Smithsonian Channel

The Airbus BelugaXL is a gravity-defying giant; its incredible engineering allows it to fly oversized cargo across Europe, and it remains one of the biggest aircraft in commercial service.

Bush aviators push the limit of their plane to deliver a two-ton generator; in Fairbanks, slippery runways threaten the International Ice Carving Championship and a high-tech airframe inspection on a Boeing 737 uncovers a potential issue.

A journey across Central Italy from the air reveals the ancient Rome, the bloody medieval battles of Tuscany and the colossal marble quarries of Carrara.

The discovery of a pre-Civil War cemetery of enslaved ironworkers provides new insights into the role African-Americans played in the Industrial Revolution.

Take a deeper look at the Aztec religion and ritual human sacrifice. Tap into the profound spiritual logic that led priests to offer blood and human hearts in exchange for protection from the gods, who could destroy the universe at any moment.

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.

The discovery of a pre-Civil War cemetery of enslaved ironworkers provides new insights into the role African-Americans played in the Industrial Revolution.

Take a deeper look at the Aztec religion and ritual human sacrifice. Tap into the profound spiritual logic that led priests to offer blood and human hearts in exchange for protection from the gods, who could destroy the universe at any moment.

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.

The discovery of a pre-Civil War cemetery of enslaved ironworkers provides new insights into the role African-Americans played in the Industrial Revolution.

Take a deeper look at the Aztec religion and ritual human sacrifice. Tap into the profound spiritual logic that led priests to offer blood and human hearts in exchange for protection from the gods, who could destroy the universe at any moment.

Exploring the engineering and architectural masterpieces like The Copper in Manhattan to Gardens By the Bay in Singapore.

With wildfire season ahead, Mike works with an aerial firefighting company as they fix and convert aircraft into firefighting machines, including the transformation of a 1960's C130 plane from aged military aircraft into a stateofthe art waterbomber.

A journey along Ireland's longest river, the Shannon, through an emerald green landscape of rolling hills and sparkling waters; how Vikings, monks and kings have all made their mark.

The view from above reveals baffling behavior from one of the ocean's fastest fish; whales with a strange, aquatic accessorizing habit; a confounding congregation of sharks down under; a perplexing collection of circles decorating the seabed.

Capt. John Ward and his crew are called to raise a sunken houseboat near Pensacola, Fla.; the owner of the boat wants it back, but the current occupiers of the boat living in it don't want John's services; there've been reports of gunfire too.

A journey along Ireland's longest river, the Shannon, through an emerald green landscape of rolling hills and sparkling waters; how Vikings, monks and kings have all made their mark.

The view from above reveals baffling behavior from one of the ocean's fastest fish; whales with a strange, aquatic accessorizing habit; a confounding congregation of sharks down under; a perplexing collection of circles decorating the seabed.

Capt. John Ward and his crew are called to raise a sunken houseboat near Pensacola, Fla.; the owner of the boat wants it back, but the current occupiers of the boat living in it don't want John's services; there've been reports of gunfire too.

Exploring the engineering and architectural masterpieces like The Copper in Manhattan to Gardens By the Bay in Singapore.

Mike works with the U.S. Army in Germany inside the massive fix facility the MAK, Maintenance Activity Kaiserslautern, as teams repair over one hundred Bradley fighting vehicles, then embeds with troops in a massive two-week-long battle exercise.

The discovery of a pre-Civil War cemetery of enslaved ironworkers provides new insights into the role African-Americans played in the Industrial Revolution.

Take a deeper look at the Aztec religion and ritual human sacrifice. Tap into the profound spiritual logic that led priests to offer blood and human hearts in exchange for protection from the gods, who could destroy the universe at any moment.

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.

The discovery of a pre-Civil War cemetery of enslaved ironworkers provides new insights into the role African-Americans played in the Industrial Revolution.

Take a deeper look at the Aztec religion and ritual human sacrifice. Tap into the profound spiritual logic that led priests to offer blood and human hearts in exchange for protection from the gods, who could destroy the universe at any moment.

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 missing mummy could rewrite the history of President Abraham Lincoln's assassination; mummy expert Ramy Romany investigates a potential government cover-up that allowed John Wilkes Booth to escape capture after murdering President Lincoln.

A discovery of a fracture in Tutankhamun's skeleton, signalling the injury that led to his death.

A missing mummy could rewrite the history of President Abraham Lincoln's assassination; mummy expert Ramy Romany investigates a potential government cover-up that allowed John Wilkes Booth to escape capture after murdering President Lincoln.

A discovery of a fracture in Tutankhamun's skeleton, signalling the injury that led to his death.

A missing mummy could rewrite the history of President Abraham Lincoln's assassination; mummy expert Ramy Romany investigates a potential government cover-up that allowed John Wilkes Booth to escape capture after murdering President Lincoln.

