A three part series from the Discovery civilization channel all about the Tower of London. This is the story of the tower of London, past and present. With unique access to the tower, this series will unlock its private, as well as public life. Revealing the hidden history of well known stories, and uncovering forgotten tower secrets. More than anywhere else in Britain these building have stood at the heart of history for over 900 years. The truth of what happened here is still being discovered. From executions with block and axe, to spies shot in the first world war, it has prisoners as familiar is queen Elizabeth the first, and as recent as World War Two u-boat men. Episode 1 Fortress With unique access behind the walls and locked doors of the Tower of London, discover how it stayed at the cutting edge of military technology ...

We are in the midst of the greatest era of space discovery. Twenty first century spacecraft and sophisticated imaging technology are venturing into uncharted territory every day and much of the extraordinary phenomena are happening right in our own cosmic backyard. This series features computer-generated imagery and computer graphics of astronomical objects in the universe plus interviews with experts who study in the fields of cosmology, astronomy, and astrophysics. Episode 2 Mars: The New Evidence - A look for evidence of life on Mars which provides many clues that it now, or once had supported it; from the remains of lakes and rivers that once flowed on the surface; to the water ice frozen at the poles; to the seasonal changes in methane gases that may prove bacterial life still thrives underground. It has been fifty years since man first ventured into space, but the greatest secrets are yet to ...

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 ...

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 3 Cornwall - Tony takes a four day trek along the coastline between Plymouth in Devon and Falmouth learning about the thriving smuggling trade in Cornwall during the late 18th century. The area's tiny secretive harbours, beaches and secluded coves were ideal for illicit imports such as tobacco and brandy, and the business was so huge it threatened the national economy. Along his route, visiting such beauty spots as Lantic Bay and Polperro, he encounters all sorts of reminders of the trade and meets descendants of those involved ...

In The Ascent of Money Niall Ferguson traces the evolution of money and demonstrates that financial history is the essential back story behind all history. By learning how societies have continually created and survived financial crises we can find solid solutions to today's worldwide economic emergency. As he traverses historic financial hot spots around the world, Ferguson illuminates fundamental economic concepts and speaks with leading experts in the financial world. Episode 4 Risky Business - Life is a risky business which is why people take out insurance. But faced with an unexpected disaster, the state has to step in. Professor Ferguson travels to post Katrina New Orleans to ask why the free market can't provide some of the adequate protection against catastrophe. His quest for an answer takes him to the origins of modern insurance in the early 19th century and to the birth of the welfare state in post ...

In The Ascent of Money Niall Ferguson traces the evolution of money and demonstrates that financial history is the essential back story behind all history. By learning how societies have continually created and survived financial crises we can find solid solutions to today's worldwide economic emergency. As he traverses historic financial hot spots around the world, Ferguson illuminates fundamental economic concepts and speaks with leading experts in the financial world. Episode 5 Safe As Houses - It sounded so simple, give state owned assets to the people. After all, what better foundation for a property owning democracy than a campaign of privatisation encompassing housing? An economic theory says that markets can't function without mortgages, because it's only by borrowing against their assets that entrepreneurs can get their businesses off the ground. But what if mortgages are bundled together and sold off to the highest bidder? ...

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? ...

In The Ascent of Money Niall Ferguson traces the evolution of money and demonstrates that financial history is the essential back story behind all history. By learning how societies have continually created and survived financial crises we can find solid solutions to today's worldwide economic emergency. As he traverses historic financial hot spots around the world, Ferguson illuminates fundamental economic concepts and speaks with leading experts in the financial world. Episode 3 Blowing Bubbles - Why do stock markets produce bubbles and busts? Professor Ferguson goes back to the origins of the joint stock company in Amsterdam and Paris. He draws telling parallels between the current stock market crash and the 18th century Mississippi Bubble of Scottish financier John Law and the 2001 Enron bankruptcy. He shows why humans have a herd instinct when it comes to investment, and why no one can accurately predict when the bulls might stampede ...

In The Ascent of Money Niall Ferguson traces the evolution of money and demonstrates that financial history is the essential back story behind all history. By learning how societies have continually created and survived financial crises we can find solid solutions to today's worldwide economic emergency. As he traverses historic financial hot spots around the world, Ferguson illuminates fundamental economic concepts and speaks with leading experts in the financial world. Episode 6 Chimerica - Niall Ferguson investigates the globalisation of the Western economy and the uncertain balance between the important component countries of China and the US. In examining the last time globalisation took hold, before World War One, he finds a notable reversal, namely that today money is pouring into the English speaking economies from the developing world, rather than out ...

