All language subtitles for Secrets.of.the.Underground.S01E02.Mystery.of.the.Serpent.Mound.1080p.AMZN.WEB-DL.DD+2.0.H.264-playWEB_track3_[eng]

IN A MAJOR CITY RIDDLED
WITH UNDERGROUND PASSAGEWAYS...

...COULD A SHADOW GOVERNMENT
BE PLANNING FOR THE END OF DAYS?

THERE'S, LIKE, A WHOLE
BUNCH OF THINGS HERE

THAT ARE REALLY ODD.

I'LL DEPLOY
ADVANCED SONIC TECHNOLOGY

TO SEE THROUGH THE WALLS
UNDER DENVER.

AND IN OHIO, MYSTERY SHROUDS
AN ANCIENT MOUND

SHAPED LIKE A SERPENT.

COULD THIS HAVE BEEN
THE FOCAL POINT

OF BLOODY HUMAN SACRIFICES?

SO RIGHT DOWN HERE,
THERE'S SOMETHING.

I'LL USE A MAGNETOMETER
TO SEE INSIDE THE SNAKE.

HIDDEN JUST BELOW
THE EARTH'S SURFACE,

THERE ARE COUNTLESS
UNSOLVED MYSTERIES.

AND TODAY, WE FINALLY HAVE
THE TOOLS TO UNLOCK THEM.

LOOK AT THAT!WHOA.

I THINK THIS IS IT.

I'M ROB NELSON,

A SCIENTIST USING
STATE-OF-THE-ART TECHNOLOGY

TO PEEL THE LID OFF
OUR PLANET'S HIDDEN DEPTHS.

THE MOMENT OF TRUTH
RIGHT HERE.

HOLY MOLY!

THESE ARE THE SECRETS
OF THE UNDERGROUND.

Captions by VITAC--
www.vitac.com

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

I'M IN DENVER, COLORADO,

AMERICA'S FASTEST-GROWING
MAJOR CITY

AND THE ONE RECENTLY NAMED

THE BEST PLACE TO LIVE
IN THE COUNTRY.

BUT SOME BELIEVE
THIS IDYLLIC METROPOLIS

IS HIDING AN ENORMOUS SECRET.

THERE ARE CLAIMS THAT HIDDEN
DEEP UNDER THE CITY

IS A SECRET NETWORK OF TUNNELS.

AND RUMORS HAVE SWIRLED
ABOUT THE EXISTENCE

OF TUNNEL ENTRANCES
BENEATH NOT ONE,

BUT THREE DIFFERENT PARTS
OF DENVER.

UNDER THE AIRPORT...

THE STATE CAPITOL...

AND DOWNTOWN'S
FINANCIAL DISTRICT.

CONSPIRACY THEORISTS
HAVE MADE WILD ASSERTIONS

THAT THESE TUNNELS LEAD
TO THE UNDERGROUND HEADQUARTERS

OF A SECRET ORGANIZATION

PLANNING TO OVERTHROW
THE GOVERNMENT.

I'M NOT SURE
I BUY INTO THESE CLAIMS,

BUT I DO THINK THE PRESENCE
OF TUNNEL ENTRANCES

UNDER SO MANY PARTS OF DENVER
IS WEIRD.

SO I'M GOING TO USE
CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGY

TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT
WHAT'S GOING ON HERE.

THE FIRST STOP IN
MY INVESTIGATION, THE AIRPORT,

WHERE I'VE ARRANGED TO MEET

OFFICIAL SPOKESMAN
HEATH MONTGOMERY.

I'M EXPLORING THE IDEA
OF A TUNNEL NETWORK.

AND I'VE HEARD
THERE'S A PRETTY ELABORATE ONE

UNDERNEATH THE AIRPORT,
TOO.

IS THAT TRUE?
THAT IS TRUE.

AND IT'S ACTUALLY USED
TO CARRY BAGS BACK AND FORTH,

BUT THAT HASN'T
STOPPED PEOPLE FROM SAYING

IT'S FOR OTHER REASONS,
CONSPIRACY REASONS.

SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT
WE ACTUALLY HEAR QUITE A LOT.

THAT LEADS TO, LIKE,
BIGGER CONSPIRACY THEORIES, TOO.

I'VE READ THAT THERE IS JUST A
TON FOCUSED HERE ON THE AIRPORT.

YEAH, YOU KNOW, ROB,
WHETHER IT'S ALIENS

OR UNDERGROUND BUNKERS
OR NEW WORLD ORDER,

PEOPLE SEEM TO HAVE A DIFFERENT
CONSPIRACY THEORY EVERY MONTH,

AND WE CERTAINLY HEAR ABOUT IT
ALL THE TIME.

IS IT POSSIBLE TO GET DOWN THERE
AND LOOK AT THE TUNNELS

AND KIND OF SEE
WITH MY OWN EYES?

AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS IS
A MAJOR INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT,

AND WE'VE GOT 35,000 PEOPLE
WORKING IN THIS AIRPORT.

AND ABOUT 1,000 OF THEM ARE IN
THOSE TUNNELS AT ANY GIVEN TIME.

THERE'S 1,000 PEOPLE
IN THE TUNNELS?

THERE'S ABOUT 1,000 PEOPLE
WHO WORK DOWN IN THE TUNNELS.

IT'S NOT A SAFE PLACE
FOR US TO GO.

I KNOW THAT'S NOT
GONNA HELP OUR CASE

WHEN WE TALK TO
THE CONSPIRACY GUYS,

BUT IT'S NOT
SOMETHING WE CAN DO.

SO, THIS CLEARLY
ISN'T THE FIRST TIME

HEATH HAS HEARD THESE QUESTIONS.

WHAT HE'S SAYING
SOUNDS REASONABLE ENOUGH.

AFTER ALL, STRICT ACCESS
PROCEDURES ARE NOW IN PLACE

AT MAJOR AIRPORTS EVERYWHERE.

BUT I HAVE TO WONDER,
IS THIS REALLY

JUST STANDARD
AIRPORT PROTOCOL AT WORK

OR COULD THAT JUST BE
A CONVENIENT COVER

TO CONCEAL SOMETHING BIGGER,
AS SOME BELIEVE?

IN MY RESEARCH,
I DISCOVERED SOME ODD FACTS

ABOUT DENVER INTERNATIONAL,
FACTS THAT HAVE FUELED RUMORS

THAT THERE'S SOMETHING STRANGE
GOING ON BENEATH IT.

RECORDS SHOW THAT, DURING THE
AIRPORT'S ORIGINAL CONSTRUCTION,

OVER 110 MILLION
CUBIC YARDS OF EARTH

WERE REMOVED FROM THE GROUND.

THAT'S ENOUGH TO COVER
32 CITY BLOCKS

A QUARTER MILE DEEP.

AND IT SEEMS LIKE FAR MORE
THAN WOULD BE NEEDED

TO CONSTRUCT A TYPICAL AIRPORT
BAGGAGE NETWORK.

SO WHERE DID ALL THIS DIRT
COME FROM,

AND WHAT'S THERE NOW?

I DECIDE TO INVESTIGATE
ON MY OWN TO SEARCH FOR CLUES

THAT MIGHT SIGNAL
SOMETHING UNUSUAL.

AND RIGHT AWAY, I'M STRUCK
BY THE PECULIAR SYMBOLS

SCATTERED
THROUGHOUT THE TERMINAL.

THERE'S, LIKE, A WHOLE
BUNCH OF THINGS HERE

AT THE AIRPORT
THAT ARE REALLY ODD.

EXHIBIT "A"--
A SERIES OF GIANT MURALS,

COMMISSIONED BY THE AIRPORT
AND STATE GOVERNMENT,

WHICH APPEARS TO PORTRAY
THE APOCALYPSE.

SOME OF THIS SYMBOLISM
REALLY IS KIND OF WEIRD.

THE ARTIST, LEO TANGUMA,
SAYS AIRPORT OFFICIALS

GAVE HIM FREE LICENSE
TO FOLLOW HIS IMAGINATION.

AND HE DENIES ANY HIDDEN
SYMBOLISM IN THE PAINTINGS.

