Professor Aubrey Manning embarks on a series of journeys in which he tries to solve mysteries hidden in the landscape of the British Isles. Unpicking clues in the geology, natural history, and archaeology, Aubrey reveals how the land has come to look the way it does. Episode 4 Secrets of the Flood – Aubrey is in the Solent, off the south coast of England. It’s known that people once lived in a landscape that is now covered by the sea but how did this area become flooded? In this episode Aubrey investigates a mystery that has puzzled experts for centuries.
Ancient and deadly spear points were found near Clovis, New Mexico in the 1930s. Many archeologists believed that this type of weapon originated with the first settlers of the New World, who supposedly migrated from Asia at the end of the last ice age. This documentary examines new evidence that challenges this widely held view. The hunt for clues takes this documentary to sites of stunning discoveries in western Pennsylvania and southern Chile, to southern France, to the high arctic, and to a remarkable find in central Texas that may hold the key to who invented the Clovis technology. Many archeologists concluded that hunters equipped with Clovis technology were the first settlers of the Americas and that they probably arrived from Asia at the end of the Ice Age about 13,500 years ago, when lower sea level allowed hunters to cross a land bridge connecting Siberia and Alaska. But there is growing evidence that humans were in the Americas long before the Clovis hunters.
This documentary combines computer animation with live action footage to show how dinosaurs might have looked striding over the landscapes of the United States. Each portion of the U.S. is profiled to show what it looked like millions of years ago and what animals strode that particular portion of the continent.
Throughout the ages, civilizations have risen up and then disappeared. Traditionally, the disappearance of certain ancient civilizations has been left to the theologians and historians to explain. Now scientists have entered the fray. In this series geologists, archaeologists and climatologists explain their findings. Ancient Apocalypse seeks to explain how human achievements were destroyed by the forces of nature. Episode Sodom and Gomorrah – The Bible describes how Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed in a storm of fire and brimstone. Could the inspiration for this story come from a natural apocalypse around the Dead Sea in the Middle East?
The program covered the phenomena of unidentified flying and submerged objects, close encounters with alleged extraterrestrial life, and alleged military and government cover up conspiracies. Episode 16 China’s Roswell – Legends from China tell of 716 mysterious stone discs, known as “The Dropa Stones”, 12 inch disc with a double spiral of tiny hieroglyphs that are said to contain the historical record of an alien race called the Dropa that crash landed in an isolated region of China 12,000 years ago.
Professor Aubrey Manning embarks on a series of journeys in which he tries to solve mysteries hidden in the landscape of the British Isles. Unpicking clues in the geology, natural history, and archaeology, Aubrey reveals how the land has come to look the way it does. Episode 5 The Tower People of Shetland – Aubrey travels to the most northerly territory in the British Isles , to Shetland, in a search for clues to the identity of the ancient people who lived in the Broch Towers there.
Through the lens of modern science the grave has become a window on the past. Today we can learn intimate detail about how the ancients lived and how they died. Bit by bit their portraits emerge from flesh, bones and DNA. The unearthing of the past reveals the tangled roots ofvour family tree. But some see only the desecration of our ancestors. Through this documentary listen to the voices of the dead. Ancient human grave sites speak volumes to those who listen. These haunting human “time capsules” have been uncovered all over the world. Some even reach a certain level of fame, The Ampato maiden sacrificed on an Andes peak. The Alpine Ice Man, the oldest frozen mummy ever found. England’s 9,000 year old Cheddar Man. Others’ stories are known only to the ages, like a cache of elaborately adorned 7,000 year old mummies unearthed in Chile, and the thousands of Egyptian mummies actually burned as train fuel in the 19th century. Modern science now allows us to explore these human treasures without destroying them, and connects us all to the secrets of the ancient dead.
Homo sapiens, populated the Earth only because we were successful in overwhelming two more advanced species: Homo erectus and Homo neanderthalensis, known today as Neanderthals. In the not too distant past, humans shared this planet with other species of hominid. This series tells how, against all the odds, Homo sapiens survived. Episode 1 Homo Erectus – Set 75,000 years ago in India, following a catastrophic super volcanic eruption which forced a showdown between our ancestors and a completely different species of human, Homo erectus, who up until that point had reigned supreme. Homo erectus was a successful, long lived species that migrated out of Africa. Possibly the first humans to live in hunter gatherer societies, they also used rafts to travel the oceans.
Join Monty Python’s Terry Jones on a tour of the ingenuity of our ancestors. Take a humorous yet factual look at inventions we think of as unique to modern times when really they have been around for centuries and many even longer. Some of the amazing discoveries include: automatic doors, first designed over 2000 years ago, accurate pregnancy tests, a regular feature of ancient Babylon, and tanks, actually devised by the Assyrians in 8 B.C. Clearly the ancient world was every bit as inventive as our own. Episode War and Conflict – Julius Caesar never used a mobile phone, Socrates never consulted a digital watch, and Alexander the Great never flushed the lavatory. But that doesn’t mean they were stupid. Archeologists tell us the human brain is the same size now as it was 60,000 years ago, and our ancestors were every bit as intelligent as we are today, so we shouldn’t assume that the scientists and inventors of the past have nothing to teach us. In fact, when it comes to weapon’s technology none of it is as new as we think it is. Guided missiles, flame throwers, chemical weapons, tanks, even the theory of the atom bomb, they’re all ancient inventions.
