Emmanuel Mairesse

Bob Ballard reveals the inside stories behind his most exciting discoveries, while sharing the personal triumphs, challenges and tragedies that led him to them.

The tornado that struck El Reno, Oklahoma, on May 31, 2013, defined superlatives. It was the largest twister ever recorded on Earth.

The most feared of marine mammals, it roams the seas in small pods, is extremely intelligent, and uses a sophisticated hunting strategy that allows it to kill prey six times its size, such as the gigantic gray whale. The orca of Monterey Bay, the largest marine sanctuary in the United States, is at the top of the food chain, unrivaled. This video takes us into the secret world of the Monterey orcas, where hunting seals, dolphins, and whales is the order of the day. A journey to discover a unique ecosystem, which is at risk of extinction due to a killer far more ruthless and cruel than the orca: mankind.

While most think an oasis in the desert is at best a mirage, this is not always so, as is the case of the jewel of the great African Kalahari Desert, Okavango. This nourishing delta, the largest within the borders of the Dark Continent, is the lifeblood for thousands of weary animals making the trek across the unforgiving sun-baked lands of Zimbabwe. Brought to video by National Geographic, this documentary refreshes the minds of the viewer with an educational and visually stunning look at the natural watering hole that supports the nomadic wildlife of the surrounding Northern Botswana region.

It’s a revelation conjuring heated debate: According to a recently translated ancient text called the Gospel of Judas, the disciple infamous for betraying Jesus may well have been Christ’s most faithful servant and—because the Savior asked him to—accepted perpetual disgrace to bring about Jesus' death. Explore the mysticism of early Gnostic thought expressed in words written on a 1,700-year-old leather-bound papyrus. Hear the interpretations of four biblical scholars. Follow this fragile document from its discovery in Egypt to its translation and ultimate presentation to the world. And share your thoughts on the Gospel of Judas.

Documenting the shadowy world of illegal trade that in this era of globalization spans the entire planet with a growing web of criminal networks. Counterfeiting is not just about knock-off brand handbags or pirated DVDs; these global supply chains also carry much more dangerous items: drugs, weapons, fake pharmaceuticals, knock-off car and airline parts, and more.

Dolphins: The Wild Side follows these mammals in the wild as they fight for mating rights, hunt for food, and clash with other dolphin species. Thanks to some brilliant underwater camerawork, we're treated to the sight of dolphins hydroplaning through 10 inches of water after fish, ramming one other in a quarrel over females, and evading a group of hungry orcas in Alaska. (Killer whales are actually part of the dolphin family, but they feel no compunction about feeding on their smaller cousins--not a scene for the squeamish!) But perhaps the most impressive part of this documentary are the scenes of a dolphin pod working in concert to trap a shimmering, mammoth school of sardines. Through calculated use of air bubbles, tail slaps, and sonic pips, the animals corral their prey and have a feast. The clever, and at times ruthless, nature of these mammals is on abundant display in this entertaining documentary

A follow-up to the documentary Raising the Mammoth. Join French explorer Bernard Buigues and his team of scientists in an underground frozen cave as they analyze the remains of the 20,000 year old mammoth found in Siberia.