Secrets of the Dead

The trouble in Salem began during the cold, dark Massachusetts winter, in January of 1692. Eight young girls began to take ill, beginning with 9-year-old Elizabeth Parris and 11-year-old Abigail Williams. But theirs was a strange sickness. 

Three years after setting foot on American shores, 440 of the original 500 Jamestown settlers had died. Why did deadly outbreaks strike just after the ships headed home? And is it a coincidence that the only map of the colony today belongs to Spain? Take a 21st-century look at the eerie the plight of these fated settlers. 

Scientist investigate the Turin Shroud, a linen cloth that bears the image of a man who some believe to be the Jesus of Nazareth. Some also believe that the cloth is actually the burial shroud he was wrapped in after the crucifixion.

In 79 AD, the people of Herculaneum, a seaside town in Italy's Bay of Naples, watched in horror as Mt. Vesuvius erupted, hurling a boiling, churning column of gas and ash 10 miles into the sky toward the neighboring city of Pompeii. It was only a matter of time before Vesuvius would unleash its fury on Herculaneum, killing its citizens in an even more spectacular and gruesome way. 

In 1910, an American doctor named Hawley Crippen was convicted in England of poisoning and dismembering his wife. The vicious murder—and execution that followed—made international headlines. It was a landmark case: The first trial by media, and the first to be dominated by forensic science. But did the prosecutors get it right? Almost one hundred years later, investigators have re-opened the files on a murder that became known as one of the crimes of the century.

In 1944, a U.S. bomber was hit by Japanese anti-aircraft fire, and the crew ejected and parachuted into the wilderness. They were taken in and protected by members of the Dayak tribe - the "wild men of Borneo".

Watch the full documentary about the indiscriminate terrorist massacres in Mumbai, the home of the Bollywood Industry, by Islamic Extremists in November 2008. The story of the multiple, coordinated attacks that targetted The Taj Mahal Palace and Tower Hotel, The Trident-Oberoi Hotel, Nariman House, a Jewish community center, and Cama Hospital among others is told completely from the perspective of the victims.The documentary highlights the important role technology and social media play in modern society's responses to terrorist attacks and how the news media aided the terrorist by giving away the hiding places of the soon to be victims."Mumbai Massacre" places viewers inside the maelstrom, where they become witnesses to the critical events and decisions that meant the difference between life and death. Incredible stories include a Muslim architect and his wife who were forced to watch as two different groups of hostages were executed at their feet; a tourist whose husband died in her arms as they were shot trying to escape; an American cameraman whose mother in Texas texted him a map of the hotel; and a married couple who split up during the chaos to increase the likelihood that at least one of them would survive to take care of their children. The film also reveals the remarkable heroism and dedication of the hotel's staff, documenting a restaurant manager who returned to the hotel to take care of his guests and cooks who gave up their own lives to keep the terrorists away from their hidden visitors.

Japanese SuperSub recounts Japan's superior submarine technology and reveals how close the Japanese came to using the subs to blow up the Panama Canal, terrorize the U.S. and possibly enact a deadly biological attack. The supersub, obtained by the U.S. at the end of the war, combined the tactical advantages of sea and sky. But why did America sink one of its most prized military captures? 

An examination of Winston Churchill's ordering of Operation Catapult to both neutralize the German captured French Navy and impress the US government of British determination.

When the Meermin set sail from Madagascar for South Africa on a hot summer's day in 1766, the Dutch crew had no idea they were about to make history. The ship was filled to capacity with human cargo, slaves bound for hard labor building the Dutch East India Company's colony at Cape Town. But the Meermin with its crew and cargo would never make it to Cape Town. Instead, in a dramatic altercation, the slaves revolted and managed to overpower the Dutch crew, ordering the ship sail back to Madagascar and freedom. But the crew of experienced sailors deceived the slaves and turned the boat around each evening to head for Cape Town. And so the circumstances for a dramatic climax – and shipwreck – were laid when the ship and its desperate passengers finally spied land.Slave Ship Mutiny tracks the efforts of archaeologists, historians, and slave descendants to discover the full story of this dramatic historical event. They want to learn what happened on the Meermin, how the slaves were able to overpower their captors, and why the ship ended up wrecked on a wild, windswept beach 200 miles east of Cape Town.

Secrets of the Dead looks at the construction and history of the Terracotta Warriors who were built to guard the tomb of the first emperor of China.

