Ridiculous Planthopper Nymphs in Action
These snowflake-like creatures seem almost lifeless from afar. Get closer, and it's a completely different story.
Jan 11, 2016•43 sec
Smithsonian Channel Pick of the Week
The latest in science, culture, and history from Smithsonian Channel.
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Episodes
MLK's Last Speech
"I've seen the Promised Land," Martin Luther King Jr. said in a speech in Memphis on April 3, 1968. He was assassinated the following day.
Jan 11, 2016•2 min
Why Did This Flight Crash? Listen to Its Engine...
By listening to cockpit recordings taken before Air Florida Flight 90 crashed, investigators can assess the sounds of the plane's engines. The results are telling.
Jan 04, 2016•4 min
The Dangers, Profits, and Effects of Fracking
Experience the Bakken oil boom through the eyes of the people involved in this modern-day "gold rush."
Jan 04, 2016•2 min
Why Few Survive a Climb Up Alaska's Frigid Denali
For many climbers, Mt. McKinley presents the alluring chance to reach the top of our continent. But the dangers involved in doing so are very real and sometimes very sudden.
Dec 28, 2015•3 min
A Pilot Risks His Career to Report a UFO
For a pilot, filing a UFO report can potentially hurt one's career. That didn't stop the captain of Aurigny Flight 544 from reporting what he saw en route to Alderney.
Dec 14, 2015•4 min
Why Would a Race Car Driver Ever Invent Speeding Cameras?
The irony of speeding cameras is that they were invented by a Dutch race car driver - former Monte Carlo Rally winner Maurice Gatsonides. Here's why.
Dec 14, 2015•3 min
How Was Hitler's Enigma Machine Cracked?
During WWII, an elite team of British codebreakers, including Alan Turing and Gordon Welchman, were tasked with cracking one of the most complex secret communication systems in existence: Hitler's Enigma.
Dec 07, 2015•3 min
What's Powerful Enough to Disrupt Evolution?
The Solomon Islands are an evolutionary scientist's dream, but something has disrupted the way evolution occurs there.
Dec 07, 2015•3 min
Was the Krak des Chevaliers Castle Entrance a Lethal Trap?
Located on a 2,000 foot ridge overlooking the Syrian plains, this medieval fortress combined Eastern and Western architecture to create the ultimate defense.
Nov 23, 2015•3 min
Amazing Archival Footage of Parachuting Military Dogs
Since WWII, the U.S. military has trained dogs to become some of their most useful soldiers. Shot in 1948, this incredible footage shows paratroop dogs landing in the Arctic to learn how to rescue plane crash victims.
Nov 23, 2015•58 sec
Even Lincoln Jumped Careers Before Choosing Politics
Lincoln's path to the presidency was beset by uncertainty. He tried his hand at being a soldier, a postmaster and a lawyer, before drifting into politics.
Nov 16, 2015•4 min
Is This UFO Photo Real? An Expert Weighs In.
A photographic negative of what's believed to be UFO activity during the Battle of Los Angeles is sent for forensic analysis. But the expert's verdict raises more question than it answers.
Nov 16, 2015•3 min
Hozier on His Biggest Musical Influence
'Work Song' and 'Take Me to Church' singer Hozier gives a candid interview on how his unique musical style came to be.
Nov 09, 2015•1 min
Microdots: The CIA's Tiny Secret-Message Holders
In 1971, the CIA sent coded messages to the Hanoi Hilton's prisoners of war through powdered-drink packages. How they hid these cryptic messages was quite ingenious.
Nov 09, 2015•2 min
Does This Wild West Mummy Have a Secret?
The mummified body of Sylvester the gunslinger is in remarkable condition with every minor detail preserved. The same, however, can't be said for his origins.
Nov 02, 2015•4 min
How Waves Could've Created the Loch Ness Monster
Despite very little scientific evidence supporting the Loch Ness Monster's existence, people routinely report it surfacing from the water. Dr. Tom Davey believes waves may be responsible for this phenomenon. Watch him test this hypothesis out with a state-of-the-art wave pool.
Nov 02, 2015•3 min
Did You Know Assault Drones Were Used in WWII?
It's 1944, and the U.S. has a new weapon against the Japanese: a remote-controlled assault drone with a video link and the ability to carry a bomb. Here's what it looks like in action.
Nov 02, 2015•1 min
How the Biggest Airlift in History Saved West Berlin
To break the Soviet blockade of West Berlin in 1948, General William Tunner ordered his fleet of 225 C-54s to drop supplies into the city -- around 35,000 tons of it a day.
Nov 02, 2015•2 min
Is Nazi Gold Really Buried in These Hills?
Local tales of late-night Nazi expeditions into a remote forest in Germany have spurred a new generation of treasure hunters to step up the search for hidden gold.
Oct 26, 2015•5 min
Can Your Memories Be Altered?
The memories our brains can store are remarkable, but not always reliable. Dr. Fiona Gabbert conducts an experiment exploring how our memories morph over time and why that may account for the high number of Loch Ness Monster sightings.
Oct 19, 2015•3 min
A Chinook Takes Fire During a Vietnam Rescue Mission
During the Vietnam War, the CH-47 Chinook was known for its aerial mobility -- a key advantage when you're flying low-altitude rescue missions over a hostile jungle.
Oct 19, 2015•1 min
This Aircraft Is a Marvel of Electronic Warfare
The Boeing EA-18G Growler is not the average warplane. While most military aircraft were built to attack enemies physically, the Growler was created for a very different kind of warfare.
Oct 12, 2015•2 min
What's This Moschino Collection Worth?
Doris knows her trove of Moschino pieces is special. But how special? Celebrated designer and Moschino creative director Jeremy Scott gives his take.
Oct 12, 2015•4 min
How the U.S. Government Lost the Smithsonian Fortune
In 1829, an English scientist named James Smithson died and left his sizable gold fortune to the U.S. government to create an educational institution. They instead invested in Arkansas and Michigan state bonds.
Oct 05, 2015•3 min
An Intense Blackhawk Rescue Mission in Peril
During this Blackhawk crew's first attempt at rescuing a critically wounded soldier in Afghanistan, the aircraft quickly becomes a target. With a life on the line, the crew thinks of another strategy to bring the wounded soldier to safety.
Oct 05, 2015•2 min
This Is How a No-Fly Zone Actually Gets Enforced
In March 2011, the United States implemented a no-fly zone over Libya. To do so, they turned to the Boeing EA-18G Growler to disable enemy radars.
Sep 28, 2015•3 min
The Shocking Events Leading Up to Lincoln's Assassination
John Wilkes Booth hated Abraham Lincoln due to his stance on slavery. Ironically, Booth's fiancee, Lucy Hale, was the daughter of a high-profile abolitionist senator.
Sep 28, 2015•2 min
The Mystery Behind Pilot Steve Fossett's Deadly Crash
When famous pilot Steve Fossett crashed into a mountain, it appeared he'd lost control of his plane. One team of scientists set out to test that theory in a cutting-edge wind tunnel facility.
Sep 21, 2015•3 min
Could Bigfoot Actually Be a Grizzly Bear?
Hundreds of supposed Bigfoot footprints uncovered in the Pacific Northwest have been used as proof of the mythical creature's existence. That habitat is also shared by many bears.
Sep 14, 2015•3 min
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