Bangkok--16 Feb--PRpedia
SPECIALS
National Geographic Channel presents one-of-a-kind telecasts and exclusive programs
NASCA LINES DECODED
Premieres Fri, 19 Mar @ 09pm (TH)
They are striking works of art by any standard: but what purpose did they serve? Some of the theories put forward suggest that the lines were ancient running tracks, runways for aliens, and even a giant astronomical calculator. But after decades of misunderstanding, modern archaeology may finally have an answer to the puzzle of the Nasca lines. An international team, including National Geographic-funded scientists, has taken an array of high-tech tools to the desert in an unprecedented effort to build a comprehensive digital model of the lines. At the same time, excavations are uncovering new clues about the Nasca, their rituals and beliefs, and the extremes they went to in order to survive. This one hour television Special is a story of an unforgiving climate, droughts, clan warfare, and mysterious caches of severed human heads. The film will be packed with cutting edge science, dramatic recreations and CGI, examines the extraordinary mystery of the Nasca Lines.
FLORENCE UNLOCKED
Premieres Fri, 26 Mar @ 09pm (TH)
Some secrets lie just beneath the surface in Florence, Italy. The city that was once a Roman military settlement flourished, to become the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance. However, the transformation came with a price, paid by artists and patrons alike. Enlightened individuals were imprisoned for their innovation and architects concealed plans to protect them from theft. Royal patrons used hidden stairways and secret passages to protect privacy and to spy on government and family. Now, as modern innovators employ new science to unlock centuries-old mysteries, National Geographic reveals the clandestine side of Renaissance Florence.
TYPHOON HUNTERS
Premieres Sun, 28 Mar @ 02am (TH)
Summer time, in the Northwest Pacific, four weather reconnaissance planes dance with a ferocious typhoon. An international team of meteorologists set out to conduct an unprecedented typhoon hunting mission. Their goal is noble. If they can unlock the secret of the storms, more lives around the world will be saved. But can they do it? The Northwest Pacific is the birth place of some of the most violent storms on the planet. To unlock the secrets of typhoon formation, an international team of meteorologists will coordinate four aircraft, flying into the very heart of these storms. For the first time ever, several different countries will trace the same typhoon. Their goal is noble. But can they do it?
NEW SERIES
MONSTER FISH
In his quest to save the world's biggest fish, aquatic ecologist Zeb Hogan has wrangled what's currently the world's biggest known freshwater species, the Mekong Giant Catfish. But is it really the biggest? Join Dr. Zeb Hogan on his quest to find and study the world's largest freshwater fish in some of the deepest rivers and remote corners of the planet. As he fights to protect them, he seeks out the leading contenders in a quest to better understand them.
Mongolian Terror Trout
Premieres Wed, 10 Mar @ 09pm (TH)
Aquatic ecologist Zeb Hogan continues his quest to find and protect the world's largest freshwater fish in the frigid rivers of Mongolia. He will travel by plane, truck, and horseback to find the largest trout known as the Hucho taimen. This is not your everyday dinner trout. This monster can grow up to 6 feet in length and weighs up to 200 pounds. Once known as king of the river, the taimen is starting to disappear. And as winter approaches and temperatures drop, Zeb will be up against a tight deadline. Join him and a team of scientists, anglers, and local Mongolians as they search for the world's largest trout: the Taimen.
Sawfish
Premieres Wed, 17 Mar @ 09pm (TH)
Follow Dr. Zeb Hogan, National Geographic Explorer and an aquatic ecologist on his journey to find the largest freshwater fish in Australia - the freshwater sawfish, a cross between a shark and a chainsaw. These amazing monsters are nearing extinction, but here in Northern Australia is a stronghold of this elusive fish. Zeb gets in the water to learn about the sawfish's amazing hunting technique, stunning a prey with its rostrum and then eating it whole. Zeb teams up with a local scientist, David Morgan and Jarlmadangah Rangers, a group of indigenous Aboriginals, to catch and study the monstrous sawfish in the Fitzroy River in Northwest Australia. Zeb and the team follow the sawfish migration from the estuary upstream and back again until they return to the sea. He tags and releases many sawfish, from a month old baby to a 2.2-meter mega fish on its way to the ocean where it could someday grow to be a monster 7-meter fish.
