The History Channel

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

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

Superhuman strength... Supernatural powers... And the awesome ability to fly. Throughout history, mankind has told incredible tales of gods with extraordinary powers. But are these accounts merely tall tales, or could they be based on factual events? If mythical gods really did exist, were they, as ancient astronaut theorists believe, extraterrestrial beings? And could this help to explain the enduring popularity of gods, titans and other so-called "super-heroes"? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Angkor Wat, Cambodia, is the world's largest ancient religious temple. Within its megalithic ruins, researches have discovered a depiction of a species of dinosaur--a stegosaurus. But how could the ancients have had knowledge of animals that mainstream science says died out millions of years ago? Why are dinosaurs extinct? Did an alien race of beings kill off the dinosaurs to make room for humankind? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

This episode uncovers the conspiracies behind America's 40-year drug campaign. Why does the U.S. Government classify marijuana and heroin as equally dangerous drugs, and will the move by some states to legalize marijuana change the way this drug is viewed? Recent reports show that international banks are laundering billions of dollars in drug money--is it possible that the liquidity of the drug trade is actually keeping the fragile global economy afloat? Congressman Darell Issa connects the ill-conceived and secretive operation known as Fast & Furious to the explosion of violent drug cartels in Mexico. Former DEA officers Mike Levine and Celerino Castillo reveal allegations about secret drug running by the C.I.A. Hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons questions the possibility that drug laws are strategically being enforced to control minority populations. Could these shocking allegations be true? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

The oldest known brothel in the world is discovered in Pompeii. A startling system is revealed that includes widespread prostitution and sexual slavery. Experts piece together the elaborate system and show how the sex trade helped reinforce class and power in Ancient Rome. TVPG VL | CC

A graphic 3,000-year-old papyrus is discovered that seems pornographic. Is it a message to the Gods, part of a fertility ritual, or simply evidence of erotica? Experts decode the evidence to reveal its true meaning, shedding a new light on the everyday lives of Ancient Egyptians. TVPG VL | CC

From Ancient Rome to Washington DC and everywhere in-between, discover how the world changes when powerful people shamelessly shatter boundaries and break rules. In this episode, a Roman empress turns to prostitution for fun, the Marquis de Sade gains a big reputation and President Lyndon Johnson flaunts his manhood. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

"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. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

With the ironic motto "Peace is our Profession", the Strategic Air Command was in charge of US nuclear forces from 1946 to 1992. SAC was the ultimate Cold War military machine, at its height controlling thousands of nuclear weapons, planes, and missiles, and boasting over a quarter-million personnel. We travel to the Strategic Air and Space Museum, located 20 miles from SAC's old headquarters in Nebraska, and walk through the cavernous bomb bay of SAC's workhorse, the B-52 Bomber. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Just below the surface, there's a whole different America hidden from public view. Take a revealing look at the America under our feet, from secret military installations, and experimental farms to tunnel networks and neutron lasers. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

An exciting race against time to uncover the lost wrecks of WWII's most epic campaign... the Battle of the Atlantic. Ian Lawler and a team of deep sea divers are on a mission to map the lost wrecks of the battle. But it isn't easy. The dive season is short, the weather is wild, and the wrecks are rusting away. The team has to fight high winds, terrible sea conditions and unexpected challenges to chart these forgotten wrecks and reveal the untold stories of the Battle. Will Ian and the team be able to complete their mission in time? The Pentagon's naval expert Dr. Randy Papadopolous, and German U-boat specialist Dr. Axel Niestle are on hand to study the underwater footage, identify the wrecks and help Ian piece together the stories behind the Battle. Could one of the wrecks prove to be Hitler's deadliest U-boat? TVPG VL | CC

This countdown special reveals the weapons, inventions and vehicles that shaped and decided World War II, from the humble Studebaker to the shock and awe of the A-Bomb. With a countdown format and an outstanding cast of experts, we'll provide an explosive and definitive understanding of the greatest conflict of all time seen through the incredible hardware that tipped the balance and changed the world. 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

