Cultures News
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Kenyan Terrorist Attack Speaks to Trouble in Somalia
September 23, 2013
The massacre at a Nairobi mall appears to reflect trouble in next-door Somalia, long considered a "failed state."
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Warrior Graduation Ceremony Reveals Kenya at a Crossroads
September 21, 2013
As young Samburu men become leaders, their community adapts to change across Kenya and beyond. </p>
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Scientists Make Red Food Dye From Potatoes, Not Bugs
September 19, 2013
Purple sweet potatoes are rich in pigments that offer an alternative to cochineal, a red food dye made from crushed insects.
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UN Study Looks at High Rate of Rape
September 14, 2013
An author of a United Nations study on men and violence in Asia and the Pacific explains why rape is so prevalent in the region.
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Syria's War Hits Home for Immigrants
September 13, 2013
Syrian Americans feel the strain of the conflict tearing their families' homeland apart.
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Superstitious Numbers Around the World
September 13, 2013
Depending on what country you are in, different superstitions may exist for numbers other than unlucky 13.
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Does Sports Diplomacy Work?
September 12, 2013
Done right, athletic diplomacy can be more effective than political outreach.
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Why Does Friday the 13th Scare Us So Much?
September 12, 2013
The superstition is rooted in Western culture, biblical events, experts say.
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How Spice Tickles Your Lips
September 10, 2013
Nerves in our lips react to the spice in Szechuan pepper as if being physically tickled, study says.
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5 Takeaways From UN's Global Report on Happiness
September 9, 2013
Some surprising factors that influence well-being around the world, including wealth, weather ... and bicycles?
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Picture Archive: Damascus Through the Decades
September 9, 2013
A look at the Syrian capital city's history, before the current conflict.
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The Science Behind Bigfoot and Other Monsters
September 9, 2013
The authors of a new book apply the scientific method to the study of some very elusive creatures.
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Jews Receive Unexpected New Year’s Greeting From Iran
September 5, 2013
Iran's new president has purportedly tweeted Rosh Hashanah wishes—particularly for Iran's Jews. But who are the Jews of Iran?
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Study Challenges Theory Modern Nations are Less Warlike
September 5, 2013
As the debate over whether to strike Syria unfolds in the U.S. Congress, a new paper says that modern states are as likely as ever to wage war.
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How Sunlight Reflected Off a Building Can Melt Objects
September 4, 2013
How Sunlight Reflected Off a Building Can Melt Objects
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Investigating the Origins of the Phrase "Red Line"
September 4, 2013
The "line" part is easy to figure out. The "red" is a little more mysterious.
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Pictures We Love: Best of August
August 31, 2013
Blazing wildfires, lifelike baby dolls, and picturesque wedding scenes are among our photo editors' picks for top August news pictures.
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How the "Internet of Things" May Change the World
August 30, 2013
Wireless connectivity of billions of objects offers many benefits--and risks.
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Portrait of a Dog With Peanut Shells
August 30, 2013
On assignment for NatGeo in Kinshasa, writer Robert Draper met an artist-and commissioned a portrait of his pet.<p> </p><p> </p>
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World Leaders Who Killed Their Lovers
August 30, 2013
Occasionally romances with world leaders take a very dark turn. From poisonings to executions, we recount the top mismatches.
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Pictures: Marches on Washington, 1963 vs. 2013
August 29, 2013
Pictures: Marches on Washington, 1963 vs. 2013
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Why Are Chemical Weapon Attacks Different?
August 28, 2013
Why Are Chemical Weapon Attacks Different?
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Picture Archive: March on Washington, 1963
August 28, 2013
Fifty years later, a look back at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom
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The Military Roots of Fighting Modern Wildfires
August 28, 2013
Firefighters in Yosemite and beyond are relying on World War II technology.
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Why Did Humans Invent Music?
August 24, 2013
Some say music was invented as a sexual lure. But a new study bolsters a different theory: Stevie Wonder and others bind us together.
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Pictures: Looters Shatter Museum of Ancient Egyptian Treasures
August 23, 2013
Amid the deadly chaos sweeping across Egypt, looters ransacked the archaeological museum in the town of Mallawi last week.
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How to Renounce Your Citizenship
August 22, 2013
The rules of renunciation in Canada, U.S., Russia, France, and Japan
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Scientists: Meteorite Beads Oldest Example of Metalwork
August 22, 2013
New research has confirmed that beads uncovered in 1911 inside an ancient Egyptian tomb were welded from meteoric iron and are the oldest known example of metalworking.
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Facebook Aims to Bring Internet to 5 Billion More People
August 21, 2013
Facebook Aims to Bring Internet to 5 Billion More People
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Photos: Rage and Despair in Divided Egypt
August 21, 2013
Egyptian forces have killed hundreds of backers of the deposed Islamist president, and vigilantes have scapegoated Egypt's Christian minority.
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Oldest Globe of New World Carved on Ostrich Eggs?
August 21, 2013
A Belgian map collector has discovered what he claims is the oldest globe depicting the New World-but some are skeptical.
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Obamas' New Pet: 5 Facts About the Portuguese Water Dog
August 20, 2013
Obamas' New Pet: 5 Facts About the Portuguese Water Dog
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Pictures of Wildlife in Korea's Demilitarized Zone
August 20, 2013
A border that severed the country of Korea into North and South 60 years ago has become a haven to some of the most endangered animals in Asia.
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Five Reasons to Eat Watermelon
August 20, 2013
Studies show that eating watermelon reduces athletes' muscle pain and has many other health benefits.
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The Cronut Craze Goes Global
August 19, 2013
The cronut, a croissant-doughnut hybrid born in a New York City pastry shop, has gone global.
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Myanmar Opening to Tourism, Investment—and Reform?
August 17, 2013
A closed society is opening up, but how much remains to be seen.
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Newly Declassified Map Reveals Area 51 Exists
August 16, 2013
A newly released document is the first time the U.S. government has acknowledged the site where top-secret planes were developed.
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A New Chapter in the Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
August 16, 2013
Her cells are used in the development of vaccines and medicines. But scientists never asked the family of Henrietta Lacks for their input-until now.
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Picture Archive: Building the Panama Canal, 1900s
August 16, 2013
Picture Archive: Building the Panama Canal, 1900s
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Egypt Pictures: Scenes From an Urban Battleground
August 15, 2013
Egypt Pictures: Scenes From an Urban Battleground
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Oldest North American Rock Art up to 14,800 Years Old
August 15, 2013
Nevada petroglyphs in Winnemucca Lake range from simple lines to complex shapes resembling plants and could date back to the first peopling of the Americas.
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Mitigating the Human-Wildlife Conflict
August 15, 2013
Conservation biologist Krithi K. Karanth shows Indian farmers how to cope with wildlife.
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Russia Not Only Country With Anti-Gay Laws
August 14, 2013
Russia's new anti-gay propaganda law has sparked global criticism ahead of the Olympics there. But other countries have even harsher laws.
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Why the World Is Not Yet Done with Polio
August 14, 2013
Great strides have been made in wiping out polio. Yet the stubborn and highly contagious disease is still on the loose.
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Al Qaeda Threat in Yemen Greater Than Ever
August 12, 2013
Civilians as well as militants are succumbing to stepped up U.S. drone strikes in Yemen, where al Qaeda is now stronger than ever.
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Amaranth: Another Ancient Wonder Food, But Who Will Eat It?
August 9, 2013
Grown by the Aztecs and then all but eliminated in the Spanish Conquest, can the ancient crop amaranth become the next quinoa? The advocacy group Puente is working on its resurgence in Oaxaca, Mexico.
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Does Science Show What 12 Steps Know?
August 9, 2013
So-called spiritual self-help programs for addicts may inadvertently offer medical and psychological solutions.
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Can Dogs Feel Our Emotions? Yawn Study Suggests Yes
August 8, 2013
Pet dogs yawn more in response to their owners' yawns than to strangers'—suggesting they can understand our emotions, a new study says.
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Tomb of a Powerful Moche Priestess-Queen Found in Peru
August 8, 2013
Archaeologists have uncovered the lavish tomb of a Moche priestess-queen at a site in Peru.
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FDA Defines What "Gluten-Free" Label Means
August 8, 2013
The FDA defines the label "gluten-free" for your gastrointestinal well-being.
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Giant Fatberg Found Under London Has Surprising Use
August 7, 2013
Giant Fatberg Found Under London Has Surprising Use
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Giant Maya Carvings Found in Guatemala
August 7, 2013
Giant Maya Carvings Found in Guatemala
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How Do You Close an Embassy? Ambassador Ryan Crocker Explains
August 6, 2013
With evolving terrorist threats, embassy closures like those happening this week in the Middle East and North Africa may become more common.
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Mountain Tribute to JFK Evoked by Kennedy Trip to Yukon
August 5, 2013
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.'s, visit to Canadian wilderness recalls 1965 trip of Senator Robert Kennedy to a remote mountain named for his slain brother.
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Mideast's Largest Crusader-Era Hospital Unveiled
August 5, 2013
After a long excavation, the largest Crusader-era hospital in the Middle East has been unveiled in Jerusalem.
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National Geographic, Korea, and the 38th Parallel
August 5, 2013
In the final hours of WWII, military advisers used a National Geographic map to help them decide how to divide Korea.
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Opinion: SeaWorld vs. the Whale That Killed Its Trainer
August 3, 2013
Opinion: SeaWorld vs. the Whale That Killed Its Trainer
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Cashmere Fashions Squeezing Central Asia's Big Mammals
August 2, 2013
Cashmere Fashions Squeezing Central Asia's Big Mammals
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Picture Archive: Cairo Mosque, Circa 1920
August 2, 2013
Picture Archive: Cairo Mosque, Circa 1920
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Inside the Curl: Surfing's Surprising History
August 2, 2013
Inside the Curl: Surfing's Surprising History
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Pictures: Afghanistan’s Looted and Lost Heritage
August 1, 2013
Some of Afghanistan's greatest cultural treasures are out of the hands of archaeologists-and on the black market.
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Who's Stealing Afghanistan's Cultural Treasures?
August 1, 2013
The looting of archaeological sites in Afghanistan continues, despite attempts to stem the illegal practice.
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Best Travel Pictures of 2013 Named
August 1, 2013
Aquathlon competitors make a splash, cheetahs surprise tourists, and a purple storm looms in the best travel photos of the year.
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Pictures We Love: Best of July
August 1, 2013
Kidnapped canines, illuminated waterfalls, and a giant sinkhole are among our photo editors' picks of the most interesting news pictures from July.
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Wars, Murders to Rise Due to Global Warming?
August 1, 2013
Global warming-related shifts in temperature and rainfall could make the world more violent, a comprehensive new study says.
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Two for the Road: Second Coffin Found With Richard III
July 31, 2013
The English parking lot where the famous king lay has now yielded another older, more ornate grave.
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U.S. Team Wins National Geographic World Championship
July 31, 2013
The U.S. team took first place Wednesday at the 11th National Geographic World Championship geography competition held in Russia.
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Opinion: Why Are We Still Hunting Lions?
July 31, 2013
A conservationist argues that it's impossible to save lions from extinction when Americans are killing them for sport.
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Vandalized Lincoln 'Can Stand Adversity'
July 31, 2013
Removing the green paint splashed on the memorial is a painstaking task for the National Park Service.
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Moche Mural in Peru Revealed in Stunning Detail
July 31, 2013
Interactive gigapixel technology offers a way to see an ancient Moche mural in stunning detail, from the Huaca de la Luna (Temple of the Moon).
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How Old Is That Lion? A Guide to Aging Animals
July 30, 2013
Animals may not have birth certificates, but they do display telltale signs of aging.
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Inca Child Sacrifice Victims Were Drugged
July 29, 2013
Mummy hair reveals that young sacrifice victims were heavy users of coca and alcohol in their last years of life.
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Is the End in Sight for Female Genital Mutilation?
July 26, 2013
The traditional practice of female genital mutilation is slowly declining in some parts of Africa, according to a new United Nations study.
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Honk If You Think Geese Are Good Guard Dogs
July 25, 2013
Some cops in China are now using geese instead of guard dogs. Turns out that's a honkin' good idea.
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Deepest Shipwreck Explored off U.S. Yields Treasures
July 25, 2013
Well-preserved artifacts attest to the fact that no one made it out alive, according to researchers.
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Google Doodle Honors Legendary Female Scientist Rosalind Franklin
July 25, 2013
Google honors female British scientist Rosalind Franklin-integral in discovering the structure of DNA-with a Doodle.
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5 Surprising Facts on Why Cities Are Safer Than Rural Areas
July 24, 2013
A new study analyzes injury risk of car accidents, shootings, and other injuries.
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Dune May Doom "Star Wars" Set
July 24, 2013
Scientists say a fast-moving sand dune will soon bury a set built for Star Wars: The Phantom Menace in the Tunisian desert.
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Amid Royal Baby Name Wait, Asking if Names Affect Life
July 24, 2013
Choosing a name—as the royals are discovering—is serious business. But how do our names impact who we become?
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The Name Game for the Royal Baby
July 23, 2013
London bookies are laying odds on the name for the newborn baby prince. Could it be James ... or Elvis?
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World’s Stinkiest Flower Finally Blooms
July 22, 2013
Visitors to the U.S. Botanic Garden in Washington, D.C., were surprised by what they smelled when the corpse flower finally bloomed.
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First Person: My Lunch With Hemingway
July 21, 2013
A young American living in Cuba is drawn into Ernest Hemingway's circle, with life-changing consequences.
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New ‘Boston Magazine' Photos of Marathon Suspect Add to Conversation
July 19, 2013
The photos published by Boston Magazine contrast with those published by Rolling Stone. Photo experts weigh in.
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Snails Race for Glory, Lettuce
July 19, 2013
A slow and steady look at the upcoming 2013 World Snail Racing Championships.
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Organophosphates: A Common But Deadly Pesticide
July 18, 2013
Organophosphates can cause death in the short term, but chronic exposure could also have serious health risks, experts say.
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Watch Archaeologists Explore a Gulf of Mexico Shipwreck
July 18, 2013
Follow researchers on a live feed as they investigate a 19th-century shipwreck armed with cannons in the Gulf of Mexico.
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Why a Picture on Rolling Stone’s Cover Sparks Outrage
July 17, 2013
The magazine is facing harsh criticism for publishing a cover photo of the Boston Marathon bombing suspect. But is it warranted?
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One Thing We Know About Autism: Vaccines Aren't to Blame
July 16, 2013
Jenny McCarthy, who has famously blamed vaccines for causing autism, has a new TV platform. Experts hope she won't bring up the debunked vaccine theory.
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Five Surprising Facts About Daydreaming
July 16, 2013
A new computer model can simulate our wandering minds-see five surprising facts about daydreaming.
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Picture Archive: Royal Offspring, 1953
July 16, 2013
Before William and Kate's baby, Prince Charles was a child heir.
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Archaeologists Suspect Vampire Burial; An Undead Primer
July 15, 2013
Archaeologists have uncovered a burial site in Poland thought to be the grave of accused vampires.
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Pictures: Slave Shackle, More Found On Blackbeard's Ship
July 14, 2013
A slave shackle, dinnerware, and lead shot are among new artifacts found in the sunken ship <em>Queen Anne's Revenge</em> off North Carolina.
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What’s Inside Ammo? A Cross-Section of Bullets
July 13, 2013
Ever wanted to look inside a bullet? Photographer Sabine Pearlman recently traveled to Switzerland to photograph 900 cross-sections of ammunition.
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On World Population Day, Unpacking 9.6 Billion by 2050
July 11, 2013
The United Nations predicts the human population will hit 9.6 billion by 2050. How do demographers devise that figure?
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American Dog Breeds Hail From Pre-Columbian Times
July 9, 2013
American Dog Breeds Hail From Pre-Columbian Times
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Could Malcolm Gladwell's Theory of Cockpit Culture Apply to Asiana Crash?
July 9, 2013
Best-selling book Outliers investigated links between Korean pilot behavior and accidents, but does that theory still hold?
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Q&A With a Pilot: Just How Does Autopilot Work?
July 9, 2013
Pilot Patrick Smith explains why human pilots are still in control of airplanes, even when they turn on autopilot.
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China's Last Gunslingers
July 6, 2013
China prohibits gun ownership by most citizens, but in the village of Baisha, guns are used openly.
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The Egyptian Military's Huge Historical Role
July 5, 2013
The Egyptian military has ousted its second president in three years—the latest in a long history of a complex relationship between civil society and military forces.
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Pictures: Rare Views of Statue of Liberty in Time for Reopening
July 3, 2013
The Statue of Liberty reopens on Thursday for the first time since Hurricane Sandy. Take a peek at some rare views inside.
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Picture Archive: Fourth of July
July 3, 2013
As Americans celebrate the Fourth of July, we look back at Independence Days and summers past.
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The Physics Behind Waterslides
July 3, 2013
How do waterslides manage to be fun while keeping riders safe? The answer lies within basic scientific principles.
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Pictures: Documenting Journeys of Undocumented Migrants
July 3, 2013
An anthropologist documents the things that migrants leave behind as they walk into the U.S. through the Sonoran Desert.
