Smithsonian Channel Pick of the Week

Latest Episodes:

The Terrifying Physics of WWII Dive Bombing Jan 20, 2020

Show notes

The 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 Jan 20, 2020

Show notes

Kinda 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 Jan 13, 2020

Show notes

A 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 Jan 13, 2020

Show notes

A 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.

This Pilot Was the Unsung Hero of the Battle of Midway Dec 30, 2019

Show notes

Dusty 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.

A Biologist Studies a New Species of Baboon Dec 30, 2019

Show notes

An 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.

Playing Games Help Leopard Cubs Learn and Unwind Dec 23, 2019

Show notes

Games 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? Dec 23, 2019

Show notes

Landing 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?

A Mystery Substance Wreaks Havoc on Flight 780 Dec 09, 2019

Show notes

Lab 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?

This Leopard is Waiting for the Perfect Moment to Strike Dec 09, 2019

Show notes

A 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.