Original subtitles

IN DOWNTOWN DETROIT, UNDER THE RIVER

AND BELOW THE CITY STREETS...

THERE'S A WHOLE STAIRCASE BACK HERE.

...COULD THE SECRETS

OF THE HISTORY'S LARGEST RUM-RUNNING OPERATION

STILL BE BURIED?

OHH.

IF YOU WERE RUNNING BOOZE, THIS WOULD BE PERFECT.

WE'LL DIVE INTO DETROIT'S RIVER OF PROHIBITION LIQUOR

TO SEARCH FOR ANSWERS.

WHAT'S THIS, RIGHT HERE?

THAT IS DEFINITELY A HUGE TUNNEL.

THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.

AND IN LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK,

NIKOLA TESLA CLAIMED TO HAVE BUILT

SOMETHING SPECTACULAR AND REVOLUTIONARY...

WOW. LOOK AT THAT.

...BENEATH HIS SHUTTERED LAB.

IS THERE STUFF THAT HE DIDN'T REVEAL HERE SOMEWHERE?

IT'S QUITE POSSIBLE.

WITH A HIGH-TECH TOOLKIT...

- READY? - YEP.

THERE'S A TON OF METAL BURIED THERE.

...WE MIGHT FINALLY UNCOVER

THE ENIGMATIC SCIENTIST'S

MOST LEGENDARY CREATION.

NOBODY KNOWS WHAT'S DOWN THERE.

THE WHOLE THING HAS BEEN SECRET.

BURIED DEEP BELOW THE EARTH'S SURFACE,

THERE ARE COUNTLESS UNSOLVED MYSTERIES.

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

THAT'S AMAZING.

IT'S SUPER DEEP.

I'M ROB NELSON, A SCIENTIST AND EXPLORER

INVESTIGATING OUR PLANET'S HIDDEN DEPTHS.

- ROB? - GETTING DEEPER.

HOLY MOLY, STEFAN.

AND HELPING ME UNCOVER THESE SUBTERRANEAN SECRETS

IS TECH SPECIALIST STEFAN BURNS.

OH, MY GOD. LOOK AT THAT.

TOGETHER...

I GOT SOMETHING!

...WE ARE UNCOVERING NEW LEADS IN OUR QUEST

TO SOLVE EARTH'S MOST ENDURING MYSTERIES.

- THERE WE GO. - WHOO!

THESE ARE THE SECRETS OF THE UNDERGROUND.

- Captions by VITAC-- www.vitac.com

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

DETROIT, MICHIGAN--

BEST KNOWN AS THE BIRTHPLACE OF MOTORS AND MOTOWN.

BUT IN THE 1920s, IT WAS ALSO ONCE HOME

TO ONE OF THE NATION'S BIGGEST BOOTLEGGING OPERATIONS.

STEFAN AND I ARE IN WINDSOR, CANADA,

WHICH LIES JUST ACROSS THE WATER

AND PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN THIS ELICIT VENTURE.

AND 75% OF THE ILLEGAL BOOZE IMPORTS

CAME THROUGH DETROIT.

- YEAH. - FOR THE ENTIRE COUNTRY.

THAT'S RIGHT. DURING PROHIBITION,

3/4 OF ALL THE ALCOHOL IMPORTS INTO AMERICA

CAME ACROSS THIS RIVER.

AND THAT'S A LOT OF BOOZE--

ABOUT 5. 2 MILLION GALLONS A YEAR.

SO, HOW DID IT ALL GET ACROSS UNDETECTED?

THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE TO FIND OUT.

WE KNOW THERE'S DISTILLERIES ALL ALONG THE BORDER HERE

FEEDING DETROIT.

THESE CANADIAN DISTILLERIES WERE CRANKING OUT WHISKEY

AT A RECORD PACE,

MAKING DETROIT THE IDEAL POINT OF ENTRY

FOR THE BURGEONING ILLEGAL BOOZE TRADE.

IN FACT, BY THE MID-1920s, SMUGGLED ALCOHOL

WAS THE MOTOR CITY'S SECOND-BIGGEST INDUSTRY,

JUST BEHIND AUTOMOBILES.

AN ILLEGAL TRADE ON THAT SCALE

WOULD'VE REQUIRED A SOPHISTICATED

AND EXTENSIVE DISTRIBUTION NETWORK.

WE KNOW THAT BOATLOADS OF BOOZE WERE SHIPPED ACROSS THE RIVER

AND SMUGGLERS ALSO DROVE IN THE CONTRABAND

WHEN THE WATER FROZE OVER.

SOME EVEN DEPLOYED UNDERWATER, TORPEDO-LIKE TUBES

THAT WERE FILLED WITH GALLONS OF WHISKEY.

BUT ALL THESE METHODS SEEM LIKE SMALL POTATOES,

NOT TO MENTION PRETTY EASY TO SPOT.

I DON'T THINK THAT'S ENOUGH, THOUGH,

TO EXPLAIN THE SHEER AMOUNT OF ILLEGAL IMPORTS

COMING IN FROM CANADA TO DETROIT.

RIGHT.

SO, COULD THERE HAVE BEEN A LESS VISIBLE,

HIGHER VOLUME METHOD OF DELIVERY UNDERGROUND AND OUT OF SIGHT?

FOR DECADES, THERE HAVE BEEN RUMORS

OF AN ELABORATE DISTRIBUTION NETWORK,

INCLUDING UNDERGROUND PIPELINES THAT SPANNED

THE DETROIT RIVERBED AND FUNNELED A STEADY STREAM

OF BOOZE INTO AND AROUND THE CITY.

BUT NOW, WE FINALLY HAVE THE TOOLS

TO LOOK FOR EVIDENCE OF THAT LOST NETWORK.

AS FAR AS I CAN TELL, NOBODY'S LOOKED AT THIS MYSTERY

WITH SOME OF THE MODERN GEOPHYSICAL EQUIPMENT

THAT WE HAVE NOW.

STEFAN AND I BEGIN OUR INVESTIGATION

AT WHAT WE'VE HEARD

WAS ESSENTIALLY THE STARTING POINT OF THE SMUGGLING CHAIN.

FROM CANADA'S MAINLAND, ILLEGAL BOOZE

WAS REPORTEDLY BROUGHT HERE TO PECHE ISLAND,

A CANADIAN-OWNED 100-ACRE PARK

THAT SITS RIGHT BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES IN THE DETROIT RIVER.

TODAY, WILDERNESS HAS RECLAIMED MUCH OF THE ISLAND.

BUT IN THE LATE 19th CENTURY,

IT'S WHERE WHISKEY MAGNATE HIRAM WALKER

BUILT A LAVISH SUMMER MANSION.

THIS DEFINITELY LOOKS LIKE THE REMAINS OF THE OLD ESTATE.

AFTER IT WAS ABANDONED,

THE HOUSE'S CENTRAL LOCATION ON THE ISLAND

WOULD HAVE MADE IT A CONVENIENT SAFEHOUSE

FOR STORING CONTRABAND.

I MEAN, IT'D MAKE PERFECT SENSE FOR SMUGGLERS TO GO AHEAD

AND REPURPOSE WHAT WAS ALREADY HERE.

FROM WHAT WE KNOW,

THE SMUGGLERS WHO RAN DETROIT'S BOOTLEGGING OPERATION

WERE SOME OF THE SMARTEST, SCARIEST,

AND MOST VIOLENT GANGSTERS OF THEIR ERA.

