Superscience

Examining Earth's complex atmosphere. Included: how it is necessary for life on the surface; a man who braved its dangerous upper reaches and survived.

On a single day on a single street, with the DNA of just a couple of hundred random people, National Geographic Channel sets out to trace the ancestral footsteps of all humanity. Narrated by Kevin Bacon, The Human Family Tree travels to…

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National Geographic Naked Science presents "Super Volcano", the inside documentary of what might happen if the Yellowstone Caldera were to erupt one day. This documentary includes a Yellowstone timeline of past eruptions, how Yellowstone…

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A mysterious crash in Roswell, NM during the 1940s convinced many that our planet is being visited by space aliens. Crop circles in Britain have only added fuel to the fire. Few scientists doubt that life indeed exists elsewhere, but some…

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For 400 million years, sharks have dominated the Earth's oceans. They have survived 5 planetary mass extinctions to become the top predators of the sea, honed to an evolutionary perfection. But what shark species is the most deadly? And…

The supposed ability of some individuals to mentally transmit and receive thoughts is examined in this hour. Unsubstantiated claims are not proof, so several experiments are conducted to put the phenomenon to the test. This includes…

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In over 200 years of study, scientists are still unsure of what stimulates a lightning strike. One current theory suggests that cosmic rays could be the trigger. The odd phenomenon of ball lightning is examined, as well as recently…

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In the space of 500 years, eighteen of these huge monuments were built. Focusing more on the "who" than the "how" of their construction, forensic anthropology learns that it wasn't slaves that built the pyramids, as originally thought.…

The history and a projection of the future of the Earth's land masses caused by continental drift is explain by the theory of plate tectonics.

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Our planet Earth is teeming with life. To some, it's a miracle - but can science explain how it came into existence? Critics have attacked the theory of evolution for 150 years. They claim it is full of holes, and the gaps reveal the hand…

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Great distances and dangerous environments make robotic spacecraft the best way for scientists to explore our solar system. Acting as our eyes and ears, these probes have revealed secrets about the distant planets and their moons, their…

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Since the death of 1,700 people near a lake in Africa, scientists have uncovered a terrifying series of hazards in lakes across the world.

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With advanced technology in their hands, astronomers and scientists may now be capable of detecting extraterrestrial life in the universe. In fact, some think the proof may be found in as little as a decade. Astronomers involved in the…

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Thanks to new developments in the technology of astronomy, scientists have been able to collect new information, giving them clues to how our solar system was formed.

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Mysteries surrounding the Rocky Mountains are discussed. Included: recent theories on their formation and how the rate of growth of the American Rockies compares to that of their Canadian counterpart.

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How did life begin? its one of the most fundamental and difficult questions that has challenged us for ages. Our planet is teaming with life, from the highest mountain to the deepest ocean; life is everywhere. But what was the firing…

Three million miles from earth lies a planet so small that even the most advanced telescopes. A dedicated core of scientists offer educated guesses as to the makeup and condition of Pluto, as well as discuss its qualifications to be…

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Time travel theorists ask, what if we could send scientific and medical information through time--perhaps a cure for AIDS?

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13.7 Billion years ago, there was absolutely nothing. No space, no time, and no matter. Then there was the Big Bang. Naked Science follows the first second of creation, when a minute speck of light appeared from nothing, expanded at…

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Millions of years ago, Venus and Earth cut similar figures. Roughly the same size and about the same distance from the sun, their respective evolutions could have followed similar paths. But today, Venus is a seething vision of Hell, its…

Secret World of Fireworks explores the closely held secrets, recipes, and techniques from the world of pyrotechnic showmen. National Geographic takes a behind the scenes look into this exclusive world with unique access from Zambelli…

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Stephen Hawking is one of the worlds most famous scientists. But ALS, also known as Lou Gehrigs Disease, has left him almost totally paralysedand it is progressing. Unable to walk, talk, or write, his only way of communicating is through…

In the farthest reaches of space, a volatile battle is taking place between two forces so great, they may eventually destroy the very universe itself. Known as Dark Matter and Dark Energy, these opposing forces have the capacity to rip…

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The hardest known substance on Earth is known for its value and beauty. Scientists believe diamonds could also hold incredible possibilities for the future. Their incredible durability and their unique properties could revolutionize…

Astronomers continue to study black holes to understand what role they play in the universe. Scientists understand that their incredible pull can swallow nearby stars and entire galaxies and that they warp time and space. Investigators…

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This episode examines the effects of a hypothetical radiological attack from a car bomb on a major U.S. city. The purpose is to give useful information in the event that such an event should occur. The stories of several characters are…

Travel back in time to look at three of the largest mass extinctions that have decimated life on the planet. What caused these wipeouts?

Each year, the moon moves an inch and one half farther away from Earth and is gaining momentum. The gravity it exerts on our planet acts as a stabilization mechinism, allowing for a consistent range of temperatures, seasons and days. If…

From Hawaii's volcanoes to Greenland's glaciers to meteorites in Australia, teams of international scientists race to solve the mystery of how life first formed on Earth.