In 1994 a secret manuscript hidden in the Vatican Library revealed a previously unknown apocalyptic prophesy credited to history's most notorious seer, Michel de Nostradamus. Where did this "Lost Book" come from and who was its author? The answers to these questions might help establish whether the horrible illustrations in the book point to mankind's violent end. Although the book's cover displays the name Michel Nostradamus, some believe the true author is his eldest son, Cesar. Was Cesar Nostradamus also a prophet? One who struggled with his own visions? Did he, like his father, operate in the shadow of a powerful and unforgiving Church? And was he, too, cursed with the ability to see mankind's doomed future in order to warn future generations? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

The Book of Revelation, the most terrifying and controversial book of the Bible, was written by an exiled prophet almost two thousand years ago. The final chapters of the New Testament describe mankind's violent end of days--a seven-year period of unparalleled death and destruction. Jesus breaks seven seals that unleash three waves of devastation--natural and man-made, from the sky and from deep within the earth. The Antichrist will rise. Pestilence, famine, war, and natural disasters will purge humanity before Jesus returns for the final battle between good and evil. But who is the Antichrist? Who will survive God's wrath? And when will this apocalypse happen? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

The Great Pyramids of Egypt have amazed and mystified humanity for 45 centuries. A new look at their mysterious design reveals shocking architectural prophecies containing profound messages about a violent end to our future. Evidence shows that the construction and layout of the entire Giza complex, including the Sphinx, contain coded warnings about terrible tribulations set to strike us in our own times. New research will deconstruct the architectural clues and shed light on our doomed future. Why did the Egyptians believe that a rogue comet, called the Destroyer, which passes by earth every 3,000 years, will cause unimaginable destruction again in the year 2012? What prophecy-laden stones inside the Great Pyramid predicted that September of 2001 would mark the beginning of the end of the world? And what was the role of the ancient, secret society of Freemasons in creating these predictions and carrying Egyptian knowledge into the new world of America? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Despite the best efforts of the US government, legal and illegal, Fidel Castro still rules in Havana. The target of a protracted and often bizarre series of assassination attempts, he survived them all. Using unique footage from the former East Germany, this program will explore his career and his skill at avoiding death. It will also trace the widely accepted theory that the CIA's failed assassination attempts were what prompted Lee Harvey Oswald to offer his services to the Cuban consulate in Mexico City, and then (when rebuffed) to assassinate John F. Kennedy. Join us as we mine formerly guarded vaults and archives to tell this intriguing story in an unique way. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Mao was the 20th Century's answer to Napoleon: a brilliant tactician, a political and economic theorist, and a statesman who ruled a billion people for three decades. In death, he has become divine, worshiped as a god in a godless country. Considering who and what he ruled, Mao, with his Little Red Book, might just be the single most powerful human being who ever lived. We mine formerly guarded vaults and archives to reveal untold stories in a relentless search for the truth behind the legend. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Liberia has no navy or ability to patrol its waters. President Bush is visiting in two weeks and a ship has been acting strangely just off the coast near the U.S. embassy and the city of Monrovia. The Liberian government and the embassy want it gone. In this episode, the team is asked to investigate the ship and then take it down. As they start to run surveillance, the vessel moves several times and then disappears. The team expands its operations, and after a few misses, finally locate the ship's hiding spot. Armed with a sound weapon and some deception tactics, they get the command to take it down. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Although the Arizona fought only minutes in the battle in which she died, her afterlife as a tragic symbol epitomizes American naval sacrifice and courage. She is a national cemetery as a well as a national monument, with 900 of her December 7th crew entombed within her. As a special honor, survivors of the Pearl Harbor fleet are entitled to have their ashes buried within Arizona's ruins. Travel back to the ship for a final reunion with the last of her survivors and witness the entombing of a deceased survivor on the ship. Here her valiant story of fighting against insurmountable odds as we also take witness to her heroic past highlights and recent discoveries. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

