Add
Private Notes
Alcatraz was the countrys first maximum security penitentiary designed for troublemakers both high risk and high-profile. Infamous gangsters and cons like Al Capone, Machine Gun Kelly and "The Birdman" Robert Stroud; and many other criminals who were no less dangerous. Over 29 years, these desperate inmates challenged the prison again and again. The Rock was tough, but the inmates were convinced they were tougher. Go behind the legend and discover the strengths and weaknesses of Alcatraz, on Building the Rock.
This film follows the Nation's top ranked Drifters on and off the track. It shows the journey of a Drift enthusiast building his car and learning from his mentors, Samuel Hubinette and Ken Gushi.
This astounding documentary explores the phenomenon of the pyramids - the architectural skills required to build them and their spiritual and cultural significance recreating the former glory of the pyramids in Egypt, China, South and North America
NASA made history with the first live HDTV broadcasts from space, in cooperation with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Discovery HD Theater and Japanese broadcast network NHK.The broadcasts featured Expedition 14 Commander Michael Lopez-Alegria on the International Space Station, with Flight Engineer Thomas Reiter serving as camera operator aboard the 220-mile-high laboratory.
"HDTV provides up to six times the resolution of regular analog video," said Rodney Grubbs, NASA principal investigator. "On previous missions, we've flown HDTV cameras but had to wait until after the mission to retrieve the tapes, watch the video and share it with the science and engineering community, the media and the public. For the first time ever, this test lets us stream live HDTV from space so the public can experience what its like to be there."
Known as the Space Video Gateway, the system transmits high bandwidth digital television signals to the ground that are not only spectacular, but also valuable to scientists, engineers and managers.
Journey back to the 15th and 16th centuries and see how the Incas, without force, grew so powerful and so far in just 50 years. Explore the emperor's winter retreat high in the Andes called Machu Picchu and with the aid of computer imaging, see how the wonderous city might have been in its prime. The culture and various technologies used by the Inca's are also presented, demonstrating why the ancient civilization was so successful.
Australian sculptor Andrew Rogers specializes in constructing geoglyphs, huge sculptures that can cover hundreds of meters of ground, made of rocks and other natural materials.
Jia Yu Guan, in the Gobi Desert, is the site for three monumental geoglyphs near the western gate of the Great Wall. The three earth artworks will include Andrew's signature piece, The Rhythms of Life with a span of 200meters x 200 meters.
Debating whether time is experienced from within the body or from the outside.
The story of a massive project that was
initiated by Hitler to defeat the Allies.
If successful, it could possibly have changed
the course of history.
Between 1405 and 1433, with approximately 300 ships and 28,000 crewman, China`s Zheng traveled to Southeast Asia, the Persian Gulf, and Africa. Who was this extraordinary man who led seven voyages around the world eight decades before Columbus discover the New World.
M.C. Escher is among the most intriguing of artists. In 1956 he challenged the laws of perspective with his graphic Print Gallery, and found himself trapped by an impossible barrier. His uncompleted master-piece quickly became the most puzzling enigma of modern art, for both artists and scientists. Half a century later, mathematician Hendrik Lenstra took everyone by surprise by drawing a fantastic bridge between the intuition of the artist and his own, and completed Escher's work mathematically. This story was made accessible to all audience and most magically presented in this 52-minute film awarded for best visual effects at the 3rd Bangkok Science Film Festival in 2007.
'Birth of a Racer' is the true story of one man and his team of maverick engineers from around the world in their quest to build a motorcycle unlike any other in existence. Michael Czysz is a maverick with a dream. But Michael's dream has to become reality before he either runs out of money or kills himself riding the bike on the test track.
February 5th 1958, a U.S. Air Force B-47 jet bomber collided with a fighter craft during a military exercise. Badly damaged, the crew asked permission to jettison its thermonuclear device (H-bomb) to avoid a possible explosion while trying to land at the Army airport near Savannah, Georgia. The bomb was dropped into the Atlantic Ocean near the border between Georgia and South Carolina. Despite initially telling the public that only "parts of a nuclear bomb" were lost in the accident, the U.S. Government searched in vain for what was a potentially fully operational atomic weapon save for a "nuclear capsule" which was not present in the device when it was lost. Nevertheless, the ocean's elements could corrode and eventually open up the bomb, releasing the refined radioactive uranium that remains inside. This documentary shows efforts lately made to find and recover the weapon.