THEY WERE KNOWN AS "THE PURPLE GANG,"

AND EVEN AL CAPONE WAS SAID TO BE AFRAID TO CHALLENGE THEM.

HE OPTED TO FORGE AN ALLIANCE

RATHER THAN BATTLE THEM FOR THEIR DETROIT TURF.

ORIGINATING FROM THE CITY'S LOWER EAST SIDE,

THIS PREDOMINATELY JEWISH MOB CONTROLLED DETROIT'S UNDERWORLD

AND THE CHAIN OF ALCOHOL IMPORTS IT THRIVED ON.

AND THEN, UP HERE, YOU HAVE THE HIDING PLACE

FOR SOME CONTRABAND, APPARENTLY.

ACCORDING TO LOCALS, THE GANG SMUGGLERS USED TO HIDE

THEIR STASH SOMEWHERE ALONG THE EDGE

OF PECHE ISLAND THAT FACES DETROIT.

ALL RIGHT, LET'S GET GOING.

GREAT.

SO, THAT'S WHERE WE'LL BEGIN OUR SEARCH...

USING GROUND-PENETRATING RADAR.

GPR ALLOWS US TO PEER BENEATH THE SURFACE

BY EMITTING PULSES OF ENERGY

AND RECORDING THE TIME IT TAKES FOR THEM TO BOUNCE BACK,

REVEALING ANY UNUSUAL FEATURES IN THE EARTH.

LET'S SCAN THIS WAY. - ALL RIGHT.

SEE ANYTHING?

ROOTS.

BUT WITH ITS BUMPY TERRAIN AND OVERGROWN WILDERNESS,

SCANNING THE SHORELINE ISN'T EASY.

- OH, WOW. - WHAT IS THAT? MORE ROOTS?

- MORE ROOTS. - YEP.

THE GPR ISN'T REVEALING ANY OBVIOUS MANMADE STRUCTURES

BENEATH THE SURFACE OF THE ISLAND,

BUT THERE MAY BE ANOTHER WAY TO FIND THEM.

OKAY, I GOT ONE LAST IDEA.

SO, WHILE STEFAN CONTINUES WITH THE GPR,

I WANT TO GET A BIRD'S-EYE VIEW.

SO OFTEN, WHEN YOU'RE ON THE GROUND,

YOU CAN'T SEE EVERYTHING.

YOU CAN GET IT UP IN THE AIR AND SOMETIMES STUFF POPS OUT.

OKAY, THIS IS A GREAT VIEWPOINT OF THE WHOLE ISLAND.

YOU CAN SEE DETROIT IN THE DISTANCE.

FROM 400 FEET ABOVE...

OH, MY GOODNESS.

CANALS EVERYWHERE.

...I CAN SEE WHY THE ISLAND WOULD BE AN IDEAL SPOT

FOR SMUGGLERS LOOKING TO SLIP IN AND OUT UNDETECTED.

IT'S MOSTLY WATER AND TREE COVER,

WHICH ACTUALLY MAKES IT A PERFECT PLACE

IF YOU WANTED TO SMUGGLE BOOZE.

100% HIDDEN PASSAGEWAYS RIGHT HERE.

APART FROM THE CANALS,

NOTHING SEEMS PARTICULARLY SUSPICIOUS HERE.

BUT THEN...

ALONG THE EDGE OF THE ISLAND,

I SPOT SOMETHING UNUSUAL UNDER THE WATER.

THAT IS AMAZING.

OH, STEFAN IS GONNA LOVE THIS.

COULD THIS BE THE MOUTH OF DETROIT'S

LONG-LOST RIVER OF BOOZE?

AND LATER, WE DESCEND BENEATH SCIENTIST

NIKOLA TESLA'S ABANDONED LAB...

WHAT DO YOU THINK THIS THING WAS USED FOR?

...IN SEARCH OF CLUES TO HIS GREATEST INVENTION...

WELL, LET'S FIGURE OUT WHAT'S UNDERGROUND.

WILL WE TURN UP EVIDENCE TO WHAT THE MASTERMIND

WAS WORKING ON HERE?

HOW DID AL CAPONE'S FIERCEST COMPETITORS--

DETROIT'S NOTORIOUS PURPLE GANG--

ENGINEER AMERICA'S BIGGEST BOOZE-SMUGGLING OPERATION?

STEFAN AND I ARE SEARCHING FOR THE RUM-RUNNING NETWORK

THEY REPORTEDLY BUILT BENEATH THE DETROIT RIVER.

AND WHILE SURVEYING THE SHORES OF PECHE ISLAND WITH MY DRONE,

SOMETHING CATCHES MY EYE.

THAT IS WHAT LOOKS TO BE SOME SORT OF PIPE

COMING OFF OF THIS ISLAND.

THIS PIPELINE SEEMS VERY RANDOM, AND IT'S IN THE SAME AREA

WHERE LOCALS SAY A CONTRABAND RING USED TO OPERATE.

BUT THAT'S NOT THE ONLY CURIOUS FEATURE.

A LITTLE FARTHER FROM THE SHORE,

I NOTICE SOMETHING ELSE SUSPICIOUS.

IT APPEARS TO BE A GIANT TRENCH

OR SOME SORT OF UNDERGROUND FEATURE.

AND IT LOOKS BIG.

LET ME SEE WHERE IT HEADS.

IT HEADS STRAIGHT TO THE LIGHTHOUSE.

SO, WE HAVE WHAT LOOKS TO BE PIPE, AND THEN, VERY CLEARLY,

SOME SORT OF DUGOUT FEATURE UNDERGROUND.

MAYBE A SUBTERRANEAN TUNNEL THAT'S COLLAPSED

A LITTLE BIT ON ITSELF.

OH, STEFAN IS GONNA LOVE THIS.

COULD THIS REALLY BE THE CONDUIT THAT SUPPLIED SPEAKEASIES

ACROSS THE UNITED STATES WITH CANADIAN WHISKEY?

TO FIGURE THAT OUT, I NEED TO GET IN THE WATER.

SO, WE'RE HEADING OUT WITH PROFESSIONAL WRECK DIVER

MIKE DREXLER AND SOME MEMBERS OF THE DETROIT POLICE DIVE TEAM.

I THINK IT'S RIGHT OVER HERE, STEFAN.

THAT'S PECHE ISLAND.

THE BED OF THE DETROIT RIVER

IS A TREASURE TROVE OF PROHIBITION RELICS.

FROM THE WATER'S MURKY DEPTHS,

DIVERS HAVE RECOVERED LIQUOR BARRELS

AND SEALED BOTTLED OF HUNDRED-YEAR-OLD SCOTCH.

THERE ARE EVEN REPORTS OF A SUNKEN MODEL T FORD

OUTFITTED WITH A WOODEN CART

THAT WAS LIKELY USED FOR A WHISKEY RUN

ACROSS THE FROZEN RIVER IN THE DEAD OF WINTER.

SO, WHO KNOWS WHAT ELSE WE'LL FIND WHEN WE GET IN THE WATER?

OUR BEST OF LUCK.

ALL RIGHT.

ALL RIGHT, THERE THEY GO.

WHAT'S ODD IS, WE HAVE THIS FEATURE

GOING FROM CANADA TO THE U.S.

AND IF IT'S A UTILITY SYSTEM, YOU WOULDN'T HAVE A UTILITY LINE

CONNECTING THE TWO COUNTRIES.

THAT JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.

