What if life on Earth began in outer space? Millions of people accept the theory that intelligent life forms visited Earth thousands of years ago and were worshiped as gods by primitive man. Are monuments like Stonehenge and Easter Island the last remains of an ancient alien visitation? From unexplainable super structures, to knowledge of the solar system, mathematics, and even the ability to make electricity, this special explores evidence of super-human influences on ancient man and embarks on an around-the-world search for answers. Ita€™s an investigation into a theory some believe cannot be true, but many agree cannot be ignored.

Michael Mosley provides an insight into transplant surgery, revealing how the rates of success for the practice have increased considerably as knowledge of the human immune system has evolved. The presenter learns about French neo-Nazi Alexis Carrell, who invented a surgical stitch that made it possible to sew blood vessels together. He also meets New Zealander Clint Hallam, who received the world s first transplanted hand

After the fall of Rome, Italy slowly fell into a dark sleep. It wasn t until the 11th century when the Holy Roman Empire loosened its grip on Italy, that it reawakened. Autonomous city-states emerged, and though ravaged by waves of the plague, these tiny republics began to revitalize their cities and build on a massive level not witnessed since the rise of the Rome. In the late 15th and 16th centuries, alliances among various city-states continually shifted as foreign superpowers tried to sink their claws into Italy. France, Spain, and the Holy Roman Empire fought out their battles with each other on Italian soil, while the threat of the Turks lurked off the shores of Venice. The masters who are most known for creating the works of art and architecture of the Renaissance, were also the greatest military and civil engineers of the time. With a knowledge of the ancients and a thirst for new invention, engineering rose to heights not seen since the Roman Empire - advancing methods in everything from civilian projects, to architecture, and finally - to war. Some of the epoch s greatest feats of engineering were: The creation of a vast underground aqueduct system in Siena. The Building of the cupola of Santa Maria del Fiore by Brunelleschi. The advancement of fortification and firepower by engineers like Sangallo and di Giorgio. And, the renewal of Rome s glory as a city from the repairing of the Roman aqueducts to the moving of St. Peters mammoth obelisk.

An illuminating account of how history shapes our diets-now revised and updated

Alter L. Litvin tells describes what life was really like for professional Soviet historians under regimes from Lenin to Gorbachev, and assesses the efforts made since 1991 to create a more truthful picture of the Russian past. Passionate yet fair-minded, this is the first account of the subject to appear in English.