Smithsonian Channel

Discover why the desire to capture Nazi weapon technology turns the U.S. and USSR from WW II allies into Cold War enemies; look at how the superpowers try to gain an Arctic foothold, from guerrilla warfare to intelligence schemes to nuclear arms.

An inside look at the Panavia Tornado's evolution from a Cold War low-level bomber to a high-level fighter-interceptor.

First-hand accounts, recreations and expert interviews of the battle of Dunkirk, and how soldiers were trapped on the French beach by German forces.

By the spring of 1945, the United States begins to take back the Philippines; on Borneo, the Australians invade Labuan; when the United States invades Okinawa, Japan makes a strong stand and launches the biggest kamikaze attacks of the war.

The Nazis appeared to work together from a distance, but behind the scenes it was different with nepotism, corruption and fear running rampant.

Discover the German submarines that caused havoc in the American desert, the playboy pilot they couldn't cage, and the young lovers whose escape defied all odds.

By the spring of 1945, the United States begins to take back the Philippines; on Borneo, the Australians invade Labuan; when the United States invades Okinawa, Japan makes a strong stand and launches the biggest kamikaze attacks of the war.

The Nazis appeared to work together from a distance, but behind the scenes it was different with nepotism, corruption and fear running rampant.

Discover the German submarines that caused havoc in the American desert, the playboy pilot they couldn't cage, and the young lovers whose escape defied all odds.

By the spring of 1945, the United States begins to take back the Philippines; on Borneo, the Australians invade Labuan; when the United States invades Okinawa, Japan makes a strong stand and launches the biggest kamikaze attacks of the war.

The Nazis appeared to work together from a distance, but behind the scenes it was different with nepotism, corruption and fear running rampant.

Discover the German submarines that caused havoc in the American desert, the playboy pilot they couldn't cage, and the young lovers whose escape defied all odds.

By the spring of 1945, the United States begins to take back the Philippines; on Borneo, the Australians invade Labuan; when the United States invades Okinawa, Japan makes a strong stand and launches the biggest kamikaze attacks of the war.

Bill Nighy narrates a trip along the River Po, traveling across northern Italy from the snow-capped Alps to the delta where it meets the Adriatic Sea.

Take a deep dive into watery enigmas; glide over a sunken Italian city; a unique underwater cemetery in the Florida Keys; a yellow brick road to nowhere in the depths of the North Pacific; puzzling rocky constructions off the coast of Australia.

Salvage crews work to install the world's largest environmental protection barrier; flying into a highly volatile region, crews battle pirates, tornadoes, and riots to salvage a wrecked cargo ship.

Bill Nighy narrates a trip along the River Po, traveling across northern Italy from the snow-capped Alps to the delta where it meets the Adriatic Sea.

Take a deep dive into watery enigmas; glide over a sunken Italian city; a unique underwater cemetery in the Florida Keys; a yellow brick road to nowhere in the depths of the North Pacific; puzzling rocky constructions off the coast of Australia.

Salvage crews work to install the world's largest environmental protection barrier; flying into a highly volatile region, crews battle pirates, tornadoes, and riots to salvage a wrecked cargo ship.

Part 2/6. Uncover the secrets of the Old Kingdom ruler who revolutionized architecture alongside his vizier, Imhotep; piece together the mysterious life of the very first king to build a step pyramid in the heart of a grandiose and complex burial site.

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

Delve into the history of the Fourth Dynasty monarch responsible for one of the great pyramids; examine the tyrannical reputation of this ancient leader and decipher the complex strategies he used to guide such a massive building project.

Part 5/6. Chart the turbulent reign of a brilliant strategist who allied herself with powerful Roman leaders in the hopes of saving her kingdom; examine the battle against Octavian that ended three millennia of Egyptian history and sealed Cleopatra's fate.

Part 6/6. Unearth the dramatic final days of the Twentieth Dynasty's great warrior king, Ramses III; view a rare judicial papyrus that recounts the story of an assassination plot hatched in the royal harem; see what the monarch's mummy reveals today.

By the spring of 1945, the United States begins to take back the Philippines; on Borneo, the Australians invade Labuan; when the United States invades Okinawa, Japan makes a strong stand and launches the biggest kamikaze attacks of the war.

The Nazis appeared to work together from a distance, but behind the scenes it was different with nepotism, corruption and fear running rampant.

