Mega Disasters: Collection Three

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Science Documentary hosted by J V Martin, published by History Channel in 2009 - English narration

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Mega Disasters: Collection Three What would happen if a major catastrophe struck the United States? Using past natural disasters as an example, this detailed – and disturbing – collection from HISTORY examines tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, hurricanes and even an asteroid impact, to see what disasters could be coming our way. The same geological forces that ripped apart the ancient world still roil beneath the surface today. Will history repeat itself? What are experts doing to avoid a landslide of death and destruction in the event of an eruption at Mt. Rainier? Would the people – and skyscrapers – of present-day Chicago survive a high-speed tornado like the one that hit in 1967? And what would happen if a Category 3 hurricane were to hit New York City? Computer animations, models, and re-creations providing a jaw-dropping view of what a storm like this could do to the Big Apple. History: Mega Disasters examines it all – quakes, droughts, freezes and eruptions. They’ve happened before; will they happen again?

[edit] Episode 1: The Next Pompeii

In 79 AD Mt. Vesuvius destroyed Pompeii and killed 5,000 people. The volcano is quiet at the moment, but the only consistency in Vesuvius' eruptive history is a lack of consistency. The danger zone that surrounds the volcano includes the city of Naples and its one million residents; another two million people reside nearby. Scientists know that when Vesuvius erupts again they won't have much warning and another major metropolis will be destroyed.

[edit] Episode 2: Dam Breaks

Modern dams are marvels of engineering but after decades of neglect the U.S. infrastructure is in crisis and by 2020, 85% of U.S. dams may be near their breaking point. When the South Fork Dam near Johnstown, PA gave way in a storm in 1889, killing 2200 people, it was the worst disaster in U.S. history. Today, with millions of Americans living nearby massive dams, the result of a failure could be catastrophic.

[edit] Episode 3: Glow Train Catastrophe

The U.S. Department of Energy and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission plan to transport 77,000 tons of nuclear waste to a permanent storage facility 950 feet below Nevada's Yucca Mountain. If the plan goes through, much of the cargo will travel through Las Vegas, making an accident there a very disturbing possibility. If history has taught us anything, it's that transporting dangerous goods can sometimes have catastrophic results. Take a look at the potential disaster that such a rail accident would have in Las Vegas.

[edit] Episode 4: Atlantis Apocalypse

Volcanoes can erupt suddenly and without warning, unleashing the most destructive forces on earth. More than 3,500 years ago, the Greek island of Santorini experienced one of the worst volcanic disasters in human history, and perhaps the biggest loss from this mega disaster, the destruction of a civilization that could have changed the course of history. Will history repeat itself?

[edit] Episode 5: Airborne Attack

Anthrax, the most feared of the biological weapons--spores entering the body through the lungs are lethal. In 2001, a letter sent through the US mail, paralyzed the nation when anthrax spores were found inside. Will anthrax be used to create a worldwide disaster?

[edit] Episode 6: Deadly Jet Collision

Since commercial aviation began, the romance of air travel has been marred by the tragedy of crashes. Today the sky above is safer than ever before--but the ground below has become more perilous. That was tragically proven in March, 1977, on Tenerife, part of the Canary Island chain, where 583 people were killed when two Boeing 747s collided at Los Rodeos Airport. It was the world's--and history's--worst aviation disaster. Though decades have passed, root causes for the tragedy at Tenerife remain with us today.

[edit] Episode 7: Toxic Cloud

Chemistry has changed our way of life, including potentially the explosive release of a dangerous chemical. Today, there are numerous facilities where the potential for release of a toxic cloud that could stretch for miles. In Texas City, an average of 22 vessels a day move 60 million tons of cargo through the port and about 97 % of which are petroleum and chemicals for the refineries. Can safer chemicals be introduced in time to prevent a disaster?

[edit] Episode 8: Hypercane

65 million years ago an asteroid crashed into Mexico's Yucatan peninsula. 75% of all life vanished, but could a single asteroid have been the lone killer? Theories about what happened after the impact have been speculated on by the scientific community. Ranging from global warming to worldwide firestorms, ideas have been put forth, but none have been proven. Then in 1995 a new theory claimed that a powerful storm known as a Hypercane caused the extinction. The Hypercane allegedly reaches 20 miles into the Stratosphere and has wind speeds of up to 700 miles per hour.

[edit] Episode 9: Noah's Flood

Could the biblical story of Noah be true? 8,000 years ago, rising sea levels had global oceans surging. With the power of all the world's oceans at its back, the Mediterranean Sea burst through the Bosporus Strait in modern-day Turkey with cataclysmic force. When the flood was over the sea had claimed a landmass twice the size of Ireland.

[edit] Episode 10: Mega Tsunami

In 6,000 B.C., 8,000 years before the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, waves taller than the Statue of Liberty ravaged the coasts of the Mediterranean Sea, devastating ancient villages and killing untold numbers.