NOTE: We are listing both EST/Pacific Time and individual television ratings. All rated [G] or [PG] unless noted. [NR] = Not Rated, news-related program.Saturday, July 1, 2006 ____________________________________________________ 7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Money How does America make money--literally? We visit the United States Mint and the Bureau of Printing and Engraving to see the secretive government facilities where our legal tender is generated. With a storied past as tantalizing as the wealth they create, these mints can spit out fortunes in an hour and keep our economy flowing. 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. ____________________________________________________ Sunday, July 2, 2006 ____________________________________________________ 7-8pm -- The Revolution - Rebellion to Revolution. Rebellion escalates into war with the Battle at Bunker Hill. The Continental Congress establishes an army and appoints George Washington as Commander-in-Chief. But Washington faces nearly insurmountable obstacles in turning the motley militias into a battle-ready army. When the Continental Army surrounds British troops that occupy Boston, Britain sends additional troops and its three best generals--William Howe, John Burgoyne, and Henry Clinton--to take over command in the insurgent colonies. The Continental assault from Dorchester Heights forces the British and Loyalists to evacuate the city. 8-9pm -- The Revolution - Declaring Independence. 1776: Noble ideas and dreams of independence ring out as America is born. However, dark and devastating struggles will quickly challenge these hopes and leave few believing that the glorious cause will survive. Join us as we relive the drama surrounding the birth of the United States in this documentary series. 9-10pm -- The Revolution - American Crisis. The newly proclaimed nation stares at the stark realization that it could soon be dead. Desperate and determined, General George Washington gambles on a brilliant yet dangerously daring stroke to save his army and America. 10-11pm -- The Revolution - Path to World War. In this 13-part series, we cover the years between the Boston Tea Party and the ratification of the Constitution. In this hour, America's elder statesman, Benjamin Franklin, descends on Paris to seduce the French to join the fight against their common enemy, England. British General William Howe delivers a crushing blow to George Washington's troops at the Battle of Brandywine taking Philadelphia, the American capital, as his prize. But to the north, another American general enters the spotlight--Horatio Gates defeats British General John Burgoyne at the Battle of Saratoga. It is this victory that convinces France to enter the fight, turning the American Revolution into a world war. ____________________________________________________ Monday, July 3, 2006 ____________________________________________________ 7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Siege Machines. A look at siege machines that convert energy into mechanical force to go over, under, or through fortified or fixed defenses too strong for conventional force. These engines range from man's first long-range missile weapon, the slingshot, to the laser cannons and satellite-destroying robots of the 21st century. All of these machines are designed to breach barriers--castle walls, entrenched troops, even outer space. When the going gets tough, the tough get siege machines. 8-9pm -- UFO Files - Texas' Roswell. In April 1897--50 years before the alleged UFO crash in Roswell, New Mexico--a mysterious airship crash rocked the small town of Aurora, Texas...or at least, that's how the legend goes! The tale includes the wreckage from the ship, a funeral for the dead "alien" pilot, and thousands of witnesses from across the country. And the Aurora crash allegedly took place five years before the Wright Brothers flew at Kitty Hawk, so whatever was in the air was not manmade. Eyewitness accounts of the crash, mysterious metal found at the site, and the hunt for the only known alien graveyard are all combined into a story that has even the most adamant debunkers baffled. Is this the case that finally proves that UFOs are real? Join us as we separate fact from fiction. 9-10pm -- Digging for the Truth - Giants of Patagonia. Many explorers throughout the centuries, including the great Ferdinand Magellan, visited the region in South America now known as Patagonia and reported sighting giants. From these accounts we get the name "Patagonia"--Land of the Big Feet. But what exactly did these explorers see? Now, some experts suggest that the giant, upright-walking ground sloth, once widespread throughout Patagonia, could have been the source of these stories. Josh Bernstein accompanies paleontologists, naturalists, and crypto-zoologists on a search to determine whether the ground sloth could have lived into the era of human habitation. He treks across the glaciers of Patagonia, descends deep in the mountain caves, accompanies a band of gauchos on horseback, and joins a modern-day paleontology dig to try to discover evidence that the ground sloth still exists today. 10-11pm -- Deep Sea Detectives - Great Lakes Ghost Ship. The 1870s were a time of boom and bust on the Great Lakes, with more than a thousand ships competing for business. On November 27th, 1875, the Cornelia B. Windiate--a canal schooner--is sent on one last, late-season run from Milwaukee to Buffalo. It's a bet against Mother Nature that few ship owners or crewmen will take...and this time they lose. The weather takes a drastic turn for the worse and the Windiate disappears. For more than 100 years, it's assumed that the ship was lost in Lake Michigan. But when she's found, it's in another lake altogether! There's not a mark on her. No crew. No sign of what caused her to sink. Our hosts and veteran divers, John Chatterton and Richie Kohler, dive to examine one of the world's most pristine shipwrecks and help develop a new solution to one the strangest mysteries of the Great Lakes. ____________________________________________________ Tuesday, July 4, 2006 ____________________________________________________ 6-8pm -- Washington the Warrior - The George Washington we all know is larger than life, an icon of mythic proportions. But before becoming "Father" of his country, he was a soldier. This unique, in-depth portrait of the Washington we don't always think about begins in 1753, when the 21-year-old obtained an officer's commission in the Virginia militia. While serving alongside British regulars, did brash and sometimes reckless decisions help ignite the French and Indian War? Washington retired from the militia in 1758, but continued to hone his leadership skills. Managing his vast Mount Vernon estate required many of the same talents as commanding soldiers in the field. When America declared independence, Washington was the consensus choice to lead the Continental Army. This is the epic story of Washington's journey to greatness--propelled by intense, often painful, transformation. The man who emerged was a warrior of the purest sort...a man who preferred liberty to power and justice to glory. 8-10pm -- Flight 93 - (movie) The stirring story of the courageous passengers on hijacked United Airlines Flight 93 who fought back against the terrorists on 9/11, preventing a probable attack on Washington, D.C. This heart-pounding film includes the extraordinary communications that took place between the passengers and their loved ones on the ground, and between US military and government officials as they prepared to shoot the plane down, if necessary. The passengers' actions prevented the plane from becoming a guided missile that could have destroyed the US Capitol or the White House. Stars Jeffrey Nordling, Ty Olsson, Colin Glazer, and Brennan Elliott. (2005) 10-11pm -- I Missed Flight 93 - On September 11, 2001, United Airlines Flight 93 from Newark to San Francisco was hijacked by terrorists. Passengers on board attempted to wrestle control of the airplane from the terrorists and the plane crashed, killing all on board. Frank Robertazzi of East Hanover, New Jersey was supposed to be on that plane. He regularly took Flight 93 to fly to his business meetings in San Francisco. So was Daniel Belardinelli. His uncle, William Cashman, was on Flight 93. Daniel and his uncle were going to fly out west together for a vacation. Heather Ogle was booked for First Class, Seat 1A; two seats away from the lead terrorist. Through a series of unwitting decisions and quirks of fate, Robert, Daniel, and Heather narrowly escaped death. Inter-cutting between our characters' point of view and the broader story of 9/11 this hour illuminates the thin line that separates life and death. ____________________________________________________ Wednesday, July 5, 2006 ____________________________________________________ 6-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Motorcycles. Set the sedan's safety brake and hop on your "hog" for a 2-hour high-speed history of the motorcycle--from the 1868 "steam velocipede" to the early 20th century, when they were a low-cost alternative to automobiles; from Harley-Davidsons preferred by Hell's Angels and police to motocross riders who take bikes into the air and onto the dirt. We also look to the motorcycle's future, featuring Jay Leno's jet-propelled Y2K sportbike and Erik Buell's bike-without-a-gas-tank creation. 