Smithsonian Channel Pick of the Week

Latest Episodes:

Scientists Recreate a Stone Age Cremation Feb 12, 2018

Show notes

A scientist sets about to recreate a Stone Age funeral pyre. Astonishingly, and using nothing but resources from that era, the makeshift pyre achieves the same high temperatures as a modern crematorium.

Incredible: A Gaboon Viper Strikes a Bird in Slo-Mo Feb 05, 2018

Show notes

Gaboon vipers don't have the fastest strike in the snake world--but they don't need to be faster than other snakes, just their prey. In this case, a passing bird stands no chance.

This Is the Jewelry Worn by Vintage Hollywood Movie Stars Feb 05, 2018

Show notes

Joseff of Hollywood made jewelry for many of the most important American films of the 20th century. When Doris and Shelly Lyn visit his studio, they have one goal: no drooling on the designs.

This Hero Rallied Wounded USS Indianapolis Survivors Jan 29, 2018

Show notes

Dehydrated, exhausted, and preyed upon by sharks, the surviving crew of the sunken USS Indianapolis was in a living nightmare. Thanks to Marine Captain Edward Parke's display of heroism, he gave survivors that extra push to stay alive.

How the "Babe" in Babe Ruth Came About Jan 29, 2018

Show notes

When Jack Dunn brought a young George Herman Ruth Jr. to the Orioles, they became inseparable--so much so that the other players started referring to Ruth as Dunn's "babe."

This Brave Student Captured the Mount St. Helens Blast Jan 22, 2018

Show notes

Some of the most breathtaking photos of the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens were taken by a graduate student camped nearby. Even more impressive, he took them while trying to outrun the enormous landslide.

Was That Bigfoot? Your Brain May Be Tricking You Jan 22, 2018

Show notes

The brain is the most complex organ in the human body, but it can make mistakes while interpreting the world around us. A scientist explains how Bigfoot might be one of them.

This Lion Couple Mates Over 100 Times a Day Jan 15, 2018

Show notes

A newly coupled lion and lioness head to the relative solitude of the higher grounds in their new kingdom of Rwanda. Over the next four days, they'll mate over 100 times a day.

Women Were Some of the Fiercest Samurai Warriors Ever Jan 15, 2018

Show notes

In ancient Japan, battle was typically reserved for male samurai. That all changed when Takeko Nakano and her sister, Yuko, decided to fight for their clan's independence after a deadly village invasion.

How NASA Cut Costs With a New Kind of Spacecraft Jan 08, 2018

Show notes

With budgets for space exploration falling toward the end of the 1960s, NASA began to make plans for a new kind of reusable spacecraft to save money: the space shuttle.