Cicadas, a possible flooded future, and the discovery of a hobbit-like human were the most popular National Geographic News stories in 2004. An astronomical oddity—the blue moon—and this year's spectacular meteor shower rounded out the top five.
Here is the entire top ten, as chosen by you, the ever curious readers of National Geographic News.
10. SpaceShipOne Wins Ten-Million-Dollar X Prize
October 4, 2004—SpaceShipOne, the world's first privately built manned spacecraft, completed its third round-trip journey to space today, laying claim to the ten-million-dollar (U.S.) Ansari X Prize. Full story >>
9. Shark Attack Tips
August 4, 2004—Find out how to avoid a shark attack, what to do if you are bitten, and how to help victims. Full story >>
8. Open Water: The Sharks, and the Fear, Were Real
August 5, 2004—The new movie has one thing "Jaws" didn't: real sharks. Shielded only by protective suits, the actors were filmed swimming amid feeding frenzies. Full story >>
7. Aliens in Our Galaxy? Experts Map Possible Hotbeds
January 6, 2004—Using sophisticated computer models, astronomers have mapped a ring-shaped disc in the Milky Way that shows the highest potential for extraterrestrial life in our galaxy. Full story >>
6. Day After Tomorrow Movie: Could Ice Age Occur Overnight?
May 18, 2004—To environmentalists, there is more than a kernel of truth in the catastrophic scenarios depicted in the upcoming summer flick The Day After Tomorrow. Some activists hope the movie, in which global warming leads to a new ice age, will spark debate about the environmental damage the Earth is suffering. Full story >>
5. "Unusually Good" Meteor Shower Expected Tonight
August 11, 2004—Tonight's annual Perseid meteor shower is likely to be a spectacular show of shooting stars zipping across the night sky, according to astronomers. Full story >>
4. Sky Watch: "Blue Moon" Due Early Saturday
July 30, 2004—The "blue moon" is likely coming to a sky near you in the predawn hours of Saturday. The phenomenon is mainly due to astronomical arithmetic—and a few mix-ups. Full story >>
3. Hobbit-Like Human Ancestor Found in Asia
October 27, 2004—Scientists have found skeletons of a human species that grew no larger than a three-year-old modern child. The species lived with pygmy elephants and giant lizards on a remote island in Indonesia. Full story >>
2. Warming to Cause Catastrophic Rise in Sea Level?
April 26, 2004—Most scientists agree that global warming presents the greatest threat to the environment. If our planet's ice caps and glaciers continue to melt, the sea level will rise and submerge vast territories, from entire countries to large parts of the United States. Full story >>