8-9pm -- Modern Marvels - Engineering Disasters 6. An in-depth look at the modern era's most complex, deadly, and controversial engineering failures. With the aid of 3-D animation, forensic experts, and footage of disasters, we seek to understand what went wrong and how mishap led to remedy. Stories include: the Marines' AV-8 Harrier "Jump Jet"; the Ford Explorer/Firestone rollovers; fire on the Piper Alpha offshore oilrig; derailment of a high-speed train in Germany; and computer errors that brought the world to the brink of accidental nuclear war. 9-10pm -- Modern Marvels - Ben Franklin Tech. You may know him as a man of great wit and wisdom, as the oldest and wisest Founding Father. But now you'll get to know Dr. Franklin as the late 18th Century's foremost scientist, and one of the greatest inventors of any era. From the humble Pennsylvania Stove to the spectacular lightning rod--Franklin was concerned with putting scientific principals to practical use. We'll explore his many inventions, including: his unique musical instrument, the glass armonica, for which both Mozart and Beethoven wrote pieces; his crafty anti-counterfeiting techniques, including multi-colored inks, elaborate ornamentation, and the use of "leaf printing"--when a metal engraving plate is made from a plant's leaf, making it impossible to copy; and bifocal glasses. And we'll see how Franklin's inventive genius extended to entire systems, including: the modern volunteer fire department, first fire insurance company, Daylight Savings Time, and America's first lending library. 10-11pm -- Modern Marvels - '80's Tech. Remember "brick" cell phones, Pac-Man, Rubik's Cube, Sony Walkman, and the first music CDs? Remember all the new and exciting gadgets of the 1980s? Join us as we investigate the transition from Industrial to Information Age--a digital decade dedicated to ergonomics and entertainment. The microchip ushered in an era that revolutionized the way we work, play, and communicate. And we tour Silicon Valley--birthplace of some of the greatest inventions from an amazing time of change, including the modern personal computer. Steve "Woz" Wozniak tells us about the evolution of Apple computers, and we talk to Sony--makers of the Walkman, Betamax, and the first CD players. A visit to the Computer History Museum shows fun technological "artifacts", primitive by today's standards. At Intel, makers of the first microchips, we learn why technology moves at such a fast pace. We also take a ride in a DeLorean DMC-12 sports car--few things moved faster. ____________________________________________________ Thursday, July 6, 2006 ____________________________________________________ 7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Edison Tech. He was the father of the future...electric lights, power systems, motion pictures, recorded sound--even the tattoo pen. Life as we know it would be inconceivable without the prodigious output of the Wizard of Menlo Park, Thomas Alva Edison. His intense focus on his work came with a hefty personal price, but his reward was a world forever changed by his genius. Years after his death, Edison's effect is seen, heard, and felt everywhere. We follow descendants of his motion-picture camera to the tops of Earth's highest mountains, to the bottoms of its deepest oceans, and even into outer space. We track his innovations in recorded sound to CDs, iPods, sophisticated movie sound, and satellite radio. And we illuminate his world of electric light, powering the world and turning night into day. Along the way, we discover a little Edison in corners of modern life less well-known and even look at his failures. From the Internet to the stock market to pay-per-view; the Wizard is everywhere. 8-9pm -- Ancient Marvels - Cities of the Underworld. Istanbul is undoubtedly one of the most dynamic and exotic cities in the world. Once the capital city of three of the world's most powerful empires--The Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman--its strategic location made it the perfect spot for empires to rise, fall...and rise again. Today Istanbul's residents are walking on top of remnants of these fallen civilizations...literally. Taxis drive over parts of Constantine's Lost Great Palace; children play on cobblestone streets concealing a massive Byzantine dungeon; a high school sits on a 3rd century wall leading to the bowels of a 100,000 seat ancient Roman Hippodrome; and basement's of old Ottoman homes lead to subterranean tunnels and secret cisterns. Join host Eric Geller as he leaves the buzz of the city streets behind and follows the pull of the past. Teamed with leading archeologists and experts, Eric peels back the layers of the past--to reveal a hidden history that hasn't seen the light of day for ages. 9-10pm -- Decoding The Past - Ten Commandments, Part 1. What's the real story behind history's most famous written document? Our 2-part special examines the three different--and sometimes contradictory--biblical accounts of Moses on the Mount, and then looks at each of the 10 Commandments in historical context. Adultery, perjury, murder, theft, graven images, Sabbath laws, coveting--what did they mean then? And do they mean anything today? Also examined are the other 603 commandments prescribed by Moses that took a backseat to the more famous first 10. What was in these commandments and why have they been largely forgotten? Legal, religious and historical scholars, including legal author Alan Dershowitz and Old Testament expert Daniel Smith-Christopher, reveal how the issues raised by the 10 Commandments have been viewed--and punished--throughout history. From ancient to modern times, see how the definitions, the laws, and morality have changed within the parameters of history's most formidable "Top 10" list. 10-11pm -- American Eats - Hot Dogs. Each baseball season, 26-million hot dogs are consumed. A century before mobile phones or portable computers, Americans embraced the ultimate in portable dining--the hot dog, an edible emblem of democracy, accessible to all. Though its origins date back thousands of years before the Constitution, We the People claim the hot dog as a native son--and eat about 70 hot dogs per person, per year! That's 600 a second--supplied by state-of-the-art factories that can churn out as many as a half a million hot dogs a day. The hot dog has its roots in Germany and Austria and didn't become red-white-and-blue until we stuffed it on a bun and put stuff on it. The name "hot dog" is a mystery, though recent studies trace the term back to Yale students commenting on the ingredients of campus sausages. Join us for an appetizing hour as we digest the history of the hot dog--from Nathan's in Coney Island to the 1893 Chicago World's Fair to the Wienermobile and competitive hot dog eating. ____________________________________________________ Friday, July 7, 2006 ____________________________________________________ 7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Ball Turret Gunners. In war, certain missions demand the most and constitute much of the legends of bravery. Journey back to the Second World War when fearless airmen manned the B-17's belly guns--glass bubbles that at any moment could become their coffin. The ball turret gunners called their work "flying the ball", others called it crazy! 8-10pm -- Rumrunners, Moonshiners... - 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 -- The Big Build - The Speakeasy. PSSST! Know the password? If so, you can join our host, contractor Nick Mystrom, as we build a hidden room in a home in the Second City. In the 1920s to "speak easy" meant to whisper and we'll build a speakeasy in the basement of a suburban Chicago home. But we'll have to build quietly so as to not alert neighbors and especially not the police, but that will be a little harder--since two of them live right upstairs! Nick is in good hands with master builder Frank Sullivan, a Chicago native who knows millwork from floorboards to rafters. Together with a team of specialists, this room will become a highly secure 1920s-style speakeasy. Nick and team have two weeks to create this woodworking masterpiece in time to surprise recipient Joe Smith, who spent 32 years as a Chicago police officer, and his wife Daina, also a Chicago cop--both of whom love the 1920s era. ____________________________________________________ Saturday, July 8, 2006 ____________________________________________________ 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. 8-10pm -- The Amazing Story of Superman - Here's the story behind the phenomenon of Superman, the most merchandised and imitated superhero of them all. Through interviews with the key creative talents responsible for seven decades of thrilling Superman adventures, we'll follow the Man of Steel's path from Depression-era comic book hero to George Reeves's TV portrayal in the 1950s, Christopher Reeve's movies in the '70s and '80s, and the TV shows Lois and Clark and Smallville. There'll even be a sneak preview of the new film, Superman Returns, to be released this summer. 10-12am -- Comic Book Superheroes Unmasked - Comic books--serious or escapist fantasy? This 2-hour special shows how comic book superheroes reflect their times--from the 1930s to the 21st century--and how these wish-fulfillment figures became role models for generations of children. Following the most representative cartoon crusaders and villains, as well as the industry that formed them, we see how they mirrored society--from the Depression, WWII, the Cold War, and the turbulent '60s to today--and how they proved adaptable to other media. ____________________________________________________ Sunday, July 9, 2006 ____________________________________________________ 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 1700's 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. 8-10pm -- True Caribbean Pirates - Blackbeard. Ann Bonny. Henry Jennings. Calico Jack. Henry Morgan. Black Bart Roberts. During the mid to late 17th and early 18th centuries, they were feared criminals. The Caribbean was their domain, the parade of treasure and cargo to Europe their target. The origins of Caribbean piracy began when Columbus made landfall in the Bahamas. Two years later, the Pope granted Spain the exclusive right to the Caribbean and most of the New World. The Spanish reaped an immense fortune in gold and silver, but with a price. England, France, and Holland all desired a portion of this wealth and each established Caribbean bases and used privateers--private sailors fighting for profit--to protect their interests and steal Spanish treasure. The line between privateering and piracy became blurred. We'll examine this Golden Age of Piracy and the true stories of the infamous pirates, how they operated, and their successes and failures in this dark and deadly profession. 