The 411 For October 2007

National Geographic Channel Primetime Highlights For Week of October 15 - October 21, 2007

Programming Subject to change.

Updated schedule available at nationalgeographic.com/channel.

NGC takes viewers on a two-hour journey through an ordinary, and extraordinary, day in the life of the Incredible Human Machine premiering Sunday, October 21, 2007 at 9 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. PT.

Coming Soon.

"Explorer: Inside the Body Trade" with Special NGC Correspondent Lisa Ling
Wednesday, November 14, at 8:00 PM ET/PT

Premieres...

"Naked Science: Hyper Hurricanes"

Thursday, October 18, 2007 at 10:00 PM ET/PT (World Premiere)
Are hurricanes intensifying? Could this be a by-product of global warming or part of a normal cycle? These are questions plaguing scientists, but revealing new discoveries could help crack the code. America was once ravaged by some of the largest and most destructive hurricanes ever to sweep the planet. Are these Hyper Hurricanes poised to return, targeting the heavily populated eastern coastline? NGC goes inside the eye of a hurricane to see how scientists are racing to predict, and prepare for, these intense storms.

"Dog Whisperer: Zena, Nira & Major, and Willie"

Friday, October 19, 2007 at 8:00 PM ET/PT (World Premiere)
Meet Zena, a pit bull/chow mix whose extreme fear of the stove has forced her owners, who live outside of Phoenix, Ariz., to cook outside on a grill for the past year. Can Cesar Millan cook up some confidence for this petrified pup? Next, Cesar visits Major, a Rottweiler, and Nira, a German shepherd, who are battling for control of the house. How will Cesar create a peaceful pack? Finally, meet Willie, a Jack Russell terrier who can't handle the death of his pack leader, the family cat named Jake. Willie's owners say Jake kept Willie in line, but now the terrier has abandoned his good behavior in favor of biting. Can Cesar find a new role model to set Willie straight? For more information, visit ngcdogwhisperer.com.

"Incredible Human Machine"

Sunday, October 21, 2007 at 9:00 PM ET / 8:00 PM PT (2-Hour World Premiere)
It is one of the most spectacular machines of all time . the human body. Every breath, step and heartbeat requires a brilliantly designed inner system of instruments, engines, circuitry and software. Now, NGC presents Incredible Human Machine, a two-hour journey through an ordinary, and extraordinary, day in the life of the human machine. With stunning high-definition footage, radical scientific advances and powerful firsthand accounts, Incredible Human Machine plunges deep into the routine marvels of the human body. Through 10,000 blinks of an eye, 20,000 breaths of air and 100,000 beats of the heart, see the amazing and surprising, even phenomenal inner workings of our bodies on a typical day. And explore striking feats of medical advancement, from glimpses of an open-brain surgery to real-time measurement of rocker Steven Tyler's vocal cords.

Additional primetime highlights include:

Primetime Programming For Monday October 15, 2007:

"Is It Real?: Ghosts" at 8:00 PM ET/PT
Countless people claim to have seen ghosts - but have they genuinely glimpsed the supernatural, or are they merely suffering from overactive imagination? From phantom images caught on tape to strange orbs of light that careen through creepy places, NGC follows scientists who probe the minds of the haunted and dissect the most compelling evidence of ghostly visitations with paranormal detectives. Join Is It Real as believers and scientists roll up their sleeves for a chilling debate.

"Is It Real?: Ghost Ships" at 9:00 PM ET/PT
Tales of cursed ghost ships have haunted us for centuries. Legends, such as phantom ships manned by the souls of the damned or the crew of Mary Celeste that mysteriously vanished into thin air, have all intrigued us. Could these legends be real? Or can they be explained by modern science? Now, join Is It Real? as NGC takes us on a voyage through nautical legend and challenges some of the most mysterious maritime tales.

"Is It Real?: Bigfoot" at 10:00 PM ET/PT
Is there really a giant primate running around the world's wilderness areas? Or is Bigfoot just a figment of our imagination? In 1967, a piece of film footage purported to capture an image of Bigfoot, a legendarily elusive giant primate. NGC examines the controversial film and interviews Bigfoot believers who claim to have encountered the shadowy beast, so that you can determine: Is It Real?

Primetime Programming For Tuesday October 16, 2007:

"Search for Noah's Ark" at 8:00 PM ET/PT
In Search for Noah's Ark, the National Geographic Channel investigates the latest clues and competing theories that attempt to confirm the biblical account of Noah's ark and the flood. From satellite imagery of mountaintops to underwater geological surveys, Search for Noah's Ark dissects the story's timeline from God's warning to Noah through the floodwaters receding.

