The 411 For February 2008

National Geographic Channel Primetime Highlights For Week Of February 18 - February 24, 2008

Programmjng (Subject to change)

Updated schedule available at nationalgeographic.com/channel.

Inside the Vietnam War provides a fresh, personal and in-depth look at our country's longest war; premieres Monday, February 18 at 8 PM ET/PT.

Premieres...

"Inside the Vietnam War" - Monday, February 18, at 8 PM ET/PT (3-Hour World Premiere):

A controversial war. Mounting American casualties. Concern at home and abroad. While this may sound like a description of America's current situation in Iraq, this is not the first time the nation has faced such hardships. Now, NGC retraces the grim reality of this familiar story in the world premiere special Inside the Vietnam War. Transporting viewers back to the tumultuous years of the Vietnam War, this special provides a fresh, personal, in-depth look at a decades-old struggle. Woven together with testimonials by more than 40 Vietnam veterans, archival audio and video footage and never-before-seen photos, Inside the Vietnam War features the harrowing firsthand accounts of the brave men and women who lived through it and will always live with it.

"Extreme Genes" - Thursday, February 21, at 9 PM ET/PT (World Premiere):

Rabbits that glow in the dark, custom-grown human livers and mice that regenerate - the creations of modern genetics are far from ordinary. Follow along as Extreme Genes takes you inside an amazing world of engineering, biotechnology, robotics and regenerative medicines. Here, scientists test the limits of nature every day as they work to genetically engineer plants and animals that will improve our world.

"Death by Dragon" - Saturday, February 23, at 9 PM ET/PT (World Premiere):

At eight feet long and weighing 150 pounds, the Komodo dragon is the world's biggest lizard and a known man-eater, lethal enough to kill with one bite. For years it was thought that dragons subdued their prey by infecting them with deadly bacteria, but it turns out that's not the whole story. Now, new research reveals that their bite is deadlier than we ever knew. See how this prehistoric monster has survived the test of time in Death by Dragon.

Additional primetime highlights include:

Primetime Programming For Monday February 18, 2008:

"Inside the Vietnam War" at 8:00 PM ET/PT (3 Hours):

Description located above in Premieres section.

Primetime Programming For Tuesday February 19, 2008:

"Inside 9/11: Zero Hour" (Update) at 8:00 PM ET/PT (2 Hours with Limited Commercial Interruption):

We will never forget Sept. 11, 2001 - a day of unimaginable tragedy, forever altering history and our place in the world. Now, the National Geographic Channel is presenting an updated version of its Emmy-nominated four-hour mini-series, Inside 9/11: Zero Hour - the final two hours - captures the horror and the heroism witnessed on Sept. 11, 2001. Inside 9/11 follows the footsteps of the terrorists as they formulated their plans, infiltrated our country and executed their
suicide missions. Tracing the timeline that led up to the deadly attacks, the mini-series deconstructs the events of that fateful day, tracking the movements of all four terrorist teams and patching together the ad hoc response of the United States government.

"Inside the Taliban" at 10:00 PM ET/PT (I Hour):

Just six years after U.S.-led forces drove the Taliban from power in Afghanistan for providing sanctuary to al-Qaida terrorists, these Islamist militants have resurfaced with a vengeance. Roadside bombings, direct fire and suicide attacks have intensified, with no end to the bloodshed in sight. Now, NGC presents Inside the Taliban, a comprehensive special that takes viewers into the radical and terrifying world of the Taliban - from its vigilante beginnings to its emergence as a violent power. The program documents the Taliban's transformation into a fundamentalist theocracy that provided sanctuary from which Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida launched terrorist attacks against America and its allies. The program also follows the rise of the mysterious one-eyed leader of the ovement, who - like Osama bin Laden - still remains at large.