BUT THIS ISN'T THE ONLY
STRANGE ARTWORK HERE.

THERE'S A BIG GARGOYLE
HERE BEHIND ME.

THAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE
A GOOD-LUCK GARGOYLE,

BUT IT'S SUPER CREEPY.

THERE'S A PLAQUE THAT REFERENCES

THE NEW WORLD
AIRPORT COMMISSION,

A GROUP SAID
TO HAVE BEEN CREATED

TO PLAN THE AIRPORT'S
GRAND-OPENING FESTIVITIES.

BUT SOME SUSPECT THAT
IT ACTUALLY REFERS TO A GROUP

HEATH MENTIONED TO ME EARLIER,
THE NEW WORLD ORDER...

A PHRASE MADE FAMOUS BY
H. G. WELLS' 1940 BOOK

OF THE SAME NAME.

THE NEW WORLD ORDER
ORIGINALLY REFERRED TO A DESIRE

TO PEACEFULLY UNITE
THE WORLD'S NATIONS

AND BRING AN END TO WAR.

THIS TERM HAS SINCE BEEN LINKED
TO RUMORS OF A POWERFUL,

UNSEEN GROUP OF ELITES
CONSPIRING TO REPLACE DEMOCRACY

WITH AN AUTHORITARIAN
WORLD GOVERNMENT.

SOME SUSPECT THE AIRPORT TUNNELS
LEAD TO A SECRET BUNKER COMPLEX,

WHERE THIS NEW WORLD ORDER
IS HEADQUARTERED.

I'M FINDING IT ALL
A LITTLE HARD TO BELIEVE.

UNTIL AN ANONYMOUS
AIRPORT INSIDER APPROACHES ME

AND ADDS FUEL TO THE FIRE.

YOU'VE BEEN WORKING HERE
A LONG TIME?

DO YOU BELIEVE
IN ANY OF THESE THEORIES?

HAVE YOU BEEN DOWN
IN THE TUNNELS DOWN BELOW HERE?

HE CAME UP TO ME
WHILE I WAS DOWN ON THE FLOOR,

LOOKING AT SOME OF
THE DIFFERENT SYMBOLS

AND SAID THAT HE HAD
EXTRA INFORMATION TO TELL ME.

IF THE GUARD
CAN HELP ME UNDERSTAND

WHAT'S GOING ON
UNDER THE AIRPORT,

I MIGHT STILL HAVE A SHOT
AT SOLVING THIS MYSTERY.

CAN YOU TAKE ME THERE?

ALL RIGHT.

HUH?

OKAY.OKAY.

OKAY.
WILL DO.

HE KEPT GETTING CALLS
FROM SECURITY.

I DON'T THINK
THAT THEY WANTED HIM

TO BE SHOWING ME AROUND.

I'M STILL TRYING TO WRAP MY HEAD
AROUND WHAT HE THINKS IT IS,

BUT-- UH...

I THINK THERE'S NOT A LOT
WE SHOULD BE TALKING ABOUT.

THIS IS PRIVATE PROPERTY,

AND THINGS HAVE TO BE
CLEARED BEFOREHAND.

IT'S DISRUPTIVE
FOR THE AIRPORT.

IT LOOKS LIKE
I'M GETTING SHUT DOWN AGAIN.

SIMPLE AIRPORT PROTOCOL
OR SOMETHING MORE?

THAT GUARD WHO SUDDENLY
DISAPPEARED ON ME

DEFINITELY HINTED
AT SOMETHING MORE.

BUT THE NEW WORLD ORDER THEORY
SOUNDS SO FAR-FETCHED.

SO NOW I'M BEGINNING TO WONDER
ABOUT ANOTHER THEORY

I'VE COME ACROSS--

THAT THE TUNNELS BELOW
THE AIRPORT MAY ACTUALLY LEAD

TO A MASSIVE
CONTINUITY-OF-GOVERNMENT SITE.

SOMETIMES CALLED A COG SITE,

IT REFERS TO A SERIES OF
CLASSIFIED UNDERGROUND LOCATIONS

THAT CAN SECURELY HOUSE
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

IF WASHINGTON, D.C.,
IS DESTROYED.

IF THAT'S TRUE,

THIS WOULDN'T BE THE ONLY
COG SITE IN THE UNITED STATES.

IN 1992, INVESTIGATIVE REPORTERS

REVEALED A TOP SECRET
BUNKER SYSTEM HIDDEN UNDER

THE SWANKY GREENBRIER RESORT
IN WEST VIRGINIA.

IT HAD SPACE TO HOUSE
OVER 1,000 PEOPLE.

FOR THREE DECADES,
IT WAS KEPT PERMANENTLY PREPPED

WITH FOOD AND OTHER SUPPLIES.

THEN, SUDDENLY, WITHOUT WARNING,
IT WAS DECOMMISSIONED.

COULD DENVER BE HIDING
A MASSIVE COG SITE,

LIKE THE GREENBRIER ONCE DID?

IF SO, IT'S CLEARLY
BEING WELL-PROTECTED.

WITH THE EYES
OF AIRPORT SECURITY

NOW WATCHING MY EVERY MOVE,

I'M OUT OF OPTIONS HERE--
FOR NOW.

BUT THE AIRPORT ISN'T
THE ONLY SPOT IN DENVER

WHERE SECRET TUNNELS
ARE SAID TO EXIST.

THERE ARE RUMORS
OF A LABYRINTH LEADING

TO AND FROM THE VERY HEART OF
COLORADO'S STATE GOVERNMENT...

THE CAPITOL BUILDING.

COULD THESE ALSO BE CONNECTED
TO THE THEORIES

SURROUNDING THE AIRPORT

AND PERHAPS EVEN A NETWORK
OF SUBTERRANEAN SUPER-BUNKERS?

I'M GONNA RUN A PAIR
OF HIGH-TECH EXPERIMENTS THERE

TO SEE WHAT I CAN FIND OUT.

HOW IS THERE NO MAP
OF THE TUNNEL SYSTEM HERE?

AND LATER...

I'LL TRAVEL
TO THE BUCKEYE STATE

TO INVESTIGATE
AN ANCIENT EARTH MOUND

SHAPED LIKE A MASSIVE SERPENT.

WILL GROUND-PENETRATING RADAR

REVEAL THAT HUMAN REMAINS
ARE BURIED INSIDE?

SO RIGHT DOWN HERE,
THERE'S SOMETHING.

VICTIMS OF A BLOODY
SACRIFICE RITUAL?

IS THAT
WHAT I THINK IT IS?!

I'M LOOKING INTO
A SERIES OF TUNNELS

BURIED DEEP BELOW
THE CITY OF DENVER

THAT CONSPIRACY THEORISTS THINK

MAY BE HIDING SOMETHING
VERY TOP-SECRET,

LIKE A NEW WORLD ORDER
OF POWERFUL ELITES,

A GOVERNMENT SUPER BUNKER,

OR EVEN A SINISTER RACE
OF SHAPE-SHIFTING LIZARD PEOPLE.

I'LL GO AHEAD AND ELIMINATE
THAT LAST ONE-- IMMEDIATELY.

ALTHOUGH,
THE INTERNET CLAIMS TO HAVE

SOME PRETTY
ENTERTAINING EVIDENCE.

I'M ANXIOUS TO APPLY
SOME STATE-OF-THE-ART TECHNOLOGY

TO SOLVING THIS MYSTERY,

BUT I'VE JUST BEEN DENIED
ACCESS TO THE TUNNELS

THAT HAVE FUELED THE WILDEST
CONSPIRACIES UNDER THE AIRPORT.

SO I'M HEADING TO
ANOTHER PART OF TOWN,

WHERE SECRET TUNNELS
ARE SAID TO EXIST,

THE STATE CAPITOL,
TO HUNT FOR CLUES

ABOUT WHAT'S REALLY
GOING ON UNDER DENVER.

THIS IS THE STATE BUILDING.

I'VE GOT A CONTACT
THAT I'M GONNA MEET,

WHO TOLD ME THAT I CAN GET DOWN
INTO THE BASEMENT.

ROB.
YEAH.

THANK YOU
FOR MEETING ME HERE.

