World culture comes alive in striking High Definition and with innovative storytelling when three all-new episodes of ATLAS premiere exclusively on Discovery HD, beginning Saturday, February 20 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. Kicking off the journey from a land of pyramids, pharaohs and the river Nile comes ATLAS: “Egypt”. The following week, ATLAS: “South Africa” transports viewers through millions of years of evolving geography and climate – past, present and future – where bushmen battle to keep their traditional way of life.
Finally, the captivating expedition continues with ATLAS: “Russia” where the people of new Russia are beginning to embrace their past once again following the crippling collapse of the Soviet Union.
For many who haven’t had the chance to explore in-person the rich history and thriving culture of Egypt, South Africa and Russia, Discovery HD’s ATLAS presents – in remarkable High Definition – a lively portrait and in-depth investigation of each stunning locale. Uncovering extraordinary and surprising connections between the landscape, natural history and indigenous people, ATLAS uniquely uncovers the “hows” and “whys”, acting as your own personal tour guide through each spellbinding country.
Highlights from the new episodes of ATLAS include:
ATLAS: “Egypt”
Saturday, February 20 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT
This episode follows the lives of six individuals throughout Egypt. Stories include a 17-year-old bread delivery boy in Cairo; a Bedouin herbal healer in Sinai, hoping to pass on his secrets to a new generation before he dies; a man who left his Cairo home to become a Coptic Christian monk; and the conservative lifestyle of women in the oasis town of Siwa in contrast to a successful businesswoman and founder of a women’s magazine in Cairo.
ATLAS: “South Africa”
Saturday, February 27 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT
Explore the lives of several individuals and how they contribute in their own way to the new South Africa after years of internal struggle. Meet a young Zulu schoolgirl and her teacher; a man working thousands of metres underground in the world’s deepest gold mine; a zoologist and her team working to preserve South Africa’s unique wildlife; the Khoisan bushmen battling to keep their traditional way of life; a young black woman in a leadership role in the South African Army; and an ambulance driver in Johannesburg, one of the world’s most violent cities.
ATLAS: “Russia”
Saturday, March 6 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT
This episode focuses on how the people of the new Russia are once again embracing their past after the fall of the Soviet Union. ATLAS: “Russia” follows the lives of nomadic reindeer herders in Siberia; a family of carpet-makers in the Caucasus Mountains; a fashion magazine executive in Moscow; a volcanologist in the Kamchatka Peninsula; and a 17-year-old aspiring circus performer in Kazan. Breathtaking scenery from around Russia, including Lake Baikal and St. Petersburg during summer twilight is also featured in this episode.