How do you crack psychopaths and pathological liars in cases where no forensics tie the criminal to the crime? The stakes are always very high in a criminal interrogation, get it wrong and a killer can go on killing or an innocent person goes to jail. It’s the ultimate cat and mouse game. What is the science of interrogation? What are the key elements in its arsenal? How have they led to the conviction of the toughest criminals or cleared the innocent? This is the story of the science and techniques of interrogation and how they have been applied in real-life cases, using actual police footage as illustrations. Learn of the exciting new frontiers in lie detection. Functional MRI can look inside the skull and reveal how people use different parts of the brain when they are lying. Is there any truth in the claims made about truth serums? Can thermal imaging of the face detect tell tale signs of lying? These are the pioneering technologies which all claim to expose the liar.
The Ruaha National Park in the south of Tanzania used to be a true paradise for wildlife gathered around the rich Ruaha river.
Today however, its sparkling waters are nothing more than a remote dream. Scorching heat and severe drought have dried up the riverbed, leaving animals wandering around, suffering from dehydration.
A life-or-death quest for water has begun and the bewildered animals have no choice but to follow the dry riverbed upstream hoping to find water.
Witness to this tragedy, a pride of hungry and thirsty lionesses and their cubs overlook the last pockets of water. Although it is dangerous for the young cubs to travel, the females have no choice but to follow the herds of herbivores in their migration.
Days go by as the leaden sun scorches the savanna and the winds blow away the few hopes of rain. Will the lionesses and the other animals find water in time to save themselves?
Egypt's pre-eminent archaeologist, Zahi Hawass, and his team select the ten most important discoveries in Egypt. From major battles, to mega-construction, these discoveries reveal the amazing stories of the lives of kings, queens and ordinary people.
Take a marvellous journey down the mighty Nile and back through time to uncover many of ancient Egypt's long-lost mysteries. It's all here – from pyramids and temples, to pharaohs and mummies – in this fascinating collection that explores one of the greatest cultures the world has ever known. Discover why for more than three thousand years, Egypt's wealth and magnificence were unrivalled.
An in-depth study of the last remaining flyable B-17s in existence today. Beautifully edited with current and historic footage of the B-17, the producers have captured the true meaning of why she was called 'The Queen of the Skies.'
Less than 50 feet from the tomb of King Tutankhamen, a team of world-renowned archaeologists has discovered one of the most significant finds in the Valley of the Kings of the past 80 years: a tomb of painted coffins that seem to date from the tumultuous era of King Tutankhamen himself. Why was this tomb of painted coffins hidden in a chamber of solid rock? Are there mummies in the coffins, and if so, can they shed light on the mystery of Tutankhamen's reign and why it was erased from the history of ancient Egypt? The answers to these questions may change the face of ancient Egyptian history forever.
In 1980, in East Talpiot, Jerusalem, a bulldozer accidentally uncovered what may be the most explosive archaeological discovery of all time.
Of the ten ossuaries, or stone coffins, found inside the first-century tomb, six bore inscriptions: Jesus, son of Joseph; Maria; Mariamene (the name by which Mary Magdalene was known), Joseph, Matthew, and Judah, son of Jesus. At first dismissed by archaeologists as coincidence, the ossuaries were deposited in the endless warehouses of the Israel Antiquities Association and forgotten.
Twenty-five years later, Emmy-winning journalist Simcha Jacobovici and his team, Felix Golubev, journalist and producer; Hollywood kingpin James Cameron; Paleo-biologist and best-selling author Charles Pellegrino; and renowned Biblical scholar James Tabor, took a fresh look at this astounding cluster of New Testament names.
Granted unparalleled access, but battling a host of problems, the team goes in search of the ossuaries…and the lost tomb…
An in-depth study of the last remaining flyable B-17s in existence today. Beautifully edited with current and historic footage of the B-17, the producers have captured the true meaning of why she was called 'The Queen of the Skies.'