MY PLEASURE.

CAPITOL SPOKESMAN DOUG PLATT

WILL BE MY ESCORT
INTO THE ABYSS.

SO, WE'RE GONNA
LOCK THIS DOOR.

THIS IS THE HEART
OF THE GEOTHERMAL SYSTEM.

WOW.

NOW, HERE'S SOMETHING
YOU WOULDN'T SEE

UNDER MOST GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS.

THIS STATE-OF-THE-ART
HEATING SYSTEM,

INSTALLED IN 2013,

RELIES ON THE ENERGY CONTAINED
IN AN AQUIFER UNDER THE CAPITOL.

IT COST $6 MILLION,

A TIDY SUM TO HEAT
A SINGLE GOVERNMENT BUILDING.

COLORADO'S THE ONLY STATE
CAPITOL BUILDING IN THE COUNTRY

THAT HAS A MODERN GEOTHERMAL
HEATING AND COOLING SYSTEM.

FOR THOSE WHO BELIEVE
THERE'S SOMETHING TOP-SECRET

HAPPENING UNDER DENVER,
THIS IS A MAJOR RED FLAG.

A CONTINUITY-OF-GOVERNMENT SITE
NEEDS ITS OWN SOURCE OF POWER

IN CASE A NATIONAL EMERGENCY

KNOCKS OUT THE FEDERAL
ELECTRICITY GRID.

AFTER THE 9/11 ATTACK,
VICE PRESIDENT DICK CHENEY

WAS SHUTTLED TO A BUNKER BENEATH
PENNSYLVANIA CALLED SITE R.

IT'S RUMORED TO RUN OFF
SEVERAL GAS GENERATORS

THE SIZE OF LOCOMOTIVES.

BUT AT SOME POINT, THE FUEL IN
THOSE GENERATORS WOULD RUN OUT.

GEOTHERMAL POWER, HOWEVER,
IS EFFECTIVELY UNLIMITED.

IT COULD POTENTIALLY RUN
AN UNDERGROUND SITE HERE

INDEFINITELY.

IT'S BEEN SUGGESTED THAT
THIS HEATING UPGRADE IS EVIDENCE

THAT THE CAPITOL
IS PREPPING TO OPERATE COVERTLY

OFF THE NATIONAL POWER GRID.

BUT DOUG SAYS THE NEW PLANT
IS JUST ABOUT SAVING MONEY.

IT'S REALLY VERY SIMPLE.

THE COMPANY
THAT INSTALLED IT

GUARANTEED ENERGY SAVINGS
TO THE TAXPAYERS OF THE STATE.

THERE'S NOTHING SHADY
OR NOTHING STRANGE ABOUT THAT.

IT'S TRUE.

NO ONE WOULD ARGUE
ABOUT SAVING MONEY.

BUT SOME SAY THE COST CUTTING
IS A SIDE BENEFIT OF SOME OTHER

MORE COVERT OBJECTIVE.

BASED ON WHAT I'VE SEEN SO FAR,

THERE ARE DOZENS OF PASSAGEWAYS
AND LOCKED DOORS DOWN HERE.

ANY ONE OF THEM COULD LEAD

TO A LARGER BUNKER
OR SECRET SITE.

IT REMINDS ME
OF PICTURES I'VE SEEN

OF AN EMERGENCY GOVERNMENT SITE
IN CANADA.

IT WAS A FOUR-STORY SHELTER
BURIED UNDERGROUND

TO WITHSTAND A NUCLEAR STRIKE
ON THE NEARBY CAPITAL, OTTAWA.

IT COULD SUPPORT OVER
500 SENIOR GOVERNMENT

AND MILITARY PERSONNEL
FOR A MONTH.

IT CONTAINED A VAULT

CAPABLE OF HOLDING
CANADA'S ENTIRE GOLD RESERVE,

AND IT FEATURED A NETWORK
OF CONNECTING PASSAGEWAYS,

LIKE THE ONES I'M IN NOW.

IT COULD TAKE ME DAYS
TO EXPLORE ALL THESE TUNNELS,

SO I NEED A FASTER WAY
TO UNDERSTAND

THE FULL SCOPE
OF THIS UNDERGROUND NETWORK.

IS THERE A MAP THAT I COULD
LOOK AT TO KIND OF FIGURE OUT

WHERE I AM
RIGHT AT THE MOMENT?

YOU KNOW, TO MY KNOWLEDGE,
THERE IS NO COMPREHENSIVE MAP

OF THE TUNNELS
THAT WAS EVER CREATED.

HOW IS THERE NO MAP
OF THE TUNNEL SYSTEM HERE?

I DON'T KNOW WHY THERE'S NOT
A MAP OF THE TUNNEL SYSTEM.

I JUST KNOW, TO MY KNOWLEDGE,
THERE IS NOT ONE.

SO, WE HAVE A STATE CAPITOL
WITH STATE-OF-THE-ART HEATING

BUT NO MAP
TO ITS BASEMENT LEVELS?

SO, WE'RE GONNA TRY
TO FIGURE OUT

WHERE THESE TUNNELS ARE
FROM UP ABOVE.

DOWN IN THIS LABYRINTH,

IT'S HARD TO KNOW
WHICH DIRECTION I'M FACING,

SO I NEED SOMEONE ABOVEGROUND
TO ACT AS MY EYES

TO CREATE A MORE ACCURATE MAP.

BUT IT WON'T BE EASY.

THERE ARE NO VISUAL POINTS
OF REFERENCE TO THE SURFACE,

AND GPS WON'T WORK
DOWN HERE AT ALL.

SO I'VE RECRUITED AN EXPERT

IN GROUND-PENETRATING
TECHNOLOGY, STEFAN BURNS,

AND HE HAS THE PERFECT
PIECE OF EQUIPMENT FOR THIS JOB.

I'VE ALWAYS WANTED
TO USE ONE OF THESE.

IT'S CALLED A SOND.

IT'S NORMALLY USED TO FIND
BLOCKAGES IN PIPES UNDERGROUND.

IT WORKS AS A BEACON,

PUTTING OUT
ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES

THAT PASS THROUGH ROCK OR SOIL.

A RECEIVER ABOVEGROUND USES
THOSE WAVES TO LOCATE EXACTLY

WHERE THE SOND
IS BENEATH IT.

ALL RIGHT, ROB,
I'M HEADING UPSTAIRS.

LET'S SEE
WHAT WE CAN FIND.

STEFAN,
YOU JUST LET ME KNOW

WHEN YOU'RE OUTSIDE
OF THE BUILDING.

OVER.

I'M GOING TO USE THE SOND
TECHNOLOGY TO CREATE A MAP

OF WHERE THIS TUNNEL LEADS TO
ON THE SURFACE.

All right, rob,
I'm in the area.

GO AHEAD AND SET THAT SOND,
AND I'LL START LOOKING.

OVER.

STEFAN,
THE SOND IS SET.

WE ARE CLOSE TO THE MANHOLE
COVER BUT SLIGHTLY OFF.

SEE IF
YOU CAN FIND IT.

STEFAN IS SEARCHING
FOR WHAT'S CALLED A NULL.

IT REFERS TO THE EDGES
OF THE MAGNETIC FIELD

EMITTED BY THE SOND,

WHICH HE CAN PICK UP
WITH HIS RECEIVER.

I THINK I FOUND
THE FIRST NULL. OVER.

FANTASTIC.
PUT A POINT RIGHT THERE.

WE'LL DO THE SAME THING
DOWN HERE,

AND THEN WE'LL MOVE
TO THE NEXT LOCATION.

LET'S GO TO HAVE YOU MOVE
80 FEET DOWN THAT TUNNEL.

MOVING 80 FEET DOWN.

...6, 7, 8...

OKAY,
HERE'S OUR NEXT LOCATION.

Second location here.

I'M STANDING MAYBE 200 FEET AWAY
FROM THE CAPITOL BUILDING.

THIS TUNNEL IS HEADING
INTO THE DOWNTOWN AREA,

IT SEEMS LIKE.

