Why Humans Still Can't Live on Mars (Yet)
Mars is calling. Will we stick with robots or ship off the humans?
Mar 28, 2017•1 min
Smithsonian Channel Pick of the Week
The latest in science, culture, and history from Smithsonian Channel.
Last refreshed: ⓘ
Follow this podcast in the Metacast mobile app to refresh it and see new episodes.
Podcasts are better in Metacast mobile app
Don't just listen to podcasts. Learn from them with transcripts, summaries, and chapters for every episode. Skim, search, and bookmark insights. Learn more
Episodes
How Vampire Bats Suck Blood for 30 Minutes Unnoticed
Thanks to a local anesthetic in their spit, vampire bats are able to drink blood from their prey without being detected. That way, they can feed undisturbed for up to a half hour at a time.
Mar 27, 2017•2 min
Incredible: This Underwater Spider Has an Actual Scuba Tank
The scuba spider is the only arachnid to live exclusively underwater, despite lacking gills. Its secret, like its name suggests, is a makeshift oxygen supply.
Mar 20, 2017•1 min
Was This Hidden Tunnel Used by the Knights Templar?
It's unclear if the Knights Templar created the secret tunnel in Acre, Israel, as an escape route or a way to secretly export valuable items. One thing is certain: It's a remarkable showcase of their engineering.
Mar 20, 2017•1 min
The Vital Message Hank Aaron Took from Jackie Robinson
It's unlikely that Hank Aaron would have achieved his baseball milestones were it not for one trailblazing pioneer who led the way: Jackie Robinson. Here, the baseball legend himself talks about Robinson's influence.
Mar 13, 2017•4 min
The First Female Accordion Player to Win the Vallenato Kings Festival
Young accordion phenom Yeime Arrieta Ramos is the first female accordion player to ever win the Vallenato Kings Festival.
Mar 13, 2017•6 min
What David Hockney's Brilliant Collages Reveal About Photos
David Hockney considered photography a lifeless medium--at least compared to a drawing or painting. But a photographic experiment yielded a completely unexpected, and transformative, result.
Mar 06, 2017•2 min
How Wallis Simpson Infiltrated British Royalty
There aren't many rumors that American socialite Wallis Simpson hasn't been subjected to. So here's how she actually infiltrated the British monarchy.
Feb 20, 2017•4 min
A Lucky Break for a Starving Polar Bear Mom and Her Cub
Near Churchill, Manitoba, a polar bear mom and her cub stumble across a fish carcass washed up on the shore. After a long migration across the wilderness with very little food, this feels like a feast.
Feb 13, 2017•2 min
The Ultimate Rococo Monument: Dolmabahce Palace
The Dolmabahce Palace is the ultimate Rococo monument, flaunting the power of the Ottoman Empire. But lavish ornamentation comes at a high cost: the structure propelled the administration toward financial collapse.
Feb 13, 2017•1 min
Spectacular Footage of a Butterfly Leaving Its Cocoon
The transition from caterpillar to butterfly is a process that consists of four stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. Observe one caterpillar as it developments into a gorgeous winged insect.
Feb 06, 2017•5 min
An Angry Hippo Charges a Trespassing Lion
A lion ventures into an area of the river that's part of a hippo bull's territory. The enraged hippo wastes no time in asserting his dominance.
Jan 30, 2017•2 min
The Nazi Engineer Who Created the First Ballistic Missile
Wernher Von Braun became interested in space flight from an early age. This passion would lead him to become a key figure in the development of one of the Nazi's most devastating weapon: the V2 rocket.
Jan 30, 2017•2 min
Hippo Climbs Down a Steep Cliff...With Difficulty
A 15-foot male hippo carefully negotiates his enormous body down a sheer cliff. It's the shortest and most direct route to the water--and he's not one to back down from a challenge.
Jan 23, 2017•2 min
Yes, Spiders Eat Spiders
Portia spiders, known for their remarkable intelligence, have some of the most astonishing hunting skills in the arthropod community. That community also happens to be their prey.