Giant Stingray
Premieres Wed, 24 Mar @ 09pm (TH)
Follow Dr Zeb Hogan, National Geographic Explorer and an aquatic biologist on his quest to find what could be the world's largest and most deadly freshwater fish - the giant freshwater stingray. We follow Zeb as he dives with a captive stingray for the very first time and hand feeds this monster of the deep - its jaws have the power to crush bone. To catch a wild stingray, Zeb teams up with a local expert Dr. Nantarika Chansue and a commercial fishing guide as they search central Thailand's rivers and estuaries in search of this enigmatic bottom feeder. We document one of the world's first field studies on this critically endangered population. Were do they hide? How big do they get? On camera Zeb tags what could be the world's largest freshwater fish weighing up to 450 kg.
Great White Sturgeon
Premieres Wed, 31 Mar @ 09pm (TH)
Lurking in the murky depths of the world's great waterways are bizarre giants-specimens of such enormous proportion and odd appearance they boggle the mind. In his quest to save the world's biggest fish, aquatic ecologist Zeb Hogan has wrangled some of the biggest freshwater fish in the world. In this episode, we follow him as he goes in search of the biggest and oldest of North America's river monsters: the White Sturgeon. These giants are living to a ripe old age - many of the fish Zeb will encounter on his trip are not only bigger than he is, but have lived the better part of a century. To find them, he'll team up with scientists, divers, fisherman, and an Indian tribe who are all trying and figure out how to save the white sturgeon before it's too late.
CRUISE SHIP DIARIES
Following the international success of "Inside the Worlds Biggest Cruise Ship", Cruise Ship Diaries is a six-part mini series featuring Europe’s largest Cruise Ship: the Costa Serena. The magnificent ship is one of the most technologically advanced at sea and carries almost 3000 passengers along with 1200 crewmembers. The Serena has been designed to deal with many weather conditions, and has a sliding glass dome: the Margrodome - which is able to cover all four swimming pools. The ship boasts a full size "drive in movie-style" screen positioned next to the main pool and is the only ship to have a Formula One simulator on board. Five star chefs, a theatre that seats 1500 people, a wedding chapel which can be adapted for all religions and the world’s biggest floating health spa - only some of the amazing features on this Mega Cruise Ship. Apart from the engineering and technology, The Serena is part of the world’s first Green Fleet. Built with the environment in mind, the ship’s crew has also partnered with the World Wildlife Fund to run on-board programs to try and make guests more aware of the part they can play in protecting the oceans.
Honeymoon Season
Premieres Tue, 2 Mar @ 09pm (TH)
The Costa Serena is one of the oceans biggest ships and is now facing a new challenge - honeymoon season. With major staff changes, brand new entertainers, worsening weather and several unexpected challenges ahead this crew must be on high alert. This is cruise ship life as never seen before. This is Cruise Ship Diaries.
Inspectors on Board
Premieres Tue, 9 Mar @ 09pm (TH)
The Costa Serena is longer than the London Bridge and her entertainment areas cover more space than 20 football fields. With nearly 3800 international passengers on each cruise, the 1000 crew members who spend most of their lives at sea are pushed to the max. Now, the ship is facing a tough week: worsening weather, a safety inspection putting jobs on the line, unusual guests and many unexpected challenges lie ahead.
Magic and Mayhem
Premieres Tue, 16 Mar @ 09pm (TH)
As the Costa Serena leaves the port of Venice, the crew is gearing up for another demanding week. Over three thousand guests, lost luggage, a new magic show and a sudden death on board are only some of the drama's that lie ahead.
Rock Concert
Premieres Tue, 23 Mar @ 09pm (TH)
The crew of the Costa Serena is facing another nail-biting week: a famous band, Nomadi will perform a rock concert in the theatre and security must deal with paparazzi, difficult fans and celebrities. Demanding German guests are in search of peace and quiet and the entertainment team is working double shifts to keep everyone happy.