I'M WONDERING IF IT COULD
CONNECT THE CAPITOL

TO MORE SECRET TUNNELS
I'VE HEARD ABOUT

A COUPLE OF MILES
NORTHWEST OF HERE,

UNDER DENVER'S
FINANCIAL DISTRICT.

AND, IF SO, WHAT EXACTLY
COULD THEY BE FOR?

BUT WE HAVE A PROBLEM.

JUST UNDER WHERE
STEFAN IS STANDING,

THE TUNNEL ENDS AT A WALL.

HOWEVER, SOMETHING ABOUT
THE WALL LOOKS CONSPICUOUS,

LIKE IT'S NOT PART
OF THE ORIGINAL CONSTRUCTION.

SO WHY WAS IT BUILT,

AND COULD IT BE
HIDING SOMETHING?

OUR SONIC ECHO TEST
IS ABOUT TO TELL US.

YOU THINK THAT'S AN AIR GAP.IT'S LOOKING LIKE IT.

I'M UNDER
DENVER'S STATE CAPITOL,

EXPLORING AN ELABORATE SYSTEM
OF SECRET TUNNELS

THAT HAVE SPAWNED A PLETHORA OF
GOVERNMENT CONSPIRACY THEORIES.

BUT I MAY HAVE
JUST HIT A DEAD END.

OR DID I?

ALL RIGHT, THIS IS THE END
OF THE TUNNEL RIGHT HERE.

I'M NOT SURE IF THERE'S ANYTHING
BEHIND THIS WALL.

THE WALL LOOKS NEW,
THOUGH, WOULDN'T YOU SAY?

YEAH.

DENVER IS THAT WAY.
THE AIRPORT'S THAT WAY.

SO I WANT TO SCAN
THIS WHOLE ROOM.

YEP.

YEAH, ACTUALLY,
LET ME SEE THAT MALLET.

JUST LISTEN TO IT.

THIS IS SOLID.

SOUNDS HOLLOW,
RIGHT?

NOW I'M ACTUALLY GETTING
A LITTLE CONVINCED.

YEAH, RIGHT?

I WANT TO KNOW IF THE TUNNEL
WE'RE IN

CONTINUES BEYOND
THIS WALL TOWARD DOWNTOWN,

BECAUSE IF IT DOES,

THAT COULD LEND CREDENCE
TO THE RUMORS

ABOUT DENVER'S
SUBTERRANEAN SECRETES.

IT LOOKS LIKE IT WAS
DESIGNED AS A BARRIER

TO BLOCK THE TUNNEL.

BUT WHY? WHAT IS IT HIDING?

TO FIND OUT, WE'RE GOING TO USE

WHAT'S CALLED
SONIC ECHO TESTING.

BY SENDING A SOUND WAVE
INTO THE WALL

AND READING THE ECHO,
WE CAN DETECT HOW THICK IT IS

AND WHETHER THERE'S A CAVITY
ON THE OTHER SIDE.

SO, WE HAVE A MALLET.
WE'RE GONNA BANG THE WALL.

IT'S GONNA SEND
THOSE SOUND WAVES IN,

AND WHEN IT GETS
A DENSITY CHANGE,

IT'S GONNA BOUNCE BACK.

SO THIS WILL TELL US
HOW THICK THE WALL IS.

GO.

AND RIGHT OFF
THE BAT...

JUST ONE KNOCK
IS ALL IT TAKES TO TELL US

THERE'S AN ABRUPT DENSITY CHANGE
BEHIND THIS WALL.

SO, WE FOUND IT
RIGHT THERE.

THERE COULD BE SOMETHING
ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS WALL.

MAYBE LET'S GO
FURTHER DOWN

AND SEE IF IT'S LIKE THAT
THROUGHOUT THE SLAB.

GO.

THAT'S A GREAT HISTOGRAM
RIGHT THERE.

YOU THINK
THAT'S AN AIR GAP.

IT'S LOOKING LIKE IT.

I MEAN, IF I WAS
TO BE TESTING A WALL

IN A BUILDING, THIS IS WHAT
IT WOULD BE LOOKING LIKE.

AND ON THE OTHER SIDE
OF THAT WALL IN A BUILDING,

THIS IS GONNA BE AIR,
RIGHT?

WE'VE GOT
TO GO DOWNTOWN

AND SEE IF WE CAN FIND
THE TUNNELS DOWN THERE.

YEAH, THERE IS
DEFINITELY A CONNECTION.

I CAME TO DENVER THINKING
THE CONSPIRACY THEORIES

ABOUT ITS UNDERGROUND
WERE WILD FANTASIES,

BUT I'M FINDING MYSELF
MORE AND MORE INTRIGUED.

FIRST, I GOT SHUT DOWN
AT THE AIRPORT.

BUT ALL THOSE STRANGE SYMBOLS

AND THAT ROGUE GUARD
WHO APPROACHED ME,

CLAIMING HE KNOWS ABOUT
A SECRET SUBTERRANEAN REALM,

GOT MY ATTENTION.

THEN UNDER THE CAPITOL
WAS A MASSIVE

OFF-GRID HEATING SYSTEM

AND A LABYRINTH WITH NO MAP
THAT DEAD-ENDED IN NEW DRYWALL.

WHAT, IF ANYTHING,
IS DENVER HIDING?

THE INTERNET HAS
ALL SORTS OF THEORIES,

BUT I WANT TO FIND OUT
THE TRUTH.

SO I'M HEADING
FOR ONE MORE FOCAL POINT

OF DENVER'S UNDERGROUND
RUMOR MILL,

THE FINANCIAL DISTRICT DOWNTOWN.

IF I CAN GAIN ACCESS
TO THE TUNNELS

RUMORED TO BE BENEATH IT,
I MIGHT BE ABLE

TO CONNECT THEM BACK
TO THE CAPITOL

AND FIGURE OUT WHAT'S REALLY
GOING ON DOWN THERE.

ONE OF THE BUILDINGS RUMORED
TO HAVE A TUNNEL ENTRANCE

BENEATH IT IS A RESTAURANT
CALLED THE RIO GRANDE.

YEAH, YOU KNOW,
WE DO HAVE A DOOR DOWN THERE

THAT IS ON THE EXTERIOR
OF THE BUILDING.

I THINK IT USED TO GO
TO A TUNNEL, MAYBE.

REALLY?

WE DON'T OPEN IT
ANYMORE, THOUGH.

I CAN SHOW YOU, IF YOU'D LIKE.I WOULD LOVE TO.

ALL RIGHT, MAN. RIGHT THIS WAY.ALL RIGHT.

OKAY,
WATCH YOUR HEAD DOWN HERE.

THIS BASEMENT'S
REALLY OLD AND LOW.

WHOA!YOU GOT YOUR FLASHLIGHT?

ALL RIGHT.
RIGHT THIS WAY.

WE'RE HEADING TOWARDS
THE STREET RIGHT NOW.

HOLY MOLY.

HERE'S THE DOOR
I WAS TELLING YOU ABOUT.

WHOA!
RIGHT THERE.

CAN WE OPEN THIS?WE CAN'T OPEN IT.

WE'RE WORRIED ABOUT
A POTENTIAL CAVE-IN,

SO WE HAVE THIS BRACE
ON THE DOOR.

IF YOU CAN SEE, THE HINGES
ARE BLOWN HERE A LITTLE BIT.

DO YOU KNOW
EXACTLY WHERE THIS DOOR IS

RELATIVE TO THE FRONT?

IS THIS UNDERNEATH THE SIDEWALK
OR IS THIS UNDER THE FRONT DOOR?

RIGHT HERE, THIS IS
BLAKE STREET RIGHT HERE,

SO THIS IS THE EDGE
OF THE BUILDING.

AND THEN RIGHT HERE
IS THE STREET.

THE TUNNEL APPEARS TO CONNECT

TO ANOTHER BUILDING
ACROSS BLAKE STREET.

THAT SEEMS A BIT CURIOUS.

COULD IT ALSO CONNECT
TO THE CAPITOL?

THE NEXT STEP IS GOING
ACROSS THE STREET,

DIRECTLY ACROSS HERE,
TO SEE IF THE BUILDING THERE,

IN THE BASEMENT,
HAS A CORRESPONDING DOOR.

