Smithsonian Channel Pick of the Week
529 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 4 years ago - ★★★★ - 31 ratingsThe latest in science, culture, and history from Smithsonian Channel.
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Episodes
A Former Soviet Agent Becomes a Notorious Weapons Dealer
May 11, 2020 16:00 - 3 minutes VideoAfter 1991, former Soviet agent Viktor Bout set about carving a new career for himself as an arms dealer. His exploits would earn him the nickname the ‘Merchant of Death’.
Why the Fastest Male Grizzlies Get the Girl
May 11, 2020 16:00 - 2 minutes VideoBear courtship in Yellowstone National Park happens at breakneck speed - literally. The male grizzly sets off after the female, who tries to outrun him reaching speeds of up to 35 miles an hour.
Why Vervet Monkeys Love Zambezi Fig Trees
May 04, 2020 16:00 - 2 minutes VideoVervet monkeys find the figs of the Zambezi fig tree to be completely irresistible. And because vervets rarely stay in one place for too long, they spread the tree’s seeds far and wide.
This FBI Agent Sold Secrets to the KGB for Years
May 04, 2020 16:00 - 3 minutes VideoIn 1985, an American FBI agent began to sell intelligence to the Russians, under the alias of Ramon Garcia. It would be another 16 years before he was finally arrested by the FBI.
A Shy Orangutan Shares Her Breakfast with a Friend
April 27, 2020 16:00 - 1 minute VideoA shy orangutan makes great strides by confidently securing her share of breakfast. But she’s not above sharing her bounty of turnips with another orangutan, whom she’s befriended.
A Navy Warship Goes Down Weeks Before the End of WWII
April 27, 2020 16:00 - 1 minute VideoIn the final days of WWII, Eagle 56 was on a routine assignment in the Gulf of Maine. In an instant, the ship found itself ripped in half, with most of her crew dead – but what happened?
This Gun Was One of the Very First Machine Guns
April 20, 2020 16:00 - 2 minutes VideoIn 1866, Hiram Maxim, an American engineer, tried out a rifle for the first time and found himself wondering how he could make it better. The result was the Maxim gun – the word’s first recoil-operated machine gun.
This Salt Lick Doubles as a Reunion Spot for Elephants
April 20, 2020 16:00 - 2 minutes VideoA herd of migrating elephants are acquiring necessary minerals like calcium and potassium from a burnt wood clearing. It’s also an impromptu reunion spot for all traveling elephant herds.
The FBI Investigates Soviet Deep-Cover Spies in America
April 13, 2020 16:00 - 3 minutes VideoOver the course of a decade, deep-cover Russian spies embedded in America collected intelligence and passed it onto their handlers. The FBI investigation into them became known as Operation Ghost Stories.
Orangutan Creates an Umbrella Hat to Stay Dry
April 13, 2020 16:00 - 2 minutes VideoOrangutans are adept at improvising and using tools – this experienced female has learnt to make a makeshift umbrella hat – useful in a storm.
Orangutans Need to Learn to Fear Snakes
April 06, 2020 16:00 - 2 minutes VideoIn primates, recognition of snakes is instinctive, but fear of snakes is learned. Today, caretakers of the jungle school set about teaching them.
British Intelligence Uncovers a Deadly Al-Qaeda Terror Plot
April 06, 2020 16:00 - 1 minute VideoIn 2006, British Intelligence were convinced that two people they were surveilling were part of an active Al-Qaeda terror cell. They were about to discover the scale of their plotting.
How Lizards are Turning Our Knowledge of Evolution Upside Down
March 23, 2020 16:00 - 3 minutes VideoLizard biologists in the Caribbean have observed a fascinating phenomenon: different lizard species across different islands appear to share specific physical traits. But how, if they've never been in contact?
The C-5 Galaxy Had a Catastrophic Design Flaw
March 23, 2020 16:00 - 3 minutes VideoThe C-5 Galaxy is a true giant among USAF cargo planes – but its development was not without problems. Just four years after it made its debut, a serious design flaw threatened the future of the entire line.
This Fighter Plane Landing Has Never Been Attempted
March 16, 2020 16:00 - 3 minutes VideoThe F-35B is designed to stop in midair before landing vertically on an aircraft carrier, using immense downward thrust. What’s never been attempted before is a shipborne rolling vertical landing – until now.
Not All Baboon Babies Are Treated Nicely
March 16, 2020 16:00 - 2 minutes VideoBaboons love babies – you can see it in the way the mothers carry their newborns around like royalty. But the cold reality is that their rank at birth will always determine how well they're treated within the troop.
A Happy Event Offers Promise for the Survival of Cheetahs
March 09, 2020 16:00 - 2 minutes VideoFrom a breeding perspective, cheetahs are one of the hardest animals to work with. That’s why the birth of two litters at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute is a huge coup for the species.