SO, IF IT'S NOT A UTILITY LINE, COULD IT HAVE BEEN USED

TO CHANNEL SOMETHING ELSE STATESIDE?

DOWN IN THE WATER...

I MAKE MY WAY TOWARDS THE PIPE.

ALONG THE WAY, I EXAMINE SOME OF THE MORE CURIOUS OBJECTS

LYING ALONG THE BOTTOM OF THE RIVER--

THE TYPE OF ARTIFACTS YOU MIGHT EXPECT

TO FIND AROUND A PROHIBITION PIPELINE--

OLD BRICKS AND BOTTLES.

THAT FEATURE THAT WE SAW, IT EXTENDED OFFSHORE

AND IT LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE GETTING REALLY CLOSE

TO THE ANOMALY NOW.

I CAN SEE THE PIPELINE UP AHEAD.

AND FROM DOWN HERE,

I CAN SEE JUST HOW WIDE IT REALLY IS.

FARTHER OUT FROM THE SHORE,

I COME UPON THE TRENCH I SPOTTED WITH THE DRONE.

IT'S NOT EASY TO DISCERN DOWN HERE IN THE WATER,

BUT I CAN DEFINITELY FEEL THE DIFFERENCE IN THE TERRAIN.

AND I HAVE TO WONDER,

COULD THESE FEATURES BE THE REMNANTS

OF A MANMADE TUNNEL SYSTEM?

THERE WE GO.

WE GOT TWO DIVERS, ROB AND MIKE.

WHOO.

I BROUGHT BACK A FEW SOUVENIRS FOR THE TOPSIDE CREW.

WELL, HERE, LET'S HAND OUT THE FUNNY STUFF FIRST.

- OKAY, OKAY. - OH, YEAH.

HOLY COW.

THIS STABBED ME IN THE LEG.

BUT IF THIS IS NOT EVIDENCE OF ILLEGAL ACTIVITY--

NOT FROM THE DAYS OF PROHIBITION, BUT...

LOOK AT THAT.

THERE'S ENOUGH FOR EVERYBODY.

THERE'S A LOT OF BOTTLES OF ALCOHOL DOWN THERE.

THIS IS A VERY OLD ONE, RIGHT THERE.

COULD BE PROHIBITION TIME.

CLEARLY, THIS SECTION OF THE RIVERBED

HAS A LOT OF STORIES TO TELL.

THE PIPELINE ITSELF IS TRULY MYSTERIOUS.

THE PIPE CAME OUT FROM THE SHORE.

IT WAS BROKEN IN A FEW PLACES, SO YOU COULD LOOK INSIDE.

IT WAS BIG.

IT'S WIDE ENOUGH TO HAVE HOUSED A TRACK OR CONVEYOR SYSTEM

TO SHIP CRATES OF BOOZE STATESIDE,

BUT THEN IT ABRUPTLY ENDS,

GIVING WAY TO THAT CURIOUS TRENCH FEATURE

FARTHER OUT IN THE WATER.

COULD THE REST OF THE PIPELINE BE BURIED BENEATH IT?

THERE'S DEFINITELY A CHANGE IN BOTTOM TOPOGRAPHY THERE,

AND KIND OF, ALMOST, IN A PERFECT LINE, TOO,

JUST AT THE UPSTREAM OF THE PIPE.

IT LOOKS LIKE IT WAS DUG OUT AT SOME POINT

AND PROBABLY FILLED BACK IN.

THERE'S NO QUESTION-- THESE ARE INTRIGUING FINDS.

RIGHT NOW, I'D SAY IT'S STILL A MYSTERY.

YEAH.

BUT IF THEY ARE REALLY REMNANTS OF PROHIBITION'S

LONG-LOST RIVER OF BOOZE,

THERE WOULD HAVE TO BE AN OUTLET ON THE OTHER SIDE, RIGHT?

STEFAN AND I ARE NOW HEADED ACROSS THE DETROIT RIVER

TO SEE IF THERE ARE ANY CORRESPONDING OUTLETS

ON THE AMERICAN SIDE.

FROM THE AIR, WE COULD SEE THAT THE TRENCH

WAS POINTING TOWARDS A LIGHTHOUSE

AT MARINER PARK ON DETROIT'S EAST SIDE.

ALL RIGHT. WELL, THIS IS THE DETROIT RIVER.

WE'VE GOT CANADA OVER THERE.

ACCORDING TO LOCAL TRADITION, THIS QUIET STRETCH OF LAND

WAS A CRITICAL LINK IN THE RUM-RUNNING CHAIN.

BUT IF IT WAS, YOU WOULDN'T KNOW IT TODAY.

YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME.

IT'S JUST A SOCCER FIELD AND THIS SHORELINE.

IT JUST SEEMS, TO ME, LIKE

THERE WOULDN'T BE A RANDOM TUNNEL SYSTEM IN AN OPEN FIELD.

IT WOULD HAVE TO GO TO SOMEWHERE.

MM-HMM. I'M JUST WONDERING WHY THESE THEORIES

BEHIND THE BOOZE-SMUGGLING OPERATION PERSISTS

FOR THIS LOCATION.

HMM.

ONE THING I DO SEE IS, THERE IS A CANAL OVER THERE.

I COULD VERY EASILY SEE PEOPLE GOING UP

AND DOWN THIS CANAL, DISGUISED BY THE TREES.

THIS CANAL SEEMS IDEAL FOR DISTRIBUTING THE BOOZE

INTO DETROIT ONCE IT MADE IT ACROSS THE RIVER,

UNDER A CANOPY OF TREES AND THE COVER OF DARKNESS.

OH, YEAH.

LOOK AT THIS.

THIS WOULD BE PERFECT.

AND LOOK AT THAT CONCRETE OVER THERE.

BROKEN RUBBLE.

THAT DEFINITELY COULD'VE BEEN THE FOUNDATION OF A HOUSE,

POTENTIALLY WHERE THEY WERE SMUGGLING BOOZE.

THE TUNNEL SYSTEM COULD'VE COME OFF OF THIS CANAL.

THE CANAL'S BANKS ARE OVERGROWN AND TOUGH TO NAVIGATE ON FOOT,

SO ONCE AGAIN, THE BEST POINT OF VIEW IN THIS CASE...

HERE WE GO.

...MAY BE FROM ABOVE.

ALL RIGHT, STEFAN, LET'S TAKE IT UP HIGHER, FOLLOW THE TREELINE.

THERE WE GO.

THAT GIVES US A GOOD VISUAL.

OH, MY GOSH.

LOOK AT ALL THESE HOUSES.

WHAT'S INTERESTING TO ME IS THAT, THIS CANAL GOES RIGHT UP

TO WHERE ALL THESE HOUSES ARE.

ANY ONE OF THESE HOUSES COULD HAVE BEEN A PLACE

FOR SOME BOOZE STASHING.

LOOK AT THAT-- ANOTHER CANAL.

CANALS ALL OVER THE PLACE.

THERE'S A WHOLE MARINA HERE.

OH, MY GOSH.

MAYBE THESE RUMORS ARE CENTERED AROUND THE FACT THAT,

FROM THE CANAL, THEY CAN TUNNEL IT INTO A HOUSE.

FROM THERE, THIS BOOZE COULD BE STORED.

IT MAKES PERFECT SENSE.

GRADUALLY, STEFAN AND I ARE PIECING TOGETHER A SKETCH

OF HOW THE NOTORIOUS PURPLE GANG

MAINTAINED AMERICA'S BIGGEST RUM-RUNNING RING.