I MAKE MY WAY ACROSS THE ROAD

TO ONE OF LOWER DOWNTOWN'S
MOST HISTORIC PUBS,

THE BLAKE STREET VAULT.

ORIGINALLY BUILT IN 1863
AS A SALOON AND BOARDINGHOUSE,

ITS LONG HISTORY COULD
PROVIDE ME WITH MORE CLUES.

I'M ACTUALLY
TRYING TO FIGURE OUT

WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE TUNNELS
UNDERNEATH THE CITY.

WE ACTUALLY HAVE TWO TUNNELS...TWO TUNNELS.

...THAT GO
UNDER THE SIDEWALK.

WHOA.

AND DO YOU KNOW
WHERE THEY LEAD, BY CHANCE?

I MEAN--WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY.

REALLY?

IT'S STRANGE THAT PEOPLE SEEM
TO KNOW THESE TUNNELS EXIST,

BUT NO ONE KNOWS WHERE THEY LEAD
OR WHAT THEY'RE BEING USED FOR.

I TEAM UP AGAIN
WITH MY TECHNICIAN,

STEFAN BURNS,
TO GET A CLOSER LOOK.

LET'S START
OVER HERE, STEFAN.

CHECK THIS THING OUT.

IT'S A...

PRETTY OLD-LOOKING ARCHWAY.

THIS LOOKS LIKE
IT WAS SEALED OFF, TO ME.

LOOK AT THE TOP.

YOU CAN SEE IT'S NOT
FLUSH AND CONNECTED.

I CAN'T TELL IF THE TUNNEL
BEHIND THIS DOOR

LEADS TOWARD THE CAPITOL,

BUT THE DIRECTION IT FACES
AND THE WAY IT'S BEEN SEALED OFF

INDICATES IT LIKELY CONNECTS
TO THE ONE ACROSS THE STREET.

THE QUESTION IS, WHY?

SOME BELIEVE THERE IS
A VAST GOVERNMENT CONSPIRACY

PLAYING OUT BENEATH DENVER--

A SHADOW GOVERNMENT,
A NEW WORLD ORDER,

OR A SPRAWLING SUPER-BUNKER
SET ASIDE FOR CATASTROPHE.

I'VE FOUND CLUES POINTING TO
HIGHLY SENSITIVE SECRET TUNNELS

UNDER DENVER'S AIRPORT
AND CAPITOL BUILDING,

AND NOW I'M INVESTIGATING
AND UNDERGROUND LINK

BETWEEN TWO PROMINENT BUILDINGS
IN THE FINANCIAL DISTRICT.

BUT I'M STILL NOT SURE
WHAT IT ADDS UP TO

OR IF IT EVEN ADDS UP AT ALL.

THEN A FRIEND TEXTS ME
ABOUT A COLLEAGUE IN DENVER

NAMED TRACY BEACH,
A HISTORIAN WHO MAY BE ABLE

TO HELP ME SOLVE
AT LEAST ONE PIECE OF PUZZLE.

NAMELY, WHY IS THERE
A SEALED-OFF TUNNEL

CONNECTING TWO BUILDINGS
ON BLAKE STREET?

AS IT TURNS OUT,
THE SECRET PASSAGEWAY

IS A LITTLE-KNOWN REMNANT OF THE
NEIGHBORHOOD'S NOTORIOUS PAST.

THIS WAS BUILT IN 1889

BY A MADAM NAMED
JENNIE ROGERS.

AND IF YOU LOOK UP HERE
AT THE TOP,

ORIGINALLY,
IT WAS THREE STORIES TALL.

AT THE VERY, VERY TOP,
YOU'RE GONNA NOTICE

THERE'S SOME
STONE-CARVED FACES.

NOW,
AS THE RUMOR SHOWS

THAT THESE ARE ACTUALLY
THE FACES OF THE PEOPLE

THAT SHE BLACKMAILED

IN ORDER TO GET THE MONEY
TO BUILD THIS BUILDING.

THIS IS A BROTHEL
RIGHT HERE?

YES. YES.

ACTUALLY, THIS WAS
THE PREMIER BROTHEL.

THIS ENTIRE STREET WAS KNOWN
AS HOLIDAY STREET ORIGINALLY,

AND IT WAS WALL-TO-WALL
BORDELLOS, POORHOUSES,

EVERYTHING STRAIGHT DOWN
THIS ROAD.

IT TURNS OUT THAT
THE FIRST FLOOR OF THE BROTHEL

WAS A RESTAURANT
AND VIEWING ROOM,

WHILE THE SECOND FLOOR
HOUSED THE WOMEN.

THE PLACE DID A BRISK BUSINESS,
BUT NOT ALL OF ITS CUSTOMERS

WANTED TO BE SEEN
ENTERING THE FRONT DOOR.

SO TRACY BELIEVES THEY ENTERED
THROUGH MORE INNOCUOUS SALOONS

OR RESTAURANTS DOWN THE BLOCK,
LIKE THE PRESENT-DAY RIO GRANDE,

WHERE MEN COULD ACCESS
THE TUNNELS,

THEN SECRETLY
MAKE THEIR WAY UNDERGROUND

TO THE NEARBY BROTHELS.

WHICH MAKES ME WONDER
IF THAT BLOCKED-OFF TUNNEL

UNDER THE CAPITOL

COULD HAVE ALSO CONNECTED
TO THESE BROTHEL TUNNELS,

ALLOWING DENVER'S UPPER CLASS

TO FREELY CONDUCT
THEIR ILLICIT ENCOUNTERS.

WE'VE BEEN IN ALL THESE
DIFFERENT TUNNELS,

AND, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT
TUNNELS UNDER THE STATEHOUSE

AND YOU'VE GOT TUNNELS
UNDER THESE OTHER OLD BUILDINGS.

AND THEY SEEM TO POINT
IN THIS PARTICULAR DIRECTION,

AND IF IT'S BECAUSE
OF THE BROTHELS,

THEN IT KIND OF MAKES
A LITTLE BIT OF SENSE.

YES.
THEY JUST WANT TO SNEAK IN

AND SNEAK OUT
WITHOUT ANYONE NOTICING.

SO, THE TUNNELS
UNDER THE CAPITOL

AND DOWNTOWN
COULD VERY WELL BE EVIDENCE

OF A GOVERNMENT COVER-UP,

BUT NOT NECESSARILY
ON THE SAME SCALE

THAT SOME CONSPIRACY THEORISTS
IMAGINED.

IT APPEARS THESE PASSAGEWAYS
WERE JUST A WELL-KEPT SECRET

TO PROTECT THE REPUTATION
OF DENVER'S ELITE.

BUT THE REAL FOCAL POINT
OF BROADER SUSPICIONS

IS THE SITE I WASN'T ABLE
TO PENETRATE,

A MASSIVE SUBTERRANEAN REALM
UNDER THE DENVER AIRPORT,

AN AREA BELIEVED
TO BE BIG ENOUGH

TO HOUSE 32 CITY BLOCKS
A QUARTER OF A MILE HIGH.

IS ALL THAT SPACE REALLY
JUST FOR BAGGAGE HANDLERS?

I'M NOT SO SURE.

BUT IF IT IS PART
OF SOME LARGE CLASSIFIED SITE,

THE GOVERNMENT IS
DOING A GOOD JOB

OF KEEPING IT A SECRET.

NOW MY QUEST TO UNLOCK
AMERICA'S UNDERGROUND SECRETS

TAKES ME OVER 1,000 MILES EAST,
TO THE OHIO VALLEY

AND A MYSTERY THAT'S GONE
UNEXPLAINED FOR CENTURIES...

A GIGANTIC MAN-MADE EFFIGY,
OR EARTH MOUND,

STRETCHING OVER
A QUARTER MILE LONG.

IN FACT, IT'S BELIEVED TO BE

THE LARGEST EARTHWORK
EFFIGY MOUND IN THE WORLD,

AND NOBODY KNOWS WHAT IT'S FOR.

WAS THIS SERPENT MOUND
SIMPLY A SHRINE

FOR RELIGIOUS RITUALS,
AS SOME BELIEVE?

