The History Channel

December 21, 2012: a prophetic date delivered in stone by the ancient Maya. Revered by scientists for their extremely accurate calendars, the Maya are also known for their mysterious ability to predict unsettling events so many are taking the December date seriously. On this date a rare galactic alignment will take place and coincidentally, as the alignment happens, our sun will be entering its most violent solar storm cycle. And, all of this comes at a time when scientists believe Earth s magnetic defense shield, which protects us from dangerous solar radiation, may be compromised. Our planet may become paralyzed. People are heeding the warning and getting prepared, including a group of everyday Americans learning how to fend for themselves and live off the grid.

Two men sharing startling visions of the future possess distinctly different backgrounds: Michel de Nostradamus was a French apothecary and healer in the 16th century; he would become the most famous seer in history. His 21st century counterpart is Dr. Bruce Bueno de Mesquita, a renowned political scientist who teaches game theory at New York University and Stanford. While Nostradamus looked to the stars and mysticism to divine his apocalyptic revelations, Dr. Bueno de Mesquita relies on the most omnipotent tool ever designed by man to predict future events: the computer. This special explores not only the commonalities of these men's visions about World War III, famine and the coming of the Anti-Christ, but it also traces the evolution from mysticism to hard math, and determines whether science has always existed in prophecy, manifesting itself in different forms through the ages.

Humans have mapped every corner of the globe--from jungles and deserts to the depths of space. Yet we've gone only seven miles below the Earth's surface--just one five hundredth of the way to the Core. This documentary special goes deeper: 4,000 miles down to the heart of our planet. Along the way, scientists, engineers, explorers and adventurers encounter an underground world where: strange life forms inhabit deadly environments over a mile down; trees force their way through 400 feet of rock to find water; 1500-foot tall skyscrapers are built on sand; mines are the size of cities; and prospectors give the Earth electric shocks to help find oil. It also a place where people run marathons, make parachute jumps and scuba divers edge their way to the base of the world's deepest caves. Finally, find out how our very existence depends on the mysterious underground forces that shape the Earth.

The search is on to find more real-life superhumans! First Daniel is in Canada to meet Pat Poviliatis, a man who boasts his hands are tough enough to withstand the deadly jaws of a steel-tooted cougar-trap. Sam Whittingham claims to have built the fastest human powered machine on the planet. His combination of design genius, and physical strength could make him the ultimate superhuman man with a brain like a hard drive. Brad Williams claims to have Super Autobiographical Memory, which means his brain has the power to remember and catalog almost everything that has ever happened to him, down to the tiniest details. And Annalisa Flanagan is rumored to have the loudest voice on earth, 122db. That's enough to cause physical pain and permanent ear damage.

A complex system of concrete storm drains and pipes runs under the border between Nogales, Arizona and Nogales, Mexico. By burrowing upward through hand-dug tunnels, drug smugglers created one of the busiest known systems of drug tunnels in the country. We focus on two major marijuana busts, a year apart, in which the drugs were moved through storm drains and tunnels and laundered through an innocuous cul-de-sac bungalow. Our cameras capture the second raid.

Informational programming.

Informational programming.

Informational programming.

Informational programming.

Playing cards are an everyday object used for gambling and game playing the world over. But the familiar deck of cards conceals hidden meanings that have links to secret societies and the occult. Why are there four suits and why hearts, spades, diamonds, clubs? What is the significance of the picture cards? What is the meaning of the symbolism of the Tarot? We look beneath the surface of the playing card and reveal an intriguing journey from their much disputed roots in China, Persia, and Egypt. And we uncover the secrets of card design, investigating rumored Masonic links and the way the design has changed to mirror the cultures and beliefs of the people who used them through the ages. What emerges is an extraordinary story that reveals the mysteries and meanings of the humble playing card--a history that is intimately entwined with the occult, voodoo, and man's fascination with mystical beliefs.

Western Civilization has been influenced by many cultures, but it was born in Ancient Greece. The Ancient Greeks laid a foundation that has supported nearly 3000 years of European history. Philosophers like Aristotle and Socrates, Olympian gods, the beginnings of democracy and great conquering armies can be attributed to the Ancient Greeks. This strong and charismatic people strategically harnessed the materials and people around them to create the most advanced technological feats the world had ever seen. From The Tunnel of Samos: a mile-long aqueduct dug through a large mountain of solid limestone, to Agamemnon's Tomb, to The Parthenon, we will examine the architecture and infrastructure engineered by the Greek Empire. Peter Weller hosts.

438 BC. The Parthenon is complete. This masterpiece is the crowning achievement for the Greek people. Without Alexander the Great, it is possible Greece's Golden Era would have been just a footnote in history. Tens of thousands would die during Alexander's relentless attacks on Persia and Egypt, yet, his armies carried Greek life, culture and values far abroad and this empire became known as the "Hellenistic" world. Greece's amazing engineering achievements and ideas are still with us today.

At its pinnacle, the British Empire spanned every continent and covered one quarter of the Earth's land mass. Through the centuries, the rulers of this enormous powerhouse used extraordinary engineering feats to become an industrial and military titan, loaded with riches. Some of their many pioneering accomplishments include the world's first locomotive, a superhighway of underground sewers, the imposing and grand Westminster Palace, and the most powerful and technically advanced navy in the age of sail. Using cutting edge CGI, we'll take a look at the key leaders of the British Empire--and explore the mark each left on society. Peter Weller hosts.

As much of the world descended into the Dark Ages after the fall of Rome, one civilization shone brilliantly: the Byzantine Empire. With ruthless might and supreme ingenuity, the Byzantines ruled over vast swaths of Europe and Asia for more than a thousand years. It was Byzantium that preserved the classical learning and science that would one day give rise to the Renaissance. The Byzantines constructed the ancient world's longest aqueduct, virtually invincible city walls, a massive stadium, and a colossal domed cathedral that defied the laws of nature. Watch with host Peter Weller as we learn how the engineering feats of this great empire would betray them as an ancient light was extinguished in the glare of modern warfare.

At 4.6 billion years old, the Solar System is our solid, secure home in the Universe. But how did it come to be? In this episode we trace the system's birth from a thin cloud of dust and gas. Shocked by a nearby supernova, the pull of gravity and natural rotation spun it into a flat disc from which the Sun and planets coalesced. It all happened in the space of 700 million years, during which the planets jockeyed for position, dodging the brutal bombardment of deadly asteroids and setting into the neat, stable system that we now realize might be a rarity in the universe.

It may seem like seem like science fiction, but the cosmos isn't just something way out there. Many times in human history, objects or forces from space have changed the course of life on earth. Many believe an asteroid played a role in the fall of the Roman Empire...and millennia earlier another asteroid might have been the "fire and brimstone" that destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.