Vampires, the Boogey Man and Killer Sharks...

PRIMAL FEAR on History�

Two-Hour Special Exploring Human Fears Premieres Monday, October 27 at 9pm ET/PT

Fright Night: Encore Presentation on Halloween at 10pm ET/PT

New York, September 24, 2008 � Being buried alive under six feet of suffocating dirt; the strike of a lethal snake; terrorist attacks that can occur at any time. These are just a few of the fears that cause the pulse to quicken and the muscles to tense up. Scientists refer to this as "fight or flight," an instinctual response to danger, which throughout history has been essential to survival. PRIMAL FEAR, a two-hour special premiering on History� Monday, October 27 at 9pm ET/PT explores the science and background behind our deepest fears and their influence on pop culture and the human condition.

Whether the fear is inherent, traceable through our ancestry, or a learned fear caused by a traumatic event, the response is the same: the trigger of a small gland in the brain called the amygdala. Once engaged the physiology to survive takes over. Blood flow increases to the arms and legs for defense or escape, the pupils dilate for better focus. Even when a fear is imagined, such as the 'boogey man,' fight or flight goes into effect.

PRIMAL FEAR recounts historical events and legendary tales that invoked massive panic, as well as interviews with individuals who recently lived through harrowing occurrences:

� Shark attacks�on the Jersey shore in 1916, four people were killed by sharks in less than two weeks, creating widespread panic and eventually a best-selling novel and the Hollywood blockbuster, Jaws.

� Fear of snakes�many are deadly, leading to their portrayal as a symbol of evil, yet some people still dare to handle them.

� Concept of Hell�its power in religion and society, and how it has affected the human psyche, leading some to take drastic measures.

� Fear of monsters�from Dracula to the bogeyman, imagined fears typically begin in childhood.

� Fear of drowning�a lifeguard who overcame treacherous ocean waters to save a group of kids, shares his story of nearly succumbing to the powerful waves.

� Burned alive�a survivor of the tragic Rhode Island nightclub fire in 2003 describes how she lived through that terrible night and the fears she lives with today.

PRIMAL FEAR can also be seen on Halloween night, Friday, October 31 at 10pm ET/PT.

PRIMAL FEAR is produced for History by Northern Light Productions. Bestor Cram is Executive Producer and Ken Winikur is Producer/Director. Executive Producer for History is Susan Werbe. History� and History HD� are the leading destinations for revealing, award-winning, original non-fiction series and event-driven specials that connects history with viewers in an informative, immersive and entertaining manner across multiple platforms. Programming covers a diverse variety of historical genres ranging from military history to contemporary history, technology to natural history, as well as science, archaeology and pop culture. Among the networks program offerings are hit series such as Ax Men, Battle 360, The Universe, Cities of The Underworld and Ice Road Truckers, as well as acclaimed specials including King, Life After People, 1968 With Tom Brokaw, Lost Book of Nostradamus, Star Wars: The Legacy Revealed and Sherman's March. History has earned four Peabody Awards, four Primetime Emmy� Awards, 12 News & Documentary Emmy� Awards and received the prestigious Governor's Award from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences for the network's Save Our History� campaign dedicated to historic preservation and history education. Take A Veteran to School Day is the network's latest initiative connecting America's schools and communities with veterans from all wars. History's website, located at www.History.com, is the definitive historical online source that delivers entertaining and informative content featuring broadband video, interactive timelines, maps, games podcasts and more.