On December 9, 2019, Pastor Geoff Hopkins and his 22-year-old daughter, Lillani, visited Whakaari/White Island to celebrate Geoff’s 50th birthday—a... more

Cuddly as a cactus and charming as an eel, Whoville's favorite talk show host is back on the mic! The... more

Aboard the Phoenix, the boat carrying many of the survivors back to the mainland, passengers tend to the wounded, who... more

Behind the closed doors of government offices and military compounds, are hidden stories and buried secrets from the darkest corners... more

As a wave of burning steam, ash and debris rolls down toward the shore, 47 tourists and guides sprint for... more

On December 9, 2019, 47 tourists and guides set off to visit New Zealand’s most active volcano — Whakaari /... more

Unforeseen conditions have put the world's strongest climbers to the test as they battle their way down the mountain. Before... more

An international group of climbers are close to summiting one of the world’s tallest, and most dangerous, mountains. Their goal was... more

In the summer of 2008, mountaineers from eight different countries gather at the foot of the world’s second tallest mountain,... more

By sheer chance, an American bomber pilot on a routine test flight has spotted the survivors of U.S.S. Indianapolis, who... more

It’s been two days since U.S.S. Indianapolis sank, and the number of survivors is dwindling. They’re being picked off by... more

The nine hundred men who survived the torpedo attack on the U.S.S. Indianapolis are either drifting in the sea, fighting... more

In the final weeks of World War II, the Navy cruiser U.S.S. Indianapolis was attacked and sunk by a Japanese... more

Diver Ed Punchard loved his job and the people on Piper Alpha, even if it meant working on a noisy... more

At 10:52pm, Piper Alpha is hit by the biggest explosion yet. Soon, the rig begins to break apart and tumble... more

As the fire continues to rage on Piper Alpha, rescuers in small motorboats race to get workers off the burning... more

After an explosion rocks the Piper Alpha oil rig, a huge, smoky fire begins to spread, taking down the rig’s... more

On July 6th, 1988, workers clock in to a typical night shift aboard Piper Alpha, the world’s largest offshore oil... more

On a warm day in April 2017, Outside Magazine writer Kyle Dickman was hiking near Yosemite National Park with his... more

When Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay summited Mount Everest in 1953, high-altitude climbing was only done by the most elite... more

After a severe blizzard engulfs Mount Everest on May 10th, fifteen people are left stranded on the mountain, unable to... more

As the climbers descend from the summit, it becomes a race against time to get back to camp before dark.... more

As the climbers make their final push for the summit, time is of the essence. They must make it to... more

In May 1996, two expert mountaineers and their clients set off to climb the world’s tallest peak — Mount Everest.... more

When author and historian Hampton Sides was deep into researching another polar expedition, he stumbled upon the tragic journey of... more

After months of trekking across the polar ice, the crew of USS Jeannette finally reach open water. Now, they must... more

It’s June 1881, and USS Jeannette has been crushed between ice floes and sunk to the bottom of the Arctic... more

Trapped in polar pack ice, the crew of USS Jeannette settle in for a long, dark winter. As the temperature... more

It’s September 1879 and the crew of USS Jeannette encounters pack ice that’s thicker than they expected, due to unseasonably... more

In July 1879, 33 men set sail aboard USS Jeannette on a two-year mission to become the first humans to... more

After a week of unrelenting disasters—and with Tokyo itself now under threat—the managers of the Fukushima nuclear power plant are... more

Now contending with multiple damaged reactors, engineers at the Fukushima nuclear power plant hatch a series of increasingly desperate plans... more

Crippled by a tsunami of unprecedented scale, one of the reactors at Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant is in... more

In March 2011, one of the largest earthquakes in history struck eastern Japan, followed by a massive tsunami. This one-two... more

On this special episode of Against the Odds, wildlife biologist and host of the podcast Tooth & Claw: True Stories... more

Atlanta-based journalist Steve Fennessy began researching Gary Steven Krist’s past for an article he was writing for Atlanta Magazine back... more

It’s been days since Barbara Mackle has been buried alive in the cold Georgia clay. She has no idea how... more

Barbara’s father, Robert Mackle, has gathered $500,000 in 20-dollar bills into a suitcase. Then, following the kidnappers’ instructions, he goes... more

Drugged and sick with flu, Barbara Mackle begs her kidnappers not to bury her underground. But soon she’s sealed inside... more

It’s December, 1968, and 20-year-old Emory University student Barbara Mackle is taken at gunpoint from the Atlanta motel room she’s... more

National Park Ranger Doug Bosley’s existence hinges on a few dangerous seconds in the life of his great-great grandfather, William... more

After the flood leaves many Johnstown residents trapped by debris and fighting for their lives, several oil slicks from leaking... more

Despite the efforts of engineer John Parke, the South Fork Dam does break. The ensuing flash flood sweeps up a... more

Engineer John Parke and a team of workers furiously shovel dirt, trying to shore up the South Fork Dam as... more

It’s May, 30th 1889, and the South Fork Dam in Western Pennsylvania is in danger. After nearly a month of... more

Over 100 days have passed since the Baileys’ yacht sank, leaving them adrift on a life raft in the Pacific... more

It’s March 1973, and Maurice and Maralyn Bailey are floating on a small life raft in the middle of the... more

In the summer of 1972, Marilyn and Maurice Bailey decide to leave their quiet lives in suburban England behind, to... more

In December of 1846, a small group split off from the Donner Party in a desperate attempt to find help.... more

In the winter of 1847, a series of rescue parties fought their way through record snowfall to try to reach... more