OR DOES IT CONCEAL SOMETHING

FAR MORE DISTURBING
BELOW THE SURFACE,

LIKE THE VICTIMS OF SOME
RITUALISTIC SACRIFICE?

AND THIS HAS BAFFLED SCIENTISTS
FOR CENTURIES,

AND WE'RE HERE TO TRY TO FIGURE
OUT WHAT'S GOING ON.

I'VE ALWAYS BEEN FASCINATED

BY AMERICA'S
ANCIENT EARTHEN STRUCTURES,

LIKE EFFIGY MOUNDS
NATIONAL MONUMENT IN IOWA,

AN AREA OF OVER
200 PREHISTORIC MOUNDS

SHAPED LIKE BEARS, BIRDS,
AND OTHER ANIMALS.

BUT THEIR BEAUTY
AND IMPRESSIVENESS

IS OVERSHADOWED
BY THE SOLEMN NATURE

OF WHAT LIES BELOW.

IF HUMANS WERE BURIED
UNDER THESE

BEAR-SHAPED MOUNDS IN IOWA,

COULDN'T THERE ALSO BE REMAINS
BENEATH OHIO'S SERPENT MOUND?

IT'S A PROTECTED SITE,

SO I CAN'T JUST TAKE A SHOVEL
TO IT AND START DIGGING.

LUCKILY, I'VE GOT
THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY

TO HELP ME PROBE
ITS BURIED SECRETS.

I'M TEAMING UP
WITH ARCHAEOLOGIST

DR. JARROD BURKS,
WHO NOT ONLY HAS THE TOOLS,

BUT ACCESS TO THE SITE.

FOR THE BETTER PART
OF THE LAST DECADE,

JARROD HAS BEEN USING
STATE-OF-THE-ART TECH

TO STUDY SERPENT MOUND,

AND HE'S BEEN ABLE
TO UNCOVER CLUES

BENEATH ITS SURFACE
THAT NO ONE HAS SEEN BEFORE.

YET, EVEN HE STILL HAS
A LOT TO LEARN

ABOUT THE TRUE PURPOSE
OF THIS MYSTERIOUS SITE.

SO, WHAT DO WE KNOW
ABOUT THIS MOUND?

THAT'S BEEN THE CHALLENGE
FOR THE LAST 200 YEARS,

TRYING TO FIGURE OUT
WHY THE SERPENT MOUND WAS BUILT.

IT'S PROBABLY THE MOST
WELL-KNOWN MOUND

IN THIS PART
OF THE UNITED STATES,

AND, YET,
IT'S THE LEAST UNDERSTOOD.

SEVERAL DIFFERENT NATIVE TRIBES

LIVED IN THIS PART OF OHIO
OVER THE MILLENNIA,

BUT NONE OF THEM LEFT BEHIND
ANY OTHER SITES

THAT LOOK EVEN
REMOTELY LIKE THIS ONE.

SO THERE IS STILL A DEBATE

ABOUT WHO BUILT
THE MOUND AND WHY.

BUT TWO TRIBES ARE
THE MOST LIKELY CANDIDATES.

FIRST, THE ADENA.

THEY WERE HUNTER-GATHERERS
WHO LIVED HERE

FROM ABOUT 800 B.C. TO 1000 A.D.

THEY LEFT BEHIND NUMEROUS
BURIAL MOUNDS

ACROSS SOUTHERN OHIO,

BUT NONE OF THEM DEMONSTRATE
THE LEVEL OF SOPHISTICATION

WE CAN SEE IN SERPENT MOUND.

WAS THIS
THEIR CROWNING ACHIEVEMENT

OR THE WORK
OF A MORE ADVANCED CIVILIZATION?

THE COMMON PERCEPTION
OF PRE-COLUMBIAN TRIBES ASSUMES

THEY WERE ALL PRIMITIVE--
SMALL, SIMPLE GROUPS

WHO EVOLVED LITTLE
OVER THE CENTURIES.

BUT, IN FACT, NATIVE AMERICANS,
LIKE EUROPEANS,

PROGRESSED DRAMATICALLY
OVER THE COURSE OF HISTORY,

EVOLVING FROM NOMADIC WANDERERS
INTO SOPHISTICATED SOCIETIES

BUILT ON AGRICULTURE,
TRADE, AND ENGINEERING.

AND THAT EVOLUTION IS CLEAR
IN A SECOND NATIVE CULTURE

THAT SUCCEEDED THE ADENA
IN OHIO 1,000 YEARS LATER,

THE FORT ANCIENTS.

THEY LIVED IN THIS AREA
FROM 1000 TO 1750 A.D.,

BUILDING PERMANENT SETTLEMENTS
AND FARMING CORN.

IT SEEMS CONCEIVABLE THAT

THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN CAPABLE
OF BUILDING THE SERPENT.

BUT THERE IS LITTLE EVIDENCE
ANYWHERE ELSE

THAT THE FORT ANCIENTS CREATED
MONUMENTS QUITE LIKE THIS.

SO, WHO REALLY BUILT
SERPENT MOUND?

AND WHY?

IT SEEMS LIKE
A MOUND LIKE THIS

MUST BE
SOME SORT OF BURIAL MOUND.

I DON'T KNOW WHY ELSE
PEOPLE WOULD MAKE IT.

BUT JARROD HASN'T FOUND
ANY EVIDENCE

OF HUMAN REMAINS THUS FAR.

SO, TODAY, WE'RE GOING TO FOCUS
ON WHAT I THINK

IS THE MOST PROMISING SECTION
OF THE ENTIRE MOUND.

WE'RE GONNA BE SURVEYING
THIS UPPER SECTION TODAY.

WE'RE GONNA GO FROM UPPER
MID-BODY TO THE HEAD.

THAT'S WHAT I'M
MOST INTERESTED IN

BECAUSE IF THIS IS
A BURIAL MOUND,

I WOULD GUESS THAT THERE WOULD
BE SOMETHING NEAR THE HEAD.

NOW STATE-OF-THE-ART
SCANNING TECHNOLOGY CAN HELP US

SEE BENEATH
THE SURFACE OF THE SERPENT

LIKE NEVER BEFORE.

ALL RIGHT.

THIS IS THE GPR UNIT--
GROUND-PENETRATING RADAR.

GROUND-PENETRATING RADAR FIRES
ENERGY WAVES UNDER THE SURFACE.

ANY ANOMALIES BURIED BELOW
WILL BOUNCE THESE WAVES

BACK TO A SENSOR
MOUNTED ON THE TOP OF OUR GPR

THAT WILL REVEAL
THE SIZE, SHAPE,

AND LOCATION OF WHAT'S HIDDEN
UNDERGROUND.

IF THIS SERPENT
IS A MASS-BURIAL SITE,

OUR GPR SHOULD DETECT
EVIDENCE OF TOMBS.

AT FIRST, THE GPR SCREEN
IS QUIET,

INDICATING NO ANOMALIES
UNDERGROUND.

BUT THEN...

ARE YOU SEEING SOMETHING
RIGHT THERE?

YEAH.
HERE'S AN ANOMALY.

THERE'S SOME STUFF.

THE ON-SCREEN DATA SPIKES,

INDICATING SOMETHING
OTHER THAN DIRT BELOW.

SO RIGHT DOWN HERE,
THERE'S SOMETHING.

COULD THIS BE THE FIRST GLIMPSE
OF AN ANCIENT CLUE

THAT FINALLY UNLOCKS
THE SERPENT MOUND'S SECRETS?

I'M USING
GROUND-PENETRATING RADAR

TO SCAN INSIDE
OHIO'S GIANT SERPENT MOUND.

AND I'VE JUST COME ACROSS
AN UNDERGROUND ANOMALY

THAT COULD BE A MAJOR CLUE
TO THE SITE'S PURPOSE.

ARE YOU SEEING SOMETHING
RIGHT THERE?

YEAH.

SO IT'S PRETTY SOLID
UNTIL RIGHT THERE.

SO DOWN
IN THE GROUND HERE,

THERE'S SOME KIND
OF DIFFERENCE IN THE SOIL.

