National Geographic News

Pictures: "Body Jars," Cliff Coffins Are Clues to Unknown Tribe

Wed, 16 May 2012 00:05:23 -0400

Perched on precarious cliff ledges, centuries-old log coffins and "body jars" are the only known traces of an unknown Cambodian tribe

Best Night-Sky Pictures of 2012 Named

Tue, 15 May 2012 18:29:18 -0400

A holiday comet, Icelandic auroras, and the Milky Way feature among the winning shots from the International Earth and Sky Photo Contest.

Prehistoric "Panda" Found in Spain—Giant Panda Has European Roots?

Christine Dell'Amore — Mon, 14 May 2012 17:26:57 -0400

A small fossil bear recently identified in Spain suggests China's giant panda has European roots, a new study says.

Space Pictures This Week: Supermoon, Solar Flare, More

Fri, 11 May 2012 17:54:59 -0400

A supermoon looms, a solar flare erupts, and night-shining clouds glow in this week's best space pictures.

Mother's Day's Dark History

Brian Handwerk — Fri, 11 May 2012 16:27:47 -0400

Born of war, Mother's Day grew to horrify its own mother, whose fight to fix the holiday "cost her everything, financially and physically."

New Planet Found in Our Solar System?

Richard A. Lovett in Timberline Lodge, Oregon — Fri, 11 May 2012 13:37:22 -0400

An unseen world might be disturbing the orbits of several objects in the outer solar system, new calculations hint.

Runner's High Hardwired in People—And Dogs

Christine Dell'Amore — Thu, 10 May 2012 17:27:54 -0400

The pleasurable sensation known as "runner's high" may have motivated human and canine ancestors to build endurance, a new study says.

Pictures: New Maya Mural, Calendars Debunk 2012 Myth

Thu, 10 May 2012 16:19:54 -0400

See the rare, newfound Maya artworks and calculations that show mysterious figures and contradict popularly held 2012 apocalypse theories.

Sun Is Moving Slower Than Thought

Andrew Fazekas — Thu, 10 May 2012 14:51:20 -0400

New NASA data hint that our star is moving too slow to form a bow shock, a structure long thought to protect us from cosmic rays.

Unprecedented Maya Mural Found, Contradicts 2012 "Doomsday" Myth

Erik Vance in Xultún, Guatemala — Thu, 10 May 2012 19:36:22 -0400

Unprecedented paintings and calculations have emerged from under the Guatemalan jungle—including evidence against the 2012 "doomsday myth."

Light From a "Super Earth" Seen—A First

Brian Handwerk — Thu, 10 May 2012 10:37:24 -0400

NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has proven it's possible to capture the infrared glow from relatively small alien worlds, a new study says.

Top Ten Infrared Space Pictures Announced

Thu, 10 May 2012 22:01:49 -0400

From the Helix Nebula to the Sombrero galaxy—see top infrared shots from the Spitzer Space Telescope, chosen by Spitzer scientists.

Howard Carter: "Miraculous," Misunderstood Man Behind Google's Gilded

Ker Than — Wed, 09 May 2012 22:30:12 -0400

Find out why the "miraculous," misunderstood archaeologist who found King Tut's ancient tomb was honored Wednesday in a modern way.

Is Saturn Moon's Haze Old Enough for Life?

Victoria Jaggard — Wed, 09 May 2012 15:46:09 -0400

Saturn's largest moon may have only recently turned hazy, according to two new studies that could spell trouble for the chances of life.

Biggest Crocodile Found—Fossil Species Ate Humans Whole?

Christine Dell'Amore — Tue, 08 May 2012 17:35:40 -0400

The 27-foot-long predator may have ambushed early humans in what's now Kenya, a new study says.

Pictures: Ancient Pygmy Pipehorse Species Found

Wed, 09 May 2012 17:29:19 -0400

Fossils of a new species of pygmy pipehorse, a tiny relative of the seahorse, have been unearthed in Slovenia.

Global Nuclear Retreat? Armenia, Others Aim to Keep Plants Alive

Josie Garthwaite — Tue, 08 May 2012 10:43:51 -0400

Armenia extends the life of its Soviet-style nuclear plant, despite seismic concerns. It's one of a slew of decisions nations face on old reactors.

Four White Dwarfs Found Eating Earthlike Planets

Rachel Kaufman — Mon, 07 May 2012 17:29:41 -0400

Four hungry white dwarfs have been found "snacking" on the shattered remains of Earthlike planets, a new study says.

Dinosaurs' Gaseous Emissions Warmed Earth?

Charles Choi — Mon, 07 May 2012 21:53:42 -0400

Giant plant-eaters known as sauropods may have heated the planet by releasing huge amounts of methane, a new study says.

Supermoon Pictures: Best Shots of Year's Biggest Full Moon

Mon, 07 May 2012 16:05:17 -0400

This year's biggest, brightest full moon really shines in Nat Geo photo editors' picks of the best supermoon shots.

Cinco de Mayo History Short on Beer, Long on Bloodshed

Stefan Lovgren in Los Angeles — Sat, 05 May 2012 12:54:10 -0400

U.S. partygoers may be surprised to learn that Cinco de Mayo history is less about margaritas than military conflict.

Spermoon Tonight—Not a Threat to Earth

Andrew Fazekas — Sat, 05 May 2012 12:39:37 -0400

Despite disaster fears, "nothing particularly special" will happen during the year's closest full moon—except a great sky show, experts say.

"Zombie Ant" Fungus Under Attack—By Another Fungus

Christine Dell'Amore — Fri, 04 May 2012 21:57:54 -0400

Besieged by a fungus that takes over their brains then erupts from their heads, rain forest ants have an unlikely ally—another fungus.

New Jupiter Mission Will Be First to Target Alien Oceans

Brian Handwerk — Fri, 04 May 2012 17:34:11 -0400

A European space probe called JUICE will be the first mission dedicated to studying oceans on icy moons, scientists say.

Space Pictures This Week: Thor's Helmet, Milky Moon, More

Fri, 04 May 2012 16:36:57 -0400

Stars forge a winged helm, the moon lights up La Palma, astronauts make a dusty homecoming, and more in the week's best space pictures.