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The History Channel
Primetime Programming Schedule
(schedules available after the 1st & 15th)
NOTE: We are listing both EST/Pacific Time and individual television ratings.
All rated [G] or [PG] unless noted. [NR] = Not Rated or news-related program.
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Meet The History Channel's Featured Historians! Go to: HistoryChannel.com/historians
November 2007
Thursday, November 1, 2007
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7-8pm -- History's Mysteries - Ship of Gold.
In 1857, en route to New York from California, the steamship Central
America vanished in a killer storm off North Carolina's coast, taking
with her 400 passengers and nearly 21 tons of gold bullion. Here is
the story of the worst US peacetime sea disaster, and how high-tech
treasure hunters recovered her fortune over 130 years later.
8-9pm -- Gangland: Aryan Brotherhood -
The Aryan Brotherhood has the distinction of being the deadliest gang
in American history. They kill for hire or for free. They kill people
who steal their drugs or those that owe them money. Maintaining the
culture of terror that has solidified their power is their primary
goal. Drugs, gambling, liquor and inmate prostitution earns them
millions. From their beginnings in San Quentin Prison in 1964 to
current trials of sixteen members in Los Angeles, discover the
ultra-violent world that has largely gone unnoticed by the general
public for the last forty years.
9-10pm -- Gangland - 01 - Gangland
A gritty, true-life series exposing the world of history's most
notorious and dangerous gangs.
10-11pm -- Lost Worlds - Al Capone's Secret City
Al Capone's, rise to power coincided with the notorious "Roaring
Twenties" period in Chicago. Capone and his fellow mobsters flooded
the city with bootleg liquor, while buying off government officials.
Follow a team of historical detectives as they travel back to a time
of unimaginable wealth, speakeasies, and ruthless mobsters. Using
evidence from excavations, scientific studies and historical documents
watch as the team piece together clues as to what 1920's Chicago
looked like. Computer graphics allow viewers to fly over, enter the
streets, and walk through the halls of this era.
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Friday, November 2, 2007
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7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Extreme Aircraft.
Join us for a supersonic look at some of the most cutting-edge
aircraft ever developed--from the X-1 that first broke the sound
barrier to the X-43 Scramjet that recently flew at Mach 7. These
extreme aircraft have made their mark on aeronautical history, and
sometimes on political history as well. The U-2 and SR-71 spy planes
played a crucial role in the Cold War, and now Lockheed Martin's
top-secret "Skunkworks" division is touting the new "air dominance"
fighter plane-- the F/A-22 Raptor.
8-9pm -- Beyond Top Secret - Iran -
Iran's nuclear weapons program remains so top secret that intelligence
sources still don't know exactly how soon Iran could produce a bomb.
At the height of their eight-year war with Iraq, Iran decided it
needed nuclear weapons and, U.S. and Israeli intelligence were busy
trying to thwart them. Learn about secret activity of the Mossad,
Israel's secret intelligence agency, as well as a clandestine war the
CIA is waging inside Iran right now. As the confrontation between Iran
and the United States escalates, the question remains: will either
country find a way to move back from the brink? In a fast-paced,
graphic-intense style viewers will take a fascinating journey inside
Iran.
9-10pm -- The History of Sex - The Eastern World.
An exploration of sex in China, Japan, India, and the Arab world that
offers an intriguing perspective on the interrelation of sexuality and
spirituality in eastern culture. Among the topics presented are the
ancient Chinese equivalent of Viagra, Japanese acceptance of
prostitutes and pornographic art, and tips from the Kama Sutra.
10-11pm -- Human Weapon - Kung Fu
Hosts Jason Chambers and Bill Duff journey to China, home to one of
the oldest and most famous martial arts of all; Kung Fu. From Beijing
to the Great Wall, our hosts will travel this vast country learning
techniques from some of the greatest living masters. After practicing
flying kicks fifteen feet in the air at a kung fu film studio and
learning the brutal moves of the Chinese police, our hosts will arrive
at one of the most sacred sites in all martial arts to witness the
awesome feats of the Shaolin fighting monks. And finally one of the
hosts will step into the ring to take on a true kung fu champion.
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Saturday, November 3, 2007
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7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Acid
It is the most widely produced chemical in the world and possibly the
most dangerous. Take a look at the many uses of acid. See how the
military harnesses acid to make the explosive "Comp B-4." Visit a
sulfuric acid plant to see how acid can take the stain out of
stainless steel and learn how it can be mixed to dissolve precious
metal. At the Heinz vinegar plant discover why acid's sour taste is
sweet. Finally, meet a mad scientist who will demonstrate how acid can
hollow out a penny and turn a hot dog to sludge!
8-9pm -- Modern Marvels - The Magnum.
It's known as the most powerful handgun in the world, made famous by
Clint Eastwood in the Dirty Harry movies. But its origins stretch back
more than a century to the Indian Wars of the American West and
African safaris, where hunters stalked big game. Join us for a review
of the history of the biggest, baddest gun available today--unlimited
firepower at the pull of a trigger!
9-10pm -- Snipers - One Shot--One Kill.
Statistics prove it's damned hard to kill an enemy soldier on the
battlefield. That's why the US Marine Corps urges its best marksmen to
become snipers--human machines, inhuman patience and precision. From
distances up to three miles, tomorrow's Marines train to neutralize
enemies with one shot from their rifles--a shot that can mean the
difference between peaceful surrender and bloody assault. We journey
from Vietnam to Africa and Eastern Europe to observe these snipers
watching...waiting...firing.
10-12am -- Sharp Shooters -
Wild Bill Hickok. John Wesley Hardin. Buffalo Bill. Doc Carver. Annie
Oakley. Some of these skillful shots used their talents to survive in
a hostile and lawless American West. Others honed their abilities
onstage to make a living performing for audiences. But it turns out
their legends might be the least accurate thing about these shooters.
So famous are these historic gunslingers, it's hard to separate the
truth from the myth...until now. We stack up some of today's greatest
sharpshooters against the legendary feats of the past. Bill Oglesby,
Jerry Miculek, and Tom Knapp demonstrate attempt to recreate famous
gun-slinging achievements. We also cast a skeptical eye at many
stories culled from newspaper accounts and pulp fiction novels. Along
the way, we'll meet some of history's greatest shots. In the process,
we might just blow a hole in some of those treasured old legends. So
keep your eye on the target, because you won't believe your eyes.
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Sunday, November 4, 2007
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7-8pm -- Gangland - 01 - Gangland
A gritty, true-life series exposing the world of history's most
notorious and dangerous gangs.
8-10pm -- 9/11 Conspiracies -
Examines the various conspiracy theories espoused on the Internet, in
articles and in public forums that attempt to explain the 9/11
attacks. It includes theories that the World Trade Center was brought
down by a controlled demolition; that a missile, not a commercial
airliner, hit the Pentagon; and that members of the U.S. government
orchestrated the attacks in hopes of creating a war in the Middle
East. Each conspiracy argument is countered by a variety of experts in
the fields of engineering, intelligence and the military. The program
also delves into the anatomy of such conspiracies and how they grow on
the Internet.
10-11pm -- MonsterQuest - America's Loch Ness Monster
Does a giant prehistoric creature lurk in Lake Champlain? Locals call
it Champ. Generations of eyewitnesses rumor to have seen the creature,
a dinosaur like animal, 15-25 feet long most resembling the extinct
plesiosaur. Examine the mystery surrounding Lake Champlain as
specially designed cameras search for the monster. Existing
photographic evidence will also be put to the test.
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Monday, November 5, 2007
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7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Titanic Tech.
Welcome aboard the luxury liner Titanic, the world's largest ship and
pride of the White Star Line. Watertight compartments and a
steel-plated hull render it all but unsinkable. Nearly every
technological breakthrough of the previous 50 years is employed
onboard, providing comfort and safety for passengers and crew. But
none of this will matter on April 15, 1912, when the ship bears down
on an iceberg on her maiden voyage, sinking within hours with more
than 1,500 lives lost. Learn the details of her construction and how
the achievements of technology may have masked her vulnerabilities.
