Mega Disasters Episode Guide, Season 3 - Pazsaz Entertainment Network

Back To Pazsaz Entertainment Network's Mega Disasters Page

Hypercane
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. Then in 1995 a new theory claimed that a powerful mega storm known as a Hypercane caused the extinction. The Hypercane allegedly reaches 20 miles into the stratosphere and has wind speeds of up to 700 miles per hour. 3-D computer animations will reveal how this storm could have brought down nearly all life on the planet.

Mega Tsunami
In 6,000 B.C., 8,000 years before the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, waves taller than the Statue of Liberty ravaged the coasts of the Mediterranean Sea, devastating ancient villages and killing untold numbers. Watch as a team of scientist's piece together evidence of this mega storm and reveal the face of this ancient tsunami for the first time. 3-D computer generated animation recreates the massive waves that may have changed the course of history.

Volcanic Winter
The largest volcanic eruption of the past two million years occurred on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, 75,000 years ago. The impact from the super volcano Toba decimated the local habitat, but gas, ash and debris from Toba made their way around the planet and formed a shield in the atmosphere that deflected the sun's warming rays. Temperatures plummeted and the planet was thrown into a volcanic winter and may have even pushed the planet into an ice age. 3-D computer animation will recreate the storm and unveil how this one volcano could have brought humanity to the edge of extinction.

Noah's Great Flood
Could the biblical story of Noah be true? 8,000 years ago, rising sea levels had global oceans surging. With the power of all the world's oceans at its back, the Mediterranean Sea burst through the Bosporus Strait in modern-day Turkey with cataclysmic force. When the flood was over the sea had claimed a landmass twice the size of Ireland. This prehistoric mega storm may have been the greatest natural disaster in the history of humankind. 3-D computer animation will recreate what this lethal flood may have looked like.

Comet Storm
13,000 years ago, a large comet exploded over eastern Canada unleashing a mass of burning fragments that ignited a mega storm of fire spreading for thousands of miles. Nearly every living thing on the North American continent was destroyed, including an ancient civilization known as the Clovis. 3-D computer animations will recreate this storm and offer an idea of the level of destruction a similar comet explosion would cause today.

Dam Break
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. Today, with millions of Americans living nearby massive dams, the result of a failure could be catastrophic.

Glow Train Catastrophe
The U.S. Department of Energy and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission plan to transport 77,000 tons of nuclear waste to a permanent storage facility 950 feet below Nevada's Yucca Mountain. If the plan goes through, much of the cargo will travel through Las Vegas, making an accident there a very disturbing possibility. If history has taught us anything, it's that transporting dangerous goods can sometimes have catastrophic results. Take a look at the potential disaster that such a rail accident would have in Las Vegas.

Airborne Attack
Anthrax is the most feared of all the biological weapons - spores entering the body through the lungs are lethal. In 2001, a simple letter, sent through the US mail, paralyzed a nation, when anthrax spores were found inside. Experts predict that anthrax released over a populated area would result in unprecedented loss of life - a few pounds of anthrax released under the right conditions could kill hundreds of thousands of people. Will anthrax be used to create a worldwide disaster?

Deadly Jet Collision
Since commercial aviation began, the romance of air travel has been marred by the tragedy of crashes. Today the sky above is safer than ever before--but the ground below has become more perilous. That was tragically proven in March, 1977, on Tenerife, part of the Canary Island chain, where 583 people were killed when two Boeing 747s collided at Los Rodeos Airport. It was the world's--and history's--worst aviation disaster. Though decades have passed, root causes for the tragedy at Tenerife remain with us today. The problem is called "runway incursions," meaning any incorrect presence of aircraft, vehicles or persons on an airfield. For the last decade, the U.S. has seen roughly 300 incursions per year. Most are not serious, but some have been very near misses--and others have taken lives. Unless significant changes continue to be made in airport infrastructure, aviation technology, and professional training, any American airport could be the site of the next tragedy.

Atlantis Apocalypse
Volcanoes can erupt suddenly and without warning, unleashing the most destructive forces on earth. More than 3500 years ago, the Greek island of Santorini experienced one of the worst volcanic disasters in human history. Today Santorini is a striking geological formation attracting more than a million tourists every year. While Thera was obliterated in explosions of poison ash and lava, it's believed the coast of Crete was wiped out by the resulting tsunami. And perhaps the biggest loss from this mega disaster: the destruction of an exceptional civilization that could have changed the course of history. Will history repeat itself? The same geological forces that ripped apart the ancient world still roil beneath the surface today. Could the next mega disaster be heating up beneath the Aegean Sea? Are we on the verge of another Atlantis Apocalypse?

Toxic Cloud
Chemistry has changed our way of life. From the gasoline in our cars, to the quality of water we drink, to the furniture we sit on. But with modern industry come hazards and risk, including potentially the explosive release of a dangerous chemical. Today, there are numerous facilities where there is the potential for the release of a toxic cloud that could stretch for miles. In Texas City, an average of 22 vessels a day move 60 million tons of cargo through the port and about 97 percent of which are petroleum and chemicals for the refineries. Another chemical of high concern is chlorine. Chlorine is used in wastewater treatment plants to purify sewage. Industry-wide efforts are underway across the country to find alternatives to these dangerous chemicals, but can safer chemicals be introduced in time to prevent a disaster?