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Pictures We Love: June
July 2, 2013
Giant ducks, burning mannequins, and the oldest person in America grace the frames of our photo editors' picks for top June news pictures.
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Mysterious Pair Buried With Flowers—Oldest Example Yet
July 1, 2013
A grave of two people buried together in Israel is among the oldest examples of using flowers to celebrate the dead, a new study says.
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How Other Countries Handle Immigration
June 30, 2013
The United States isn't the only country divided over immigration. Here's how six other countries handle the issue.
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Climbers Recount Murder on Famous Pakistan Peak
June 28, 2013
Ten foreign mountaineers were killed on Pakistan's second-highest peak last weekend. Two climbers share what they saw and heard the night of the attack.
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First Person: Save a Language, Save a Culture
June 28, 2013
A Vermont wood carver and a Bangladeshi educator team up to save indigenous languages.
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Connecting With Nature Boosts Creativity and Health
June 28, 2013
Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods and The Nature Principle, explains how society can overcome nature-deficit disorder.
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First Unlooted Royal Tomb of Its Kind Unearthed in Peru
June 27, 2013
Archaeologists discover 1,200-year-old tomb filled with gold and silver artifacts-as well as human sacrifices.
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First Pictures: Peru’s Rare, Unlooted Royal Tomb
June 27, 2013
Pictures from the discovery of the first unlooted royal tomb discovered from the Wari empire. The 1,200-year-old tomb is filled with precious artifacts-and human sacrifices.<p> </p><p> </p>
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Gay Marriage Rulings May Change LGBT Geography
June 26, 2013
The Supreme Court issued a pair of rulings bolstering gay rights. Will it shift where LGBT Americans live?<p> </p>
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Chimpanzees Will Be Used Less in U.S. Research
June 26, 2013
The number of chimpanzees in U.S. government-funded research will be substantially reduced under a new set of principles and criteria announced today.
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Pakistan Attack Casts Light on Troubled Climbing Zones
June 25, 2013
A weekend attack in Pakistan left ten mountain climbers dead, with the Taliban claiming responsibility.
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Politically Motivated Attacks on Athletes
June 24, 2013
The nine mountain climbers and their guide killed in Pakistan are not the first athletes to be targeted by terrorists.
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Grand Canyon Stunts Over the Years
June 21, 2013
Tightrope walker Nik Wallenda will join a small group of risk takers who were crazy enough to take on the canyon.
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Pictures: Celebrating the 2013 Summer Solstice
June 21, 2013
Animal offerings, ancient observatories, and bonfires are some ways people around the world celebrate the mid-year solstice.
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Mood in Brazil Tense Yet Hopeful After Mass Protests
June 21, 2013
Matthew Shirts, editor of National Geographic Brasil, explains the underlying causes of the unrest.
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A Fin Red Line
June 21, 2013
Coney Island counterculture is alive and well-for now.
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Stonehenge Revealed: Why Stones Were a "Special Place"
June 21, 2013
Archaeologist Mike Parker Pearson discusses his team's discoveries—including how Stonehenge fit with the solstices-in a new book.
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Pictures: America's Most Endangered Historical Sites
June 20, 2013
The top five most endangered historical sites in America include an iconic sports arena and a Chinatown community center.
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The Other Mexicans
June 20, 2013
The number of Mexicans of indigenous origin in the U.S. is growing fast, but they are largely overlooked in the debate on immigration reform.
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Pre-Hispanic Chiefs in Panama Were Born to Rule
June 20, 2013
An archaeologist has found evidence for inherited power, hallmark of a sophisticated society, in burials of pre-Hispanic chiefs in Panama.
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U.S. Pet Poll: Most Prefer Dogs, 18 Percent Want Dinosaur
June 19, 2013
Americans love their pets, and a new poll shows just how much we dote on our animals and reveals some interesting views on animals.
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In Global First, Philippines to Destroy Its Ivory Stock
June 18, 2013
The country's decision was inspired by a National Geographic magazine exposé on the illegal ivory trade.
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X-rays and Operas: A Collaborative Restoration
June 17, 2013
Scientists have restored a 200-year-old opera using special x-ray technologies, leading to questions about other possible uses.
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Picture Archive: Lindbergh and Byrd, 1920s
June 16, 2013
<span style="font-size: 10px;">Admiral Byrd had a history of being second in flight.</span><p> </p><p> </p>
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Does Geography Influence How a Language Sounds?
June 14, 2013
A new study is the first to show that language can be influenced by geography.
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Mysteries of the Lost (and Found) Nazi Diaries
June 14, 2013
The U.S. government has seized the long-missing diaries of Nazi official Alfred Rosenberg—and they may be the most revealing documents ever found from that era.
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Pictures of Azorean Whalers: The Last of Their Kind
June 13, 2013
A National Geographic explorer has documented how Azorean whalers used 18th-century techniques to hunt sperm whales well into the 20th century.<p> </p><p> </p>
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Missing Nazi Diary Recovered
June 13, 2013
The missing diary of a Nazi leader has been recovered after 64 years-and could shed new light on the inner workings of Nazi high command.
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The Surprising History and Science of Tear Gas
June 12, 2013
Technically a chemical weapon, tear gas is once again in the news: This time, it's seeing heavy use in Turkish protests.
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Escape to Uncertainty
June 7, 2013
Turkey is in the throes of a refugee crisis. Some 400,000 Syrians and thousands from other conflict-torn lands have sought refuge there.
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Iraqi Artists Are Back on the World Stage
June 6, 2013
For the first time in over 30 years, artists living in Iraq are participating in one of the world's biggest art festivals.
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From Our Archives: Tornado!
June 4, 2013
Earth's most powerful storms pack winds too furious to measure. Learn when and where they form and how we detect and survive them.
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Are Storm Chasers 'Crossing the Line'?
June 4, 2013
Storm chasing began as a research tool in the 1950s. Today, many chasers-both scientists and amateurs-seem to discount the dangers they face.
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Picture Archive: Constantinople in Color, 1923
May 31, 2013
The Istanbul/Constantinople connection gets explained.
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Picture: 5,000-Year-Old Bead Made From Meteorite
May 31, 2013
The bead reportedly represents the earliest known use of iron in Egypt.
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First Person: Happiness Is … Being an Aussie
May 31, 2013
For the third year in a row, Australia is ranked as the happiest country in the developed world, according to the Better Life Index survey.
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The Saddest Tweeters Live in Texas
May 29, 2013
Researchers analyzed ten million tweets to map happiness in the United States. Napa is happy. The Rust Belt is sad.
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Japan's Secret WWII Weapon: Balloon Bombs
May 27, 2013
The first intercontinental weapons were U.S.-bound balloon bombs that hitched a ride on a jet stream from WWII Japan.
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Pictures: Ethiopia’s Extreme Salt Mines
May 25, 2013
Salt from the Afar region of Ethiopia, one of the Earth's hottest places, makes its way to market.
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Travel Writer Paul Theroux’s Last Trip to Africa
May 25, 2013
Travel writer Paul Theroux takes one more trip to Africa and writes about it in his new book, <em>The Last Train to Zona Verde</em>.
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Picture Archive: American Soldiers, 1860s to 1940s
May 24, 2013
As Americans celebrate Memorial Day, we look back at soldiers in action.
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All the Buzz About the 2013 Geographic Bee
May 22, 2013
Sathwik Karnik, a 12-year-old from Massachusetts, bested 53 other contestants in the competition.<p> </p><p> </p>
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Soledad O'Brien Is Next Host of National Geographic Bee
May 22, 2013
The special CNN correspondent will take the reins from Alex Trebek.
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Op-Ed: Gamma Rays and the Grand Canyon
May 20, 2013
Despite a ban on any new uranium mines near the Grand Canyon, the U.S. Forest Service has authorized a Canadian company to start digging.
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Picture Archive: Bangladesh (Then East Pakistan), 1950s
May 20, 2013
As Bangladesh recovers from a factory disaster, a look back at the country's origins.
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6 Women Scientists Who Were Snubbed Due to Sexism
May 19, 2013
These six scientists were snubbed for awards or robbed of credit for discoveries … because they were women.
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Playing Russian Roulette With a Volcano
May 17, 2013
On May 18, 1980, Mount St. Helens exploded with the force of 500 Hiroshimas. National Geographic’s Rowe Findley was on the scene.
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Pictures We Love: May
May 17, 2013
A desert oasis, nano flowers, and a "jet artist" feature among our photo editors' picks of the most interesting news pictures from May.
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The Spies Who Blundered
May 15, 2013
Alleged undercover CIA agent Ryan Fogle is only the latest in a string of international spies to bungle the job.
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Cicada Recipes: Bugs Are Low-Carb, Gluten-Free Food
May 15, 2013
Cicadas bugging you? See our recipe ideas for the low-fat critters, including the new candied cicada cocktail.
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Dog And Human Genomes Evolved Together
May 14, 2013
A new study finds that genes for diet, behavior, and disease in dogs and humans have evolved together.
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U.N. Urges Eating Insects; 8 Popular Bugs to Try
May 14, 2013
From beetles to butterflies and from ants to stinkbugs, people in dozens of countries regularly eat insects. Here are the most popular types of edible critters.
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Vatican in a Bind About Santa Muerte
May 10, 2013
The Catholic Church makes its first public statement on the Mexican cult of Holy Death.
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Restaurant’s Lion Tacos Renew Exotic Meat Debate
May 10, 2013
A Florida restaurant receives threats and employees reportedly attacked over controversial taco filling.
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Final Resting Place Found for Boston Bombing Suspect
May 9, 2013
Boston bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev has been buried, following a controversial decision about where to bury a terrorist.
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Boys Killed Pets to Become Warriors in Early Russia
May 8, 2013
Archaeologists have dug up evidence that boys in Bronze Age Russia had to slay their own dogs to prove their readiness to become warriors.
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U.S. Top of List for First-Day Deaths in Rich Nations
May 8, 2013
The United States far outranks other industrialized countries in the rate of first-day deaths among newborns, according to a new report. Why?
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A Final Effort to Find Nazi War Criminals
May 8, 2013
The Nazi war criminals still alive today are very old men. But efforts to bring them to justice remain in play.
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Where Will Boston Bombing Suspect Be Buried?
May 7, 2013
Cemeteries in Massachusetts don't want to bury Tamerlan Tsarnaev on their grounds. The burial places of terrorists are often debated.
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Philippines Volcano Deaths Raise Climbing Questions
May 7, 2013
One adventure writer describes looking into a live volcano this way: "There's nothing like it on the planet."
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The Literal Truth About The Word "Literally"
May 7, 2013
Grammarians are upset about Google’s definition of the word ‘literally,’ which is listed as something not so literal. But this informal definition dates back over 200 years.
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Pictures We Love: Best of April
May 2, 2013
International pillow fights and frost-covered flowers are among our photo editors' picks of the most interesting news pictures from April.
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Everest Climber: Sherpas Tried to Kill Me
May 2, 2013
In his first extended interview, Simone Moro says he feared for his life last weekend after a Sherpa came at him with an ice ax: "They came to us with the aim to kill us."
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Jamestown Colonists Resorted to Cannibalism
May 1, 2013
Starving colonists resorted to cannibalism to survive harsh winter of 1609, according to a recent find.
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The World in Pictures: April
May 1, 2013
See National Geographic's monthly picks of compelling images from around the world.
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Mount Everest Fight Raises Questions About Sherpas
May 1, 2013
The Sherpas play a complex, evolving role on the increasingly popular peak—one that few outsiders grasp.
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Word in the News: Jihad
April 30, 2013
Our new feature, Word in the News, begins with a look at the origin and meaning of the word "jihad."
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Picture We Love: Making Pope Francis Masks
April 29, 2013
In our latest picture we love, a worker in Brazil puts the finishing touches on a costume mask of Pope Francis.
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Behind-the-Scenes Pictures: Brazil's Circus of the Alley
April 27, 2013
Every Monday night in a São Paulo square, jugglers get together to put on a show and learn new tricks.
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Jindo Sea Parting: Science Behind the 'Magic'
April 26, 2013
As locals and tourists celebrate the Jindo Sea-Parting Festival in Korea, we look at the science behind the "miracle."
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Muslim Bashing in the Wake of Boston Bombing
April 26, 2013
After the Boston bombing, physical threats are waning, but verbal attacks go on. And social media has been a force for no good.
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Tibet's Man on Fire
April 26, 2013
The story of 27-year-old Jamphel Yeshi, a Tibetan who burned himself in protest against Chinese policies in March 2012.
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New Evidence Unearthed for the Origins of the Maya
April 25, 2013
Archaeologists find evidence that refutes current theories on the origins of the Maya.
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Bangladesh Building Collapse Due to Shoddy Construction
April 25, 2013
The deadly catastrophe was entirely preventable, experts say.
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A Brief History of Chemical Warfare
April 23, 2013
Syria is suspected to have a large stockpile now, but chemical and biological weapons have been used since ancient times.
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Chemical Warfare, From Rome to Syria. A Time Line.
April 23, 2013
Fresh allegations of a gas attack in Syria echo a long history of chemical war.
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How the World Treats Terrorist Suspects
April 23, 2013
The Boston Marathon bomber was read his rights and given a lawyer. Other countries have different policies for terrorism suspects.
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Opinion: Boston Bombings Show Muslims Between Worlds
April 22, 2013
The suspects in the Boston Marathon bombings were not at home in their new or old worlds, the author argues.
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Boston Bombing Suspects Raise New Terrorism Questions
April 20, 2013
An anti-terrorism expert fits the Boston marathon bombings into broader trends in domestic and global terrorism.
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Boston Bombing Suspects Put Chechnya in Spotlight
April 19, 2013
A look at Russia’s restive North Caucasus region, to which the Boston bombing suspects are closely tied.
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Byzantine Site in Israel Yields Church-Shaped Lantern
April 19, 2013
Israeli archaeologists find a church-shaped lantern near a Byzantine winepress. Was the owner of both a Christian?
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After the Bombing, Comfort Dogs Come to Boston
April 18, 2013
A charity group has brought five trained therapy dogs to Boston to comfort people reeling from the Boston marathon bombing.
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A Picture We Love: Feathers Fly
April 18, 2013
Feathers flew in cities around the world, as people celebrated International Pillow Fight Day.
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Picture Archive: Baby Giant Panda Su-Lin, Circa 1936
April 18, 2013
As the National Zoo tries for a panda pregnancy, a look back at the first panda in the U.S.
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Ricin Back in the Headlines: What Is It?
April 17, 2013
Letters laced with ricin were sent to the president and a senator. How big a threat is it—and how does the toxin work?
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Pictures: 2013 Pulitzer-Winning Photos Feature Syrian Conflict
April 16, 2013
Images capturing the Syrian conflict stand out in this year’s selection of Pulitzer Prize-winning photographs.
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Picture Archive: 1980s Brooklyn
April 16, 2013
Brooklyn's neighborhoods in the 1980s showed their ethnic roots.
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7 Other Sports-related Attacks
April 15, 2013
Unfortunately, the Boston Marathon explosions aren't a unique occurrence. Many sporting events throughout the years have experienced similar attacks.
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Social Media Shapes Boston Bombings Response
April 15, 2013
Twitter and Facebook determined how people got news of the Boston bombings—and how they responded.
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Brain Games Versus Nature Documentaries
April 15, 2013
Apps that encourage mental gymnastics might not be as good as watching nature documentaries, a new study says.
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Archaeologists Find a Classic Entrance to Hell
April 14, 2013
Italian archaeologists working at the Greco-Roman site of ancient Hierapolis in Turkey have uncovered that city's gate to the underworld.
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Pictures: Syria's Lost Generation
April 13, 2013
Loss of innocence is the collateral damage for children caught in the middle of conflict in Aleppo, Syria.
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5 Surprising Facts About the Death Penalty Worldwide
April 12, 2013
China keeps its execution numbers secret, Saudi Arabia crucifies a man, and the U.S. ranks fifth highest, according to a new report.
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You Never Know What You'll Find Under a Parking Lot
April 11, 2013
When digging starts at a construction site, it may uncover unexpected treasures: ancient temples, headless Vikings, even a few new whale species.
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Pictures: New Bird Flu Hits China
April 9, 2013
China is taking steps to control the new H7N9 virus, which has already claimed eight lives.
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New Vineyards Could Create Conservation Challenges
April 9, 2013
Winemakers are preparing for the climate and wildlife challenges global warming will bring.
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Climate Change Could Mean Bumpier Flights
April 8, 2013
Transatlantic flights could get bumpier in the near future, according to a new study.
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Women Prefer Bigger Penises, May Have Shaped Evolution
April 8, 2013
The findings suggest that women's choices may have driven the evolution of larger penises.
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Creating a New Map of the Holocaust
April 8, 2013
The editors of a new encyclopedia have unearthed more than 40,000 Nazi camps and ghettos.
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Pictures: Ukrainian Underground Dance Party
April 6, 2013
Pensioners in Ukraine stay in touch with tradition at a weekly dance held in a subway station underpass.