Beginning in the 1950s, American and Soviet scientists embarked on a perilous race to see who could build and detonate the world's largest bomb. The results exceeded all expectations about how big a bomb could be built. Initially, the Americans led the way but then left the field clear for the Soviet Union to break all records. Secrets of the Dead chronicles how the bomb-makers on both sides were working blind as they pushed science into unknown territory to build The World's Biggest Bomb. We approach the 50th anniversary of the detonation of the most powerful bomb ever constructed.

In 1922, in Egypt's Valley of the Kings, archaeologist and Egyptologist Howard Carter made the greatest archaeological find in history: the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb and its golden treasures worth nearly a billion dollars. Carter's find made Tutankhamun the most famous pharaoh in ancient Egyptian history. But the real story of King Tut has become shrouded in myth. New scientific research provides insights into how King Tutankhamun was buried, why his tomb remained intact, and how he died.

Fifty years after the tragic shooting of President John F. Kennedy, Secrets of the Dead chronicles minute-by-minute the assassination as it was revealed in the CBS newsroom from the moment the President was shot until Walter Cronkite's emotional pronouncement of his death, one hour and eight minutes later.

New forensic technology helps researchers study Dr. David Livingstone's unpublished and long-lost field diary, which reveals he witnessed the brutal massacre of slaves by their traders. The writings in this diary suggest Livingstone was far different from the legend that surrounds him.

146 B.C.: Carthage, the proud capital of the vast Carthaginian Empire, is ablaze. Marauding Romans are mercilessly slaughtering and pillaging. Any survivors face a terrifying fate as slaves on Roman galleys or in their quarries.Escaping the bloody carnage is impossible...or is it? Could some of the once-mighty Carthaginians have got away? And even more incredibly – could they have turned west on an epic journey across the vast Atlantic Ocean to new shores? Did they set foot in South America, long before Columbus ever walked the face of the Earth? Ancient documents suggest there was a Carthaginian getaway, and modern science has found evidence to support these extraordinary claims.

Where the Hanging Gardens of Babylon were located, what they looked like and how they were constructed. Of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Hanging Garden of Babylon is the most elusive of these constructions of classical antiquity. While traces have been found of the Great Pyramid of Gaza, the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, the Statue of Zeus at Olympia, the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, the Colossus of Rhodes and the Lighthouse of Alexandria, centuries of digging have turned up nothing about the lost gardens of Babylon – until now.Why, in the nearly 3,000 years since the gardens were presumably built, has no archeological evidence ever been found to support their existence? Is the Hanging Garden of Babylon a myth or a mystery to be solved?Oxford academic Stephanie Dalley has decoded an ancient, long-overlooked text in the British Museum and now believes that the gardens were built by another man, in another time, in another location. She travels to war-torn northern Iraq to gather evidence to support her controversial new theory and try to solve this ancient mystery.

Discover a portrait of a younger and more beautiful Mona Lisa that predated the famous Louvre masterpiece. In September 2012, headline news shook the art world. A secret da Vinci had been uncovered, a portrait of a younger and more beautiful Mona Lisa that predated the famous Louvre masterpiece. Now an elite group of art historians, research physicists, restoration experts and forensic imaging specialists have gained exclusive access to analyze the painting first hand. Applying high-precision, scientific techniques they will aim to verify the painting's date, decipher hidden mathematical codes within it, and unravel the clues that point to da Vinci's genuine hand.

With the exception of the nightly network news shows, no one on television devoted more airtime to Watergate than talk show host Cavett. From 1972 to 1974, America watched the Watergate scandal unfold on "The Dick Cavett Show" as Cavett interviewed nearly every major Watergate figure — on both sides of the crisis — including John Ehrlichman, Alexander Haig, G. Gordon Liddy, Jeb Magruder and members of the Senate Watergate Committee: Senators Howard Baker, Daniel Inouye, Herman Talmadge, Lowell Weicker, and more.Unfolding through interviews with people who were directly involved, "Dick Cavett's Watergate" documents the critical Watergate milestones with new insight and perspective. New interviews with Cavett offer personal insights into the key Watergate personalities and provide historical context for the featured clips. On a more intimate note, Cavett reveals his reaction on discovering he was mentioned in the White House tapes — not once, but 26 times.

Scientists test the bones of England's fierce king Richard III.

When skeletal remains of at least ten people, including several infants, turned up in the basement of Benjamin Franklin's British residence, people wondered if the Founding Father might have had a much darker side, as the bones had been meticulously cut and drilled. Franklin was aware of the bodies in his basement, but they weren't the victims of violent acts. Instead, they were used for an illegal anatomy school that helped shape modern medicine.

