Science Channel to Premiere MYTHICAL BEASTS

They are the stuff of legend, popularized in movies and television and described in detail in fantasy literature. For thousands of years, humankind has believed in mythical creatures, from dragons and cyclops, to vampires and sea monsters. Where did the stories of these fabled beasts come? Science Channel will reveal the origin stories of popular monster mysteries, in MYTHICAL BEASTS, a new eight-episode series premiering Sunday, October 14 at 10pm ET/PT.

Each episode will look at the history, archaeology and truths behind legendary creatures. Scientists dig up elephant skeletons to investigate how they inspired the myths about the Cyclops. They hunt through old maritime logs to see why people believed the mighty Kraken was to blame for sinking ships, follow clues to the island of Crete where the menacing Grecian Minotaur was said to have lived, and unravel why the Chinese feared that dragons lived among them.

"While we think of the idea of these beasts as pure legend, the mindblowing stories about how they came to be have their roots in reality," said Marc Etkind, General Manager, Science Channel. "Mythical Beasts reveals truths about the monsters of old and why the myths surrounding their existence endure today."

Experts including anatomist Joy Reidenberg of New York's Mount Sinai School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh sociologist Margee Kerr, Kean University's Brian Regal, and mythological consultant Richard Schwab, help unpack some of history's most deep-seeded mysteries.

MYTHICAL BEASTS is produced for Science Channel by Windfall Films. Executive producer for Windfall is Carlo Massarella. Neil Laird serves as executive producer for Science Channel.