This 2-hour special crisscrosses billions of years of time and space to show how everyone, and everything, is linked in one universal story. It weaves together science and history to reveal how an epic series of improbable events connect.

For four billion years, volcanoes have impacted life on earth. Empires have been destroyed and civilizations decimated. We'll travel to volcanic spots around the world made infamous in history.

Earthquakes have ripped through the planet's surface ever since it was born, and throughout history, mankind could do little to counter their seismic impact.

We'll look at cutting-edge systems that attempt to measure the unmeasurable.

An avalanche can stretch a mile wide, weigh more than a million tons, and accelerate to 80 miles per hour in five seconds. Though majestic and beautiful, the avalanche is the only natural disaster almost always caused by its victims.

As temperatures rise, a global meltdown has begun. From the Andes to the Himalayas to the Alps, glaciers are vanishing. In Antarctica and Greenland, vast ice sheets are turning into liquid.

This 2-hour special crisscrosses billions of years of time and space to show how everyone, and everything, is linked in one universal story. It weaves together science and history to reveal how an epic series of improbable events connect.

For four billion years, volcanoes have impacted life on earth. Empires have been destroyed and civilizations decimated. We'll travel to volcanic spots around the world made infamous in history.

Earthquakes have ripped through the planet's surface ever since it was born, and throughout history, mankind could do little to counter their seismic impact.

We'll look at cutting-edge systems that attempt to measure the unmeasurable.

An avalanche can stretch a mile wide, weigh more than a million tons, and accelerate to 80 miles per hour in five seconds. Though majestic and beautiful, the avalanche is the only natural disaster almost always caused by its victims.

As temperatures rise, a global meltdown has begun. From the Andes to the Himalayas to the Alps, glaciers are vanishing. In Antarctica and Greenland, vast ice sheets are turning into liquid.

As much of the world descended into the Dark Ages after the fall of Rome, one civilization shone brilliantly: the Byzantine Empire. With ruthless might and supreme ingenuity, the Byzantines ruled over vast swaths of Europe and Asia for more than a thousand years. It was Byzantium that preserved the classical learning and science that would one day give rise to the Renaissance. The Byzantines constructed the ancient world's longest aqueduct, virtually invincible city walls, a massive stadium, and a colossal domed cathedral that defied the laws of nature. Watch with host Peter Weller as we learn how the engineering feats of this great empire would betray them as an ancient light was extinguished in the glare of modern warfare.

Carthage, a remarkable city-state that dominated the Mediterranean for over 600 years, harnessed their extensive resources to develop some of the ancient world's most groundbreaking technology. For generations, Carthage defined power, strength, and ingenuity, but by the third century B.C., the empire's existence was threatened by another emerging superpower, Rome. However, when the Romans engineered their empire, they were only following the lead of the Carthaginians. From the city's grand harbor to the rise of one of history's greatest generals, Hannibal Barca, we will examine the architecture and infrastructure that enabled the rise and fall of the Carthaginian Empire.

In less than 200 years the Aztec's transformed themselves from a band of wandering nomads to the greatest civilization the New World had ever known. What records remain of this amazing feat indicate they did it through brilliant military campaigns and by ingeniously applying technology to master the harsh environment they faced. They built their capital city where no city should have been possible: in the middle of a lake. The Aztecs also practiced human sacrifice on an unprecedented scale and made many enemies. By the time the Spaniards landed they had no trouble recruiting tribal allies to destroy the Aztecs. Watch with host Peter Weller as we examine the architecture and infrastructure behind the New World's greatest, and last, indigenous society.

At the height of its glory, this mysterious civilization ruled a territory of 125,000 square miles across parts of Guatemala, Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador, and Belize. What began as a modest population of hunters and gatherers expanded into more than forty flourishing city-states who engineered sky-high temple-pyramids, ornate palaces, and advanced hydraulic systems. Where did they come from and what catastrophes caused the collapse of this innovative civilization? From the Temple-Pyramids at Tikal, to the royal tomb at Palenque, to the star observatory at Chichen Itza, this episode will examine the architecture and infrastructure that enabled the rise and fall of the ancient Maya civilization.

The Persian Empire was one of the most mysterious civilizations in the ancient world. Persia became an empire under Cyrus the Great, who created a policy of religious and cultural tolerance that became the hallmark of Persian rule. Engineering feats include an innovative system of water management; a cross-continent paved roadway stretching 1500 miles; a canal linking the Nile to the Red Sea; and the creation of one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Mausoleum of Maussollos. The rivalry between Persia and Athens led to a 30-year war known as the Persian Wars, the outcome of which helped create the world we live in today. Peter Weller hosts.

Western Civilization has been influenced by many cultures, but it was born in Ancient Greece. The Ancient Greeks laid a foundation that has supported nearly 3000 years of European history. Philosophers like Aristotle and Socrates, Olympian gods, the beginnings of democracy and great conquering armies can be attributed to the Ancient Greeks. This strong and charismatic people strategically harnessed the materials and people around them to create the most advanced technological feats the world had ever seen. From the Tunnel of Samos: a mile-long aqueduct dug through a large mountain of solid limestone, to Agamemnon's Tomb, to the Parthenon, we will examine the architecture and infrastructure engineered by the Greek Empire. Peter Weller hosts.

An avalanche can stretch a mile wide, weigh more than a million tons, and accelerate to 80 miles per hour in five seconds. Though majestic and beautiful, the avalanche is the only natural disaster almost always caused by its victims.

As temperatures rise, a global meltdown has begun. From the Andes to the Himalayas to the Alps, glaciers are vanishing. In Antarctica and Greenland, vast ice sheets are turning into liquid.