In many ways, President Lyndon B. Johnson was the most unlikely champion of Civil Rights. But his actions in the White House told a different story when he dared to champion two laws that changed America and the world—the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Now, fifty years later, JFK & LBJ: A Time for Greatness sheds light on the fascinating story of a president who knew how to harness the nation's grief over John F. Kennedy's assassination, twist arms, and get his way. The film includes rarely-seen footage, secret White House tapes, and personal testimony from LBJ's advisors, biographers, friends, and family.

Discover new archeological evidence that suggests Troy and the Trojan War may be more than myth. If the legendary siege did happen, was there really a wooden horse that brought enemy soldiers inside the fortified city?

Just in time for Halloween, Secrets of the Dead investigates why vampires have such a hold on our imagination, and whether the undead might still lurk among us.In 1897, Bram Stoker penned his gothic novel Dracula and popularized the modern vampire myth with the introduction of Count Dracula. But the discovery of manuscripts dating back to medieval England suggests the belief that the dead could rise from the grave originated during a much earlier era. These accounts were written hundreds of years before Stoker created his nocturnal creature, long before the Eastern European legends gained popularity.Follow scientists as they uncover "deviant" burials dating back to medieval England, pointing to a belief that the dead could rise from their graves. Predating Eastern European legend, these discoveries force a re-examination of modern vampire lore.

Jamestown, Virginia. The site of the first permanent English colony the Americas settled in 1607 and the home of the archaeological site "Historic Jamestowne" today. It has long been speculated that the harsh conditions faced by the colonists during the winter of 1609, often referred to as the "starving time," might have made them desperate enough to participate in the unthinkable, and perhaps even commit murder to do so.Archaeologists have been excavating in Jamestown for more than 20 years. In April 2012, a team of Historic Jamestowne archeologists discovered something surprising in their excavation. In the trash layer of a cellar, among the butchered animal bones and household trash discarded by the Jamestown colonists, they found the mutilated skull and severed leg of a 14-year-old English girl dating back to 1609. What can these bones tell us about what really happened at Jamestown?

On June 11, 1962, bank robbers Frank Morris and Clarence & John Anglin launched a patchwork, raincoat raft into the frigid waters of San Francisco Bay surrounding Alcatraz Prison. The men disappeared, leaving behind a cold case that has mystified law enforcement for over half-a-century. Now, three Dutch scientists have used 3D modeling technology to show that it may have been possible for the men to have survived, contradicting the original thought that they perished at sea. Putting their theory to the test, the Dutchmen are recreating the daring escape as closely to the original as possible, right down to launching their own raincoat raft into the bay. Will they make it through the treacherous waters to safety or be swept out to sea? And can they prove once and for all what happened to the escapees?

Join Kathleen Martinez, criminal lawyer turned maverick archaeologist, as she searches for Cleopatra's lost tomb. Very little evidence remains of Egypt's last queen, but a radical new theory has led Kathleen to look where no one else has dared — and her hunch is paying off as she stuns the archaeological establishment with her discoveries of incredible artifacts, a network of mysterious tunnels, and even a vast city of the dead dated to the time of the Queen and her Ptolemaic dynasty. Now Kathleen has made her biggest breakthrough so far: a 35-meter deep underground shaft that, according to the experts, has all the hallmarks of a royal burial shaft. Could Kathleen be closing in on Cleopatra's final resting place?

Following a team of international scientists, this film exclusively documents an archeological sensation: the exploration of royal tombs beneath the ancient Mexican city of Teotihuacán. Despite many decades of research, not much is known about the long-lost Teotihuacán society. But when archeologists enter the newly discovered burial chambers, they find the clues that may finally tell us who these mysterious people were.The film incorrectly states the city of Tikal is in Mexico when it is in Guatemala. Secrets of the Dead strives to get the facts correct and regrets the error.

Researchers working in secret inside a quarry study the charred remains of a 3,000-year old English settlement that's rewriting Western history.

Scientists try to determine which giant animal was the apex predator 58 million years ago - a 43-foot-long snake called titanoboa or a giant crocodilian. A mining operation in Cerrejon, Northern Colombia, opened a window onto a previously unknown period of the earth's history and a world teeming with giant creatures emerged. The biggest of all was Titanoboa a 43-foot snake, the largest that ever lived. But new discoveries in Cerrejon suggest that Titanoboa's rule was challenged by a giant crocodilian. Follow scientists as they try to comprehend the size of this animal and uncover what made it so successful. Close analysis of fossils and scientific experiments reveal unmatched hunting prowess. So which one was the apex predator in Cerrejon 58 million years ago?