Dirty Dancing
Premieres Tue, 30 Mar @ 09pm (TH)
The week ahead is set to challenge even the toughest crew members with bad weather, demanding guests, wacky entertainers and medical emergencies. As the ship leaves Venice, the crew is hurtled into action. There is a big group of tango dancers and their instructors on board, with a string of demands. A lavish Argentinean feast will be prepared in their honour. Tempers are frayed as the new singer is not up to the female lead singers standards. In the same theatre, the Dancing Gauchos vie for rehearsal times with the tango troupe. Elsewhere, a famous photographer is looking for models among the staff for some on board photo shoots. Meanwhile, the hotel director is on the war-path to exterminate any pests on board, and he takes no prisoners. Tango, tempers, brawls and birthdays this is the inside story of cruise ship life.
RETURNING SERIES
MEGA FACTORIES 2
They don’t get bigger, faster or more stylish than this season’s Ultimate Factories. From the roar behind Lamborghini’s racing bull to the design success of IKEA’s global empire, Ultimate Factories reveals the science, technology and behind the scenes manufacturing stories of six international icons: the Lamborghini Murci?lago, the Porsche GT3, the Audi R8, the Rolls-Royce Phantom, the R160 New York subway car, and international home furnishings powerhouse, IKEA.
Porsche
Premieres Thu, 4 Mar @ 09pm (TH)
Rolling off the assembly line and taking the world by storm in 1964, the Porsche 911 is now one of the world’s iconic sports cars. Still produced on the same grounds that gave birth to the first 911, this car has grown to 14 variations. From the "modest" 911 Carrera with a top track speed of 185 mph to the 911 GT3, a street legal racecar that tops out at 194 mph; this Ultimate Factory, in Stuttgart, Germany, can offer a color, style, and speed for even the most fastidious driver.
Lamborghini
Premieres Thu, 11 Mar @ 09pm (TH)
Lamborghinis factory in San Agata Bolognese, Italy is building its fastest car ever: the Murcielago SV, of which just 350 will be made. The $450,000 Murcielago SV launches from 0 to 62 miles per hour in just 3.2 seconds and can achieve a top speed of 212 miles per hour. The factory builds the car almost entirely by hand including its engine and body. The car is also painted and assembled by hand, including installation of the famous Lamborghini scissor doors. Every car is custom-built to order, and only 2.7 cars are completed per day.
Rolls Royce
Premieres Thu, 18 Mar @ 09pm (TH)
The Phantom is the first Rolls-Royce motorcar to be introduced since the company was acquired by BMW in 1998. Each Phantom is a unique combination of state-of-the-art technology and old-world craftsmanship, constructed with meticulous attention to detail. Manufacture of the Phantom begins in Unterhallerau, Germany, where its strong, stiff and lightweight space frame chassis is built. Each space frame and body shell assembly is then sent to BMWs factory in Dingolfing, Germany for corrosion-resistance treatment and primer paint. Next, each Phantom is shipped to a manufacturing facility constructed by BMW specifically to build the new generation of Rolls-Royce motorcars. At a base price of $380,000, the Phantom comes equipped with an impressive list of standard amenities including 90 square yards (75 sq meters) of A-grade Bavarian leather upholstery and "book matched" interior wood trim, hand-crafted from exotic veneers, all of which are fashioned right in the main assembly building of the Goodwood plant.
Audi
Premieres Thu, 25 Mar @ 09pm (TH)
Our cameras go inside the Audi R8 factory in Neckarsulm, Germany and follow the crafting of a road car modeled after a champion racecar. With the introduction of the R8, Audi breaks out of its elegant sedan image to create a sports car that rivals the likes of Porsche and Lamborghini. Modeled after the R8 racecar that dominated at LeMans, the Audi R8 road car is a mid-engine two-seater with explosive power and a smooth ride. Audi has combined all of its engineering innovations over the last few decades into this one sports car all wheel drive, an ultra-light aluminum space frame and high-tech fuel injection. Since its launch in 2007, the super sleek R8 has appeared in many films and TV shows, including: "Iron Man", "Transformers", "Dirty Sexy Money", "CSI: Miami", "Chuck", and "17 Again". This car is grabbing the attention of sports car fanatics, photographers and automotive journalists all over the world.