8-9pm -- Modern Marvels - Sugar.
The sugar industry came of age on the backs of slaves toiling in
Caribbean fields, and British desire to control production of sugar
and its byproduct, rum. Sugar also played a surprisingly critical part
in America's battle for independence. Tour a sugar plantation on Maui,
Hawaii to get an inside look at how cane sugar is produced today and
learn how the sugar stalks are put through an extensive process of
extraction and purification--and how a ton of harvested cane results
in 200 pounds of raw sugar. Learn the technology behind creating the
sweetener in all of its permutations, including corn syrup, brown
sugar, powdered sugar, and cube sugar, and how it's used in candies,
soda, and sauces as well as more exotic uses such as in pipe tobacco
and processed meat.
9-10pm -- Gangland - 01 - Gangland
A gritty, true-life series exposing the world of history's most
notorious and dangerous gangs.
10-11pm -- Cities of the Underworld - 13 - Underground Bootleggers
100 years ago Portland, Oregon was America's Sodom, a city full of
vice, considered the most dangerous port in the world. It was a place
where you could get drugs or booze or wake up trapped in a cell
beneath the earth. Expanses of underground tunnels enabled slave
traders, opium runners and speakeasies to flourish. Join host Don
Wildman as he ventures beneath modern Portland into the nefarious
world of fight clubs, slave tunnels and gambling dens.
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Tuesday, November 6, 2007
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7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Cotton.
For a soft, fuzzy, white fiber, cotton has played a starring role in
history. As well as being one of the most useful of materials, cotton
has created empires, helped launch at least one civil war, jumpstarted
the Industrial Revolution, and become the world's most ubiquitous
fabric (you must be wearing at least a piece of it right now). Follow
the jaunt cotton makes "from dirt to shirt", as they say in the
textiles trade, and the lesser-known journey it makes into thousands
of products, including gunpowder, cattle feed, plastics, photographic
film, lipstick, and ice cream. We also examine cotton's historical
place beginning with its ancient origins, especially India, and
examine the many innovations in which cotton had a hand, like the
cotton gin, which separated cotton from seed and also had a hand in
both oppression and progress in both America and England. And don't
forget that evil critter, the boll weevil!
8-9pm -- Modern Marvels - Batteries
Mixtures of metals and caustic chemicals that make our tech, tools and
toys surge with energy. Visit the world's most powerful battery in
Fairbanks, Alaska--13,760 hulking cells humming with 5,000 volts
(Don't touch it!) ready to help the city survive power outages. Then
it's off to Energizer's mammoth North Carolina production facility to
see how machines churn out one million D-cells every day. 6,831
batteries are packed in the sleek Tesla Roadster, a new electric
sports car that can speed from 0 to 60 in just 4 seconds. Let's take a
ride. And your own car battery? We'll show you the ingredients that
manufacturers pour into it--from sulfuric acid to a substance aptly
called "mud". And we don't forget nanobatteries--those microscopic
marvels that may some day power nanorobots. That Fantastic Voyage of a
submarine in the human blood stream is suddenly a plausible reality.
9-10pm -- Mega Disasters - Super Swarms
The locust is one of the most destructive and dreaded life forms on
Earth. American pioneers faced the largest swarm of locusts ever
recorded. The 1,800 mile long and 110 mile wide cloud of insects ate
their way through the heartland and blocked the sun for five days.
Famine ensued, and thousands faced starvation. According to recent
studies, the possibility of such a swarm returning to the United
States is very likely. The destruction would be unimaginable.
10-11pm -- The Universe - Mercury and Venus: The Inner Planets
Scorched by their proximity to the sun, Mercury and Venus are hostile
worlds; one gouged with craters from cosmic collisions and the other a
vortex of sulfur, carbon dioxide and acid rain. Prime examples of
planets gone awry, do they serve as a warning for ominous scenarios
that might someday threaten Earth? Cutting-edge computer graphics are
used to show what life would be on other planets and to imagine what
kind of life forms might evolve in alien atmospheres.
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Wednesday, November 7, 2007
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7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Panama Canal.
Chronicles one of the most incredible engineering feats of all time:
construction of the 51-mile canal that took 10 years to build and
employed over 40,000 workers, 6,000 of whom died of yellow fever,
malaria, and other horrors. An earlier, 9-year attempt by the French
ended in failure and cost 20,000 lives.
8-9pm -- Modern Marvels - Engineering Disasters 18.
We look at a 1999 tragedy, when three ironworkers plunged 200 feet
when the basket in which they were working was struck by debris during
construction of Milwaukee's Brewers Baseball Stadium. Next, we travel
to a deadly explosion in China's Sunjiwan coal mine--antiquated
equipment, minimal safety standards, and a rush to overproduce left
the mines susceptible to fires, floods, and explosions. From the 1920s
through the `50s, US shoe stores featured the fluoroscope. Based on an
early Edison machine, the fluoroscope took x-rays to determine a
customer's size--while emitting high doses of radiation. In
California, we visit the Salton Sea, an unnatural body of water with
no drainage that grows more salty and less hospitable to life daily.
In the 1950s Soviet leaders embarked on a massive irrigation project
that diverted water from the Aral Sea. Over time, the coastline
receded 100 miles, killing off many species of fish and a once
thriving fishing industry.
9-10pm -- Lost Worlds - The Age of Airships
Airships flew years before the Wright Brothers flew the first
airplane, yet it has been almost forgotten. The largest aircraft ever
built was an airship. The first aerial bombardment of one nation by
another was conducted using airships and they still are the only
airborne aircraft carriers ever built. Follow the rise and fall of the
airship and discover the shining future of air travel that never was.
10-11pm -- MonsterQuest - Sasquatch Attack?
Does Canada have its own Bigfoot? Owners of a fly-in fishing cabin
report attacks by an unknown creature. Can DNA tests on blood and
tissue from the alleged beast reveal its true identity? The test
results will surprise you. One-part history, one-part science and one
part monster, discover the truth behind these beasts and take a
scientific look at legendary creatures around the world. The best
evidence available will be examined, from pictures and video, to hair
and bones. Scientists will be brought in to tell viewers what the
evidence reveals. Ultimately the evidence will reveal the truth....or
in some cases continue the mystery.
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Thursday, November 8, 2007
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7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Gangster Guns.
During the 1920s and '30s in big cities and small towns alike, they
earned a fierce reputation in a blaze of bullets. They were the best
friends of criminals such as John Dillinger, Pretty Boy Floyd, Baby
Face Nelson, Al Capone, and Bonnie and Clyde. Handle their Colt 45s
and 38s, Tommy guns, Whippets, and Browning automatic rifles as we
uncover the stories of gangster guns.
8-9pm -- Modern Marvels - Death Devices.
The hangman, guillotine, gas chamber, firing squad, and electric chair
are just a few of the ways in which societies have rid themselves of
those who committed capital crimes. And throughout history, a select
few have developed the devices that have carried out the mandate of
the people. This is the dark story of those inventors and the macabre
history of execution mechanics--from the first "stone" of antiquity,
the dungeons of the Inquisition, and Nazi death camps to today's
sterile injection chambers--with a peek at the future of death
technology.
9-10pm -- Gangland - 02 - Gangland
A gritty, true-life series exposing the world of history's most
notorious and dangerous gangs.
10-11pm -- Ancient Discoveries - Warfare.