10-11pm -- The Revolution - Forging an Army. George Washington's losses are adding up and some in Congress begin to question his leadership. Washington's main concern, however, is sustaining and rebuilding his ragged, starving, and dwindling army through the frigid winter at Valley Forge. With the help of Baron von Steuben and Nathanael Greene, the Continental Army becomes a more professional fighting force. And Washington rebuilds his reputation by holding back the British at the Battle of Monmouth. Join us for this 13-part look at the birth of America--from the Boston Tea Party to the ratification of the Constitution. ____________________________________________________ Monday, July 10, 2006 ____________________________________________________ 7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - The Colosseum. Nothing symbolizes the Roman Empire at its height or Rome in magnificent ruins more than the Colosseum. Built in 70 AD, it seated 80,000 people, boasted a retractable roof, underground staging devices, marble seating, and lavish decorations. It still serves as the prototype for the modern stadium. The complexity of its construction, the beauty of its architecture, and the functionality of its design made it the perfect place for massive crowds to congregate for the bloody spectacles it contained. 8-9pm -- UFO Files - Deep Sea UFOs: Red Alert. In this hour, we'll dive deeper into the ongoing mystery of USOs--Underwater Submerged Objects--UFOs that have reportedly been witnessed going into and out of Earth's oceans. The show features a dive into the Santa Catalina Channel near Los Angeles to search for trace evidence of a 1992 USO event--a detailed account of the USS FDR, a magnet for USO and UFOs from the early 1950s until its decommissioning in the 1970s, with at least eight major sightings. Australia's famous Tully Water-Crop Circle Case is explored, as well as many other astounding and recent USO cases from the US and the world. Interviews include USS FDR veterans Chet Gruisinsky and Harry Jordan, USO researcher Dr. Stephen Greer, and Australian UFO expert Bill Chaulker. 9-10pm -- Lost Worlds - Knights Templar. They defended the Holy Land through bloodshed and prayer. Founded in the 12th century, these Christian warrior monks reigned supreme for nearly 200 years before suffering a spectacular fall from grace. Tried for heresy, they were disbanded and their Grand Master burned at the stake. We'll search behind the legend for their lost world. We recreate the city they knew as Tortosa--now hidden among modern homes in the Syrian city of Tartus. We reveal secrets of their headquarters at Temple Mount in Jerusalem, with magnificent underground vaults that could stable 1,000 horses. And we visit the circular church in London built to resemble the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem and the site of the Templar's mysterious initiation rites. We bring to life the hilltop fortress that Lawrence of Arabia called "the finest castle in the world", and return to the Mediterranean island where the Knights Templars made their last stand against Moslem enemies. 10-11pm -- Digging for the Truth - The Da Vinci Code: Bloodlines. Josh Bernstein searches for solid evidence behind the controversial theory laid out in Dan Brown's book The Da Vinci Code. Brown's theory claims that Jesus married Mary Magdalene and that she conceived a child. It also suggests that the bloodline continues--unbroken--to this day. Josh shows what's true and what's clearly make-believe in Dan Brown's bestseller. From musty libraries to ancient churches, Josh's unique quest leads him to seek the DNA evidence that might prove or disprove one of the most sensational claims in modern history. Most remarkably, he'll orchestrate the first ever DNA test on a Merovingian royal to find out if the story of a divine bloodline stretching back to Jesus and Mary Magdalene could possibly be true. ____________________________________________________ Tuesday, July 11, 2006 ____________________________________________________ 7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - World's Biggest Machines 3. Giant robots on the factory floor and in outer space. A floating fortress that's home to 6,000 military personnel, which is almost as long as the Empire State Building is tall. And a diesel engine with 108,000 horsepower. (You read that right.) These giants must be seen to be believed! In this episode, we travel over land and sea to find these and more of the biggest, baddest, most audacious feats of engineering in the world. 8-9pm -- Decoding The Past - The Search for Noah's Ark. The great flood that destroyed the world, except for Noah, his family, and herd, would probably be dismissed as legend--if not for other ancient evidence suggesting the presence of a once-massive flood. Instead, the quest for Noah's Ark continues to this day--one of the most controversial searches for one of the largest items described in the Bible. We'll examine evidence of those who claim to have found proof of the Ark, and visit Mt. Ararat and other targeted sites for the landing of the Ark. 9-10pm -- Mega Disasters - Windy City Tornado. Chicago is known as the "Windy City", but many believe a tornado can't strike a downtown filled with massive high-rise skyscrapers. It's a dangerous misconception. In 1967, a destructive high-speed tornado screamed along a 16-mile path through the south Chicago suburb of Oak Lawn and all the way to Lake Michigan. Had the path been just 10 miles to the north, the twister would have punched its way right into the Loop. The city's emergency officials say it bluntly: "Chicago is at high risk for tornadoes." In 1967, 33 people died. In the future, how many more will be at risk? Will the city's skyscrapers survive? It happened before, it can happen again. We'll revisit the '67 disaster, restage it using state-of-the-art computer animation, and simulate how Chicago might hold up in the face of current catastrophe. 10-11pm -- Mega Movers - Space Machines. Some of the most spectacular Mega Moves in history have taken place through a route unavailable to most movers: the air. In Florida, the crew of one of the world's most unusual looking airplanes will move a piece of the International Space Station to a facility in Alabama. And in Colorado, watch as Russia's largest cargo jets transport sections of the Atlas Satellite Rocket for an upcoming launch. Do these engineers have the right stuff to get the job done? We'll follow the dangerous relocation of these structures--from the planning process to the actual move--where any second can spell disaster. ____________________________________________________ Wednesday, July 12, 2006 ____________________________________________________ 7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Taxidermy. It began as a tool used by prehistoric man to attract animals to the hunt. Over time it became an invaluable study aid for the natural scientist and a popular hobby for hunters and fishermen. Join us for a tantalizing look at the history of taxidermy, the craft of preserving animal skins and using them to recreate a still life of the animal as it appeared in life. We also check out fiberglass reproduction, which is gaining popularity as fish and game regulations become stricter. Finally, we examine human subjects in taxidermy. Using the very latest process of plastination, the once taboo science and art of preserving and displaying human corpses, now draws crowds in Europe, Asia, and the US, proving the age-old practice continues to mesmerize us! 8-9pm -- 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 1700's 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. 9-11pm -- True Caribbean Pirates - Blackbeard. Ann Bonny. Henry Jennings. Calico Jack. Henry Morgan. Black Bart Roberts. During the mid to late 17th and early 18th centuries, they were feared criminals. The Caribbean was their domain, the parade of treasure and cargo to Europe their target. The origins of Caribbean piracy began when Columbus made landfall in the Bahamas. Two years later, the Pope granted Spain the exclusive right to the Caribbean and most of the New World. The Spanish reaped an immense fortune in gold and silver, but with a price. England, France, and Holland all desired a portion of this wealth and each established Caribbean bases and used privateers--private sailors fighting for profit--to protect their interests and steal Spanish treasure. The line between privateering and piracy became blurred. We'll examine this Golden Age of Piracy and the true stories of the infamous pirates, how they operated, and their successes and failures in this dark and deadly profession. ____________________________________________________ Thursday, July 13, 2006 ____________________________________________________ 7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Containers. They hold just about everything--Containers. We follow a day-in-the-life of a steel freight container from port to port and see how standard containers can be transported by ship, train, or truck while looking into new technology and security measures being used today. We visit a Georgia Pacific plant to see how raw materials are processed in a state-of-the-art plant. We also visit the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, an underground container used for extraordinary amounts of vital product. The containers that hold the US Strategic Petroleum Reserve are actually underground salt domes. In a visit to Bryan Mound, Texas, one of four locations housing the SPR, we learn how the caverns within the salt domes are created and how the oil contained in these caverns actually benefits from this type of storage. We also check out silos that were necessary for farmers' progress. And finally, we sip from metal cans, which revolutionized the food and beverage industry. 8-9pm -- Ancient Discoveries - Ancient Discoveries: Ancient Computer? Journey back in time for an eye-opening look at the amazing ancient roots of technologies we like to think of as modern. New research suggests that many of the inventions of the last 200 years may, in fact, have already been known to the ancients. In this hour, we explore the Antikythera mechanism, an ancient machine that was discovered deep in the Aegean Sea. Could it perhaps have been an ancient computer? Could Archimedes have had a hand in its creation? 