Smithsonian Channel

Peek inside a cloud-inspired library in Canada that's built over a live railway; see how clever engineering helped a huge Seattle skyscraper go up without harming its iconic neighbour, then cross an Australian bridge that floats above a busy river.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The remains of Tutankhamun's parents.

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.

The remains of Tutankhamun's parents.

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.

The remains of Tutankhamun's parents.

Peek inside a cloud-inspired library in Canada that's built over a live railway; see how clever engineering helped a huge Seattle skyscraper go up without harming its iconic neighbour, then cross an Australian bridge that floats above a busy river.

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.

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.

Get a bird's-eye view of a mysterious explosion in China and a quickly melting glacier on Earth's iciest continent; investigate an orange haze enveloping the Big Apple, then float over a toxic, too-hot-to-handle lake in New Zealand.

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.

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.

Get a bird's-eye view of a mysterious explosion in China and a quickly melting glacier on Earth's iciest continent; investigate an orange haze enveloping the Big Apple, then float over a toxic, too-hot-to-handle lake in New Zealand.

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.

Defy gravity in an Amsterdam high-rise that hangs 164 feet above the water; marvel at three interconnected towers in Chicago that have a road running through them; examine the revolutionary framework of Paris' controversial Pompidou Centre.

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 in these wetlands.

The British Avro Vulcan pushes the boundaries of long-distance flying, completing one of the longest bombing raids in history during the 1982 Falklands War.

A wolverine overcomes first-time flyer's nerves to travel to a new home. A helicopter pilot hunts for a showstopping ice cave. An 80-year-old cargo plane flies into the Arctic, and a wall of arctic fog threatens the airport wit.

The islands of Italy come in all shapes and sizes; they are home to volcanoes, ancient civilizations and some of the bluest waters on Earth.

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.

The remains of Tutankhamun's parents.

Examine a unique silver scroll found in a collapsed Umayyad-period house in Jerash, Jordan; watch an advanced CT scanner penetrate its lead casing, revealing mysterious grooves and an enigmatic message that suggests it may be a protective amulet.

No single civilization has had more impact on history than the ancient Greeks, but how it all started has always been shrouded in mystery; a remarkable discovery reveals the mysterious origins of one of history's most fascinating cultures.

Re-evaluating what we know about evolution, extinction, and animals' sacred roles. Dig up a Canadian dinosaur that sparks questions about fossilization, meet a prehistoric survivor in China, and see the religious parts crocodiles played in Egypt.

Examine a unique silver scroll found in a collapsed Umayyad-period house in Jerash, Jordan; watch an advanced CT scanner penetrate its lead casing, revealing mysterious grooves and an enigmatic message that suggests it may be a protective amulet.

No single civilization has had more impact on history than the ancient Greeks, but how it all started has always been shrouded in mystery; a remarkable discovery reveals the mysterious origins of one of history's most fascinating cultures.

Re-evaluating what we know about evolution, extinction, and animals' sacred roles. Dig up a Canadian dinosaur that sparks questions about fossilization, meet a prehistoric survivor in China, and see the religious parts crocodiles played in Egypt.

Examine a unique silver scroll found in a collapsed Umayyad-period house in Jerash, Jordan; watch an advanced CT scanner penetrate its lead casing, revealing mysterious grooves and an enigmatic message that suggests it may be a protective amulet.

No single civilization has had more impact on history than the ancient Greeks, but how it all started has always been shrouded in mystery; a remarkable discovery reveals the mysterious origins of one of history's most fascinating cultures.

Defy gravity in an Amsterdam high-rise that hangs 164 feet above the water; marvel at three interconnected towers in Chicago that have a road running through them; examine the revolutionary framework of Paris' controversial Pompidou Centre.

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 in these wetlands.

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

Examine mysterious holes in Israel; explore a ghost village hidden in the Colombian jungle, a shipwreck off the coast of Sri Lanka and a gutted airplane fuselage abandoned in Iceland.

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

Examine mysterious holes in Israel; explore a ghost village hidden in the Colombian jungle, a shipwreck off the coast of Sri Lanka and a gutted airplane fuselage abandoned in Iceland.

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.

