Apollo 13's Intense Comms Blackout
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.
Sep 09, 2019•4 min
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Episodes
How Fast Can Gibbons Swing Through the Forest?
Gibbons are incredible tree swingers, thanks to their long forearms, mobile joints and wrists that enhance fluid movement.
Sep 09, 2019•3 min
A Moon Sample Reveals a Surprising Link to Earth
‘Big Bertha’ was one of the moon rocks brought back by the Apollo 14 crew for geological analysis. What it revealed stunned scientists.
Sep 02, 2019•2 min
Rainy Season Gives Baby Orangutans Their Own Waterpark
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.
Sep 02, 2019•3 min
How Neil Armstrong Trained to Land the Lunar Module
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.
Aug 26, 2019•2 min
Meet Alba, Borneo's Only Albino Orangutan
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.
Aug 26, 2019•35 sec
Why Plague Doctors Wore Strange Masks
It’s the beak that lends the attire of the medieval plague doctor its surreal quality, but it wasn’t there just to scare.
Aug 12, 2019•3 min
The Secret to this Spanish Train’s Powerful Performance
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.
Aug 12, 2019•2 min
Sneaky Raccoon Dog Steals a Bird Egg
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.
Aug 05, 2019•3 min
People Believe in Witchcraft in this Corner of England
Do you believe in witches? For the good people of Long Compton, it’s part of a longstanding tradition – one that, as recently as 1875, cost a woman named Ann Tennant her life.
Aug 05, 2019•3 min
Are Dogs Really More Intelligent Than Cats?
Most canines, including these adorable wolf pups, are social animals with brains that have evolved for that purpose. This is why dogs are, on the whole, smarter than some solitary animals.
Jul 29, 2019•3 min
Incredible African Rock Pythons Hatching
After they hatch, young rock pythons have just a few weeks to leave their nest. After that, they must wait to shed their skin before pursuing their first kill.
Jul 29, 2019•3 min
5 Kitchen Objects Inspired by NASA
Did you know that some of the technologies we take for granted in our kitchens were actually developed by NASA? Here are five of the best, from water filters to freeze-dried food.
Jul 22, 2019•2 min
This Arabian Dog is Fast Enough to Catch a Gazelle
Saluki are a breed of desert dog famed for their speed. In the old days, Bedouins relied on them to hunt for gazelle – today, they are more likely to race for sport.
Jul 22, 2019•3 min
The Stunning Filming location of "The Horse Whisperer"
The Horse Whisperer, shot in Montana and starring Robert Redford, tells the story of a troubled family, a troubled horse, and the horse whisperer who brings them together.
Jul 15, 2019•2 min
Why Sand is the Secret Sauce for These Ecuadorian Trains
Tren Crucero trains rely on sand to go up and down steep inclines: on the way up, sand helps provide the wheels with traction on the steel tracks, while during a descent, it aids the electric braking system.
Jul 15, 2019•58 sec
A Hungry Bird Brutally Separates a Bee From Its Stinger
Carmine bee-eaters use their long slender bill to pluck bees out of the air. Then, to neutralize their dangerous sting, they’ll smash the bee against the ground, several times.
Jul 15, 2019•2 min
This New Zealand Train Line is a Panoramic Marvel
If you’re looking for the ideal vantage point to the stunning viaducts and landscapes of the Tongariro National Park in New Zealand, you have only have one option: the miraculous North Island Main Trunk Line.
Jul 08, 2019•2 min
How Giraffe Spots Act Like a Natural Air Conditioner
The dark patches on a giraffe’s skin have more blood vessels than the light skin. This can help heat dissipate, allowing them to stay cool.
Jul 08, 2019•2 min
Why the Apollo 11 Crew Was Quarantined Upon Return
The crew of Apollo 11 had made history by landing on the moon and coming back to Earth in one piece. But before the celebrations could begin, they would have to spend some time in quarantine.
Jul 01, 2019•3 min
Did a Porcupine Kill This Young Lion?
Who or what killed this yearling lion? The range of possibilities run from a run-in with a porcupine to a fatal encounter with another adult lion – or was there another explanation?
Jul 01, 2019•2 min
Surreal Footage of British Life Under Nazi Occupation
It’s 1941 and the Nazis are in full control of the British island of Alderney. They begin to construct fortifications to protect their grip on the Channel Islands – often with slave labor.
Jun 24, 2019•3 min
The Best Time for a Male Vervet to Join a Troop
A new male has picked the wrong time to join a local troop of vervet monkeys. He’s hoping to be accepted within their ranks – but it’s up to the alpha to make the final call.
Jun 17, 2019•2 min
These Chicks Have to get Past a Beach of Hostile Seals
A group of common murre chicks on Tyuleny Island, each around three weeks old, must navigate a dangerous obstacle to reach the sea: a beach packed with hostile fur seals, each one at least 40 times heavier than they are.
Jun 10, 2019•3 min
This State-of-the-Art Aircraft Carrier Relies on Old Technology
The USS Vinson is one of the most advanced and sophisticated aircraft carriers around. Yet some of its key functions are powered by a 300-year old technology: steam.
Jun 03, 2019•4 min
The Tragic Side Effects of a Baboon Leadership Battle
Leadership challenges in baboon troops are between the alpha male and a rival outsider. But tragically, some of the younger troop members can end up as collateral damage.
Jun 03, 2019•2 min
These British Fighter Planes Ruled the Skies of Dunkirk
It’s May 1940, and high above the skies of Dunkirk, a squadron of Spitfires is desperately trying to hold off as many German Messerschmitt as they can. The lives of 300,000 British troops depend on it.
May 27, 2019•4 min
This Unpleasant Royal Job Came with a Fancy Title
It may sound like an auspicious title; but the ‘groom of the stool’ was anything but. Simply put, it was a role that entailed monitoring and assisting with Henry VIII’s bowel movements.
May 20, 2019•2 min
This Magical Train Ride Was Used in a Harry Potter Film
Just a few miles from Ben Nevis mountain is the start of one of the most breathtaking train journeys in the world – so spectacular, in fact, that it was adapted by the Harry Potter movies as the Hogwarts Express.
May 20, 2019•2 min
Was This Beloved Queen of Britain a Drug User?
We have this image of Queen Victoria as a highly proper, disciplined monarch. But the Queen was also someone who liked to get high: from opium tinctures to chewing gum laced with cocaine.
May 13, 2019•2 min
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