"Decoding the Dead Sea Scrolls" at 9:00 PM ET/PT
The Dead Sea Scrolls are considered one of the most significant discoveries of the 20th century but also one of the most controversial. Representing nearly every book of the Jewish Bible and the Old Testament of the Christian Bible, they provide intriguing insight into a passionate belief system that challenges long-standing traditions and beliefs. In Decoding the Dead Sea Scrolls, a dream team of archaeological and theological experts unravel their mystery and explore theories surrounding their creation, including the church's 50-year unofficial embargo on their publication.

"Exodus Revealed" at 10:00 PM ET/PT
It is one of the greatest escape stories ever told. The book of Exodus is a 3,000-year-old story about Moses leading the enslaved Israelites out of Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea and 10 terrible plagues, including infestations of lice and flies, hailstorms, turning the Nile into a river of blood, invasions of locusts and the final catastrophic plague that kills every firstborn Egyptian. Are there any scientific explanations that could provide a basis for such strange events? What might have divided billions of tons of water to create safe passage for the fleeing Israelites? Exodus Revealed explores the possible causes and connections among these events.

Primetime Programming For Wednesday October 17, 2007:

"Explorer: World's Most Dangerous Gang" at 8:00 PM ET/PT
You've spotted the graffiti, seen their tattoos and read the shocking headlines documenting their brutality. But what is driving the rapid spread of the ultraviolent gang MS-13? Explorer takes you deep inside a merciless world hidden in plain view - the shadowy culture of MS-13. It is an organization that recruits the most desperate, including children, and twists them into hardened criminals capable of the most heinous crimes. Starting as a Los Angeles street gang in the 1980s, MS-13 is now terrorizing 33 states and six countries, and rapidly metastasizing into a massive criminal enterprise that permeates urban centers, suburbs and towns. NGC correspondent Lisa Ling follows the gang's bloody trail from Los Angeles to high-security prisons in Central America, where gang members from the United States have melded with local criminals to create a network capable of challenging local authorities.

"Vegas Mafia" (Narrated by Anthony LaPaglia) at 9:00 PM ET/PT
Las Vegas, one of the most popular gambling destinations in the world, was built from scratch by the Mafia in the 1950s. Now, Vegas Mafia - narrated by critically acclaimed actor Anthony LaPaglia - examines how for decades this extraordinary gambling Mecca became a glittering cash cow for the Mafia and chronicles the surveillance war between the Mafia and the FBI. Witness how the FBI busted a multimillion-dollar "skimming" operation at the Stardust Casino and see why the Mob's grip on the city was loosened by the arrival of the richest man in the world, Howard Hughes.

"Taboo: Sexual Identity" at 10:00 PM ET/PT
How far will people go to change their looks - and their life - to become the person of their dreams? In America, enter the transgender community, where some men and women undergo surgery and inject hormones to become the sex they believe they truly are. Experts including transgender artists provide insight into the practice. In Thailand, venture into the world of an estimated 170,000 men who act and live as women and are known as katoey. Although tolerance prevails in this Buddhist country, katoey often face powerful prejudice and sometimes even compete for acceptance in a violent form of martial arts. And in the tiny nation of Samoa, families sometimes raise biologically male children as girls, known locally as fa'afafini and recognized on the island as the third sex.

Primetime Programming For Thursday October 18, 2007:

"Ultimate Factories: Apache Helicopter" at 8:00 PM ET/PT
The Apache, one of the world's most lethal attack helicopters, is able to destroy its target from miles away, withstand heavy gunfire and evade heat-seeking missiles. But before this battle tank of the air blazes across the skies of today's war zones, the Apache starts in Mesa, Ariz. Ultimate Factories: Apache Helicopter heads to the Boeing plant where this stealth fighter is made, and where cameras are rarely allowed, to take viewers on an in-depth tour of the factory and its sophisticated technology.

"Guns: Machines of War" at 9:00 PM ET/PT
The cruise missile is an essential - perhaps the quintessential - attack weapon today. It can fly under enemy radar at more than 500 mph and hit a target 1,000 miles away with an accuracy of a few yards. Just how did the cruise missile become the ultimate surgical attack weapon? In Guns: Machines of War, the National Geographic Channel tracks the flight of a Tomahawk cruise missile during every key stage of its journey - launch, flight and targeting - and reveals what challenges each stage has overcome to make this missile the awesome weapon it is today.

"Naked Science: Hyper Hurricanes" at 10:00 PM ET/PT (World Premiere)
Description located above in Premieres section.

Primetime Programming For Friday October 19, 2007:

"Dog Whisperer: Zena, Nira & Major, and Willie" at 8:00 PM ET/PT (World Premiere)
Description located above in Premieres section.