Take a look at some of the escapes that took place during World War II.

In Chicago, twin concrete towers push the limits of high-rise design. Engineers conquer the sea to unite Sweden and Denmark. And in Sydney, Norman Foster and team take on the challenge of a new metro station that can't disrupt the busy streets above.

Diving into retrofits on the world's only underwater habitat, where NASA astronauts train for space missions; Mike joins a crack repair team who breathe new life into this oceanic environment after a global pandemic shut it down.

Venturing into the deep waters of the Caribbean Sea for high stakes repairs on one of the one of the world's largest open ocean fish farm operations.

In Chicago, twin concrete towers push the limits of high-rise design. Engineers conquer the sea to unite Sweden and Denmark. And in Sydney, Norman Foster and team take on the challenge of a new metro station that can't disrupt the busy streets above.

Diving into retrofits on the world's only underwater habitat, where NASA astronauts train for space missions; Mike joins a crack repair team who breathe new life into this oceanic environment after a global pandemic shut it down.

Venturing into the deep waters of the Caribbean Sea for high stakes repairs on one of the one of the world's largest open ocean fish farm operations.

In Chicago, twin concrete towers push the limits of high-rise design. Engineers conquer the sea to unite Sweden and Denmark. And in Sydney, Norman Foster and team take on the challenge of a new metro station that can't disrupt the busy streets above.

Diving into retrofits on the world's only underwater habitat, where NASA astronauts train for space missions; Mike joins a crack repair team who breathe new life into this oceanic environment after a global pandemic shut it down.

Venturing into the deep waters of the Caribbean Sea for high stakes repairs on one of the one of the world's largest open ocean fish farm operations.

In Chicago, twin concrete towers push the limits of high-rise design. Engineers conquer the sea to unite Sweden and Denmark. And in Sydney, Norman Foster and team take on the challenge of a new metro station that can't disrupt the busy streets above.

Bill Nighy leads a magical journey in the Norfolk Broads along England's holiday river, the River Bure; discovering a watery world where both wildlife and recreation go hand in hand.

Psychedelic swirls in the Utah wastelands; a bizarre configuration of circles in the Sahara; hidden lines with the help of a drone; a remote polka-dot lake in Canada.

In rough water, salvors scramble to retrieve a cruise ship's anchor lost at sea; teams hope to salvage cherished floating homes damaged by hurricane Sandy.

Bill Nighy leads a magical journey in the Norfolk Broads along England's holiday river, the River Bure; discovering a watery world where both wildlife and recreation go hand in hand.

Psychedelic swirls in the Utah wastelands; a bizarre configuration of circles in the Sahara; hidden lines with the help of a drone; a remote polka-dot lake in Canada.

In rough water, salvors scramble to retrieve a cruise ship's anchor lost at sea; teams hope to salvage cherished floating homes damaged by hurricane Sandy.

Visiting the Vancouver House, Norway's Under restaurant and the Seattle Central Library to discover how these visionary buildings were created.

Mike Davidson embarks with the team to one of the most extreme, avalanche-prone ski mountains in the world: Snowbird; they battle to keep the steep and deep slopes safe with shovels, snowcats and even a WWII Howitzer.

In Chicago, twin concrete towers push the limits of high-rise design. Engineers conquer the sea to unite Sweden and Denmark. And in Sydney, Norman Foster and team take on the challenge of a new metro station that can't disrupt the busy streets above.

Diving into retrofits on the world's only underwater habitat, where NASA astronauts train for space missions; Mike joins a crack repair team who breathe new life into this oceanic environment after a global pandemic shut it down.

Venturing into the deep waters of the Caribbean Sea for high stakes repairs on one of the one of the world's largest open ocean fish farm operations.

In Chicago, twin concrete towers push the limits of high-rise design. Engineers conquer the sea to unite Sweden and Denmark. And in Sydney, Norman Foster and team take on the challenge of a new metro station that can't disrupt the busy streets above.

Diving into retrofits on the world's only underwater habitat, where NASA astronauts train for space missions; Mike joins a crack repair team who breathe new life into this oceanic environment after a global pandemic shut it down.

Venturing into the deep waters of the Caribbean Sea for high stakes repairs on one of the one of the world's largest open ocean fish farm operations.

The Hawker Harrier flies as fast as a jet and hovers like a helicopter; uncover the groundbreaking technology behind this unique ability and how the Harrier became crucial for Britain in the Falklands War.