The moment when Vincent van Gogh looked into a mirror, held up a blade and cut into his own ear defines his turbulent life and art. But what did he really do on the night of December 23, 1888, in the town of Arles, France? What was his state of mind? No one has been clear on the details … until now. Bernadette Murphy, a researcher living in Provence, has spent five years piecing together a meticulous picture of his life in Arles, person by person, house by house. She has uncovered definitive evidence, never before published, and pieced together a detailed timeline of the events leading up to the night of the event, explaining the driving force behind the story that dominates art history.

Baiae … An escape for ancient Rome's powerful elite, the Las Vegas of its day. Underwater secrets reveal a seaside city where Nero and Julius Caesar once lived. Now, archaeologists are mapping underwater ruins and piecing together what life was like in this playground for the rich.

Leonardo da Vinci is well known for his inventions as well as his art. But new evidence shows that many of his ideas were realized long before he sketched them out in his notebooks — some even 1,700 years before. Was Leonardo a copycat?

The only one of the seven wonders of the world still standing, the Great Pyramid of Khufu has fascinated people for centuries. Tracing the origin of the legends of secret chambers hidden in the heart of the pyramid, Secrets of the Dead will show what lies within, solving a 4,500-year-old mystery, by following the first scientific mission in 30 years to be authorized by the Egyptian government to examine the pyramids of Egypt.Passionate about ancient history, the global team of Scan Pyramids consists of particle physicists, experts in innovation and 3D technologies, and engineers in thermal imaging from Egypt, France, Japan, and Canada. For more than two years, they explored every corner of the pyramid, using non-invasive technologies including infrared cameras, 3D scanners and cosmological particle detectors located inside and outside the monument. Their search detected unknown cavities in the Great Pyramid of Khufu for the first time since the Middle Ages. Witness Scan Pyramid's adventures and successes in this extraordinary scientific and historical journey through time and space that led to this historic discovery.

Hannibal, one of history's most famous generals, achieved what the Romans thought to be impossible. With a vast army of 30,000 troops, 15,000 horses, and 37 war elephants, he crossed the mighty Alps in only 16 days to launch an attack on Rome from the north. For more than 2,000 years, nobody has been able to prove which of the four possible routes Hannibal took across the Alps, and no physical evidence of Hannibal's army has ever been found…until now. In Secrets of the Dead: Hannibal in the Alps, a team of experts – explorers, archaeologists, and scientists – combine state-of-the-art technology, ancient texts, and a recreation of the route itself to prove conclusively where Hannibal's army made it across the Alps – and exactly how and where he did it.

On October 4, 2011, construction workers were shocked to uncover human remains in an abandoned lot in the Elmhurst neighborhood of Queens, New York. So great was the level of preservation, witnesses first assumed they had stumbled upon a recent homicide. Forensic analysis, however, revealed a remarkably different story. Buried in an elaborate and expensive iron coffin, the body belonged to a young African American woman who died in the first half of the 19th century, before the Civil War and the federal abolishment of slavery. But who was she? Secrets of the Dead: The Woman in the Iron Coffin follows forensic archaeologist Scott Warnasch and a team of historians and scientists as they investigate this woman's story and the time in which she lived, revealing a vivid picture of what life was like for free African American people in the North.

The Roman emperor Nero is considered one of history's greatest criminals. His name has become synonymous with evil, as historical accounts have accused him of killing his stepbrother, his wife, and his mother, as well as persecuting Christians and instigating the devastating Great Fire of Rome. This is the judgment that is passed in history from one generation to the next, but are these accounts of Nero's reign accurate? New scientific discoveries and a closer examination of the ancient texts written about Nero cast a different light on the Roman emperor and the accusations leveled against him. Secrets of the Dead: The Nero Files follows internationally renowned criminal psychologist Thomas Müller and a team of scientists and historians as they investigate the new evidence in order to discover the truth about the controversial emperor.Noteworthy Moments in Nero's TimelineAs his stepson, Nero should not have inherited the throne after Claudius' death. But Brittanicus, the rightful heir as Claudius' biological son, was too young to become emperor, allowing Nero to take control. It is believed that Nero had Britannicus killed by poisoning his drink to eliminate a potential adversary.It is believed that Nero turned to matricide because of an ongoing power struggle with his mother He engineered a plan to have her swept off a boat and drowned at sea.The phrase ‘fiddling while Rome burned," refers to the belief that Nero played music while watching the destruction of his city. He's also been accused of starting the terrible blaze in order to make room for his own construction projects and then, after blaming Christians for the fire, had them brutally and publically executed.In one of the darkest tales of Nero's reign, it is believed the emperor killed his wife, Poppaea Sabina, by kicking her in the stomach while she was pregnant with their child.