9-10pm -- Decoding The Past - Ten Commandments, Part 2. Thousands of years ago, the laws of Moses were given to the Israelites--laws that prescribed both their relationship with God and with each other. The 10 Commandments, the word of God, carved into stone--a sacred covenant between God and the Israelites. In both Exodus and Deuteronomy, it tells us that Moses brought down these commandments in the form of two tablets. It has become traditional to split the commandments between them, half on one tablet, and half on the other. The first commandments deal with God and how He should be worshipped. The second set of commandments, sometimes called the Laws of Man, provided society with the means of living with one another. We'll take a close look at these last commandments and see how they have translated into our modern legal system. 10-11pm -- American Eats - Salty Snacks. For every new snack food introduced, there are about 100 duds! Americans buy more than 4.3 billion pounds of snack food a year--in fact, snacking is quickly becoming America's favorite meal. A snack is defined as a meal or food item eaten hurriedly or casually, which might include anything from a candy bar to a hamburger. The word is derived from the Dutch word snacken, "to bite". Whether it's chips, pretzels, or popcorn, Americans love their snacks--especially if salty! Perhaps the first truly American salty snack was popcorn. But of all the salty treats we indulge in--pretzels, peanuts, corn chips--the potato chip is by far America's favorite snack, with annual sales in excess of $6 billion. Today, the larger food manufacturers are generally full-service snack companies--producing chips, pretzels, and other salty goodies. With creative new snack varieties on the way, the salty snack food industry shows no signs of waning. ____________________________________________________ Friday, July 14, 2006 ____________________________________________________ 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. 8-10pm -- Countdown to Armageddon - Asteroids on a collision course with Earth, super volcanoes, global warming, killer viruses--all are potential catastrophes that threaten to wipe out life on our planet. Are these simply natural disasters that have been occurring since time immemorial? Or are these threats terrifying prophesies from the Bible that are at last coming true? Are our fears overblown? Or are the infamous Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse riding among us in a countdown to Armageddon? 10-12am -- Bible Battles - In one of the most hostile lands on the planet, an ancient people called the Israelites forged an army and carved out an empire. Their ancient military exploits are described in one of history's most famous religious texts--the Old Testament of the Bible. But by reading between the religious lines, military historians unlock the soldiers' secrets of the Bible by examining the weapons, strategies, and the commanders, some of whom are not always thought of as warriors, like Abraham, Moses, and Deborah. In this 2-hour special, we explore the biblical world from a military perspective from the time of Abraham until David's ascension to the throne. Blood often flows more freely than holy water in the days of the Old Testament, and the military secrets of the Bible have yet to be revealed...until now! ____________________________________________________ Saturday, July 15, 2006 ____________________________________________________ 7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Ben Franklin Tech. You may know him as a man of great wit and wisdom, as the oldest and wisest Founding Father. But now you'll get to know Dr. Franklin as the late 18th Century's foremost scientist, and one of the greatest inventors of any era. From the humble Pennsylvania Stove to the spectacular lightning rod--Franklin was concerned with putting scientific principals to practical use. We'll explore his many inventions, including: his unique musical instrument, the glass armonica, for which both Mozart and Beethoven wrote pieces; his crafty anti-counterfeiting techniques, including multi-colored inks, elaborate ornamentation, and the use of "leaf printing"--when a metal engraving plate is made from a plant's leaf, making it impossible to copy; and bifocal glasses. And we'll see how Franklin's inventive genius extended to entire systems, including: the modern volunteer fire department, first fire insurance company, Daylight Savings Time, and America's first lending library. 8-10pm -- The Road Warrior (movie) A former police officer is now a lone wanderer, traveling through a devastated Australia after a nuclear war looking for the now-priceless fuel. He lives to survive and is none too pleased when he finds himself the only hope of a small group of honest people running a remote oil refinery. He must protect them from the bike gang that is terrorizing them whilst transporting their entire fuel supply to safety. Mel Gibson stars with Bruce Spence and Michael Preston. (1982) 10-11pm -- Reel To Real - The Doomsday Clock. Developed in 1947 as an image to symbolize urgency in the Cold War and the threat of nuclear disaster, the mission of the Doomsday Clock has expanded to include non-nuclear global security issues. Maintained by the Board of Directors of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, it's based at the University of Chicago. In response to world events, they move the clock's minute hand closer to or away from midnight--doomsday. In this hour, we cover the clock's history, its effectiveness, and its critics ____________________________________________________ Sunday, July 16, 2006 ____________________________________________________ 6-8pm -- True Caribbean Pirates - Blackbeard. Ann Bonny. Henry Jennings. Calico Jack. Henry Morgan. Black Bart Roberts. During the mid to late 17th and early 18th centuries, they were feared criminals. The Caribbean was their domain, the parade of treasure and cargo to Europe their target. The origins of Caribbean piracy began when Columbus made landfall in the Bahamas. Two years later, the Pope granted Spain the exclusive right to the Caribbean and most of the New World. The Spanish reaped an immense fortune in gold and silver, but with a price. England, France, and Holland all desired a portion of this wealth and each established Caribbean bases and used privateers--private sailors fighting for profit--to protect their interests and steal Spanish treasure. The line between privateering and piracy became blurred. We'll examine this Golden Age of Piracy and the true stories of the infamous pirates, how they operated, and their successes and failures in this dark and deadly profession. 8-10pm -- Return of the Pirates - A new war rages off the world's coastlines. Piracy is making a comeback. Intelligence indicates that pirates and terrorists are merging tactics. Over 90% of international trade travels by water and pirates have long known what Sir Walter Raleigh once said: "Whosoever commands the sea commands the trade; whoever commands the trade of the world commands the riches of the world, and consequently the world itself." Nations and corporations are racing to protect themselves and their goods. So far the pirates are ahead, but new international response units and mercenary ships are combating the attacks. The US Coast Guard trains navies worldwide in anti-piracy measures, but corrupt law enforcement officials mar advances in their effectiveness. Though Captain Kidd and Blackbeard have disappeared into Davy Jones's Locker, piracy is a growing threat to the world's economy and security. Today's pirate is organized, political, and will command world attention once again. 10-11pm -- The Revolution - 07 - Treason & Betrayal. In a 13-part series, we explore the drama surrounding the founding of the United States. In this hour, heroic General Benedict Arnold turns his back on his cause and country in an act of pride, sealing forever his legacy as a traitor. George Washington takes his war to the frontier, burning the Iroquois Indians out of New York State and leaving a wake of destruction and devastation. ____________________________________________________ Monday, July 17, 2006 ____________________________________________________ 7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Sub Zero. Come in from the cold while we explore some of Earth's most frigid places and examine how man copes with sub-zero climates. With the advance of technology, our boundaries have expanded--from the North and South Poles, to the depths beneath the Arctic and Antarctic sea ice, to the Moon, Mars, and outward to Saturn. Enter these forbidding territories, guided by a special breed of experts as we inspect the new US South Pole Station, try on the latest Polartec fashions with anti-microbial fibers, ride on the newest snowmobiles and Sno-Cats, sail through glacial waters on ice-breaking ships, and fly on an LC-130 transport plane. And we'll see what NASA has on the planning board for deep-space exploration, including a beach-ball robot explorer, and learn from scientists studying fish in the waters off Antarctica to understand glycoproteins, which may keep frozen tissue healthy longer for transplantation. 