Primetime Programming For Wednesday February 20, 2008:

"Explorer: Inside the Body Trade" (Featuring NGC Correspondent Lisa
Ling) at 8:00 PM ET/PT:

Across the United States, more than 95,000 people wait desperately for a new organ. Fewer than 30,000 receive one each year. This overwhelming demand has given rise to a global black market in body parts where some will do anything to get what they need. National Geographic Channel correspondent Lisa Ling pulls back the curtain on "transplant tourism" and investigates this illegal and growing practice. The show journeys from American medical centers, where transplant miracles are being performed every day; to southern India, where "donors" are eager to sell their organs to the highest bidder; and into China, where executed prisoners' bodies are sought after by black market brokers.

"Outlaw Bikers: Masters of Mayhem" at 9:00 PM ET/PT:

The Mongols, an outlaw motorcycle gang based in Southern California, have earned a reputation as one of the most violent motorcycle gangs in America. They deal drugs, sell guns and fight anyone who gets in their way, and their violence affects parts of Los Angeles. See how the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) launched an undercover investigation into their activities that would end with one of their agents achieving the rank of Mongol club officer. See how agent Billy Queen spent more than a year riding, drinking and fighting alongside the brothers, eventually struggling to maintain his identity as a federal
agent.

"Taboo: Mating" at 10:00 PM ET/PT:

How far would you go in the name of love? Would you drink your partner's blood to secure your bond? Or carve their handprint into your flesh to show your devotion? Could you marry someone behind bars, knowing you might never be able to be together? Or would you risk your life to steal another man's wife? Taboo: Mating delves into rituals, ancient and modern, used to bond one person to another, to show the extremes of human passion and devotion.

Primetime Programming For Thursday February 21, 2008:

"Science of Steroids" at 8:00 PM ET/PT:

It is one of the most controversial issues of our day, jeopardizing the health and smearing the reputations of Olympians, professional sports players and even high school athletes. The government has declared them illegal without a prescription, athletes call them unfair and some doctors say they are potentially deadly. And while stories of "roid-rage," Olympic and major league baseball cheaters and even suicide make front-page news, the popular science behind anabolic steroids is a mix of half-truths and hyperbole. How do they actually build muscle, increase mass and improve human performance? What are the real dangers of these drugs? We've seen what's happening outside the body; now NGC reveals what's happening inside the body in the Science of Steroids.

"Extreme Genes" at 9:00 PM ET/PT:

Description located above in Premieres section.

"Naked Science: Grand Canyon" at 10:00 PM ET/PT:

The Grand Canyon: It's one of the most famous natural wonders of the world, yet little is known about how it came to be. Now, NGC opens windows to the past to unearth some of this natural phenomenon's secrets. Join experts as they uncover theories about the canyon's iconic rock layers, and go back in time to relive the first expedition to its floor. Naked Science: Grand Canyon goes beyond a guided tour to explore the history and formation of this extraordinary place.

Primetime Programming For Friday February 22, 2008:

"Dog Whisperer: Chip, Lucy, Hank & Betty, and Leo" (Featuring Denise
Richards) at 8:00 PM ET/PT

Dog Whisperer comes to the rescue of former James Bond girl Denise Richards. The "Wild Things" actress turns to renowned dog behavior expert Cesar Millan to learn how to be the Pack Leader. At home, Denise finds herself battling daily with a different pack of wild things ... her three dogs, Lucy, Hank and Betty. Denise has owned her dogs since they were puppies, but they seem to be running the household now! Lucy the Boston terrier, Hank the French bulldog and Betty the pug all have one thing in common: They do whatever they want, whenever they want. Can Cesar help Denise regain control of her pack? Then, miniature
pinscher Chip has a nasty habit of nipping at visitors, and after a failed attempt with a dog trainer, Chip's owners are at a complete loss. Can Cesar remove the mean streak in the mini pin? And finally, meet lazy Leo, a 10-month-old basset hound that sometimes refuses to walk. To help out on this unusual case, Cesar enlists two members of his pack: Coco the Chihuahua and Luigi, a 7-year-old Lhasa apso belonging to Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith. For more information, visit ngcdogwhisperer.com.

