The 411 For October 2007

National Geographic Channel Primetime Highlights For Week of October 29- November 4, 2007

Programming Subject to change.

Updated schedule available at nationalgeographic.com/channel.

In some societies around the world, snacking on cockroaches, dining on
worms and swallowing the still-beating heart of a snake are traditions
and even considered delicacies. In a special Halloween episode of
Taboo: Gross Food (premiering Wednesday, October 31, 2007 at 10 p.m. ET/PT),
travel across cultural borders to explore food customs that are
acceptable in some cultures but forbidden or reviled in others.

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: Solar Force" on Tuesday, October 30, 2007 at 9:00 PM ET/PT (World Premiere)
The sun's energy seems to be constant, but this gigantic nuclear reactor
is in a continual state of flux. National Geographic Channel (NGC)
reveals the latest scientific information that is uncovering the hidden
ways that fluctuations in the sun's output influence our climate. See
how a radical experiment supports the idea that the sun's invisible
cosmic rays may have a visible impact on our weather, and find out how a
new NASA program could shed new light on how solar wind impacts Earth.

"Taboo: Gross Food" (Special Halloween Episode) on Wednesday, October 31, 2007 at 10:00 PM ET/PT (World Premiere)

In some societies around the world, snacking on cockroaches, dining on worms and swallowing the still-beating heart of a snake are traditions and even considered delicacies. In a special Halloween episode of Taboo, travel across cultural borders to explore extreme food customs that are acceptable in some cultures but forbidden or reviled in others. In Hanoi, Vietnam, deadly serpents are a specialty item prized for their curative properties and are sliced live at the table. In rural Vietnam, it's traditional to eat insects, such as a six-course meal of bee
larvae, locusts, fried scorpions, silkworms, crickets and stinkbugs. In Japan, diners pay several hundred dollars and risk death to savor the delicate but lethal blowfish called "fugu," responsible for an estimated 50 deaths a year. Once a year, members of an elite club in Manhattan feast on haute cuisine, including bear claws, tarantula, pork testicles cooked in blood, and for dessert ... succulent strawberries dipped in rich chocolate and live maggots. For more information, visit ngctaboo.com.

"Break It Down: Bridge" on Thursday, November 1, 2007 at 9:00 PM ET/PT (World Premiere)
It was once one of the longest bridges in the world, but now it must
come down. See how 24,000 tons of steel and concrete from the Carquinez
Bridge in San Francisco are dismantled and recycled. Witness how
engineers attempt to do it in a new way: They turn spans of the bridge
into ships and then sail them away in less than 48 hours. But this new
innovation brings new risks to all involved, including two functioning
bridges on either side that stand dangerously close.

"Dog Whisperer: Gus, Abbey and Vinnie" (With Cesar Millan) on Friday, November 2, 2007 at 8:00 PM ET/PT (World Premiere)
Legendary "Tonight Show" sidekick Ed McMahon rescued a wheaten terrier named Gus. He can be sweet and cuddly around Ed's family, but he has become seriously aggressive toward Ed's assistants and guests. How will Cesar help out this "Tonight Show" dog? Next, meet the Swanson family, who live outside Minneapolis, Minn. They adopted a beagle named Abbey, and everything was great until Abbey was attacked by a large Samoyed on a walk. Now Abbey won't leave the house. Can Cesar coax Abbey out of her comfort zone, or will she remain forever homebound? Then, in Torrance, Calif., meet an Australian shepherd named Vinnie who is so territorial of his owner's house that no one has visited in two years. How can Cesar help Vinnie become a more hospitable host?

"Secrets of the Moon Landings" on Sunday, November 4, 2007 at 9:00 PM ET/PT (World Premiere)
You may think you know the story of the moon landings, but in fact there are a lot of gutsy, grave and unseen moments that you didn't see. From its inception, the Apollo program was one of the most ambitious and heavily documented events in U.S. history. Neil Armstrong's iconic first steps on the moon are etched into the minds of people who were born decades after the event. But while the spectacular moments captured the world's attention, there are many more make-or-break moments that have been overlooked. Now, NGC explores how the Apollo 1 fire helped saved the entire program, what would have happened if
astronauts could not leave the lunar surface as planned and what stroke of luck allowed the safe return of Apollo 13.