By the spring of 1942, Hitler had made a fortress of Europe, and the Allies began to plan the biggest invasion in military history. The history-altering success of the D-Day Invasion depended on innovative engineering and technological advances. This is the story of those scientific and mechanical breakthroughs--the overwhelming array of landing craft, specialized weapons, and ingenious electronics--used to breach Fortress Europe on June 6, 1944. 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 1916, and several workers involved in building a tunnel 250 feet beneath Lake Erie become trapped after an explosion. The workers and their rescuers have only one hope for getting out--Cleveland resident Garrett Morgan and his new rescue hood invention. After a tragic fire at rival sewing factory killed hundreds, Morgan became determined to invent a device that could save workers trapped in a fire or industrial accident. In 1914, he receives a patent for a large heat-resistant canvas hood with a tube that hangs toward the ground and enables the rescuers to breathe the filtered air. When the explosion occurs, eight workers are killed instantly, while eight more lay dying. Morgan arrives and, when no one else is willing to test the hoods, Garrett and his brother don the masks and heroically head down into the tunnel to pull out survivors. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

May 31st, 1862: President Abraham Lincoln is pressing for a swift end to the Civil War. As his army bears down on the confederate capitol, Lincoln has a radical new machine above the battle--a hydrogen filled spy balloon, equipped with a telegraph that can instantly report on enemy troop movements. As the Union army comes under intense rebel fire, commanders on the ground use the information from the reconnaissance balloon to turn the tide against the Confederates. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Informational programming. TVPG VL | CC

Was life triggered by some event, like lightning hitting a pond full of amino acids? Earth was teeming with life billions of years before the dinosaurs existed. Single-celled organisms inundated the oceans, and the soil swarmed with living creatures. Where did it all come from and how do you go from a single-celled organism to a trillion-celled organism like Man? Cutting-edge science is testing out answers about life's origins and how life can be created on new worlds--or even our own. TVPG VL | CC

They've discovered water on other planets, and snatched the actual building blocks of life from a comet's tail. But can space probes find a new Earth...and even make contact with alien life? In the 21st century, space probes are photographing, drilling and even sniffing new worlds in the quest for life, and scanning thousands of distant suns trying to detect Earth-like planets. It's only a matter of time before space probes unlock the secrets to extra-terrestrial life and the universe itself. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Is Atlantis, the story of the fabled continent, a myth or based in fact? One of the most enduring legends of all time, Atlantis was described as a perfect society--peaceful, artistic, and technologically advanced--but it was destroyed in a cataclysm that literally drowned the continent. Could Atlantis still be waiting to be discovered? Join host Josh Bernstein as he heads to the Mediterranean Sea in search of Atlantis. Walk in the footsteps of Plato in Greece, and dive the blue waters of the Mediterranean to discover mysterious sunken artifacts. Equipped with state of the art technology, Josh leads an exclusive boat expedition off the coast of Cyprus in search of the "true" Atlantis. TVPG VL | CC

One of the most frightening horror stories ever written was Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Was this story, however, Robert Louis Stevenson's disturbing fantasy or was it based on a series of blood-curdling episodes that took place in the town of Edinburgh? Follow a team of historical detectives who use evidence from recent excavations and historical documents to look under the grand fa ade of Edinburgh. Watch as an underworld of streets and houses with a blood-soaked history of grave robbers, body-snatchers and unspeakable crimes is uncovered. Computer graphics allows the viewer to fly over, enter the streets, walk through the halls and peer into the Edinburgh of long ago. TVPG VL | CC

Sun Tzu was the Nostradamus of warfare, and his book Art of War, written 2,400 years ago, is still the ultimate how-to book for winning. This two-hour special brings his words to life. Shot like a graphic novel, it weaves together several epic stories, including the story of Sun Tzu himself, and a war soon after his death where a city is saved using his tactics as China takes the first step toward unification. We'll also follow other epic battles in history--Roman battles, The Civil War, WWII, and present day--that illustrate more of Sun Tzu's lessons, to detail how the people who understand his strategy are the most dangerous weapons of all. And while his ideals were originally created for battle, his lessons could be used by anyone who wants to win--whether at sports, business, or life. TVPG VL | CC

