Smithsonian Channel

Experience the deep distrust and aggression that pushes the world closer to nuclear war; follow a Soviet incursion into the territorial waters of Sweden and Finland and see how northern nations prepare for a battle that is only a button-push away.

A tour of the CIA's private museum reveals some of the agency's spy craft and the missions on which they were used.

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 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 tour of the CIA's private museum reveals some of the agency's spy craft and the missions on which they were used.

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 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 tour of the CIA's private museum reveals some of the agency's spy craft and the missions on which they were used.

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.

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

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.

Meandering through the black waters of a primordial river immortalized in a folk song.

Unlock an abandoned site on a remote Antarctic isle and check out mysterious shapes in the Finnish snow; puzzle over an inexplicable monolith in the far reaches of Norway, then get shocked by a blood-red frozen waterfall at the bottom of the world.

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.

Meandering through the black waters of a primordial river immortalized in a folk song.

Unlock an abandoned site on a remote Antarctic isle and check out mysterious shapes in the Finnish snow; puzzle over an inexplicable monolith in the far reaches of Norway, then get shocked by a blood-red frozen waterfall at the bottom of the world.

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.

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

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.

Archaeologists unearth a sacrificial skull, investigate a mummy, and crawl through underground tunnels as they embark on new digs in Pompeii.

Archaeologists find traces of a sea-battle that transformed Ancient Rome; archaeologists investigate how Rome rose to dominate the ancient world.

Archaeologists reveal how the Colosseum came to symbolize the might of Rome.

Archaeologists investigate the fate of Nero and his buried Golden Palace.

An exploration of Hadrian's Wall, the largest structure built by the Romans; experts examine the Wall, its forts, gatehouses, and garrison town to see how civilization and culture grew.

An exploration of Herculaneum, the twin to Pompeii that also got buried during a deadly volcanic eruption; the discovery of an intact skeleton, the first excavated in 25 years, helps investigators piece together the final hours of Herculaneum.

The pockmarked mummy of Ramesses V reveals a shocking tale of bitter family infighting, a civil insurrection and a cause of death that ultimately pushed ancient Egypt to the edge of collapse.

Archaeologists uncover the truth behind the legend of the Trojan War.

The pockmarked mummy of Ramesses V reveals a shocking tale of bitter family infighting, a civil insurrection and a cause of death that ultimately pushed ancient Egypt to the edge of collapse.

Archaeologists uncover the truth behind the legend of the Trojan War.

The pockmarked mummy of Ramesses V reveals a shocking tale of bitter family infighting, a civil insurrection and a cause of death that ultimately pushed ancient Egypt to the edge of collapse.

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

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.

A journey on Scotland's River Spey, traveling from its source in the Highlands, winding by boat through the mountains to where the river meets the North Sea.

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.

Jeremy Birch takes on a salvage to raise a vessel with a concrete hull; it's been in the Fraser River for a month, collecting silt and mud, adding 30 tons to its deadweight.

A journey on Scotland's River Spey, traveling from its source in the Highlands, winding by boat through the mountains to where the river meets the North Sea.

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.

Jeremy Birch takes on a salvage to raise a vessel with a concrete hull; it's been in the Fraser River for a month, collecting silt and mud, adding 30 tons to its deadweight.

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.

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.

Fly along the coast from Cape Agulhas, the Garden Route, Port Elizabeth to the Wild Coast. Stand at the precipice of time, and dive into a land that still stretches your imagination.

This is South Africa's journey from pre-human skeletons to modern Skyscrapers. View South Africa's mountain ranges, bustling cities and untamed wildlife from the air.

It is home to the world's largest inland Delta; the world's second-largest game reserve; and the abundant wildlife of Chobe National Park. There is no other way to appreciate this country than from a giant's point of view.

Endless-stretches of white sandy beach and majestic mountains soaring high above verdant valleys.

Hard to imagine that animals can survive in this arid land, but an aerial view of the life-saving water holes will offer a rare glimpse of Namibia's wildlife.

A flight over the African nation of Zambia reveals its ancient wonders, raging waters, diverse wildlife, and rich history.

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.

The Sphinx, the Shroud of Turin, El Dorado, and other ancient mysteries.

On April 26, 1986, a massive explosion rips through a reactor during a safety test at a power plant in Ukraine, triggering the worst nuclear accident in history; within 24 hours, a lethal radioactive cloud starts to circle the globe.

