oil in the Gulf of Mexico, we'll show you how it's done. The program features the quest to drill the deepest hole ever and the scientific drill ship expected to perform the feat, and also looks at drills used to recover ice cores that will unearth thousands of years of climate history. We also examine the latest and greatest tunnel boring machines, robotic drills, and handheld power drills. Finally, we check out laser drills--both large and small--including a drill that can bore a hole a fraction of the diameter of a human hair.

Everything around us has a story to tell. Shoes, cans, string, mirrors; everything we see and touch has an epic tale of how it came to be invented or discovered, and the dramatic moments throughout history at which it played an important role. But few of us know these stories. We go through our days blissfully ignorant of the deadly and dangerous road brave men traveled in order to bring coffee to the world, or the pivotal part beer played in the civilizing of mankind. These stories and many more are brought vividly to life in this two-hour special, which follows one man on a journey through the last day of his life, examining and recounting the epic tales of the everyday items he encounters before his ignorance of their stories leads him to his ultimate doom.

"Tiny" weapons may not sound impressive...but small can kill, and it can also be easily concealed. From a pocket pistol used by the police...to a submachine gun wielded by a bodyguard...to a carbine in the hands of an Army Ranger, many of today's most effective weapons are smaller than ever. They can fit in your pocket, fly through the air, even break through walls--tiny weapons are an essential part of battle, self-defense, and spreading terror.

According to the American Society of Civil Engineers, the aging U.S. infrastructure is in danger of collapse. Learn about a company in Missouri that uses a trench-less technology to rebuild corroded sewer pipes from the inside out while engineers at General Motors Proving Grounds lead the battle against corrosive road de-icing salts. See how a bioreactor in Florida turns mountains of garbage methane gas. Finally, discover how the tiny termite is teaching us how to turn agricultural waste into ethanol at a fraction of the current cost.

Spiraling deep into the ground...driving holes through solid rock...rotating, hammering, and scraping its way through whatever it may encounter...whether it's earth or ice, steel or stone, nothing can stand in its way! This episode penetrates the world of drilling and explores various types of drilling's colorful histories. From drilling for water in the New Mexico desert to searching for oil in the Gulf of Mexico, we'll show you how it's done. The program features the quest to drill the deepest hole ever and the scientific drill ship expected to perform the feat, and also looks at drills used to recover ice cores that will unearth thousands of years of climate history. We also examine the latest and greatest tunnel boring machines, robotic drills, and handheld power drills. Finally, we check out laser drills--both large and small--including a drill that can bore a hole a fraction of the diameter of a human hair.

Monkey paw, light wand, kick stand--the essential tools of slot-machine cheats worldwide. And for the man who invented them, Tommy Glenn Carmichael--invaluable creations with which he bilked casinos of millions and built an incomparable empire of Vegas cheats. Join us for the story of how a single man found his calling and spearheaded the rise and fall of a slot-machine cheat gang that nearly destroyed the gaming industry over 20 years. Through captivating interviews with the notorious Carmichael, we take viewers on an action-packed ride as he plays cat and mouse with slot-machine security, countering every technological evolution with a new gadget to beat it...until two dogged investigators set the ultimate trap.

Vegas cheats come in all shapes and sizes: hardcore mechanics who devise gadgets to manipulate slots and mathematical geniuses who count cards in blackjack. But in gambling's history, no one had created a system that could guarantee a win on the roulette wheel--until Doyne Farmer and Norman Packard came along. In 1975, two childhood friends and physics geeks embarked on arguably the most ambitious Vegas-cheating project of all time: to deconstruct the physics behind the motion of a roulette ball, and build a miniature computer system that could surreptitiously predict the outcome of a roulette game. The project soon became an out-of-control obsession, consuming a whole commune of brilliant hippie-physicists...and ended in a landmark contribution to modern-day Chaos Theory. Features candid interviews with Farmer and Packard, as well as teammates Ingrid Hoermann and Letty Belin.

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

It was a science first conjured amid the fiery ovens of ancient blacksmiths; today more than 50% of all U.S. products require some form of welding. Whether via electricity, flammable gases, sonic waves, or sometimes just raw explosive power, welding creates powerful bonds between metal unmatched by any other joining process. From high atop emerging 60-story towers on the Las Vegas strip to oil platforms hundreds of feet below the ocean, discover how welders forge the backbone of civilization. Learn about exciting new applications: how sound waves create bulletproof welds for contemporary body armor; the technologies behind robotic welding systems; and the knee-rattling impact of an explosion weld, the most powerful method of all.

