Category archives for Cultures
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After days of presentations on five of the world’s great ancient civilizations, archaeologists from sites all around the world debate and discuss the meaning of civilization and what we can learn today from the lessons of the past.
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I recently attended the award ceremony for the 2013 Goldman Environmental Prize winners in Washington, D.C. Six people, one from each of the inhabited continents of the planet, was honored for their tireless conservation work. I have followed the Goldman awards since my days at E Magazine, and each year I am inspired and uplifted…
The top 10 stories on our radar today: Atoms star in the world’s smallest movie, archaeologists find mysterious orbs in an ancient Mexican temple, and…
Posted by As temperatures in Southern Iraq approached 52 degrees Celsius (126°F) last July, Habib Salman, a 52-year-old farmer in the Al-Islah township, shot himself in the head, leaving behind an eleven-member family. The stream on which their farm relied had recently dried up, jeopardizing his family’s survival.
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Every week, embark with host Boyd Matson on an exploration of the latest discoveries and interviews with some of the most fascinating people on the planet, on National Geographic Weekend. Please check listings near you to find the best way to listen to National Geographic Weekend, or pick your favorite segments and listen now below! Episode: 1317 – Air…
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Threats to the Amazon come not only from deforestation, but also from dams, roads, human-induced climate change, gold mining, petroleum extraction, shipping and the unplanned growth of cities, whose expanding populations consume more and more of the Amazon River’s resources.
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AP photographer David Guttenfelder talks about photographing secretive North Korea via Instagram.
The ancient Maya are well known for their overgrown temple ruins and striking carved and painted art. Speakers at the Dialogue of Civilizations unveil the origins of this captivating culture.
NG Young Explorer Julia Harte documents the culture of the Marsh Arabs of Southern Iraq through text and photos, as well as a video shot and edited by team member Anna Ozbek.
Posted by More and more these days, we are seeing the convergence of arts and culture mixed with revolutionary ideas about sustainability, urban planning and technology. An example of this phenomenon is the second installment of IDEAS CITY, a biennial festival – founded by the New Museum in New York City – that explores the future of cities around the globe, with…
NG Young Explorer Julia Harte examines the historical importance of water in Mesopotamia’s cultures and religions through text and photos, as well as a video shot and edited by team member Anna Ozbek.
Posted by What do you do if you find a tiger in the bathroom? That was a plot point in the first Hangover movie, and now it’s a real-life story. The Salina Journal reports that last Saturday, a woman who’d gone to the circus went to the bathroom … and there was a tiger “at most two…
To help keep the Earth Day love flowing this week, photographer and designer Claire Bangser sent in this image, featuring words of wisdom about sustainable resource harvesting from a beekeeper in Azerbaijan.
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It rises in Ethiopia’s Shewa Highlands, and flows for 760 kms through terraced hillsides, volcanic outcrops and fertile grasslands as far as the world’s greatest desert lake, Lake Turkana, in Kenya. The lower valley of the Omo River is believed by some historians to have been a cultural crossroads for thousands of years, where a…
On our radar today: A new dinosaur species has been discovered in Madagascar, Human Rights Watch has accused Myanmar of crimes against humanity, and…
Experts reveal recent discoveries and insights that help answer one of the great questions in archaeology: “Where did ancient Egyptian civilization come from?”
HBO is offering “An Apology to Elephants.” That’s the name of a documentary premiering on Earth Day – April 22 – at 7 p.m. The film looks at how humans have mistreated elephants: captured, crated to zoos and circuses (where they are roped and prodded with sharp metal “bull hooks” to force them to do…
On our radar today: A ‘living fossil’ fish gets its genome sequenced, x-rays show remnants of an ancient supernova, and…
China, Egypt, Mesopotamia, Maya–these are ancient civilizations people tend to know something about. The Harappan civilization of the Indus Valley, on the other hand, is maybe less well known, but just as fascinating and inspiring for us today.
On our radar today: The Mars One organization is looking for astronauts and it could be you, 70 years later and the hunt is on to bring the last Nazis to justice, and…
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The Chajil Ch’upup fishing association in San Juan La Laguna get together to plant reed beds along the Atitlan shorelines promoting a healthy environment for their Tz’utujil village.
World leaders in archaeology discuss the ancient development of Mesopotamian society and the very practical lessons and inspiration it holds for us today.
On our radar today: The tragedy in Boston joins a number of other attacks on sporting events throughout history; a 7.8 magnitude quake rocks Iran, and…
Bieber’s Anne Frank Faux Pas Has Us Wondering: What Would You Write?
Posted by Alexis Manning on April 15, 2013 
Justin Bieber’s comment in the Anne Frank House guestbook has drawn condemnation for seeming to make light of the young girl’s tragic story, when other visitors’ messages pay solemn tribute to her memory.
Three days of discussion among archaeologists studying five ancient cultures around the world kicks off with best wishes from a modern Maya leader and revelations about a strange artifact from ancient China.