In 1965, Operation Rolling Thunder roars across the skies over North Vietnam and the first U.S. ground troops land in the South. American soldiers are outnumbered in the Ia Drang Valley, the first major battle of the war. Then, American troops launch widespread "search and destroy" operations; body count, not territory, becomes the measure of success in Vietnam. Charles Brown fights for survival on the bloody slopes of Hill 875 and at home, the American public begins to question U.S. military strategy. Narrated by Emmy-nominated actor Michael C. Hall. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

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

Take a history lesson filled with surprising facts, figures and stories from five American states. In California, see how the discovery of gold at Sutter's Mill, in 1848 started the largest migration in US history, and then learn how scientists are currently trying to predict the next big earthquake. Next it's off to North Carolina's tobacco fields and the mystery of Roanoke--the lost colony. Wichita, Kansas is the "Aviation Capital of America" and Wyatt Earp put Dodge City on the map. New Hampshire is the state where the first act of open rebellion in America's Revolutionary War took place and the first presidential primary each election season is held. Finally, learn about The Battle of Blair Mountain, West Virginia, where in 1921, over 10,000 unionizing coal miners faced off with state and federal troops in what was one of the largest armed uprisings in America since the Civil War. TVPG VL | CC

13,000 years ago, a large comet exploded over eastern Canada unleashing a mass of burning fragments that ignited a mega storm of fire spreading for thousands of miles. Nearly every living thing on the North American continent was destroyed, including an ancient civilization known as the Clovis. 3-D computer animations will recreate this storm and offer an idea of the level of destruction a similar comet explosion would cause today. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

The oil that our world runs on won't last forever. The gap between supply and demand is ever increasing. Will alternative energy save us or is it already too late? What would happen to the world as we know it when our oil dependent industries come to a grinding halt? A worldwide depression is a certainty but a power struggle for the basic necessities of life would be complete chaos. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Christianity says lust is a sin but the Greek and Roman empires celebrated it. The history of the sin of lust reveals surprising twists--including Gnostic Christian orgies, Puritan anti-fornication laws, and exorcists who battled the demon of lust called Asmodeus. Today scientists believe the sin of lust maybe more genetics than choice... but can they prove it? TVPG VL | CC

Watch footage from a para-gliders helmet cam as he is hit with a thermal updraft that propels him 3,000 feet--then he is sent into a plummeting death spin. While trying to set a world record, stunt man Spanky Spangler attempts jumping a car more than 220 feet but hits the ramp at 90 miles an hour and comes crashing down in Firebird Lake, Arizona. Next a military helicopter carrying reporters explodes into a fireball while news cameras are rolling. Then an out of control speed boat goes airborne at 140 miles an hour, turns nose up, takes two spectacular spins and hurls the driver across the water like a skipping stone. Finally a gas tanker explodes into an inferno and a firefighter falls into the scalding caldron of gasoline--he'll burn to death within 10 seconds. TVPG VL | CC

Watch as the most sophisticate fighter plane in Air Force history looses part of its wing and crashes into a house. Next a hot air balloon hits a tower with 50,000 volts of electricity running through it--the balloon is snagged and ripping and there are two boys in the basket with no way to reach them. Will motorcycle daredevil Mike Brown survive an attempt at a record setting jump of more than two hundred feet in the air? Then a man wheels a bomb into Harvey's Casino in Lake Tahoe, Nevada, with a demand for three million dollars or he'll blow it up! See one of the world's best stunt skiers coming off a jump and slamming into a ramp--the crash shatters both his ankles. Finally a couple on a four wheeler on the treacherous rock, Lions Back, in Moab, Utah, loose their brakes on the way down and crash at the bottom. TVPG VL | CC

The power of true invisibility may now be possible. This episode investigates classified reports that the British military recently tested an invisible battle tank, examines the scientific breakthroughs that may soon give us all the power of invisibility, and witnesses a remarkable demonstration of an invisibility cloak that makes a man vanish. 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