The Different Teams Involved in Testing the F-35B Lightning
March 09, 2020 16:00 - 3 minutes VideoTesting the F-35B Lightning involves three different groups of people aboard the HMS Queen Elizabeth: British Royal Navy aircraft hands, civilian scientists and American maintainers from the Integrated Task Force.
Aircraft Carrier Crew Face a Myriad of Risks Below Deck
March 02, 2020 17:00 - 3 minutes VideoLife for the crew of the HMS Queen Elizabeth is a challenging combination of cabin fever and high alertness: often confined to below deck, surrounded by potentially dangerous stockpiles of fuel and ammunition.
This Rabbit Never Saw It Coming
March 02, 2020 17:00 - 3 minutes VideoA python’s heat sense receptors have picked up a rabbit, feeding on some cabbage. It’s the perfect sized meal for an expectant mom with a clutch of eggs inside her.
The Crew of the Lady Mary Face a Fight to Stay Alive
February 24, 2020 17:00 - 2 minutes VideoOn March 24, 2009, the Lady Mary was nearing the end of a successful scallop hauling expedition, when the boat began to list onto its port side. The crew braced themselves for the fight of their lives.
Winged Termites Looking to Mate Become Monkey Food
February 24, 2020 17:00 - 2 minutes VideoAfter 20 hours of Luangwa rainfall, the skies begin to clear. But soon, the air is thick again with a swarm of winged termites, looking to mate. It’s an ideal feeding opportunity for a nearby troop of vervet monkeys.
Did Modifications to This Fishing Trawler Destabilize it?
February 17, 2020 17:00 - 2 minutes VideoPreliminary investigations into the April 2, 2001 sinking of the Arctic Rose reveal that she previously underwent modifications to her design. Were they the reason this 93-foot fishing trawler capsized so quickly?
This Young Rhino is Crucial to the Revival of her Species
February 17, 2020 17:00 - 2 minutes VideoA young female rhino has been brought into base camp so she can recuperate and build her strength. Her value cannot be overstated – a key hope for Zambia’s endangered rhino population.
Undertaker Birds Defend Their Catch from an Eagle
February 10, 2020 17:00 - 3 minutes VideoA flock of marabou storks have stumbled on a handsome bounty: a small shoal of catfish. But their clumsy enthusiasm has attracted the attention of another opportunist.
Was Icy Weather a Factor in This Plane's Fatal Crash?
February 10, 2020 17:00 - 2 minutes VideoInvestigators determine that on the night of January 7, 1994, conditions were moderately icy around Port Columbus International Airport. But if other planes were able to land, why did Flight 6291 crash?
How Baby Baboons Are Adept at Getting Around
February 03, 2020 17:00 - 2 minutes VideoA two-month-old baboon is sitting on his mother’s back, jockey-style, and taking in the world from his vantage point. By the time he’s just six-months-old, he’ll become a master of climbing on his own.
Did This Flight Crew Have the Training to Fly a Boeing 737?
February 03, 2020 17:00 - 3 minutes VideoWith no apparent mechanical or external cause found for the September 14, 2008 crash, investigators focus on the flight crew’s experience. Were they qualified and adequately trained to fly a Boeing 737?
Why Habituation is a Dangerous Game for Conservationists
January 27, 2020 17:00 - 3 minutes VideoA group of conservationists attempt to get close to a troop of gorillas, led by a male silverback. It’s a risky job – if the male feels threatened, he may lash out, with fatal consequences.
Did Strong Crosswinds Cause This Plane to Abort Take Off?
January 27, 2020 17:00 - 3 minutes VideoWere crosswinds on December 20, 2008 in excess of the safety limit of 33 knots? If it was, that could explain why Flight 1404 veered so hard to the left before its crash at Denver International Airport.
The Terrifying Physics of WWII Dive Bombing
January 20, 2020 17:00 - 3 minutes VideoThe act of dive bombing during World War II was a death defying trial of skill and nerve. You aimed your plane down, four miles above the ocean, and plummeted at speeds of up to 275 miles per hour.
These Baboon Couples Are Affectionate All Year Round
January 20, 2020 17:00 - 2 minutes VideoKinda male-female bonds appear stronger than in other baboon species. This is apparent in the amount of time they spend grooming each other – even outside the mating season.
A Passenger Faces Terrifying Choices on a Burning Ship
January 13, 2020 17:00 - 2 minutes VideoA man finds himself trapped in the cargo deck of the Norman Atlantic on December 28, 2014, with a fire bearing down on him. He has to make a decision: stay and evade the flames or jump into the sea.
