Smithsonian Channel

A look at Naval warfare's fastest combat ships and how the advantage of speed determined the outcome of some of the great seas battles of the last 150 years.

Dictators often attempt to expand their jurisdiction beyond the borders of their country; this usually means armed invasion and the death of large numbers of soldiers and civilians.

A 1.2-million-square-foot office building balances precariously on a 39-foot wide base in Chicago; a building named Pterodactyl lands on top of a Los Angeles parking garage; the world's longest suspension footbridge.

Takes a look inside the Pyramid of Menkaure and its unfinished bicolor monument, including a chamber made entirely of graphite and a sarcophagus buried at sea.

Ramesses II reigns for 66 years and builds monuments and temples.

A 1.2-million-square-foot office building balances precariously on a 39-foot wide base in Chicago; a building named Pterodactyl lands on top of a Los Angeles parking garage; the world's longest suspension footbridge.

Takes a look inside the Pyramid of Menkaure and its unfinished bicolor monument, including a chamber made entirely of graphite and a sarcophagus buried at sea.

Ramesses II reigns for 66 years and builds monuments and temples.

A 1.2-million-square-foot office building balances precariously on a 39-foot wide base in Chicago; a building named Pterodactyl lands on top of a Los Angeles parking garage; the world's longest suspension footbridge.

Takes a look inside the Pyramid of Menkaure and its unfinished bicolor monument, including a chamber made entirely of graphite and a sarcophagus buried at sea.

Mike in northeastern Australia, goes on and under the water, into labs and onto construction projects working with specialized teams; they tackle the challenge of saving dying coral on the Great Barrier Reef.

Mike joins crews as they build the world's longest railway tunnel in the Alps, fixing gridlock through the infamous Brenner Pass by drilling, blasting and digging their way through the mountains.

The journey down the attraction-packed Niagara River is filled with adventure and beauty; navigating the fascinating history and engineering of this border river between Canada and the United States, arriving at the world-famous Niagara Falls.

Dive into the historical and natural secrets of the deep; explore an uninhabited concrete island, ocean spirals off the Australian coast, underwater evidence of a violent past and tracks thousands of metres below the sea's surface.

Chris Ward sets out with Josh Moreira and Ward's younger brother to salvage a light aircraft that's sitting on the seabed; Jeremy Birch braves the arctic conditions to salvage two vessels that have fallen prey to the crushing ice conditions.

The journey down the attraction-packed Niagara River is filled with adventure and beauty; navigating the fascinating history and engineering of this border river between Canada and the United States, arriving at the world-famous Niagara Falls.

Dive into the historical and natural secrets of the deep; explore an uninhabited concrete island, ocean spirals off the Australian coast, underwater evidence of a violent past and tracks thousands of metres below the sea's surface.

Chris Ward sets out with Josh Moreira and Ward's younger brother to salvage a light aircraft that's sitting on the seabed; Jeremy Birch braves the arctic conditions to salvage two vessels that have fallen prey to the crushing ice conditions.

Mike works with repair and construction teams at Dreamworld, Australia's largest theme park, after a cyclone caused $4M in damage; they fix scream machines and finish a $50M expansion featuring the world's first triple switch rollercoaster.

Mike works with the Army Corps of Engineers on a massive project to restore essential flow of fresh water to the Florida Everglades. He also joins scientists, python hunters and the Miccosukee Tribe to eliminate invasive species.

A 1.2-million-square-foot office building balances precariously on a 39-foot wide base in Chicago; a building named Pterodactyl lands on top of a Los Angeles parking garage; the world's longest suspension footbridge.

Takes a look inside the Pyramid of Menkaure and its unfinished bicolor monument, including a chamber made entirely of graphite and a sarcophagus buried at sea.

Ramesses II reigns for 66 years and builds monuments and temples.

A 1.2-million-square-foot office building balances precariously on a 39-foot wide base in Chicago; a building named Pterodactyl lands on top of a Los Angeles parking garage; the world's longest suspension footbridge.

Takes a look inside the Pyramid of Menkaure and its unfinished bicolor monument, including a chamber made entirely of graphite and a sarcophagus buried at sea.

Ramesses II reigns for 66 years and builds monuments and temples.

Dive beneath the Bay of Naples to explore Baiae, a submerged playground of the Roman elite; see high-resolution sonar expose sunken imperial villas and ornate baths, revealing a city of scandal and luxury that was engulfed by volcanic fury.