"Dog Whisperer: Titan, Candy, and Bella" (Featuring "Young & Restless" Soap Star and MTV's "Downtown" Julie Brown) at 9:00 PM ET/PT

"Young and the Restless" soap star Michael Damian and his wife lived a quiet life with their cat FoFo until a 5-month-old puppy named Bella entered the house. This rambunctious canine terrorizes the fluffy feline so much that FoFo never leaves her "kitty condo." Can Cesar Millan get past the age-old rivalry of cats and dogs to help them? Then, MTV personality "Downtown" Julie Brown's Yorkshire terrier named Candy has been spoiled so much with toys, affection and special meals that she has reached "doggie diva" status. This was fine and dandy until Candy one day started biting Julie's daughter. Can Cesar intervene in this rapidly souring situation? Then, meet Titan, an unpredictable 120-lb Rottweiler who is aggressive toward strangers. Titan's owners want to be able to trust the 6-year-old when people approach him but don't know how to contain his anger. Cesar is called in to give this lonely Rottie some beginner lessons in canine social etiquette. For more information, visit www.ngcdogwhisperer.com.

"Science of Obesity" at 10:00 PM ET/PT
Today, 65 percent of adult Americans are considered overweight, but few reach the extreme proportions of the exceptionally obese. What are the physical stresses of weighing more than 500 pounds, and what steps can reverse the situation? Science of Obesity provides an understanding of what happens inside the bodies of these massive people and why some can pack on hundreds more pounds than people with typical weight challenges. The show explores the genetics behind weight gain and medical advances being made to treat it. Also, why are there no apparent health consequences in some instances when significant weight gain is a desired result? NGC studies the lifestyles of sumo wrestlers to find out how they are able to bulk up with less risk to their bodies.

Primetime Programming For Saturday October 20, 2007:

"Dangerous Encounters with Brady Barr: Snake Bite" at 8:00 PM ET/PT
National Geographic Channel's reptile expert Dr. Brady Barr had a true dangerous encounter while conducting field research on pythons in Indonesia. During his research into why these enormous snakes like to inhabit dark caves and why this unexpected environment may be critical to their survival, Dr. Barr encounters a large python. While attempting to capture the python for further study, Dr. Barr is repeatedly bitten by the python and wrapped in its powerful coils. Now, Dangerous Encounters with Brady Barr: Snake Bite documents the snake attack in detail and the new insight gained by Dr. Barr's research.

"Planet Carnivore: Lions" (Narrated by Alec Baldwin) at 9:00 PM ET/PT
With narration by critically acclaimed actor Alec Baldwin, NGC transports you deep inside Ngorongoro, an isolated volcanic crater in East Africa formed more than 2 million years ago. Surrounded by walls reaching 2,000 feet high, this place seems like a stunning paradise for its inhabitants. Thirteen thousand wildebeest, zebra and buffalo graze on the 12-mile crater floor. This land is where one of the crater's oldest lionesses, Malkia, or "Queen" in Swahili, reigns over her kingdom. Planet Carnivore: Lions follows Malkia and her pride's daily struggles as they endure failed attacks on prey, fierce rivals, unexpected invaders and the powerful loss of one of their own. For more information, visit ngcplanetcarnivore.com.

"Hunter and Hunted: Cougar Island" at 10:00 PM ET/PT
Cougar attacks on humans happen more often on Vancouver Island than anywhere else. Shockingly, one-third of cougar attacks in all the Americas have happened on this rugged island. What is making the cougars here so dangerous? Join NGC as two teams of experts investigate six cougar attacks, including one on a 4-year-old girl who was defended by her mother. Their scientific analysis sheds new light on these attacks and reveals the surprising combination of factors that make this island the Isle of the Cougar.

Primetime Programming For Sunday October 21, 2007:

"Inside the Living Body" at 7:00 PM ET (2 Hours)
From our first cry to our last breath, our bodies undergo a continuous transformation. Now, Inside the Living Body melds microscopic filmmaking, advanced medical technologies and state-of-the-art CGI to take you beneath the skin to reveal how our bodies evolve from birth to old age. The special features the highest-resolution high-definition (HD) footage ever recorded from inside a human body by employing special miniature HD endoscopic cameras. Inside the Living Body traces one "everywoman's" story, using milestones to examine the everyday workings of a living, functioning body in ways not seen on television before. Stunning photography in this two-hour special reveals universal moments in human development at the most minute level, providing insight into both our own individual metamorphosis and our shared human experiences. For more information, visit ngclivingbody.com.

"Incredible Human Machine" at 9:00 PM ET / 8:00 PM PT (2-Hour World Premiere)
Description located above in Premieres section.


For more information log onto: nationalgeographic.com/channel.