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.

The Sphinx, the Shroud of Turin, El Dorado, and other ancient mysteries.

On April 26, 1986, a massive explosion rips through a reactor during a safety test at a power plant in Ukraine, triggering the worst nuclear accident in history; within 24 hours, a lethal radioactive cloud starts to circle the globe.

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.

The Sphinx, the Shroud of Turin, El Dorado, and other ancient mysteries.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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 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.

A member of the Osage Nation investigates the series of murders and unexplained deaths that struck the oil-rich tribe in the 1920s.

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.

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

A tour of the CIA's private museum reveals some of the agency's spy craft and the missions on which they were used.

A look at the rise and fall of the airship; the U.S. military's failed attempts to make it the future of warfare in the 1920s and '30s.

A member of the Osage Nation investigates the series of murders and unexplained deaths that struck the oil-rich tribe in the 1920s.

Investigate the costs of Hitler's Soviet invasion, which aims to give the Nazis control over a key nickel mine and a transportation hub; seeing how this summer battle turns into a bitter winter war as the Allies tighten their grip on the Arctic.

A look at the British multirole fighter aircraft; the de Havilland Mosquito was used in the Second World War as a bomber, fighter and reconnaissance aircraft.

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.

Investigate the costs of Hitler's Soviet invasion, which aims to give the Nazis control over a key nickel mine and a transportation hub; seeing how this summer battle turns into a bitter winter war as the Allies tighten their grip on the Arctic.

A look at the British multirole fighter aircraft; the de Havilland Mosquito was used in the Second World War as a bomber, fighter and reconnaissance aircraft.

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.

Investigate the costs of Hitler's Soviet invasion, which aims to give the Nazis control over a key nickel mine and a transportation hub; seeing how this summer battle turns into a bitter winter war as the Allies tighten their grip on the Arctic.

A look at the British multirole fighter aircraft; the de Havilland Mosquito was used in the Second World War as a bomber, fighter and reconnaissance aircraft.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The pockmarked mummy of Ramesses V reveals a shocking tale of bitter family infighting, a civil insurrection and a cause of death that ultimately pushed ancient Egypt to the edge of collapse.

The pockmarked mummy of Ramesses V reveals a shocking tale of bitter family infighting, a civil insurrection and a cause of death that ultimately pushed ancient Egypt to the edge of collapse.

The horrifying remains of the 3,000-year-old Screaming Mummy have haunted Egyptologists for decades; a team of experts reexamines the evidence, revealing an epic conspiracy to murder a king and a punishment intended to curse a soul for eternity.

The mutilated mummy of the Younger Lady has mystified Egyptologists for over a hundred years; new evidence finally reveals who she was and why her brutal death is directly linked to the world-famous Tutankhamun.

A dusty exhibit from an oddities museum in Niagara Falls could be a genuine long-lost pharaoh from Egypt's most iconic dynasty; a team of experts reexamines the evidence to reveal how a legendary king ended up on the other side of the world.

Mummified murder victims are being unearthed from marshy bogs across Northern Europe; mummy expert Ramy Romany examines eerily well-preserved bodies from more than 2,000 years ago to see if they were victims of brutal human sacrifice rituals.

Part 1 of 2: Travel the length of the Nile, from Cairo to Aswan, as Tony explores tombs of every shape and size; find hidden treasures, hunt for a lost pyramid and find out what newly discovered mummies can tell about ancient Egyptian history.

The pockmarked mummy of Ramesses V reveals a shocking tale of bitter family infighting, a civil insurrection and a cause of death that ultimately pushed ancient Egypt to the edge of collapse.

Allied forces move to take the valuable islands of Tinian and Guam that threaten American air operations; meanwhile, Gen. Curtis LeMay is tasked with planning and executing a firebombing campaign against Japan.

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

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.

Allied forces move to take the valuable islands of Tinian and Guam that threaten American air operations; meanwhile, Gen. Curtis LeMay is tasked with planning and executing a firebombing campaign against Japan.

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

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.

Allied forces move to take the valuable islands of Tinian and Guam that threaten American air operations; meanwhile, Gen. Curtis LeMay is tasked with planning and executing a firebombing campaign against Japan.

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

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.

