Smithsonian Channel Pick of the Week

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The F-35 and HMS Queen Elizabeth Were Made for Each Other Dec 02, 2019

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The 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 Dec 02, 2019

Show notes

Oxpeckers 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 Nov 25, 2019

Show notes

Herring 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? Nov 25, 2019

Show notes

Investigators 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 Nov 18, 2019

Show notes

A 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 Nov 18, 2019

Show notes

The 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 Nov 11, 2019

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A 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 Nov 11, 2019

Show notes

Investigators 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 Nov 04, 2019

Show notes

At 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 Nov 04, 2019

Show notes

Britain 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.

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