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North Korea: Facts on the Ground
April 6, 2013
There's a lot we don't know about the secretive and combative country. Here are some of the things we do know. (Saturday)
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Hand Gestures May Boost Students' Math Learning
April 5, 2013
American math teachers don't use hand gestures as often as teachers in other countries do, and student performance may suffer.
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Detection Dogs: Learning to Pass the Sniff Test
April 5, 2013
With drug laws changing, there's a push to retrain and evaluate detection dogs. So how does a dog learn not to detect marijuana?
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Did the Real T. rex Resemble the One in Jurassic Park?
April 5, 2013
The real Tyrannosaurus rex may have been even more terrifying than the one in the movie.
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Shark-Tooth Weapons Reveal "Lost" Shark Species
April 3, 2013
Shark-tooth weapons once used for warfare in the Central Pacific have revealed two locally extinct shark species, a new study says.
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Picture Archive: Women Weaving, Cyprus, circa 1920
April 3, 2013
As Cyprus struggles for economic footing, a look back at a former cash cow.
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Why Justin Bieber Shouldn't Have a Monkey
April 2, 2013
Thousands of people—including Justin Bieber—have a pet monkey. But primates are not cut out to live with humans.
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Pictures: India's Festival of Colors
April 1, 2013
In India, the spring celebration of Holi takes a messy—but beautiful—turn.
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April Fools' Day Pictures: Seven Animal Hoaxes
March 29, 2013
From a woman birthing rabbits to a human-dog hybrid—see pictures of famous animal hoaxes, including some used as April Fools' Day pranks.
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Inside Casa Santa Marta, Pope Francis’s New Digs
March 28, 2013
The new pope is passing up a palace for a simpler living arrangement on the edge of Vatican City.
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Pictures: Bride Smuggled Through Gaza Tunnels
March 27, 2013
Earlier this month, an Egyptian bride took a smuggler’s tunnel to her wedding in the Gaza Strip.
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Curious Cat Walks Over Medieval Manuscript
March 26, 2013
A historian discovers paw prints—presumably those of a cat—on a medieval manuscript.
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Picture Archive: Radioactive Fountain in Budapest, 1937
March 26, 2013
Mayor Bloomberg is trying to ban oversize sugary drinks in NYC. History's seen more questionable beverages.
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Delaware Gets Its First National Monument
March 26, 2013
President Obama creates a national monument in Delaware, finally bringing the National Park Service to all 50 states.
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Obama Declares Monuments to Preserve Pieces of U.S. Heritage
March 26, 2013
President Obama has declared five new national monuments across the country, from Washington State to Maryland.
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Catfight! Readers Argue Over Fate of Free-Roaming Felines
March 25, 2013
Suggestions on how to handle free-roaming cats sparked a few, well, catfights among our commenters.
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Why Is a Woman Who Loves Science So Surprising?
March 25, 2013
Surprise that popular Facebook science guru is female highlights a lack of progress in accepting women scientists, professor says.
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Taxi! The London Black Cab Will Keep Rolling Along
March 24, 2013
The iconic London black cab faced fatal financial woes. All hail its savior, a Chinese carmaker.
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First Person: Sneaking Into Iraq, 10 Years Ago
March 22, 2013
Ten years after the Iraq war began, a photographer recalls a harrowing trip into the country.
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8 Mummy Finds Revealing Ancient Disease
March 21, 2013
Human remains, preserved artificially or by nature, hold clues to what ailed ancient populations around the world.
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Writer's Call to Kill Feral Cats Sparks Outcry
March 20, 2013
A writer's call to euthanize feral domestic cats has caused new fur to fly in the ongoing debate on how to handle free-roaming felines.
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Photo Archives: North Korean Prisoners of War, 1951
March 15, 2013
This week North Korea nullified the 1953 armistice that ended the Korean War. We look back at that war’s POWs.
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Meet the Lumper: Ireland’s New Old Potato
March 15, 2013
An Irish farmer has revived a potato not seen since the Great Famine.
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Pi Day Turns 25: Why We Celebrate an Irrational Number
March 14, 2013
Everything you always wanted to know about Pi Day—an annual celebration of the number 3.14—but were afraid to ask.
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Selection of Argentine Pope Sends Global Messages
March 14, 2013
The new pope is the first from Latin America but has strong European connections. How will he be received in the global south, where the church is growing fastest?
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Smoke at the Vatican: How Do They Do It?
March 13, 2013
A pyrotechnics expert speculates on how the Vatican makes the kind of white smoke that emerged Wednesday from the Sistine Chapel, signaling a new pope.
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Millions of Young Girls Forced Into Marriage
March 13, 2013
Photographer Stephanie Sinclair discusses covering child marriage, which could affect more than 14 million girls each year by 2020.
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Proposed Lion-Meat Ban Shines Light on Wild-Animal Meat
March 12, 2013
<strong>A lion-meat ban proposed in Illinois highlights people's taste for exotic meats-especially in Asia. </strong>
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Ancient Egyptian Cemetery Holds Proof of Hard Labor
March 12, 2013
Skeletons of ordinary people buried at the site of Amarna show signs of malnutrition, backbreaking work, and accidental injuries.
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Failure to Hunt Rabbits Part of Neanderthals' Demise?
March 11, 2013
<strong>Neanderthals' crude weapons and intense energy needs may have made it difficult for them to change hunting strategies.</strong>
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Daylight Saving Time 2013: When Does It Start? And Why?
March 9, 2013
Daylight savings time begins this weekend. So why do we spring forward? And do daylight actually work?
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San Francisco's Bay Bridge Becomes Public Art
March 8, 2013
San Francisco's iconic commuter bridge gets a new look at night as 25,000 LED lights turn it into a piece of public art.
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How Much Heat Can One Man Handle?
March 8, 2013
Biologist and author Bill Streever discusses his quest to experience the world's steamiest places in an effort to understand heat.
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U.S.S. Monitor Sailors’ Remains to Be Buried With Honors
March 8, 2013
The sailors from the U.S. Navy's first ironclad ship perished in 1862. Now some of their descendants are heading to Arlington National Cemetery.
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Picture Archives: Louisville Slugger Factory, 1932
March 7, 2013
As pro baseball players start their spring training down south, a look back at how a popular bat got its start.
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Finders Keepers? Not Always in Treasure Hunting
March 6, 2013
The United Kingdom's novel archaeology laws promote collaboration between amateurs and experts.
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Pictures: Hugo Chávez’s Venezuela
March 6, 2013
Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez died of cancer on Tuesday.
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My Pet's Demise: A Flood of Sympathy—And Criticism
March 5, 2013
A writer receives an outpouring of sympathy from some and criticism from others for his observations on Rosie the cat's demise.
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Pictures We Love: February
March 4, 2013
Dinosaurs in London and a cemetery to call home are among our photo editors' picks of the most interesting news pictures from February.
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Why It’s Harder Than You Think to Send a Pet to Heaven
March 1, 2013
The author thought that when the time came he'd simply put his cat "to sleep." He never imagined how heartbreaking it would be.
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How Green Was the 'Green Pope'?
February 28, 2013
As Benedict heads for retirement, church watchers analyze his record on the environment.
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Picture Archives: Pope’s Guard, Circa 1930s
February 28, 2013
Thursday will be the first time a member of the Vatican's Swiss Guard will see a pope voluntarily step down.
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Why African Rhinos Are Facing a Crisis
February 27, 2013
The illegal trade in rhino horns is at an all-time high. That could bring growth of rhino populations to a grinding halt.
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Psychological Challenges of a Manned Mission to Mars
February 27, 2013
Feelings of isolation and boredom are only some of the factors crew members will have to deal with, researchers say.
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Picture Archive: Dorothy Lamour and Jiggs, Circa 1938
February 24, 2013
While chimps and other animals have long been stars of the silver screen, they are ineligible for Oscar Awards.
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At Largest Religious Festival, Some Abandon Elderly
February 23, 2013
Some elderly relatives are deliberately left behind during the world's largest religious gathering.<p> </p>
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Europe’s Horse Meat Scandal Escalates, Investigations Ensue
February 22, 2013
The food scandal shaking Europe escalates as authorities hunt for the culprit.
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Pictures: Best News Photos from 2013 World Photo Press Contest
February 22, 2013
Winners of the 56th World Press Photo contest capture some of the most emotional, devastating, and beautiful images of 2012.
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Pictures: Artifacts Provide Clues to Life in Early Christchurch
February 21, 2013
As quake-damaged Christchurch rebuilds, archaeologists are uncovering a wealth of clues about life during the city's earliest decades.
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The True Story of History's Only Known Meteorite Victim
February 20, 2013
The Russian meteorite isn't the first to impact people. Ann Hodges is the only confirmed person in history to have been hit by a meteorite.
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New Study Analyzes Heavy Metal Dancing
February 19, 2013
Scientists have analyzed mosh pits at heavy metal concerts, finding patterns similar to gaseous particle behavior.
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Picture Archive: Making Mount Rushmore, 1935-1941
February 16, 2013
On Presidents' Day weekend, we look back at the sculpting of an American icon.
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Meteorite Spurs Very Russian Reaction: Political Jokes
February 15, 2013
In the face of more than 1,100 injuries, Russians greet meteorite with humor, largely of a political variety. Does Putin ride a meteorite?
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Pictures: The Presidents’ Natural Specimens
February 15, 2013
A pygmy hippopotamus and a man-eating leopard are only some of the creatures these leaders have brought home.
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Confirmed: Dogs Sneak Food When People Aren't Looking
February 15, 2013
Dogs might understand people even better than thought, new experiments show.
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Why We Walk … and Run … And Walk Again to Get Where We're Going
February 14, 2013
People naturally fall into a walk-run-walk cadence that saves energy and delivers them to their destination on time.
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Giant Ferris Wheels Around the World
February 14, 2013
Cities around the world have been competing for years to build the world’s tallest Ferris wheel—see the top contenders.
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In Need of "Sausage and Mash"? Visit an East London ATM
February 14, 2013
In need of "bread and honey" in East London? Head to a cash machine and brush up on your Cockney rhyming slang.
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From Our Vault: Port Said, Egypt, Circa 1920
February 13, 2013
Under a state of emergency after riots, the port city flourished in the 1920s, thanks to the Suez Canal.
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Owl Monkeys Shed Light on Evolution of Love
February 13, 2013
It may not seem like monkey business, but emotional bonds in animals such as primates may have evolved into love as we know it.
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Where Will Pope Benedict XVI Retire?
February 12, 2013
Pope Benedict XVI will call a renovated monastary within Vatican home.
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Europe’s Horse Meat Scandal Casts Light on Food Taboo
February 12, 2013
Horse meat is at the heart of a United Kingdom scandal, but some cultures eat it regularly.
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Kumbh Mela: Pictures From the Hindu Holy Festival
February 11, 2013
Tens of millions of Hindus attend India’s Kumbh Mela festival, where 36 died in a Sunday stampede.
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Year of the Snake: The Serpent Behind the Horoscope
February 10, 2013
Ring in the Lunar New Year with horoscope predictions that accurately describe the actual animals.
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From Our Vault: Busy Postman on Break, 1951
February 8, 2013
As the U.S. Post Office seeks to end Saturday letter delivery, our archive offers a glimpse of time when mail was on the rise.
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Humans Swap DNA More Readily Than They Swap Stories
February 6, 2013
A centuries-old folktale is helping researchers understand the limits to cultural exchange.
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Confirmed: Couch Potatoes Have Lower Sperm Counts
February 6, 2013
Men who watch lots of TV have fewer sperm than men who exercise moderately or vigorously at least 15 hours each week, a new study says.
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Richard III Mania: Understanding a Kingly Obsession
February 6, 2013
The world’s atwitter over the discovery of a British king’s 500-year-old bones. But why?
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Severed Heads Were Sacrifices in Ancient Mexico
February 6, 2013
Archaeologists in central Mexico have uncovered a ritual site connected to pleas for rain and attempts at political power.
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The Real Richard III
February 5, 2013
A clearer historical picture of King Richard III emerges from a new 3D facial reconstruction and linguistic analysis of his letters.<p> </p>
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King Richard III Bones Found, Scientists Say
February 4, 2013
Months after finding skeletal remains under a parking lot, scientists say DNA and other tests confirm they belong to the long-loathed English king.
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Pictures We Love: Best of January
February 1, 2013
Joy in a mud-brick alley and a contemplative hummingbird are among our photo editors' picks of the most interesting news pictures from January.
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NFL Looks to Helmet Technology to Combat Concussions
February 1, 2013
Can football and other sports staunch a seeming spike in head injuries with helmet sensors and help from the military?
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Best Science Pictures of 2012 Announced
February 1, 2013
A troubled brain, a sea urchin tooth, and maneuvering mollusks are among the winning images in a challenge to bring science to life.
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Opinion: Sizing Up Google’s New North Korea Map
January 31, 2013
The search company's news maps of North Korea show the promise and pitfalls of citizen cartography.
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Deer Antler Velvet—What Is It, How Does It Work?
January 30, 2013
<strong>Experts weigh in on deer antler velvet, the substance at the center of a new sports controversy involving Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis.</strong>
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6 Bizarre Animal Smuggling Busts
January 30, 2013
Primates in pants, a carry-on croc, and more surprising finds in the illicit wildlife trade.
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Timbuktu’s vulnerable manuscripts are city’s "gold"
January 29, 2013
There are new questions about the fate of Timbuktu's ancient manuscripts.
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What Does First-century Roman Graffiti Say?
January 29, 2013
Work at the Roman Colosseum raises questions about what 2,000-year-old graffiti really says.
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Pictures: Inside the Lives of Albinos in Tanzania
January 25, 2013
A genetic condition surrounded in myth puts the lives and limbs of albinos in Tanzania at stake.
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8 Other Nations that Send Women to Combat
January 25, 2013
As the United States prepares to officially send women into combat, it is studying the experiences of foreign militaries. So how have they fared with women on the front lines?
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Space Pictures: 7 Ways You Could Blast Off by 2023
January 14, 2013
Innovative spacecraft may be ferrying tourists to and from space within the next decade.
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Pictures: Civil War Shipwreck Revealed by Sonar
January 11, 2013
Shifting sands reveal a Civil War shipwreck and bring to light stories of the bravery shown by her crew as she went down.
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Google and Twitter Help Track Influenza Outbreaks
January 10, 2013
Public health officials turn to Google, Twitter, and Facebook to track and predict outbreaks of seasonal flu.
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Best Pictures: 2012 Nat Geo Photo Contest Winners
January 4, 2013
See the winning images from the 2012 National Geographic Photo Contest.
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Pictures We Love: Best of December
January 3, 2013
Mud-slathered tourists, a cabaret comeback, and a glacial "mushroom" appear in our photo editors' favorite news pictures of December.
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How to Banish That New Year's Eve Hangover
December 28, 2012
From B vitamins to hot peppers—suggestions abound for how to banish that New Year's Eve hangover.
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Body Under British Parking Lot May Be King Richard III
December 28, 2012
Scientists examine a body they think may be infamous medieval monarch Richard III, who was killed in battle.
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How to Live to a Ripe Old Age
December 27, 2012
<strong>National Geographic Fellow Dan Buettner offers tips on the art of living long and well.</strong>
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Pictures: Fungi Get Into the Holiday Spirit
December 21, 2012
One researcher coaxes mold into seasonal artwork.
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Celiac Disease Can Make Holiday Treats a Pain
December 21, 2012
Baked treats are a big part of the holiday season. But the rise in cases of celiac disease mean many people have to forgo some culinary traditions.
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The Healing Power of Dogs
December 21, 2012
Dogs are helping people in Newtown, Connecticut, grapple with grief after the school shooting. What makes canines so comforting?
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The Bloody Truth About Serbia's Vampire
December 17, 2012
Vampire experts explain why the legend of the vampire never dies.
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Grave Obstacle to Chinese Construction Boom
December 17, 2012
One family defies the relentless march of modernization by refusing to move tomb.
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WWII-era Amphibious Truck Found in Italian Lake
December 14, 2012
<strong>A WWII-era amphibious truck belonging to the U.S. military has been discovered in Italy, an Italian group announced this week.</strong>
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Global Checkup: Most People Living Longer, But Sicker
December 13, 2012
The most comprehensive study to date of global health reveals that we're living longer, but coping with more disease as adults.
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Maya Calendars Actually Predict That Life Goes On
December 13, 2012
Doomsday believers have the Maya mindset wrong. Rather than chasing death, they were seeking rebirth.
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Pictures: World War II-era Fighter Raised From Lake Michigan
December 11, 2012
Salvagers recover a fighter plane that crashed into Lake Michigan during takeoff 70 years ago.
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Timbuktu Falls
December 7, 2012
Mali has gone from one of Africa's model democracies to a haven for al Qaeda, leaving the people of Timbuktu asking what happens next?
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Best News Pictures of 2012: Nat Geo News's Most Popular
December 7, 2012
A real-life "vampire," a spider swarm, and miniature chameleons are featured in the most popular news galleries of 2012.
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Top Ten Discoveries of 2012: Nat Geo News's Most Popular
December 3, 2012
The biggest crocodile and the God particle are featured in National Geographic News's most visited coverage of 2012 discoveries.