8-9pm -- UFO Files - An Alien History of Planet Earth. Nick Cook enters a world of bluff and double bluff. In Washington, he meets Melvin Goodman, a former senior analyst of the Soviet Desk at the CIA, who reveals startling testimony about how the CIA manipulated the UFO story to gain the upper hand in the Cold War. Goodman reveals that the CIA encouraged the spread of UFO stories in the media as a perfect "smoke screen" behind which the military could develop and test secret craft. Following up this lead in Russia, Cook meets Igor Sinitsin, a former KGB operative and personal aide to Yuri Andropov. There he discovers that the CIA's disinformation campaign succeeded beyond its wildest dreams. Cook concludes there is a strong case to be made that secret military technology offers a convincing explanation for many UFO stories. But there are some cases Cook admits he can't explain away, including the extraordinary rash of cattle mutilation reports and alien abductions that swept across America in the `80s and `90s. 9-10pm -- Lost Worlds - Atlantis. Field investigators using the latest research, expert analysis, and cutting-edge technology take us back to ancient Greece, to a peaceful island that exploded with devastating force. But, at the dawn of the 20th Century, the remains of a palace were discovered on the island of Crete, preserved beneath volcanic ash. Could the ruins be home to the ancient civilization of Atlantis? Our investigators find that a Cretan palace and a town on Santorini are linked by unique engineering of their buildings. Rebuilding towns, temples, and the palace of Atlantis as described by Plato, we reveal the majesty and mystery of this lost world. The builders of the original palace achieved a level of engineering excellence not matched for centuries. With its massive scale, complex water-management systems, and sparkling gypsum walls, the engineering of this extraordinary palace connects it to Plato's descriptions of Atlantis. 10-11pm -- Digging for the Truth - Troy: Of Gods and Warriors. The Iliad is one of the most famous literary works of the Western world. It's an epic tale of Greek gods, earthly soldiers, and a decade-long fight over the most beautiful woman in the world. Could The Iliad actually be based on fact? Could the Trojan War really have happened? Josh Bernstein travels to Greece and Turkey in search of ancient Troy. Along the way, he'll learn what it took to live and fight on the coasts of the Aegean in the late Bronze Age. He'll test the tools of the Trojan warriors, and he'll uncover a city in northern Turkey that just might prove The Iliad was far more than a simple work of fiction. ____________________________________________________ Tuesday, July 18, 2006 ____________________________________________________ 7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Proving Grounds. Where can you fire a missile without scaring the neighbors? Or lift millions of pounds in pursuit of a couple of ounces of gold? On a proving ground, of course, where performance is the only thing that matters. Because in the heat of battle or head-to-head competition, no excuses can be given. We'll visit the US military's Cold Regions Testing Center in Alaska and desert proving grounds in Arizona, the Olympic Complex in Colorado, and the now-defunct Packard proving grounds in Michigan. 8-9pm -- Mega Disasters - West Coast Tsunami. What would happen if a massive earthquake and tsunami were to strike the West Coast of the United States? Experts say it could easily match the catastrophic 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami in scale and might. A 700-mile stretch of coast, from northern California to southern British Columbia lies just off the extremely volatile Cascadia Subduction Zone. Many seismologists say that after more than 300 years of massive pressure build-up, it is likely to erupt in the not too distant future. And it has happened in the past. Geologists have discovered evidence of a massive tsunami that struck the Pacific Northwest in 1700--as powerful as the devastating Indian Ocean Tsunami of 2004. Hundreds of thousands of lives are at stake. We'll talk to emergency planners, seismologists, and other researchers who are trying to get a handle on when Cascadia will blow, and what--if anything--we can do to minimize the disaster. 9-10pm -- Mega Disasters - East Coast Tsunami. Hurricanes. Earthquakes. Floods. Blizzards. Frightening but all too familiar natural disasters. But what about a tsunami wave hitting the east coast of the United States? In this hour, we look at such an event that could be caused by a massive island landslide triggered by a volcano off the coast of Africa. We explore the awesome tsunami recorded by German colonists in New Guinea triggered by a volcanic explosion on Ritter Island in 1888. Leaping forward, we hear from leading scientists about the possibility of a potentially catastrophic collapse of the west-facing façade of a volcano located in the Canary Islands. Potentially 500 times the size of the collapse at Ritter Island, it could trigger a tsunami with initial waves over 900 meters high. A North American city on the eastern seaboard, such as Charleston, South Carolina, would have no more than nine hours to evacuate before waves as high as 40 feet inundated the city, leaving a huge wake of destruction and damage. 10-11pm -- Mega Movers - Strange Structures. Everyday Mega Movers are asked to relocate some very strange structures. In Mississippi a crew tackles century old 150 ton oak trees. These eight story tall trees with root extending 60 feet survived Hurricane Katrina. Now they must survive this Mega Move. In Maryland, a veteran Mega Mover will confront a 146-year-old Victorian house that is thought to be jinxed. For years, many have tried to move it, and all have failed after facing major issues with utility lines, clearances, property, and accessible routes. In this episode, Mega Movers prove that no matter how strange or eerie or haunted they will get the job done. ____________________________________________________ Wednesday, July 19, 2006 ____________________________________________________ 7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Nature's Engineers 2. Think man is unique within the animal kingdom? You might not after this hour that features an amazing collection of earth's non-human inhabitants that use tools, build intricate structures, create traps to capture prey, and perform complex procedures, including farming. From Egyptian vultures utilizing stones to crack open hard-shelled ostrich eggs to chimpanzees using a "tool kit" to extract termites from their nests, we learn that our ability to create tools is not exclusive. Other mammals create subterranean structures, including those prodigious diggers Prairie Dogs, and many animals and insects make devices to augment hunting, such as the Ogre-faced Spider that spins a small web to throw down on unsuspecting passersby. And we're not the only ones to work as a unified, multi-skilled force. Aphid-Raising Ants protect and care for herds of plant juice-sucking aphids that they "milk". 8-10pm -- Alaska: Dangerous Territory - For generations, Alaska has exerted a powerful pull as the place to head for a job like no other; work that promises the adventure of a lifetime, the chance to strike it rich, and the very real prospect of never making it back alive. Plying their trades on America's last frontier, soldiers, Coast Guard crewmen, bush pilots, and truckers all work for the same boss from hell: a dangerous territory full of the most inhospitable weather and extreme terrain on earth. Even today, Alaska boasts four of the country's top 10 most dangerous jobs. We'll feature dramatic stories of four killer jobs from the last 150 years of Alaskan history and experience what it takes to survive and thrive in this intense and harsh climate by riding along with today's workers and hearing from old-timers who forged the way. And we'll weave in the traditions, technology, and tools that can mean the difference between life and death in Alaska's killer jobs. 10-12am -- Alaska: Big America - Alaska--a land of extremes. Its size is staggering--nearly 600,000 square miles, or more than twice the size of Texas. Its vast distances, extreme weather, imposing landscape--all helped shape its history and the lives of those who come under its spell. Our 2-hour special heads to far-flung corners of the 49th State to hear compelling stories of life in the bush--from Russian expeditions in the 1700s to building of the Alcan Highway to the WWII Battle for the Aleutian Islands and 1959 statehood. ____________________________________________________ Thursday, July 20, 2006 ____________________________________________________ 7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Icebreakers. They are the toughest ships in the water, plowing headlong into one of nature's hardest obstacles. Modern icebreakers can smash through 10-foot thick ice sheets without stopping, allowing scientists and commercial shipping access to some of Earth's most inhospitable spots. Join our blustery journey as we patrol the Great Lakes on the USCG Cutter Mackinaw and traverse the infamous Northwest Passage on the maiden voyage of the USCG Healy, the newest Polar Class Icebreaker in the US Fleet. 8-9pm -- Ancient Marvels - Ancient Discoveries: Galen, Doctor to the Gladiators. In this fascinating mini-series, we examine ancient inventions once believed to have been created in modern times, and test the wits of ancient inventors against some of the world's great modern inventors. Part 2 uncovers the revolutionary work of Galen, the great Roman doctor to the gladiators, who was performing brain surgery 2,000 years ahead of his time. We also explore the sophistication of Roman medicine and compare it to modern techniques. 9-10pm -- Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway - It stretches 2,500 miles from Boston to Miami. The Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway is comprised of a system of canals, land cuts, and a series of natural and artificial barrier islands, which provide a protected passage for low-draft vessels wishing to avoid the tumultuous currents of the Atlantic Ocean. The AICW was conceived in the late 18th century, before there was a system of roads in America. A time when the numerous rivers, bays, and sounds along the eastern seaboard were the roads and the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway was envisioned to be America's first superhighway. Much like Route 66, the AICW represents a bygone era. A time when the transport industry was in its infancy, and life moved at a slower pace. It's a safe bet that the ships that sail its waters today value it for that very reason. 