A discovery of a fracture in Tutankhamun's skeleton, signalling the injury that led to his death.

Exploring the engineering and architectural masterpieces like The Copper in Manhattan to Gardens By the Bay in Singapore.

Mike works with the U.S. Army in Germany inside the massive fix facility the MAK, Maintenance Activity Kaiserslautern, as teams repair over one hundred Bradley fighting vehicles, then embeds with troops in a massive two-week-long battle exercise.

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.

The view from above reveals a derelict complex of pod-like structures with seemingly alien origins; a bewildering concrete construction in the mountains of Bosnia; a puzzling collection of out of place shapes discarded in the wilds of Greenland.

John Ward and his crew are called to salvage a massive barge upturned by a storm in a canal; Hickory Scuba Divers work to salvage a valuable sailboat that's sunk at its mooring.

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.

The view from above reveals a derelict complex of pod-like structures with seemingly alien origins; a bewildering concrete construction in the mountains of Bosnia; a puzzling collection of out of place shapes discarded in the wilds of Greenland.

John Ward and his crew are called to salvage a massive barge upturned by a storm in a canal; Hickory Scuba Divers work to salvage a valuable sailboat that's sunk at its mooring.

A dazzling new 1400 foot tapering skyscraper is built right next to New York's Grand Central. A curving wine museum requires ingenious engineering in Bordeaux, France. And possibly the world's most glamorous parking garage.

Nevada has over 40,000 abandoned mines posing dangers; Mike joins contractors for a week to secure five sites; alongside biologists, they explore and document wildlife; reaching these isolated mines requires barges, helicopters and bulldozers.

The Airbus BelugaXL is a gravity-defying giant; its incredible engineering allows it to fly oversized cargo across Europe, and it remains one of the biggest aircraft in commercial service.

Bush aviators push the limit of their plane to deliver a two-ton generator; in Fairbanks, slippery runways threaten the International Ice Carving Championship and a high-tech airframe inspection on a Boeing 737 uncovers a potential issue.

A journey across Central Italy from the air reveals the ancient Rome, the bloody medieval battles of Tuscany and the colossal marble quarries of Carrara.

A missing mummy could rewrite the history of President Abraham Lincoln's assassination; mummy expert Ramy Romany investigates a potential government cover-up that allowed John Wilkes Booth to escape capture after murdering President Lincoln.

A discovery of a fracture in Tutankhamun's skeleton, signalling the injury that led to his death.

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.

An archaeological investigation of an ancient Scottish battlefield uncovers a vast array of ballistic weaponry; x-ray scans reveal it came from a secret weapon called a manuballista, the Roman Empire's equivalent of an assault rifle.

Puzzling over history-making structures and artifacts; Searching for clues about civilization's origins in Göbekli Tepe, visiting a German statue that reveals symbolic thought; witnessing the brutality of colonization in a Mexican skull tower.

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.

An archaeological investigation of an ancient Scottish battlefield uncovers a vast array of ballistic weaponry; x-ray scans reveal it came from a secret weapon called a manuballista, the Roman Empire's equivalent of an assault rifle.

Puzzling over history-making structures and artifacts; Searching for clues about civilization's origins in Göbekli Tepe, visiting a German statue that reveals symbolic thought; witnessing the brutality of colonization in a Mexican skull tower.

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.

An archaeological investigation of an ancient Scottish battlefield uncovers a vast array of ballistic weaponry; x-ray scans reveal it came from a secret weapon called a manuballista, the Roman Empire's equivalent of an assault rifle.

A dazzling new 1400 foot tapering skyscraper is built right next to New York's Grand Central. A curving wine museum requires ingenious engineering in Bordeaux, France. And possibly the world's most glamorous parking garage.

Nevada has over 40,000 abandoned mines posing dangers; Mike joins contractors for a week to secure five sites; alongside biologists, they explore and document wildlife; reaching these isolated mines requires barges, helicopters and bulldozers.

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

Strange aquatic mammals populating a river in Columbia; a ship marooned in a sea of sand along Namibia's notorious Skeleton Coast; a Boeing 727 jetliner hidden in a pine forest; an unusual pattern is discovered in the Nevada desert.

Salvor and treasure seeker Phil Risko sets out to retrieve valuable 80-year-old hardwood logs from the bottom of the sea; a multi-million dollar cruise vessel undergoes emergency repairs in Panama.

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

Strange aquatic mammals populating a river in Columbia; a ship marooned in a sea of sand along Namibia's notorious Skeleton Coast; a Boeing 727 jetliner hidden in a pine forest; an unusual pattern is discovered in the Nevada desert.

Salvor and treasure seeker Phil Risko sets out to retrieve valuable 80-year-old hardwood logs from the bottom of the sea; a multi-million dollar cruise vessel undergoes emergency repairs in Panama.