Britain AD - which accompanies and expands on Britain BC Francis Pryor traces the story of King Arthur back to its ancient origins. Putting forth the compelling idea that most of its key elements are deeply rooted in Bronze and Iron Ages he argues that the legends survival mirrors a flourishing indigenous culture that endured through the Roman occupation of Britain and the subsequent invasions of the so called Dark Ages ...

Get to the bottom of the world's great cities - literally! Sink into subterranean discovery lead by intrepid explorers Eric Geller and Don Wildman. With each step below street level you travel back decades even centuries, into the fascinating past of the world's great cities. What mysteries await discovery in the dark corners of these subterranean realms? This is the stuff of fantasy exploring secret chambers and forbidden passages beneath city streets, unlocking mysteries of the past and discovering forgotten relics. Episode 4 Rome's Hidden Empire Rome, Italy - Eric Geller, with the help of experts on Roman history, archeology, and architecture, explores the ruins that lie beneath the city of Rome. He focuses on a pagan temple devoted to the worship of Mitheras; an ancient apartment building known as the Vicus; Domitian's stadium; the functions and buildings belonging to the Basilica; Roman contributions to architecture; and Caesar Augustus' efforts ...

Channel 4 Written and presented by Dr David Starkey, this is the compelling story of two of England's most striking monarchs a brother and sister, tied by blood and affection, and torn apart by religion, power, and some of the bloodiest episodes in English history. Mary found herself cast into the shadows, ignored by her father and declared illegitimate by Act of Parliament after the birth of Edward. Nonetheless she became very attached to the motherless boy, and he to her, declaring her his dearest sister. When Edward was just nine, their father died and the young boy became King, surrounded by advisors and further distanced from his beloved elder sister. But by now they were divided not just by power and status, but also by faith Edward was dead at the tragically early age of 16 and Mary became Queen. She set about making England a Catholic country once ...

Leaving the dusty history books behind, Engineering an Empire takes to the streets - as well as the sewers, mountaintops, jungles and beyond - to trace the magnificent physical achievements and technologies of past societies. Engineering an Empire circles the globe to re-examine history's most magnificent civilizations by surveying the architectural and engineering triumphs they left behind. CGI graphics and location footage reanimate the ancient streets, while expert interviews trace the rise of each empire and the technological achievements that paved the way for their gravity defying masterpieces. Host Peter Weller, RoboCop actor and lecturer at syracuse University, travels around the world and, assisted by cutting edge computer renderings and note perfect dramatizations, far back in time to chronicle the innovation and architectural brilliance that gave birth to modern civilization. Episode Egypt - Twenty five hundred years before the reign of Julius Caesar, the ancient Egyptians were deftly harnessing the ...

MonsterQuest uses the latest high tech equipment to take a scientific look at legendary creatures around the world creatures eyewitnesses claim to see to this day. Each episode will examine all the evidence available, from pictures and video to hair and bones, as well as the eyewitness accounts themselves. Believers, skeptics and scientists will weigh in, but what will the evidence reveal? Episode 9 Sierra Sasquatch - Ancient petroglyphs in the Sierra Nevada Mountains depict footprints left by frightening packs of hairy man like beasts. Now, MonsterQuest heads to the heart of California where witnesses are encountering aggressively territorial packs of Sasquatch. The team will investigate groups of large footprints found here and analyze compelling new video which could be that of the beast ...

The series features various subjects related to science and technology. Some of the views expressed might be considered fringe or pseudo-science. Episode 6 Bermuda Triangle - Ships and planes vanish without a trace. The Triangle goes by many names, The Vile Vortices or The Devil's Triangle. There are also debates as to its boundaries. But at the centre of the myths and legends are the 450,000 square miles of island strewn ocean between Miami, Bermuda and Puerto Rico. Said to be a mysterious vortex claiming lives, ships, and planes at will. Some are never found, others turn up as gravestones on the ocean floor. Among such feared supernatural phenomena as UFOs and alien abduction, the Triangle is a serious contender. This programme sets out to unravel its secrets, finding out what lies behind the myth. Flying into the heart of the Bermuda Triangle ...