Mega Disasters

How cities would be affected by various natural disasters.
Noah's Great Flood
S3 E2

The Mediterranean Sea bursts through the Bosporus Strait 8,000 years ago, inundating a valley twice the size of Ireland in a flood of biblical proportions.

Mega Tsunami
S3 E3

Scientists piece together evidence of a tsunami that may have ravaged the Mediterranean world around 6,000 B.C., sweeping away villages and killing an untold number of people.

Volcanic Winter
S3 E4

The supervolcano Toba erupts on Sumatra 75,000 years ago, causing a sudden volcanic winter that shocks the climatic balance around the world.

Comet Catastrophe
S2 E1

The effects of a lethal comet-strike near the coast of San Francisco.

Gamma Ray Burst
S2 E2

Scientists believe gamma ray bursts were responsible for the mass extinction on Earth 450 million years ago; examining how cities would fare in the face of a global catastrophe.

Krakatoa's Revenge
S2 E3

The eruption of the Krakatoa volcano in 1883 was one of the deadliest natural disasters in recorded history.

Hawaii Apocalypse
S2 E4

Historians imagine how an event similar to the 1868 eruption of the Mauna Loa volcano, which triggered two major earthquakes, would impact Hawaii today.

Methane Explosion
S2 E5

Historians imagine what might happen in a city like San Diego if a gigantic methane-gas explosion occurred in the Pacific Ocean between California and Hawaii.

Glacier Meltdown
S2 E6

A warmer climate may cause oceans to rise and may eventually lead to an increase in hurricanes.

Alien Infection
S2 E7

In a hypothetical, future disaster scenario, comet dust seeds Earth with a virulent virus that quickly spreads across the planet and claims millions of lives.

New York Earthquake
S2 E8

Historians imagine how modern New York City might fare if struck by earthquakes of the magnitude recorded in 1737 and 1884.

Mega Drought
S2 E9

Historians imagine what might happen to the U.S. if an extended drought were to leave the country unstable and economically depressed.

Super Swarms
S2 E10

Entomologists try to comprehend and control destructive swarms of locusts that have been plaguing mankind throughout history; American pioneers endure a swarm estimated as being 1,800 miles long and 110 miles wide.

Oil Apocalypse
S2 E11

Experts predict what might happen when the world's oil supply runs out, ranging from warfare over necessities to the development of new technology.

The Next Pompeii?
S2 E13

Today more than 3 million people live in the danger zone surrounding Italy's Mount Vesuvius volcano, which erupted in 79 A.D., buried the Roman town of Pompeii and killed about 5,000 people.

West Coast Tsunami
S1 E1

The impact of a major earthquake/tsunami would have on the West Coast of the United States.

Tornado Alley Twister
S1 E2

In May 1999, a major tornado carved a path of destruction through Oklahoma City. What would happen if the same deadly winds struck densely populated Dallas?

San Francisco Earthquake
S1 E13

What would a repeat of the 1906 quake that devastated San Francisco mean for the modern city?