Warfare was a way of life in the ancient world. The technology of war
drove ancient inventors and engineers to ever-greater lengths to
defeat their enemies. They were, perhaps, the greatest masterminds of
the battlefield-- yet who were they, and how did they make their
sophisticated lethal machines more than 2,000 years ago? Ancient
warfare was every bit as technical and lethal as today's warfare. Just
witness the colossal and lethal Helepolis ("city taker"), history's
most sophisticated siege machine. From the sinister machines that
could bring a city's wall crashing down to Greek Fire, the napalm of
the ancient world--warfare was as terrible then as now. The sheer
ingenuity and complexity with which these war machines were created
proves that the people of the ancient world were great inventors,
mathematicians, and engineers.
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Friday, November 9, 2007
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7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Military Movers.
The challenge: Move millions of soldiers and tons of cargo halfway
around the world and into the thick of action. How? Use the biggest
ships, the widest planes, and the strongest trucks. Today, military
planners move men and equipment further and faster than ever. The
United States Transportation Command, answering to the Department of
Defense, runs military transport like an efficient private shipping
and travel agency. From the Civil War to US Transcom, we track the
development of military logistics.
8-9pm -- Band of Bloggers -
Explore the impact of blogging as a new medium for immediate and raw
information. In the midst of modern day combat examine the unfiltered
and raw evolution of military blogs and bloggers. Listen as soldiers
who during their recent Iraq deployments reflect on the important
connection they had with their blogging and how the band of military
bloggers has revolutionized the way we understand combat. Experience
firsthand, unfiltered accounts of the pain, the hardship, and even the
simple beauty found in Iraq; stories that often go unseen in the
media's coverage of the war.
9-10pm -- The History of Sex - Ancient Civilizations.
In this hour, we study sex in the ancient world--from Mesopotamians,
who viewed adultery as a crime of theft, to Romans, who believed that
squatting and sneezing after sex was a reliable method birth control.
We also look at revealing Egyptian and Greek practices--from the
origins of dildos, to intimate relations between Egyptian gods and
goddesses, to the use of crocodile dung as a contraceptive.
10-11pm -- Human Weapon - Sambo: Russia's Extreme Fighting
Hosts Jason Chambers and Bill Duff journey to Moscow, Russia, the
origin of one of the most versatile and deadly martial arts on the
planet. Created at the instigation of Vladimir Lenin during the
Bolshevik Revolution in 1918 to improve the hand-to-hand combat skills
of the military and the police, the secret self-defense training
eventually spread to the masses and became an official, competitive
Soviet sport in 1938. In their quest to learn this complex and lethal
fighting style, our hosts will learn Sambo street techniques from some
of the toughest bodyguards in Moscow, travel to acclaimed dojos for
instruction from world champions, journey to a secret military
facility to train with Soviet Special Forces, and participate in a
brutal exercise regimen in a remote, rustic camp. Their journey ends
with a fight against an up-and-coming Sambo competitor at the annual
European and Russian Sambo Federation Championship.
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Saturday, November 10, 2007
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7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Engineering Disasters 21
A steam pipe explosion rocks New Yorkers on a summer day in Midtown
Manhattan. Boston's Big Dig highway project suffers a major setback
when sections of a tunnel ceiling fall onto the roadway. Rush hour in
Minnesota turns deadly, as a bridge plunges into the Mississippi
River. An air show in Mannheim, Germany comes to a tragic end when a
Chinook helicopter crashes along the Autobahn killing 46 people. A
tanker truck explodes on an Oakland freeway overpass, causing the
structure to collapse. And a mud volcano near a natural gas drilling
site erupts in Indonesia, leaving villages buried 16 feet deep. We'll
explore what engineering and structural failures caused these events,
and the changes the catastrophes have wrought.
8-10pm -- The Universe - Beyond the Big Bang
The universe began with a massive expansion, billions and billions of
years ago, and it continues to expand with every passing second. The
idea that the universe, and man's very existence, began with a "Big
Bang" is no longer a topic of debate among most scientists--it is
essentially taken as fact. How has man come to this conclusion, and
how has our knowledge evolved so that we can recreate the very first
seconds of our universe and all that has developed since? Interviews
with the world's leading physicists and historians are woven together
with animated recreations and first-person accounts to explain
concepts such as the formation of galaxies, the creation of elements
and the formation of Earth itself.
10-12am -- How the Earth Was Made -
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.
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Sunday, November 11, 2007
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7-8pm -- Last Days on Earth - Part 1
Could the human race become suddenly extinct? We count down seven ways
in which the world as we know it could meet an abrupt and untimely
end, from a mammoth asteroid strike to the eruption of a super
volcano. Using state-of-the-art computer-generated graphics and
interviews with the world's top scientists, we will leave viewers
pondering humanity's place in the universe and will reveal the most
terrifying truth of all--that our greatest enemy is ourselves. Part 1
of 2.
8-9pm -- Last Days on Earth - Part 2
We continue to count down the seven ways in which the world as we know
it could meet an abrupt and untimely end, from a mammoth asteroid
strike to the eruption of a super volcano. What would happen as
computers literally become trillions of times smarter than we
are--would they program our mass murder? Scientists, experts, and
witnesses describe these and other vividly pictured disaster
scenarios, from super bugs created in secret labs to black holes that
could suck earth into oblivion. Conclusion.
9-11pm -- A Global Warning? -
Follow the world's climate experts as they investigate the most
dramatic climatic events in history. It is a story of unimaginable
extremes, extinctions of entire species and remarkable survivals in
the face of total devastation. Learn the secrets locked away inside
300 year-old corals. Is it possible that the Arctic was once a
tropical haven with crocodiles and waters hot enough to swim in?
Scientists are racing to understand the weather of our past in the
hope of preventing climate catastrophe in the future. Packed with
breathtaking locations, dynamic special effects and exciting accounts,
watch as a vision of the earth's violent past and uncertain future is
revealed.
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Monday, November 12, 2007
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7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Nordhausen.
It was the world's largest underground factory--seven miles of tunnels
built to manufacture Hitler's secret weapons, primarily the V-2
rocket. But Nordhausen kept more than one secret. Technology and
torture went hand-in-hand--25,000 concentration camp workers died
there--and some of those associated with Nordhausen later helped take
America to the moon.
8-9pm -- Modern Marvels - Environmental Tech II
Take a look at the innovations designed to hold off a global warming
meltdown. Visit giant solar energy towers in Spain, install a rooftop
wind turbine and ride in a car that runs on air. Will a daring attempt
to remove carbon dioxide from our atmosphere by dumping iron in the
ocean really work? Discover how everyone can go green with the flick
of a switch.
9-10pm -- Gangland - 02 - Gangland
A gritty, true-life series exposing the world of history's most
notorious and dangerous gangs.
10-11pm -- Cities of the Underworld - 01 - Hitler's Underground Lair
Berlin, Germany was the battlefield of the 20th century, and today,
sealed up and forgotten beneath its streets are the remnants of a dark
past. Walk anywhere in the city and you could be walking directly on
top of one of the over 1000 Nazi bunkers engineered into Berlin's
sandy soil, lost remnants of Hitler's ill-fated Germania or even beer
brewing plants that inspired the Nazis' journey into the underground.
Join host Eric Geller as he travels through the dark and damp recesses
of Berlin's secretive soil.
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Tuesday, November 13, 2007
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7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Chesapeake Bay Bridge & Tunnel.
Named one of the seven engineering wonders of the modern age, the
Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel connects Virginia proper with its
easternmost landmass. Stretching 17 miles across the historic
Chesapeake Bay, the structure represents a man-made boundary between
the Bay and the Atlantic. The structure includes two 2-lane highways
supported mostly by trestles, four man-made and one natural island,
two truss bridges, and two revolutionary sunken tube tunnels.
8-9pm -- Modern Marvels - Renewable Energy.
