In 1628 Sweden launched the Vasa, a glittering warship bristling with 64 bronze cannons and built to project royal power. It sailed barely 1,300 meters on its maiden voyage before a light gust toppled it in front of thousands of horrified spectators and foreign spies.

This episode explores both the engineering and the psychology behind the most famous maritime disaster of its era, then follows the ship's miraculous 333-year survival and the modern chemistry now threatening to destroy it. It's a story of fatal top-heavy design, fear of an impatient king, and accidental preservation.

• How a top-heavy hull, no stability math, and two crews using different-length feet doomed the ship before launch
• The infamous running test where an admiral halted proceedings as the ship nearly capsized at the dock, yet no one stopped the launc ...