EVERY DAY, OVER 14,000 GALLONS OF CANADIAN LIQUOR

WAS SHIPPED ACROSS THE DETROIT RIVER

BY VARIOUS METHODS,

QUITE POSSIBLY INCLUDING A PIPELINE

ORIGINATING AT PECHE ISLAND.

THEN, ONCE IT MADE IT ACROSS,

THE BOOZE WAS SENT DOWN THESE CANALS

AND STASHED IN SAFEHOUSES ALONG ITS BANKS.

BUT THEN WHAT?

HOW DID THE LIQUOR MAKES ITS WAY INTO THE GLASSES

OF AMERICA'S THIRSTY MASSES?

TO FIGURE THAT OUT, STEFAN AND I HEAD INTO DOWNTOWN DETROIT

AND CHECK OUT ONE OF THE CITY'S PRIZED PROHIBITION RELICS--

TOMMY'S DETROIT BAR & GRILL.

- HEY, GUYS. - HEY.

- HOW YOU DOING? - GOOD.

- I'LL HAVE A RUM AND COKE. - OKAY.

I'LL HAVE THE SAME.

A LITTLE BIT LIGHT ON THE RUM FOR THIS GUY.

- ME? - ARE YOU TOMMY?

- I AM TOMMY. - I'M ROB.

ACCORDING TO ITS OWNER, TOMMY DURELLE,

THE SITE HAS A HISTORY DATING BACK TO THE 1840s

AND IT PLAYED A PROMINENT ROLE IN DETROIT'S PROHIBITION ERA.

THROUGH THE RESEARCH, WE DO KNOW THAT THE BASEMENT

ACTUALLY BECAME A SPEAKEASY.

AND RESEARCH SUGGESTS-- AND IT'S BEEN,

YOU KNOW, VERIFIED ALONG THE WAY--

THAT THIS PLACE WAS CONTROLLED BY THE INFAMOUS PURPLE GANG.

OH, REALLY?

IN ADDITION TO ITS TIGHT HOLD

ON DETROIT'S BOOZE-SMUGGLING OPERATIONS,

THE PURPLE GANG ALSO CONTROLLED MOST OF THE TOWN'S

ESTIMATED 25,000 SPEAKEASIES--

LIKE THE ONE THAT WAS HERE AT TOMMY'S.

HEY, GUYS, YOU WANT TO FOLLOW ME?

SURE.

AFTER UNCOVERING HIS BAR'S PROHIBITION ROOTS,

TOMMY AND A TEAM OF LOCAL ARCHAEOLOGISTS

EXPLORED THE PROPERTY.

SO, WE'RE KIND OF WALKING BACK IN TIME HERE.

AND IN THE BASEMENT, THEY MADE A STUNNING FIND.

THIS IS THE DOORWAY TO THE PAST.

HOLY MOLY.

LOOK AT THAT.

STEFAN AND I ARE SEARCHING FOR THE RUMORED TUNNELS

OF BOOTLEGGING BOOZE IN DOWNTOWN DETROIT.

OUR INVESTIGATION HAS BROUGHT US DOWN

INTO THE BASEMENT OF TOMMY'S BAR.

HOLY MOLY.

LOOK AT THAT.

IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT?

THAT'S AWESOME.

WOW.

THERE, ARCHAEOLOGISTS UNEARTHED THE ENTRANCE TO AN OLD TUNNEL.

YOU SEE WHERE THESE WOODEN SLABS WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BRICK.

THAT COULD'VE BEEN USED TO SET LIQUOR BOTTLES ON OR SOMETHING,

WHILE THERE WAS A SPEAKEASY.

DURING PROHIBITION, SPEAKEASY PATRONS OFTEN USED PASSAGEWAYS

LIKE THIS TO DISCRETELY ACCESS ELICIT WATERING HOLES.

DO YOU MIND IF STEFAN AND I GO IN AND TAKE A LOOK?

NOT AT ALL. AND YOU HAVE A LIGHT.

WOW. YOU CAME PREPARED.

WE BRING LIGHTS WITH US.

OKAY. READY?

WOW. INTERESTING.

YOU'RE NOT GONNA LIKE THIS STEFAN,

BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF SPIDERS.

HMM.

ALWAYS SPIDERS.

OH. OH, WOW.

THIS THING KEEPS GOING.

OKAY, YOU READY? - YEAH.

I'LL KEEP THE LIGHT ON YOU.

OH, MAN.

IT'S VERY, VERY OLD.

HOLY MOLY. - WHAT ARE YOU SEEING?

THERE'S A WHOLE STAIRCASE BACK HERE.

IT LOOKS LIKE, IF IT LED SOMEWHERE,

IT'S TOTALLY BLOCKED OFF NOW.

BUT LOOKS LIKE ABOVE IT, THERE USED TO BE

SOME SORT OF TRAP DOOR OR COMPARTMENT.

- REALLY? - YEAH.

THE TRAP DOOR AND STAIRCASE WOULD'VE OFFERED SPEAKEASY

PATRONS QUICK ACCESS FROM THE STREET ABOVE.

BUT THIS MAY NOT BE THE ONLY SECRET HIDDEN DOWN HERE.

THERE ARE RUMORS THAT DURING PROHIBITION,

THE BOOZE WAS SMUGGLED INTO TOMMY'S, NOT FROM STREET LEVEL,

BUT THROUGH A SUBTERRANEAN ENTRANCE

THAT EXTENDED BENEATH ITS FOUNDATION.

THE QUESTION IS, TO WHERE?

STEPPING OUTSIDE...

OH, THIS IS INTERESTING.

RIGHT NEXT TO THE SPEAKEASY.

...STEFAN AND I HAVE A EUREKA MOMENT.

CHURCHES WERE ONE OF THE FEW ORGANIZATIONS

THAT WERE EXEMPT FROM THE LAWS OF PROHIBITION

BECAUSE THEY SERVED WINE DURING COMMUNION.

HMM.

AND IF YOU HAVE A SPEAKEASY NEXT TO A CHURCH,

WHAT BETTER PLACE TO LEGALLY STORE YOUR BOOZE?

BASEMENT ENDED SOMEWHERE IN HERE.

YEAH, I MEAN, THIS IS 20 FEET DISTANCE IN BETWEEN THEM.

BUT THERE'S ANOTHER REASON FOR THE POSSIBLE CONNECTION.

HISTORICAL RECORDS INDICATE THAT THIS PARTICULAR CHURCH--

FORT STREET PRESBYTERIAN-- HAD A HIDDEN PASSAGEWAY

THAT WAS PART OF THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD.

SO, MAYBE, THERE'S A TUNNEL BELOW IT

THAT WAS ACTUALLY CONSTRUCTED TO HARBOR FLEEING SLAVES,

AND THEN, COMMANDEERED DECADES LATER BY BOOTLEGGERS

TO MOVE THEIR ELICIT GOODS.

CHECK THIS OUT.

YOU HAVE BRICKS ON ALL SIDES.

AND THEN, RIGHT HERE IS THE ONLY AREA WHERE THERE'S, LIKE,

ASPHALT AND ROCKS COVERING THE GROUND.

- THAT'S WEIRD. - AND IT GOES RIGHT TO THE CHURCH.

AS IF THERE WAS SOMETHING UNDER HERE, WHETHER IT CAVED IN

OR IT WAS FILLED IN AND THE DIRT SETTLED.

SOMETHING'S GOING ON RIGHT HERE, FOR SURE.