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Tibet's Man on Fire
November 30, 2012
The story of 27-year-old Jamphel Yeshi, a Tibetan who burned himself in protest against Chinese policies in March 2012.
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Pictures: After Fiery Protest, a Tibetan Exile Is Honored
November 30, 2012
Photos show the final moments of a Tibetan exile who self-immolated at a protest rally in March. Warning: This gallery contains graphic images.
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Pictures: Oldest Pharaoh Rock Art Rediscovered in Egypt
November 29, 2012
Rare pictures of what may be Egypt's founding king, Narmer, have been found near Aswan a century after their first discovery.
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Caterpillar Fungus Has Anti-Inflammatory Properties
November 28, 2012
A new study reveals details of how fungus-infected caterpillars reduce swelling.
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Thanksgiving 2012 Myths and Facts
November 20, 2012
Before the big dinner, debunk the myths—for starters, the first "real" Thanksgiving wasn't until the 1800s—and get to the roots of Thanksgiving 2012.
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After Sandy: The Future of Boardwalks
November 10, 2012
After the storm, should boardwalks be rebuilt, redesigned, defended by dunes? "The big challenge is to create another vision of the shore."
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Veterans Day 2012: Why It's Not Technically on Monday, How It's Changed, More
November 9, 2012
Learn why the U.S. Veterans Day happens in November, why it doesn't technically fall on a Monday, and simple ways to mark the day.
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Why the Maya Fell: Climate Change, Conflict—And a Trip to the Beach?
November 9, 2012
The latest thinking suggests the mighty Maya Empire collapsed due to climate change, conflict—and maybe a trip to the beach.
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Ancient Roman Giant Found—Oldest Complete Skeleton With Gigantism
November 9, 2012
It's no tall tale—the first complete ancient skeleton of a person with gigantism has been discovered near Rome, a new study says.
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Math Can Be Truly Painful, Brain Study Shows
November 8, 2012
Think math's a pain? A new study has your number: Anticipation of arithmetic, researchers say, can activate pain centers in the brain.
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At "Europe's Oldest Town," Unusual Fortifications Hint at Prehistoric
November 7, 2012
"Unusual" fortifications found at a prehistoric site underscore just how rich the settlement was. But was it Europe's first town?
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Pictures We Love: Best of October
November 5, 2012
Sparks fly, tadpoles fall in line, and a sleepy Chihuahua charms in National Geographic photo editors' favorite news pictures from October.
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Elephant "Speaks" Like a Human—Uses Trunk to Shape Sound
November 2, 2012
Koshik the Korean-speaking elephant can say good, hello, no, and sit down—a novel discovery, new research shows.
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Daylight Saving Time 2012: Why and When Does It End?
October 31, 2012
Why do we fall back Sunday? Should daylight savings be abolished? Get the facts—and a few controversial takes on changing time.
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H.M.S. Bounty Sinks: Rescue and Rich Legacy in Pictures
October 30, 2012
See the replica tall ship in its glory days and during its sinking in Hurricane Sandy—200 years after the famous mutiny on its namesake.
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"Talking" Whale Could Imitate Human Voice
October 22, 2012
Birds aren't the only animals that impersonate people—a captive beluga whale learned to mimic humans, a new study suggests. Listen for yourself.
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Evidence of Viking Outpost Found in Canada
October 19, 2012
Telltale blade sharpeners may be smoking guns in the quest for the New World's second known Viking site.
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Guess Who's Eating Dirt: Surprising Number of Men Found Practicing Pica
October 19, 2012
Usually associated with pregnancy, the eating of nonfoods like soil and chalk seems to be surprisingly common among men in Madagascar.
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"Seventy-two Is the New 30": Why Are We Living So Much Longer?
October 16, 2012
A 72-year-old today faces the same chances of dying as a 30-year-old in preindustrial times, a new study says. Evolution at work?
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Pictures: Chinese High-Speed Rail in Focus
October 5, 2012
China's bullet trains are second to none. But the booming high-speed rail system may come at the cost of safety and farmers' livelihoods.
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China Advances High-Speed Rail Amid Safety, Corruption Concerns
October 5, 2012
China continues to push an ambitious high-speed rail program despite charges of corruption and worries about safety.
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Tomb of Maya Queen Found—"Lady Snake Lord" Ruled Centipede Kingdom
October 4, 2012
The suspected burial site and remains of a powerful Maya ruler have been unearthed in Guatemala, archaeologists say.
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Do Animals Get Depressed?
October 4, 2012
Rodents, primates, and even fish that lack interest in their environment could be sad—but scientists can't say for sure, a new study says.
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Pictures We Love: Best of September
October 4, 2012
Flying children, a fairy tale prison, and North Korean "bodybuilders" are among our photo editors' favorite news pictures of the month.
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Fall Leaves: "Ideal Conditions" Seen for Foliage in U.S.
October 3, 2012
There may be one upside to this year's dry summer—a brilliant fall foliage season in parts of the United States.
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Swastika-Bearing Buddhist Statue Was Chiseled From a Meteorite
September 27, 2012
An ancient, swastika-bearing Buddhist statue recovered by Nazis was carved from a meteorite, researchers say.
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Pictures: Royal Treasure, Lost for 350 Years, Revealed by Sinking River
September 26, 2012
Looted—and promptly lost—350 years ago by invading Swedes, tons of monumental marble artifacts come to light as a Polish river withers.
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Jesus May Have Had a Wife, Ancient Text Suggests
September 19, 2012
A papyrus fragment believed to be from the fourth century includes the first known reference to a spouse.
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Talk Like a Pirate Day? Not Even Pirates Spoke Pirate
September 19, 2012
Arrrr you kidding me? Don't let it dampen your Talk Like a Pirate Day, but "walk the plank" and other buccaneer bon mots are pure pop culture.
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Oldest Message in Bottle: Behind History's Famous Floating Notes
September 18, 2012
Plucked from a fishing net, the note is only the latest in a line of famous bottled messages stretching back to at least ancient Greece.
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9/11 - 25 Indelible Pictures
September 11, 2012
Ten years after 9/11, see iconic images of the tragedy as chosen by National Geographic photo editors. <em>Warning: graphic content.</em>
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Exclusive Pictures: Maya Murals Found in Family Kitchen
September 7, 2012
When Lucas Asicona Ramírez began renovating his centuries-old home, a strangely garbed Maya procession paraded into view.
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Pictures We Love: Best of August
August 31, 2012
A stuck squirrel, a modern-day mummy ritual, and a police officer-turned-seagull feature among our favorite pictures of the month.
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Maya Prince's Tomb Found With Rare Drinking Vessel
August 30, 2012
Under a remote Maya palace in the ruined city of Uxul, archaeologists in Mexico have uncovered an ancient burial—and a rare artifact.
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Pictures: Mass Sacrifice Found Near Aztec Temple
August 29, 2012
Below street level in Mexico City, archaeologists have found a jumble of bones dating to the 1480s.
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Pictures: Syrian Cultural Sites Damaged by Conflict
August 20, 2012
Ancient mosques, citadels, and museum collections have suffered damage, say observers.
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Pictures: New Pyramid Found With Vivid Murals, Stacked Tombs
August 17, 2012
With tombs stacked three high—including one with vibrant murals—a newfound pyramid in Mexico is a rarity of the ancient Zapotec culture.
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Terra Nova Pictures: Antarctic Explorer's Shipwreck Found
August 17, 2012
A century after Robert Falcon Scott's expedition to the South Pole, his ship Terra Nova has been located off Greenland.
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Castles, Ancient Treasures Under Fire in Syria—Possibly Beyond Repair
August 17, 2012
As shells rip through ancient citadels and artifacts go missing, experts worry some damage may be beyond repair.
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Pictures: Death-Cult Mummies Inspired by Desert Conditions?
August 13, 2012
Surrounded by naturally preserved corpses, a South American people may have been inspired to make their own elaborate mummies, a new study says.
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Anti-Glacier Prayer "Worked Too Well"—Vatican Approves New Ritual
August 11, 2012
After 350 years of praying for smaller glaciers, Alpine pilgrims debut a Vatican-approved ritual for more, not less, ice.
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Cloned Horses Coming to the Olympics?
August 3, 2012
It's too late for London, but genetic copies are now cleared to competing in the Olympics. Could we be seeing double at the 2020 games?
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Pictures: "Important" Aztec Child Burials, Sacrifices Found in Mexico City
July 31, 2012
Ancient corpses—including 11 children—found at a Mexico City apartment site are offering clues to a little-known Aztec group.
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Ebola in Uganda: Why Can't We Cure It? Where Does It Hide?
July 31, 2012
A recent outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus in Uganda highlights the many unknowns of the highly contagious fever.
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Ancient Olympics Had "Spectacular" Opening Ceremony, Pagan Partying
July 27, 2012
Beyond sheer, naked athleticism, the Greek games were a "total pagan entertainment package"—prostitution, sacrifices, and even doping.
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Pictures: 6 Lost Olympic Sports—Tug-of-War to Pigeon Shooting
July 26, 2012
Tug-of-war, pigeon shooting, and ballooning are among the odd, elitist, and even bloody Olympic games you won't be seeing at London 2012.
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WWII Shipwreck Photos: 48 Tons of Silver Recovered 3 Miles Down
July 26, 2012
Three miles down, robots have helped haul up 48 tons of silver off Ireland—the deepest precious-metal cargo ever recovered, salvagers say.
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Where Is Amelia Earhart? Three Theories but No Smoking Gun
July 24, 2012
Just in time for the aviator's 115th birthday comes news from the new search for her plane. Plus: Watch our streaming Earhart documentary.
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Pictures: Toothless "Vampire" Skeleton Unearthed in Bulgaria
July 24, 2012
With a rod through its ribs and its teeth pulled—just to be safe—a 700-year-old suspected vampire has escaped the crypt in Bulgaria.
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"Dramatic" New Maya Temple Found, Covered With Giant Faces
July 21, 2012
Once blood red, the monument depicts the sun god as shark, blood drinker, and jaguar—and sheds new light on the Maya god-king connection.
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Mystery of Lost Roman City Solved: Ancients Greened the Desert?
July 18, 2012
How did the monumental city of Palmyra survive the Syrian Desert? New finds suggest the ancients engineered a sort of green revolution.
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New Aurora Pictures: Green, Purple Lights Sparked by Solar Blast
July 13, 2012
Bright auroras lit up skies around the world following a powerful sun flare last week.
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Friday the 13th: Why We Fear It; Why It Can't Strike Again in 2012
July 13, 2012
The third Friday the 13th of the year—the most possible—is falling hard on triskaidekaphobes. Find out why it can't strike again in 2012.
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Americans Least Green—And Feel Least Guilt, Survey Suggests
July 12, 2012
A new global survey suggests world's the most wasteful countries feel the least guilty—and vice-versa.
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Lost Viking Military Town Unearthed in Germany?
July 11, 2012
Medieval jewels, weapons, and foundations in Germany may have helped lead experts to the earliest mentioned Viking settlement.
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Pictures: 5 World Heritage Sites in Danger, Plus 2 Successes
July 6, 2012
Five new sites—including two in politically unstable Mali—were added to UNESCO's list of sites most at risk, while two were removed.
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4th of July: Nine Myths Debunked
July 4, 2012
Many stories of U.S. independence turn out to be more 4th of July fiction than fact—and "National Treasure" isn't the only culprit.
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Pictures We Love: Best of June
July 3, 2012
A bird-buffeted elephant, an oddly green cathedral, and an impossible "droplet" figure among our favorite news photos of last month.
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"Leap Second" to Be Added to the Weekend
June 29, 2012
Blink and you'll miss it, but the world's atomic timekeepers are giving you a little more downtime this weekend.
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Massive Pile of Elephant Ivory Burned in Gabon—A First
June 27, 2012
More than ten thousand pounds of elephant ivory were burned in Gabon, a fiery act intended to snuff out a recent spike in poaching.
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World's Oldest Purse Found—Studded With a Hundred Dog Teeth?
June 27, 2012
Studded with a hundred Stone Age dog teeth, the world's oldest purse may have been found in Germany.
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Pictures: Now or Never? 9 Places to See Before They Slip Away
June 25, 2012
For summer travel with lasting impact, consider destinations that are changing fast—Glacier National Park, the Everglades, and more.
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"Frankenstein" Bog Mummies Discovered in Scotland
June 21, 2012
Two Bronze Age bodies found on a Scottish island are actually made from six people, a new study reveals.
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Pictures: New Terra-Cotta Warriors Found—And Unprecedented Armor
June 20, 2012
Dozens of new terra-cotta warriors have emerged from the burial of China's first emperor—along with the site's first known shield.
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John the Baptist's Bones Found?
June 19, 2012
Found under Bulgarian ruins, purported remains of Jesus' baptizer are from the right time and place, testing suggests.
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Pictures: Golden "Emergency" Treasure Troves Found in Holy Land
June 19, 2012
Two newfound "emergency hoards" from Israel—gold jewelry and coins—may have been hidden by ancient families fleeing unknown dangers.
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Summer Solstice 2012: Why It's the Longest Day of the Year
June 19, 2012
Summer officially kicks off today, with the solstice marking the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
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Father's Day Shortchanged? Humble History, Fewer Gifts
June 17, 2012
With Father's Day 2012 approaching, find out how the holiday started, why Dad doesn't mind being shortchanged on gifts, and more.
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Father's Day Shortchanged? Humble History, Fewer Gifts
June 15, 2012
With Father's Day 2012 approaching, find out how the holiday started, why Dad doesn't mind being shortchanged on gifts, and more.
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World's Oldest Cave Art Found—Made by Neanderthals?
June 14, 2012
The newly dated cave paintings—perhaps the world's oldest—are "evidence that Neanderthals were not a distinct species," one expert says.
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Gorillas Seen Using "Baby Talk" Gestures—A First
June 12, 2012
A first among primates, the discovery may give insight into how similar human communication evolved.
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Pictures: 11 Most Endangered U.S. Historic Sites Named
June 8, 2012
On the 25th anniversary of the preservation ranking, see which U.S. places are most in danger—plus a success story and a lost landmark.
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Americans' Heads Getting Bigger
June 6, 2012
Since 1825 white Americans' skulls have grown enough to potentially accommodate a tennis ball's worth of additional brain, experts say.
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Pictures: Huge Peru Tomb Found With 80 Bodies, Ring of Babies
June 6, 2012
Encircled by infant remains, the thousand-year-old burial holds 80 bodies and, archaeologists hope, clues to a mysterious pre-Inca culture.
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19th-Century "Time Capsule" Warship Emerging Near D.C.
June 6, 2012
Excavations are about to begin at a well-preserved 19th-century shipwreck, which could offer new insight into the war that inspired the U.S. national anthem.
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Pictures: Top Ten Beaches of 2012 Named
June 4, 2012
On the lookout for a good U.S. beach this summer? Check out a coastal scientist's new ranking of the country's best shores.
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Pictures We Love: Best of May
June 1, 2012
From Amazon antics to a mist-shrouded Taj Mahal—see National Geographic photo editors' favorite news pictures from last month.
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Men's Offices Have More Bacteria, Study Finds
June 1, 2012
Your work space might harbor about as many bacteria species as a bathroom, a new study suggests—and they come mainly from your own body.
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Pictures: Mystery Shipwreck Found With Muskets, Beer Bottles
May 31, 2012
See a 19th-century wreck that has experts stumped. The site's few clues include guns, beer bottles, and copper outlines of a missing hull.
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Memorial Day: How It's Changed, Why Some Oppose 3-Day Weekend
May 25, 2012
Find out who started the day of remembrance, and see why some groups think the holiday gets lost in the swirl of summer kickoff.
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National Geographic Bee's New King: Texan Wins on Bavarian Brainteaser
May 24, 2012
National Geographic Bee's New King: Texan Wins on Bavarian Brainteaser
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Pictures: World War II "Time Capsule" Fighter Found in Sahara
May 24, 2012
See the "aviation equivalent of Tut's tomb"—a World War II fighter plane newly found in the Egyptian desert.
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Everest Expedition Calls Off Risky West Ridge Climb
May 16, 2012
Unsafe conditions on Mount Everest have forced a Nat Geo team to cancel plans to ascend via the West Ridge, the expedition leader says.
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Pictures: "Body Jars," Cliff Coffins Are Clues to Unknown Tribe
May 15, 2012
Perched on precarious cliff ledges, centuries-old log coffins and "body jars" are the only known traces of an unknown Cambodian tribe
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Mother's Day's Dark History
May 11, 2012
Born of war, Mother's Day grew to horrify its own mother, whose fight to fix the holiday "cost her everything, financially and physically."
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Pictures: New Maya Mural, Calendars Debunk 2012 Myth
May 10, 2012
See the rare, newfound Maya artworks and calculations that show mysterious figures and contradict popularly held 2012 apocalypse theories.
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Unprecedented Maya Mural Found, Contradicts 2012 "Doomsday" Myth
May 10, 2012
Unprecedented paintings and calculations have emerged from under the Guatemalan jungle—including evidence against the 2012 "doomsday myth."
