Humanity from Space

Humanity from Space is an epic journey of discovery. Using the very latest mind-boggling data and astonishing CGI, the film traces the story of humankind's ascent from hunter-gatherer to dominant global species.

From the global perspective of space, this 2-hour special reveals the breathtaking extent of our influence, revealing how we've transformed our planet and produced an interconnected world of extraordinary complexity.

A journey through 12,000 years, Humanity from Space shows how seemingly small flashes of innovation have changed the course of civilization; innovations that touch all of us today in ways unimaginable to our ancestors. And we'll gaze into the future at the new challenges we'll face in order to survive as our global population soars because of our success. In every case we'll look at our progression in a unique and surprising way, revealing unforgettable facts and "who knew?" connections.

Related Links
Mankind: The Story of All of Us
Earth from Space

Stonehenge Rediscovered

Throughout the ages Stonehenge has remained an enigma to mankind. Why was it built? Who built it? Professor Barry Cunliffe and social anthropologist Lionel Sims investigate the history and development of one of the most iconic prehistoric sites on earth. Using cutting edge CGI, the program presents an alternative theory as to not only the development of Stonehenge, but how prehistoric life developed across Europe.

Related Links
Secrets of Stonehenge

The Real Queen of Sheba

Traveling back through time along the ancient incense trails of the Near and Middle East, Josh Bernstein seeks to unearth the real story behind the legends of the mysterious Queen of Sheba. He explores underground churches and ruined temples in northern Ethiopia, and journeys into the volatile tribal deserts of Yemen, where he must first earn the trust of machine gun-toting Bedouin tribesmen before he can explore a forgotten city named for the Bible's most famous queen.

Related Links
In Search of Myths and Heroes - The Queen of Sheba

Secrets of the Nazca Lines (Digging for the Truth, History Channel)

Etched into the driest desert in the world, the mysterious lines and figures of Nazca in Southern Peru are invisible from the ground. Thought to have been made by the Nazca people, who flourished between 200 BC and 600 AD, in fact, these huge drawings were not discovered until the 1930s - and only then by commercial airline pilots who happened to over-fly them. Ever since, they have intrigued the world. Who built them, and why? Host, explorer, and survival expert Josh Bernstein takes on the secrets of the Nazca Lines, while flying microlites and powered paragliders, clambering through thousand-year old irrigation tunnels, and even recreating rituals with contemporary Native Americans.

Related Links
Secrets of Lost Empires
Lost Kingdoms of South America

The Library of Alexandria (In Search of History)

The Royal Library of Alexandria, or Ancient Library of Alexandria, in Alexandria, Egypt, was one of the largest and most significant libraries of the ancient world. It flourished under the patronage of the Ptolemaic dynasty and functioned as a major center of scholarship from its construction in the 3rd century BC until the Roman conquest of Egypt in 30 BC. With collections of works, lecture halls, meeting rooms, and gardens, the library was part of a larger research institution called the Musaeum of Alexandria, where many of the most famous thinkers of the ancient world studied. (from wikipedia.org)

Related Links
Alexandria: The Greatest City

Machu Picchu Decoded

This is a National Geographic documentary about the fascinating and mysterious pre-Columbian Inca lost city of Machu Picchu. Deep in the Andean mountains lays a mysterious ruin named Machu Picchu. For 400 years it sat abandoned on its misty cliff, the quintessential lost city in the jungle. Rediscovered in 1911, it contained no written records or carvings, nothing that could shed light on its history. For a century since, it has defied the endless scores of visitors and scientists who attempted to understand its purpose. Who were the mysterious people who built it and why did they build it here? Today an international team of archeologists, engineers and scientists are finally piecing together the clues. Together they are discovering astonishing new burials, revealing the intricacies of its ingenious engineering and finally decoding the secrets of Machu Picchu.

Related Links
Machu Picchu: Road to the Sky
Lost Kingdoms of South America

History of the World in Two Hours

Did you know that 1% of the white noise you see on your television is actually background radiation from The Big Bang? History of the World in Two Hours is a History Channel documentary which tells the epic 14 billion year history of our world in two hours. It’s a fast-paced journey from the beginning of time to the present day, stopping off to explore key turning points, historic moments, and extraordinary connections between the distant past and our daily lives. From the formation of the earth and the emergence of life, to the advance of man and the growth of civilization, it’s a rapid-fire view of our unforgettable story - from zero to 14 billion years in 120 minutes.

Related Links:
Earth: Making of a Planet
Catastrophe (presented by Tony Robinson)

The Surprising History of Egypt

The Surprising History of Egypt is an one-hour documentary presented by Terry Jones, bringing the everyday details of the ancients Egyptians - bizarre, hilarious or shocking - to life. Uncovering hidden gems such as the peculiar hobby of building and decorating one’s own tomb as an enjoyable pastime and disclosing unknown facts on the integral part played by the River Nile in ancient life, Terry Jones goes far beyond the conventional and brings to life the world of the ancient Egyptians through the more obscure eccentricities of their behavior.

Related Links:
Egypt's Golden Empire