Explore three discoveries that change what we know about magic and superstition; delve into a Polish vampire grave, open a UK witch bottle used to ward off evil, and see if alien-like skulls in Mexico were shaped by humans or otherworldly beings.

Unravel the mysterious decline of Angkor, the Khmer capital that was a marvel of urban engineering for 600 years. Hunt for secrets hidden in the mud that could explain how the population of this Cambodian imperial city vanished without a trace.

Dive beneath the Bay of Naples to explore Baiae, a submerged playground of the Roman elite; see high-resolution sonar expose sunken imperial villas and ornate baths, revealing a city of scandal and luxury that was engulfed by volcanic fury.

Explore three discoveries that change what we know about magic and superstition; delve into a Polish vampire grave, open a UK witch bottle used to ward off evil, and see if alien-like skulls in Mexico were shaped by humans or otherworldly beings.

Unravel the mysterious decline of Angkor, the Khmer capital that was a marvel of urban engineering for 600 years. Hunt for secrets hidden in the mud that could explain how the population of this Cambodian imperial city vanished without a trace.

Dive beneath the Bay of Naples to explore Baiae, a submerged playground of the Roman elite; see high-resolution sonar expose sunken imperial villas and ornate baths, revealing a city of scandal and luxury that was engulfed by volcanic fury.

Explore three discoveries that change what we know about magic and superstition; delve into a Polish vampire grave, open a UK witch bottle used to ward off evil, and see if alien-like skulls in Mexico were shaped by humans or otherworldly beings.

Mike works with repair and construction teams at Dreamworld, Australia's largest theme park, after a cyclone caused $4M in damage; they fix scream machines and finish a $50M expansion featuring the world's first triple switch rollercoaster.

Mike works with the Army Corps of Engineers on a massive project to restore essential flow of fresh water to the Florida Everglades. He also joins scientists, python hunters and the Miccosukee Tribe to eliminate invasive species.

A breathtaking journey down the German section of the beautiful Moselle river, famous for vineyards on its dramatically steep banks and remarkable meandering loops.

Traipsing along ancient pathways crisscrossing Easter Island; finding gigantic designs carved into Asia's Eastern Steppe; ascending a tall pyramid rising from Antarctica's icy landscape.

Bundles of cedar wood tree trunks are smashed apart, releasing thousands of logs on the shoreline; Jeremy and his crew must work fast to recover the cargo.

A breathtaking journey down the German section of the beautiful Moselle river, famous for vineyards on its dramatically steep banks and remarkable meandering loops.

Traipsing along ancient pathways crisscrossing Easter Island; finding gigantic designs carved into Asia's Eastern Steppe; ascending a tall pyramid rising from Antarctica's icy landscape.

Bundles of cedar wood tree trunks are smashed apart, releasing thousands of logs on the shoreline; Jeremy and his crew must work fast to recover the cargo.

At Monster Jam, custom-built monster trucks roll, flip, and fly through the air. With the metal-bending beating these trucks endure, teams of specialized mechanics race against the clock to repair these engineering marvels in time for the next event.

Mike is in Iceland, where teams harness the power of volcanos to keep the geothermal energy flowing; they battle harsh weather to maintain and upgrade giant power systems, fixing miles of steam pipes, and bringing a dead well back to life.

Dive beneath the Bay of Naples to explore Baiae, a submerged playground of the Roman elite; see high-resolution sonar expose sunken imperial villas and ornate baths, revealing a city of scandal and luxury that was engulfed by volcanic fury.

Explore three discoveries that change what we know about magic and superstition; delve into a Polish vampire grave, open a UK witch bottle used to ward off evil, and see if alien-like skulls in Mexico were shaped by humans or otherworldly beings.

Unravel the mysterious decline of Angkor, the Khmer capital that was a marvel of urban engineering for 600 years. Hunt for secrets hidden in the mud that could explain how the population of this Cambodian imperial city vanished without a trace.

Dive beneath the Bay of Naples to explore Baiae, a submerged playground of the Roman elite; see high-resolution sonar expose sunken imperial villas and ornate baths, revealing a city of scandal and luxury that was engulfed by volcanic fury.

Explore three discoveries that change what we know about magic and superstition; delve into a Polish vampire grave, open a UK witch bottle used to ward off evil, and see if alien-like skulls in Mexico were shaped by humans or otherworldly beings.