If ancient aliens visited Earth in the remote past, could they have given us advanced technology, past down through human history? And could this technology have helped the Third Reich build mysterious weapons and crafts far beyond the limits of 20th century science? During World War II, there were reports that the Germans built an operational flying saucer, known as the Hanebu, which was said to use mythical technology found in ancient Indian texts. Another craft was rumored to have been constructed with the help of psychics and mediums who claimed to have received detailed blueprints from extraterrestrial beings. Is it possible Hitler's quest for world domination was aided and abetted by ancient extraterrestrial technology that was rediscovered? And could the allegedly rebuilt alien devices developed in Germany have played a role in America's ability to land a man on the moon? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

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

Aircraft Carrier USS Enterprise, destined to become the most decorated ship of World War ll, was the only carrier to be front and center in every major sea battle in the Pacific. The Enterprise and her crew engaged in some of the fiercest battles ever seen, marked by intense firepower, instinct and a 360-coordination between the carrier, the destroyers, the aircraft above and the submarines below. Follow the Enterprise and its men from the start of the war through to the last battle. TVPG VL | CC

Enterprise hits Luzon, Hong Kong, Southeast Asia, and Iwo Jima during the winter of 1945. She also unleashes a brand new night air-group from her flight deck. The Japanese respond by unleashing the Kamikaze. Sailors and Marines on Enterprise now face the horror of deadly suicide attackers as the allies tighten the grip on Japan and secure victory in the Pacific. TVPG VL | CC

Troop withdrawals begin as the Americans train their ARVN allies to take over the war. Gery Benedetti patrols the hostile waters of the Mekong Delta. James Anderson leads a battalion into Cambodia after Nixon's controversial order. Don DeVore struggles to survive a fierce night attack, and Anne Purcell gets promising news about her husband. Then, Bob Clewell's helicopter crew comes under intense fire in one of the final operations of the war. Joe Galloway returns to Vietnam and in Washington, D.C., Barry Romo throws down his medals in protest. The last American troops return home and POW wife Anne Purcell awaits word of her husband's fate. The fall of Saigon brings the unification of Vietnam. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Albert Einstein's revolutionary theory that turned the world upside down might have been dismissed but for a math mistake, a cloudy sky, and the start of World War I. This fascinating two-hour special tells the story of Einstein's little-known, 15-year struggle to prove one of his most radical theories -- a theory that upended Newton and three centuries of scientific thought and called into question the definitions of space and light and gravity -- the game-changing concept known as the Theory of General Relativity. Today, more than a century since the "Miracle Year" in which he published many of his breakthrough papers, Einstein's ideas remain a living, vibrant influence. They continue to push scientists farther, and deeper, into the universe than even he could have imagined. 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

Scientists offer insight into how and where a 10.0 megaquake could strike. This two-hour History special explores one of the most deadly and perplexing mysteries that surrounds planet earth: huge megaquakes. The largest quake ever recorded was a 9.5 earthquake off of Chile in 1960, but new research shows how even larger quakes close to 10.0 just might be possible. Through interviews with top earthquake experts and cutting edge scientific experiments, the special reveals that over 3 billion people on earth are in immediate danger from the next big one and how a real 10.0 might actually happen on US soil--in places you might not expect. TVPG VL | CC

13,000 years ago, a large comet exploded over eastern Canada unleashing a mass of burning fragments that ignited a mega storm of fire spreading for thousands of miles. Nearly every living thing on the North American continent was destroyed, including an ancient civilization known as the Clovis. 3-D computer animations will recreate this storm and offer an idea of the level of destruction a similar comet explosion would cause today. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

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

Watch footage from a para-gliders helmet cam as he is hit with a thermal updraft that propels him 3,000 feet--then he is sent into a plummeting death spin. While trying to set a world record, stunt man Spanky Spangler attempts jumping a car more than 220 feet but hits the ramp at 90 miles an hour and comes crashing down in Firebird Lake, Arizona. Next a military helicopter carrying reporters explodes into a fireball while news cameras are rolling. Then an out of control speed boat goes airborne at 140 miles an hour, turns nose up, takes two spectacular spins and hurls the driver across the water like a skipping stone. Finally a gas tanker explodes into an inferno and a firefighter falls into the scalding caldron of gasoline--he'll burn to death within 10 seconds. TVPG VL | CC