Jan 16, 2017•5 min
The Typos on This Dead Sea Scroll Don't Mean It's Fake
When the Dead Sea copper scroll was unveiled, doubts were quickly raised about its authenticity. For one thing, it was riddled with spelling errors.
Jan 09, 2017•2 min
Why Tomb Raiders Treated This Priceless Gem Like Trash
Why would grave robbers break into the King of Xuzhou's tomb and leave its most priceless jade treasure behind? The answer may lie in the precious stone's status as currency in ancient China.
Jan 09, 2017•2 min
How Easy Company Incredibly Captured Two German Howitzers
During the D-Day invasion, Easy Company took a beating as they moved in on two German howitzers threatening advancing U.S. troops. How they rebounded to capture them is legendary.
Dec 19, 2016•3 min
A Hungry Snake Finds a Whole Colony of Sociable Weavers
Nesting in close proximity to each other has a lot of advantages for sociable weavers. But if a predator like this venomous boomslang discovers the nests, he can wipe out the entire colony's brood in hours.
Dec 19, 2016•2 min
What Being in a Submarine Under Attack Would Be Like
To evade a Japanese destroyer, the USS Tang goes into a sudden dive in shallow waters. As the depth charges explode around them, the crew know full well their chances of survival are slim.
Dec 12, 2016•4 min
Were the Women of Petra More Important Than Men?
The Nabataeans worshipped powerful female deities and built lavish shrines in their honor. Could this religious order be a clue into the elevated status of women in Petra?
Dec 05, 2016•3 min
Star Trek's Nichelle Nichols on Uhura's Radical Impact
Star Trek's decision to cast Nichelle Nichols, an African American woman, as major character on the show was an almost unheard-of move in 1968. But for black women all over the country, it redefined the notions of what was possible.
Dec 05, 2016•4 min
This Paratrooper's Jump Into Enemy Territory Was a Disaster
For Easy Company paratrooper Buck Compton, the mission into occupied Normandy started off disastrously. It was his first ever combat jump and he'd lost his equipment bag on the way down, all with thousands of German bullets whizzing by.
Nov 28, 2016•4 min
Two Giant Killer Hornet Colonies Fight to the Death
A giant killer hornet war is waged between two colonies, and the resources, territories, and survival of a new generation are at stake. Watch the battle unfold as these huge hornets risk their lives for their kingdoms.
Nov 28, 2016•3 min
How the Thinnest Burmese Gold Leaf Is Made
In Burma, goldworking skills have been passed down over generations. Here's a look at the painstaking process required to produce the fine gold leaf that's sold near temples for devotional gilding.
Nov 21, 2016•2 min
What Gladiator School Was Like
It's uncertain whether gladiator school was run like a prison or was completely voluntary. However, a reasonable amount of comfort was provided alongside strict training. Spectators wanted to see muscular men, which required a healthy diet and constant exercise.
Nov 21, 2016•2 min
Could You Carry 100 Pounds of Patrol Gear?
Vietnam War infantry soldiers had to carry 80-100 lbs. of gear amid hot, humid, and dangerous surroundings. 'The Weapon Hunter' host Paul Shull gets a taste of that grueling experience.
Nov 14, 2016•2 min
Did Atlantis Really Have Indoor Plumbing?
In 1967, archeologists discovered Akrotiri, an ancient city buried beneath Santorini. It may be the missing city of Atlantis, as well as the origin of the modern toilet.
Nov 14, 2016•4 min
Mary Beard on Pompeii's Showiest Family
The Valentes were a wealthy family in Pompeii that used lavish, high-end parties to gain political clout. Classicist Mary Beard walks us through the remains of their opulent home and imagines what an evening in their company would be like.
Nov 07, 2016•3 min
What Really Happened to Wilt Chamberlain's 100-Point Ball?
An NBA expert has interviewed over 150 people in a quest to track down the ball used in Wilt Chamberlain's 1962 100-point game. But his findings only produce more questions.
Oct 31, 2016•3 min
For the best experience, listen in Metacast app for iOS or Android