the best documentaries

Join the heroic quest for knowledge as we set course for the stars with the twenty-first century reboot of Cosmos. Hosted by world-renowned astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, this thirteen-part ground-breaking series will venture to new worlds, trace our roots back to the hearts of ancient stars, and travel across the universe for a vision of the cosmos on the grandest scale.

Closer To Truth is a public television series featuring scientists, philosophers, theologians and scholars exploring the deepest questions of Cosmos, Consciousness and Meaning-the structure of the universe, the nature of the mind and the search for ultimate reality.

The moonlit dramas of animals at night, revealing new insights and never before seen behaviors.

A weekly documentary series, each episode providing an in-depth look at a different subject of scientific research. Subjects examined by this show have included the cutting edge of theoretical physics, a return to the Chernobyl nuclear reactor, the long-term effects of Amazon deforestation, and the development of life-saving medical techniques.

Stan Lee, creator of such legendary comic book characters as Spider-man, Hulk, X-Men and the Fantastic Four, will be getting his own History Channel series. Titled "Superhumans," the series will, "find people who have remarkable abilities because of being genetically different," and will feature Lee as co-shot alongside the world's most flexible man, Daniel Browning Smith.

POV, a cinema term for "point of view," is television's longest-running showcase for independent non-fiction films. Since 1988, POV has presented more than 300 of the best, boldest and most innovative documentaries to PBS audiences across the country.

A show which highlights the events of the 90s.

Helicopter flights above the USA give breathtaking views of the nation's historic landmarks and natural wonders all presented in stunning HD aerial cinematography while narration provides background information and historical context.

Astronomer Dr. Carl Sagan is host and narrator of this 13-hour series that originally aired on Public Broadcasting Stations in the United States. Dr. Sagan describes the universe in a way that appeals to a mass audience, by using Earth as a reference point, by speaking in terms intelligible to non-scientific people, by relating the exploration of space to that of the Earth by pioneers of old, and by citing such Earth legends as the Library of Alexandria as metaphors for space-related future events. Among Dr. Sagan's favorite topics are the origins of life, the search for life on Mars, the infernal composition of the atmosphere of Venus and a warning about a similar effect taking place on Earth due to global pollution and the "greenhouse effect", the lives of stars, interstellar travel and the effects of attaining the speed of light, the danger of mankind technologically self-destructing, and the search, using radio technology, for intelligent life in deep space.

The extraordinary story of Earth and why it is special and uniquely brimming with life among a largely unknown but harsh cosmic arena; astronauts tell the story of Earth through a unique perspective.

Complex and controversial, this mesmerizing hit series from the National Geographic Channel offers an insider's view of closed worlds traditionally off-limits to outsiders. Witness stunning stories about rituals and traditions so shocking that you can't help but be attracted to them. Taboo crosses the barriers of modern society and explores the diversity of the human race where the secret, sacred, and eccentric are part of the everyday experience of humanity.

Morgan Freeman will take viewers on a global journey to meet with people from all cultures whose lives are shaped in surprising ways by different fundamental forces, this time exploring themes that unite us all. Each episode will explore a single fundamental force or topic, including love, belief, power, war and peace, rebellion and freedom.

Different celebrity host present a new independent documentary.

6-part documentary series from arguably the greatest scientific mind in the world, the wheelchair-bound Stephen Hawking, which describes all current thinking on the Big Bang, origins of the universe, dark matter, black holes, etc. Includes interviews with leading astronomers and scientists, some commentary from the great man himself, and computer models of the theories.

David Pogue gives the third degree to scientists pushing the limits of technology - not only to solve horrific murders, but to try to prevent crimes. Peer inside the criminal mind and discover cutting-edge forensic techniques that help investigators stop criminals in their tracks.

In this comprehensive cosmology series Stephen Hawking looks at the entire universe, from the Big Bang to the end of time.

The stories of the men and women who pushed their ingenuity and curiosity beyond the limits to uncover some of the most groundbreaking findings in the history of space exploration.

A look at the world's harshest landscapes and the animals that have adapted to live there.