NOVA: Why Trains Crash

The glories of Ancient Rome are explored in ROMAN CITY, based on David Macaulay's acclaimed book. This animated and live-action video recounts life in Verbonia, a fictional city in Gaul. A well-planned town with all modern conveniences, it is threatened by conflict between conquerors and conquered. Macaulay also visits Pompeii, Herculaneum, Ostia, Nimes, Orange, and Rome, to view actual Roman architecture and engineering greatness.

Think big! Engineers have been doing just that for thousands of years, as renowned author-illustrator David Macaulay proves in this five-part miniseries on spectacular structures. The programs cover bridges, domes, skyscrapers, dams, and tunnels-past and present. Along the way, Macaulay highlights the engineering principles and human stories behind some of the most remarkable achievements in the history of building.

Jimmy West abandons his own boxing career to manage Johnny Carlos, a promising fighter who hates boxing. Jimmy fails at his new profession, and as a result of his disappointment with a woman, he turns to homosexual love.

The word itself conjures up mystery, romance, intrigue, and grandeur. What could be more perfect for an author/illustrator who has continually stripped away the mystique of architectural structures that have long fascinated modern man? With typical zest and wry sense of humor punctuating his drawings, David Macaulay traces the step-by-step planning and construction of both castle and town.

NOVA is reopening one of the most confounding crime mysteries of all time as a team of expert investigators employs state-of-the-art forensic and behavioral science techniques in an effort to determine what really happened to Charles Lindbergh's baby... and why.

How did ancient Egyptians build the Great Pyramid at Giza, joining two million blocks of heavy stone with amazing precision? Who were the leaders who built these enormous structures, and what did these tombs signify? Host David Macaulay explores the history, mythology, and religions of Egypt's people, combining live footage and animation. Take a rare look at the mummy of Ramses II and buried treasure in the sacred Valley of the Kings.

Author David Macaulay hosts CATHEDRAL, based on his award-winning book. Using a combination of spectacular location sequences and cinema-quality animation, the program surveys France's most famous churches. Travel back to 1214 to explore the design of Notre Dame de Beaulieu, a representative Gothic cathedral. The program tells period tales revealing fascinating stories of life and death, faith and despair, prosperity, and intrigue.

The science behind the risks of sky-high buildings, from structural limits to threats presented by wind, fire and earthquakes.

As President Obama embarks on a monumental agenda in his new administration, his attention must turn to the issue of global warming. NOVA examines an aggressive approach by California's Governor Schwarzenegger designed to promote energy efficiency. The possible success of this state program may well become the prototype for a new federal plan.

Travel back to late 18th century Lowell, MA, now infamous for its textile mills and its "Lowell Girls," the poor, barely-educated waifs who helped turn those mills into sweatshops.

It has no pilot, no windows, and it's flown by remote control. But this odd-looking plane is already credited with helping destroy nearly 750 enemy targets. It's the Predator, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) equipped with powerful surveillance cameras that spy on our enemies day or night and keep our military personnel out of harm's way. The Predator is changing America's battle plans, and more advanced UAVs are close behind. From flying spies the size of a CD player to fully armed pilotless jets that roam halfway around the world, get a close look at the revolutionary UAVs from the past 50 years, including the Lightning Bug, Pioneer, and Predator. Follow military specialists, scientists, and engineers as they examine some of the revolutionary vehicles currently under development, such as the Global Hawk, a long endurance jet programmed to fly itself from takeoff to landing.