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Until recently, there was nothing that could be done about natural disasters like super-volcanic eruptions, meteors striking Earth, and severe hurricanes. Now, both science and government are looking at possible game-changing options that…

Scientists reveal evidence of the existence of alien life. Detailed imaging of an underground ocean on a planetary moon and newly discovered extrasolar planets reveal what contacting alien life will be like. This is a serious scientific…

The famous explosion that took place in Siberia early in the 20th century, known as the Tunguska Event, obliterated everything within thousands of square miles. It was so intense that the skies of Europe were lit for several nights. The…

Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull volcano erupted April 14, 2010, spewing aircraft-harming ash over most of Europe. It could cause Katla, its neighboring, larger volcano to erupt. NGC looks at Eyjafjallajokull before, during and after,…

Dead Tired uncovers research exploring whether tiredness may lead to heart attack, diabetes, obesity, and depression. In a unique TV experiment, witness what happens to a healthy 25-year old when he cuts back his sleep from eight to three…

Cameras offer a rare look inside the Navy's latest weapon in the fight against terrorism: the USS Florida, a guided missile submarine. In a Joint Operations mission, the sub smuggles Navy SEALS ashore to identify a terrorist location and…

This program looks at the remarkable occurrence of the total solar eclipse over Easter Island on July 11, 2010. The program looks at the science of the sun as it is revealed via the eclipse phenomenon and then takes us "near live" to the…

As the sun continues to age, it becomes increasingly hot and begins to expand, eventually swallowing up Earth. The temperatures on our planet will rise, turning the third rock from the sun into a scorched and uninhabitable wasteland. The…

Have you ever seen lightning strike from the ground to the sky or float in midair? Spectacular and exotic forms of this natural phenomenon are slowed down on film to reveal minute detail. Luminous spheres that linger in airplanes are…

Some believe that man's insatiable desire to alter his environment is actually causing natural disasters. Urban sprawl perhaps strengthened a tornado in Atlanta; massive amounts of coal and water removal may have triggered Australia's…

With most of the planet covered by oceans and overcrowding an issue on land, the time may be right to turn the science fiction idea of living beneath the sea into a reality. This episode examines what it would take to construct and…

Recently, paleontologists unearthed the fossilized remains of a 35-foot, 240 million-year-old ichthyosaur in Nevada's Augusta Mountains and instantly knew this creature would have been the ocean's top predator. Join the investigation as…

Scientists study fragments of a meteorite, hoping to gain insight into the origins of life on Earth. Also: a controversial space rock from Mars is examined at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston.

Does evolution really explain how life on Earth began? For decades, critics have attacked Darwin's theory and supported the case for a designer behind our existence. Could Darwin have been wrong?

Imagine a world frozen solid. Imagine that vast sheets of ice hundreds of feet thick encased the entire planet--a giant snowball floating through space. This is not some exotic new world deep in space. It may be our world, the Earth. Some…

An insider's look at NASA's Constellation program which hopes to establish a human outpost on the moon by 2020.

On February 5th 2008 Super Tuesday 57 people lost their lives as 87 tornadoes devastated 5 states. It was Americas deadliest tornado outbreak in nearly a quarter of a century. Tornados are one of the most destructive forces of the planets…

Secret World of Fireworks explores the closely held secrets, recipes, and techniques from the world of pyrotechnic showmen. National Geographic takes a behind the scenes look into this exclusive world with unique access from Zambelli…

Engineers wondered if a plane that operated solely on solar power could be built. Their efforts over a decade result in the Solar Impulse HB-SIA, the plane that triumphantly takes to the air. Making a 26-hour nonstop day-night-day flight…

Over a century ago, sponge divers recovered an extremely complex mechanical device from a shipwreck. It was decades before they determined it's purpose, to accurately track the movement of the stars in the night sky. Dubbed the…

The centuries-old Voynich manuscript has remained an enigma. Filled with bizarre drawings and written in a language that even the best cryptographers cannot decipher, the tome has remained a puzzling mystery. The efforts to decode the…

At this very moment, you could be breathing the same oxygen molecule that Genghis Khan and George Washington did! NGC is putting a unique twist on history by retracing the extraordinary journey of a single molecule of oxygen an adventure…

Parallel universes, strange hidden worlds, where an alternative reality exists have haunted science fiction for decades. Parallel universes sound like a myth, but a surprising number of leading scientists believe they are real. National…

Bryan Fry has always been intrigued with things that can kill you. Since surviving a near fatal rattlesnake bite this scientist, turned venom hunter, has made it his mission to seek out the worlds deadliest creatures. Each venom he…

Go on an action packed, hi-tech fishing expedition with the Sea Strikers. When the ocean's top predators strike, their prey doesn't even know what hit them! NGC dives into the attack strategies that sea hunters employ to deliver killer…

The 1991 eruption of Japan's Mount Unzen, which killed 43 people, including three volcanologists, is recalled. Included: archival footage; survivor testimonies.

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