Allied forces move to take the valuable islands of Tinian and Guam that threaten American air operations; meanwhile, Gen. Curtis LeMay is tasked with planning and executing a firebombing campaign against Japan.

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.

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.

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

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

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

Part 1 of 2: Travel the length of the Nile, from Cairo to Aswan, as Tony explores tombs of every shape and size; find hidden treasures, hunt for a lost pyramid and find out what newly discovered mummies can tell about ancient Egyptian history.

The Pyramid of Khufu is the only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World which can still be seen in its original state.

At the heart of Saqqara, the largest necropolis in Egypt, is the Step Pyramid of Djoser, built around 2600 BC.

Meidum is the least-known of the pyramids of Egypt as it stretches skywards to resemble a castle keep.

On the site of Dahshur, south of Cairo, are two revolutionary monuments which seem to be the first real pyramids.

The world has its focus on the Pyramid of Khufu in Egypt, but nearby on the Giza plateau, other architectural masterpieces stand the test of time.

Egyptologists believe there was a perfect pyramid, hidden in the sands of Abu Rawash, which served as a tomb for the pharaoh Djedefre.

Milwaukee commissions Calatrava to design a museum with 90-ton wings that take flight; Oslo tears down its national ski jump and rebuilds it for the World Championships; and in LA, a 235-foot tower is wrapped in steel bands.

At Cirque du Soleil in Las Vegas, Mike embeds with the talented teams that maintain the amazing machines behind Cirque du Soleil's stage shows.

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.

Milwaukee commissions Calatrava to design a museum with 90-ton wings that take flight; Oslo tears down its national ski jump and rebuilds it for the World Championships; and in LA, a 235-foot tower is wrapped in steel bands.

At Cirque du Soleil in Las Vegas, Mike embeds with the talented teams that maintain the amazing machines behind Cirque du Soleil's stage shows.

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.

Milwaukee commissions Calatrava to design a museum with 90-ton wings that take flight; Oslo tears down its national ski jump and rebuilds it for the World Championships; and in LA, a 235-foot tower is wrapped in steel bands.

At Cirque du Soleil in Las Vegas, Mike embeds with the talented teams that maintain the amazing machines behind Cirque du Soleil's stage shows.

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.

Milwaukee commissions Calatrava to design a museum with 90-ton wings that take flight; Oslo tears down its national ski jump and rebuilds it for the World Championships; and in LA, a 235-foot tower is wrapped in steel bands.

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

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.

Phil Risko's team at Northstar works fast to refloat a trawler that's been blown onto the shore of a national park in New Jersey; the team improvises to get it back to sea before it suffers further damage.

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

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.

Phil Risko's team at Northstar works fast to refloat a trawler that's been blown onto the shore of a national park in New Jersey; the team improvises to get it back to sea before it suffers further damage.

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 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.

Milwaukee commissions Calatrava to design a museum with 90-ton wings that take flight; Oslo tears down its national ski jump and rebuilds it for the World Championships; and in LA, a 235-foot tower is wrapped in steel bands.

At Cirque du Soleil in Las Vegas, Mike embeds with the talented teams that maintain the amazing machines behind Cirque du Soleil's stage shows.

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.

Milwaukee commissions Calatrava to design a museum with 90-ton wings that take flight; Oslo tears down its national ski jump and rebuilds it for the World Championships; and in LA, a 235-foot tower is wrapped in steel bands.

At Cirque du Soleil in Las Vegas, Mike embeds with the talented teams that maintain the amazing machines behind Cirque du Soleil's stage shows.

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.

In 1981, the F-117 Nighthawk became the world's first stealth aircraft; explore how its futuristic design made this unconventional aircraft all but invisible to radar; a decade after its inception, the Nighthawk was put to the test in the Gulf War.

Father-son aviators battle turbulence to refuel a remote mine, bush pilots fight an aerial jam to reach Alaska's biggest sled race, and the Coastguard turn a C-130 into a bomber to drop supplies on an isolated beach.

Western Australia is home to colossal gold mines, massive sheep stations, the world's largest shark, a 4x4 trail; it has Perth, the most isolated big city on Earth.

In 1981, the F-117 Nighthawk became the world's first stealth aircraft; explore how its futuristic design made this unconventional aircraft all but invisible to radar; a decade after its inception, the Nighthawk was put to the test in the Gulf War.