Smithsonian Channel Pick of the Week

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This Baby Orangutan Needs Treatment for Her Asthma Sep 16, 2019

Show notes

Baby Wine (pronounced WEE-NAY) is an orphan at the Nyaru Menteng school for orangutans, in Borneo. If she is to be released back into the wild, she’ll need treatment for her asthma.

How Fast Can Gibbons Swing Through the Forest? Sep 09, 2019

Show notes

Gibbons are incredible tree swingers, thanks to their long forearms, mobile joints and wrists that enhance fluid movement.

Apollo 13's Intense Comms Blackout Sep 09, 2019

Show notes

A damaged Apollo 13 was about to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere amid a communications blackout. It would become the longest re-entry blackout in the history of the space program.

Rainy Season Gives Baby Orangutans Their Own Waterpark Sep 02, 2019

Show notes

Borneo’s rainy season has begun, and overnight, the local stream has become flooded. It doesn’t bother the young orangutans at the rehabilitation center – it’s just another opportunity to play.

A Moon Sample Reveals a Surprising Link to Earth Sep 02, 2019

Show notes

‘Big Bertha’ was one of the moon rocks brought back by the Apollo 14 crew for geological analysis. What it revealed stunned scientists.

How Neil Armstrong Trained to Land the Lunar Module Aug 26, 2019

Show notes

To prepare him for landing the lunar module, Neil Armstrong practiced on a training vehicle, right here on Earth. It was designed to replicate flying within a gravitational pull that was 1/6 that of Earth.

Meet Alba, Borneo's Only Albino Orangutan Aug 26, 2019

Show notes

As the only albino orangutan in Borneo, Alba the orangutan stands out among her peers in jungle school. She’s confident, capable, and firmly on schedule for a return to the wild.

The Secret to this Spanish Train’s Powerful Performance Aug 12, 2019

Show notes

The AVE 103 is a powerful and speedy train between Madrid and Zaragoza, with a top speed of 217 mph – remarkable for a train that operates with no locomotive.

Why Plague Doctors Wore Strange Masks Aug 12, 2019

Show notes

It’s the beak that lends the attire of the medieval plague doctor its surreal quality, but it wasn’t there just to scare.

Sneaky Raccoon Dog Steals a Bird Egg Aug 05, 2019

Show notes

Raccoon dogs are the only member of the canine family that hibernate for winter. But in order to do this, they need to find enough food – and what they can’t scavenge, they steal.

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