In the young 21st Century, two realizations are dawning on the world's
population: we are hopelessly dependent on petroleum, which is only
going to get more expensive; and global warming, caused mainly by our
burning of fossil fuels, will impact civilization in ways that we're
only beginning to grasp. Stepping in to fight both of these massive
problems are the rapidly evolving technologies that harness renewable
energy. We will see how air, water, earth, and fire are transformed
into clean, reliable sources of heat, electricity, and even automobile
fuel. We'll take an in-depth look at the most proven and reliable
sources: solar, wind, geothermal, biofuels, and tidal power. From the
experimental to the tried-and-true, renewable energy sources are
overflowing with potential... just waiting to be exploited on a
massive scale. And unlike fossil fuels, they'll always be there.
9-11pm -- A Global Warning? -
Follow the world's climate experts as they investigate the most
dramatic climatic events in history. It is a story of unimaginable
extremes, extinctions of entire species and remarkable survivals in
the face of total devastation. Learn the secrets locked away inside
300 year-old corals. Is it possible that the Arctic was once a
tropical haven with crocodiles and waters hot enough to swim in?
Scientists are racing to understand the weather of our past in the
hope of preventing climate catastrophe in the future. Packed with
breathtaking locations, dynamic special effects and exciting accounts,
watch as a vision of the earth's violent past and uncertain future is
revealed.
____________________________________________________
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
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7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Plumbing: The Arteries of Civilization.
Each day, billions of gallons of water flow through cities into homes
and back out again in a confusing mess of pipes, pumps, and fixtures.
The history of plumbing is a tale crucial to our survival--supplying
ourselves with fresh water and disposing of human waste. From ancient
solutions to the future, we'll plumb plumbing's depths.
8-9pm -- Boneyard - Demolition
With America's cities and industrial centers rapidly aging and
growing, thousands of buildings must be destroyed in order to be
raised up again. These structures and their internal components will
be transformed and recycled. There is great value not only in the
structural materials, such as concrete, brick and steel, but also in a
wide array of vital, non-structural items like copper wire, stairways,
plumbing, insulation, ventilation systems and even glass. For many of
the more grand structures, their hand-crafted and unique architectural
features must be carefully removed and restored to new life. For all
these activities there is a vast demolition industry to provide the
expertise, skills, and the increasingly specialized tools to do the
job.
9-10pm -- Lost Worlds - Ivan the Terrible's Fortresses
Ivan the Terrible, Russia's first Tsar, led a brutal and unpredictable
life. A renowned sadist, Ivan was the originator of Russia's secret
police. He fortified walls to counter the advancing age of artillery,
expanded the borders of his nation and built a new generation of
Kremlins. Follow a team of historical detectives who use evidence from
recent excavations, scientific studies and historical documents to
piece together clues to what Ivan's Russia looked like. Computer
graphics will allow viewers to fly over, enter the streets, walk
through the halls and peer into the world of Russia's Terrible Tsar.
10-11pm -- MonsterQuest - Giant Squid Found?
Is the legend of the Kraken, a tentacled beast as large as a whale,
based on myth or a real creature? Take an expedition to the Sea of
Cortez, Mexico where fishermen regularly claim to encounter large
schools of giant squid. Watch as squid expert Scott Cassel uses lures
with built-in cameras in an attempt to video a Kraken-sized squid
1,000 feet below the ocean. What Cassel and his team discover will
make history. One-part history, one-part science and one part monster,
discover the truth behind legendary creatures.
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Thursday, November 15, 2007
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7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Pirate Tech.
Bold, cunning, and audacious, pirates are a breed of fighting men and
women who have terrorized the high seas since before recorded history.
At the height of their power in the 1700s they literally influenced
the fate of nations when they became embroiled in the rivalry between
England and Spain. This special will visit maritime museums and
shipwreck sites, utilize walk-and-talk demonstrations of fire arms,
swords, and navigation instruments to help spotlight the innovations
pirates brought to maritime technology. Includes a look at how many
pirates modified their ships to make them faster and more powerful.
8-9pm -- Modern Marvels - Nature's Engineers.
Towering skyscrapers buzzing with life, intricate tunnels connecting
entire communities, mighty dams that tame the wildest rivers--this is
construction animal style! Take a walk on the wild side as we
investigate common creatures seemingly designed to alter their habitat
and remake the world. Our ability to learn and capacity for abstract
thought may separate us from beavers, honeybees, birds, termites, and
spiders, but these engineers of nature remind us that we're merely the
latest in a long line.
9-10pm -- Gangland - 03 -
A gritty, true-life series exposing the world of history's most
notorious and dangerous gangs.
10-11pm -- Ancient Discoveries - 09 - Mega Machines
In 2004 the American School of Classical Studies in Greece made a
surprising discovery of two limestone coffins which dated back 3000
years. Archaeologist Guy Sanders was not only surprised by the quality
of the sarcophagi but shocked by their size and weight. The coffins
weighed 3 tons, and he concluded that the people of the Geometric
Period must have used massive machines to move them. From the Pharos
of Alexandria to the Parthenon on the Acropolis we will delve into the
world of the ancient heavy engineers, and discover how their machines
were used to build and transport some of the most amazing structures
in Antiquity.
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Friday, November 16, 2007
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7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Future Tech.
A paper-thin, wall-sized holographic television...a car that runs on
processed seawater...an army of robotic killing machines...outer-space
luxury resorts and a cleaning droid controlled by your mind? Buckle-up
for safety as we race into the near future--where fantasy becomes
fact. There have always been visionaries, futurists, and dreamers
predicting the world of tomorrow--flying cars, space-station colonies,
and android personal assistants. But time has proven the fallacy of
many of their predictions. So what future technology can we
realistically expect? With the help of 3D animation, we present some
pretty far-out predictions and take you to various research labs to
see working prototypes of these technologies in their infancy. Join us
on a rollicking ride through the entertainment room, down the road,
over the battlefield, through the mind, out in space, and into the
future, where science fiction becomes science fact.
8-9pm -- Modern Marvels - Environmental Tech
From the prairies of Saskatchewan to a Manhattan skyscraper we'll see
the 21st Century's cutting-edge "green" technologies in action. New
technologies such as carbon sequestration and bioremediation take on
our most daunting environmental crises, from global warming and
deforestation to nuclear waste and resource scarcity. See how
blue-green algae are converted into automotive biofuel and methane
from decomposing garbage is turned into clean-burning natural gas.
Finally, we'll see how trees and other natural environments can be
used as engineering materials to control flooding and rejuvenate dying
rivers.
9-10pm -- The History of Sex - The Middle Ages.
In this steamy history, we trace the evolution of sexual beliefs and
practices from the fall of the Roman Empire through the Renaissance.
We'll also uncover the conflicting extremes of medieval romance and
sex--from the bawdy life of European city dwellers to the staid and
dangerous practice of courtly love. Medieval scholars offer humorous
and interesting carnal tales of lusty knights, bawdy widows, naughty
priests, and chaste maidens.
10-11pm -- Human Weapon - Cambodian Bloodsport
Bred in dark jungles of Southeast Asia, Pradal Serey is a devastating
striking art of bone shattering kicks and punches. This ancient
fighting art of the mysterious Angkor Empire, some argue that it's the
forefather of modern Muay Thai. It's little known outside Cambodia's
borders. From gritty urban fighting pits to the sweltering jungles of
the north, hosts Jason Chambers and Bill Duff, journey into the heart
of Pradal Serey to perfect the vicious strikes of this brutal martial
art. Along the way they'll race water buffalo against natives in a
1000 year old village festival and learn the ancient killing
techniques of Khmer warriors. Their journey culminates when they enter
the ring to battle it out against a 4 time Pradal Serey champion.
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Saturday, November 17, 2007
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8-10pm -- Ku Klux Klan: A Secret History -
Kneeling before a flaming cross, Klansmen and women take part in their
sacred bonding, showing how secrecy and ritual aid the hooded order in
a campaign for white supremacy. From its birth in 1866's
Reconstruction South to a 1996 rally, this chronicle of hate talks to
Julian Bond, Morris Dees Jr., the Grand Dragon, and Imperial Wizard.