WELL, IF THERE WAS A TUNNEL,

YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO SEE AN ANOMALY WITH THE GPR, RIGHT?

YEAH. SO...

OKAY, WELL, WHY DON'T YOU DO THAT?

I'LL GO CHECK OUT THE CHURCH

AND SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT INDICATES

SOME SORT OF CONNECTION FROM THAT SIDE.

- HEY. - HOW YOU DOING?

CUSTODIAN JERRY JOHNSON AGREES TO LET ME EXPLORE THE BASEMENT.

WHAT?

SECRET ENTRANCE.

CAN WE FIND A WALL THAT FACES UP TO WHERE TOMMY'S IS?

MEANWHILE...

OUTSIDE THE CHURCH,

STEFAN'S SCAN IS REVEALING

SOMETHING CURIOUS BENEATH THE ALLEY.

YEAH, THERE WE GO.

THAT LOOKS LIKE SOMETHING.

SO, FROM HERE...

ALL RIGHT, SO, THAT'S ABOUT 8 FEET RIGHT THERE.

I TOOK SOME MEASUREMENTS ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE BUILDING.

ESSENTIALLY, WE'RE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING THAT'S 18 FEET IN,

WHERE THERE COULD BE A CONNECTION WITH TOMMY'S.

WHAT'S ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS ROOM?

YEAH, I AM RIGHT OVER THE TOP OF THIS ANOMALY.

I GOT IT, ONE END OF IT THERE

AND ANOTHER END OF IT

RIGHT THERE.

COULD THIS BE EVIDENCE OF A PASSAGEWAY

CONNECTING THE TWO BUILDINGS BELOW GROUND?

OH, YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.

TOMMY'S IS RIGHT ACROSS THE ALLEY FROM HERE.

WELL, LOOK AT THIS.

THIS IS EXACTLY WHERE THE HOLE FROM TOMMY'S WAS COMING OUT.

AND IF YOU LOOK AT IT, OBVIOUSLY,

THERE'S A LOT OF PATCHWORK GOING ON HERE.

AND THEN, DOWN HERE, THAT'S THE ORIGINAL BRICK, DOWN THERE.

YOU CAN SEE THE STONE, IT'S THE OUTSIDE OF THE BUILDING.

YEAH, THERE'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING RIGHT HERE,

RIGHT THERE, THAT WE IDENTIFY HEADING STRAIGHT TO THE CHURCH.

THAT IS VERY LIKELY A TUNNEL.

THIS IS EXCITING.

IT SEEMS PRETTY CLEAR THAT A TUNNEL ONCE CONNECTED

TOMMY'S BASEMENT DIRECTLY TO THE CHURCH.

KIND OF MAKES SENSE NOW.

YEAH. I MEAN...

THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD, PROHIBITION.

YEAH.

THERE WOULD BE DIFFERENT GROUPS OF PEOPLE

THAT USED IT OVER TIME, REPURPOSED IT, REBUILT IT.

THE TUNNEL UNDER TOMMY'S IS ANOTHER TANTALIZING GLIMPSE

OF THE WIDER SMUGGLING SYSTEM

THAT KEPT AMERICA FLUSH WITH PROHIBITION BOOZE.

ONCE THE WHISKEY CROSSED OVER FROM CANADA AND MADE IT

INTO SAFEHOUSES ALONG THE CANALS NORTH OF DOWNTOWN,

IT COULD'VE FOUND ITS WAY THROUGH

ANY NUMBER OF UNDERGROUND PASSAGEWAYS INTO THE LOCAL DIVES

AND FAR BEYOND THE BOUNDARIES OF DETROIT.

AS FOR THAT RUMORED TUNNEL TO CANADA,

WE MAY HAVE FOUND TRACES OF IT...

WE FOUND SO MANY LITTLE SCATTERED CLUES

AND REMNANTS AND...

...BUT NOT ENOUGH TO CLOSE THE CASE-- YET.

IT JUST SEEMED TO ME LIKE THERE SHOULD BE SOME TUNNEL TO CANADA.

THE NETWORK SEEMED SO HUGE.

I THINK IT EXISTS.

WELL, THERE'S ALWAYS NEXT TIME.

THERE'S ALWAYS NEXT TIME. YEAH.

ALL RIGHT. LET'S GO GET A DRINK.

YEAH.

NOW, FROM A SMUGGLER'S SECRET RIVER OF BOOZE,

WE'RE DESCENDING INTO A SCIENTIST'S HIDDEN LAYER.

ON THE NORTH SHORE OF NEW YORK'S LONG ISLAND

LIES AN ABANDONED INDUSTRIAL SITE

THAT HOUSES THE ONLY SURVIVING LAB OF NIKOLA TESLA,

THE ENIGMATIC PHYSICIST

WHOSE REVOLUTIONARY IDEAS GALVANIZED THE WORLD.

THE MAN WHO PAVED THE WAY FOR RADIO, X-RAYS,

AND ROBOTS WAS ALSO KNOWN FOR HIS MORE FANTASTICAL PURSUITS,

FROM EXTRATERRESTRIAL COMMUNICATION,

TO DESTRUCTIVE PARTICLE BEAMS.

SO, COULD HIS OLD LAB SHED LIGHT ON HIS MOST ASTOUNDING SECRETS?

WHOA.

LOOK AT THIS.

YEAH. THIS MUST BE THE OLD SITE.

EVER SINCE TESLA'S DEATH IN 1943,

THERE HAS BEEN SPECULATION, FUELED BY HIS OWN STATEMENTS,

THAT HIS GREATEST BREAKTHROUGHS COULD LAY HIDDEN

SOMEWHERE ON THIS PROPERTY.

RUMORS HAVE EVEN FLOWN ABOUT UNDERGROUND PASSAGEWAYS

OR A SUBTERRANEAN PART OF THE LAB

FOR TESLA'S MOST PIONEERING WORK.

BUT DIGGING UP THE GROUND IS NOT AN OPTION.

AFTER TESLA LEFT, A COMPANY THAT TOOK OVER THE PROPERTY

DUMPED HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS ON THE SITE,

SO THE ONLY WAY TO FIND OUT WHAT'S BENEATH THE EARTH

IS TO SCAN THE LAND WITH OUR HIGH-TECH TOOLS.

I THINK THAT'S WHAT'S FASCINATING IS THAT,

NOBODY KNOWS WHAT'S DOWN THERE.

THE WHOLE THING HAS BEEN SECRET.

YEAH. HE WAS VERY QUIET.

THROUGHOUT HIS CAREER, THERE HAVE BEEN RUMORS OF TESLA

HAVING WORKED ON A BIZARRE WEATHER-CONTROLLING MACHINE,

A POWERFUL RADIO TO CONTACT ALIEN LIFE--

AND MOST FASCINATING OF ALL--

A DEVASTATING TOP-SECRET SUPER WEAPON

THAT COULD'VE REVOLUTIONIZED WARFARE.

IT WAS SAID THAT, IN HIS LATER YEARS,

TESLA WAS DEVELOPING A WEAPON HE CALLED "THE DEATH RAY."

IRONICALLY, HE HOPED THE DEVICE WOULD DISCOURAGE ALL WAR

BECAUSE OF ITS INCREDIBLY DEVASTATING POWER.

ACCORDING TO THE INVENTOR, THE WEAPON COULD SHOOT OUT

A TARGETED BEAM OF ENERGY SO INTENSE

IT COULD BRING DOWN 10,000 ENEMY PLANES

FROM AS FAR AS 250 MILES AWAY.