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Cinco de Mayo History Short on Beer, Long on Bloodshed
May 5, 2012
U.S. partygoers may be surprised to learn that Cinco de Mayo history is less about margaritas than military conflict.
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Pictures We Love: Best of April
May 4, 2012
From hippo dental care to hammer time—see National Geographic photo editors' favorite news pictures from last month.
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Space Shuttle Enterprise Arrives in New York City (Pictures)
April 27, 2012
NASA's first shuttle buzzed the Big Apple today on the way to its new home atop an aircraft carrier in the Hudson River.
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Everest Guide Dies After 15-Story Fall Into Ice Chasm
April 22, 2012
In the first climbing fatality of the Everest mountaineering season, a Sherpa fell 150 feet into a chasm Saturday.
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Earth Day Facts: When It Is, How It Began, What to Do
April 19, 2012
Find out more about Earth Day, which has grown into a global tradition since its not-so-humble beginnings in 1970.
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Female Gladiators? Tantalizing New Evidence From Ancient Rome
April 19, 2012
Women took to the gladiatorial arena too, according to a new study of a scantily clad bronze statue from ancient Rome.
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Pictures: 3,000 Ancient Buddhas Unearthed in China
April 17, 2012
Found at the site of an ancient Chinese city, the 1,500-year-old statues—some life-size—may have been buried by temple officials.
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Space Shuttle Discovery Buzzes Washington, D.C., Monuments (Pictures)
April 17, 2012
On its final flight, space shuttle <em>Discovery</em> soared low over Washington, D.C.—a monumental ending to a record-breaking career.
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Paint the Titanic, Wreck's Discoverer Says
April 12, 2012
Robert Ballard, the explorer who discovered the legendary wreck, has serious plans to robotically coat Titanic with fresh paint.
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North Korea Nuclear Test: How Will We Know? What Could Happen?
April 11, 2012
In addition to a controversial rocket launch, North Korea looks to be prepping a nuclear bomb test. Here's what to expect.
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Titanic at 100: Be Among the Last to Dive to Wreck Site?
April 5, 2012
A hundred years after the Titanic sank, tourists can now go on a dive to the legendary wreck—but some experts want the "grave site" left alone.
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Pictures We Love: Best of March
April 3, 2012
See National Geographic photo editors' ten favorite pictures from the past month—from a tornado-hit house to an eye-popping Easter tree.
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April Fools' Day: Why Is It Prime Time for Pranks?
March 29, 2012
Plumb the murky origins of April Fools' Day—and find out how straight-faced scientific research can be sillier than the wackiest pranks.
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Pictures: Biggest Conservation Area Created in Africa
March 27, 2012
The huge new region will allow wildlife to roam and will boost ecotourism, organizers say. But not all conservationists are convinced.
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Viking Invaders Brought Armies of Mice
March 21, 2012
Vikings who conquered new lands unwittingly brought with them another sort of invader: mice, a new study says.
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Photos: Bejeweled Anglo-Saxon Found in Christian "Burial Bed"
March 21, 2012
A young woman buried with an exquisite gold-and-garnet cross is offering clues to the earliest days of the English church, scientists say.
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Vernal Equinox Pictures: First-Day-of-Spring Celebrations
March 20, 2012
From driving out devils in Indonesia to dragging dead goats in Kyrgyzstan, see how people around the world mark the first day of spring.
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Vernal Equinox 2012: First-Day-of-Spring Myth Busted
March 20, 2012
Are day and night equally long today, the 2012 vernal equinox (or spring equinox)? Get the answer—and other first-day-of-spring facts and oddities.
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Pictures: New U.S. Historic Landmarks Named
March 19, 2012
A restored warship, a rock-art capital, and a Frank Lloyd Wright-designed campus are among 13 new U.S. historic sites of distinction.
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"Lost" Great Wall of China Segment Found?
March 19, 2012
Deep in the Mongolian desert, researchers say they've uncovered a forgotten 60-mile stretch of the Great Wall system.
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Ides of March: What Is It? Why Do We Still Observe It?
March 15, 2012
Once simply a time to settle accounts, March 15—the Ides of March—is linked to prophecies of misfortune, thanks to Caesar and Shakespeare.
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Lost Leonardo da Vinci Mural Behind False Wall?
March 12, 2012
A long-sought Leonardo da Vinci mural may be hidden behind a brick wall—and another masterpiece—preliminary tests suggest.
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First Look: James Cameron's Sci-Fi Sub for Deepest Dive
March 8, 2012
The custom-made sub for James Cameron's dive to Earth's deepest point sports a vertical design, a robotic arm—and an eye-popping paint job.
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Daylight Saving Time 2012: Why and When Does It Begin?
March 8, 2012
Why do we spring forward Sunday? Should daylight savings be abolished? Get the facts—and a few controversial takes on changing time.
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Titanic Sunk by "Supermoon" and Celestial Alignment?
March 6, 2012
As the moon swung very close to Earth—and the sun fell in line—the resulting pull might have sent icebergs on a collision course in 1912.
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Photos: Pictures of the Year Announced
March 5, 2012
See this year's winners of the global photo contest that aims to "empower the world's best documentary photography."
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Pictures We Love: Best of February
March 1, 2012
See the pictures we love, as chosen by National Geographic photo editors—from gravity-defying fighters to a "flaming" caterpillar.
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James Cameron Headed to Ocean's Deepest Point Within Weeks
February 29, 2012
In a sci-fi sub, filmmaker and explorer James Cameron is soon to make history on a National Geographic mission to Earth's deepest point.
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Leap Year 2012: Why We Need February 29
February 29, 2012
Find out why we need February 29, when leap day was adopted, and how cultures with other systems for tracking time handle their calendars.
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Mummy Pictures: Secrets of Stunning 19th-Century Heads Revealed
February 17, 2012
Their heads may be peeled like onions, and they may be 150 years old, but these Italian mummies are oddly lifelike. Now we know why.
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Pictures: See and Hear Last Speakers of Dying Languages
February 17, 2012
Faces and recorded voices tell the stories of endangered languages, thanks to new "talking dictionaries."
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Best News Pictures of 2011: World Press Winners
February 15, 2012
See the painterly picture that won this year's World Press Photo Contest—plus a cliff-climbing polar bear, a record-breaking cave, and more.
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Valentine's Day: Why Do We Celebrate It? (Hint: Naked Romans)
February 13, 2012
Where did Valentine's Day come from? (Think naked Romans, paganism, and whips.) What does it cost? And why do we fall for it, year after year?
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Shark-Attack Deaths Highest in 19 Years—Travel Trends to Blame?
February 10, 2012
U.S. fatalities down, possibly due to economic downturn.
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Pictures: Bird Mummies "Fed" After Death, Stuffed With Snails
February 7, 2012
Some of the millions of ancient Egyptian ibis mummies were "fed" after death, scans reveal—the better to live the afterlife.
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Guinea Pigs Were Widespread as Elizabethan Pets
February 7, 2012
The tiny South American rodents were bred as pets throughout 16th- and 17th-century Europe, a new study suggests.
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Is This Russian Landscape the Birthplace of Native Americans?
February 3, 2012
The genetic homeland of Native Americans is a small mountainous region in southern Siberia, a new study suggests.
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Groundhog Day 2012: Punxsutawney Phil's Forecast Is In
February 2, 2012
Early spring or long winter? "Immortal" rodent Punxsutawney Phil has made his forecast. Get the odd facts behind Groundhog Day 2012.
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Groundhog Day 2012: Behind Phil's Immortal Allure
February 1, 2012
With ancient origins, "immortal" rodent Punxsutawney Phil rules Groundhog Day 2012. Get the surprising facts behind winter's wackiest U.S. weather prediction.
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Pictures We Love: Best of January
February 1, 2012
See the pictures we love, as chosen by National Geographic photo editors—from a too plush penguin to a pantsless pedestrian.<p> </p>
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Stonehenge Precursor Found? Island Complex Predates Famous Site
January 27, 2012
Not only that, the Scottish island complex may have been the model for England's famous stone-circle site, new data suggest.
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Rare Pictures From the Dawn of NASA Spaceflight
January 23, 2012
Newly released digital scans offer a rare high-resolution glimpse into NASA's Project Gemini, the precursor to the Apollo moon missions.
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Pictures: America's "Lost" National Parks
January 20, 2012
See U.S. national parks that are no more, including the second national park, a Trump pleasure palace, and more.
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Ancient Popcorn Found—Made 2,000 Years Earlier Than Thought in Peru
January 19, 2012
Just in time for National Popcorn Day, a new study says that Peruvians were eating the snack thousands of years earlier than thought.
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New Island Born—Future Tourism Hot Spot?
January 19, 2012
A volcano beneath the Red Sea has given Earth a New Year's gift: a new island off the coast of Yemen.
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Pictures: 5 Cruise Ship Disasters That Changed Travel
January 18, 2012
Some good may yet come of Italy's Costa Concordia wreck. At least since Titanic, cruise accidents have sparked new safety standards.
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New Calendar Would Add Extra Week to December
January 17, 2012
If a new annual calendar is adopted, you'd get an extra week off at the end of 2017, experts say.
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Rare Pictures: Scott's South Pole Expedition, 100 Years Later
January 17, 2012
A century after British explorer Robert Scott reached the South Pole, "incredibly rich," rarely seen pictures give an inside look at the ill-fated expedition.
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Injections Could Lift Venice 12 Inches, Study Suggests
January 12, 2012
Pumping billions of gallons of water under the sinking Italian city could save it from worsening floods as seas rise, a new study says.
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U.S. National Parks Free for Martin Luther King Day Weekend
January 11, 2012
More than a hundred U.S. national parks and historic sites are waiving their entrance fees in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr.
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Nuclear-Resort Pictures: Come for the Reactor, Stay for the Beach
January 5, 2012
A new Philippine destination has something for everyone: beach, karaoke, wildlife—and a real nuclear power plant (uranium not included).
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2012 Pictures: 6 Maya Apocalypse Myths Debunked
January 3, 2012
See six good reasons why the world (probably) won't end in the new year, despite supposed warnings in the Maya calendar.
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Pictures We Love: Best of December
December 29, 2011
See National Geographic photo editors' favorite news pictures of the month—a winter swimmer, burned Egyptian treasures, and more.
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Wild Gorillas Groom U.S. Tourist in Uganda
December 28, 2011
A tourist's encounter with gorillas in Uganda has become an Internet sensation—and a reminder of the pros and cons of wildlife tourism.
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Mysterious Mass Sacrifice Found Near Ancient Peru Pyramid
December 28, 2011
An apparent ritual mass sacrifice—including decapitations and a royal beer bash—is coming to light near a pre-Inca pyramid, experts say.
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Evolution of Angels: From Disembodied Minds to Winged Guardians
December 23, 2011
From disembodied minds to winged guardians, heavenly messengers haven't always looked like the familiar Christmas tree toppers.
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Best Travel Pictures of 2011 Named
December 23, 2011
Playful wolves, an iceberg climber, and a curious beluga are highlights of the 2011 Travel Photographer of the Year competition.
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Pictures: China's Fake Disneyland, Overgrown and Ghostly
December 22, 2011
New pictures take you inside the abandoned Wonderland outside Beijing—half-built castles, overgrown "villages," and reclaimed cornfields.
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It's Official: Stonehenge Stones Were Moved 160 Miles
December 22, 2011
Some of the volcanic bluestones in the inner ring of Stonehenge match an outcrop in Wales 160 miles from the site, geologists show.
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"Golden Chief" Tomb Treasure Yields Clues to Unnamed Civilization
December 21, 2011
"Golden chief" graves in Panama are yielding thousand-year-old gold, gems, and clues to an unnamed civilization.
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Winter Solstice 2011: Facts on Shortest Day of the Year
December 21, 2011
Find out why the first day of winter always falls around December 21 and how the shortest day of the year is marked by cultures worldwide.
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Pictures: Fire Destroys "Temple of Knowledge" in Egypt
December 20, 2011
Ancient manuscripts were lost to the ages this weekend as fire consumed Cairo's "Temple of Knowledge"—a "huge shock" to Egyptologists.
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End of World in 2012? Maya "Doomsday" Calendar Explained
December 20, 2011
Even if the world does end in 2012, the Maya calendar deserves no credit for predicting it, experts say.
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Best Pictures: Nat Geo Photo Contest Winners, 2011
December 19, 2011
From a rain-pelted dragonfly to a double rainbow over Indonesia, see the winning shots of the 2011 National Geographic Photo Contest.
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Japan Tsunami-Debris Cruise Attracts Travelers to Ocean Garbage Patch
December 15, 2011
Tourists can pay thousands to sail through a floating field of debris from the Japanese tsunami that could be the size of California.
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South Pole Travel Heats Up on 100th Anniversary of "Discovery"
December 13, 2011
You too can visit the South Pole, a hundred years after explorers first reached the southernmost point on Earth.
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"Contagious" Yawning Occurs More Among Loved Ones
December 13, 2011
People yawn more in response to other yawns when they're around those they care about most, a new study shows.
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4 Ways Your Phone Could Change How You Travel in 2012
December 9, 2011
From augmented reality to a handheld translator, see how the smart phone will become an even more vital traveling companion.
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Pictures: National Geographic's Top Ten Discoveries
December 7, 2011
To mark the National Geographic Society's 10,000th grant, Society experts have named Nat Geo's top grant projects since 1890.
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Massive Population Drop Found for Native Americans, DNA Shows
December 5, 2011
Indigenous populations quickly dropped by roughly half following European contact about 500 years ago, a new DNA study says.
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Pictures: World's 7 Most Extreme Airports
December 2, 2011
From cliffside strips to sea ice runways—these breathtaking, heart-stopping, runways may render your holiday flights cushy by comparison.
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Wasps Can Recognize Faces
December 1, 2011
Paper wasps may discern faces to keep the peace in complex colonies, a new study suggests.
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Pictures: 7 Volcanoes Erupting Right Now
November 30, 2011
If you've ever wanted to see a fire-breathing volcano in person, now might be the time—as shown in our new survey of accessible eruptions.
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Pictures: World's Largest Marine Reserve Announced
November 29, 2011
See the ocean wonders of the Coral Sea, where Australia plans to establish a marine park bigger than Germany and France combined.
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World's Tallest Tower Rises in Tokyo
November 28, 2011
Set to open to visitors next year, Japan's Tokyo Sky Tree already has a lofty reputation. But how can it withstand seismic activity?
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Bashed Skull Is Earliest Evidence of Human Aggression?
November 22, 2011
A bashed skull offers some of the earliest known evidence for violence between ancient humans—but also hints at their caring side.
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Thanksgiving 2011 Myths and Facts
November 22, 2011
Before the big dinner, debunk the myths—for starters, the first "real" Thanksgiving wasn't until the 1800s—and get to the roots of Thanksgiving 2011.
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Was "Stereo" Born 400 Years Ago in Venice"?
November 18, 2011
Landmark churches—including tourist staples such as the Basilica of San Marco—may have been designed in part for a two-speaker effect, experts say.
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Louis Daguerre: Pictures Illuminate Google's Man of the Day
November 18, 2011
Go behind the lens of Louis Daguerre—honored today, his 224th birthday, with a Google doodle.
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Photos: 65-Story Eruption Spurs Explosive New Adventure
November 16, 2011
New, 65-story lava fountains are a big draw in the Congo. But travel at your own risk, officials say—despite the armed guards.
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Pictures: Are These the Seven Wonders of Nature?
November 14, 2011
If the Grand Canyon and Mount Everest aren't among the "New 7 Wonders of Nature," what is? See—and judge—for yourself.
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Veterans Day 2011: Why It's Today, How It's Changed, More
November 11, 2011
As the U.S. honors Veterans Day, find out why it happens in November, why it doesn't fall on a Monday, and some simple ways to mark the day.
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Vikings Navigated With Translucent Crystals?
November 10, 2011
Vikings may have navigated by looking through a "sunstone" made of Icelandic spar, a new study suggests.
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"Lost" Fortresses of Sahara Revealed by Satellites
November 10, 2011
New satellite pictures have uncovered scores of ancient settlements that belonged to a mysterious African civilization.
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Pictures: Five Future Techs for Passenger Air Travel
November 10, 2011
Supersonic planes, flying in formation, and mid-air refueling are some of the concepts that could reshape air travel, a new report says.
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Pompeii Is Crumbling—Can It Be Saved?
November 7, 2011
Recent collapses highlight "critical" situation, but the site is safe for tourists, experts say. Can new funds stop the decay?
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Permanent Daylight Saving Time? Might Boost Tourism, Efficiency
November 4, 2011
As much of the U.S. and Europe falls back an hour, supporters of permanent daylight saving tout energy saving—and more tourism.
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Daylight Saving Time 2011: Why and When Does It End?
November 3, 2011
Why do we fall back? Should daylight savings be abolished? Get the facts—and a few controversial takes on turning back the clock.
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Where Did Fall Color Go? Predicting Foliage's Final Hideouts
November 2, 2011
Experts predict foliage's final hideouts—places where the Halloween blizzard was just a headline and the leaves blaze deep into November.
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Conquistador Was Deep in U.S.: "Stunning" Jewelry Find Redraws Route?