10-12am -- Baghdad Diary -
It has now become nearly impossible to interview Iraqis, even in their
homes. Watch as the Iraq war's horror, mayhem and horrific human price
are shown from two very different perspectives: Iraqi taxi driver
Fadil Kadom and American television cameraman Craig White. With the
courage and skill of a war correspondent, Kadom, using a small video
camcorder, documents the daily struggle of his family and his country
amid difficulties that are unfathomable to most of us. White follows
the U.S. 3rd Infantry on the frontlines in their quest to liberate
Baghdad and stave off civil war. Correspondent Bob Woodruff (who was
seriously injured in Iraq by an IED) hosts.
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Sunday, November 18, 2007
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7-8pm -- Barbarians - Huns.
The Huns were a mysterious people who fell upon the European continent
like the vengeance of God. Some say the Chinese built the Great Wall
to keep them out. In the 5th century, the Huns struck a divided and
decaying Roman Empire. The Romans tried to deal with them
diplomatically, even allowing children of Roman nobility to live as
guests (hostages) in Hun camps. One of these, Aetius, would become one
of Rome's greatest generals, and it was he who would face one of the
Huns' greatest rulers--Attila.
8-10pm -- Andrew Jackson -
Andrew Jackson was the first "common-man" President. Orphaned at 14,
he became a lawyer with no formal education, an Army General with no
military experience and President without being rich. Jackson survived
the nation's first Presidential assassination attempt, defeated the
British in the battle of New Orleans and passed the controversial
Indian Removal Act which resulted in the death of nearly 10,000 Native
Americans. His portrait on the $20 bill conveys an image of passion,
strength and confidence, but most historians will admit that he was
often a "cruel" man.
10-11pm -- Mega Disasters - New York Earthquake
Most people don't think of New York City as earthquake country, but it
has been shaken by significant quakes in 1737 and 1884. Picture a busy
midweek morning in the heart of Manhattan and hundreds of thousands of
commuters are on their way to work. Suddenly the ground shakes
violently, and a deafening roar thunders through the city. The beaches
turn to quicksand, high-rise buildings sway and elevators strand
thousands. Take a look at the effects an earthquake would have on New
York and its infrastructure--and the havoc it could wreak on the city.
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Monday, November 19, 2007
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7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Hoover Dam.
The task was monumental: Build the world's largest dam in the middle
of the desert, and tame the river that carved the Grand Canyon--all in
seven years! When the Hoover Dam was completed in 1935, it was the
largest dam in the world. We'll reveal how this engineering wonder of
the world was conceived and built.
8-9pm -- Modern Marvels - Corn
Why is corn the largest agricultural crop in the world? Corn has fed
the masses from ancient times to this day. Corn is not only a
vegetable and a cereal grain; it is a commodity as well. Visit
Lakeside Foods in Reedsburg, Wisconsin and see how tons of corn are
harvested and canned within hours. Then it's off to VeraSun Energy in
Charles City, Iowa, to discover how corn is converted into fuel. Take
a look to our past and you will understand that without corn we
probably wouldn't be here.
9-10pm -- Gangland - 03 -
A gritty, true-life series exposing the world of history's most
notorious and dangerous gangs.
10-11pm -- Cities of the Underworld - 04 - Scotland's Sin City
Edinburgh, Scotland is a thriving metropolis, but take a look into its
past, and you'll find it has led a double life. A sophisticated and
educated surface city evolved above while a darker, seedy world grew
below--from plague victims getting buried alive under the streets to
body snatchers, illegal distilleries and castle dungeons. Join host
Eric Geller as he investigates these stories, deciphering fact from
fiction, while uncovering the engineering marvel of Edinburgh's
underground--created when the city actually changed its street level.
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Tuesday, November 20, 2007
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7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Mountain Roads.
Join our journey along monumental feats of engineering that preserved
America's natural wonders while paving the way towards her future.
Travel the Donner Pass in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, site of a dark
chapter in US history. Today, crews use the latest technology to keep
I-80 open during the worst winter storms. Enjoy the view while
traveling to the summit of Pike's Peak in Colorado, inspiration for
America the Beautiful. The "Going-to-the-Sun-Road" slices through
Montana's majestic Glacier National Park, crossing the Continental
Divide and allowing motorists unsurpassed views of mountain scenery.
Outside Denver, the Eisenhower Memorial Tunnel, carved through
mountain rock, united eastern and western Colorado. And the Blue Ridge
Parkway, which took 52 years to complete, snakes through large, scenic
swatches.
8-9pm -- Modern Marvels - Snackfood Tech.
Extruders, molds, in-line conveyor belts. Are these machines
manufacturing adhesives, plastics, or parts for your car? No, they're
making treats for your mouth--and you will see them doing their
seductively tasty work in this scrumptious episode. First, we visit
Utz Quality Foods in Hanover, Pennsylvania, that produces more than
one million pounds of chips per week, and Snyder's of Hanover, the
leading US pretzel manufacturer. Next, we focus on the world's largest
candy manufacturer, Masterfoods USA, which makes Milky Way, Snickers,
Mars, and M&Ms, and take a lick at the world's largest lollipop
producer, Tootsie Roll Industries. And at Flower Foods' Crossville,
Tennessee plant, an army of cupcakes rolls down a conveyer belt. The
final stop is Dreyer's Bakersfield, California plant, where 20,000 ice
cream bars and 9,600 drumsticks roll off the line in an hour.
9-10pm -- Mega Disasters - L.A.'s Killer Quake
It has been a century since the infamous 1906 San Francisco earthquake
and Californians live with the knowledge that it's only a matter of
time before they're hit again. Los Angeles is the second most populous
city in America. If an earthquake hit directly beneath downtown LA,
scientists believe that tens of thousands would be killed. Just how
would the city respond to a 7.5 magnitude quake? Take a look at how
well the emergency responders could cope. A CGI worst-case scenario
will show the incredible damage and destruction that would cripple one
of the most important cities in the world.
10-11pm -- The Universe - Saturn: Lord of the Rings
Are the rings of Saturn a real celestial phenomenon or merely a cosmic
Illusion? Technology allows the experts to get closer to the furthest
planet visible to the naked eye. Old questions are answered and new
ones arise. Does Saturn hold the key to Earth's weather and will one
of its moons supply us with all the oil we'll ever need? Cutting-edge
computer graphics are used to show what life would be like on other
planets and to imagine what kinds of life forms might evolve in alien
atmospheres.
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Wednesday, November 21, 2007
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8-9pm -- Modern Marvels - Cheese
From cheddar to brie, Parmesan to blue, take a look at both ancient
techniques and new technologies behind some of the world's most
popular cheeses. Visit the cow pastures of Wisconsin to the giant
cheese factories of California to discover how cheese is made. Travel
through history from the Roman Empire's diversity of cheeses to the
19th Century birth of industrial cheese. And yes, we'll answer that
eternal question, "Why does Swiss cheese have holes?"
9-10pm -- Lost Worlds - Pirates of the Caribbean
During the heyday of piracy, fearsome buccaneers sailed the Caribbean
in search of booty. Fortresses are raided, swords are drawn and
galleons clash in an incredible story of glittering treasure and
swashbuckling adventures. From the icy docks of Bristol to the
tropical paradise of the Caribbean, discover the incredible world of
the buccaneers. Follow a team of historical detectives who use
evidence from recent excavations, scientific studies and historical
documents to piece together clues as to what the pirate world looked
like.
10-11pm -- MonsterQuest - Birdzilla
Native Americans have long revered huge birds called Thunderbirds.