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

Mike Davidson heads to Brazil, where an offshore crew is racing the clock to set up giant power ships to deliver electricity to a country in desperate need.

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.

The remains of Tutankhamun's parents.

Examine a unique silver scroll found in a collapsed Umayyad-period house in Jerash, Jordan; watch an advanced CT scanner penetrate its lead casing, revealing mysterious grooves and an enigmatic message that suggests it may be a protective amulet.

No single civilization has had more impact on history than the ancient Greeks, but how it all started has always been shrouded in mystery; a remarkable discovery reveals the mysterious origins of one of history's most fascinating cultures.

Re-evaluating what we know about evolution, extinction, and animals' sacred roles. Dig up a Canadian dinosaur that sparks questions about fossilization, meet a prehistoric survivor in China, and see the religious parts crocodiles played in Egypt.

The East and the West fail in their attempts to limit the threat posed by nuclear weapons; the great power competition destroys the Arctic, causes missile accidents, and claims human lives in space.

An inside look at the U.S. Air Force's largest aircraft, the C-5 Galaxy; its most dramatic combat and peacetime missions over the last 50 years.

The tales behind the Blitz; the employment of German speaking radio controllers to confuse Luftwaffe pilots; the French spy who helped the RAF.

The East and the West fail in their attempts to limit the threat posed by nuclear weapons; the great power competition destroys the Arctic, causes missile accidents, and claims human lives in space.

An inside look at the U.S. Air Force's largest aircraft, the C-5 Galaxy; its most dramatic combat and peacetime missions over the last 50 years.

The tales behind the Blitz; the employment of German speaking radio controllers to confuse Luftwaffe pilots; the French spy who helped the RAF.

The East and the West fail in their attempts to limit the threat posed by nuclear weapons; the great power competition destroys the Arctic, causes missile accidents, and claims human lives in space.

An inside look at the U.S. Air Force's largest aircraft, the C-5 Galaxy; its most dramatic combat and peacetime missions over the last 50 years.

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

Mike Davidson heads to Brazil, where an offshore crew is racing the clock to set up giant power ships to deliver electricity to a country in desperate need.

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

Investigate an abandoned village in the shifting sands on Dubai's outskirts and a collection of inexplicable stone circles in Colombia; a mysterious hilltop tower in Iran and a puzzling purple phenomenon in Chile's Atacama 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.

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

Investigate an abandoned village in the shifting sands on Dubai's outskirts and a collection of inexplicable stone circles in Colombia; a mysterious hilltop tower in Iran and a puzzling purple phenomenon in Chile's Atacama Desert.

In Oklahoma, a sacred spiral mound rises on a former oilfield, honouring 39 tribes; London's crumbling Battersea Power Station is reborn with two million new bricks. And in Spain, Frank Gehry crowns a historic winery.

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.

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

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.

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

In Oklahoma, a sacred spiral mound rises on a former oilfield, honouring 39 tribes; London's crumbling Battersea Power Station is reborn with two million new bricks. And in Spain, Frank Gehry crowns a historic winery.

The East and the West fail in their attempts to limit the threat posed by nuclear weapons; the great power competition destroys the Arctic, causes missile accidents, and claims human lives in space.

An inside look at the U.S. Air Force's largest aircraft, the C-5 Galaxy; its most dramatic combat and peacetime missions over the last 50 years.

The tales behind the Blitz; the employment of German speaking radio controllers to confuse Luftwaffe pilots; the French spy who helped the RAF.

A look at life in the Pacific before, during, and after the attack on Pearl Harbor, presented through home movies and combat footage.

As German resources began to run thin as the War progressed, Hitler and Goebbels promoted Wonder Weapons as a way to pave a new path towards victory.

Revisit Colditz Castle, a Nazi fortress where breakouts featured human catapults and clever disguises; meet the pilots who staged the famed Great Escape from a Polish stalag; see how 32 POWs pulled off the Warburg Wire Job in just one minute.

A look at life in the Pacific before, during, and after the attack on Pearl Harbor, presented through home movies and combat footage.

As German resources began to run thin as the War progressed, Hitler and Goebbels promoted Wonder Weapons as a way to pave a new path towards victory.