10-11pm -- American Eats - Soda. Did you know that...Coca-Cola is the second most universally recognized word on the planet after "OK"? Each year, Americans drink enough carbonated beverages to fill more than 100,000 Olympic-sized pools? One modern soft-drink maker sells turkey-and-gravy-flavored soda at Thanksgiving? Sugar, water, carbon dioxide--these simple ingredients are the foundation for a $25-billion a year industry. Modern, state-of-the-art bottling plants supply Americans with 15-billion gallons of soda every year, in every variety of flavor, no calorie or low-calorie, caffeinated or caffeine-free, in a 12-ounce can or half-gallon bottle, all packaged and sold with some of the best marketing strategies ever developed. Inspired by miracle mineral waters, advanced by small town pharmacists, the story of soft drinks is the story of American ingenuity and competition, along with an insatiable thirst for profits. We'll take a bubbling dip into bygone days and a look at the future of fizz. ____________________________________________________ Friday, July 21, 2006 ____________________________________________________ 7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Silver Mines. It was called the "mother lode", a deposit of silver so massive that it would produce $300-million in its first 25 years of operation, establish Nevada as a state, and bankroll the Union Army in the Civil War. Named after an early investor, we'll see how the Comstock Lode, discovered near Virginia City, proved to be a scientific laboratory from which vast improvements in mining technology and safety were pioneered, including innovations in drilling, ventilation, drainage, and ore processing. 8-10pm -- 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. 10-11pm -- 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. ____________________________________________________ Saturday, July 22, 2006 ____________________________________________________ 7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - The Butcher. In a carnivorous world, a butcher is a necessary link in the food chain, carving a carcass of unsavory flesh into mouthwatering cuts. We trace the grisly trade's evolution--from yesteryear's butcher-on-every-corner to today's industrial butcher working on a "disassembly" line. We tour the infamous remains of the Chicago Stockyards, where Upton Sinclair, Clarence Birdseye, and refrigeration changed butchering forever; witness high-speed butchering; and travel to a non-stop sausage factory. And if you're still squeamish, a USDA inspector offers the lowdown on HACCP--the country's new system of checks and balances on everything from quality grading to E. coli, Salmonella, and Mad Cow Disease. Finally, we visit the last bastion of old-school butchering--the rural custom butcher, who slaughters, eviscerates, skins, and cuts to his customer's wishes. 8-10pm -- How William Shatner Changed the World - You've got a cell phone at one ear, an iPod at the other. You know that Blackberry is now a verb and Spam is not only canned meat. But just how did we get here? Blame William Shatner--yes, that William Shatner--Captain Kirk. We'll boldly go where few have gone before to reveal how scientists, inspired by the series, would revolutionize medicine and are surpassing the far-out vision of the future foreshadowed in Star Trek in the 1960s. From cell phones to computers to even leading-edge medical advancements, this 2-hour special explores how those sci-fi inventions have now permeated everyday life as we know it. Hosted and narrated by Shatner and based on his book, I'm Working on That, we'll meet the brightest minds of Silicon Valley and the Trek-inspired inventions that have help change the world. 10-12am -- Decoding The Past - Godfathers. A 2-hour panoramic and global overview of the phenomenon known as Cosa Nostra--from the mass immigration of Italians to the US at the end of the 19th century up to the arrests in 2000 on the New York Stock Exchange, where the Mafia was laundering money. What becomes evident in a chain of stories depicting the most renowned "godfathers" is their uncanny ability to act as political representatives of an illegal state within the legal state and to exploit major cycles and crises throughout history. ____________________________________________________ Sunday, July 23, 2006 ____________________________________________________ 7-8pm -- Mega Disasters - East Coast Tsunami. Hurricanes. Earthquakes. Floods. Blizzards. Frightening but all too familiar natural disasters. But what about a tsunami wave hitting the east coast of the United States? In this hour, we look at such an event that could be caused by a massive island landslide triggered by a volcano off the coast of Africa. We explore the awesome tsunami recorded by German colonists in New Guinea triggered by a volcanic explosion on Ritter Island in 1888. Leaping forward, we hear from leading scientists about the possibility of a potentially catastrophic collapse of the west-facing façade of a volcano located in the Canary Islands. Potentially 500 times the size of the collapse at Ritter Island, it could trigger a tsunami with initial waves over 900 meters high. A North American city on the eastern seaboard, such as Charleston, South Carolina, would have no more than nine hours to evacuate before waves as high as 40 feet inundated the city, leaving a huge wake of destruction and damage. 8-10pm -- Meteors: Fire in the Sky - Meteors, comets, and asteroids cross the solar system to offer clues about our planet and universe. Can they destroy civilizations? Did they wipe out the dinosaurs? Have they brought life to our planet? And when will the next one hit? Aided by elaborate animation and live-action footage, we learn what these mysterious space rocks really are and imagine what likely happened 65-million years ago, when an object plowed into the Yucatan Peninsula. We see how certain spectacular meteor falls advanced our understanding of what they are and the danger that they pose. We talk to leading experts--astronomers and geologists including David Levy and Carolyn Shoemaker, co-discoverers of the Shoemaker-Levy comet that fell into Jupiter in 1994. And we talk to NASA scientists about recent missions to asteroids and comets and speculate on ways to move Earth-threatening asteroids and comets out of our way. Because it isn't a question of if but when the next deadly impact will take place. 10-11pm -- The Revolution - 08 - The War Heads South. Failing to defeat the tenacious George Washington, the British change course, turning their attention southward. In a last ditch effort to quell the rebellion, they surround and lay siege to Charleston, South Carolina, the third largest city in the colonies. General Benjamin Lincoln, commander of the southern wing of the Continental Army, sinks his heels in and braces for the attack but his outnumbered force will fall. ____________________________________________________ Monday, July 24, 2006 ____________________________________________________ 7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Diamond Mines. Half a mile below the earth's surface, men mine for rough diamonds--a pure carbon substance. Brilliant when cut and polished, they are marketed as the most precious gem in the world. From the earliest mines of the 4th century BC to today's technological wonders in South Africa, we explore the history and technology of the diamond mine. 8-9pm -- UFO Files - Real UFO's. Ever since the military started using sophisticated airplanes, they have sought ways to build an aircraft that can fly undetected, maneuver like a helicopter and fly like a jet. The Nazis were the first to pursue the idea of building a disc-shaped aircraft. After the war, the Americans, Canadians and Russians all were able to build aircraft similar to the German prototype, perhaps based on the concepts smuggled out by German engineers. This episode looks at top secret flying saucer designs of the Air Force, with specific dates, times and locales of flights that may point to the real explanation behind the many UFO sightings beginning in 1947, and why the saucer design was abandoned for stealth technology. 9-10pm -- Lost Worlds - Ramses' Egyptian Empire 1300 BC. The mighty Egyptian civilization is in its golden age. Its ruler is Ramses II, a man who intends to be the greatest of the Pharaohs. He will make his mark by building: vast statues; towering obelisks; temples carved from the living rock. Ramses is a giant of a man, dominating his kingdom for 67 years, pushing it on to ever greater glory. The ruins of what he built still stand, and with the aid of new research and cutting edge graphics technology, the true scale of his ambition can now be fully revealed. We reconstruct the grand hypostyle hall at Karnak; explore the technical innovation and engineering skill that produced the temple at Abu Simbel; we rebuild the Ramesseum as he would have seen it, and uncover how the extraordinary tomb that Ramses built for himself would have looked when his body was finally laid there. 