After four centuries of occupation and leadership, the Romans left Britain in 410 AD, and the island's fate was left hanging in the balance. History teaches that in the 5th century, the country descended into a tumultuous and violent period known as the Dark Ages, leaving the nation vulnerable to invading Angle and Saxon hordes from northern Europe. With a nation divided, a great leader known as King Arthur emerged, uniting the lawless lands to fight off invaders – or at least that's what the fragmentary historical texts suggest. The truth is, no one really knows what happened, and this pivotal moment in history has been shrouded in mystery – until now.The key to Professor Alice Roberts' quest is the excavation of a stone palace complex on the Tintagel peninsula in Cornwall, England – long believed to be the birthplace of the King Arthur legend. More than folklore, was Arthur, in fact, ruler of a prosperous and sophisticated trading village and the heroic defender of the native Britons against the invading Anglo-Saxons?

The discovery of a rare mass grave with the bones of nearly 60 people outside Luxor sends archaeologists on a quest to find out who the remains belong to, why they were buried the way they were and what was happening in ancient Egypt that would have led to a mass burial. Could the collapse of the empire's Old Kingdom provide any clues?Following the long reign of Pepi II, a series of weak kings ruled ineffectively. Without a strong central government, local leaders asserted themselves, fracturing the country's power base. As the climate shifted all over the world, the country was then hit by a decades-long drought that caused a great famine and economic failure.In Secrets of the Dead: Egypt's Darkest Hour, viewers will go behind the scenes with archaeologists and scientists as they venture through Africa – from the Pyramids to the glaciers of Mt. Kilimanjaro – in search of clues to solve the mystery of the mass grave, examining the political and environmental catastrophes that plunged Egypt and its people into anarchy. Were the bodies found victims of the famine, civil war or something else?

Stories about drug use by Hitler and German forces during World War II have been widely told. What's less well known is the Allied commanders' embraced pharmacological "force enhancers" as well. By 1941, rumors about Nazi soldiers using a "super-drug" identified as the methamphetamine Pervitin were confirmed, and Allied commanders launched their own classified program to find the perfect war-fighting drug.During the war, one in three Allied soldiers were incapacitated without a physical scratch on them. Modern weapons and warfare proved so terrifying that almost as many men were shredded by combat fatigue and shell shock — now known as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) — as by bullets and shrapnel. Allied commanders believed Benzedrine, an amphetamine similar to Pervitin, was the answer, hoping the amphetamine would defeat not just the need for sleep, but anxiety and fear among troops. How this drug affected the course of World War II is an ongoing controversy.In Secrets of the Dead: World War Speed, join historian James Holland on his quest to understand how the use of amphetamines affected the course of World War II and unleashed "the world's first pharmacological arms race."

It was the find of the century: a proof copy of Sidereus Nuncius (also known as the Starry Messenger), one of the most important books in the history of science. Unlike other known copies that had engraved images of the phases of the moon, this copy included watercolor paintings seemingly by author Galileo Galilei, one of the greatest scientific minds of all time. A discovery that set the rare book market abuzz, the proof copy, if genuine, would be worth millions.Published in 1610, Sidereus Nuncius set in motion a scientific revolution. The first published scientific work based on observations made through a telescope, Galileo's work challenged the belief that the Earth was the center of the universe. Five hundred and fifty copies of the book were originally printed, and roughly 150 of those editions are known to exist today.In 2005, when a seemingly original copy with the astronomer's signature and watercolor paintings hit the market, Sidereus Nuncius caused a worldwide sensation 400 years after its publication. In 2012, however, this discovery was proven to be a fake and rocked the book market to its core.In Secrets of the Dead: Galileo's Moon, join a team of experts as they uncover the truth behind the alleged proof copy of the revolutionary Sidereus Nuncius, featuring historian Nick Wilding, whose suspicions and dogged research exposed the fraud.

In April 1944, Jewish prisoners Rudolf Vrba and Alfred Wetzler miraculously escaped from Auschwitz concentration camp. They fled through Nazi-occupied Poland to find refuge in Žilina, Slovakia, where they connected with the Jewish Underground. Once safe, they recounted what they left behind. Their harrowing testimony revealed the true horror of the Holocaust to the outside world, describing in forensic detail the gas chambers and the full extent of the Nazi extermination program.While millions of troops fought on both fronts and battled for supremacy in the air during World War II, Nazi forces continued to deport Jews to the concentration camp. As Vrba and Wetzler's account made its way to Allies, the idea of bombing the camp was discussed at the highest levels of government. Prime Minister Winston Churchill, Allied Air Commanders, the American War Refugee Board, and the Jewish Agency were presented with one of the greatest moral questions of the 20th century: Should we bomb Auschwitz and risk killing Jewish prisoners in the camp to stop future atrocities? Join historians, survivors, and experts as they consider this most significant moral dilemma. 