It is America's most private organization with secretive meetings and a membership that includes the most powerful men in America--and the world. But behind this elite brotherhood... are secrets. This episode explores the secret history, rituals and reach of the most well-known secret society in the world. How did the Freemasons shape America? What goes on at Freemason meetings? What secrets ceremonies and rituals are still conducted today? What is the meaning of Freemasonry symbols like the eye, the square and the compass? Are the Freemasons part of a New World Order with plans to control the world? For centuries, the Freemasons have been thought to be the architects behind the world's greatest international conspiracies. But more elusive than the organization itself--are its secrets. Secrets that have remained untold...until now.

It is the epicenter of America's military operations... a five-sided fortress with a single purpose--to defend the United States and its citizens. But behind the concrete walls and re-enforced windows are secrets. Enter the headquarters of the U.S. Department of Defense and explore the complex operations and top-secret business conducted at the largest low-rise office building in the world. How did the Pentagon get its unusual shape? How many people work at the Pentagon? What covert intelligence gathering organizations operate within the military compound--and how are their secrets protected? What top-secret information was compromised from the attack on September 11th? How quickly did the building and its tenants get back to business as usual? For seven decades, the Pentagon has been an icon of American strength and military excellence. But more impressive than the building itself are the secrets held there...until now.

It is one of the most secure structures in the world. It safeguards the vast wealth of the United States... And its name is synonymous with one of the most precious commodities in the history of the world--gold. But behind this building's stone exterior are secrets. This episode unlocks the secret contents, political controversy, and cutting edge security hidden behind the gates of the world's most famous vault. How did the Unites States amass its gold? What is the precious metal really worth? Who's allowed inside the vault? What else is stashed there? Could Fort Knox actually be empty?

It is America's most powerful police force--made up of an elite team of Special Agents secretly patrolling the nation--and the world. While its patriotic mission is public knowledge, the FBI's tactics are classified. We'll go undercover to reveal the secret training, special operations and state-of-the-art tools used in today's 21st century crime fighting. How far can the FBI go to prevent crime and protect Americans? What are ghost agents, and how are they used for undercover surveillance? Who is the most notorious double agent? How has the internet changed the way the FBI works? While its global reach and sophisticated technology helps keep America safe, the FBI's greatest strength is its ability to keep its crime fighting tactics secret...until now.

Shot in England, Ireland, and Wales, the biography travels to the 5th century to explore Patrick's transformation from privileged aristocrat to tormented slave to missionary hero. Follow his enslavement by the Celts, escape to Wales, and attempts to change pagan behavior.

Informational programming.

Informational programming.

Informational programming.

Informational programming.

Our host, contractor Nick Mystrom, lands in Northern Idaho to erect a 2-story medieval castle tower in the same manner used by masons almost 1,000 years ago. Great castles were built for barons, lords, and kings, using thousands of craftsman and laborers with some projects lasting over four years. But Nick and his master builder Roger DeClement have less than three weeks to turn the earth's materials of stone, wood, and a bit of modern reinforcements such as steel to build a 25 to 30 foot tower (weather permitting). Will Nick be able to relax and gaze upon the stars from atop the tower before "reveal" day? Will Northern Idaho's weather cooperate? And will Nick finally be able to present the tower to our recipients Kris and Chalon Frandsen, two self-proclaimed castle lovers?

Monkey paw, light wand, kick stand--the essential tools of slot-machine cheats worldwide. And for the man who invented them, Tommy Glenn Carmichael--invaluable creations with which he bilked casinos of millions and built an incomparable empire of Vegas cheats. Join us for the story of how a single man found his calling and spearheaded the rise and fall of a slot-machine cheat gang that nearly destroyed the gaming industry over 20 years. Through captivating interviews with the notorious Carmichael, we take viewers on an action-packed ride as he plays cat and mouse with slot-machine security, countering every technological evolution with a new gadget to beat it...until two dogged investigators set the ultimate trap.

Vegas cheats come in all shapes and sizes: hardcore mechanics who devise gadgets to manipulate slots and mathematical geniuses who count cards in blackjack. But in gambling's history, no one had created a system that could guarantee a win on the roulette wheel--until Doyne Farmer and Norman Packard came along. In 1975, two childhood friends and physics geeks embarked on arguably the most ambitious Vegas-cheating project of all time: to deconstruct the physics behind the motion of a roulette ball, and build a miniature computer system that could surreptitiously predict the outcome of a roulette game. The project soon became an out-of-control obsession, consuming a whole commune of brilliant hippie-physicists...and ended in a landmark contribution to modern-day Chaos Theory. Features candid interviews with Farmer and Packard, as well as teammates Ingrid Hoermann and Letty Belin.

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