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.

Mike joins the Assault Craft Unit 5, the U.S. Navy's team for Landing Craft Air Cushions (LCACs); LCACs carry heavy vehicles and troops onto beaches; Mike helps fly & fix an overhauled LCAC during a U.S. Marines beach assault training mission.

A missing mummy could rewrite the history of President Abraham Lincoln's assassination; mummy expert Ramy Romany investigates a potential government cover-up that allowed John Wilkes Booth to escape capture after murdering President Lincoln.

A discovery of a fracture in Tutankhamun's skeleton, signalling the injury that led to his death.

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.

An archaeological investigation of an ancient Scottish battlefield uncovers a vast array of ballistic weaponry; x-ray scans reveal it came from a secret weapon called a manuballista, the Roman Empire's equivalent of an assault rifle.

Puzzling over history-making structures and artifacts; Searching for clues about civilization's origins in Göbekli Tepe, visiting a German statue that reveals symbolic thought; witnessing the brutality of colonization in a Mexican skull tower.

A different view of the events in the Arctic during World War II, with unknown details; a focus on the struggle of the great powers for control of the area and its natural resources.

An inside look at the P47 Thunderbolt and the critical role it played in both the European and Pacific Theaters of World War II.

The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor triggers the U.S. entering WWII; we reveal the secret stories behind the battle such as that of Dorie Miller.

A different view of the events in the Arctic during World War II, with unknown details; a focus on the struggle of the great powers for control of the area and its natural resources.

An inside look at the P47 Thunderbolt and the critical role it played in both the European and Pacific Theaters of World War II.

The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor triggers the U.S. entering WWII; we reveal the secret stories behind the battle such as that of Dorie Miller.

A different view of the events in the Arctic during World War II, with unknown details; a focus on the struggle of the great powers for control of the area and its natural resources.

An inside look at the P47 Thunderbolt and the critical role it played in both the European and Pacific Theaters of World War II.

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.

Mike joins the Assault Craft Unit 5, the U.S. Navy's team for Landing Craft Air Cushions (LCACs); LCACs carry heavy vehicles and troops onto beaches; Mike helps fly & fix an overhauled LCAC during a U.S. Marines beach assault training mission.

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

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.

Responding to an emergency call, Northstar marine sets out to salvage a sunken tug in the Delaware Bay; following the devastation caused by Hurricane Sally, Capt. Chris Ward and his crew work to salvage sunken sailboats and wrecked powerboats.

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

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.

Responding to an emergency call, Northstar marine sets out to salvage a sunken tug in the Delaware Bay; following the devastation caused by Hurricane Sally, Capt. Chris Ward and his crew work to salvage sunken sailboats and wrecked powerboats.

Tease out the common denominators that lead to tyranny; map the rise of some of the 20th century's dictators and discover how they seized power, exploited governing systems and gutted existing power structures to gain total control.

Uncover the sinister ways that dictators convince their followers to worship them as heroes; watch how they weave mythical narratives around their abilities, selling themselves as saviors who should hold absolute power over the people.

Dictators may appear omnipotent, but their position depends largely on a network of individuals who benefit from their rule, and their support does not come cheap.

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.

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 different view of the events in the Arctic during World War II, with unknown details; a focus on the struggle of the great powers for control of the area and its natural resources.

An inside look at the P47 Thunderbolt and the critical role it played in both the European and Pacific Theaters of World War II.

The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor triggers the U.S. entering WWII; we reveal the secret stories behind the battle such as that of Dorie Miller.

Explores post-war justice, tracing landmark and overlooked trials worldwide, revealing how accountability for atrocities shaped modern laws against war crimes and genocide.

Early victories in World War II injected Hitler with a precipitous sense of over-confidence that was eventually tested and proven vulnerable.

Follows historian Guy Walters and Justine Ostrowska on a 4,000-kilometer journey across Europe, chasing legends of hidden Nazi treasure.

Explores post-war justice, tracing landmark and overlooked trials worldwide, revealing how accountability for atrocities shaped modern laws against war crimes and genocide.

Early victories in World War II injected Hitler with a precipitous sense of over-confidence that was eventually tested and proven vulnerable.

Follows historian Guy Walters and Justine Ostrowska on a 4,000-kilometer journey across Europe, chasing legends of hidden Nazi treasure.

Explores post-war justice, tracing landmark and overlooked trials worldwide, revealing how accountability for atrocities shaped modern laws against war crimes and genocide.

Early victories in World War II injected Hitler with a precipitous sense of over-confidence that was eventually tested and proven vulnerable.

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.

A mysterious object is raised from the depths of the ocean; a stranded speedboat; an elite crew works to salvage America's biggest shipwreck before hurricane season.

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.

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.

A salvage maestro returns to raise more valuable tropical hardwood trying not to wreck his own boat in the process; the multimillion dollar operation to salvage America's biggest shipwreck.