Tony Robinson embarks on spectacular walks through some of Britain’s most historic landscapes in search of the richest stories from it’s past. Episode 1 Stonehenge – Tony embarks on another expedition through some of Britain’s most historic landscapes. He begins with a 45 mile walk across Wiltshire, from Avebury to Stonehenge, telling the story of the remarkable development that occurred in the latter days of the Neolithic era. His route over chalk downlands and Salisbury Plain takes him through one of the greatest concentrations of prehistoric sites in Europe.
Professor Aubrey Manning embarks on a series of journeys in which he tries to solve mysteries hidden in the landscape of the British Isles. Unpicking clues in the geology, natural history, and archaeology, Aubrey reveals how the land has come to look the way it does. Episode 8 The Terraces of Avalon – Aubrey travels to Glastonbury to investigate the riddle of The Terraces of Avalon. Along the steep sides of the Glastonbury Tor there’s a distinctive pattern of regular stepped terraces, but their origin is a mystery. Is there a connection with the myths and legends that permeate this intoxicating landscape?
The Greek myths are filled with magical tales of transformation and legions of gods and heroes. But perhaps the most compelling stories are those of creatures like the one eyed cyclops and the ferocious half-lion, half-eagle known as the griffin. Ancient Monster Hunters follows a group of paleontologists as they explore newly translated evidence and examine remains that just may have inspired tales of these legendary monsters.
Homo sapiens, populated the Earth only because we were successful in overwhelming two more advanced species: Homo erectus and Homo neanderthalensis, known today as Neanderthals. In the not too distant past, humans shared this planet with other species of hominid. This series tells how, against all the odds, Homo sapiens survived. Episode 2 Neanderthal – This episode is set 35,000 years ago. As the ice caps retreated, the Neanderthal stronghold in Europe weakened, providing a window of opportunity to which modern humans owe their existence. As almost exclusively carnivorous, both male and female Neanderthals hunted. Evidence of a huge number of injuries, like those seen in today’s rodeo riders, suggest that hunting involved dangerously close contact with large prey animals.
Each half hour episode looks at a major fighting people or force and charts the reasons for their rise to dominance and subsequent fall. The show explores the motivations of ancient soldiers, as well as how they lived, fought, trained, died, and changed the world. It also uses battle re-enactments and computer graphics to demonstrate military strategy. This series from the Discovery Channel is especially good for the lesser known groups of warriors. Episode 6 Soldiers of the Pharaoh – Hieroglyphics depict Egyptian chariots. In the 17th century B.C. the ancient kingdom of Egypt was suddenly overthrown. “Unexpectedly from the region to the east invaders from an obscure race marched in confidence across our land. They burned our cities ruthlessly raised to the ground the temples of the gods and treated all the natives with cruel hostility.” Humiliated by the defeat the Egyptian Pharaoh vowed to reclaim his country. Out of the desert sprang an army of warriors burning with vengeance.
Walking With Beasts is an introduction to the animals (predominantly mammals) that roamed the earth from the extinction of the dinosaurs until the rise of early humans, the Cenozoic period. It uses a combination of clever special effects and computer-generated imagery to create a realistic world as it may have appeared millions of years ago. Some of the concepts it illustrates are the evolution of whales, horses, and humans. Episode 6 Mammoth Journey – In the final episode of the series we go back 30,000 years to the middle of an ice age. The landscape is dominated by the mighty mammoths, living side by side with woolly rhinos, giant deer and two separate species of human. This programme follows the fate of a herd of mammoths in their annual struggle against the harsh ice age conditions. It is a journey fraught with danger as mammoths can get trapped in frozen bogs and the herd have to run the gauntlet of Ice Age hunters like cave lions and the deadly Neanderthals.
Dig into the sands of time with this exploration into lost civilizations. Scientists, archaeologists, and historians alike search for evidence of cities that may have forever been lost to time. Some are ancient while some are surprisingly recent. Extensive archaeological research and cutting edge visual technology come together in this series that aims to bring ancient cultures and civilizations to new life on screen. Episode 9 The Pagans – In the late Stone Age, the pagan people of the British Isles constructed some of the greatest monuments of the ancient world, fabulous constructions of wood, earth, and stone. In this hour, Lost Worlds travels from the ancient stone villages of Scotland’s Orkney Islands to Southern England in search of the soul of the Pagan’s mysterious culture. The Pagans reveals a startling new theory about the role Stonehenge played in the lives of the pagans, while computer animation reconstructs the monument as it appeared to them. Experts trace a forgotten ancient pathway to Stonehenge’s lost twin, Woodhenge, and explore the secrets of Silbury Hill, the world’s largest man-made mound. Finally, we’ll visit Maiden Castle, a fortress that witnessed the pagan world’s end.