Additional primetime highlights include:

Primetime Programming For Monday October 29, 2007:

"Science of Dwarfism" at 8:00 PM ET/PT
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 procedures being used to treat them. Viewers will meet the Campbell family, including a mother, father and daughter, all with
different kinds of dwarfism. And then, meet Danny White, an 18-year-old high school senior and aspiring karate black belt who is a primordial dwarf - making him one of the smallest people in the world. Find out how they overcome daily challenges that do not affect average-sized people.

"Science of Gigantism" at 9:00 PM ET/PT
They soar to record heights, towering over average-sized people. What are the physiological differences and health risks that accompany such abnormal growth? National Geographic Channel examines the different forms of gigantism to learn how and why these people outgrow the average population in Science of Gigantism. Find out how a benign tumor on his 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 living 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 are due to
a mutation in a single gene.

"Science of Conjoined Twins" at 10:00 PM ET/PT
They challenge the notion of what it means to be an individual. In this hour, NGC uses medical imaging technology to explore the separate and shared physiology of conjoined twins who maintain striking individuality despite spending every moment of their lives attached. Meet Lori and Reba Schappell, joined at the head - the oldest living craniopagus twins in the United States. Despite sharing one-third of their brains, the sisters maintain totally separate mental functions. So when Lori is cooking, Reba can be absorbed in a computer game. Or when Lori is on a date with her boyfriend, Reba can pursue her own interests. With the
aid of medical professionals, Science of Conjoined Twins analyzes the sisters' brain activities to determine how they are able to lead separate lives.

Primetime Programming For Tuesday October 30, 2007:

"Naked Science: Earth's Core" at 8:00 PM ET/PT
What would it be like to travel to the center of the Earth? It is a place of unimaginable heat and pressure, where no life could survive. Yet without it we would perish, for it holds the key to our existence on this planet. Thousands of miles below the surface, the Earth's core generates a protective magnetic shield around the planet. Now, scientists have uncovered evidence that this armor could be fading. Are weak spots in the Earth's shield a sign that our planet's magnetic poles are on the verge of flipping? Naked Science challenges traditional
geological models and takes you deep into the center of the Earth.

"Naked Science: Solar Force" at 9:00 PM ET/PT (World Premiere)

Description located above in Premieres section.

"Naked Science: Extinctions" at 10:00 PM ET/PT
What if our planet were the victim of catastrophic events that left it almost uninhabitable? Naked Science examines three mass extinctions to determine if it could happen again. What caused these extinctions? And given human adaptability, would we fare any better? Worse still, are we already in the middle of a mass extinction brought on by ourselves?

Primetime Programming For Wednesday October 31, 2007:

"Explorer: Ultimate Cat" at 8:00 PM ET/PT
Equipped with 3-inch-long canines and retractable claws like switchblades, big cats are fierce and fascinating beasts - capable of taking down fleet-footed antelope or two-ton elephants. Explorer crawls through African grasslands and Indian swamps to track and reveal the ultimate engineering and ambush tactics of lions, tigers and leopards.

"Explorer: Ultimate Bear" at 9:00 PM ET/PT
National Geographic Channel's critically acclaimed series Explorer examines the incredible size, speed and strength of some of the world's biggest bears - the polar bear, brown bear and black bear. All native to North America, these formidable creatures can weigh more than 1,000 pounds, outrun an Olympic sprinter and take out prey with a single bite or swipe of the paw. Explorer uses science, including MRI imaging, to deconstruct these bioengineering marvels and reveal the secrets behind the largest land-dwelling carnivores on earth - ultimate bears.

"Taboo: Gross Food" (Special Halloween Episode) at 10:00 PM ET/PT (World Premiere)

Description located above in Premieres section.

Primetime Programming For Thursday November 1, 2007:

"Bridges of New York City" at 8:00 PM ET/PT
Today, New York City is one of the greatest cities in the world, but it is geographically challenged by massive rivers. Now, Bridges of New York City explores how a series of key monumental bridges turned the region into the Big Apple we know today. NGC looks at the challenges faced during the construction of NYC's bridges, including the Brooklyn Bridge - New York City's first suspension bridge; the George Washington Bridge - the busiest bridge in the world; and the Verrazano Narrows Bridge - the longest bridge in the city.

"Break It Down: Bridge" at 9:00 PM ET/PT (World Premiere)

Description located above in Premieres section.