They've discovered water on other planets, and snatched the actual building blocks of life from a comet's tail. But can space probes find a new Earth...and even make contact with alien life? In the 21st century, space probes are photographing, drilling and even sniffing new worlds in the quest for life, and scanning thousands of distant suns trying to detect Earth-like planets. It's only a matter of time before space probes unlock the secrets to extra-terrestrial life and the universe itself. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Travel from the inner solar system to the Kuiper Belt and explore the moons surrounding the planets of the solar system. Many of these moons that were once unknown are now on the cutting edge of astronomical study. Some burst with volcanic fury another spews icy geysers and others offer the possibility of alien life. Are these strange worlds simply hostile environments unfit for humans or do other possibilities exist? Cutting-edge computer graphics are used to bring the universe down to earth and to imagine what kind of life forms might evolve in alien atmospheres. 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

What if I told you that the crystal ball for our future may be found in the work of Leonardo Da Vinci? Experts believe an obscure sketch that was stolen and hidden by a Cardinal in the Catholic Church may be part of Da Vinci's cryptic prophecies. But what exactly was Leonardo predicting, and why was it so dangerous that a Cardinal felt the need to hide it from the world? To comprehend Da Vinci's predictions for our future, the team investigates history's greatest mind, uncovering Da Vinci's controversial political views, his blasphemous obsession with death, and even the mystery shrouding the Mona Lisa's identity. 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

A sniper has one chance, one breath, to rise to the occasion and save the day -- if he misses, there may never be another opportunity. We ll deconstruct and analyze the little known stories of snipers and their actions. The people who planned the takedowns or pulled the trigger share their techniques and bring to light the many factors that have to be considered in each mission -- terrain, wind speed, temperature, elevation changes -- as well as the high tech gear each sniper carries on their classified missions to complete the job. TVPG VL | CC

The enemy gains ground when the massive Tet Offensive catches the Americans by surprise. At Khe Sanh and Pleiku, U.S. troops are under siege. Americans mount a counteroffensive but the shock of the assault ignites anti-war fervor at home. Then, the turmoil of 1968 helps Nixon win the presidency. Troop strength in Vietnam peaks and the draft accelerates. Karl Marlantes endures bitter jungle fighting on Hill 484, and draftee Arthur Wiknik gets a grim introduction to combat on "Hamburger Hill". But shortly after "winning" both hills, US troops abandon them. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Take a history lesson filled with surprising facts, figures and stories from five American states. In California, see how the discovery of gold at Sutter's Mill, in 1848 started the largest migration in US history, and then learn how scientists are currently trying to predict the next big earthquake. Next it's off to North Carolina's tobacco fields and the mystery of Roanoke--the lost colony. Wichita, Kansas is the "Aviation Capital of America" and Wyatt Earp put Dodge City on the map. New Hampshire is the state where the first act of open rebellion in America's Revolutionary War took place and the first presidential primary each election season is held. Finally, learn about The Battle of Blair Mountain, West Virginia, where in 1921, over 10,000 unionizing coal miners faced off with state and federal troops in what was one of the largest armed uprisings in America since the Civil War. TVPG VL | CC

Another history lesson filled with surprising facts, figures and stories from five American states. Texas hit the jackpot in 1901 with the discovery of oil at Spindletop Well in Beaumont. Puritans came to Massachusetts to escape religious persecution, but their own zeal to convert Native Americans led to one of the bloodiest wars in US history. Arkansas, 1957--nine African American high school students attempted to enroll at Little Rock's Central High School and made Civil Rights history. During the Iowa Caucuses farmers rub elbows with would-be presidents. Finally, Delaware patriot Caesar Rodney rode into history in 1776 when he raced 80 miles on horseback to break the deadlocked vote for American independence. TVPG VL | CC

Christianity says lust is a sin but the Greek and Roman empires celebrated it. The history of the sin of lust reveals surprising twists--including Gnostic Christian orgies, Puritan anti-fornication laws, and exorcists who battled the demon of lust called Asmodeus. Today scientists believe the sin of lust maybe more genetics than choice... but can they prove it? TVPG VL | CC