"Is it Real?: Ancient Astronauts" at 9:00 PM ET/PT

Evolution, intelligent design or alien visitation? A dedicated group of believers insist that we were visited by aliens thousands of years ago and we owe our existence to them. Some experts aren't so sure. Join the National Geographic Channel as Is It Real? examines the evidence and separates the science from the science fiction.

"Conspiracy Moon Landing" at 10:00 PM ET/PT

In 1969, millions watched Neil Armstrong step onto the moon live on television. Why then do some people claim this monumental achievement never really happened? Conspiracy Moon Landing explores why, so many years later, there are those who claim that the moon landings are a fraud on a huge scale.

Primetime Programming For Saturday February 23, 2008:

"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 encountered a large python. While attempting to capture the python for further study, Dr. Barr was 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.

"Death by Dragon" at 9:00 PM ET/PT

Description located above in Premieres section.

"A Man Among Wolves" at 10:00 PM ET/PT

See a man living among wolves, as the National Geographic Channel presents the unique story of maverick researcher Shaun Ellis who raises abandoned wolf cubs and teaches them by example how to survive in the wild. In A Man Among Wolves, see how Shaun has given up everything to take a daring and unorthodox approach to understanding wolves' every move - living and behaving like them, howling, licking and snarling like them, even eating carcass meat like them. This one-hour special documents this man's incredible journey to better grasp the complex nature of wolf society by immersing himself in their world as their
accepted leader. It is a curious study that provides Shaun with one-of-a-kind insight into this feared predator. For more information, ngcwolves.com, starting Tuesday, April 3, 2008.

Primetime Programming For Sunday February 24,2008:

"Dino Death Trap" at 8:00 PM ET/PT

Dino Death Trap unearths a mass dinosaur grave in an area in western China known to scientists as "The Pit of Death" and "Dinosaur Pompeii." It contains well-preserved dinosaur fossils that lie stacked one on top of the other and piled four and five high, many of which have never been seen before. After five years of digging, the special documents several finds, including T-Rex's great-great-grandfather Guanlong, a swift, meat-eating raptor; a triceratops ancestor; an ancient crocodilian; and nearly 40 more different species dating back 160 million years, to a little-known time in dinosaur history. A missing link from the long-lost Jurassic period, Guanlong's line may have given rise to 11 different species of tyrannosaurs, ending up with the fearsome Tyrannosaurus Rex. All of the clues discovered help unravel the mystery behind the super-sizing of dinos.

"Dino Autopsy" at 9:00 PM ET/ PT

Dino Autopsy uncovers the Holy Grail of paleontology in the badlands of North Dakota: a partially intact dino mummy. Named Dakota, this 67-million-year-old dinosaur is one of the most important dinosaur discoveries in recent times - calling into question our concept of dinosaurs' body shape, skin texture and movement. Nearly everything we know of dinosaurs comes from bones and teeth, usually the only tissue durable enough to fossilize. But unlike most previous fossil finds, Dakota has survived millions of years still intact, with fossilized skin, tendons and perhaps even muscles and organs - a complete 3-D
dinosaur. With the aid of a Boeing giant CT scanner, we attempt to peer inside Dakota's preserved body and tail. Employing technology usually reserved for testing aircraft and spacecraft parts for NASA, a scan of the 8,000-lb. body will be one of the largest ever attempted. What will the scans reveal? Could they change our understanding of dinosaurs forever? The specific results will be presented in our film and are under embargo by a science journal for announcement prior to the film.

"Amazing Planet: Destructive Forces" at 10:00 PM ET/PT

Wind, water and ice - they are the natural elements that have eroded and rebuilt the earth. Now, the National Geographic Channel takes viewers on a geological journey through time to examine these destructive forces and the impact they have had on the planet. See how the Colorado River first cut through the earth's crust forming the Grand Canyon; watch windstorms off the Sahara sand dunes swallow entire cities; and experience sheets of snow melt, crack and plunge from giant glaciers. Presented in spectacular high definition, Amazing Planet: Destructive Forces explains the science behind earth's never-ending extreme
makeover.

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