240 episodes · 33 transcripts · 33 summaries
Missing Heroes of WW2
Josh Gates travels to modern-day Sudan to investigate the Kingdom of Kush, a powerful ancient civilization that once conquered Egypt yet remains largely unknown in the West. His quest centers on two ambitious expeditions: exploring a holy site deep in the Sahara to understand the source of Kush's power, and joining archaeologists in an unprecedented dive into the pitch-black, flooded tomb beneath a crumbling Kushite pyramid. The team hopes to document something never before seen—a Kushite king's mummy still resting in its original burial chamber. Gates frames the journey as a chance to correct historical injustices, as early 20th-century archaeologists wrongly attributed Kushite accomplishments to their Egyptian neighbors before many sites were lost to the elements.
Finding the Lost Pilots of WW2
Josh Gates investigates the truth behind the world's most iconic and captivating legends. Leaving no stone unturned, his adventures take him around the globe as he immerses himself in the core locales linked to each tale.
Lost City of the White Jaguar
Josh Gates travels to the Sea of Galilee region in Israel to investigate one of Christianity's most perplexing mysteries: the true location of Bethsaida, the fishing village where Jesus reportedly performed miracles including healing the blind, walking on water, and feeding the 5,000. The stakes are high—Bethsaida was also home to three of Jesus' apostles, including Peter, who became the first pope. Gates examines three competing archaeological sites, each claiming to be the authentic location of this holy city lost for nearly 2,000 years. One site was officially declared Bethsaida in the late 20th century, but two rival teams now present conflicting evidence, including a remarkable new discovery making global headlines that could rewrite the historical record.
Riches of Spain's Pirate King
Josh Gates hunts for the lost fortune of Captain Henry Every, history's most successful pirate yet one of its most obscure. In September 1695, Every seized the Ganj-i-Sawai, the world's richest treasure ship, in a heist worth over $100 million today—a score so audacious it triggered the first global manhunt. Despite capturing six of Every's crew and hanging them at London's Execution Dock in 1696, authorities never found the pirate king or his plunder. Gates begins his investigation at the Prospect of Whitby pub near the Thames, meeting pirate historian Colin Woodard to examine a centuries-old coded letter that treasure hunters believe may reveal the location of Every's hidden fortune, possibly concealed in a pirate cave or among shipwrecks off the English coast.
Chasing Bonnie and Clyde
Josh Gates ventures to Lake Superior to investigate one of the Great Lakes' most haunting maritime mysteries: the disappearance of two French minesweepers, the Cerisoles and Inkerman, which vanished during a massive November 1918 storm. The ships were part of a fleet built in Thunder Bay, Canada, commissioned by the French Navy to combat Germany's deadly mining campaign in the English Channel during World War I. When the final three minesweepers sailed into Lake Superior, only one survived the journey. The other two disappeared without a trace, taking 79 French and Canadian sailors with them—Lake Superior's largest loss of life. Gates travels through the Soo Locks in Sault Ste. Marie, the critical gateway between Lake Superior and Lake Huron, as he begins his search alongside investigators who have uncovered new leads after a century of fruitless searches.
Sunken Treasure of the Bahamas
Josh Gates travels to northern Spain's Picos de Europa mountains to investigate Pelayo, a near-mythical eighth-century warrior whose story rivals King Arthur's but remains virtually unknown outside Spain. The quest centers on separating legend from reality: Was Pelayo a real person who sparked the Christian reconquest of Muslim-controlled Iberia, or merely folklore? Gates explores Covadonga, a high mountain sanctuary where Pelayo is supposedly buried, ventures into perilous mountain caves containing human remains from Pelayo's era, and examines newly discovered artifacts beneath ancient castle ruins that could reveal the warrior's true identity. The stakes are enormous—if Pelayo existed, his victory against impossible odds led directly to the rise of the Christian-Spanish Empire that conquered much of the Americas and reshaped Western civilization.
Lost Tomb of the Viking King
Josh Gates ventures into the Cambodian jungle to investigate Koh Ker, a mysterious ancient capital that thrived for just 20 years before being abandoned in the 10th century. King Jayavarman IV moved the seat of the mighty Khmer Empire from Angkor to this remote location, constructing dozens of temples, reservoirs, and the tallest pyramid in Cambodia, all adorned with exceptional sculptures. Gates teams up with American attorney Brad Gordon and an international team of investigators combining archaeologists, cutting-edge technology, and even former looters to locate and restore priceless statues that have been relentlessly plundered over the centuries. These masterpieces hold crucial clues to understanding why this grand city was built in such isolation and why it fell so suddenly.
Hunt for the Secret Seaplane
Josh Gates ventures deep into the Cambodian jungle to explore Koh Ker, a once-mighty Khmer capital abandoned under mysterious circumstances nearly a thousand years ago. Working alongside Cambodian archaeologist Phin Phakdey, Gates excavates in front of Prasat Krachap temple, unearthing massive carved sandstone blocks buried for centuries. The team pieces together fragments of an ancient pediment—a triangular temple entrance adorned with vivid Hindu imagery, including depictions of Varuna, god of the west. Gates also meets a former soldier connected to Cambodia's tragic history of looting and searches submerged sites for priceless statues that may hold clues to why this flourishing city collapsed after only two decades as the empire's center.