The Nibelungs - To this day, Germany's greatest legend still has modern treasure hunters under its spell. With the help of ancient scripts and divining rods, they set out in search of Siegfried's legendary golden treasure. The magical treasure, which is said to have been sunk in the Rhine, includes gold and silver, in addition to a cloak of invisibility. What's the story behind the myth? Scientists are trying to uncover the myth’s origins. The trail leads to Scandinavia where an archaeologist is looking for one of the saga’s oldest traces. A blacksmith tries to reforge Siegfried's sword using an ancient technique and conducts an experiment with the weapon. The discovery of bones provides an explanation for the dragon. Historians and linguists give insight into who the Nibelungs were and what the treasure might have looked like.

Atlantis - a sunken civilization at the dawn of time. Greek philosopher Plato's descriptions from almost 2,500 years ago depict a utopia. A vast island empire with fascinating architecture and impressive military power. One night, however, the fabled empire is said to have perished in the wake of a devastating catastrophe. Scientists around the world are searching for traces of the sunken city. If it really did exist, there must be vestiges of this civilization just waiting to be discovered.

The Mothman - A creature as sinister as the devil himself. A black creature, two meters tall, with glowing red eyes and gigantic wings. This mysterious creature has been haunting the small American town of Point Pleasant since the 1960s. In 1966 and 1967 alone, over 100 people claim to have seen the Mothman. They still remember their encounter with horror and believe that the mysterious figure is a herald of disasters. The collapse of the Silver Bridge in 1967 with 46 fatalities would seem to confirm these fears. Could this winged creature actually be a messenger of doom, perhaps even a demon from another realm? Cryptozoologists and scientists are trying to solve the mystery. The increasing number of newspaper reports about the Mothman may have also fuelled the legend.

Attila, King of the Huns - the entire continent of Europe trembled in fear of this legendary leader. His life: victorious. His death: a legend. No one knows where he is buried. But there are some new clues. Researchers surmise the tomb of the legendary king is located in the Hungarian lowlands. Legends point us to his final resting place. Scientists and amateur researchers alike search for hidden clues - even under water. Accompanied by underwater archaeologist Attila Tóth, we set out on a journey to the depths of the Danube. Legend has it that Attila is buried under a river. Rock star Levente Szörényi, on the other hand, is convinced that Attila's grave lies in an old quarry. Spectacular experiments with weapons reveal how the Huns became a legend 1,500 years ago. Since then, his name has become shrouded in legend.

Ghosts and spectres - Mysterious creatures from the afterlife. Since the dawn of time, people have believed in life after death, ancestors coming back to visit us, and unfortunate souls lingering between two worlds. But is it actually possible to come back to Earth as an ethereal spirit? Researchers from all over the world are attempting to add some tangibility to this seemingly incomprehensible notion. Are encounters between humans and supernatural creatures real, or are our senses just playing tricks on us? Even today, new stories of revenants or other ghostly apparitions continue to surface in forgotten places, from the haunted castle in Schallaburg, Austria, to the former tuberculosis sanatoriums near Germany’s capital Berlin, or the abandoned Waldlust Hotel in Southern Germany.

Tutankhamun's burial chamber in the Valley of the Kings. It is one of the largest archaeological discoveries to date. Some even believe that the discovery of the tomb prompted a mysterious series of deaths – Is the tomb cursed? When Howard Carter's research team discovered Tutankhamun's tomb in 1922, they became heroes - and ultimately paid a high price for their fame. 17 people associated with the expedition die from mysterious causes over a ten-year period. Many believe there is only one explanation for this: the curse of the Pharaoh, placed upon all those who dare to disturb the resting place of the great king. In fact, old clay tablets provide proof that spells were commonplace in ancient Egypt. It is said that a curse was also placed on Tutankhamun's tomb to protect his legendary riches contained therein.

According to biblical tradition, there were 12 tribes of Israel. The traces belonging to ten of them, however, had already disappeared by the early days of Israeli civilization. But it seems impossible that such a large number of people left no traces behind. Are the descendants of the lost tribes of Israel still living today? Archaeological findings confirm the historical origins of the myth - in the 8th century BC, when large parts of what is now Israel were conquered by the Assyrians. Where were the subjects taken? The path they took might have brought them to the most remote corners of the world. Experts are following their tracks - from the "Holy Land" all the way to South Africa and the Middle East. With the help of state-of-the-art technology, researchers are trying to unravel the millennia-old mystery.

Hidden from the eyes of humankind, mythical creatures are said to live deep in the forests of Central America and high up in the mountains of the Himalayas. They go by the names Bigfoot and Yeti. Throughout history, scientists and explorers have been fascinated by these unknown creatures, which have been the source of inspiration for many films and stories. Amateur researchers like Matt Pruitt and Michael Mayes often roam the forests in the United States for days on end in search of Bigfoot. But even scientists like Jeff Meldrum, Professor of Anatomy and Anthropology at Idaho State University, believe they can prove that creatures like the Yeti really exist. Meldrum thinks they might belong to a species that is already thought to be extinct, the Gigantopithecus, a genus of giant apes. But could this really be true?

For nearly 100 years, these bloodthirsty, walking dead creatures have been giving horror buffs the chills. And since the early 2000s, zombies have received even more attention, be it in movies or on “zombie walks”, as they're called. But the origins of the myth reach far back into the past and lead to distant lands. During the 1980s, the world took notice of the case of Clairvius Narcisse from Haiti. Narcisse is declared dead by two U.S. doctors - only to be seen again by his family 18 years later. Could this story be true? Experts investigate and uncover surprising facts. Reports of a "zombie poison" continue to surface. At the RWTH University Hospital in Aachen, Germany, an experiment is being conducted to find out if there is any truth behind these stories.

The legend of El Dorado began when Spanish conquistadors set off in search of the place where all their dreams of immeasurable wealth would come true, hidden deep in the jungles of South America. To this day, no one has found it. Yet, adventurers and scientists continue searching for the origins of the legend. And in order to solve the mystery, they follow up on historical sources and use state-of-the-art technology to try to uncover new unexplored paths. French explorer Thierry Jamin thinks the city is in present-day Peru, while archaeologist José Pérez-Gómez searches in Venezuela and Juan Pablo Quintero has his eyes set on Colombia. But regardless of where the search leads, the quest for El Dorado's gold is a journey through the uncharted and most inaccessible regions of the world.

Cleopatra is the embodiment of beauty, luxury and dangerous femininity, and is arguably the most famous woman in history. She was a legend even in ancient times. For over than 2000 years, countless stories have circulated about the Egyptian ruler. But which ones are true? Will the latest archaeological discoveries give insight into the real life story of Egypt’s final queen? Her life is portrayed as a Hollywood blockbuster. But what did her life actually look like? Kathleen Martinez is determined to find Cleopatra's tomb. She hopes to reveal the truth about who the queen really was. For years, she has been conducting numerous excavations all around what used to be ancient Alexandria. Scientists have long believed that the queen's tomb lies at the bottom of a harbour. But Kathleen Martinez is following a different trail.

Age-old stories and archaeological discoveries reveal magical practices and tell tales of both alluring and terrifying women with special powers. In early modern times, people believed they were working for the devil, bringing about crop failures and illnesses. Women suspected of witchcraft were often burned at the stake. Yet this belief in sorcery endures to this day, attracting an ever-increasing number of young female followers. So, what is behind the myth? Many researchers are trying to unravel it. Celebrated fairy tales and stories, fascinating archaeological discoveries and detailed archival records provide insight into the world and ideas surrounding witchcraft. Psychologists try to find out why magic seems to work on some people - and get some shocking results.