How did the Notre Dame cathedral emerge over the centuries as one of the world's most celebrated and beloved buildings? Secrets of the Dead: Building Notre Dame takes viewers on a major historical and scientific investigation into the construction of Notre Dame de Paris, which began in the 12th century and was completed several hundred years later. Standing alongside the builders of yesterday and today, uncover the vast architectural, technical, human, financial, and political challenges experienced throughout the cathedral's turbulent history. 

In 1878, archaeologist Hjalmar Stolpe first uncovered a grave containing a large number of weapons and the skeletal remains of what seemed to be a great Viking warrior. For a century, people assumed the body was male until the 1970s when Berit Vilkans, a young researcher, observed the bones had female characteristics. In 2017, a team of Swedish geneticists proved through a DNA study that the great warrior wasn't a man but a woman. Join this team of archaeologists as they examine the DNA results and complete a field investigation of one of the most significant Viking graves ever found. They uncover the truth about the only archaeological discovery of a female Viking warrior and battle strategist known to date, rewriting our understanding of Viking society.

The sinking of the RMS Titanic on April 15, 1912, is one of the deadliest peacetime maritime disasters in history. Mainstream retellings of the tragedy often overlook that the "unsinkable" Titanic was not alone when it sank. A mystery ship was spotted within view of the sinking ship. Instead of sailing closer to aid the drowning passengers, the mystery ship seemingly ignored a fusillade of rockets and signals and sailed away. American and British inquiries accused the SS Californian and its captain, Stanley Lord, of abandoning the Titanic. Decades later, the discovery of Titanic's wreck exonerated Lord and the Californian's role in the disaster, re-opening accounts that implicate another ship.Join a team of investigators as they search for the identity of the mystery ship and her captain that turned away from the Titanic in its darkest hour, abandoning thousands of lives to the icy waters and their untimely demise.

It is widely believed that notorious Bronx-based gangster and bootlegger Dutch Schultz buried a fortune estimated to be worth more than $50 million somewhere in New York's Catskill Mountains before his death in 1935. Schultz was gunned down and died without revealing where the treasure was buried, spawning a mystery that has endured for nearly a century. Now, 85 years later, three groups of treasure hunters, armed with modern technology and decades worth of intensive research, race to uncover new leads in hopes of finding Schultz's missing treasure. Join them as they follow the trail of this unsolved mystery toward the discovery of a lifetime. 

Five hundred years ago, Portuguese captain Ferdinand Magellan and his crew set sail to gain control of the global spice trade. What resulted was the first circumnavigation of the earth, laying the groundwork for colonization and globalization still felt today. This new episode demonstrates humans' quest to understand the true dimensions of the planet while sailing to the Spice Islands of Indonesia.

New scientific investigations from across the globe help piece together the untold story of prehistoric women in this new documentary. The latest research separates fact from fiction and sheds new light on our ancient foremothers. For more than a century and a half, experts uncovered and analyzed ancient human remains to understand the story of the earliest Homo sapiens species but focused primarily on the male half of the species. Through advanced science, such as microtomography - using X-rays to recreate virtual 3D models - as well as comparing the body of a modern-day female javelin-thrower to an ancient female spear-thrower, Secrets of the Dead's revelations defy previous understanding of the power dynamics of ancient society.

A decade-long archaeological quest reveals that the oldest stones of Stonehenge originally belonged to a much earlier sacred site: a stone circle built on a rugged, remote hillside in West Wales. Using the latest tools of geotechnology, a dedicated team of archaeologists led by Professor Mike Parker Pearson (University College London) painstakingly searched for the evidence that would fill in a 400-year gap in our knowledge of the site's bluestones. Secrets of the Dead reveals the original stones of Europe's most iconic Neolithic monument had a previous life before they were moved almost 155 miles from Wales to Salisbury Plain.

In 1937, the Hindenburg airship exploded into flames upon landing and 36 people were killed in the horrifying crash, shocking the world and sealing the fate of airship travel forever. For decades, the exact cause of the Hindenburg's crash has remained a mystery. Now, recently discovered letters, maintenance reports and company memos reveal the unfortunate errors that led to the disaster. More than 80 years later, experts suspect that, had critical construction flaws been fixed at the time, the airship might not have exploded.