Since the beginning of life on Earth, evolution has been dictated by Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection. And now, humanity is on the brink of a change so radical, so rapid and unlike any other stage in human history. And while most of us are waiting at the precipice, have some already taken the leap?
We all remember that fateful day, but few of us know what really happened when Flight 77 slammed into the Pentagon, forcing ordinary men and women into the most extraordinary circumstances of their lives. Through eyewitness accounts, "Attack on the Pentagon," a 2003 DVD from The Discovery Channel, tracks the 757 as it descended to within 3,000 feet of the White House, banked over the Potomac River, made a sharp turn and headed straight for the Pentagon, knocking down lamp poles and street signs as it flew. Nearly 200 people lost their lives that day, and hundreds more were injured. Yet amidst the shock and sorrow, the triumph of the human spirit shone through. Hear from a worker in the Army's Accounting Office, whose unplanned meeting on another floor took her away from her normal workspace - and saved her life. Meet Lt. Col. Marilyn Wills, who wrung precious drops of water from her sweater - drenched by the building's sprinklers - into the mouths of gasping victims as she crawled from the rubble. And follow the men and women of the Fairfax County Urban Search & Rescue team, who - when reports came in that a second aircraft was headed for the Pentagon - were torn between saving their own lives and continuing their search efforts. From the testimonies of survivors, rescuers and those who lost loved ones, discover the untold stories of heroism - and tragedy - behind the attack on the Pentagon.
Could radiation exposure be the principle cause of Gulf War illness? Or is it the Anthrax Vaccine? Discovery Channel's "Conspiracy Test, performs a laboratory test known as Spectral KaryoTyping (SKY) that may provide new insight.
Killer Squid, about the Humboldt squid, the most advanced of the mollusca, but which live only a year (until they breed) and actually go into cannibalistic feeding frenzies. The tentacles have 36000 teeth and the food is manipulated with a beak. But they can hunt in schools, and actually have social behavior not seen before in cephalapods. They have good problem solving ability, like octopuses. Over-fishing may have created the impression that they behave aggressively. This is as high as invertebrate evolution ever got.
After 40 years, man is preparing to return to the Moon. But this time the astronauts won’t just land on the Moon – they plan to stay.
From his office in Nevada, Dennis Hope has spawned a multi-million dollar business selling lunar real estate. But scientists believe the real prize is trapped in the Moon’s rocks.
It contains large deposits of an extremely rare gas called Helium-3. Could Helium-3 be mined and used as a new source of almost inexhaustible, clean and pollution-free energy on Earth?
Whoever succeeds in transporting Helium-3 back to Earth could solve the world’s energy crisis. Who will win what has been dubbed the second Moon race? And should we be exploiting the Moon’s valuable resources at all?
Search for the truth behind the story of Noah and his ark. Find out how Noah could have built such a structure and whether or not a great flood took place on the earth. The search for remains of the ark continues today.
Expedition: Alaska. An epic journey into the heart of America’s last frontier. We follow a team of scientists and wildlife filmmakers as they explore the uncharted corners of the awe-inspiring Alaskan landscape, finding evidence of how climate change is affecting this great wilderness.
Filmed over one summer – the team witnesses the transformation of Alaska from an icy wasteland into an Arctic Eden where America’s greatest wildlife spectacles are played out under a midnight sun.
But this is an environment under threat. Temperatures are rising in Alaska four times faster than anywhere else in the world. How is this affecting the frozen ground that covers vast areas of the northern plains? Is sea ice still thick enough to support an Inuit hunter’s weight? Are the glaciers shrinking? If so, how quickly? Does the polar bear have a future on American soil?
Passport to Pluto takes you inside this historic NASA endeavor, from Pluto’s discovery at Lowell Observatory in 1930 through launch of the New Horizons spacecraft from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Enter the clean rooms, scan control screens, and visit the launch pad to see the mission come together for its voyage to Pluto and beyond.
Action. Drama. Anticipation. Exultation. Experience it all as you join the Mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity for an awe-inspiring journey to the surface of the mysterious red planet. Through the eyes of these two intrepid, death-defying rovers, and with NASA scientists and engineers at your side, you'll see Mars in a way no one ever has before. You'll feel what it's like to stand on the startling surface of the planet that's intrigued mankind for eons. And you'll uncover its ultimate mystery: Is there life on Mars? ROVING MARS -- It's the ride of a lifetime.
