National Geographic Presents

Nero is accused of having "fiddled while Rome burned" and remembered for executing his mother and burning Christians alive. History has sided against him on all counts, but could there be another side to ancient Rome's notorious emperor? July 19th, 64 AD. Rome is on the brink of disaster. Fire rages through the heart of the empire. Blame will eventually fall on the Emperor, Nero. For 2,000 years he has been accused of fiddling while Rome burned. But, in the fire's wake, it's actually Nero who puts the city back on its feet. In the process he will revolutionise western architecture and forever change the face Rome. Produced by Altair4 Multimedia for National Geographic Channel

As evident from 9/11 and more recent terrorist attacks, New York City is a top target number for international terrorists. National Geographic embeds with New York's finest, the New York City Police Department, for an in-depth look at the terror task force responsible for defending the city that never sleeps. Major events take place throughout the year that could be a tempting target for a suicide bomber, truck bomb, backpack bomb or small arms attack

Founding father, commander of the Continental Army and America's first president—George Washington's face is as familiar as the dollar bill. Today, archaeologists, scientists and historians are applying innovative forensic techniques to reveal the man behind the myth. We join a team, funded by the National Geographic Society, that has discovered the ruins of George Washington's childhood home—its exact location had been a mystery until now. As they comb the site, they unearth two cellars and a collection of incredible artifacts that help set the record straight on his fabled youth. Then, despite Washington's dignified image, we learn he engaged in the dirty business of espionage. During the American Revolution, he habitually used secret codes, invisible ink and misinformation to deceive the British. We also unearth reminders of his intimate relationship with slavery at his Mount Vernon estate and executive mansion. Finally, watch forensic investigators re-create Washington's face—not as painters and sculptors have romanticized him, but as The Real George Washington.

Massive sinkholes devour whole city blocks with no warning. A woman falls through the ground in her backyard and is almost buried alive. An unsuspecting driver suddenly feels the road give way beneath him and plummets into an abyss. It’s not just the stuff of horror movies and headlines – it can happen anywhere to anyone. In this 1x60 special, National Geographic breaks down the science of sinkholes, tells harrowing stories of survival and takes viewers beneath the ground on a hair-raising journey through an underwater cave system to better understand what causes these terrifying freaks of nature. We will also create our own “sinkhole” simulations demonstrating the impact on a human body when it suddenly falls anywhere from 16 to 60 feet whether in a car or in free-fall. Ultimately, we will learn if it is possible to survive one of Mother Nature’s most effective death traps.

A subterranean adventure under the streets of Berlin, following the work of a team of German archaeologists and historians exposing and exploring the last remaining structures of the Third Reich.

Tutankhamun & The Golden Age of the Pharaohs In 1976 a collection of 55 treasures from the tomb of the Pharaoh Tutankhamun left the Cairo Museum en route to the United States. It took the country by storm and introduced millions of Americans to these wonders of the ancient world. Now, Egypt has granted another opportunity for us to view such treasures, and again, spectators are mesmerized. Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs DVD is hosted by Omar Sharif and includes interviews with Dr. Zahi Hawass, Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities in Cairo Egypt, as well as may other individuals that were instrumental in organizing this exhibit. The exhibit includes 50 major artifacts excavated from Tutankhamun's tomb, including his royal diadem the gold crown discovered encircling the head of the king's mummified body that he likely wore while living and one of the gold and inlaid canopic coffinettes that contained his mummified internal organs. More than 70 artifacts from other royal graves are showcased as well, including those of pharaohs Amenhotep ll and Thutmose lV and the rich, intact tomb of Yuya and Tuyu, parents-in-law of Amenhotep lll and great-grandparents of Tutankhamun. All of the treasures in the exhibit are between 3,300 and 3,500 years old.

One former inmate shares how they passed time.

To most of its 10 million visitors, Niagara Falls is natural beauty. But for thrill-seekers, it becomes a life-or-death battleground.

Ten years after Bernie Madoff’s arrest, Bernie Madoff: In His Own Words presents the story of the largest financial fraud in history as told by those who were there: victims, employees, family members, FBI agents and Madoff himself. This program pairs exclusive audio recordings, rare photographs and a never-before-broadcast of Bernie Madoff’s deposition interview in prison to tell the story of Madoff’s massive $65 billion Ponzi scheme.