November 1, 2011
The "stunning" discovery of 16th-century Spanish artifacts in a strange spot could redraw the map of Hernando de Soto's expedition.
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Pictures: Ten Least Crowded Places in the World
October 31, 2011
With humanity now at seven billion, is elbowroom becoming endangered? Escape to ten spacious places—and find out how they got that way.
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Pictures We Love: Best of October
October 31, 2011
See National Geographic photo editors' favorite news pictures of the month—a lightning-filled eruption, a bubbly beluga, and more.
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Quiz: Population 7 Billion—Could We All Fit in One City?
October 30, 2011
Could all humans fit in one city? Is the most typical person a woman? Get answers in our quiz on the human population reaching seven billion.
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Halloween 2012: Top Costumes, History, Myths, More
October 28, 2011
Get the facts on Halloween 2012's most popular costumes, record-breaking pumpkins, and more in our Halloween roundup.
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7 Billion: Will Earth Really Hit Population Milestone Monday?
October 28, 2011
The seventh-billion person will be born on October 31, according to the UN—but how do they know?
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Human Waste to Revive Haitian Farmland?
October 26, 2011
A new type of public toilet is helping Haitians make fertilizer from human waste, which may someday revive the country's degraded soil.
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Photos: Speared Mastodon Bone Hints at Earlier Americans
October 21, 2011
A spear tip in a mastodon rib hints that an unknown North American culture was killing big game a thousand years before the famed Clovis culture.
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Pictures: 12 World Monuments at Risk
October 18, 2011
Gingerbread Houses, giant glyphs, and brutalist buildings are among the endangered sites on the 2012 World Monuments Watch list. See why.
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Oldest "Art Studio" Found; Evidence of Early Chemistry
October 13, 2011
About a hundred thousand years ago, early artists made ochre paint inside a South African cave, a new study says.
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120 Roman Shoes Found in U.K.; "Substantial" Fort Find
October 10, 2011
A pile of 2,000-year-old Roman sandals and shoes has been found at a supermarket construction site in Scotland, archaeologists say.
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Photos: Life-Changing Nobel Chemistry Breakthroughs
October 5, 2011
Quasicrystals today joined scores of Nobel prize-winning chemistry advances that have changed how we live—from radiology to neon signs.
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Little Ice Age Shrank Europeans, Sparked Wars
October 3, 2011
The Little Ice Age's coldest snap, around 1600, eventually sparked upheavals across the Northern Hemisphere, a new study says.
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Cannibalism Confirmed Among Ancient Mexican Group
September 30, 2011
Bones found in cave houses prove that eating humans was "crucial" to the spiritual life of an ancient people, experts say.
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Pictures: Ancient Chariot Fleet, Horses Unearthed in China
September 27, 2011
Hailing from China's "heyday of chariot warfare," five well-preserved chariots and accompanying horses have emerged from an urban tomb.
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Pictures: Mass Grave of Children, Llamas Found in Dune
September 26, 2011
The remains of 42 ancient sacrifice victims—their torn-out hearts replaced with fabric—have emerged from a seaside sand dune in Peru.
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Pictures: Maya Royal Tombs Found With Rare Woman Ruler
September 22, 2011
Two royal tombs—one containing a rare female ruler—have been discovered at Maya ruins in Guatemala, a new study says.
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"Talk Like a Pirate Day" Busted: Not Even Pirates Spoke Pirate
September 19, 2011
International Talk Like a Pirate Day 2011: Arr you kidding me? "Walk the plank," other buccaneer bon mots are pure pop culture.
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Huge Gladiator School Found Buried in Austria
September 12, 2011
Nearly as big as two Walmarts, the "important" find boasted its own cemetery and amphitheater—and rivaled its counterparts in Rome, experts say.
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One World Trade Center: Virtual View From the Top
September 9, 2011
An exclusive panoramic picture shows the New York skyline from above as it will be seen from the One World Trade Center tower in 2013.
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Pictures We Love: Best of August
September 1, 2011
See National Geographic photo editors' favorite news pictures of the month—an invisible man, sardine "storm," Swiss daredevil, and more.
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Pictures: 18th-Century Ship Found Under 9/11 Site
August 30, 2011
With 9/11's tenth anniversary approaching, the remains of an 18th-century ship have been excavated at New York's World Trade Center.
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Blackbeard's Ship Confirmed off North Carolina
August 29, 2011
A shipwreck off the North Carolina coast is definitely that of the infamous 18th-century pirate Blackbeard, state officials say.
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Shipwreck Pictures: Civil War-era Wine, Cologne Found
August 17, 2011
After storms uncovered parts of a Civil War-era wreck, divers found intriguing artifacts, including unopened wine with a "strong odor."
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Best Travel Pictures of 2011 Named
August 2, 2011
A starry night and a giraffe hotel feature among the winners of the 2011 <em>National Geographic Traveler</em> Photo Contest. Find out why they won.
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"Spectacular" Three-Cat Monolith Unearthed in Mexico
August 1, 2011
The "spectacular" monolith may have been part of an ancient monumental wall crawling with felines.
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Pictures We Love: Best of July
July 28, 2011
Slimy seas, stormy skies, a bull's ear—National Geographic photo editors eye the month's best new pictures and find ten favorites.
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Russia Wins Geographic World Championship
July 28, 2011
For the first time, a team of Russian students won the National Geographic World Championship, which is hosted by Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek. Video.
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Ancient Sacrificer Found With Blades in Peru Tomb?
July 27, 2011
With ceremonial knives at his side, an elite 14th-century executioner has been uncovered in a Peruvian tomb, archeologists suggest.
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Pictures: Machu Picchu, Before and After Excavation
July 22, 2011
See how the 15th-century Inca city has changed in the century since the ruins were "rediscovered" in Peru.
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What Was Machu Picchu For? Top Five Theories Explained
July 20, 2011
Were the 15th-century Inca ruins a royal retreat, a sacred memorial, or something else entirely?
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Afghanistan Bright Spot: Wildlife Thriving in War Zones
July 11, 2011
Surprisingly, Afghanistan's bears, wolves, and big cats have survived decades of war—but they're not out of the woods yet, conservationists say.
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Space Shuttle Pictures: NASA's Last Launch a Success
July 8, 2011
See <em>Atlantis</em>'s Friday launch—the final time a NASA space shuttle will rocket to the International Space Station, or anywhere else.
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"Tomb of the Otters" Filled With Stone Age Human Bones
July 7, 2011
Stumbled upon by a homeowner, a 5,000-year-old chamber crammed with human bones and otter remains has been found on a Scottish island.
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Pictures: Human Sacrifice Found in Maya City Sinkhole
July 6, 2011
The submerged remains of six humans, jade beads, and ceramic vessels are among Maya objects discovered in a giant hole in Chichén Itzá.
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Pictures: New "Uncontacted" Tribe Found in Amazon
July 5, 2011
Photographed deep in the Brazilian Amazon, two new buildings help confirm the existence of a new isolated tribe, authorities say.
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Fourth of July Facts: 1st Fests, Number of Fireworks, More
July 4, 2011
How did U.S. Founding Fathers Celebrate Independence Day? How many Fourth of July fireworks explode each year? Answers and more.
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Fourth of July Myths Debunked
June 30, 2011
Many stories of U.S. independence turn out to be more fiction than fact—and National Treasure isn't the only culprit.
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Pictures We Love: Best of June
June 30, 2011
So good we had to share—ten new images that gripped Nat Geo photo editors: "supertrees," an upside-down horse, a surfer on ice, and more.
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Pictures: Blood-Red Pyramid Tomb Revealed by Tiny Camera
June 29, 2011
Fed through a hole, a tiny camera exposed a Maya tomb to its first light in centuries, revealing a blood-red chamber, jade, and more.
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Pictures: First True Cocaine Submarine
June 24, 2011
See the first fully submersible drug sub captured by the U.S. in Colombia—a swamp-built vehicle that can carry six underwater for a week.
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Iceman's Stomach Sampled—Filled With Goat Meat
June 23, 2011
Hours before he died, "Ötzi" the Iceman gorged on the fatty meat of a wild goat, according to a new analysis of his stomach contents.
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Pictures: 11 Most Endangered U.S. Historic Sites Named
June 23, 2011
From the ranch house where John Coltrane wrote <em>A Love Supreme</em> to a giant Pillsbury mill—see historic sites said to be on the edge of ruin.
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Summer Solstice Pictures: Fire, Druids, Lasers, Llamas
June 22, 2011
See how the world welcomed the first day of summer 2011: lasers strafed Paris dancers, burned llama fetuses were borne aloft, and more.
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Pictures: Celtic Princess Tomb Yields Gold, Amber Riches
June 21, 2011
Ornate gold and amber jewelry are among treasures found in an Iron Age noblewoman’s grave, which was recently excavated whole.
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Father's Day Shortchanged? Humble History, Fewer Gifts
June 16, 2011
With Father's Day 2011 here, find out how the holiday started, why Dad doesn't mind being shortchanged on gifts, and more.
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Sleep Preferences Predict Baseball Success, Study Says
June 15, 2011
What times major league baseball players hit the hay can predict when they'll hit it out of the park, new research shows.
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Pictures: Nat Geo Picks of the Week
June 10, 2011
See National Geographic photo editors' favorite news pictures of the week, including a cross-eyed opossum, an epic ashfall, and more.
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National Geographic Bee Won on Everest Stumper
May 25, 2011
One of the longest Bees yet resulted in a Texas-size victory when a Lone Star State 13-year-old aced a question about Mount Everest.
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Pirate Pictures: Captain Morgan's Cannons Found?
May 24, 2011
Six cannons said to have belonged to 17th-century buccaneer Henry Morgan have been recovered from shipwrecks in Panama.
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Space Pictures This Week: Shuttle Seen From Plane, More
May 23, 2011
A plane view of the shuttle, an enormous nebula, and dust devils on Mars feature among our editors' picks of the best new space pictures.
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Exclusive Area 51 Pictures: Secret Plane Crash Revealed
May 20, 2011
In 1963 a prototype rocketed out of the secret base—and never returned. See the crash for the first time, and get closer to the truth about Area 51.
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May 21 Doomsday Pictures: 11 End-of-the-World Predictions
May 20, 2011
Preacher Harold Camping isn't first to forecast the end of the world. His prophecy—that May 21 is doomsday—is part of an age-old tradition.
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Neanderthals Made a Last Stand at Subarctic Outpost?
May 13, 2011
A prehistoric "tool kit" suggests Neanderthals hung on longer than expected—and farther north, in a subarctic refuge, a new study says.
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Friday the 13th Superstitions Rooted in Bible and More
May 13, 2011
They date back at least to ancient Roman times, but Friday the 13th superstitions won't be getting much of a workout this year. Luckily for triskaidekaphobia sufferers, today is 2011's only Friday the 13th.
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Best Pictures: World Photography Awards 2011
May 11, 2011
From the unforgettable eyes of a child in Bangladesh to leaflike bugs in Tokyo, see our favorite winners of the 2011 World Photography Awards.
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Why Mother's Day Horrified, Ruined Its Own Mother
May 8, 2011
Born of war, Mother's Day grew to horrify its own mother, whose fight to fix the holiday "cost her everything, financially and physically."
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Your Heart Can Sync With a Loved One's
May 5, 2011
Watching those close to your heart perform in stressful situations can harmonize both of your heart rates, a new study says.
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Osama bin Laden Dead: Unlikely Last Hideout in Pictures
May 2, 2011
See the surprising, ''scenic'' spot where Osama bin Laden was killed Monday in a Pakistani military center.
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Pictures: Royal Wedding Dresses, and What They Meant
April 28, 2011
Many are wondering who designed Kate Middleton's wedding dress, but for centuries British royal gowns were about a lot more than fashion.
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John James Audubon: Why Birds Flock Around Google's Doodle
April 26, 2011
Honored today with a Google doodle, the painter was a game changer in studying birds who was also "not shy in the ego department," experts say.
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Lost City Revealed Under Centuries of Jungle Growth
April 25, 2011
The ancient Maya city of Head of Stone—a hundred buildings buried under rain forest—has emerged via 3-D mapping.
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A Year After the Spill, "Unusual" Rise in Health Problems
April 20, 2011
Health issues that continue to plague Gulf Coast communities may be connected to the Gulf oil spill, experts say.
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Pictures: 20 Surprising Species of the Past 20 Years
April 18, 2011
From the "Yoda bat" to a "walking" shark—see 20 new and rare species spotted during two decades of "ecological SWAT team" expeditions.
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Legendary Saints Were Real, Buried Alive, Study Hints
April 15, 2011
The skeletons of two married, early-Christian saints—buried alive nearly 2,000 years ago—may have been ID'd via forensic analysis in Italy.
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Fort Sumter Pictures: Destruction of 1st Civil War Battlefield
April 12, 2011
Famous as the site of the first shots of the Civil War, Fort Sumter actually faced its toughest tests years into the conflict.
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Fort Sumter in Pictures: The Civil War's First Battle
April 12, 2011
See how Fort Sumter—designed against sea attacks—was explosively done in by its own neighbors, sparking the Civil War 150 years ago.
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Civil War at 150: How a Bloodless Battle Started It All
April 11, 2011
A mule was its only fatality, but the Battle of Fort Sumter nevertheless led to the United States' deadliest war, as historian Mark Jenkins recounts.
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Will Government Shutdown Halt Civil War Commemorations?
April 8, 2011
In the event of a government shutdown, Fort Sumter and other historic sites may be shuttered on the 150th anniversary of the Civil War.
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Civil War at 150: Expect Subdued Salutes, Rising Voices
April 7, 2011
Battered budgets and rising voices should make this Civil War anniversary like none before, historian Mark Collins Jenkins says.
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Pictures: Gold Treasure, Roman Coins Revealed in U.K.
April 4, 2011
A newfound hoard of prehistoric golden neck ornaments and a huge haul of Roman-era British coins are headed for display in Britain.
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April Fools' Day: Why Is Today Prime Time for Pranks?
April 1, 2011
Plumb the murky origins of April Fools' Day—and find out how straight-faced scientific research can be sillier than the wackiest pranks.
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April Fools' Day Pictures: Six Animal Hoaxes
April 1, 2011
From a human-dog hybrid to a Tasmanian mock walrus, see pictures of famous animal hoaxes, including some used as April Fools' Day pranks.
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Ancient Tablet Found: Oldest Readable Writing in Europe
March 30, 2011
Found at a site tied to myth, the early Greek tablet bears the continent's earliest known readable writing—and survives only by accident.
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Prehistoric Americans Traded Chocolate for Turquoise?
March 29, 2011
Talk about a sweet deal—prehistoric peoples of Mesoamerica may have traded chocolate for gems from the U.S. Southwest, a new study says.
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Rejection Really Hurts, Brain Scans Show
March 28, 2011
Maybe words can hurt you as much as sticks and stones: Romantic rejection, at least, causes physical pain, a new brain study says.
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First Day of Spring: Myths, Facts, and Equinox Science
March 21, 2011
Were day and night equally long on Sunday, the 2011 vernal equinox (or spring equinox)? Get the answer—and other first-day-of-spring facts and oddities.
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Is Japan Reactor Crew Exposed to Fatal Radiation?
March 17, 2011
What kind of radiation are workers at Japan's stricken nuclear power plant—and everyday people—facing? What exactly is radiation sickness?
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St. Patrick's Day 2011: Facts, Myths, and Traditions
March 15, 2011
Was St. Patrick Irish? What's an authentic shamrock? Sort history from myth this St. Patrick's Day and celebrate true Irish heritage.
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Ides of March: What Is It? Why Do We Still Observe It?
March 15, 2011
Once simply a time to settle accounts, March 15—the Ides of March—is linked to prophecies of misfortune, thanks to Caesar and Shakespeare.
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Daylight Saving Time 2011: Why and When Does It Begin?
March 10, 2011
Why do we spring forward? Should daylight savings be abolished? Get the facts—and a few controversial takes on turning back the clock.
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Pictures: Lifelike "Wet Mummy" Found During Roadbuilding
March 10, 2011
Freed from a liquid-filled coffin last week, the centuries-old Chinese woman had been found when roadbuilders stumbled upon a tomb.
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Pictures: Prehistoric American Skull Found in Sea Cave?
March 9, 2011
Divers in an underwater cave in Mexico may have found the skull of one of the earliest Americans—and maybe his or her mastodon leftovers.
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"First Skyscraper" Built to Fight Solstice Shadow?
March 9, 2011
Built below the mountain where Satan is said to have tempted Christ, the Tower of Jericho may shielded against the peak's solstice shadow.
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New Death Ritual Found in Himalaya—27 De-fleshed Humans
March 1, 2011
In high cliffside caves, explorers find 1,500-year-old de-fleshed skeletons—clues to an unknown Himalayan rite.
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Pictures: Otzi the Iceman's New, Older Face Unveiled
February 25, 2011
More Gandalf than Aragorn, the new face of ''Ötzi,'' the famous Iceman mummy, is more wizened and weathered than previous reconstuctions.
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Ice Age Child Found in Prehistoric Alaskan Home
February 24, 2011
A newfound Alaskan cremation site may offer clues to how the first Americans lived—and where they came from.
