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The 411 For July 2007 |
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National Geographic Channel Primetime Highlights For Week of July 29 - August 5, 2007 All Programming is Subject to change Updated schedule available at nationalgeographic.com/channel. "Science of Dwarfism" on Monday, July 30, at 9:00 PM ET/PT (World Premiere) Dwarfs are more commonly known as "little people." Despite their
physical limitations, they are able to adjust well to the world that
surrounds them. With the help of scientists and medical professionals,
Science of Dwarfism studies the different forms of dwarfism, including a
new, unexplained type discovered in just one person on the planet, as
well as the genetic mutations that cause such abnormalities and the
medical treatments being used to care for them. Viewers will meet the
Campbell family, including a mother, father and daughter, all with They soar to record heights, towering over normal people. What are the physiological differences and health risks that accompany such abnormal growth? National Geographic Channel (NGC) examines the different forms of gigantism to learn how and what makes these people outgrow the average population in Science of Gigantism. Find out how a benign tumor on the pituitary gland caused Igor Vovkovinskiy, a 7-foot, 8-inch pituitary giant, to grow to gargantuan heights. Then study the growth hormones of Sandy Allen, the Guinness Book of Records' tallest woman in the world, whose growth hormone, at 1,000 times that of an average person, sculpted her body in unusual and often painful ways. And finally, meet Dave Rassmussen, whose tall stature and extremely lanky body is due to a mutation in a single gene. "Need for Speed: Bikes" (Featuring Jay Leno) on Thursday, August 2, at 8:00 PM ET/PT (World Premiere) Are there limits to how fast a person can go on a two-wheeled machine? It is a question that scientists and gearheads alike have experimented with for more than a century. Now, NGC hops onboard some of the fastest bikes in the world to explore these powerful engines and the speed junkies who are determined to push their limits. Need for Speed: Bikes takes an in-depth look at these high-tech gearing systems, from dragster bikes that hit 190 mph in seven seconds to Dennis Manning's 350 mph land speed record, that can reach an extreme amount of torque. Then, take a spin with special guest Jay Leno on the new jet-engine bike that he recently added to his collection. It is one of the most powerful legal street bikes in the world and can speed along at more than 250 mph. "Naked Science: Ring of Fire" on Thursday, August 2, at 10:00 PM ET/PT (World Premiere) One of the most deadly places on earth is the "Ring of Fire," a roughly 25,000-mile-long chain of volcanoes and earthquake zones that surrounds the Pacific Ocean. Now, Naked Science reveals some startling new evidence that suggests it may be getting more dangerous. With more than 1 billion people under threat from explosive volcanic eruptions and devastating mega-earthquakes, NGC follows the scientists racing to understand the danger and what we can do to protect ourselves against its future fury. "Conquering Niagara" on Friday, August 3, at 10:00 PM ET/PT (World Premiere) To the more than 10 million people who visit it each year, Niagara Falls is an astounding spectacle, a beautiful natural phenomenon and one of the wonders of the world. But for some thrill-seekers, Niagara's pull is overwhelming. For them it becomes an obsession, a life-or-death battleground where they match wits, strategy and daring against one of the most bone-crushing forces nature can dish out. Now, in Conquering Niagara, NGC explores what drives these daredevils to the brink and the secrets of its irresistible allure. "Daytona Biker Rally" on Sunday, August 5, at 8:00 PM ET/PT (World Premiere) It is the largest bike rally in the world as the "biker nation" goes to the beach. For 10 days every year, half a million bikers from around the country come to Daytona Beach, Fla., to ride ... party ... and be seen. In Daytona Biker Rally, NGC shows viewers how Daytona rolls out the red carpet for these bikers and turns Main Street into a biker superstore - bringing in more than half a billion dollars. "Taboo" (NEW SEASON) - Starting this August, airing Wednesdays at 10 PM ET/PT National Geographic Channel's Taboo series takes viewers on a high-definition journey beyond their comfort zones and across cultural borders to explore rituals and customs that are acceptable in some cultures but forbidden, illegal or reviled in others. Crossing the boundary between modern practices and ancient beliefs, the series showcases a mosaic of human lifestyles and values. "Taboo: Initiation Rituals" (Season Premiere) on Sunday, August 5, at 9:00 PM ET/PT (World Premiere) - At a Special Night and Time