CONTINUING SERIES
Animal Autopsy
Animal Autopsy will delve under the skin of the world's largest animals to reveal their unique anatomy and unravel their evolutionary secrets. Most wildlife documentaries show you how animals behave, but by exploring inside nature's giants we emerge with a deeper understanding of how these animals work. We will discover how elephants are able to consume so much food; why crocodiles have such an incredibly strong bite; why giraffes have such a long neck and why the closest living relative of the whale is a hippo. This is Natural History as you've never seen it before - from the inside out.
Whale
Premieres Wed, 3 Mar @ 09pm (TH)
An international team of experts dissect a 65 fin whale stranded off the coast of Ireland. As the animal visibly expands on the beach, whale anatomist Joy Reidenberg races from New York to ensure the animal doesn't explode. Using heavy machinery, Joy and the team set to work amidst gale force winds, driving rain, bloody guts, evil smells and freezing conditions. Advancing tides threaten to engulf the whale as the team race to complete the operation. Beneath the blubber, the whale’s unique anatomy holds clues to its evolution.
WORLD’S TOUGHEST FIXES 2
Join professional rigger, adventure junkie, and science geek Sean Riley as he rappels into the world of mechanical mayhem, major maintenance projects and emergency repairs that threaten to bring the world you know to a standstill.
Get a close-up view of essential infrastructure, broken dams, busted bridges and broken down mega machinery. Riley meets the folks working 24/7 to keep the wheels of heavy industry spinning smoothly and lends a hand when he can.
Come along and see how the experts are harnessing solar and wind energy to meet tomorrow's energy demands… Launching satellites into space so we can stay in tune and online… and fixing big broken machinery essential to keep our world turning.
Lock And Load
Premieres Thu, 4 Mar @ 08pm (TH)
San Riley races the clock to dam up a river and replace one of the locks that regulates water levels in a busy cargo thoroughfare. One wrong move and half a million liters of water could be unleashed.
Mass Transit
Premieres Thu, 11 Mar @ 08pm (TH)
Riley buys a ticket and joins the crowd. A million commuters, scurrying to and from work… It's a typical day in the fifth largest mass transit system in the USA. Behind the scenes, the action is even more frantic as thousands of workers struggle to keep this huge system up and running 24/7. Transit controllers, operators, mechanics, electricians, communications experts… all working to monitor, co-ordinate and repair, the thousands of trains, buses, and trolleys that make up this incredibly complex transport matrix.
Rigging Vegas
Premieres Thu, 18 Mar @ 08pm (TH)
Ever think about running away to join the circus? Well here's your chance. Join Riley as he travels to Las Vegas to help high-flying Cirque du Soleil solve a real show-stopper of a problem. At the center of the show is the largest, most technologically advanced theater stage in the world - and it's failing. For the crack team of experts in charge of nursing it back to health, this fix is a huge leap without a net. It's never been attempted before. For the actors and acrobats who rely on the 40-ton stage every night, it could be a matter of life and death. While in Sin City, Riley will cruise the strip to join some other teams racing against the clock to keep the world's most amazing spectacles up and running. For these men and women, failure is not an option. The show must go on!
Rocket Launch
Premieres Thu, 25 Mar @ 08pm (TH)
Strap yourself in for this one, because this is definitely out of this world. For this fix, we're going satellite launching. Delivering this piece of high-tech equipment into space will take a rocket the size of a twelve-story building and an enormous amount of firepower… and it's a job that'll be done from one of the most remote places on the planet: French Guiana. This South American department of France is just a short distance from the equator, but it's a long way from the modern world. As the clock winds down to zero, Riley is positioned for a bird's eye view of what's definitely one of the most spectacular sights on earth - a rocket roaring into space.