WHETHER THE CLAIM WAS TRUE REMAINS UNKNOWN,

BUT AFTER TESLA'S DEATH, THE U.S. MILITARY

DID COPY HIS PAPERS ON WEAPON TECHNOLOGY.

I'M TRYING TO IMAGINE WHAT WAS GOING THROUGH HIS MIND.

COULD CLUES TO THE EXISTENCE OF SUCH A DEVICE

OR OTHER BRILLIANT INVENTIONS

LIE BURIED BENEATH THE SITE?

WHAT WILL WE DISCOVER ABOUT THE REVOLUTIONARY THINKER

WHEN WE PEER BELOW THE GROUND?

COMING UP...

WE DROP DOWN INTO A STRANGE CHAMBER

UNCOVERED WHILE EXPLORING THE LAND.

THERE'S SOMETHING DEAD IN HERE.

STEFAN AND I ARE INVESTIGATING RUMORS OF A SUBTERRANEAN SECTION

OF SCIENTIST NIKOLA TESLA'S LAB...

WHOA. LOOK AT THIS.

...ONE THAT COULD HOLD CLUES TO WHAT INVENTION

HE COULD HAVE BEEN WORKING ON HERE.

HEY, STEFAN?

CHECK THIS OUT.

SCANNING THE GROUNDS, WE QUICKLY SPOT SOMETHING CURIOUS.

WHOA.

HERE, HELP ME TAKE THIS COVER OFF.

WOW. LOOK AT THAT.

COULD THIS BE A PORTAL INTO LONG-LOST UNDERGROUND PARTS

OF TESLA'S LAB?

IT ACTUALLY WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE

IF IT CONNECTED TO ANYTHING.

IT WARRANTS A LOOK.

OKAY, LET'S GET THE LADDER.

YEAH.

WE KNOW THAT, WHEN HE OPENED HIS LONG ISLAND LAB IN 1901,

TESLA WAS EMBARKING ON ONE OF HIS MOST AUDACIOUS QUESTS,

AND ONE THAT WOULD'VE REVOLUTIONIZED LIFE ON EARTH--

FREE WIRELESS ELECTRICITY FOR ALL.

TO TEST THIS WILD IDEA, TESLA CONSTRUCTED

A GIANT STEEL-AND-WOOD-FRAMED TOWER THAT STOOD 187 FEET TALL.

HE PLANNED TO DISTRIBUTE ELECTRICITY FROM THE TOWER

BY TAPPING INTO THE EARTH.

AND HE REPORTEDLY BUILT AN ELABORATE UNDERGROUND SYSTEM

TO DO IT.

THE SETUP INCLUDED A COLOSSAL SHAFT

THAT DESCENDED 120 FEET BELOW THE TOWER.

AND AT ITS BASE WAS A SET OF STEEL PIPES,

EACH 300 FEET IN LENGTH.

TESLA ALSO DESCRIBED SUBTERRANEAN PASSAGES

AROUND THE PIPES,

BUT STRANGELY, NEVER SEEMED TO SPECIFY WHY THEY WERE THERE.

SO, DO THESE UNDERGROUND STRUCTURES ACTUALLY EXIST?

AND IF SO, COULD THEY STILL BE HIDING SOMETHING GROUNDBREAKING,

LIKE EVIDENCE OF THE RUMORED SUPER-WEAPON

OR ANOTHER INCREDIBLE INVENTION?

STEFAN AND I ARE IN THE CAVERN.

THIS PLACE IS KIND OF CREEPY.

WE'VE GOT SOME MASSIVE SLUGS IN HERE.

OH, STEFAN.

OUR FIRST GLIMPSE BENEATH THE SURFACE OF THE SITE

ONLY ADDS TO THE MYSTERY.

WHAT IS THAT?

THERE'S SOMETHING DEAD IN HERE.

SKELETON.

I'M GUESSING THIS IS HIS CAT, SOMEBODY'S DOG.

HOW DID THIS EVEN GET HERE?

I THINK IT FELL IN.

LOOKING AROUND, STEFAN AND I TRY TO DECIPHER

WHETHER THIS STRANGE CHAMBER

WAS SOMEHOW TIED TO TESLA'S MASTER PLAN FOR THE SITE.

WHAT DO YOU THINK THIS THING WAS USED FOR?

IF YOU LOOK DOWN THIS PIPE HERE.

BUT OUR INSPECTION SUGGESTS SOMETHING MORE MUNDANE.

I THINK THIS MIGHT'VE BEEN AN OLD SEWER CISTERN.

A GIANT SEPTIC TANK?

YEAH.

LET'S FACE IT-- IF THE GENIUS SCIENTIST

DID CREATE A SECRET SUBTERRANEAN NETWORK,

FINDING AN ENTRANCE TO IT PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE THIS EASY.

STEFAN AND I WILL HAVE TO TRY ANOTHER TACTIC,

ONE THAT WILL ALLOW US TO PEER DEEPER BENEATH THE SURFACE.

WELL, LET'S FIGURE OUT WHAT'S UNDERGROUND.

YEAH. LET'S DO IT.

WE'VE BROUGHT ALONG A MAGNETOMETER--

A HIGH-TECH TOOL THAT DETECT FLUCTUATIONS

IN THE EARTH'S MAGNETIC FIELD.

A SPIKE IN THE READINGS WOULD INDICATE

HIGH CONCENTRATIONS OF METAL,

WHICH WILL REVEAL ANY TUNNELS OR CHAMBERS

MADE OF REINFORCED CONCRETE.

OKAY. GOOD TO GO.

ALL RIGHT, SO, THIS IS WHAT I'M THINKING.

WE'LL JUST SCAN THIS WHOLE AREA.

- YEAH. - ZIGZAG BACK AND FORTH?

YEAH. WE HAVE NO IDEA WHERE THESE STRUCTURES--

IF THEY EXIST-- ARE LOCATED.

ALL RIGHT, DO YOUR THING.

AWESOME.

THIS TYPE OF SCANNING HAS NEVER BEEN DONE HERE BEFORE.

SO, WILL OUR TECH UNEARTH A HIDDEN STRUCTURE

THAT HARBORS SOME UNDISCOVERED SCIENTIFIC BREAKTHROUGH?

WHILE STEFAN MAPS THE SITE,

I WANT TO GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING

OF EXACTLY WHAT TESLA WAS TRYING TO DO HERE.

SO, I MEET UP WITH PHYSICIST NEIL BAGGETT.

HE WAS PUSHING THE EDGES IN ALL DIRECTIONS.

HE SITS ON THE BOARD OF THE GROUP THAT NOW OWNS THE LAND

AND IS DEDICATED TO PRESERVING THE SCIENTIST'S LEGACY.

THIS GRAND PLAN OF HIS-- TO PROVIDE ENERGY FOR EVERYBODY,

TO CREATE FREE ENERGY--

IS THAT SOMETHING THAT'S POSSIBLE?

I THINK WE DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER.

I HAVE LEARNED BY STUDYING PHYSICS NOT TO EVER SAY "NEVER."

WHAT HE WAS TRYING TO DO WAS-- IN THIS LAB--

TO BUILD HUGE GENERATORS AND CAPACITORS

SO THAT HE COULD PROVIDE A LOT OF POWER.

AND HE WOULD TRANSMIT THAT OUT TO THIS TOWER,

WHICH IS REALLY JUST A LARGE RESIDENT TRANSFORMER.