Delve into rituals that mark the passage from one phase of life to another - where pain is the price of acceptance, and failure means loss of pride and sometimes even loss of life. NGC takes viewers to Australia, where members of an urban subculture are pierced through their skin with giant hooks and suspended from the ceiling. Then, deep in the Amazon jungle of Brazil, teenage boys thrust their hands inside specially woven gloves filled with hundreds of huge stinging ants. And they repeat the excruciating ritual 19 more times in order to become men. Finally, in Papua New Guinea, see how boys endure swallowing about 24 inches of raw cane down their throat to the pit of their stomach so they can symbolically die as boys and be reborn as men. "Taboo: Skin Deep" on Sunday, August 5, at 10:00 PM ET/PT (World Premiere) - At a Special Night and Time NGC travels the world to cultures where scarification - modifying the
body by cutting into the skin - is not only a thing of beauty, it's a
mark of family history or entry into manhood. Go to Papua New Guinea
for one of the most painful initiations known to mankind, where
tribesmen slice teenage boys' chests and backs up to a thousand times to
create scars that will look like the hide of a crocodile. In New
Zealand, watch how some women embrace their Maori heritage by
permanently marking their chins and lips with the traditional Maori Ta Additional primetime highlights include: Primetime Programming For Monday July 30, 2007: "National Geographic's Most Astonishing Moments" at 8:00 PM ET/PT From astounding to astonishing, witness the surprising hunting techniques of some wild animals and meet everyday people who just don't hesitate to tempt fate in National Geographic's Most Astonishing Moments. See the chilling moments when people come face to face with the great white shark. Get inside the cage with a cameraman who uses himself as polar bear bait. Take cover as a man plays chicken with a ravaging twister, armed only with a video camera. And witness a frightening shark attack on a woman 300 miles out to sea. "Science of Dwarfism" at 9:00 PM ET/PT (World Premiere) Description located above in Premieres section. "Science of Gigantism" at 10:00 PM ET/PT (World Premiere) Description located above in Premieres section. Primetime Programming For Tuesday July 31, 2007: "Fight Science" at 8:00 PM ET/PT It strikes four times faster than a snake. It kicks with more than 1,000 pounds of force. And it can rival the impact of a 35 mph car crash. It's the most complex weapon ever designed - the human body. Now, Fight Science brings together a dream team of scientists, motion-capture specialists and CGI animators, along with a cross section of champion martial artists, to analyze the world's greatest fight techniques in ways never before possible. For the first time, experts in crash test science, sports biomechanics and Hollywood animation apply their combined insight and technology to a diverse range of martial arts, including karate, kung fu, jiu jitsu, tae kwon do and wushu, among others. Fight Science tests and films world-renowned martial artists in a custom-built high-tech lab and film studio complete with 32 infrared motion capture, three high-definition and three ultra-high-speed cameras. "Critical Situation: North Hollywood Shootout" at 9:00 PM ET/PT It is one of the most dramatic police gun battles ever waged on American
soil. On February 28, 1997, two notorious criminals - dubbed the High
Incident Bandits - carry out an armed robbery inside a Hollywood bank.
They are spotted by undercover officers, and police act quickly to
surround the bank. But the bandits are armed with thousands of imported
steel-plated bullets, full body armor and five machine guns, including
three AK-47s. Go inside the violent standoff as the bandits fire over
1,100 rounds of ammunition and shoot nine police officers and two
civilians. Firsthand accounts include unsuspecting customers caught in "The Hunt for the Boston Strangler" at 10:00 PM ET/PT Police closed the case of the infamous Boston Strangler when handyman Albert De Salvo confessed to the grisly murder of 13 women. But recent forensic evidence reveals that in at least one of the murders - and possibly all of them - police may have had the wrong man. Some even theorize that the strangler may be walking free today. Now, the National Geographic Channel investigates in The Hunt for the Boston Strangler. Primetime Programming For Wednesday August 1, 2007: "Explorer: Struck By Lightning" at 8:00 PM ET/PT What really happens when 30 million volts of electricity charge through
your body and you survive being struck by lightning? Now, meet
survivors who live to tell their tale of being hit by a force that is
faster than a speeding bullet and five times hotter than the sun as
Explorer unravels the science behind one of nature's most mysterious