In 1613, feudal lord Date Masamune sent a Japanese diplomatic mission to Europe to negotiate with the Pope and the King of Spain in hopes of opening a new trade route. Led by samurai Hasekura Tsunenaga and Franciscan monk Luis Sotelo, the expedition spent seven years traveling one-third of the globe. Discover the fate and legacy of these men caught up in the first stages of globalization and facing religious and political tensions. 

In 1984, a Maltese national treasure went missing from the cathedral of St. John in Valletta - a masterpiece by the legendary Italian master Caravaggio. Two years of investigations across Europe led to nothing, but a strong-willed priest never gave up. Father Marius Zerafa, director of museums in Malta, managed to establish a channel of communication with the thieves and set off on a quest to recover the priceless painting. Despite not having the money to pay their ransom, he risked everything, putting his life on the line for the sake of a masterpiece.

Charles, Ninth Earl Spencer — best-selling author and brother to Diana, Princess of Wales — may be sitting on the greatest British archaeological find of the century. Searching Althorp, the Spencer family estate, for a medieval village, a team of British archaeologists find evidence of something far older.

An ornate ceremonial chariot was recently discovered in the ruins of Pompeii, offering insights into the lives of wealthy, high-ranking landowners who lived outside the city. Buried by the Vesuvius eruption 2,000 years ago, this is not a humble transport cart. "It's the Lamborghini of this ancient world," says Eric Poehler, an expert on ancient infrastructure in Pompeii.

What if climate change and pandemics were the real causes of the decline of the Roman Empire? Scientists from a range of disciplines are accumulating clues to show that three successive waves of deadly epidemics and powerful temperature drops could have caused the collapse of the Empire — and draw frightening parallels to today.

The first modern translation of Egyptian hieroglyphics happened 200 years ago. How was the ancient code cracked? Today, archaeologists are busy translating hieroglyphics from an important scribe's tomb, its walls covered from floor to ceiling with symbols thousands of years old. This new research gives archaeologists a better understanding of life in ancient Egypt.

Recent discoveries, including funerary urns with highly decorative patterns, and technological advances like the remote sensor system known as LiDAR, are shedding new light on our understanding of pre-Columbian societies in the Amazon. Scientists speculate the rainforest was home to between 8 and 10 million people living in large, well-established communities.

Uncover the sunken remains of a 4th-century basilica in Turkey unexpectedly discovered on a survey flight. Submerged beneath the waters of Lake Iznik for hundreds of years, the church could reveal crucial insights into the early days of Christianity. Join a team of international researchers as they travel back through time—and grapple with Turkey's many earthquakes, which could sink the structure deeper at any moment. 

Discover the world of dinosaur fossil collecting, a controversial hobby with a booming market. Hear perspectives on the fossil trade from private collectors, paleontologists, and others, as "Big John"—the largest Triceratops fossil ever found—is assembled in Italy and auctioned in France.

Find out about the race to build Paris' most famous landmark when two men vied to be the first to build a monument 1,000 feet tall. See how one man's vision transformed the Paris skyline, making the Eiffel Tower a global icon. Dramatic recreations, official renderings and personal correspondence tell the story.

Uncover what happens when archaeologists study a skeleton found with an iron nail through its heel bone, suggesting the person was the victim of crucifixion in Roman-occupied Britain. Only one other skeleton with evidence of crucifixion has ever been found in the world. Who was he? What was life in Roman Britain like? And why did he receive such a gruesome punishment?

Find out if one of history's greatest cold cases—the imprisonment of two princes in the Tower of London—can finally be solved. Their disappearance led to centuries of mystery and speculation. Were the boys murdered by their uncle, the notorious King Richard III? Or was it a massive conspiracy to hide the truth?

A moving story of a people reclaiming their cultural heritage after an occupying force tried to erase it. Priceless artifacts from the Assyrian Empire were destroyed during the Isis occupation of Mosul. Now, a team of archaeologists is dedicated to finding pieces that survived. One possible discovery: the location of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.

Maria Anna Mozart was a musical prodigy just like her younger brother Wolfgang. Although the children toured Europe together, once Maria Anna came of age, she was left behind while her brother became a star. But controversial new evidence suggests she may have contributed to her brother's earliest works while a global search for her compositions continues.

Making headlines around the world, Brent Seales and his team of computer scientists set out on a mission to read the 2,000-year-old carbonized scrolls found in the remains of a villa in Herculaneum. Mt. Vesuvius's eruption in 79 AD transformed the papyri, fusing together the layers of the scrolls and making them impossible to read. Can particle physics and AI finally reveal what the scrolls say?