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To Stave Off Alzheimer's, Learn a Language?
February 18, 2011
Talk about the power of words—speaking at least two languages may slow dementia in the aging brain, new research shows.
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Amelia Earhart Spit Samples to Help Lick Mystery?
February 18, 2011
Geneticists plan to mine DNA from envelope seals to help identify remains of aviator Amelia Earhart, who vanished over the Pacific in 1937.
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Watson Wins Jeopardy!—6 Artificial Intelligence Milestones
February 17, 2011
IBM's Watson seemingly came from out of nowhere to win Jeopardy! But the computer is just the latest artificial intelligence sensation.
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Valentine's Day Facts: Gifts, History, and Love Science
February 14, 2011
Where did Valentine's Day come from? (Think naked Romans, paganism, and whips.) What does it cost? And why do we fall for it, year after year?
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Egypt Antiquities Missing
February 14, 2011
Egyptian officials—who earlier reported that no artifacts were stolen from the Egyptian Museum in Cairo during a looting attempt last month—now say several items are missing from the museum, including some depicting King Tut.
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Pictures: 1823 Whaling Shipwreck Found in Hawaii
February 11, 2011
Nearly two centuries after it sank off a remote Hawaiian atoll, an 1800s whaling vessel that was a sister ship to the<em> Essex</em>, of <em>Moby-Dick</em> fame, has been rediscovered, blubber pots and all.
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Best News Pictures of 2010: World Press Winners
February 11, 2011
Whooper swans, a victim of the Taliban, and Bolivian wrestlers are among the winners of the 2010 World Press Photo Contest.
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Rare 1823 Wreck Found—Capt. Linked to Moby-Dick, Cannibalism
February 11, 2011
Linked to Moby-Dick and skippered by a man who ate his cousin, the Two Brothers whaling ship from Nantucket has long been lost on a remote Pacific reef.
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11 Thomas Edison Predictions That Came True—Or Didn't
February 11, 2011
Celebrated Friday with a Google doodle, Thomas Edison was the "nation's inventor philosopher." See how his predictions hold up in 2011.
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Photos: Time Capsule Mansion Opened After 100 Years
February 9, 2011
A French mansion shuttered for a century has become a museum of 19th-century life, thanks to the last wishes of an ''egocentric'' owner, a curator says.
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Egypt Antiquities Restoration Under Way
February 9, 2011
Restoration work is under way for antiquities damaged during a looting attempt at Cairo's Egyptian Museum in late January. Museum officials say very little was damaged and that nothing was destroyed or stolen from the museum.
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New Pictures Show "Uncontacted" Tribe "Well and Strong"
February 2, 2011
Last seen aiming arrows at an aircraft two years ago, an isolated Amazon group has now been photographed in unprecedented detail.
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Pictures: Ancient Bog Girl's Face Reconstructed
February 2, 2011
Working with skull fragments, a 3-D printer, and more, scientists have given several new faces to an Iron Age girl found in a peat bog.
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Egypt Antiquities Damaged, at Risk During Unrest
February 1, 2011
See Egyptian artifacts damaged during the current instability. Can Egypt's historic sites and antiquities be protected? Video.
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Groundhog Day 2011: Punxsutawney Phil Sees No Shadow
February 1, 2011
With ancient origins and modern media smarts, "immortal" rodent Punxsutawney Phil rules Groundhog Day 2011. Get the surprising facts behind winter's wackiest weather prediction.
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Pictures: Ancient Egyptian Artifacts Damaged in Looting
January 31, 2011
Mummies were decapitated and statues were snapped apart by looters at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo as mass protests seized Egypt.
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Egypt Treasures Looted, but Public Strikes Back
January 31, 2011
To save sites, everyday Egyptians and experts are forming human chains and inventing ways around Internet and phone shutdowns.
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Siberians Raided Rodent Caches for Food
January 18, 2011
To survive in winter, nomadic groups dug up stores of roots, seeds, and nuts gathered by small mammals, according to a new study.
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Oldest Domesticated Dog in Americas Found—Was Human Food
January 17, 2011
A skull fragment from a Texas cave shows that humans were breeding—and eating—dogs as early as 9,400 years ago, scientists say.
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Pictures: Blackbeard's Ship Yields Ornamental Sword
January 12, 2011
A gilded sword hilt has been recovered from Blackbeard's shipwreck off North Carolina. Could it have belonged to the 18th-century pirate?
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Haiti Earthquake Anniversary: Pictures Show Slow Recovery
January 11, 2011
A year after the Haiti earthquake that killed 220,000, nearly a million remain homeless, and before-and-after images are sadly similar.
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Earliest Known Winery Found in Armenian Cave
January 10, 2011
In the same Armenian cave where the oldest known leather shoe was found, barefoot winemakers were likely stomping grapes 6,000 years ago.
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Trust Your Gut—If You're Aware of Your Heartbeat
January 10, 2011
People who could accurately count their own heartbeats subconsciously caught on faster to a rigged card game, according to a new study.
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Fish as Good as College Students in Numbers Test
January 7, 2011
College students showed roughly the same numerical skills as mosquitofish when presented with a laboratory test, a new study says.
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Women's Tears Reduce Sex Drive in Men, Study Hints
January 6, 2011
Read it, but try not to weep, ladies—your tears may lower your man's sex drive, according to a new study.
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"Bodies" Make Up Fake Coral Reef
January 5, 2011
Sculptures of human figures are making a home for marine life in waters near Cancun, Mexico. The art is helping preserve the world's 2nd largest barrier reef system. Video.
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Pictures: Ancient Roman Spa City Reburied in Turkey
December 29, 2010
A well-preserved, almost 2,000-year-old Roman spa city has been reburied as part of a Turkish dam project that's triggered a flood of controversy.
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Ancient Maya Temples Were Giant Loudspeakers?
December 16, 2010
Ancient complexes in the Americas may have used sound design to enthrall—and disorient—audiences.
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Best Pictures: Nat Geo Photo Contest Winners, 2010
December 16, 2010
From a charging buffalo to an erupting volcano—see the winning pictures of the 2010 National Geographic Photo Contest.
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Best of Archaeology 2010: Nat Geo News's Ten Most Viewed
December 14, 2010
From Titanic to Noah's Ark—Nat Geo News's most viewed archaeology tales of 2010 told of vanishing treasures, rediscovered relics, and more.
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Pictures: Are These Prehistoric Game Boards?
December 13, 2010
See ''enigmatic'' semicircles that may be the earliest evidence of game-playing in Mexico and possibly North America.
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Prehistoric Dice Boards Found—Oldest Games in Americas?
December 10, 2010
dice, gaming, gambling, native american, indian casinos, science, archaeology
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New Bacteria Found on Titanic; Eats Metal
December 10, 2010
The metal-munching bacteria found on the famous wreck may help teach engineers how to protect deep-sea oil rigs, experts say.
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Stop Food Cravings Through Imaginary Eating?
December 8, 2010
Fighting an M&M's craving this holiday season? You can let that milk chocolate melt in your mind—not in your mouth, a new study suggests.
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Photos: Inside Qatar, Host of the 2022 World Cup
December 3, 2010
Get a glimpse into the conservative Islamic country that will host the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
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Pictures: Medieval Cave Tunnels Revealed as Never Before
December 1, 2010
3-D laser scans are revealing anew the man-made caves under Nottingham, U.K., including dungeons, secret tunnels, bowling alleys, and more.
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Top Ten Discoveries of 2010: Nat Geo News's Most Popular
November 30, 2010
A time-bending earthquake, a fish with "hands," and "Yoda bat" are among National Geographic News's most visited coverage of 2010 discoveries.
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400-Year-Old Personalized Pipes Found at Jamestown
November 29, 2010
Bearing perhaps the earliest printing in English America and an Indian design, the pipes may have been made to butter up British bigwigs.
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Thanksgiving 2010 Myths and Facts
November 24, 2010
Before the big dinner, debunk the myths—for starters, the first "real" Thanksgiving wasn't until the 1800s—and get to the roots of Thanksgiving 2010.
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American Indian Sailed to Europe With Vikings?
November 23, 2010
Five hundred years before Columbus hit the New World, Vikings might have brought an American Indian woman home with them, DNA suggests.
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Pictures: Bright New Mecca Train Ferries Hajj Pilgrims
November 17, 2010
New lime green light-rail trains launched in early November transport Muslim pilgrims to Mecca and other holy sites during the annual hajj.
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Pictures: 12 New Sphinxes Confirm Legendary Egypt Route
November 16, 2010
Long known from Egyptian texts, a storied stretch of the Avenue of Sphinxes has been confirmed by the discovery of 12 new sphinxes.
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Before Kim Jong-Il Died: Inside North Korea
November 15, 2010
Go inside Kim Jong-Il's North Korea with Nat Geo: streaming video of a groundbreaking documentary, rare interviews with escapees, and more.
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Veterans Day 2010: Why It's Today, How It's Changed, More
November 11, 2010
As the U.S. honors Veterans Day, find out why it happens in November, why it doesn't fall on a Monday, and some simple ways to mark the day.
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Pocahontas's Wedding Chapel Found at Jamestown
November 10, 2010
The remains of the church where Pocahontas married an English tobacco farmer have been found in Virginia, archaeologists say.
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Daylight Savings Time 2010: Why and When It Ends
November 5, 2010
Why do we fall back? Should daylight savings be abolished? Get the facts—and a few controversial takes on turning back the clock.
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Women Prefer Men With Yellow, Red Faces
November 3, 2010
Men, take note: A healthy glow is more attractive to women than a strong, masculine face, a new study says.
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Halloween Costume Pictures: Spooky Styles a Century Ago
October 29, 2010
From roller skates to swastikas, see how people in the early 1900s celebrated what one expert calls the United States' "rogue holiday."
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Chupacabra Science: How Evolution Made a Mythical Monster
October 28, 2010
Just in time for Halloween, scientists say they've cracked the mystery behind the "goat sucking" monster—and it's all too real.
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Headless Romans in England Came From "Exotic" Locales?
October 28, 2010
A mysterious cemetery filled with decapitated skeletons is offering hints that the victims lost their heads a long way from home.
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Halloween 2010: Top Costumes, History, Myths, More
October 27, 2010
Get the facts on Halloween 2010 and Halloween history, this year's most popular costumes, record-breaking pumpkins, and more in National Geographic News's Halloween roundup.
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Photos: Mummy Bundles, Child Sacrifices Found on Pyramid
October 25, 2010
Wearing a false head, a bundled mummy--and three child sacrifices--emerge from an urban pyramid in Peru.
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Pictures: 12 Ancient Landmarks on Verge of Vanishing
October 23, 2010
A Haitian palace, a Swahili port town, and a Maya complex are among the ancient sites disappearing due to modern neglect, a new report says.
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Odd Pyramid Had Rooftop Homes, Ritual Sacrifices?
October 21, 2010
Feasting on guinea pig, smelting copper, and perhaps sacrificing maidens, ''powerful individuals'' likely lived on a newfound Peruvian pyramid.
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Pictures: Dead Sea Scrolls Being Digitized for Web
October 20, 2010
With Google's help, the Dead Sea Scrolls are going online, and in multiple light spectra—''much better than the original.''
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Pictures: Egypt Priest's Tomb Found Near Pyramids
October 19, 2010
Buried in a painted cliffside tomb, the ''purification priest'' Rudj-Ka likely lived about 4,350 years ago and served in a dead pharaoh's cult.
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Pictures: King Herod's VIP Box Excavated
October 13, 2010
''There is nothing like this,'' says archaeologist Ehud Netzer of the vibrantly painted royal theater box excavated near Bethlehem.
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Pictures: Rare Roman Helmet Sells for $3.6 Million
October 11, 2010
An "extraordinary" Roman helmet, dating to the first or second century A.D., had been found "virtually intact" by a metal detector in England.
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Faces of Koro: Photos of "Hidden" Language's Last Speakers
October 5, 2010
See a few of the 800-odd remaining guardians of Koro, a ''hidden'' language recently documented in India and revealed Tuesday.
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"Hidden" Language Found in Remote Indian Tribe
October 5, 2010
A new language has been discovered in an isolated hill tribe in a northeastern Indian region considered a "black hole" for linguistics.
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Video: "Hidden" Language Revealed
October 5, 2010
In the mountains of northeastern India, a language spoken by only around 800 people has been recorded by linguists for the first time.
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Smarter Teams Are More Sensitive, Have More Women?
September 30, 2010
Individual smarts don't matter as much as being sensitive to others when making group-based decisions, a new study finds.
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Trampling Skews Artifact Dates by Thousands of Years?
September 29, 2010
Sorry, archaeologists. A new study says animal footsteps might have made artifacts seem thousands of years older than they are.
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Autumnal Equinox Pictures: Rituals of Fire and Light
September 22, 2010
Burning beasts, parading pagans, and glowing serpents usher in the first day of fall around the world.
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Autumnal Equinox: Why First Day of Fall 2010 Is Different
September 22, 2010
Wednesday, for the first time in more than a decade, the full moon will shine over the first day of fall. Get the facts in our autumnal equinox explainer.
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Undersea Cave Yields One of Oldest Skeletons in Americas
September 14, 2010
Divers have retrieved one of the oldest skeletons in the Americas from a deep cave in Mexico—a ritually placed, 10,000-year-old young man.
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Males Who Bulk Up as Babies Reach Puberty Quicker
September 13, 2010
Males who gain weight fast as babies reach puberty quicker, have sex earlier, and end up taller and more muscular, a new study says.
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Photos: Saddam AK-47, Ancient Artifacts Return to Iraq
September 8, 2010
An AK-47 with Saddam Hussein's portrait and ancient artifacts are among the hundreds of returned Iraqi artifacts displayed this week in Baghdad.
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Before & After: Wine-Cult Cave Art Restored in Petra?
September 8, 2010
Offering a window on a likely ancient wine cult, "magical" cave paintings at Petra have been rescued from millennia of soot, experts say.
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New Titanic Pictures Mark 25th Anniversary of Discovery
September 1, 2010
On the 25th anniversary of Titanic's rediscovery, high-resolution images from a new expedition are shedding light on the shipwreck.
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Human Meat Just Another Meal for Early Europeans?
August 31, 2010
For early Europeans, cannibalism was just another way to eat—and the meals may have given new meaning to "brain food," a study says.
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Pictures: World's Biggest Tent Rises in Kazakhstan
August 31, 2010
Kazakhstan's new Khan Shatyr evokes a traditional dwelling but boasts futuristic fancies such as an indoor "beach," a monorail, and more.
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Ancient Sorcerer's "Wake" Was First Feast for the Dead?
August 30, 2010
First feast? Packed with tortoise "leftovers," the earliest known shaman's burial hints that the first villagers made peace by partying.
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"Lost" Language Found on Back of 400-Year-Old Letter
August 27, 2010
Scribblings on a 17th-century letter reveal a native Peruvian language that was forgotten for centuries, an archaeologist says.
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Trapped Chile Miners Face 4-Month Mental, Physical Test
August 25, 2010
Entombed until Christmas, miners in Chile can expect sanitation challenges, malnutrition, and a struggle for sanity and solidarity, experts say.
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Friday the 13th Superstitions Rooted in Bible and More
August 13, 2010
They date back at least to ancient Roman times, but Friday the 13th superstitions won't be getting much of a workout this year. Luckily for triskaidekaphobia sufferers, today is 2010's only Friday the 13th.
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"Thor's Hammer" Found in Viking Graves
August 10, 2010
Seen as lightning repellent, "thunderstones" resembling the Norse god Thor's hammerhead were put in Vikings' graves for good luck, experts say.
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Ancient Human-Bone Sculptors Turned Relatives Into Tools
August 9, 2010
In what's now Mexico, thousands of bone pieces from freshly dead corpses were made into housewares in the ancient city of Teotihuacan.
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Wooden "Stonehenge" Emerges From Prehistoric Ohio
July 20, 2010
Built in prehistoric Ohio, "Woodhenge," like its British counterpart, was aligned with the summer solstice, new study reveals.
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Cocaine Submarine Pictures: New Seizure Shows Advances
July 13, 2010
Hand-built by drug smugglers, a "game changing," hundred-foot craft seized this month shows how far cocaine subs have come.
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Pictures: Ancient Egyptian Tombs Found With False Doors
July 9, 2010
Two newfound ancient Egyptian tombs built for father and son boast false doors, boldly painted portals to the afterlife.
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4th of July Facts: 1st Fests, Number of Fireworks, More
July 4, 2010
How did Founding Fathers Celebrate 4th of July? How many 4th of July fireworks explode each year? Answers and more.
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Diver "Vanishes" in Portal to Maya Underworld
June 29, 2010
An explorer "disappears" into the floor of a pool sacred to the ancient Maya, and divers find the first known fossils in Belize. Video.
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Aztec, Maya Were Rubber-Making Masters?
June 28, 2010
Ancient Mesoamerican cultures blended plant juices to make rubber bouncier or more durable, a new study says.
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Pictures: Oldest Apostle Images Revealed by Laser
June 24, 2010
Lasers have cut through previously unknown images of the Christian Apostles in a fourth-century-A.D. Roman catacomb.