10-11pm -- Digging for the Truth - Cleopatra: The Last Pharaoh. She ruled over men, bedding the likes of Julius Caesar and Marc Anthony, and led one of the world's greatest civilizations. Her name has been immortalized in myth and legend. So, how did Cleopatra become the last of the pharaohs? In the shadow of the pyramids, Josh Bernstein joins Zahi Hawass on a hunt for mummies from the time of Cleopatra. He'll come face to face with Cleopatra's killer, the Egyptian cobra, and sail down the Nile River searching for clues to her true history. In Alexandria, Josh will descend into the cisterns below the modern city to look for evidence of Cleopatra's reign. Finally he'll dive into the harbor of Alexandria, where a beautiful palace lies--possibly the last vestige of Cleopatra's legendary wealth--the only testament to a woman who was perhaps the wisest and most cunning of all of Egypt's pharaohs. ____________________________________________________ Tuesday, July 25, 2006 ____________________________________________________ 7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - The Lumberyard. At the center of the American Dream is the home--and at the center of its creation or renovation is the lumberyard. We'll explore the options lumberyards provide for builders and renovators--from natural to engineered woods. We'll show how plywood and pressed woods are made, trace exotic woods to jungle and desert, visit a special lumberyard that deals in recycled and antique woods, and go on an underwater expedition as divers locate ancient logs buried in the Great Lakes and New Zealand. We'll see how 50,000-year-old ancient Kauri wood is "mined" from a bog and is now all the rage among those who live in mansions and travel on yachts. From the lowly 2-by-4 used to build a tract home, to a reclaimed set of historic planks used to make a million-dollar bar in a 5-star hotel, this eye-opening program hits the nail right on the head. 8-9pm -- Decoding The Past - Heaven and Hell. From the beginning of recorded history, people from all over the world have believed in an afterlife. In Christianity, the powerful images of heaven and hell--fire and brimstone, harps and halos--have shaped Western thought for thousands of years. What does the Bible tell us about everlasting punishment and eternal life? Join us on a biblical journey as we explore the origins of Heaven and Hell and the symbols that represent them. 9-10pm -- Mega Disasters - San Francisco Earthquake: Part 1 At the dawn of the 20th century, San Francisco was the place to be; a hub of trade and travel, business and banking. Located just to the east of the San Andreas Fault, the bay area is interlaced with eight major earthquake-producing faults. We examine the cataclysmic earthquake that struck on April 18, 1906--it jolted the city for 50 seconds, the earth split for 270 miles, and a resulting firestorm raged for three days. Amazing photographs document the city's destruction and efforts to rebuild. Part 1 of 2. 10-11pm -- Mega Movers - Oil Machines. Oil is the lifeblood of the world's economy, and it's up to the Mega Movers to make sure that this flow is uninterrupted. Off the coast of Singapore, one of the largest and most unusual ships ever built will transport an entire 22,000-ton oil rig to the Gulf of Mexico. Making the 14,000-mile trek across two oceans will test the skills of both man and machine. And in Alaska, the pressure is on to move an 80-by-60-foot pump station on the Trans-Alaskan pipeline. But an approaching winter storm threatens to stop this move cold. Will these vital oil industry components successfully reach their destinations? ____________________________________________________ Wednesday, July 26, 2006 ____________________________________________________ 7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Deadliest Weapons. In this fiery hour, we profile five of man's deadliest weapons, focusing on the inventors, battles, and dark technology behind their lethality. We begin with the deadliest bomb ever created, the Tsar Bomba--a 50-megaton nuclear bomb with a yield thousands of times greater than the one dropped on Hiroshima. During WWI, technological advances in weaponry led to the deaths of over 8-million, and one of the deadliest killers was the machine gun. In WWII, the use of incendiary bombs killed hundreds of thousands of people. Another deadly invention of WWII was the proximity fuse, or VT fuse, that allowed artillery to detonate within a predetermined range of an enemy target. Finally, we examine VX nerve gas, thought by many to be the deadliest chemical agent ever created and suspected to have been used by Saddam Hussein with devastating results. We'll visit Edgewood Chemical BioCenter, which plays a large role in protection and detection for our troops in Iraq. 8-10pm -- Modern Marvels - Boneyard: Where Machines End Their Lives. Where do machines go when they die? From B-52 Bombers to massive aircraft carriers, from passenger cars to Cold War cruise missiles and remnants of the Twin Towers, all that we manufacture has a lifespan. But reaching the end of their original purposes can be just the beginning. Join us on a fascinating visual journey as we follow some of our greatest achievements in manufacturing, design engineering, and construction to their after-lives and final resting places. 10-11pm -- Modern Marvels - World's Biggest Machines 5. Join us for another look at big machines. At NASA's Ames Research Center, we visit the world's biggest wind tunnel, part of the National Full-Scale Aerodynamics Complex, and one of the biggest and most complex flight simulators, NASA's Vertical Motion Simulator, or VMS. At the Joy Mining Machinery plant in Franklin, Pennsylvania, giant machine tools form, cut, and measure the enormous individual parts that make up a Continuous Miner, the biggest underground mining machine in the world. But big machines aren't limited to science and commerce. Ride with us on the biggest observation wheel in the world, the London Eye, which stands 443 feet high and provides a 360 degree unobstructed view of London. And we take a look at IMAX technology. The film, cameras, projectors, and theater screens are the largest in the world. Finally, we take a ride on every lawn tender's dream machine--the Claas Cougar, the world's biggest lawnmower. ____________________________________________________ Thursday, July 27, 2006 ____________________________________________________ 7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - B-2 Bomber. In any battle, the key to victory is the ability to strike the enemy without them knowing what hit them. Within the US arsenal one such weapon can go into harm's way, deliver 40,000 pounds of either conventional or nuclear bombs, and slip away unobserved--the B-2 Stealth Bomber. With its origins in single-wing experimentation in Germany in the 1930s, the B-2 was developed under a cloak of secrecy. But when that cloak was lifted, the world was awed by what stood before them. Able to fly over 6,000 miles without refueling, it can reach whatever target the US military wants to attack and deliver its awesome array of laser-guided weapons with pinpoint accuracy. Using state-of-the-art technology, including over 130 onboard computers, and shrouded by a mantle of stealth, it's undetectable by any radar. 8-9pm -- Modern Marvels - The World's Biggest Machines. Join us for a look at the biggest, heaviest, tallest, longest, meanest machines on the planet! We'll see what these monsters do and how they operate, and how they're designed and assembled. Machines investigated include the largest draglines, excavators used in mining; the biggest dump truck; a front-end loader with an 80-ton bucket and the largest tires of any vehicle; the cruise ship, the Voyager of the Seas; a 240-foot tall wind generator; and a fusion reaction machine the size of a football field. 9-10pm -- Decoding The Past - Secrets of the Dollar Bill. What do the symbols and numbers on the dollar bill actually mean? We'll take a look at the shadier and more intriguing threads of meaning and symbolism at play in the bill's design. Extraordinary strands of numerology are interwoven into the bill's structure, which, on analysis, suggest surprising hidden alignments. Why does it look the way it does and how has it changed through the ages? We'll analyze the significance of changes in the bill's appearance over time and examine alternative designs. We'll also look at the historical context of the bill's conception--what the dollar bill set out to represent--the patriotism and idealism of a young republic; and go inside the Treasury's Department of Printing and Engraving for exclusive access to the presses and the people who process the millions upon millions of dollars in circulation. 10-11pm -- American Eats - Ice Cream. Few treats (frozen or not) are as popular or American. Immigrants arriving at Ellis Island were once served ice cream as part of their first meal. Due to seasonal limitations and problems obtaining ice, it didn't catch on until late in the 18th century in New York and was limited to the wealthy; but Italian street vendors serving Penny Licks (it cost a penny and people licked the bowl clean) helped it become a national obsession. Then at the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair, a man selling waffles beside an ice cream vendor put a scoop of ice cream in a rolled-up waffle when his neighbor ran out of dishes--the totable treat caught on and is still a favorite way to enjoy the frozen confection. But whether in a sundae, ice cream sandwich, banana split, parfait, or baked Alaska, ice cream is a dessert we can't desert. We eat 2-billion gallons a year, or 21.5 quarts on average per person! ____________________________________________________ Friday, July 28, 2006 ____________________________________________________ 7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Machine Guns. A machine gun puts the power of 20 men into the hands of one. We review the history of the machine gun from the first Gatlings in the Civil War to today's high-speed automatic rifles. 8-9pm -- Modern Marvels - Super Tools: Skyscraper. Skyscrapers are an extraordinary feat of human engineering: exposing millions of pounds of concrete and steel to the enemy forces of wind and gravity. Starting with the foundation and on through the support structures and concrete flooring, every piece of these superstructures has to be super-strong. We'll soar high to spotlight the construction of three new buildings: a 30-story hotel tower for the Palms Casino in Las Vegas; a 52-story office building in Manhattan, the new headquarters of The New York Times; and a 92-story residential and commercial building in Chicago, the Trump International Hotel and Tower. Along the way, we go behind the scenes with the five tools that make these buildings possible: the foundation drill rig, the tower crane, the impact wrench, the power trowel, and the total station. Each of these tools has evolved over the 100-plus year history of the skyscraper era. 9-10pm -- History Alive - Cocaine. Derived from South America's coca leaf, cocaine was touted as a cure-all in the late 19th century and was the secret ingredient in many medicines and elixirs such as Coca-Cola. But cocaine's allure quickly diminished as racism entered the picture--the concept of the "cocaine-crazed Negro" even led police to strengthen the caliber of their guns from .32 to .38. We'll see how, though it was outlawed in 1914, its popularity soared in the 1980s and '90s and gave birth to a deadlier form--crack. 