Originally a supply depot for Union forces in Kentucky, Camp Nelson became the site where 10,000 Black soldiers trained in the Civil War. But in the war's last months, these formerly enslaved soldiers were brutally attacked by bitter Southerners. Their remains have never been found, and a team is dedicated to finding them to memorialize their service and heroism. Learn about the military base where these soldiers and thousands got their freedom papers.

In 2022, a terrifying discovery: a female skeleton dating from 1650, buried with a sickle across her neck and giant padlock on her toe — double protection to keep her from rising from the dead. All the evidence points to her being buried as a vampire... and she's not alone, with more than 50 deviant burials around her. Who was she, and what did these burial rituals mean?

Angkor was the capital of the Khmer Empire, which controlled much of the region between the 9th and 15th centuries. The stunning accomplishments of Angkor's great kings are evident, but the period preceding the foundation of their great city is shrouded in mystery. The discovery of an incredible hoard of stunning artifacts provides surprising new clues about this early Khmer society.

The discovery of gold and silver artifacts in Laos, dating to the early days of the Khmer Empire, leads scientists to investigate how the priceless objects were made and where they might have originated. On their journey, they retrace the steps of the ancient kings and explore the sacred landscape around Vat Phou to learn more about this ancient civilization.

Historian Jonathan Petropoulos investigates the life of former Nazi art dealer Bruno Lohse and his role in the Nazi looting operation, interviewing Lohse himself, as well as curators, art investigators, Lohse's associates, and descendants of the victims of Nazi art theft. He became Hermann Göring's personal collector in Paris, tasked with finding the most desirable works of art the Nazis stole from Jews. Post-war, Lohse spent a brief time in prison but then returned to Munich and resumed his career as a dealer, more often than not trading in art looted during World War II. With a look at stunning masterpieces and a deep archive of personal letters, Plunderer reveals the dark underbelly of the international art world.

Historian Jonathan Petropoulos investigates former Nazi art dealer Bruno Lohse's role in post-war America. Lohse established relationships with curators at some of the nation's most important cultural institutions and became an invisible hand, dealing in looted art – even as the families of the original owners pursued the restitution of works rightfully theirs.

The Colosseum: the jewel of Ancient Rome. It wowed vast crowds with extraordinary battles. It pushed the boundaries of technology. It exhibited Rome's vast wealth and power. Roman leaders spread the Colosseum's design throughout the Empire, and it helped them conquer the ancient world. But just as the structure embodied Rome's power, so too did it contribute to the Empire's downfall.

Just off the coast of Alexandria, 23 feet below the surface of the Mediterranean, lay the remnants of a mysterious ancient monument. For more than 30 years, the French explorer Franck Goddio has been working under a shroud of secrecy, hoping to confirm these remains as the temple of Cleopatra. If true, this unprecedented discovery could reveal vital new information about Cleopatra's reign and her connection with the goddess Isis.

On February 8, 2023, a sensational story came out in the news: three codebreaking enthusiasts announced that after a year of dedication and collaborative efforts, they finally had succeeded in decoding the secret correspondence of one of the most tragic characters in European history: Mary, Queen of Scots. Composed of 57 letters written in a code consisting of at least 150,000 different symbols, the correspondence between Mary and the French ambassador to England details Mary's efforts to free herself from imprisonment and gain advantage over her rival, Queen Elizabeth. After four centuries, Mary's urgent pleas can now be revealed.

"Chasing the Plague" looks at the societal impacts of the bubonic plague on medieval Europe as scientists today track down the earliest known bubonic plague victims. They are studying the virus in hopes of preventing future outbreaks, while historians and scholars explore the societal impact of the plague on medieval Europe. What happens when a third of a continent's population is wiped out?

There are only two accepted portraits of William Shakespeare that are considered "official," but a portrait that's been hanging over a mantlepiece for the last 50 years could be the third. It could be worth as much as $200 million…if it is genuine. 

What if women were hidden among the ranks of Ancient Rome's fearsome gladiators? A group of experts searches for evidence to prove women once fought in the arena just like men. Combining history, archaeology, and forensic investigation, journey across Europe in a quest for answers. If a female gladiator's existence can be proven definitively, what can we learn about their lives?

Can the stories about King Arthur be proven true? Was the legendary court of Camelot a real place? Join Prof. Mark Horton on his journey across Britain to prove real events and places inspired the chivalric myths. Horton scours medieval texts and archaeological sites for a new understanding of the Arthurian legends and what Britain was like after the Romans left in the fifth century.