SO, HE WOULD CHARGE IT UP,

AND THEN, DELIVER THE BLAST OF ENERGY TO THE EARTH.

IN JULY OF 1903, WITNESSES FROM MILES AWAY

REPORTED SEEING BLINDING FLASHES OF LIGHTNING

SHOOTING OUT FROM THE TOWER.

IT WAS A STARTLING DISPLAY OF THE POWER

OF TESLA'S REVOLUTIONARY IDEAS.

BUT DID HE HAVE OTHERS THAT WEREN'T SO VISIBLE?

TESLA SEEMED TO BE VERY SECRETIVE IN ALL OF HIS WORK.

DO WE KNOW WHAT'S UNDER HERE?

I THINK THE ANSWER IS, WE DON'T.

HE WAS SECRETIVE.

HE KEPT IT ALL CLOSE.

AND NOW THAT WE HAVE THE HIGH-TECH TOOLS

TO PEER DEEP INTO THE GROUND,

PERHAPS WE CAN FINALLY UNCOVER THOSE SECRETS

THAT TESLA MAY HAVE LEFT BEHIND.

WHEN STEFAN FINISHES SCANNING THE GROUNDS,

WE CHECK OUT THE RESULTS.

ALL RIGHT, LET'S SEE WHAT THE DATA SAYS. - YEAH.

THE MAPS THAT HE GENERATES REVEAL A SURPRISING FIND.

OH, WOW. WHAT'S THAT?

STEFAN AND I ARE EXPLORING THE GROUNDS

SURROUNDING NIKOLA TESLA'S ONLY SURVIVING LAB,

INVESTIGATING WHETHER EVIDENCE OF HIS GREATEST INVENTION

MAY STILL LIE BURIED HERE.

WE'VE JUST SCANNED THE SITE WITH A MAGNETOMETER,

WHICH SEEMS TO HAVE REVEALED SOME SURPRISES.

ALL RIGHT, SO, THIS IS DETECTING THE MAGNETIC FIELD.

- YEAH. - THE DIFFERENCES IN THE MAGNETIC FIELD.

OH, WOW. LOOK AT THAT.

A LARGE, CIRCULAR FEATURE RIGHT BELOW THE TOWER BASE

IMMEDIATELY STANDS OUT.

SO, SCREAMING THE FACT THAT

THERE'S A TON OF METAL BURIED THERE.

THOSE ARE THE SPIKES.

MASSIVE JUMPS IN THE MAGNETIC FIELD.

THESE SPIKES COULD WELL BE REMNANTS OF THE GIANT SHAFT

AND TUNNELS THAT TESLA CLAIMED TO HAVE BUILT BELOW GROUND.

BUT THEN...

WHAT'S THAT?

YEAH. THAT, I DON'T KNOW.

...WE NOTICE TWO OTHER SUSPICIOUS SPOTS

RIGHT NEXT TO THE OLD LAB

IN A PLACE THAT SEEMS UNCONNECTED TO THE TOWER.

WE EXAMINE DIFFERENT MODELS TO BETTER PINPOINT

WHERE THEY'RE POSITIONED IN RELATION TO THE LAB.

THERE'S NOTHING THERE, THEN, ALL OF A SUDDEN, THESE GUYS POP UP.

AND THEY'RE RIGHT IN LINE FROM THE CORNERS OF THIS

BUILDING GOING RIGHT DOWN.

DO YOU THINK THAT'S, MAYBE, THE METAL TO A ROOM?

IF THERE IS A LARGE, LET'S SAY, VOID OR ROOM THERE,

IT'S GONNA CHANGE THE MAGNETIC FIELD SLIGHTLY.

AND YOU'LL SEE THAT THIS READOUT IS DIFFERENT FROM THE REST,

BUT IT'S NOT AS HIGH OF A DIFFERENCE

AS THIS RING STRUCTURE.

SO, THAT KIND OF MAKES SENSE.

YOU KNOW, IT'S RIGHT AROUND THE RIGHT VALUES

YOU'D EXPECT FOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

COULD THESE BE TUNNELS OR CHAMBERS

WHERE TESLA CARRIED OUT SECRET WORK?

WHY WOULD THERE BE A ROOM THERE?

- YEAH. - WHAT WOULD HE HAVE USED IT FOR?

WE NEED TO INVESTIGATE THESE MORE.

TO FIND OUT, WE NEED TO RUN MORE TESTS.

ALL RIGHT, LET'S ROLL THIS OUT. - YEAH.

BUT IT'S STILL UNCLEAR WHETHER THESE SUSPICIOUS FEATURES

ARE OPEN SPACES OR JUST PILES OF SCRAP METAL.

I THINK THIS IS ABOUT GOOD.

ALL RIGHT, GOT THE UNIT.

SO, WE'RE TURNING TO AN ADVANCED IMAGING TECHNIQUE CALLED "ERT,"

WHICH IS BETTER SUITED FOR IDENTIFYING CAVITIES

HIDDEN BELOW OUR FEET.

LET'S POWER UP.

ARE WE ALL HOOKED UP?

WE'RE ALL HOOKED UP.

ALL RIGHT. I'M MEASURING.

WE HAVE OVER 120 FEET LAID OUT.

OVER A CENTURY AGO,

TESLA'S TOWER WOULD'VE SHOT BOLTS OF ELECTRICITY

THROUGH THE AIR ABOVE THIS SITE.

FOR OUR GROUNDBREAKING SCAN,

THIS DEVICE WILL SEND ELECTRICITY THROUGH THE EARTH

TO REVEAL ANY UNUSUAL VOIDS, LIKE A HIDDEN TUNNEL OR CHAMBER.

WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO SEE

WHAT AREAS OF THE GROUND CONDUCT ELECTRICITY WELL

AND WHICH AREAS DON'T.

AND THAT'LL ALLOW US TO MAP OUT

THE SUBTERRANEAN STRUCTURE OF THE GROUND.

ALL RIGHT, LAST ONE.

- READY? - YEP.

IT WILL TAKE SOME TIME TO CREATE OUR FIRST-EVER ERT MAP

OF THE SITE.

ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GOING.

SO, IN THE MEANTIME, WE'LL TURN OUR ATTENTION

TO THE PART OF THE PROPERTY WE'VE YET TO EXPLORE--

NIKOLA TESLA'S LAB ITSELF.

IT'S, LIKE, SUPER CREEPY, THOUGH.

IF UNDERGROUND STRUCTURES DO EXIST, IT SEEMS LOGICAL

THEY COULD'VE BEEN DIRECTLY ACCESSIBLE

FROM THE GENIUS' HEADQUARTERS.

SO, JUST WHAT IS BEHIND THE WALLS OF TESLA'S FORGOTTEN LAIR?

THE ANSWER HAS REMAINED ELUSIVE, IN PART,

BECAUSE THE NEGLECTED LAB HAS BEEN CONSUMED

BY POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS MOLD

THAT MAKES IT DANGEROUS TO ENTER.

BUT WE'VE FOUND A WAY TO GET AN UNPRECEDENTED GLIMPSE

OF WHAT LIES INSIDE.

ENTER, THE ROBOT BRIGADE.

WE'VE CALLED IN SOME FRIENDS FROM

THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA'S ROBOTICS TEAM,

AND THEY'VE GOT JUST THE RIGHT GADGET FOR HIS JOB--

A LiDAR-EQUIPPED ROV.

THIS IS PRETTY AWESOME.