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Touching Heavy, Hard Objects Makes Us More Serious
June 24, 2010
Looking for a job? Print your resume on heavy paper, according to a new study that shows touch unconsciously influences our behaviors.
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Father's Day at 100: How It Began, Why Dad Gets Fewer Gifts
June 20, 2010
Find out why Father's Day is no Hallmark holiday, why Dad doesn't mind getting fewer gifts, and more.
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Father's Day 2010 Is Centennial: How Did Holiday Start?
June 18, 2010
With Father's Day 2010 fast approaching, find out why it's no Hallmark holiday, why Dad doesn't mind being shortchanged on gifts, and more.
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World Cup Science: Soccer's Greatest Player Is ...
June 18, 2010
Could a new scientific system end arguments over who's the world's best soccer player? No. But researchers are naming names anyway—by the numbers.
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Photos: Human Sacrifices Found at Ancient China Complex
June 15, 2010
How better to say "bless this house" than by sacrificing horse or human? A new dig in China sheds light on the ancient practice's beginnings.
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Jacques Cousteau Centennial: What He Did, Why He Matters
June 11, 2010
The late Jacques Cousteau's hundredth birthday is making headlines. Why is the late explorer such a legend? Here are five good reasons.
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World's Oldest Leather Shoe Found—Stunningly Preserved
June 9, 2010
At 5,500 years old, the "astonishingly modern" shoe was exceptionally preserved by sheep dung and dryness.
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Oil Spill Threatens Native American "Water" Village
June 8, 2010
The Gulf of Mexico oil spill threatens the existence of Native Americans who literally live on, and off of, Louisiana bayou water. Video.
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Singing 13-Year-Old Wins National Geographic Bee
May 26, 2010
A singing 13-year-old from Florida proved Wednesday that he could carry a tune—and the competition.
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Video: National Geographic Bee Final Moments
May 26, 2010
Quick—where do they speak Tswana? Get the answer in the tense final moments of the 2010 National Geographic Bee, hosted by Alex Trebek.
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National Geographic Bee Finalists Face Off Today
May 25, 2010
A "tough" preliminary round in this year's National Geographic Bee included seven tie-breakers—an unusually high number, organizers said.
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Pictures: 11 Most Endangered U.S. Historic Sites Named
May 21, 2010
A Jersey stadium and a scenic parkway are among the most at-risk sites of 2010, according to the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
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Pictures: Massive Maya City Revealed by Lasers
May 20, 2010
Within days, lasers "stripped" away tangled rain forest to reveal a sprawling Maya city bigger and more advanced than anyone had imagined.
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Headless Egypt King Statue Found; Link to Cleopatra's Tomb?
May 19, 2010
Unearthed at an Egyptian temple, the figure is likely of Egypt's King Ptolemy IV—suggesting a link to Cleopatra's tomb, dig leaders say.
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Pictures: Pyramid Tomb With Human Sacrifices Found
May 18, 2010
Jewel-adorned skeletons of ancient elites and remains of a sacrificial adult and child were found in the 2,700-year-old tomb in Mexico.
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Tibetans Evolved to Survive High Life, Study Says
May 13, 2010
Many Tibetans carry unique versions of two genes associated with the oxygen-carrying component of red blood cells, a new DNA study says.
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Mother's Day Mayhem: "Worst" Animal Moms?
May 7, 2010
Meet the animal world's "worst" mothers—and find out why their tough parenting may not be so awful after all.
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Cinco de Mayo History: From Bloodshed to Beer Fest
May 5, 2010
Some U.S. partygoers may be surprised to learn that Cinco de Mayo history is short on beer, long on bloodshed.
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Noah's Ark Found in Turkey?
April 28, 2010
Explorers are "99.9 percent" sure they've found Noah's ark in Turkey. Others say the claim is all wet.
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Earth Day at 40: What Good Is It Now?
April 22, 2010
After 40 years, outsourced activism is replacing traditional Earth Day activities, and green's gone mainstream, experts say. So what's the point?
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Earth Day at 40: How it Began, Where It's Going
April 21, 2010
On its 40th anniversary, the once-grassroots Earth Day is now taking root on the Web. But some critics don't like it in any medium.
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Prehistoric Mummies Poisoned
April 12, 2010
Arsenic-laced drinking water caused the demise of some of the world's oldest mummies, found in the harsh northern deserts of Chile, a new study says.
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Japanese Guts Are Adapted to Sushi
April 8, 2010
Genes from a microbe that snacks on seaweed exist in Japanese—the first time external bacteria DNA has been found in human gut bugs.
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Best News Pictures of 2009: World Press Winners
April 6, 2010
Rooftop protesters, a soldier in boxers, and drought-stricken wildlife feature among the winners of the 2009 World Press Photo Contest.
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Google-Topeka Trick Joins Historic April Fools' Hoaxes
April 1, 2010
Find out why Google has changed its name to Topeka—and get the facts behind historic April Fools' Day farces.
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April Fools' Day Mystery: How Did It Originate?
March 31, 2010
Plumb the murky origins of April Fools' Day—and find out how straight-faced scientific research can be sillier than the wackiest pranks.
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Lead "Burrito" Sarcophagus Found Near Rome
March 29, 2010
The 1,700-year-old lead sarcophagus found in an abandoned city could contain a gladiator or a Christian dignitary, archaeologists say.
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Vernal Equinox 2010: Facts on the First Day of Spring
March 19, 2010
Will day and night really be equally long on Saturday, the 2010 vernal equinox (or spring equinox)? Get the answer—and other first-day-of-spring facts and oddities.
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Vernal Equinox Pictures: First-Day-of-Spring Rituals
March 18, 2010
Druid celebrations, pyramid pilgrimages, and street fires are among the ways the world welcomes the first day of spring on the vernal equinox, or spring equinox.
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St. Patrick's Day 2010: Irish Shamrock Shortage & More
March 17, 2010
Fast facts for St. Patrick's Day 2010: the science behind the shamrock shortfall, the man behind the myth, and more.
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St. Patrick's Day Facts: Shamrocks, Snakes, and a Saint
March 16, 2010
St. Patrick was born in Britain, stout may be good for your heart, and there's a shamrock shortage in 2010. Get more facts in our roundup of St. Patrick's Day trivia.
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51 Headless Vikings in English Execution Pit Confirmed
March 16, 2010
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Earthquake Baptism Saves Chile Family
March 12, 2010
A christening celebration saved a Chilean extended family from the devastation of the February 27 Chile earthquake. Video.
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Daylight Savings 2010: When, Why We Spring Forward
March 12, 2010
When is the big daylight saving time (often called daylight savings time) switchover in spring 2010? Why do we spring forward in the first place?
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Headless Man's Tomb Found Under Maya Torture Mural
March 12, 2010
The tomb of a headless Maya man has been accidentally discovered beneath an ancient chamber famously painted with scenes of torture.
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Stolen Sarcophagus Handed Over to Egypt
March 10, 2010
Confiscated by U.S. Customs agents in Miami, a brightly painted, 3,000-year-old sarcophagus was handed over to Egypt's antiquities chief, Zahi Hawass, on Wednesday. Video.
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Ancient Corpses Ritually Dug Up, Torn Apart, Reburied
March 9, 2010
For 4,500 years in what is now Mexico, decomposing bodies were pulled apart and reburied, according to what may be the first evidence for ritual "double burials."
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"Cove" Movie Assails Dolphin Hunt, Gets Oscar Boost
March 8, 2010
With its 2010 Oscar win for best documentary, the movie The Cove has reignited debate over annual dolphin hunts in Taiji, Japan.
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Photo: "Cove" Movie Seeks to End Japan's Dolphin Hunt
March 8, 2010
A dolphin hunt in Japan enrages activists. The Cove, an award-winning new movie, condemns it. So why do dolphin hunts go on elsewhere without much controversy?
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Turkey Earthquake Pictures: The Day After
March 8, 2010
A strong earthquake rattled eastern Turkey Sunday, killing at least 51 and crumbling minarets, barns, and flimsily built mud-brick houses.
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Chile Earthquake Video: Aftermath in Santa Cruz
March 5, 2010
Chile's February 27 earthquake caused an apartment building in this small city to collapse, killing 23. Video.
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What's Best for Kids: Bottled Water or Fountains?
March 3, 2010
As sugary sodas fizzle in schools, kids are turning to bottled water instead of tap water, which is often contaminated by lead. But that may put an added strain on the environment, experts say.
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Liberals, Atheists Are More Highly Evolved?
March 3, 2010
Evolution may have resulted in smarter people being more inclined to nontraditional values, a new study suggests.
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King Solomon's Wall Found—Proof of Bible Tale?
February 26, 2010
A 3,000-year-old defensive wall found in Jerusalem might be unprecedented archaeological support for a Bible passage on King Solomon.
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"Vampire of Venice" Unmasked: Plague Victim & Witch?
February 26, 2010
A "vampire" unearthed in a mass grave near Venice was unusually old for the Middle Ages, suggesting she may also have been accused of being a witch, according to new research that includes a reconstruction of the medieval woman.
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Did Olympic Athletes Peak in the 1980s?
February 26, 2010
As the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics draw to a close, future athletes will likely have to work harder than ever to beat any world records set during the games, says a recent study that found the results from many events are now close to the limits of human performance.
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The Science of Hollywood Films: It's All in the Chaos Theory
February 25, 2010
A new study turns to chaos theory to explain why some Hollywood films are so engaging -- and why your attention wanders during others.
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Pictures: Shipwreck Discovery Yields Ancient Treasure
February 24, 2010
The discovery of a 3,000-year-old shipwreck—complete with gold jewelry and raw materials to make bronze—suggests prehistoric Britain had international trade links.
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Making Music Boosts Brain's Language Skills
February 20, 2010
Hearing people talk at cocktail parties may be easier if you've been musically trained, according to new research that shows music fine-tunes certain language abilities in the brain.
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King Tut Mysteries Solved: Was Disabled, Malarial, Inbred
February 17, 2010
The "frail boy" needed a cane to walk, had history's earliest genetically proven case of malaria, and was sired by siblings, says a new DNA study of King Tut and relatives.
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King Tut Was Disabled, Malarial, and Inbred, DNA Shows
February 16, 2010
The "frail boy" needed a cane to walk, had history's earliest genetically proven case of malaria, and was sired by siblings, says a new DNA study of King Tut and relatives.
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Vancouver 2010: Olympic Logo No "Friend" to Some
February 12, 2010
The Vancouver 2010 Olympic logo, Ilanaaq—"friend" in an Inuit language—has some native groups in Canada feeling left out in the cold.
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Valentine's Science: Why Gauging Sexiness Is Sophisticated
February 12, 2010
Deciding who we find sexy—even on a purely superficial level—is a much more complex process than an instinctual reaction, brain scans are revealing.
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Stonehenge "Hedge" Found, Shielded Secret Rituals?
February 11, 2010
A green barrier—dubbed Stonehedge—may have been planted around the sacred circle of Stonehenge to screen ceremonies from public view, archaeologists say.
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Valentine's Day Facts: Gifts, History, and Love Science
February 10, 2010
Where did Valentine's Day come from? (Think naked Romans, paganism, and whips.) What does it cost? And why do we fall for it, year after year?
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Lost Roman Codex Fragments Found in Book Binding
February 3, 2010
Scraps of paper recovered from a set of 16th-century books are from a compilation of 3rd-century Roman laws thought to have been lost to history, scientists say.
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Groundhog Day Pictures: Punxsutawney Phil, Now and Then
February 2, 2010
The groundhog has spoken, predicting six more weeks of winter in 2010. See Punxsutawney Phil through the years—plus Groundhog Day origins and a wild woodchuck.
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Groundhog Punxsutawney Phil Sees Shadow--And Long Winter for 2010
February 2, 2010
On Groundhog Day 2010, Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow—and six more weeks of winter, according to tradition. Get surprising facts behind the wacky weather prediction.
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Groundhog Day 2010 & Punxsutawney Phil: Facts Behind Forecast
February 1, 2010
With ancient origins and modern media smarts, "immortal" rodent Punxsutawney Phil rules Groundhog Day 2010. Get the surprising facts behind winter's wackiest weather prediction.
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Pictures: "Mythical" Temple Found in Peru
January 29, 2010
A thousand-year old temple complex, including a tomb for 33 tortured women, may be proof that a god's "descendants" really existed, archaeologists say.
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Running Barefoot Reduces Stress—On Feet
January 27, 2010
Running barefoot changes the way a person's feet hit the ground, reducing stresses than can lead to injuries, according to a new study.
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Photos: Queen's Cat Goddess Temple Found in Egypt
January 21, 2010
An ancient temple filled with about 600 cat statues was built for the goddess Bastet by Queen Berenike II, say archaeologists who found the ruins under modern-day Alexandria.
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Cleopatra's Eye Makeup Warded Off Infections?
January 14, 2010
Thick coats of black and green eye makeup partially made from lead may have boosted the immune systems of ancient Egyptians, a new study suggests.
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Mysterious Jamestown Tablet an American Rosetta Stone?
January 13, 2010
Discovered at the first permanent British settlement in America--Jamestown--the inscribed slate may have been a "bilingual dictionary" for colonist-Indian communication.
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Haiti Earthquake Pictures: Devastation on the Day After
January 13, 2010
The morning after a magnitude 7 earthquake struck Haiti, the capital is in rubble and thousands await aid.
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PHOTOS: Antarctic "Time Capsule" Hut Revealed
January 11, 2010
As snows threaten to bury the base forever, more than 8,000 artifacts—including butter and ketchup—have been revealed in the hut of ill-fated British explorer Robert Falcon Scott, according to preservationists.
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PHOTOS: 7 Major "Missing Links" Since Darwin
January 7, 2010
For the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin's birth, National Geographic News asked leading scientist for their picks of the most important fossil evidence for evolution.
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PHOTOS: Oldest "Human" Skeleton Refutes "Missing Link"
January 7, 2010
See images of Ardi, the new human ancestor that could rewrite evolutionary theory.
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APOCALYPSE PICTURES: 10 Failed Doomsday Prophecies
January 6, 2010
Just as some people today believe a Maya calendar pinpoints 2012 as the end of the world as we know it, people through centuries and across cultures have long forecast our collective doom.
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Isaac Newton: Who He Was, Why Google Apples Are Falling
January 5, 2010
isaac-newton-google-doodle-logo-apple
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Winter Solstice Monday: Facts on First Day of Winter
December 18, 2009
Winter Solstice Monday: Facts on First Day of Winter
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Shroud of Turin Not Jesus', Tomb Discovery Suggests
December 16, 2009
Archaeologists have found the only known burial shroud from a Jesus-era tomb in Jerusalem. Not only is it nothing like the Shroud of Turin, but it also held the world's earliest known leper.
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L.L. Zamenhof: Who He Was, Why He's on Google
December 16, 2009
No, Google hasn't been taken over by a foreign country. The green-and-white flag over the Google logo today is the banner of the artificial language Esperanto, flying in recognition of the 150th birthday of its inventor, L.L. Zamenhof.
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Viking Weapon-Recycling Site Found in England?
December 14, 2009
Today's recyclers can now conceivably lay claim to a rich, bloody, brawny heritage, if a new discovery is any indication.
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Ancient Tablets Decoded; Shed Light on Assyrian Empire
December 9, 2009
Meticulous ancient notetakers have given archaeologists a glimpse of what life was like 3,000 years ago in the Assyrian Empire.
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Top Ten Archaeology Finds: Most Viewed of 2009
December 7, 2009
Vampires, pirates, ghost ships, skeletons—if it isn't Halloween, it can only be one thing: National Geographic News's annual lineup of our most popular archaeology coverage.
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"Ghost Ship" Pictures: Gold Rush-Era Wreck Found
November 24, 2009
With boots thrown hastily on deck and cooking utensils scattered, the last moments of the crew aboard the gold rush-era paddleboat A. J. Goddard are preserved in the ship's recently found wreck, archaeologists say.
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Photos: 8 Moon-Landing Hoax Myths -- Busted
July 16, 2009
Forty years have passed since humans first walked on the moon, but many conspiracy theorists still insist that it was all an elaborate hoax. Examine the evidence, and find out why experts say some of the most common claims simply don't hold water.<br />
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Kodachrome: First Great Color Film Remembered
June 24, 2009
Called a "photographer's liberation," Kodachrome produced clear, vivid color photographs that drastically changed <em>National Geographic</em> magazine. Kodak announced Monday it will cease production of the iconic medium.
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Father's Day Pictures: "Best" Animal Dads
June 18, 2009
"Pregnant" seahorses, ferocious egg-carrying water bugs, and midwife monkeys--meet some of the dedicated fathers that are rarities in the animal kingdom.
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April Fools' Day Pictures: 4 Historic Science Hoaxes
March 31, 2009
These fakes weren't mere April Fool's Day pranks--even the silliest convinced the public that some very tall tales were true.
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Pictures: New Seven Wonders of the World vs. Ancient Seven Wonders
July 9, 2007
Pictures of the seven new wonders of the world and the seven ancient wonders.
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