The medieval philosopher St. Thomas Aquinas said that those guilty of the sin of envy take "pleasure at another's misfortune." Italian writer Dante characterized the envious as "sinners [who] have their eyes sewn shut because they enjoyed watching others brought low." The sin of envy has led to murder, revolution and even the fall of empires. Yet in today's image-saturated world, has the sin of envy gone from vice to virtue? TVPG VL | CC

The power of true invisibility may now be possible. This episode investigates classified reports that the British military recently tested an invisible battle tank, examines the scientific breakthroughs that may soon give us all the power of invisibility, and witnesses a remarkable demonstration of an invisibility cloak that makes a man vanish. TVPG VL | CC

Robots that think, move like humans and fight our wars--Real Terminators--may now be possible. At leading universities and covert government labs, robots are now being developed in man's image; cyborgs with superhuman strength, machines that may eventually be able to make decisions, even kill on their own. But will these very robots designed to protect us ultimately turn on their masters? TVPG VL | CC

Superhuman strength... Supernatural powers... And the awesome ability to fly. Throughout history, mankind has told incredible tales of gods with extraordinary powers. But are these accounts merely tall tales, or could they be based on factual events? If mythical gods really did exist, were they, as ancient astronaut theorists believe, extraterrestrial beings? And could this help to explain the enduring popularity of gods, titans and other so-called "super-heroes"? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Angkor Wat, Cambodia, is the world's largest ancient religious temple. Within its megalithic ruins, researches have discovered a depiction of a species of dinosaur--a stegosaurus. But how could the ancients have had knowledge of animals that mainstream science says died out millions of years ago? Why are dinosaurs extinct? Did an alien race of beings kill off the dinosaurs to make room for humankind? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

This episode uncovers the conspiracies behind America's 40-year drug campaign. Why does the U.S. Government classify marijuana and heroin as equally dangerous drugs, and will the move by some states to legalize marijuana change the way this drug is viewed? Recent reports show that international banks are laundering billions of dollars in drug money--is it possible that the liquidity of the drug trade is actually keeping the fragile global economy afloat? Congressman Darell Issa connects the ill-conceived and secretive operation known as Fast & Furious to the explosion of violent drug cartels in Mexico. Former DEA officers Mike Levine and Celerino Castillo reveal allegations about secret drug running by the C.I.A. Hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons questions the possibility that drug laws are strategically being enforced to control minority populations. Could these shocking allegations be true? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

The oldest known brothel in the world is discovered in Pompeii. A startling system is revealed that includes widespread prostitution and sexual slavery. Experts piece together the elaborate system and show how the sex trade helped reinforce class and power in Ancient Rome. TVPG VL | CC

A graphic 3,000-year-old papyrus is discovered that seems pornographic. Is it a message to the Gods, part of a fertility ritual, or simply evidence of erotica? Experts decode the evidence to reveal its true meaning, shedding a new light on the everyday lives of Ancient Egyptians. TVPG VL | CC

From Ancient Rome to Washington DC and everywhere in-between, discover how the world changes when powerful people shamelessly shatter boundaries and break rules. In this episode, a Roman empress turns to prostitution for fun, the Marquis de Sade gains a big reputation and President Lyndon Johnson flaunts his manhood. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

"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. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

With the ironic motto "Peace is our Profession", the Strategic Air Command was in charge of US nuclear forces from 1946 to 1992. SAC was the ultimate Cold War military machine, at its height controlling thousands of nuclear weapons, planes, and missiles, and boasting over a quarter-million personnel. We travel to the Strategic Air and Space Museum, located 20 miles from SAC's old headquarters in Nebraska, and walk through the cavernous bomb bay of SAC's workhorse, the B-52 Bomber. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

Just below the surface, there's a whole different America hidden from public view. Take a revealing look at the America under our feet, from secret military installations, and experimental farms to tunnel networks and neutron lasers. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