phenomena. Using revolutionary brain imaging technology and 3-D CGI,
NGC travels inside the human body along the path of a lightning bolt to "San Quentin Unlocked" at 9:00 PM ET/PT San Quentin Unlocked goes behind the walls and razor wire of one of the most infamous prisons in the country. For 30 days, the National Geographic Channel chronicles the inner workings of San Quentin State Prison in California. Hear from two "lifers" still trying to make parole, and experience this institution through the eyes and ears of the brave men and women who work there. The film climaxes as a string of incidents lead up to one of the largest riots the prison has seen in 20 years. "Critical Situation: North Hollywood Shootout" at 10:00 PM ET/PT Description located above. Primetime Programming For Thursday August 2, 2007: "Need for Speed: Bikes" (Featuring Jay Leno) at 8:00 PM ET/PT (World Premiere) Description located above in Premieres section. "Need for Speed: Boats"at 9:00 PM ET/PT Speed along at more than 200 mph with some of the fastest boats on water as NGC takes viewers from the ocean waters off the coast of Seattle to the rivers of North Carolina to show us how engineers, mechanics and daredevils push the boundaries of human possibility - all in their Need for Speed. Whether outmaneuvering the competition on a course, putting the pedal to the metal or racing around the world, boat racing teams all have one thing in common - a never-ending quest to go faster and faster. Now, witness them in action as the National Geographic Channel chronicles the advancements in the science and engineering of racing boats. "Naked Science: Ring of Fire" at 10:00 PM ET/PT (World Premiere) Description located above in Premieres section. Primetime Programming For Friday August 3, 2007: "Dog Whisperer: Bikini, Fella, and Winston & Oliver" at 8:00 PM ET/PT Winston, a 2-year-old Yorkie, may look sweet, but when he is taken on walks he attacks his leash, plants and 1-year-old fellow Yorkie, Oliver. Owners Tom and Valerie are worried Winston is getting more and more neurotic. How will Cesar be able to temper Winston's destructive nature? Then, Cesar meets the Burtons, who have three championship bull terriers. One of them, Bikini, has a dangerous habit of attacking bigger dogs - seeming to turn from a mild-mannered puppy into the "Incredible Hulk." How will Cesar put this bully bull terrier in her place? Finally, Cesar meets single mom Cindy and her adopted Jack Russell/Italian greyhound named Fella. Cindy faces possible eviction from her apartment because Fella constantly barks while she is at work. How will Cesar soothe this frantic Fella? For more information log onto: ngcdogwhisperer.com. "Dog Whisperer: Buddy, Teddy, and Matilda" at 9:00 PM ET/PT A rescued dog that likes to munch on other animals, a poodle that spins "Conquering Niagara" at 10:00 PM ET/PT (World Premiere) Description located above in Premieres section. Primetime Programming For Saturday August 4, 2007: "Penguin Safari" (Narrated by Elizabeth Shue) at 8:00 PM ET/PT During the antarctic spring, millions of penguins converge on the island of South Georgia to breed. It becomes a vital oasis for one of the greatest concentrations of wildlife and one of biggest penguin colonies on earth. Narrated by actress Elizabeth Shue, Penguin Safari reveals the intimate secret lives of three very different types of penguins - King, Macaroni and Gentoo - as they struggle to survive against fierce predators and seize slim opportunities to breed during the short antarctic spring. "Planet Carnivore: Polar Bears"at 9:00 PM ET/PT Go deep inside the arctic Norwegian islands, where an iconic mammal becomes victim to global warming and pollutants. "Binne" the polar bear is on the prowl for seals in this seemingly pristine frozen wilderness after eating sparsely during the winter months. This spring, however, is strangely warm - the first time in four years that seals are nowhere to be found on the west coast. The most visible local contributor of the threatening warming weather is Svalbard's coal mines, which, along with other coal mines around the world, release dangerous greenhouse gases. But there are other enemies: Pollutants have been carried by air and ocean currents to Binne's arctic home. Will global warming and pollutants destroy the bedrock of this polar bear's existence? "Planet Carnivore: King Bear" at 10:00 PM ET/PT Brown bears once ranged widely across North America before humans wiped Primetime Programming For Sunday August 5, 2007: "Daytona Biker Rally" at 8:00 PM ET/PT (World Premiere) Description located above in Premieres section. "Taboo: Initiation Rituals" at 9:00 PM ET/PT (World Premiere) Description located above in Premieres section. "Taboo: Skin Deep" at 10:00 PM ET/PT (World Premiere) Description located above in Premieres section. |
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