For the first time ever, an international investigation team attempts to unravel the mysteries of the Malleus Maleficarum, or Hammer of Witches. Written in 1485, this infamous ancient manual changed the way the world saw evil. With detailed instructions on how to find, persecute and punish witches, the Malleus inspired centuries of accusation and bloodshed worldwide. Now, through intense recreations and extensive interviews with scholars, we’ll take viewers on a journey through madness to gain insight into the authorship, legitimacy, and history of the Hammer of Witches.
A 9/11 survivor, an astronaut, and a blue hole diver all survived dramatically different traumatic events only to tell strikingly similar stories: each felt a mysterious presence that guided them to safety in their time of greatest peril. But what were these strange presences? Can they be explained? The devout call them guardian angels or divine encounters-others encounter a kind stranger. Could they have been angels? Phantoms? Or were their minds just playing tricks on them? National Geographic delves deep inside this phenomenon to break down the barrier between science and the supernatural. When faced with life and death, the brain flips an "angel switch," and help arrives-at least for some. Dubbed the "Third Man Factor," hundreds have reported this mysterious phenomenon-and now, science is taking a closer look, zeroing in on the location and the mechanism in the brain they believe may be responsible for these visions.
At 165 pounds, and allegedly made from the skins of 160 donkeys, the Codex Gigas is the world's largest and most mysterious medieval manuscript. Filled with satanic images and demonic spells, according to legend, the cursed text sprang from a doomed monk's pact with the Devil. Now, National Geographic follows a team of scientists as they embark on an unprecedented quest to unravel the secrets behind the book's darkened pages. Using ultra-violet fluorescence imaging, handwriting analysis and a re-creation of the text, forensic document experts attempt to uncover the cryptic truth behind this ancient Devil's Bible.