Customs agents intercept a grenade launcher smuggled into the U.S.; a blizzard threatens to cut off a remote island airport; warm winter weather turns a village runway to mud.

In Mexico's North, ancient runners defy impossible distances and living fossils reveal Earth's secrets; from Monterrey's industrial city to Guanajuato's revolutionary past, discover how mighty mountains forge unbreakable spirit.

The Hawker Harrier flies as fast as a jet and hovers like a helicopter; uncover the groundbreaking technology behind this unique ability and how the Harrier became crucial for Britain in the Falklands War.

Customs agents intercept a grenade launcher smuggled into the U.S.; a blizzard threatens to cut off a remote island airport; warm winter weather turns a village runway to mud.

In Mexico's North, ancient runners defy impossible distances and living fossils reveal Earth's secrets; from Monterrey's industrial city to Guanajuato's revolutionary past, discover how mighty mountains forge unbreakable spirit.

The Hawker Harrier flies as fast as a jet and hovers like a helicopter; uncover the groundbreaking technology behind this unique ability and how the Harrier became crucial for Britain in the Falklands War.

Customs agents intercept a grenade launcher smuggled into the U.S.; a blizzard threatens to cut off a remote island airport; warm winter weather turns a village runway to mud.

Visiting the Vancouver House, Norway's Under restaurant and the Seattle Central Library to discover how these visionary buildings were created.

Mike Davidson embarks with the team to one of the most extreme, avalanche-prone ski mountains in the world: Snowbird; they battle to keep the steep and deep slopes safe with shovels, snowcats and even a WWII Howitzer.

Traveling the Dordogne River via traditional boats through the green heart of southwest France; drinking wine and hunting for truffles; riding a luxury cruiser to a lighthouse built for a king.

Learning why an important urban center is sinking toward oblivion; soaring over sprawling ruins buried under Saharan sands; learning the modern secret of an ancient fortress; eyeing a ghost town on the edge of the Gobi.

Crews work around the clock to build the world's largest underwater concrete bed to salvage the Costa Concordia; operating in secrecy, teams work under high security to repair one of the world's most iconic cruise liners.

Traveling the Dordogne River via traditional boats through the green heart of southwest France; drinking wine and hunting for truffles; riding a luxury cruiser to a lighthouse built for a king.

Learning why an important urban center is sinking toward oblivion; soaring over sprawling ruins buried under Saharan sands; learning the modern secret of an ancient fortress; eyeing a ghost town on the edge of the Gobi.

Crews work around the clock to build the world's largest underwater concrete bed to salvage the Costa Concordia; operating in secrecy, teams work under high security to repair one of the world's most iconic cruise liners.

The engineering secrets behind the world's steepest mountain railway, a remodeled 145-year-old museum and a futuristic condo.

Mike Davidson goes to the biggest automated package sorting facility in the world, UPS Worldport in Louisville, Kentucky; two million packages go through here every day.

The Hawker Harrier flies as fast as a jet and hovers like a helicopter; uncover the groundbreaking technology behind this unique ability and how the Harrier became crucial for Britain in the Falklands War.

Customs agents intercept a grenade launcher smuggled into the U.S.; a blizzard threatens to cut off a remote island airport; warm winter weather turns a village runway to mud.

In Mexico's North, ancient runners defy impossible distances and living fossils reveal Earth's secrets; from Monterrey's industrial city to Guanajuato's revolutionary past, discover how mighty mountains forge unbreakable spirit.

The Hawker Harrier flies as fast as a jet and hovers like a helicopter; uncover the groundbreaking technology behind this unique ability and how the Harrier became crucial for Britain in the Falklands War.

Customs agents intercept a grenade launcher smuggled into the U.S.; a blizzard threatens to cut off a remote island airport; warm winter weather turns a village runway to mud.

In Mexico's North, ancient runners defy impossible distances and living fossils reveal Earth's secrets; from Monterrey's industrial city to Guanajuato's revolutionary past, discover how mighty mountains forge unbreakable spirit.

A look at the U.S. clandestine intelligence team of the 1980s called FOG (Field Operations Group) and how it paved the way for today's special ops forces.

In less than 200 years, the Aztecs rose from nomadic origins to build the powerful empire of Tenochtitlan. Combining archaeology and stunning 3D reconstructions, this series reveals the rise and fall of a remarkable civilization.

