Smithsonian Channel Pick of the Week

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This Sidewinding Snake Slithers at 18 MPH May 04, 2015

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Reaching speeds up to 18 MPH, the sidewinder slithers rapidly along the desert dunes. The way it buries itself in the sand is even scarier.

This Photograph Could Be Older Than the Camera Obscura Apr 27, 2015

Show notes

Art Historian Nicholas Allen has a radical theory about the image on the Shroud of Turin; he believes it was the world's first photograph, taken 500 years before the known invention of photography.

Why Vietnam POWs Refused This CIA Rescue Mission Apr 27, 2015

Show notes

In May 1972, the CIA launched Operation Thunderhead to rescue escaped American soldiers from a North Vietnamese prison. Here's why James Bond Stockdale and the other "Hanoi Hilton" POWs decided to shut it down.

Is This Dolphin Speaking English? Apr 20, 2015

Show notes

Researcher Margaret Howe's initial focus with Peter the dolphin was teaching him the basics of human conversation: getting him to listen to speech, then encouraging him to "speak."

What It Takes to Truck Oil 14 Hours a Day Apr 13, 2015

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For hazmat driver Ben Moorhead, a grueling workday starts at the crack of dawn. Here, he walks us through what it's like to transport oil for a living and the science involved in safely testing his precious cargo.

How Hitler Launched His Fortune From Prison Apr 06, 2015

Show notes

Adolf Hitler wrote "Mein Kampf" while serving time in prison. But it was after he became German chancellor that he figured out a way to make millions from it.

Who Was King Tut's Father? Apr 06, 2015

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To untangle Tut's family tree, experts examined DNA from 10 royal mummies suspected to be related to the pharaoh. The results are in.

John Wilkes Booth's Original Plan to Save the South Mar 23, 2015

Show notes

John Wilkes Booth knew he had to act quickly to save the South. But his original plan wasn't to kill Lincoln, it was to kidnap him.

F-15 vs. Alien Tripod: Who Would Win? Mar 16, 2015

Show notes

In this web-only original short, we imagine what would happen if a 1,000-foot-tall alien tripod faced off with an F-15 fighter jet. Would the aircraft's state-of-the-art missiles be any match for this monster's powerful death ray?

Trusting a Lion with Your Life Mar 09, 2015

Show notes

While Kevin Richardson has built a lifetime's worth of trust with the lions and hyenas he cares for, he's well aware of the risks of getting close to them.

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