WE'RE ABOUT HALFWAY UP
THE NECK OF THE SERPENT.

THE HEAD IS OVER THERE,
AND THE BODY'S DOWN THERE.

THE GPR IS TELLING US
THERE'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING

OTHER THAN SOIL
UNDER THE MOUND HERE.

HAS ANYBODY FOUND
ANY INDICATIONS

OF BURIAL MOUNDS?

NOT THAT
I'M AWARE OF.

WHICH IS WHERE
WE'RE FINDING THAT LITTLE BLIP.

AND I'M THINKING WE MAY BE
ON TO SOMETHING BIG.

BUT JARROD TELLS ME
HE'S SEEN SIMILAR ANOMALIES

IN OTHER SECTIONS
OF THE SERPENT,

AND TAKEN AS A WHOLE,

THEIR PATTERN AND SCALE
LOOKS LESS

LIKE A COLLECTION OF BODIES

AND MORE LIKE SOME SORT OF
PRIMITIVE STRUCTURAL FOUNDATION.

STONE WAS PART OF
THE CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL.

OKAY.

SO, STONE WOULD MAKE
A RADAR ANOMALY LIKE THAT.

STONES, BUT NO BODIES.

THESE FINDINGS
WON'T HELP US DETERMINE

WHY SERPENT MOUND WAS BUILT,

BUT IT COULD BE A BIG CLUE
ABOUT WHO BUILT IT.

AND FIGURING THAT OUT
COULD LEAD US TO ITS PURPOSE.

SINCE THE MAJORITY OF THE MOUNDS
CONSTRUCTED BY THE ADENA

WERE BURIAL MOUNDS,
THAT'S A STRIKE AGAINST THEM

FOR BEING THE ARCHITECTS
OF THE SERPENT.

ACCORDING TO JARROD,
USING ROCKS MIXED WITH SOIL

WAS A TECHNIQUE DEVELOPED
BY LATER CULTURES IN THIS AREA,

WHICH COULD INDICATE

A MORE ADVANCED GROUP OF PEOPLE
CREATED THIS MOUND,

LIKE THE FORT ANCIENTS--
NOT FOR BURIALS,

BUT, QUITE POSSIBLY,
TO WORSHIP THE SERPENT.

AS ONE OF THE OLDEST AND MOST
WIDESPREAD MYTHICAL SYMBOLS,

THE SERPENT'S MEANING VARIES
ACROSS DIFFERENT CULTURES.

IN MAYAN CULTURE, IT WAS
BELIEVED TO REPRESENT REBIRTH.

BUT THE SERPENT IS MOSTLY SEEN
AS A FOREBODING SYMBOL.

MUCH OF WESTERN CULTURE
ASSOCIATES IT

WITH TEMPTATION AND EVIL.

AND SOME ANCIENT
NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBES

ALSO HAD A DARKER ASSOCIATION
WITH THE SERPENT.

IT WAS A SYMBOL THAT WAS TO BE
RESPECTED AND FEARED.

AT THE FAMOUS TEMPLE
OF THE FEATHERED SERPENT

IN TEOTIHUACáN, MEXICO,
BRUTAL HUMAN-SACRIFICE RITUALS

WERE PERFORMED
IN THE SERPENT'S HONOR.

COULD SIMILAR
BLOOD-THIRSTY RITUALS

HAVE TAKEN PLACE HERE IN OHIO,
OUR OWN BACKYARD?

JARROD HAS ANOTHER TECH TOOL

WE CAN USE TO PROBE
FOR NEW CLUES.

THIS IS
A MAGNETOMETER.

IT SENSES DIFFERENCES
IN THE EARTH'S MAGNETIC FIELD

AS YOU'RE WALKING ALONG.

IT HAS
TWO SENSORS IN IT.

THE TOP SENSOR MEASURES
EARTH'S BASELINE MAGNETIC FIELD,

WHICH STAYS RELATIVELY CONSTANT.

THE SENSOR ON THE BOTTOM
DETECTS ANY CHANGES

TO THAT MAGNETIC FIELD

CAUSED BY ALTERATIONS
TO THE SOIL.

MAGNETOMETERS ARE ALSO USED

IN THE MILITARY
TO DETECT SUBMARINES.

OURS ISN'T QUITE MILITARY-GRADE,

BUT IT DOES HAVE
ONE SPECIAL ABILITY

THAT MAKES IT PERFECT
FOR OUR INVESTIGATION.

IT'S REALLY GOOD
AT FINDING BURNED SOIL.

THIS DEVICE SHOULD BE ABLE
TO IDENTIFY

IF FIRES WERE EVER BURNED
AT THE SITE.

THAT'S BECAUSE
WHEN THE SOIL REACHES

A TEMPERATURE ABOVE
600 DEGREES CELSIUS,

THE IRON IN IT
BECOMES PERMANENTLY MAGNETIZED,

LEAVING BEHIND A DISTINCT
FIRE FINGERPRINT.

IF IT WAS USED
FOR SOME SORT OF

SACRED RITUALISTIC THING,
YOU'D PROBABLY IMAGINE

THERE'D BE LOTS OF BURNING
AROUND IT AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

THERE OFTEN IS AT THESE
CEREMONIAL SITES, YEAH.

ALL RIGHT, WELL,
LET'S RUN IT.

WE SCAN THE ENTIRE AREA
AROUND THE HEAD OF THE SERPENT,

LOOKING FOR EVIDENCE
OF BURNED SOIL,

COLLECTING THOUSANDS OF DATA
POINTS WITH THE MAGNETOMETER

THAT CAN THEN BE ANALYZED
FOR SIGNS OF FIRE.

ALL RIGHT, SO, WHAT WE'RE
DOING RIGHT NOW IS

WE'RE GOING TO TRY
TO ANALYZE THE DATA.

GONNA PLUG IT
INTO JARROD'S LAPTOP.

HERE IS TODAY'S DATA

ADDED ON TO
WHAT WE HAD ALREADY DONE,

AND, SO, WE CAN SEE THE BODY
OF THE SERPENT THERE.

OH, WOW.AND WE CAN SEE THE SHAPE

OF THE HEAD
OF THE SERPENT THERE.

THE MAGNETOMETER
HASN'T TURNED UP

ANY EVIDENCE OF BURNED SOIL

THAT WOULD SUGGEST ANY KIND
OF HUMAN-SACRIFICE RITUAL,

BUT IT HAS REVEALED
SOMETHING MORE UNEXPECTED.

IS THAT
WHAT I THINK IT IS?

ANOTHER PART OF THE SERPENT
NOT VISIBLE ABOVEGROUND.

IT LOOKS LIKE
A BRAND-NEW COIL.

YEAH, SO,
HERE'S THE SERPENT.

YEP.THEN THERE'S THAT THING THERE

THAT'S A DIFFERENT,
NEW PART OF THE SERPENT.

IT'S ALMOST
THE EXACT SAME SIZE

AND SHAPE
AS THESE OTHER ONES

THAT WE CAN SEE
ABOVEGROUND.

THIS IS NOT SOMETHING
THAT ANYBODY'S EVER SEEN BEFORE.

IT'S ONLY SHOWING UP

IN THE MAGNETOMETER DATA HERE
FOR THE FIRST TIME.

THIS IS PROBABLY
AN ANCIENT PART OF THE SERPENT

THAT WAS ERASED
FOR SOME REASON.

THE DETECTION OF THIS LOST COIL
OPENS UP A WHOLE NEW MYSTERY.

WHY WOULD THE BUILDERS
HAVE CHANGED THE SERPENT

AFTER IT WAS BUILT?

AND COULD THIS COIL BE A CLUE

ABOUT THE STRANGE SITE'S
TRUE PURPOSE?

I MAY BE CLOSER THAN EVER

TO SOLVING
THIS CENTURIES-OLD SECRET.

THE ORIGIN OF OHIO'S
MYSTERIOUS SERPENT MOUND

HAS BAFFLED SCIENTISTS
FOR MORE THAN A CENTURY.

BUT NEW GPR
AND MAGNETOMETER DATA

IS BRINGING ME CLOSER THAN EVER
TO UNDERSTANDING ITS ORIGINS.