10-11pm -- History Alive - Marijuana. In a series investigating the history of drug use, we begin our trip tracing the rise of marijuana and synthetic amphetamines. Marijuana, from the Indian hemp plant, has been used worldwide as a source of rope, cloth, and paper; its medicinal qualities were first documented 4,000 years ago in China. But it's best known as the drug of choice of the 1960s. During WWII, US troops were given an estimated 200 million amphetamines to fight drowsiness and battle fatigue, and they're still used to fight depression. ____________________________________________________ Saturday, July 29, 2006 ____________________________________________________ 7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - '80's Tech. Remember "brick" cell phones, Pac-Man, Rubik's Cube, Sony Walkman, and the first music CDs? Remember all the new and exciting gadgets of the 1980s? Join us as we investigate the transition from Industrial to Information Age--a digital decade dedicated to ergonomics and entertainment. The microchip ushered in an era that revolutionized the way we work, play, and communicate. And we tour Silicon Valley--birthplace of some of the greatest inventions from an amazing time of change, including the modern personal computer. Steve "Woz" Wozniak tells us about the evolution of Apple computers, and we talk to Sony--makers of the Walkman, Betamax, and the first CD players. A visit to the Computer History Museum shows fun technological "artifacts", primitive by today's standards. At Intel, makers of the first microchips, we learn why technology moves at such a fast pace. We also take a ride in a DeLorean DMC-12 sports car--few things moved faster. 8-10pm -- Nostradamus: 500 Years Later - The life story of Nostradamus unfolds in medieval Europe at the time of the Great Plague and the Inquisition. He lived in an age of superstition and magic and believed that he could foretell the future. For this he was labeled both a prophet and a heretic, and his cryptic journals continue to inspire controversy just as they did in the 16th century. In this 2-hour examination of his life, we visit his birthplace in France and trace his career as doctor, astrologer, father, and seer. 10-11pm -- Behind The Da Vinci Code - Before Dan Brown's book The Da Vinci Code, there was Holy Blood, Holy Grail, written by Michael Baigent, Richard Leigh, and Henry Lincoln, that is known for its revelation of the possibility of a sacred bloodline continued by Jesus and Mary Magdalene. It was their research on which Brown based much of his novel. Now, 30-some years since they wrote their last follow-ups, Henry Lincoln continues to investigate the source of the story. In this special, the man who launched the whole story breaks his silence, allowing viewers to unlock his secrets and addressing critics who say the whole thing is a hoax. We also explore the connection to the Knights Templar. ____________________________________________________ Sunday, July 30, 2006 ____________________________________________________ 7-8pm -- Mega Disasters - San Francisco Earthquake: Part 1 At the dawn of the 20th century, San Francisco was the place to be; a hub of trade and travel, business and banking. Located just to the east of the San Andreas Fault, the bay area is interlaced with eight major earthquake-producing faults. We examine the cataclysmic earthquake that struck on April 18, 1906--it jolted the city for 50 seconds, the earth split for 270 miles, and a resulting firestorm raged for three days. Amazing photographs document the city's destruction and efforts to rebuild. Part 1 of 2. 8-9pm -- The Antichrist - Part 1. How would you recognize the most evil person on Earth? According to many historical texts, you should look for a brilliant, enigmatic public figure who transforms the world for good--for a while. Basically, the last person you'd tap as Satan's human emissary. While many believe the Antichrist has come and gone, just as many believe he will soon arrive, if he's not already in our midst. Join us for harrowing look at an evil so obscure that he answers only to Satan. Real? Our group of prophecy believers and historical experts help sort it out. We follow the emergence of the Antichrist from pre-Judaic texts, through the Book of Daniel and Revelation, into Christian writings of the Middle Ages, and other religious traditions as well. Aided by interviewees both religious and secular, comprised of eminent clergy, scholars, historians, psychologists, and culture makers, we'll examine the evil enigma from every conceivable angle. It's an Omen 9-10pm -- The Antichrist - Zero Hour From popes and presidents to dictators, Antichrists have been identified in all periods of recorded history and in all walks of life. Even nations, movements, and technologies have been thought by some to be the agents of the Antichrist. Throughout history, people have seen their own times as the most morally bankrupt and have recognized signs of the coming of the Apocalypse. If the end is near, what will it be like? What is the Antichrist's agenda? How does he intend to take over the world and wreak destruction? Is this escapist fantasy or inescapable fate? 10-11pm -- The Revolution - 09 - A Hornet's Nest After the fall of Charleston, the Revolutionary War explodes into the Carolina backcountry, touching off a brutal civil war, and Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton's dragoons spread terror throughout the region. The Americans, under General Horatio Gates, suffer a humiliating defeat at Camden forcing Congress to send Nathanael Greene to lead the southern forces. In an unconventional strategy, Greene and General Daniel Morgan split the army between them, leading British General Cornwallis on a harrowing chase, which culminates in the Battle of Guildford Courthouse. ____________________________________________________ Monday, July 31, 2006 ____________________________________________________ 7-8pm -- Modern Marvels - Glue. It's Super! It's Krazy! And it can be found in everything from carpet to computers, books to boats, shoes to the Space Shuttle. It's even used in surgery! Without it, our material world would simply fall apart. In this episode, we'll visit the stuck-up, tacky world of glue. Glue's sticky trajectory spans human history and we'll cover it all--from Neolithic cave dwellers who used animal glue to decorate ceremonial skulls to modern everyday glues and their uses, including Elmer's glue, 3M's masking and Scotch tape, and the super glues. Remember the Krazy Glue commercial in which a man held himself suspended from a hard hat that had just been glued to a beam? Well, that 1970s vintage ad understates the power of glue. With the help of a crane, we're going to hoist a 6,000-pound pickup truck off the ground by a steel joint that's been bonded with glue! 8-9pm -- UFO Files - Beyond The War of the Worlds. In print worldwide for over a century, The War of the Worlds is H.G. Wells at his best. Beginning with its literary origins, we trace the path of this amazing story from riveting magazine serial through the panic broadcast of 1938, and then to major motion pictures. We uncover the long-forgotten 1968 broadcast that again drove thousands into the streets of Buffalo, New York; and gain exclusive access to a new animated feature film. Loaded with state-of-the-art special effects and stunning reenactments, we revisit not only the famous but the obscure, including the radio broadcast in Ecuador that cost 20 people their lives. Filled with vintage film clips and previously unseen interpretations of the Martians, this is one you won't want to miss! 9-10pm -- Lost Worlds - Athens-Ancient Supercity In the 5th century BC, one man leads his city to greatness and paves the way for western civilization. The city is Athens and Pericles is not a king or prince, but an elected man. He will mastermind the most costly and ambitious construction campaign undertaken in the western world--creating a model city of temples, houses, market places, civic buildings, and a highly innovative sanitation system. But Pericles' decision to raid the Greek treasury and take the money set aside to defend all the city states will lead to the downfall of Athens and Pericles himself. It took 30 years to build, but it was brought down in one generation by war and disease. Now, 2,500 years later we restore Athens to its former glory--the first senate house, the terrifying power of the Greek navy, and one of the world's most advanced water systems. We also reveal the magnificence of the Parthenon--a building often hailed as the most perfect building ever completed. 10-11pm -- Digging for the Truth - The Real Sin City: Sodom & Gomorrah. According to the Bible, the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed by God to punish them for their wicked ways. Was this just a biblical parable, or is there evidence that such a thing actually happened? Josh Bernstein travels to the Near East to follow the clues laid out in the Bible. His search takes him to modern-day Jordan, where, nestled near the Dead Sea, two sister cities reveal archaeological evidence of a great destruction. What happened here and when? Josh will climb Mount Sodom to inspect a strange "Pillar of Salt"--just like the one the Bible claims Lot's wife became--and works with a pyrotechnic expert to reconstruct a natural-gas explosion that could have resulted in the destruction of Gomorrah. Could these be the fabled cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, and if so, can the tools of modern-day archaeology reconstruct what happened in those fateful days before these cities were laid to waste?
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* 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 2002.
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