There was a rash of giant bird sightings in Illinois, Texas and Alaska
back in the 1970's. A giant bird with a 15-foot wingspan allegedly
attacked a small child in Illinois. Could there really be a giant bird
or is it mass hysteria? Take a scientific journey and follow the many
eyewitnesses' accounts across the country and examine the most
compelling evidence. One-part history, one-part science and one part
monster, discover the truth behind legendary monsters.
11-12am -- Home for the Holidays: The History of Thanksgiving.
From the Pilgrims at Plymouth Rock, Lincoln's 1863 declaration naming it a
national holiday, to turkey, Macy's parade, and football, we'll share the
abundant feast of Thanksgiving history--including all the trimmings!
Repeated @ 3am
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Thursday, November 22, 2007
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7:00AM Tactical To Practical: Non-Lethal Weapons/Wired War/Need for Speed: #12
Former Navy fighter pilot and series host Hunter Ellis discovers how non-lethal military equipment developed for peacekeeping duties is now used in civilian settings, including the debilitating audio weapon, Hypersonic Sound. Then, he sees how warfare has entered the wired age with digital technology that provides a clear and continuous picture of the battlefield, and how the Internet began as a military system. And, we profile the fastest military and civilian craft on the land and in the water. TVPG
08:00AM American Eats: History on a Bun
Join us for a 2-hour tasty tour of the fascinating history of food, with a special focus on home-cooked American treats. Find out if "Scorecard Harry" really invented the hot dog, the Earl of Sandwich's culinary contribution, and how an Italian immigrant began the pizza craze. Get out your fork and knife and relish our fabulous feast! TVPG. Repeated @ 2pm
10:00AM More American Eats: More American Eats
Dig into the sumptuous stories of great inventors, innovators, dreamers, and wizards who made eating into an industry and transformed the American table. Clarence Birdseye really did invent modern frozen food; John Harvey Kellogg reinvented breakfast; Milton Hershey turned an elite sweet into a treat for the common man; and yes, there really was a Chef Boyardee! We also explore the roots of barbecue, Jell-O, and Spam--and meet the originator of nacho chips, Frank Liberto from San Antonio. TVPG. Repeated @ 4pm
12:00PM Inside Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade:
Just like you can't have Thanksgiving without turkey, you can't have Thanksgiving without the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. It started as a simple walk down Broadway, but has turned into an American institution. Enjoyed by millions of people around the world, it has evolved from simple horse-drawn floats, to a high-tech extravaganza. Producing the parade has become a massive undertaking, requiring thousands of skilled craftsmen, volunteers, planners and designers. We will focus on the history and impact of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, giving audiences a look at the yearlong process of creating this momentous event and how technology has made it into one of the most sophisticated parades in the world. TVPG. Repeated @ 6pm
01:00PM Modern Marvels: Farming Technology
The US agricultural process, from seed to shelf, is so efficient that most people don't think much about it. But food growing and processing is ever more sophisticated, employing computer-guided, ground-shaking machinery, and sometimes controversial techniques. It's an industry of declining family farms, diminishing returns, yet higher yields. We review the evolution of the tools used to produce food, show the steps in the cycle that bring food to the table, and look at the future of farming. TVPG. Repeated @ 7pm
8-11pm -- Reel To Real - Forrest Gump
(movie) Inspiring, heartbreaking, hilarious--all of those describe this
film. Tom Hanks stars in this Oscar-winning story about a slow-witted
but good-hearted young man who gets mixed up in all of the turbulent
events of his times--the Kennedy assassination, the Civil Rights
Movement, Vietnam--but can't quite understand any of them. Co-stars
Robin Wright Penn, Gary Sinise and Sally Fields, and directed by
Robert Zemeckis (1994). Repeated @ 12am
11:00PM Modern Marvels: Chocolate
Americans eat over three and a half billion pounds of chocolate each year--that's 12 pounds per person per year with annual sales topping $13 billion! Take a tour through the entire chocolate making process and learn how chocolate has been thought of as an energizer, an aphrodisiac and a cure-all. Watch as colorful M&Ms are made by the millions at Mars. Visit a working cacao bean farm in Central America for a demonstration of the hand harvesting techniques that have remained unchanged for centuries. To the delight of those who indulge, this awesome edible is now even good for you--full of antioxidants, cholesterol-lowering polyphenols, and heart-healthy flavonols. TVPG. Repeated @ 3am
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Friday, November 23, 2007
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7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Hangars.
Come in for a smooth landing as we explore the history of
hangars--stark, massive structures that house and protect flight
vehicles. We visit the first hangar, built on a German lake; Boeing's
Delta 4 rocket hangar; Hangar Number One in Lakehurst, New Jersey,
that housed all US airships built in the 1920s and '30s; and the Space
Shuttle's hangar--as big as four skyscrapers! Back in Germany,
Cargolifter's mammoth hangar, large enough to enclose the Superdome,
signals the rebirth of an industry.
8-10pm -- Rumrunners, Moonshiners & Bootleggers -
Heroes who fight tax collectors and moral crusaders, or just common
criminals? Like it or not, America was built by rumrunners,
moonshiners, and bootleggers--even founding father John Hancock was a
smuggler. In the 1920s, Prohibition turned fishermen into rumrunners
and two-bit gangsters into millionaires, and moonshine haulers in
their souped-up cars helped create NASCAR. Rare archival footage and
photos help weave the compelling tale of our nation's love-hate
relationship with illegal alcohol.
10-11pm -- Human Weapon - Silat: Martial Art of Malaysia
Few martial arts match the exoticism of their country like Silat.
Beautiful, yet deadly, Silat was born in the jungles of Southeast
Asia. Practiced in secrecy for centuries, and with its strong ties to
Islam, Silat is one of the most intriguing and least understood
fighting systems on the planet. Now our hosts Jason Chambers and Bill
Duff are going to face the world of Silat--and their fears--head on.
They'll train in sweltering outdoor training compounds...in the shadow
of the world's tallest twin towers...and jump through rings of fire in
preparation for the ultimate test--a pitched battle against six Silat
masters.
11-12am -- Modern Marvels: Distilleries
From water and grain...to mash...still...vat...barrel and bottle--the
distilling of alcoholic spirits is a big business and near-sacred religion.
Its acolytes eye the color, swirl the glass, inhale the bouquet, sip, and
then ponder their ambrosia. What's your pleasure? Bourbon, Scotch, Rum,
Gin, Vodka, or Tequila? We trace the history of distilling from the one-man/
one-still tradition to the Voldstead Act of 1920 that devastated American
distilleries to the mega-sales and high-volume distillery of today.
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Saturday, November 24, 2007
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7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Corn
Why is corn the largest agricultural crop in the world? Corn has fed
the masses from ancient times to this day. Corn is not only a
vegetable and a cereal grain; it is a commodity as well. Visit
Lakeside Foods in Reedsburg, Wisconsin and see how tons of corn are
harvested and canned within hours. Then it's off to VeraSun Energy in
Charles City, Iowa, to discover how corn is converted into fuel. Take
a look to our past and you will understand that without corn we
probably wouldn't be here.
8-10pm -- Kennedys: The Curse of Power -
Traces the Kennedy clan's calamities that occurred on the rise to
power--from immigration from Ireland up to John Kennedy Jr.'s tragic
death in 1999. The first hour sees the loss of Joe Jr. in WWII and the
assassinations of JFK and RFK. Hour two witnesses Ted's downfall and
role as surrogate father to a fatherless generation.
10-12am -- The Kennedy Assassination: Beyond Conspiracy -
No other murder in history has produced as much speculation as the
assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Forty years after he was
fatally shot, more than 70 percent of polled Americans believe there
was a conspiracy and that Lee Harvey Oswald did not act alone. In this
2-hour special, ABC News Anchor Peter Jennings takes a fresh look at
the assassination, the evidence, the various and many theories, and an
exact computer simulation of the famous Abraham Zapruder film that
offers surprising results.