A Herd of Elephants Interrupt a Feasting Lion Pride
January 13, 2020 17:00 - 2 minutes VideoA powerful group of lions, the Nsefu pride, are busy digging into a recent buffalo kill when they are disturbed by a herd of elephants. Both sides immediately switch to high alert.
A Biologist Studies a New Species of Baboon
December 30, 2019 17:00 - 3 minutes VideoAn American biologist sets out to study the little-known Kinda baboon species - and this involves getting close to them in their natural habitat. Everything is of interest, from their fur patterns to their mannerisms.
This Pilot Was the Unsung Hero of the Battle of Midway
December 30, 2019 17:00 - 2 minutes VideoDusty Kleiss is a bonafide American hero: a veteran pilot of the Battle of Midway, and one of the most effective dive bombers in U.S. military history.
Playing Games Help Leopard Cubs Learn and Unwind
December 23, 2019 17:00 - 1 minute VideoGames among leopard litters like this one are an essential part of their development. But sometimes, it’s nothing more than having fun.
Did This Pilot Lack the Training to Land at Guantanamo Bay?
December 23, 2019 17:00 - 2 minutes VideoLanding on runway 10 at Guantanamo Bay is tricky and requires special training for pilots. But did the captain of Flight 808, which crashed on August 18, 1993, get that training?
This Leopard is Waiting for the Perfect Moment to Strike
December 09, 2019 17:00 - 3 minutes VideoA wily old leopard is hiding in a gully waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Nearby, zebras and antelope graze contentedly, unaware of the threat they’re under.
A Mystery Substance Wreaks Havoc on Flight 780
December 09, 2019 17:00 - 3 minutes VideoLab analysis reveals that a faulty valve on Cathay Pacific Flight 780 is an absorbent polymer, used in refueling trucks to prevent water from getting into the aircraft fuel tanks. So how did it end up in the aircraft?
The F-35 and HMS Queen Elizabeth Were Made for Each Other
December 02, 2019 17:00 - 3 minutes VideoThe F-35 Lightning, capable of speeds of up to a 1,000 miles per hour, and packed with advanced stealth characteristics, is the ideal jet fighter for the HMS Queen Elizabeth. Together, they form a formidable team.
Oxpeckers Take Advantage of Their Hippo Hosts
December 02, 2019 17:00 - 2 minutes VideoOxpeckers perform a valuable service to hippos, keeping their skin free of ticks and dead skin. But they've also been known to keep host wounds open, so they can feed off the flesh.
Why The Temperature of the Sea is Important for Sea Eagles
November 25, 2019 17:00 - 2 minutes VideoHerring in the sea of Okhotsk only lay their eggs once the temperature of the water has reached 40 degrees. This is important news for the vulnerable Steller’s Sea Eagles who rely on the herring for food.
Was This P-51 Mustang Modified to the Point of Instability?
November 25, 2019 17:00 - 2 minutes VideoInvestigators discover that the Galloping Ghost, the plane that crashed at the Reno Air Races on September 16, 2011, had its wings modified to make it faster. Was this a factor in its loss of control?
The Intricate Skill That Goes Into Tracking a Rhino
November 18, 2019 17:00 - 3 minutes VideoA team of researchers are on the trail of a black rhino bull whose transmitter has failed. To find him, they’ll rely on his spoor: clues such as urine trails, footprints and food he may have grazed on.
This Aircraft Pioneered Daylight Bombing Missions
November 18, 2019 17:00 - 2 minutes VideoThe B-17 enabled the eighth Air Force to embark on a type of bombing campaign not seen before in the war: daylight bombing missions, aimed at minimizing civilian casualties.
A Disabled Orangutan Exhibits Shockingly Unusual Behavior
November 11, 2019 17:00 - 2 minutes VideoA young female orangutan spots something across the water. To investigate, she wades in and begins to swim – startlingly unusual behavior for an orangutan.
Investigators of Flight 821 Run into Multiple Dead Ends
November 11, 2019 17:00 - 2 minutes VideoInvestigators looking into the crash of Aeroflot-Nord Flight 821, which crashed on September 14, 2008, ran into a lot of dead ends: from a totally destroyed engine to a badly damaged flight data recorder.
Orphan Chimp Learns the Skills He Needs to Survive
November 04, 2019 17:00 - 2 minutes VideoAt the chimp haven on Ngamba island, a 2-year-old orphan by the name of Easy spends most of his day slowly learning the skills that will help him reintegrate into chimp community.
The 1930s Were Not a Good Time for the British Royal Family
November 04, 2019 17:00 - 2 minutes VideoBritain was racked by devastating economic hardship in the 1930s and ordinary people began to take their anger out on what was seen as the ultimate symbol of entitlement: the British Royal family.