Finding History

In 1985, National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Dr. Robert Ballard solved one of the greatest nautical mysteries of the 20th century when, while on a top secret naval assignment, he found the final resting place of the RMS Titanic. Now, join the legendary explorer as he reveals the details behind this story of stealth, subs and superpowers ripped from the pages of a Cold War spy thriller. Learn how Ballard's search for Titanic became the cover story to ward off Soviet suspicions, and dive to the ocean floor to explore the covert expeditions that gave Ballard the cutting-edge forensic evidence that would lead him straight to Titanic within a matter of days.

We explore Bob Ballard’s latest discoveries in the Black Sea. Seven years ago, on his third trip to the Black Sea, Ballard discovered a miraculously well-preserved Byzantine shipwreck, but his team could only take pictures. Now, Ballard returns with archaeologist Dr. Bridget Buxton and Dr. Sergiy Voronov of the Ukrainian Department of Underwater Heritage, and uses state-of-the-art technology and a revolutionary robot known as “Hercules” to excavate two shipwrecks for the first time ever, including one of the most pristine, ancient vessels ever found. The team has only two weeks, so they must work in perfect precision. Ballard calls this site “the greatest museum on Earth,” but his team of marine archaeologists has only begun to scratch the surface of the Black Sea’s depths. AKA Shipwreck Graveyard