An exciting race against time to uncover the lost wrecks of WWII's most epic campaign... the Battle of the Atlantic. Ian Lawler and a team of deep sea divers are on a mission to map the lost wrecks of the battle. But it isn't easy. The dive season is short, the weather is wild, and the wrecks are rusting away. The team has to fight high winds, terrible sea conditions and unexpected challenges to chart these forgotten wrecks and reveal the untold stories of the Battle. Will Ian and the team be able to complete their mission in time? The Pentagon's naval expert Dr. Randy Papadopolous, and German U-boat specialist Dr. Axel Niestle are on hand to study the underwater footage, identify the wrecks and help Ian piece together the stories behind the Battle. Could one of the wrecks prove to be Hitler's deadliest U-boat? TVPG VL | CC

This countdown special reveals the weapons, inventions and vehicles that shaped and decided World War II, from the humble Studebaker to the shock and awe of the A-Bomb. With a countdown format and an outstanding cast of experts, we'll provide an explosive and definitive understanding of the greatest conflict of all time seen through the incredible hardware that tipped the balance and changed the world. 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

In 1994 a secret manuscript hidden in the Vatican Library revealed a previously unknown apocalyptic prophesy credited to history's most notorious seer, Michel de Nostradamus. Where did this "Lost Book" come from and who was its author? The answers to these questions might help establish whether the horrible illustrations in the book point to mankind's violent end. Although the book's cover displays the name Michel Nostradamus, some believe the true author is his eldest son, Cesar. Was Cesar Nostradamus also a prophet? One who struggled with his own visions? Did he, like his father, operate in the shadow of a powerful and unforgiving Church? And was he, too, cursed with the ability to see mankind's doomed future in order to warn future generations? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

The Book of Revelation, the most terrifying and controversial book of the Bible, was written by an exiled prophet almost two thousand years ago. The final chapters of the New Testament describe mankind's violent end of days--a seven-year period of unparalleled death and destruction. Jesus breaks seven seals that unleash three waves of devastation--natural and man-made, from the sky and from deep within the earth. The Antichrist will rise. Pestilence, famine, war, and natural disasters will purge humanity before Jesus returns for the final battle between good and evil. But who is the Antichrist? Who will survive God's wrath? And when will this apocalypse happen? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

The Great Pyramids of Egypt have amazed and mystified humanity for 45 centuries. A new look at their mysterious design reveals shocking architectural prophecies containing profound messages about a violent end to our future. Evidence shows that the construction and layout of the entire Giza complex, including the Sphinx, contain coded warnings about terrible tribulations set to strike us in our own times. New research will deconstruct the architectural clues and shed light on our doomed future. Why did the Egyptians believe that a rogue comet, called the Destroyer, which passes by earth every 3,000 years, will cause unimaginable destruction again in the year 2012? What prophecy-laden stones inside the Great Pyramid predicted that September of 2001 would mark the beginning of the end of the world? And what was the role of the ancient, secret society of Freemasons in creating these predictions and carrying Egyptian knowledge into the new world of America? TVPG VL | CC Show Site

According to government statistics, there are an estimated 5,000 cults currently operating in the United States. And each year there are approximately 200,000 Americans who serve as secret--and, for the most part, willing--members. But just what are these cults? And what makes some so dangerous? We'll uncover the psychological allure of cults, their charismatic leaders and insidious methods of controlling their members. How do ordinary people become trapped in these fringe groups, apparently unable to leave? Led by compelling self-proclaimed prophets, cults are clandestine, influential and all too often, destructive. Are their goals religious, political or simply financial? How and why does the government monitor or intervene in some cults--yet seemingly turn a blind eye to other's secret and perhaps sinister agendas? Jonestown survivor Tim Carter remembers the last day of Peoples Temple, and the horrific aftermath. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

The world's oldest profession turns up in the places you'd least expect it: as a major source of revenue for the Catholic Church, the driving force behind America's first racially integrated neighborhood, and the launch pad for the most powerful woman in the history of the Roman Empire. Discover the truth behind how selling sex has changed the world. TVPG VL | CC Show Site

From America's earliest days, sex has shaped and defined our country. From the Puritan "mandatory sex" rule for married couples to Ben Franklin's racy newspapers and even car design, these are the stories behind America's sex pioneers. TVPG VL | CC Show Site