Unravel the mysterious decline of Angkor, the Khmer capital that was a marvel of urban engineering for 600 years. Hunt for secrets hidden in the mud that could explain how the population of this Cambodian imperial city vanished without a trace.

A look at the top U.S. military aircraft in America's modern arsenal, including the F-117 Nighthawk stealth fighter, the hybrid V-22 Osprey, and more.

Experience the tactical advantages of cutting-edge reconnaissance. Discover how orbital cameras revolutionized global intelligence, see how phone intercepts snared an infamous cartel boss, and study the precision of a modern hostage rescue at sea.

A look at the top U.S. military aircraft in America's modern arsenal, including the F-117 Nighthawk stealth fighter, the hybrid V-22 Osprey, and more.

Experience the tactical advantages of cutting-edge reconnaissance. Discover how orbital cameras revolutionized global intelligence, see how phone intercepts snared an infamous cartel boss, and study the precision of a modern hostage rescue at sea.

A look at the top U.S. military aircraft in America's modern arsenal, including the F-117 Nighthawk stealth fighter, the hybrid V-22 Osprey, and more.

At Monster Jam, custom-built monster trucks roll, flip, and fly through the air. With the metal-bending beating these trucks endure, teams of specialized mechanics race against the clock to repair these engineering marvels in time for the next event.

Mike is in Iceland, where teams harness the power of volcanos to keep the geothermal energy flowing; they battle harsh weather to maintain and upgrade giant power systems, fixing miles of steam pipes, and bringing a dead well back to life.

New York's Hudson River stretches 315 miles through natural landscapes, from the Adirondack Mountains to the George Washington Bridge and Statue of Liberty.

Exploring some of the most cavernous places on the planet, including an expansive Siberian crater with no explainable origin, Greenland's bizarre black holes, an ancient forbidden well in the Yemeni desert, and a voluminous void in Antarctica.

Arctic conditions continue to wreak havoc in British Columbia; Jeremy Birch is called upon to raise a concrete-hulled vessel.

New York's Hudson River stretches 315 miles through natural landscapes, from the Adirondack Mountains to the George Washington Bridge and Statue of Liberty.

Exploring some of the most cavernous places on the planet, including an expansive Siberian crater with no explainable origin, Greenland's bizarre black holes, an ancient forbidden well in the Yemeni desert, and a voluminous void in Antarctica.

A vehicle the size of a small car spent a year on Mars.

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In Florida, Mike tackles one of the dangerous jobs on the planet, commercial diving; he helps a specialized team keep waterways safe; fixing construction site leaks and removing dangerous structures, all while hurricane season is in full swing.

In the Alps of Switzerland, Mike helps an elite team install a new cable (rope) system on an iconic mountain gondola line, helps fix the world's steepest cogwheel railway track and explores mountaintop family farms only accessible.

Get to know the Supermarine Spitfire, which changed the fate of an entire nation in 1940; Explore this legendary fighter's superior engineering and see how its revolutionary elliptical wings helped it emerge victorious in the Battle of Britain.

A look at the top U.S. military aircraft in America's modern arsenal, including the F-117 Nighthawk stealth fighter, the hybrid V-22 Osprey, and more.

Experience the tactical advantages of cutting-edge reconnaissance. Discover how orbital cameras revolutionized global intelligence, see how phone intercepts snared an infamous cartel boss, and study the precision of a modern hostage rescue at sea.

Get to know the Supermarine Spitfire, which changed the fate of an entire nation in 1940; Explore this legendary fighter's superior engineering and see how its revolutionary elliptical wings helped it emerge victorious in the Battle of Britain.

A look at the top U.S. military aircraft in America's modern arsenal, including the F-117 Nighthawk stealth fighter, the hybrid V-22 Osprey, and more.

Experience the tactical advantages of cutting-edge reconnaissance. Discover how orbital cameras revolutionized global intelligence, see how phone intercepts snared an infamous cartel boss, and study the precision of a modern hostage rescue at sea.

A U.S. Parachute Infantry Regiment rushes to protect a critical bridge from a Nazi battle group during the opening days of the Battle of the Bulge.

A U.S. Parachute Infantry Regiment rushes to protect a critical bridge from a Nazi battle group during the opening days of the Battle of the Bulge.