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Sunday, November 25, 2007
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7-8pm -- UFO Files - Hangar 18: The UFO Warehouse
What happens when a UFO crashes? Some experts claim that the UFO
wreckage and even the pilots are transported to a top-secret facility
in Dayton, Ohio called "Hangar 18" located on Wright Patterson Air
Force Base. Declassified Government documents prove that the "disk"
from the famous Roswell event and fragments of other mysterious
crashes were shipped to Wright Patterson. Hear stories involving
elected officials, UFO researchers, and former base employees, some of
whom are going on the record regarding "Hangar 18." They spin a tale
of flying saucer debris, alien bodies, cryogenic chambers and a vast
underground network that may hold the secrets to the UFO mystery. Is
there a conspiracy to hide UFO evidence from the highest branches in
the U.S. Government, or is it all just a myth?
8-9pm -- Gangland - 03 -
A gritty, true-life series exposing the world of history's most
notorious and dangerous gangs.
9-11pm -- Gangland - 01 & 02 -
A gritty, true-life series exposing the world of history's most
notorious and dangerous gangs.
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Monday, November 26, 2007
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7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Overseas Highway.
A spectacular roadway nearly 120 miles long, the Overseas Highway
links mainland Florida with the Florida Keys, and contains 51 bridges,
including the Seven-Mile Bridge. A boat was the only mode of travel
from Miami to Key West until oil tycoon Henry Flagler completed his
railroad line in 1912. After a 1935 hurricane destroyed 40 miles of
track, the scenic highway was built using Flagler's bridges. A
$175-million refurbishment that ended in 1982 resulted in today's
remarkable Overseas Highway.
8-9pm -- Modern Marvels - Metal.
They constitute the very essence of the modern world; the cadence of
our progress sounds in the measured ring of the blacksmith's hammer.
From soaring skyscrapers and sturdy bridges to jet planes and rockets,
metals play a key role. Our journey begins before the Bronze Age and
takes us into the shiny future when new metal structures--engineered
at a molecular level to be stronger, lighter, and cheaper--shape human
progress, as they have since man first thrust copper into a fire and
forged a tool.
9-10pm -- Gangland: Aryan Brotherhood -
The Aryan Brotherhood has the distinction of being the deadliest gang
in American history. They kill for hire or for free. They kill people
who steal their drugs or those that owe them money. Maintaining the
culture of terror that has solidified their power is their primary
goal. Drugs, gambling, liquor and inmate prostitution earns them
millions. From their beginnings in San Quentin Prison in 1964 to
current trials of sixteen members in Los Angeles, discover the
ultra-violent world that has largely gone unnoticed by the general
public for the last forty years.
10-11pm -- Cities of the Underworld - 08 - New York
The underworld of New York City is a living, breathing complex of
engineering, history and secrets that could only exist in America's
largest city. From a classified World War II site where death awaited
unfortunate trespassers to the original rivers and aqueducts that led
to this great city's ascent, New York City may just have more stories
below ground than it does above. Join host Eric Geller as he braves
this massive urban labyrinth where the past, present and future
collide.
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Tuesday, November 27, 2007
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7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Magnets.
We played with them as children, but the world of magnets isn't kid's
stuff! The pervasive magnet serves as the underpinning for much of
modern technology. They can be found in computers, cars, phones, VCRs,
TVs, vacuum cleaners, the washer and dryer, the ubiquitous
refrigerator magnet, and even in an electric guitar! On the cutting
edge of technology, scientists experiment with a variety of magnets.
Magnets' amazing forces of attraction and repulsion may some day take
us to the far reaches of outer space.
8-9pm -- Modern Marvels - The Pig
It is said that the pig is as smart as a three-year-old human. The
pancreas, heart valve and intestines of the pig have been transplanted
into human bodies, yet the primary use of the pig is for food. Watch
the pig transform into bacon, ham, ribs and sausage, using a high tech
water knife, at Burger's Smokehouse in Missouri. Then Chef Chris
Cosentino re-creates old world dishes from pig parts and culinary
artisans attempt to duplicate long-vanished pork specialties like
prosciutto and acorn-fed pigs.
9-10pm -- The Universe - Exoplanets: An Alternate Earth?
Have planet hunters finally found proof of other Earthlike worlds?
Astronomers have now discovered over two hundred alien worlds, beyond
our solar system, that were unknown just a decade ago. Discover
planets that rage with fiery hurricanes and bizarre planets covered by
water so dense that it forms a kind of hot ice. Among these weird
worlds, Earth actually seems like the oddball with the right
conditions for life.
10-11pm -- Mega Disasters - The Next Pompeii?
In 79 AD Mt. Vesuvius destroyed Pompeii and killed 5,000 people. The
volcano is quiet at the moment, but the only consistency in Vesuvius'
eruptive history is a lack of consistency. The danger zone that
surrounds the volcano includes the city of Naples and its one million
residents; another two million people reside nearby. Scientists know
that when Vesuvius erupts again they won't have much warning and
another major metropolis will be destroyed.
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Wednesday, November 28, 2007
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7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Bulletproof.
How do you stop a speeding bullet? From body armor to armored cars and
trucks, we review the history of the race between the bullet and a
successful way to stop it. It's not exactly easy to design material
that can catch gunfire traveling up to 3,000 feet per second. We'll
look at little-known advances like bulletproof layering hidden in
walls, futuristic smart materials that "remember" how to stop a
bullet, and a system that deploys a shield within milliseconds when it
detects an oncoming round.
8-9pm -- Modern Marvels - 70's Tech
The 1970s were a decade of excess. Dust off your mirror ball, put on
your leisure suit, and rediscover the gadgets of the era. Play PONG
with its inventor and learn how this simple game created a billion
dollar empire. Texas Instruments engineers explain how the technology
behind the Speak & Spell ended up in our cell phones. Discover how Mr.
Coffee became America's favorite breakfast buddy, and how Polaroid
engineered a film that magically developed right before your eyes.
Climb aboard the Concorde and learn how Britain and France trumped the
Soviet Union and the United States in a race for supersonic air
supremacy.
9-10pm -- Lost Worlds - Taj Mahal
Four hundred years ago Emperor Shah Jahan was the most powerful man in
the world. The Taj Mahal, in Agra, India was built to honor his third
wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died in childbirth. The Taj Mahal is one of
the new Seven Wonders of the World and considered to be the finest
example of Mughal architecture. 20,000 workers toiled to create an
astounding feat of engineering, but what we see today is only a
fraction of what was originally erected. Join a team of historical
detectives as they search for clues to the original Taj Mahal and
investigate the myth of a second Taj Mahal, built not in white but in
black marble.
10-11pm -- MonsterQuest - Bigfoot
Bigfoot has been sighted in Washington State more than any other place
on earth. Join an all-female expedition as they try to lure a Bigfoot
within range of their cameras. The 1967 Patterson footage will be
reexamined using digital microscopes that could reveal details that
might prove if the beast is real or a hoax. One-part history, one-part
science and one part monsters, discover the truth behind legendary
monsters.
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Thursday, November 29, 2007
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7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Demolition.
While a civilization's greatness is reflected in the achievements of
architects and engineers, equally impressive are spectacular acts of
destruction throughout history. The cycle of construction and
destruction reflects the shifting values of any given era. We'll trace
the evolution of planned destruction from ancient to modern-day.
8-9pm -- Modern Marvels - Traps
Gotcha! Traps are a device designed to capture and kill, but they
don't always harm their prey. Often necessary to the survival of a
species, watch as Black Bears are trapped by the West Virginia
Division of Natural Resources biologists for a population study. Feral
cats left stranded in New Orleans after Katrina are trapped, neutered,
and released. Head underwater to see how giant screw traps count
salmon on the Columbia River. Man traps? See high tech versions,
straight out of action movies.
9-10pm -- Gangland - 04 - Gangland
A gritty, true-life series exposing the world of history's most
notorious and dangerous gangs.