"Naked Science: Solar Force" at 10:00 PM ET/PT

Description located above in Premieres section.

Primetime Programming For Friday November 2, 2007:

"Dog Whisperer: Gus, Abbey and Vinnie" at 8:00 PM ET/PT (World Premiere)

Description located above in Premieres section.

"Dog Whisperer: Opie, Flirt, Bubba and Garrett" (With Cesar Millan) at 9:00 PM ET/PT
Meet the lumbering and affable Opie, a black Lab mix, who is like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. A charmer around people, Opie becomes frighteningly aggressive around other dogs. Next, meet Flirt, who is smaller than many cats, but is a handful. Energetic to the point of being neurotic, Flirt cannot sit still for one moment. Then, meet Bubba, who has been spoiled rotten, and now it's up to Cesar Millan to take him down a notch. And finally, learn why German shepherd Garret never stops chasing his tail.

"Is It Real?: Feral Children" at 10:00 PM ET/PT
The idea of a child living on its own in the wild has captivated our society for centuries. From tales of a jungle boy raised by monkeys to twin girls nurtured by wolves, these stories appear to defy any explanation. Over the years, theories and experiments have been debated, proposed, examined and tossed around. Now, the National Geographic Channel gathers a team of experts, ranging from behavioral scientists to child psychiatrists, to take an in-depth look at the
phenomenon of Feral Children and separate fact from fiction.

Primetime Programming For Saturday November 3, 2007:

"Dangerous Encounters with Brady Barr: Monster Crocs" at 8:00 PM ET/PT
In nature, size matters. It means power, dominance and survival. Now, in Dangerous Encounters with Brady Barr: Monster Crocs, Barr is on a mission to measure the biggest wild crocodile he can find. Because of their enormous size, these animals are difficult and dangerous to capture - making it nearly impossible to get an accurate measurement with a regular tape measure. So Barr sets out to test a new technology for sizing up these large animals - a specially designed laser device with a built-in high-definition camera created by National Geographic engineers. The ramifications and eventual application of this technology could be revolutionary - allowing scientists to size up
animals of all kinds from a safe distance. But Barr must first prove
this new device is accurate by getting close enough to identify and
measure a monster croc.

"Relentless Enemies" at 9:00 PM ET/PT (2 Hours)
It is a spectacle few have seen firsthand. Two foes trapped on an island in a remote part of Africa. And a battle to survive captured in high definition over two years by award-winning filmmakers. Now, the National Geographic Channel takes viewers onto a unique battlefield in the Okavango Delta to witness the grueling fight for survival of highly specialized lions that prey almost exclusively on buffalo in Relentless Enemies. Produced by the husband-and-wife team of Dereck and Beverly Joubert, this two-hour film takes viewers deep into the Duba Plains of Botswana's Okavango Delta. There the river forms small, sandy islands
and creates an environmental phenomenon that has isolated an exceptional
buffalo herd and a unique pride of lions that are more like uber-cats.

Primetime Programming For Sunday November 4, 2007:

"The Real Roswell" at 8:00 PM ET/PT
On July 8, 1947, the U.S. Army issued a press statement claiming to have recovered a "flying saucer" on a ranch outside Roswell, N.M. But within hours it retracted the statement, saying that it had found only the remains of a weather balloon. Sixty years later the debate still rages, and Roswell has become the UFO capital of the world. Did the military really recover dead aliens and their spaceship, as some people claim? If true, the U.S. government has kept one of the greatest secrets in history. Now, the National Geographic Channel investigates the clues behind The Real Roswell.

"Secrets of the Moon Landings" at 9:00 PM ET/PT (World Premiere)

Description located above in Premieres section.

"Naked Science: Moon Mysteries" at 10:00 PM ET/PT
Is the moon powerful enough to trigger natural disasters like earthquakes and volcanic eruptions? Can the full moon influence human behavior? Join NGC as Naked Science examines the mysteries of the moon under a tightly focused lens. Today, the moon shines brightly in our night skies from about a quarter of a million miles away, but when it first formed, it was 15 times closer to Earth and its gravity had a tremendous influence on our planet. As the moon has slowly drifted away from Earth, it has reshaped our world, creating our seasons, our 24-hour days and nights and our tides, and perhaps even influencing the
evolution of life here on Earth.

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