Before the invention of the hot air balloon, humanity's dreams of flying were relegated to the stuff of legend. Building on centuries of compounded knowledge, the Montgolfier…
NASA has launched a space race among U.S. companies to be the first with a presence in lower Earth orbit or the first since 1972 to land humans on the Moon. Could a ‘space…
In January 1967, the inherent dangers of the manned space program were brought into horrifying focus when three American astronauts died in a flashfire during a test on the…
When Deep Blue won a game against chess great Garry Kasparov, everyone wondered if human intelligence had finally met its match. But are intelligent machines really . . .…
AI promises to revolutionize just about every industry in the world. Even as its creations become widespread, concerns have been raised about how it uses human art. What are the…
Agatha Christie often drew inspiration from real-life criminal cases when writing her popular mystery novels. One example was the infamous Lindbergh kidnapping case in the 1930s.
Munchausen by proxy is a condition in which a caregiver fabricates a dependent’s illness, as in the Gypsy Rose Blanchard case. What causes it and why does it often go undetected?
Most missing persons cases are eventually solved. But what happens when a disappearance leaves more questions than answers? Can loved ones ever truly experience “closure”?
Forensic genetic genealogy led to the conviction of the Golden State Killer in 2020. Since then, hundreds of other cases have been cracked using the same method. But is it always…
Each of us is a citizen of one country or another. The concept has developed since ancient Athens created the first known democracy. But what does it mean to be a citizen in…
In Central Asia, more than 2,000 years ago, a nomadic people called the Scythians roamed the steppe. Shifting tribal alliances made conflict inevitable, and women were as likely…
Explore the Vikings’ multifaceted contributions to history, ranging from their prowess as warriors and traders to the cultural influence of their mythology and exploration. These…
Over 2,000 years ago, Julius Caesar recognized the deficiencies of the Roman calendar. Hooking up with an Alexandrian astronomer, he created the solar-based Julian calendar, which…
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Dozens of new releases will appear on MagellanTV in February. From the U.S. Civil War to Daniel Day-Lewis to Big Tech’s infiltration of national healthcare systems, and much more,…
Are you ready to find out which titles were the most popular on MagellanTV in 2023? Here are the winners in our top categories: Space & Science, War & Military, History, True…
MagellanTV will release dozens of new documentaries in the month of January. From Marilyn Monroe to the changing seas, the Holocaust’s “forgotten” victims, and much more, we have…
Cutting-edge technologies are providing scientists with a deepening understanding of the universe. A new MagellanTV original series brings these advances to light.
The Solar System took billions of years to evolve into the stable arrangement of planets and other celestial bodies orbiting our Sun. And it has billions of years ahead of it.
The Space Race of the mid-20th century grew out of the ideological Cold War between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. The Soviets surprised the world with Sputnik, the first satellite…
Space between star systems and galaxies is immense and, in some places, nearly empty. But, does interstellar space meet the definition of a “perfect vacuum”? The quirks of quantum…
The James Webb Space Telescope has produced paradigm-shattering evidence about the universe from just 300 million years after the Big Bang. Though some are predicting the end of…
MagellanTV is proud to present a new six-part documentary on the U.S. Civil War, Battlefield America. To mark that event, writer Kevin J. Martin interviewed its historian, Garry…
By the spring of 1864, the Union’s momentum following the Civil War’s Battle of Gettysburg had dissipated. A new strategy was needed, and President Lincoln tapped Gen. Ulysses S.…
Armistice Day – now Veterans Day in the U.S. and Remembrance Day in the British Commonwealth – began as a solemn commemoration of the end of WWI, but now honors all who have…
Literally tens of millions of people died during World War I. Three incredibly lethal machines made their debut in the conflict, directly contributing to the appalling number of…
Before Marconi brought his inventive genius to the problem, communication over long distances was tethered to wires strung from one point to another. His wireless telegraphy…
Joséphine ascended from obscurity as a child on Martinique to become the empress of France. Much of her historical fame derives from being Napoleon’s wife, but Joséphine was a…
In 1888, Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh cut off his left ear after an argument with his friend, fellow artist Paul Gauguin. But what would have driven him to commit such an act of…
Threatened with a career-ending diagnosis of HIV, basketball legend Magic Johnson rebounded in health and in life. He made an impact by becoming a spokesperson for HIV/AIDS…
He defeated Napoleon and saved Europe, but the British establishment wouldn’t acknowledge his love for the mother of his child. Admiral Nelson was smitten with Lady Hamilton.…
In retrospect, the American Civil War was inevitable. The conflict’s fundamental issue was human rights, and the basic cause was freedom. But these principles were made real by…
The history of the United States is complicated and often distressing. Public schools that ignore or gloss over the difficulties do a great disservice to the children who will…
The myth of Santa Claus began with a real-life monk named St. Nicholas, and evolved through the poetry and lore of Dutch immigrants, political propaganda during the American Civil…
The idea for the “Little Black Dress” was Coco Chanel’s, but black dresses have been worn by women for centuries. They have been in and out of favor over time, but the LBD…
Every Christmas season, the air fills with the melodies of cherished carols that have been around for centuries. Here are the stories behind five of the most popular of these…
The May 1968 Paris student uprising was the spark that lit a blazing conflagration throughout the nation, shutting down the country. Daniel Cohn-Bendit – “Danny the Red” – led…
Humor has been around for as long as we humans have existed. Since ancient times, cultures have shared similar ideas about what’s funny, and styles of humor have been passed down…
The social and political turbulence of the Sixties came to a head in 1968. Night after night, viewers tuned in to the TV news to witness war, assassinations, demonstrations,…
The quest for the land speed record has been rushing ahead since automobiles first appeared on the roads. Today, the “cars” in pursuit of the record look more like jet planes, but…
Psychologist John Money pioneered the now-common practice of surgically altering the sex of infants with ambiguous genitalia. But many intersex people have suffered trauma from…
The 1900 Paris World’s Fair revealed complex conflicts between aspirations and reality. Its noble effort to highlight the cultural, industrial, and technological contributions of…
Volcanoes have shaped our planet for millions of years, sometimes creating habitable terrain where once there was only ocean. Iceland is such a place. Few nations have adapted…
Dive into the unpredictable oceanic phenomena known as rogue waves – their causes, their risks to maritime activities, and the ongoing research into them.
To survive in the unforgiving climate of the Sahara, animals and plants have undergone remarkable adaptations. Learn more about the unique adaptations of these desert species that…
The runaway burning of fossil fuels and other human activities are contributing substantially to increased global temperatures, resulting in rapid changes to weather patterns. The…
In just a blink of evolutionary time, about 15,000 years ago, a species of wolf gradually weaned itself from a wolfpack to join the human family. What’s it like to raise one of…
We’ve long believed that wolves are ruthless, bloodthirsty beasts that fight to attain or maintain their ‘alpha’ status. Well, we were wrong – packs are more like families, and a…
Endangered and threatened species face possible extinction. Leading the effort to save them is the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, which publishes the “Red…
To survive, many bird species migrate, flying off on epic journeys twice a year. Learn more about the migrations of birds and discover the answers to some of the most common…
In the last 20 years, scientists have made great strides in deciphering the complex interaction between the gut and the brain, even dubbing the gut “the second brain.” Read on to…
Both our understanding and treatment of mental illness has improved since we first began thinking of people as abnormal, but we still stigmatize those who struggle to fit in.
Dreams, nightmares, and night terrors. What exactly are they, and why do we have them? Oneirology – the interdisciplinary study of dreams – uses a variety of methods and…