If the video above was not tip off enough, it is the time of year again to go globetrotting with the National Geographic Channel for Expedition Week. This year they will be transporting you to the heights of the Himalayas to a couple leagues under the sea, and even centuries in the past. Naturally they kick off the festivities this Sunday at 9:00 with a hunt of cannibals that will takes Piers Gibbons (who last year went on the hunt for Headshrinkers) deep into seldom traveled jungles of Papua New Guinea to find some who has tasted human flash. (National Geographic was nice enough to send along a cookbook with a recipe to accompany each episode and Eating with Cannibals included “finger food” of hot dogs with a generous helping of ketchup. Shoot me an e-mail if you want the recipe.) Humor aside, it is chilling to hear someone talk about killing and eating two woman.
Below is a complete rundown of what to expect for Expedition Week. If you want even more on Expedition Week you can head over to NationalGeographic.com where you can also check out Expedition Granted where two young explorers are competing to win $10,000 to go to the expedition of their dreams. Head over to vote for who you thinks deserves the money.
Eating with Cannibals (Sunday 4/3 at 9): Last Expedition Week, author and explorer Piers Gibbon headed deep into the Amazon jungle to locate tribes that practiced headshrinking. In his newest adventure, Gibbon looks at one of mankind’s ultimate taboos: cannibalism. He’ll trek into the rain forest of Papua New Guinea to find tribe members who ate human flesh. Gibbon meets with members of the once-feared Biami tribe and witnesses their ritual techniques. Then he’ll learn who they killed and why, and if they still practice cannibalism today.
Finding Jack the Ripper (Sunday 4/3 at 10): Could Jack the Ripper have been the world’s first trans-Atlantic serial killer? Can 21st century techniques and CGI 3-D autopsies crack this 19th century crime spree, while reversing decades of investigative assumptions? Retired U.K. murder squad detective Trevor Marriott is determined to finally unmask the Ripper and possibly link him to other murders in Europe and the U.S.
Hunt for the Abomable Snowman (Monday 4/4 at 9): Across the Himalayas are stories of the yeti, or abominable snowman. Half man, half ape, the yeti is said to roam only the most remote peaks, where people rarely venture. Now, veteran explorer and climber Gerry Moffatt sets out to find proof in a hunt that will test his stamina. As conventional scientific theories challenge ancient beliefs and credible witnesses, he works to separate fact from fiction and find hard evidence that the legend is real.
Last Stand of the Templars (Monday 4/4 at 10): The Templars were considered the pope’s private army, protecting Jerusalem for more than 50 years. But their legacy came to a sudden end — casting them from the heights of wealth and power to the dark corners of history. Now, on the ruins of a 12th century castle near the border between what are now Israel and Syria, a team of archaeologists peel away centuries of sediment, uncovering signs of a six-day siege that could have led to the Templars’ demise.
Gladiators Back from the Dead (Tuesday 4/5 at 9): More than one million of history’s ultimate fighters died in the arenas of the Roman Empire, yet not a single complete gladiator skeleton has ever been found. Now, archaeologists in England have unearthed what is believed to be an ancient gladiator graveyard. It contains the skeletons of 75 adult males, all of whom died in the prime of life, with savage bone wounds suggesting lives of violence. Forensic anthropologists examine the evidence, and special graphics bring these superstar fighters back to life to uncover important clues about how they lived and died.
Egypt’s Lost Rival (Tuesday 4/5 at 10): It rivaled ancient Egypt but was lost to history. Now a team of archaeologists have made a major discovery in the Syrian desert: artifacts from a burial chamber deep within an ancient palace that paint a never-before-seen picture of a powerful metropolis known as Qatna. What became of its vast riches? And what brought about the final fate of this ancient superpower?
Return of the Ghost Ship (Wednesday 4/6 at 9): Underwater explorers in the Baltic Sea set out to bring a recently discovered “ghost ship” — one of the most intact ancient wooden wrecks ever found — back to life. By pushing the frontiers of maritime archaeology and using the latest technology, the team hopes to recover artifacts from the ship, take measurements and create a 3-D model of the ship with pinpoint accuracy — unlocking a treasure trove of information.
Ben Franklin’s Pirate Fleet (Wednesday 4/6 at 10): A lost piece of American history may have been uncovered deep in the sea — a shipwreck thought to have belonged to a fleet of American privateers. In the late 18th century, the Irish Sea was a cauldron of kidnapping, thievery and unrepentant skullduggery. Governments, including the nascent U.S., hired sea raiders, or “privateers,” to pillage and steal from merchant vessels. Is it possible that this ship was on a mission from Benjamin Franklin to capture British sailors to exchange for American prisoners?
Into the Iceland Volcano (Thursday 4/7 at 9): In spring 2010, the nearly unpronounceable volcano Eyjafjallajökull spewed ash clouds across Europe, bringing international air traffic to a standstill. Now, for the first time ever, a team of explorers descend into the nearby Thrinukagigur volcano crater — the only place on earth where it is possible to enter an old magma chamber. Inside the crater, the team finds crucial evidence revealing the inner workings of Icelandic volcanoes. With an even bigger eruption looming, the race is on to predict when the volcano will blow — before it’s too late.
Man vs. Volcano (Thursday 4/7 at 10): Journey into the mouth of Africa’s most active volcano, Nyiragongo, and stand on the shore of the world’s largest lava lake. Join an expedition with a National Geographic Magazine photographer and an international team of scientists as they reach the volcano’s summit — a near-vertical 11,385 feet — and then rappel directly into its mouth — 1,300 feet — nearly the height of the Empire State Building. With little doubt it will erupt again, the team hopes to take stunning images and gather geological samples to unlock the secrets of one of most dangerous and least studied volcanoes in the world.
Lost Land of the Tiger (Friday 4/8 at 9): Go in search of an undiscovered tiger population rumored to be hidden in the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan. This pristine country of lush forests, clear rivers and icy mountains could hold the key to safeguarding the future for these big cats. But first, the team must trek across Bhutan’s wildest terrain and face its extreme weather — pushing the expedition to its very brink. With cameras strategically placed, the team is closing in on capturing key evidence of the tigers said to be living here.
Tiger Man (Friday 4/8 at 10): A seemingly impossible dream: to create a new population of wild tigers outside their natural habitat. One man, John Varty, did just that. Starting with two young, zoo-born tigers, Varty now has more than 15 tigers at his Tiger Canyons reserve, and has used ever-present cameras to document two years of their lives. Whether mating, birthing or hunting, Varty shows these magnificent tigers with remarkable, “up close and personal” detail. His methods can be controversial, but it’s a gripping, intimate look at tigers as never seen before.
Death of a Sea Monster (Saturday 4/9 at 9): A sea monster cemetery lies at the top of the world — an incredible grave site containing countless fossilized remains of huge marine predators from the Jurassic era. Join an expedition to this remote burial ground via helicopter and boat. Paleontologists will contend with powerful polar bears and erratic Arctic weather to uncover yet another treasure trove of newly discovered predatory sea monsters. This time, it’s a complete ichthyosaur skeleton — the first of its kind.