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.

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.

A salvage maestro returns to raise more valuable tropical hardwood trying not to wreck his own boat in the process; the multimillion dollar operation to salvage America's biggest shipwreck.

Passenger numbers at Ted Stevens International Airport are up by 93%, but a freak storm is about to throw Christmas into chaos; at Fairbanks International Airport a 737 is forced to dock for the night and is in danger of freezing over.

A beefy transport plane arrives; a life-or-death situation for a passenger in the Anchorage terminal; a new bird gets the green light; an explosive cargo load; a pre-flight check on a herd of horses.

The crews at the Ice Airports must handle a premature birth, the theft of an ancient treasure and the arrival of a lost military hero.

A rescue mission to an isolated Alaskan community cut off by winter storms; greeting uninvited guests in the airport's green spaces; an emergency engine change tests the maintenance crew; evidence of international smuggling.

Engine failure, a suspicious package, and violent Alaskan weather put air missions and the entire city of Anchorage at risk.

Explores post-war justice, tracing landmark and overlooked trials worldwide, revealing how accountability for atrocities shaped modern laws against war crimes and genocide.

Early victories in World War II injected Hitler with a precipitous sense of over-confidence that was eventually tested and proven vulnerable.

Follows historian Guy Walters and Justine Ostrowska on a 4,000-kilometer journey across Europe, chasing legends of hidden Nazi treasure.

Witness amazing buildings, bridges, lifts, and other structures that pushed structural concrete engineering to the edge.

Mike Davidson goes on a cross-country road trip to help the Well Done Foundation; they work to find and cap some of the estimated 2 million leaking, toxic abandoned oil and gas wells scattered throughout the U.S.

Flying on one of the biggest helicopters on Earth, on a quest to pull valuable timber from the forest; huge repairs threaten to bring this mission to a halt.

Witness amazing buildings, bridges, lifts, and other structures that pushed structural concrete engineering to the edge.

Mike Davidson goes on a cross-country road trip to help the Well Done Foundation; they work to find and cap some of the estimated 2 million leaking, toxic abandoned oil and gas wells scattered throughout the U.S.

Flying on one of the biggest helicopters on Earth, on a quest to pull valuable timber from the forest; huge repairs threaten to bring this mission to a halt.

Witness amazing buildings, bridges, lifts, and other structures that pushed structural concrete engineering to the edge.

Mike Davidson goes on a cross-country road trip to help the Well Done Foundation; they work to find and cap some of the estimated 2 million leaking, toxic abandoned oil and gas wells scattered throughout the U.S.

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.

The team must remove thousands of wrecked cars from the hull before it becomes an environmental disaster; repairing a vessel before the waters of the River Solent flood the hull.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

A new Olympic and Paralympic museum tests engineers with its trailblazing accessible design. A dazzling curved glass skyscraper battles gravity in Milan. And a student center built under a noisy railroad.

Mike pushes himself to the limit to work with an elite team of high ropes techs on fixes hundreds of feet in the air; starting 45 stories up on the side of a skyscraper, then working and dangling on the edge.

Witness amazing buildings, bridges, lifts, and other structures that pushed structural concrete engineering to the edge.

Mike Davidson goes on a cross-country road trip to help the Well Done Foundation; they work to find and cap some of the estimated 2 million leaking, toxic abandoned oil and gas wells scattered throughout the U.S.

Flying on one of the biggest helicopters on Earth, on a quest to pull valuable timber from the forest; huge repairs threaten to bring this mission to a halt.

Witness amazing buildings, bridges, lifts, and other structures that pushed structural concrete engineering to the edge.

Mike Davidson goes on a cross-country road trip to help the Well Done Foundation; they work to find and cap some of the estimated 2 million leaking, toxic abandoned oil and gas wells scattered throughout the U.S.

Flying on one of the biggest helicopters on Earth, on a quest to pull valuable timber from the forest; huge repairs threaten to bring this mission to a halt.

Discover the Chinook, the heavy-lift helicopter that rewrote the rules of aviation; born in the 1950s America, the Chinook entered service in Vietnam; its bent airframe and tandem rotors gave it a huge lift capability.

The first fly-by-wire helicopter is put through its paces, as test pilots harness freezing temperatures; in Anchorage, a jet is lifted for repairs.

Viewing Northern Italy from the air; the fashion capital of Milan; the canals of Venice; the peaks of the Dolomites; the colorful coast of Cinque Terre.

Discover the Chinook, the heavy-lift helicopter that rewrote the rules of aviation; born in the 1950s America, the Chinook entered service in Vietnam; its bent airframe and tandem rotors gave it a huge lift capability.

The first fly-by-wire helicopter is put through its paces, as test pilots harness freezing temperatures; in Anchorage, a jet is lifted for repairs.