The History Channel

Not so long ago, civilization learned that it was no match for just a few degrees drop in temperature. Scientists call it the Little Ice Age--but its impact was anything but small. From 1300 to 1850, a period of cataclysmic cold caused havoc. It froze Viking colonists in Greenland, accelerated the Black Death in Europe, decimated the Spanish Armada, and helped trigger the French Revolution. The Little Ice Age reshaped the world in ways that now seem the stuff of fantasy--New York Harbor froze and people walked from Manhattan to Staten Island, Eskimos sailed kayaks as far south as Scotland, and two feet of snow fell on New England in June and July during "the Year Without a Summer". Could another catastrophic cold snap strike in the 21st century? Leading climatologists offer the latest theories, and scholars and historians recreate the history that could be a glimpse of things to come. Face the cold, hard truth of the past--an era that may be a window to our future.

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

Ever since the sailors ventured into open waters, mariners have needed lighted signals to guide them safely through the night. What started out as simple signal fires led the way to elaborate structures that soared high in the sky projecting light for miles to warn sailors of danger and guide them home. One talented builder and his team will work with our host, contractor Nick Mystrom, to reconstruct the historic Brant Point Lighthouse. Our lucky recipients are John and Jean Hatfield of Oregon, Ohio on Lake Erie--a couple whose love for lighthouses is second only to their love for family. When they were shaken by Jean's recent health scare, their large and loving brood was inspired to conspire with us to surprise them with this gift that will shine through the years!

Informational programming.

Informational programming.

Informational programming.

Informational programming.

The Battle of the Nile--August 1, 1798. A mighty French fleet under the command of Napoleon Bonaparte is anchored in Aboukir Bay, Egypt. Just hours before sunset, an outnumbered British fleet, commanded by the famous Admiral Horatio Nelson, discovers the French and battle ensues. In the dark of night, the French flagship, L'Orient, one of the most powerful warships in the world, suddenly explodes. She sinks quickly, taking an estimated $20 million in gold and silver to the bottom. How did the mighty battleship sink so quickly that night? And what happened to the lost fortune in gold and silver? Veteran divers John Chatterton and Richie Kohler plunge into Aboukir Bay--and discover that history's telling of the L'Orient's demise is wrong. Did Admiral Nelson'spin the events of that day?

It is 113 BC. Rome is a republic, a small empire clinging to the rim of the Mediterranean. Though it is a democracy in name and spirit, a man there still must be rich and from the noble class to hold the highest offices, both political and military. The system has worked well for three centuries. But now a barbarian horde known as the Cimbri smashes through the northern imperial border. One humiliating defeat follows another, with losses of hundreds of thousands of Roman legionaries. Terror grips Rome and drives her into the arms of General Marius. Though a commoner, Marius has a brilliant military mind. To defeat the Cimbri, he will transform the Roman army and shake the Republic's political foundations to the core. It is a turning point for the Republic. Faced with the savage Cimbri, Rome must decide between dictatorship and annihilation.

When Roman generals Pompey and Crassus, lead their mighty legions of soldiers and mercenaries into the lands surrounding Italy, neither could anticipate the turmoil caused by one bold mercenary: a Thracian warrior named Spartacus. Spartacus deserts the Roman army, but is captured and enslaved, forced to fight as a gladiator. Then in 73 BC, the untamable barbarian leads a slave revolt of 70,000 gladiators against the Roman Republic. Though the brutal and conniving Roman General Crassus is finally able to suppress the revolt, his rival, the more popular Pompey, takes all the credit, sparking a division within the Republic itself that will ultimately spell its demise.

It is 60 BC. Over-powerful generals and money corrupt the Roman Republic. The empire churns with civil war, and violence and murder run rampant. Julius Caesar, desperate for fame and honor, embarks on a brutal decade-long campaign to annex Gaul and build his own reputation. His aristocratic rivals try to stop him, but he is an expert manipulator. His propaganda and extravagant victories against bloodthirsty barbarians thrill the public. In 49 BC, he crosses the Rubicon intending to claim his rightful place as the chief man of Rome. It sparks a new civil war that pits him against Pompey the Great and sounds the final death knell for the Republic.

As the Roman Empire expands its reach into what is now Germany, its legions are faced with ferocious Germanic tribesmen. In 9 AD, their chieftain Arminius, raised in Rome as a hostage of peace, uses his Roman military training to slaughter the Roman General Varus's army at Teutoburg Forest. This landmark battle establishes the Rhine River as the frontier between the Empire and its growing barbaric enemies. Six years later, when General Germanicus sets out across the Rhine for revenge, he finds heaps of bones and severed skulls nailed to trees--a reminder of the barbarians' victory. But at the Battle of the Weser River, he faces Arminius and wins. Germanicus captures Arminius's pregnant wife and parades her through the streets of Rome, as a symbol of his triumph.

Brave deadly radiation and nuclear warheads as you dive into the abyss with the crew to raise sunken submarines. Discover the untold story behind the doomed Russian sub Kursk and witness remarkable feats of engineering as the team struggles to raise the Civil War sub, the H.L. Hunley. Watch as the team rescues survivors trapped inside a submarine 243 feet down on the seabed. Finally learn about one of history's most famous subs--the HMS Holland One.

The Denver International Airport is the largest airport in America. Its famous white peaked fabric roof spans a million-and-a-half square feet. Moving it would seem impossible--but not for this crew! Next the TWA terminal at JFK International Airport has to be moved nearly a quarter-mile. Walls of glass on this 800-ton building could topple like a house of cards. Watch the crew use an array of new technology and the most heavy-lift equipment ever amassed for a move.