There are endless gruesome ways that the world could end; through nasty, natural disasters or because of some man-made abomination. From maniac killer robots and super volcanoes, to an alien invasion and mutant psycho humans, all options are covered in Ten Ways the World Will End.
Since the beginning of life on Earth, evolution has been dictated by Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection. And now, humanity is on the brink of a change so radical, so rapid and unlike any other stage in human history. And while most of us are waiting at the precipice, have some already taken the leap?
In 1980, in East Talpiot, Jerusalem, a bulldozer accidentally uncovered what may be the most explosive archaeological discovery of all time.
Of the ten ossuaries, or stone coffins, found inside the first-century tomb, six bore inscriptions: Jesus, son of Joseph; Maria; Mariamene (the name by which Mary Magdalene was known), Joseph, Matthew, and Judah, son of Jesus. At first dismissed by archaeologists as coincidence, the ossuaries were deposited in the endless warehouses of the Israel Antiquities Association and forgotten.
Twenty-five years later, Emmy-winning journalist Simcha Jacobovici and his team, Felix Golubev, journalist and producer; Hollywood kingpin James Cameron; Paleo-biologist and best-selling author Charles Pellegrino; and renowned Biblical scholar James Tabor, took a fresh look at this astounding cluster of New Testament names.
Granted unparalleled access, but battling a host of problems, the team goes in search of the ossuaries…and the lost tomb…
In Zambia, elephants and humans have had trouble coexisting. Salmoni travels to South Africa to determine if it is possible for an entire elephant population to turn "rogue."
In 1986, the Chernobyl nuclear power lost control of one of its four reactors resulting chain reaction that created a series of explosions. 'Chernobyl: Life in the Dead Zone' explores how nature and animals would react and survive if the world was suddenly without humans. This fascinating programme takes place at the site of the world's worst nuclear accident - hastily abandoned by panic-stricken humans. In houses where people once lived and laughed, wildlife is making itself at home. Watch as the wild animals face challenges in an environment totally outside their comfort zone, while once-domestic species must rediscover their wild natures within.
The story of the sinking of the Lusitania in 1915 after she was torpedoed off the Irish coast. The story is told from the perspective of Prof. Holbourn (a passenger), the German U-boat and its captain and crew, and other passengers, crew and Admiralty staff.
Explore some of King Tut's lavish funeral rites and treasure.
The incredible true story of a high-ranking intelligence officer, Robert Hanssen, who betrays US secrets to foreign powers, and the young FBI agent tasked with capturing him. Based on witness testimony and official case records that remained secret until now, it's about betrayal from within, by a traitor believed to be a friend.
In the secret world of counter intelligence, one fear looms larger than all others. A threat from within by a traitor you believe is a friend. Suspicion points to a key figure in western intelligence, trading secrets worth billions of dollars, causing damage on a global scale. Enter the world of espionage and discover the incredible story of Robert Hansen, double agent.
In the heart of Washington DC there's a spy among the very people charged with protecting the nation - the FBI. When a double agent secretly accuses one of the top names in US intelligence a desperate race begins. How can the traitor be netted before he betrays more precious secrets? Can the shocking claims be probed without alerting a man who himself knows every trick of the spying trade? The agonising choices facing US spymasters in the of fall 2000 sound like a thriller plotline – but they are fact.
There was no manual for a mission like this. In the secret world of counter-intelligence it was a nightmare scenario. The spy catchers had a spy in their midst. With exclusive first-time access to Eric O'Neill, the FBI agent tasked with discovering the truth, this film at last reveals the untold story of the West's worst ever spying disaster involving turncoat FBI boss Robert Hanssen. His treachery led to torture and death for several agents, advanced the threat of nuclear war, and cost the US billions of dollars. The most sensitive spy-on-spy mission ever mounted was handed to 27-year-old rookie Eric O'Neill who, with only four years experience at the FBI, had to draw out the 25-year veteran spymaster and catch him off guard.
Using O'Neill's testimony and a stylishly craft
