Discovery Channel and Discovery HD Theater presents DISCOVERY ATLAS HD, the global television event that promises to inspire viewers through captivating photography, the highest quality production values, the latest in high-definition technology and compelling stories that strike at the heart of a country and its people. Sweeping in scope, majestic in visual beauty and rich in scholarship, DISCOVERY ATLAS builds upon Discovery's 20-year heritage of allowing viewers to explore their world and satisfy their curiosity.
Over the next five years, this extraordinary narrative will focus on the rich cultures, social diversities and natural phenomena of 20 of the world's greatest countries. The journey begins Sunday, Oct. 1, 2006, at 9 p.m. ET/PT, with the world premiere on Discovery Channel and Discovery HD Theater of DISCOVERY ATLAS: CHINA REVEALED, narrated by Emmy Award-winning actor James Spader. CHINA REVEALED will be followed by explorations of the people, cultures and lands of DISCOVERY ATLAS: ITALY REVEALED (Sunday, Oct. 8), DISCOVERY ATLAS: BRAZIL REVEALED (Sunday, Oct. 15) and DISCOVERY ATLAS: AUSTRALIA REVEALED (Sunday, Oct. 22). All programs begin at 9 p.m. ET/PT.
DISCOVERY ATLAS: CHINA REVEALED
Sunday, Oct. 1, 9 p.m. ET/PT
Of the 1.3 billion stories in China today, viewers will join rice farmers tilling land their ancestors have worked for 18 centuries and monks teaching a 500-year-old discipline. Viewers will also share the Olympic dreams of a 12-year-old gymnast and Shanghai's key development tycoon, exploring where tradition meets the explosion of modernity in life behind the Great Wall.
DISCOVERY ATLAS: ITALY REVEALED
Sunday, Oct. 8, 9 p.m. ET/PT
Six stories weave the love of land, lineage, style and passion in DISCOVERY ATLAS: Italy Revealed. From a jockey participating in the world's fastest horse race, to a former fisherman setting a free-diving record off Sicily's coast, to the Missoni family's fashion world and a Venetian gondolier's attempt to keep his family in his native city, inhale and enjoy the spectacle and beauty that is Italy.
DISCOVERY ATLAS: BRAZIL REVEALED
Sunday, Oct. 15, 9 p.m. ET/PT
Brazil is an exhilarating country of contradictions and possibilities. Where else do paupers become princes and the world's biggest party becomes a deadly serious competition? DISCOVERY ATLAS: Brazil Revealed showcases one of the most ethnically diverse nations on earth, exploring stories from the Amazon to Sao Paolo's hair-raising helicopter commute.
DISCOVERY ATLAS: AUSTRALIA REVEALED
Sunday, Oct. 22, 9 p.m. ET/PT
One of earth's youngest nations with one of its oldest indigenous populations, Australia is a land of contrasts. The country is a captivating mix of desolation and riches, from the harsh life of the outback to the welcoming, fertile lands of its
