Tue, Jun 3, 2008
Modern dams are marvels of engineering but after decades of neglect the U.S. infrastructure is in crisis and by 2020, 85% of U.S. dams may be near their breaking point. When the South Fork Dam near Johnstown, PA gave way in a storm in 1889, killing 2200 people, it was the worst disaster in U.S. history.
Tue, Oct 9, 2007
With scientists in complete agreement that the climate is warming, many climatologists are warning that intense and prolonged droughts could ravage the interior of the Western United States, leading to catastrophic water shortages. Could we be facing a replay of the Dust Bowl of the 1930s on an even bigger scale?
Tue, Jul 4, 2006
The largest and most active volcano system in the world is right here in the western United States. Six hundred thousand years ago, the Yellowstone volcano erupted. Lava and pyroclastic flows covered 3,000 square miles and ash covered half the United States, three feet thick. Fossils found as far away as Nebraska were found to have died from inhaling the Yellowstone debris.
Tue, Jul 18, 2006
Hurricanes. Earthquakes. Floods. Blizzards. Frightening but all too familiar natural disasters. But what about a tsunami wave hitting the east coast of the United States? In this hour, we look at such an event that could be caused by a massive island landslide triggered by a volcano off the coast of Africa.
Tue, May 6, 2008
65 million years ago a massive asteroid crashed into Mexico's Yucatan peninsula. 75% of all life on earth vanished; but could a single asteroid have been the lone killer? Theories about what happened after the impact have been speculated on by the entire scientific community. Ranging from global warming to lethal worldwide firestorms, ideas have been put forth--but none have been proven.
Tue, Jul 11, 2006
Chicago is known as the "Windy City," but many believe a tornado can't strike a downtown filled with massive high-rise skyscrapers. It is a dangerous misconception. In 1967, a destructive high-speed tornado screamed along a 16-mile path through the south Chicago suburb of Oak Lawn and all the way to Lake Michigan.
Tue, Jun 20, 2006
Many scientists now believe that a "killer asteroid" wiped out the dinosaurs and 70% of all living things 160-million years ago. How likely is it that a similar event can occur again? In this episode, we explore the catastrophic effects of a 2-kilometer-long asteroid hitting just off the coast of Los Angeles.