History's Mysteries

The 1962 death of actress Marilyn Monroe remains a source of controversy. 

History's Mysteries examines the controversy over who was the first responsible for powered flight. A consensus of historians credit the Wright Brothers with this accomplishment, but some believe that others including a German immigrant named Gustave Whitehead were able to achieve fight several years before the historic 1903 flight at Kitty Hawk. It also looks at a controversy between the Wright Brothers and the Smithsonian. 

Archeologists have long believed that civilization as we define it--intelligent, tool-making, monument building, social humans--began about 5,000 years ago. But submerged beneath the waves near the Japanese island of Yonaguni is evidence that may well overturn that long-held theory. A small but persuasive number of scholars and scientists have long thought that "advanced" societies may have existed as long as 10,000 years ago. Their theories, however well reasoned and defended, have been hamstrung by a lack of evidence. But recent discoveries of man-made artifacts on the Pacific seafloor may well prove to be the smoking gun that will propel this alternative view of civilization to prominence. HISTORY'S MYSTERIES travels to the site and plunges beneath the waves to examine the discovery, and talks to the investigators who are trying to unearth the secrets of "Japan's Mysterious Pyramids".

They were cities of sin destroyed by God's wrath. The story of Sodom and Gomorrah had long been viewed as a cautionary tale of the evils of sin or a version of the apocalypse story. But is it possible that it was based on an actual event?

An investigation into the fateful voyages of the Titanic's two sister ships, the Olympic and the Britannic.

For nearly 50 years, what goes on inside these buildings has been known to only a select few. But now, for only the second time, the National Security Agency is opening doors that have been sealed tight.

For nearly a century, archeologists have hunted for the royal burial chamber of King Antiochus. So far, coming up empty-handed. The quest has taken it's toll on the explorers and archeologists who hope to discover the find of the century.

Zeugma: An ancient city: a Mediterranean paradise until it was flooded. Archeologists must work quickly to uncover it's secrets before it is flooded again.  Zeugma is an ancient city of Commagene; located in modern Gaziantep Province, Turkey. In 64 BC the city was conquered and ruled by the Roman Empire. Parts of Zeugma have become submerged in the Euphrates River since the construction of the Birecik Dam 

Throughout history, our planetary next-door neighbor Mars has captured our imagination--from little green men to "man-made" canals and satellite photos revealing a giant "face". As one of the most likely spots in our solar system where some form of life may exist or have existed, we have spent billions on missions designed to disclose the red planet's tightly-held secrets. We'll trace man's journey of discovery of this fascinating planet, and focus on NASA's great successes and heartbreaking failures.

The Search for Noah's Ark in the "Mountains of Ararat" by various researchers is recounted in this episode.  Of particular interest is the featured discussion of the boat-shaped impression at the Durupinar Site, just North of the Iranian border in Turkey where various artifacts have been found pertaining to the Biblical flood story, as well as the surrounding features alluded to in ancient Babylonian flood accounts.  Ark hunters looking for the Ark of Noah are also interviewed about their lack of evidence for the Ark having landed on the Ararat volcano.

"Secret UFO Files": examines the modern era of UFO sightings, and the US governments reaction to and knowledge of the subject.

Join leading scholars for a fascinating examination of the massive timber castles which were the pre-eminent fortification of their day, yet are now largely forgotten. It is virtually impossible to think of the Middle Ages without conjuring up images of grand stone castles. Yet throughout much of English history, they were the exception to the rule, while lords and ladies built massive castles of wood to protect their vast holdings. Journey through the English countryside to see reminders of the countless timber castles that have all but disappeared, leaving behind only the earthen mounds of their foundations. Historians reveal why these wooden fortifications were nearly equal to the much more expensive stone castles, and explain what life was like within their walls. See stunning reconstructions that show what these mighty fortifications looked like and how they were built. And explore fascinating new archaeological evidence that which casts new light on our knowledge and understanding of a time when England was dominated by these long-vanished timber castles.

Vikings: Fury from the North

A fascinating examination of ancient evidence of UFO visits to Earth. Includes a look at monuments of antiquity that point toward stars in the sky, and ancient texts that contain references to flying objects.