Hans Hass – Pionier der Tiefe

Nearly 3,600 years ago, the eastern Mediterranean was shaken by the eruption of the Santorini volcano, north of Crete, which destroyed several port cities and covered the entire region in a thick layer of ash. This cataclysm, long considered the trigger for the collapse of Minoan civilization, still raises many questions, which a vast international deep-sea drilling project is attempting to answer. Prepared over a period of six years, Expedition 398 brought together a team of scientists from eight countries aboard a research vessel equipped with state-of-the-art technology. Its aim: to take samples from the Santorini caldera in order to establish the age, history and dangerousness of the volcano.

Exploring the large and powerful anaconda in remote parts of the Amazon rainforest.

In the heart of our forests, the death of an animal is synonymous with a feast. In the Bavarian Forest National Park, a team of researchers is trying to gain a better understanding of the phenomena and interactions that accompany animal corpses. Little is known about the complex cycle of death in woodland species: larvae developing in carcasses, organisms modifying their chemical composition, plants transforming the nutrients contained in corpses... From the tiniest mouse to the imposing red deer, decomposing bodies provide refuge for tiny life forms and become a source of food for opportunists.

Little-known events that played a large role in determining the outcome of World War II are revealed in this documentary series.

Oases are more than fairytale places in the desert sand. Amidst the stony heights of the Andes, the endless expanse of the Pacific, or the hectic concrete sausages of Mumbai, islands of life flourish. In breathtaking shots, the documentary explores the phenomenon of oases – and the magical places in the Saharan sand are of course included.

Cat experts explain the behaviors of domestic cats and how their sometimes undesirable actions are really innate instincts, revealing how closely they are still connected to their wild ancestors.

Perhaps the most famous swamp in the USA is the Everglades of southern Florida, but there are many more swamps across the continent, all unique and all different in their own way.

The lakes of Northern Italy are considered as places of longing. The series "Beyond the Alps" shows the five largest of them as natural habitats and at the same time introduces people who are closely connected to the lakes. Narrated by Eva Mattes, the world of the lakes is portrayed in high-class pictures. Five camera teams were on the road for 150 days, helicopter shots show the special features of this landscape from a bird's eye view.