Smithsonian Channel Pick of the Week Podcast
1) A Former Soviet Agent Becomes a Notorious Weapons Dealer
After 1991, former Soviet agent Viktor Bout set about carving a new career for himself as an arms dealer. His exploits would earn him the nickname the ‘Merchant of Death’.
2) Why the Fastest Male Grizzlies Get the Girl
Bear courtship in Yellowstone National Park happens at breakneck speed - literally. The male grizzly sets off after the female, who tries to outrun him reaching speeds of up to 35 miles an hour.
3) Why Vervet Monkeys Love Zambezi Fig Trees
Vervet monkeys find the figs of the Zambezi fig tree to be completely irresistible. And because vervets rarely stay in one place for too long, they spread the tree’s seeds far and wide.
4) This FBI Agent Sold Secrets to the KGB for Years
In 1985, an American FBI agent began to sell intelligence to the Russians, under the alias of Ramon Garcia. It would be another 16 years before he was finally arrested by the FBI.
5) A Navy Warship Goes Down Weeks Before the End of WWII
In the final days of WWII, Eagle 56 was on a routine assignment in the Gulf of Maine. In an instant, the ship found itself ripped in half, with most of her crew dead – but what happened?
6) A Shy Orangutan Shares Her Breakfast with a Friend
A shy orangutan makes great strides by confidently securing her share of breakfast. But she’s not above sharing her bounty of turnips with another orangutan, whom she’s befriended.
7) This Salt Lick Doubles as a Reunion Spot for Elephants
A herd of migrating elephants are acquiring necessary minerals like calcium and potassium from a burnt wood clearing. It’s also an impromptu reunion spot for all traveling elephant herds.
8) This Gun Was One of the Very First Machine Guns
In 1866, Hiram Maxim, an American engineer, tried out a rifle for the first time and found himself wondering how he could make it better. The result was the Maxim gun – the word’s first recoil-operate...Show More
9) Orangutan Creates an Umbrella Hat to Stay Dry
Orangutans are adept at improvising and using tools – this experienced female has learnt to make a makeshift umbrella hat – useful in a storm.
10) The FBI Investigates Soviet Deep-Cover Spies in America
Over the course of a decade, deep-cover Russian spies embedded in America collected intelligence and passed it onto their handlers. The FBI investigation into them became known as Operation Ghost Stor...Show More