10-11pm -- The Universe - Exoplanets: An Alternate Earth?
Have planet hunters finally found proof of other Earthlike worlds?
Astronomers have now discovered over two hundred alien worlds, beyond
our solar system, that were unknown just a decade ago. Discover
planets that rage with fiery hurricanes and bizarre planets covered by
water so dense that it forms a kind of hot ice. Among these weird
worlds, Earth actually seems like the oddball with the right
conditions for life.
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Friday, November 30, 2007
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7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Camouflage.
From ancient hunters' camouflage to computer-generated digital pattern
uniforms, we uncover the past, present, and future of deception
through disguise. During an ambush exercise by US Marines, we learn
that camouflage came from natural coloration and patterns of flora and
fauna. The art of military camouflage took off in WWI with the use of
the airplane, when the French learnt to hide from "eyes in the sky".
It's a world of shadows and smoke, where even cities disappear through
disguise.
8-9pm -- Modern Marvels - Extreme Aircraft II.
Take a supersonic flight through a world of flying machines that are
redefining our skies. Pull serious G's in the U.S. military's latest
fighter jet: the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. Riding shotgun in the
lethal B-1B Lancer, and look close or you'll miss the swarm of MAV's
(Micro Air Vehicles)--so small they are launched out of a backpack.
The "vertical takeoff and landing" capable PAV's (Personal Aerial
Vehicles) may be the answer to the commuting needs of tired travelers.
Then, discover how a commercial jetliner has been retrofitted into the
biggest flying fire truck the world has ever seen.
9-10pm -- Flashpoint - 01 -
Nothing makes for more exciting television than seeing history
captured as it happened--by home video, cell phones and the occasional
lucky news cameraman. This new series features the best raw footage of
history making events. Using the latest in graphics technology, we'll
dissect the footage to provide new and unusual explanations for what
really happened.
10-11pm -- Human Weapon - Passport to Pain
Thirteen countries. Fourteen fights. Hundreds of body slams, groin
shots, and even a few laps around a Cambodian village on the back of a
Water Buffalo, join the ultimate quest to experience the greatest
martial arts the world has to offer. It hasn't been easy. In fact it's
been downright painful. Recount the nastiest fights, toughest
fighters, weirdest encounters and wildest training from Season 1. See
how hosts Jason Chambers and Bill Duff have earned their "Passports to
Pain".
This fan website is not connected in any way with any TV channel. If you buy anything from Amazon.com using their links here, they pay 6% commission, but there were no sales for the last 30 days. At this rate, this website may soon cease to exist.
The History Channel's real-life Pirates Of The Caribbean website including a Mail Call clip of their favorite weapons: click on the pirate ship there to see video
Saturday, November 10 @ 9am: Saloons
Saturday, November 17 @ 9am: Native American Tech
Thursday November 29 @ 10am & 4pm: Vigilante Tech
Mail Call (rated TVPG-L, cc) in 2007, all 30-minute unless noted:
Friday, November 9 @ 12 pm & 6pm: #46
Army Air Ambulance/1st Special Service Force/Johnson Rifle/MiG-15 vs. F-86/P-59
At Fort Irwin, R. Lee Ermey checks out the Army's state-of-the-art air ambulance--the Blackhawk helicopter; then, he learns why the helicopter became so important to Korean War MASH units that it was dubbed "The Angel of Mercy". Then, he reviews the history of America's First Special Service Force, created in WWII and nicknamed "The Devil's Brigade" by the German Army; sees which Cold War superjet is tougher--the MiG-15 or F-86 Sabre; and checks out the first US operational jet--the P-59. Rating: TVPG L, 30 minutes | cc
Friday, November 16 @ 12pm & 6pm: 29 Palms: #71.
Host R. Lee Ermey takes viewers on a tour of the Marine Corps Training Command Center, a.k.a. 29 Palms. It's the largest Marine Corps base in the world and covers half-a-million acres of Southern California desert. The Gunny gives us a short course on 29 Palms' history before engaging in a training exercise called MOUT--Military Operations on Urban Terrain. In a "town" created in the desert to resemble an Iraqi neighborhood, Marines train in street-to-street fighting tactics. Next, he heads to the sea and mounts up on the Marine Corps' newest and most versatile assault vehicle--the Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle (EFV). And he answers a viewer email asking for a comparison between the Germans fighters and US Marines during World War I. We see both sides' gear and guns and learn how the Marines prevailed against German firepower in the bloody Battle of Belleau Wood--a victory that turned the tide of WWI and earned the Marines the nickname "Devil Dogs" Rating: TVPG L, 30 minutes | cc
Monday, November 19 @ 9:30am & 3:30pm: #20
Deuce & A Half/Gun Truck/Household Fat/Silo/C-17 Loadmaster/Kilt/Girls from Hell
What is a WWII "Deuce and a Half"? What's a "Vietnam Gun Truck". Did the US really use household fat to make explosives in WWII? How do missile silos work? What's the latest transport aircraft? Did Scottish soldiers really wear kilts in battle, and who did the Germans call the "Girls from Hell" in WWI? R. Lee Ermey dips into his viewers' mailbag and sends these questions out to military experts in the field for answers and brief demonstrations.
Friday November 23 @ 12pm & 6pm: #44
Longbow/National Technical Systems/WWI Machine Gun/P-51 Mustang/WWII Flight Jacket
Medieval expert Jeffrey Hedgecock shows R. Lee Ermey why the longbow was such a feared weapon and how it helped England become a dominant European power in the Middle Ages, and demonstrates the brigandine variety of archer protection. Then, Lee heads to Arkansas, where National Technical Systems tests weapons and equipment; profiles the WWI Chauchat machine gun, a fabulous French flop; gets an up-close look at a restored P-51 Mustang; and swaggers around in an A-2 flight Jacket, a WWII icon.
Friday November 30 @ 12pm & 6pm: #66
Decked out as a Roman legionnaire, R. Lee Ermey gets down and dirty with the Ballista--a 2,000-year-old spear-thrower that still packs quite a punch as Lee discovers when he takes out the "enemy"--an 8-foot-high inflatable teddy bear! He also gets trigger time with the Pedersen Device--a WWI-era gizmo that turned old single-shot Springfield rifles into automatic weapons. After decimating a few watermelons, Lee examines up-armoring--getting armor protection for thin-skinned Humvees currently fighting in Iraq--and checks out the Rhino PAK (Portable Armor Kit), which can turn a vulnerable vehicle into an armored transport. Then, Lee rides on the first single-wing aircraft (monoplane) to get a shot off in WWII's Pacific Theater--the Peashooter--and recounts the landmark plane's history. Finally, Lee strolls down memory lane, sharing sentimental moments he's enjoyed with his beloved Jeep!
Sorry, no other episodes are scheduled at this time on their website
R. Lee Ermey (Mail Call) has decided to play something other than a tough drill sgt. (Full Metal Jacket). His latest movie is a prequel to Texas Chainsaw Massacre called "Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning" as the head of a very strange & lethal family of mutants
For info on UFOs, check out the interview on MonsterVision's Mars Attacks page
Official HistoryChannel.com Homepage
From the invention of the electric battery in 1800 to the murdered remains of missing Washington intern Chandra Levy being discovered in a Washington D.C. park*, find out what happened when with our exclusive History of the World Timeline!
GO TO: HistoryChannel.com/worldtimeline
Find out more about any topic any time, including this day in history (your choice of decade), with our Best Search in History: www.HistoryChannel.com
* Congressman Gary Condit (D), who reportedly told police he'd had an affair with Levy, is no longer considered to be a suspect in the case. Condit lost his bid for re-election in the Democratic Primary of March, 2002.
NOTE: We are listing both EST/Pacific Time and individual television ratings.
If you are not American, here is our link to Amazon.co.uk
Watch Mail Call every week if you know what's good for you, 
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