The July, 22, 2009, total solar eclipse, the longest-lasting of the 21st century, darkened the skies over some of Asia's most densely populated regions.

Millions of people in densely populated regions from Shanghai to Bangladesh will be able to see the moon block out the sun for several minutes this Wednesday.

Special fog-catching nets that can pull hundreds of gallons a day out of the air are helping conservationists in Peru bring water to rain-starved communities.

A rain-starved community in Peru collects hundreds of gallons of water a day using special fog-catching nets.

From "fairytale" landscapes to gonad-eating wolffish, little-seen corners and creatures have come to light during the 114 photo missions of the Wild Wonders of Europe project.

Scientists unravel the mysteries of handprints, a universal form of human expression spanning continents and millennia

An archaeologist overturns assumptions about who may have decorated prehistoric European caves.

The Taliban blew up Afghanistan's two known giant Buddhas in 2001, but is there a third? Archaeologist Zemaryalai Tarzi says yes, and he's determined to find it.

Sperm whales have been filmed "elegantly" stealing cod from fishers' lines in Alaska, giving scientists a rare opportunity to learn about how these deep-diving giants hunt.

From polar plunges to an urban Iditarod spoof, two photographers roam the U.S. in search of offbeat events that show "true human spirit."

Texas seventh-grader Eric Yang swept the annual competition today with a perfect score.

Watch the tense final moments of the 2009 National Geographic Bee as host Alex Trebek grills the finalists in Washington, D.C. Video.

Scientists have discovered the first evidence of preindustrial mercury pollution from mining that took place in Peru more than 3,000 years ago.

Long before the industrial revolution, long before the conquistadors set foot in South America, ancient Americans were mining mercury, a new study says.

After a factory had found a 40-million-year-old whale fossil in a limestone kitchen counter, researchers investigated the stone's fossil-packed quarry, which could shed light on the origins of African wildlife. Video.