SCANNING TESTS HAVE REVEALED

A LOST COIL SHOOTING OFF
FROM THE SERPENT

THAT MUST HAVE BEEN
DECONSTRUCTED FOR SOME REASON.

BUT WHY, AND WHAT CAN IT TELL US

ABOUT THE TRUE PURPOSE
OF THIS PECULIAR LANDMARK?

I NEED TO KEEP DIGGING
FOR ANSWERS,

SO I'M HEADING TO MEET
DR. BRAD LEPPER,

CURATOR OF ARCHAEOLOGY
AT OHIO HISTORY CONNECTION.

BRAD HAS UNCOVERED
NUMEROUS ARTIFACTS

AT HISTORICAL SITES
AROUND THE AREA.

I'M HOPING SOME OF THESE
PRICELESS ANTIQUITIES

CAN HELP ME PINPOINT
WHO BUILT SERPENT MOUND AND WHY.

SO, THIS IS
THE COLLECTIONS FACILITY.

OKAY.

AND I'VE GOT A COUPLE
OF OBJECTS BACK HERE

THAT I THINK WILL BE
PARTICULARLY SIGNIFICANT

FOR UNDERSTANDING
SERPENT MOUND.

IN BRAD'S COLLECTION IS A RELIC
THAT HE CLAIMS

WILL PROVE CONCLUSIVELY
WHICH GROUP WAS RESPONSIBLE

FOR BUILDING THE SERPENT MOUND
AND ERASING THE MISSING COIL.

THIS MYSTICAL RELIC WAS FOUND

LESS THAN 50 MILES
FROM SERPENT MOUND.

WOW.
I AM BLOWN AWAY.

THIS IS AMAZING.

IT LOOKS LIKE A MIX BETWEEN
A SNAKE AND A FISH.

EXACTLY.

MANY OF THESE SPIRITUAL
MYTHOLOGICAL BEINGS

ARE MIXTURES OF FEATURES
DRAWN FROM OTHER ANIMALS.

IT'S NOT REPRESENTING
A FISH OF ANY KIND.

IT'S NOT REPRESENTING A SNAKE
OF ANY PARTICULAR KIND.

IT'S REPRESENTING
THE LORD OF THE UNDERWORLD,

THIS GREAT
HORNED SERPENT BEING.

RADIOCARBON DATING SUGGESTS
IT'S AROUND 1,000 YEARS OLD,

LEADING BRAD TO BELIEVE
IT WAS CARVED

BY THE SECOND TRIBE
TO INHABIT THIS AREA,

THE FORT ANCIENTS.

THIS IS
A SURPRISING DEVELOPMENT,

SINCE UNTIL NOW, IT WAS BELIEVED
THAT THE FORT ANCIENTS

DIDN'T BUILD LARGE EFFIGIES
LIKE THIS.

BUT BRAD SEES THIS CARVING
AS STRONG EVIDENCE

THAT THE FORT ANCIENTS
WERE THE TRIBE

THAT REVERED A SERPENT GOD.

YOU SAY THAT THE SNAKE
REPRESENTS THIS UNDERWORLD.

SO, WHAT COULD IT BE?

WE KNOW AMERICAN INDIANS
BUILT SHRINES

TO TRY
TO DRAW ON THE POWERS

OF THAT SUPERNATURAL BEING.

SO I THINK
THAT'S WHAT SERPENT MOUND IS.

IT'S A SHRINE TO
THE GREAT UNDERWORLD SERPENT.

BUT IS THAT ALL IT WAS?

IF SO, WHY WOULD
THE BUILDERS ERASE

ONE OF THE COILS
AND REDIRECT THE BODY?

COULD THERE ALSO HAVE BEEN
SOME OTHER,

MORE PRACTICAL PURPOSE
TO THE MOUND

THAT REQUIRED A CHANGE
IN THE DESIGN?

THERE'S ONE FINAL THEORY
THAT'S BEEN FLOATED

ABOUT THE PURPOSE
OF SERPENT MOUND

THAT I'D LIKE TO TEST.

I NEED TO GET ANOTHER LOOK
AT IT, A DIFFERENT LOOK,

FROM A NEW PERSPECTIVE.

BUT I CAN ONLY DO IT
RIGHT BEFORE SUNSET.

SOMETIMES,
YOU HAVE TO STEP BACK,

GET A BIGGER PERSPECTIVE.

ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GONNA
LAUNCH THIS THING,

GET A DRONE'S-EYE VIEW.

THE MISSING COIL
WOULD HAVE BEEN HERE,

JUST BEHIND THE HEAD.

WITH LIMITED MANPOWER
AND PRIMITIVE TOOLS,

IT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN EASY
TO BUILD.

SO WHY WOULD THEY HAVE MADE

SUCH A DRASTIC CHANGE
AFTER THE FACT?

IS IT POSSIBLE THEY REALIZED

THIS PARTICULAR COIL
WAS IN THE WRONG SPOT

AND REMOVED IT?

IF SO, THE NEXT QUESTION IS,

THE WRONG SPOT
IN RELATION TO WHAT?

AS THE DRONE RISES
ABOVE THE TREE LINE,

A LIKELY ANSWER
COMES INTO FOCUS.

THE SUN IS SETTING

JUST TO THE LEFT
OF THE SERPENT'S HEAD.

BUT ABOUT A MONTH AGO,

ON THE NIGHT
OF THE SUMMER SOLSTICE,

IT WOULD HAVE SET
A LITTLE FURTHER TO THE NORTH.

SO, IF YOU LOOK
RIGHT DOWN THE NECK

ON THE LONGEST DAY OF THE YEAR,

IT'S ACTUALLY GONNA BE POINTING
RIGHT AT THE SUNSET.

WAS THIS THE ULTIMATE PURPOSE
OF SERPENT MOUND?

FOR MANY CORN-GROWING CULTURES,
LIKE THE AZTECS,

THE SUMMER SOLSTICE
WAS A KEY DATE

IN THE CROP CYCLE.

THE FIRST FULL MOON
AFTER THE SOLSTICE

WAS THE TIME TO PLANT THE CORN.

AND A SUCCESSFUL CORN HARVEST

COULD MEAN THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN SURVIVAL AND STARVATION.

PEOPLE HERE
DID DEPEND ON THE SEASONS.

THEY DEPENDED ON
BEING ABLE TO UNDERSTAND

THE CYCLES OF SUMMER
AND WINTER AND FALL AND SPRING.

SO, FOR THE FORT ANCIENT FARMERS
LIVING HERE 1,000 YEARS AGO,

BEING ABLE TO TRACK
THE DAYS OF THE YEAR

TO KNOW THE BEST TIME TO HARVEST

AND TO PLANT THEIR CROPS
WAS CRUCIAL TO THEIR SURVIVAL.

MAYBE THAT MISSING COIL
WAS THROWING OFF

THE PLACEMENT
OF THE SERPENT'S HEAD,

SO IT WAS REMOVED TO ALLOW
A PERFECT ALIGNMENT

WITH THE SOLSTICE SUNSET.

OUR SCIENTIFIC ANALYSIS
OF SERPENT MOUND

HAS REVEALED SECRETS

THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN
VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO UNCOVER

WITHOUT THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY.

FOR STARTERS, I WAS ABLE
TO CONFIRM THAT THE MOUND

DIDN'T ALWAYS LOOK
LIKE IT DOES TODAY

AND THAT IT'S NOT A BURIAL SITE,
AS PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT.

INSTEAD, THIS MOUND
LIKELY SERVED A DUAL PURPOSE

FOR THE NATIVES
WHO CONSTRUCTED IT.

IT WAS A TRIBUTE
TO THE SERPENT GOD THEY REVERED,

AND IT MAY HAVE ALSO BEEN
A GIANT EARTHEN ALMANAC,

ONE OF THE LARGEST
AND EARLIEST CALENDARS

EVER DEVISED
IN THIS PART OF THE WORLD.

THE SERPENT MOUND HAS HIDDEN
ITS SECRETS FOR CENTURIES.

IT JUST NEEDED SCIENCE
TO DECODE THEM.