Dictators are characterized as charismatic, narcissistic and sadistic, but most of all by their thirst for power; once in power, holding on to it requires negotiation, coercion and force.

A look at the U.S. clandestine intelligence team of the 1980s called FOG (Field Operations Group) and how it paved the way for today's special ops forces.

In less than 200 years, the Aztecs rose from nomadic origins to build the powerful empire of Tenochtitlan. Combining archaeology and stunning 3D reconstructions, this series reveals the rise and fall of a remarkable civilization.

Dictators are characterized as charismatic, narcissistic and sadistic, but most of all by their thirst for power; once in power, holding on to it requires negotiation, coercion and force.

A look at the U.S. clandestine intelligence team of the 1980s called FOG (Field Operations Group) and how it paved the way for today's special ops forces.

In less than 200 years, the Aztecs rose from nomadic origins to build the powerful empire of Tenochtitlan. Combining archaeology and stunning 3D reconstructions, this series reveals the rise and fall of a remarkable civilization.

The engineering secrets behind the world's steepest mountain railway, a remodeled 145-year-old museum and a futuristic condo.

Mike Davidson goes to the biggest automated package sorting facility in the world, UPS Worldport in Louisville, Kentucky; two million packages go through here every day.

Rumoured to be the cleanest river in Europe, few dispute it's the coldest; cascading down from the Dinaric Alps in Serbia, it soon crosses the border into Bosnia-Herzegovina, where marine biologist and fisherman Sanel Riđanović casts for salmon.

Get petrified by cryptic rock structures normally hidden from view; look inside curious dwellings in the Peruvian Andes; visit a sacred monolith in Wyoming's Black Hills; haunt a Turkish stone village; spot an immovable waterfall in Mexico.

Salvaging a 50-foot motor yacht in Islamorada, Fla.; a 44-foot launch hung up on a dam on the Mississippi River; repairing a major storm gate in the British Isles.

Rumoured to be the cleanest river in Europe, few dispute it's the coldest; cascading down from the Dinaric Alps in Serbia, it soon crosses the border into Bosnia-Herzegovina, where marine biologist and fisherman Sanel Riđanović casts for salmon.

Get petrified by cryptic rock structures normally hidden from view; look inside curious dwellings in the Peruvian Andes; visit a sacred monolith in Wyoming's Black Hills; haunt a Turkish stone village; spot an immovable waterfall in Mexico.

Salvaging a 50-foot motor yacht in Islamorada, Fla.; a 44-foot launch hung up on a dam on the Mississippi River; repairing a major storm gate in the British Isles.

Visiting London's Gherkin, Seattle's Evergreen Point Floating Bridge and Lyon's Musée des Confluences to uncover how and why they were built.

In Philadelphia, Mike is on streets, in tunnels, on tracks and in trolley restoration garages; he is working shoulder-to-shoulder with the team that keeps one of America's largest and oldest mass transit systems running smoothly and on time.

A look at the U.S. clandestine intelligence team of the 1980s called FOG (Field Operations Group) and how it paved the way for today's special ops forces.

In less than 200 years, the Aztecs rose from nomadic origins to build the powerful empire of Tenochtitlan. Combining archaeology and stunning 3D reconstructions, this series reveals the rise and fall of a remarkable civilization.

Dictators are characterized as charismatic, narcissistic and sadistic, but most of all by their thirst for power; once in power, holding on to it requires negotiation, coercion and force.

A look at the U.S. clandestine intelligence team of the 1980s called FOG (Field Operations Group) and how it paved the way for today's special ops forces.

In less than 200 years, the Aztecs rose from nomadic origins to build the powerful empire of Tenochtitlan. Combining archaeology and stunning 3D reconstructions, this series reveals the rise and fall of a remarkable civilization.

Dictators are characterized as charismatic, narcissistic and sadistic, but most of all by their thirst for power; once in power, holding on to it requires negotiation, coercion and force.

Mummy expert Ramy Romany investigates a mysterious underwater grave believed to be guarded by a Mayan serpent deity; when Ramy dives in, he uncovers evidence of biological warfare.

The remains of Tutankhamun's parents.

Mummy expert Ramy Romany investigates a mysterious underwater grave believed to be guarded by a Mayan serpent deity; when Ramy dives in, he uncovers evidence of biological warfare.

The remains of Tutankhamun's parents.