SO, WHAT WE'RE REALLY INTERESTED IN ARE ANY CONNECTIONS

THAT MIGHT POINT TO UNDERGROUND PASSAGEWAYS.

SO, THIS HAS A 3D LiDAR UP TOP HERE,

WHICH IS SIMILAR TO WHAT'S USED IN SELF-DRIVING CARS.

IT GIVES THE ROBOT A FULL 360° VIEW OF WHAT--

WHAT THE ENVIRONMENT LOOKS LIKE.

AWESOME. PERFECT.

WITH LiDAR-- SHORT FOR "LIGHT DETECTION AND RANGING"--

A SCANNER EMITS LASER PULSES

THAT MAKE A DETAILED 3D MAP OF THE INTERIOR

AND REVEAL ANY HIDDEN PORTALS

THAT COULD CONNECT TO AN UNDERGROUND LEVEL.

FOR DECADES, THE WORLD HAS WONDERED,

WHAT WAS THE ECCENTRIC GENIUS INVENTOR

CREATING BEHIND THESE WALLS?

AND NOW, WE HAVE THE CHANCE TO SEARCH FOR THE ANSWER

WITH OUR DETAILED SCANS OF HIS SHUTTERED LAIR.

COMING UP...

WE'LL SEND IN THE ROBOT

TO GET A LOOK INSIDE THE BOARDED-UP BUILDING

THAT STOOD ABANDONED FOR YEARS.

WHAT IS THAT?

THAT'S VERY BIZARRE.

STEFAN AND I ARE ON NEW YORK'S LONG ISLAND

ON A QUEST TO UNCOVER NIKOLA TESLA'S BURIED SECRETS,

AND WE'RE NOW EXPLORING THE CONTAMINATED BUILDING

THAT WAS THE SCIENTIST'S OLD LAB.

AS ONE OF THE TEAM MEMBERS NAVIGATES THE ROV...

OH, YEAH.

LOOK AT THAT.

...THE REST OF US CAN STILL TRACK ITS MOVEMENTS

IN REAL TIME.

OH, THERE WE GO. THERE WE GO, THERE WE GO.

AND THIS IS US, RIGHT HERE? - YEAH.

THAT IS SO AWESOME.

CAN YOU SPIN IT AROUND AND KIND OF GIVE US A FEEL

FOR WHERE WE'RE GOING RIGHT HERE?

OH, MY GOSH.

INCREDIBLE.

TONS OF HALLWAYS.

ONE THING WE START TO NOTICE

IS THE BUILDING'S ODD CONFIGURATION.

SOME SORT OF ROOM, LONG HALLWAY.

YEP.

DOORWAY HERE, ANOTHER DOORWAY HERE.

I'VE NEVER SEEN A BUILDING WHERE, ALL OF A SUDDEN,

YOU GO TO THE CORNER OF THE ROOM, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN,

THIS OPENS INTO ANOTHER ROOM.

THAT'S VERY BIZARRE, RIGHT THERE.

IT'S INTERESTING THAT YOU HAVE THIS WALL HERE--

IT'S COMPLETELY BLOCKED, BLOCKED, BLOCKED.

AND THEN, LIKE, HOW DO YOU GET OVER HERE?

THIS WHOLE AREA, WE'RE NOT ABLE TO SEE.

THERE VERY EASILY COULD BE SOMETHING IN THERE.

WE CAN ONLY SEE SO MUCH IN REAL TIME WITH THIS 2D MAP,

SO STEFAN ASSEMBLES A FIRST-EVER 3D VERSION OF THIS SCAN...

OKAY, SO, WHAT DO YOU GOT?

ALL RIGHT. SO, HERE'S THE LiDAR DATA THAT WE COLLECTED.

...ONE THAT WILL ALLOW US

TO EXPLORE THESE FORGOTTEN ROOMS

IN A BRAND-NEW WAY.

THIS IS DEFINITELY A WEIRD BUILDING.

ESPECIALLY, LIKE, RIGHT HERE, LOOK AT THIS.

THAT'S UNUSUAL.

YOU GO INSIDE THIS ROOM AND THERE'S NO DOORS OR ANYTHING.

AND THEN, THERE'S A SINGLE CUT-OUT

IN THE CORNER OF THE ROOM.

HOLY MOLY.

WE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT'S IN THERE, AND IT WAS TOO SMALL

FOR OUR ROVER TO GO THROUGH.

HUH.

HERE, ZOOM IN RIGHT HERE, STEFAN.

IT'S LIKE A ROOM WITHIN A ROOM.

THIS ROOM IS ENCLOSED, ALL BUT THAT CORNER.

THIS IS ANOTHER COMPELLING SIGN THAT THE RUMORS OF HIDDEN ROOMS

MAY ACTUALLY BE TRUE.

BUT THAT'S NOT ALL.

THE RESULTS FOR THOSE TWO SUSPICIOUS SPOTS NEAR THE LAB

ARE EVEN MORE INTRIGUING.

EARLIER, WE MEASURED THE FLOW OF ELECTRIC CURRENTS

TO MAP THEM IN MORE DETAIL

AND TO SEE IF THEY COULD BE HIDDEN ROOMS OR PASSAGEWAYS.

SO, WE'RE LOOKING FOR AN AIR GAP,

SO WE'D BE LOOKING FOR

THESE LIGHT-BLUE AND LIGHT-GREEN AREAS.

SO, HERE WE HAVE THE GRAIN CHANGE.

IT'S JUST SUPER SHARP.

IT'S ALMOST LIKE SOMEONE BORED A TUNNEL

DIRECTLY THROUGH THIS ROCK.

AND IT GOES SUPER DEEP, TOO.

- YEAH. - I MEAN, IS THAT A TUNNEL?

IT COULD BE A ROOM.

THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT A TUNNEL OR A ROOM WOULD LOOK LIKE WITH ERT.

I'M PRETTY SURE WE FOUND TWO PASSAGEWAYS UNDERGROUND.

HUH.

OUR SCANS HAVE REVEALED TESLA'S LAST-STANDING LAB

IN A GROUNDBREAKING NEW LIGHT.

OUR CUTTING-EDGE LiDAR MAP HAS SHOWN ODD ROOM CONFIGURATIONS

THAT COULD BE HIDING SOME KIND OF SUBTERRANEAN ENTRANCE.

AND BY SHOOTING BOLTS OF ELECTRICITY INTO THIS GROUND,

WE'VE REVEALED THE PRESENCE OF TWO POSSIBLE CHAMBERS OR TUNNELS

LURKING NEAR THE ABANDONED STRUCTURE.

COULD WE HAVE FINALLY REVEALED CLUES

POINTING TO A BIZARRE GROUNDBREAKING INVENTION--

LIKE THE RUMORED SUPER WEAPON--

OR ANOTHER BRILLIANT PROJECT FROM THE GENIUS SCIENTIST?

BECAUSE OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS,

GETTING APPROVAL FOR AN EXCAVATION MAY TAKE SOME TIME.

BUT GIVEN THOSE SUSPICIOUS AREAS WE'VE FOUND

AND THE LAB'S ODD CONFIGURATION,

WHEN AND IF THE TIME COMES, WE'LL BE READY.

AND IF NOTHING ELSE, OUR INVESTIGATION ONLY ADDS FUEL

TO THE SPECULATION

THAT THERE'S MORE WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT NIKOLA TESLA.

THIS IS EXCITING.

- NICE JOB. - YEAH, RIGHT ON.