Where did we all come from? Could we all be descendants of Adam? And if he existed, who was he, where did he live and what did he look like? It is a mystery that intrigues us all and questions like these have been asked time and time again but nobody has got close to the answer, until now. Spencer Wells, a leading geneticist and National Geographic Explorer-In-Residence, is setting out on a quest to discover if there was an “Adam” from whom all humans are descended. Wells uses the latest in DNA testing technology to take us on an extraordinary journey across the globe as he traces humanity’s family tree.
From the dawn of civilization to the 20th century, A History of Britain re-animates familiar tales and illuminates overlooked aspects of England’s past. Hosted by Simon Schama, this series discards timelines and tiresome lineages for a lively look at the personalities and cultures that infuse British history. Epic themes and towering figures that transformed an island “at the edge of the world” into the greatest empire on earth. Episode 1 Beginnings – Covering the period 3100 BC – 1000 AD starts in the stone age village of Skara Brae, Orkney. Over the next four thousand years Romans, Anglo-Saxons, Vikings, Danes, and Christian missionaries arrive, fight, settle and leave their mark on what will become the nations of Britain.
Prehistoric America takes goes on a journey through the prehistory of North America, beginning 14,000 years ago when people were first entering the vast and beautiful continent. Witness ancient beasts, mammoths, mastodons, giant bears and sabre toothed cats, and see how their successors, modern animals and beasts, carry on their legacy. Episode 1 Land of the Mammoth – talks about Beringea (current state of Alaska and the adjacent country of Canada). The episode focuses mainly on the Woolly mammoth.
John Rhys-Davies hosts this 1991 series that explores various archeological subjects and their link to stories of the past. The show explores the efforts of archaeologists and the methods they use to discover the answers to these mysteries. Episode Searching for the Neanderthal – They roamed Europe’s bleak grasslands braving cave bears mammoths and the freezing winters of the ice age and then they vanished. Their disapearance has stirred debate and speculation for over a century, still the mistery lingers. For untold generations the neanderthals had europe to themselves. Then a new modern type of human began developing and spreading from Africa. Why did neanderthals as a group die out and why did modern humans become the only form of humans that around?
Walking with Cavemen is about human evolution it was produced largely by the same team who produced Walking with Dinosaurs. In the previous Walking with extinct animals were recreated with CGI and animatronics. For Walking with Cavemen the human ancestors were portrayed by actors wearing makeup and prosthetics and is made in the style of a wildlife documentary, featuring a voice over narrator who describes the recreations of the prehistoric past as if they were real. Episode 1 First Ancestors – In the first episode, we see Australopithecus afarensis, and focus on their evolved bipedality (walking on just rear feet – our legs). Follows the famous Lucy and her relatives, as they first develop a leadership conflict following the death of the alpha male due to a crocodile attack, and then are attacked by a rival troupe.
Mega Disasters also released as series Prehistoric Megastorms. Mega Disasters explores potential catastrophic threats to individual cities, countries, and the entire globe. The two “mega-disasters” of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and Hurricane Katrina in 2005 inspired the series and provided a reference point for many of the episodes. Excepting only two shows devoted to man-made disasters, the threats explored can be divided into three general categories: meteorological, geological, and cosmic hazards. Episode 1 Hypercane – 65 million years ago the asteroid of the Yucatan Peninsula could have caused a giant storm that might have killed 70 percent of all animals on earth.
Historian Michael Wood returns to his first great love, the Anglo-Saxon world, to reveal the origins of our literary heritage. Focusing on Beowulf and drawing on other Anglo-Saxon classics, he traces the birth of English poetry back to the Dark Ages. traveling across the British Isles from East Anglia to Scotland and with the help of Nobel prize winning poet Seamus Heaney, actor Julian Glover, local historians and enthusiasts, he brings the story and language of this iconic poem to life.
In the late 19th century, paleontologists Edward Cope and O.C. Marsh uncovered the remains of hundreds of prehistoric animals in the American West, including dozens of previously undiscovered dinosaur species. In the summer of 1868, paleontologist Othniel Charles Marsh boarded a Union Pacific train for a sight-seeing excursion through the heart of the newly-opened American West. While most passengers simply saw magnificent landscapes, Marsh soon realized he was traveling through the greatest dinosaur burial ground of all time. Ruthless, jealous and insanely competitive, Marsh would wrestle over the discovery with the other leading paleontologist of his generation, Edward Drinker Cope. Over time, the two rivals would uncover the remains of dozens of prehistoric animals, including over 130 dinosaur species, collect thousands of specimens, provide ample evidence to prove Charles Darwin’s hotly disputed theory of evolution and put American science on the world stage. But their professional rivalry eventually spiraled out of control. What began with denigrating comments in scientific publications led to espionage, the destruction of fossils and political maneuvering that ultimately left both men alone and almost penniless.
