National Geographic News

For Some Arctic Birds, Time of Day Is Irrelevant

Jane J. Lee — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 19:02:36 -0400

When the sun never sets, the circadian clocks in four species of Arctic birds gohaywire.

Cheetah-Cub Robot Created: See Other Nature-Inspired Machines

Brian Handwerk — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 17:57:43 -0400

A new cheetah-cub robot is just the latest in a mechanical menagerie of animal-inspired robots that climb, fly, swim, and slither.

Albino Gorilla Was Result of Inbreeding

Lara Sorokanich — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 14:27:18 -0400

A recently mapped genome of the famous albino gorilla Snowflake shows he was born to an uncle and a niece, a new study says.

New Female Astronauts Show Evolution of Women in Space

Melody Kramer — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:29:57 -0400

Half of NASA's newest astronaut recruits are women, but that wasn't always the case.

How Cities Compost Mountains of Food Waste

Brian Clark Howard — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:02:42 -0400

New York City amps up food recycling, while San Francisco shows the way.

Google's Loon Project Puts Balloon Technology in Spotlight

Brian Handwerk — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 09:05:39 -0400

Google's Loon Project is the latest attempt to use balloons floating in the stratosphere to bring Internet access to remote places.

In Global First, Philippines to Destroy Its Ivory Stock

Bryan Christy — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:02:40 -0400

The country's decision was inspired by a National Geographic magazine exposé on the illegal ivory trade.

Electrofuels: Charged Microbes May "Poop Out" a Gasoline Alternative

Richard A. Lovett — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 16:44:20 -0400

Run current through genetically engineered microorganisms, and they produce gasoline substitute. Can U.S.-funded electrofuels research finish the drive from lab to market?

More Than 400 Animals Offered to Aztec Gods

A. R. Williams — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 14:22:19 -0400

Archaeologists in Mexico City have identified more than 400 species of animals among offerings to Aztec gods.

X-rays and Operas: A Collaborative Restoration

Lara Sorokanich — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 14:21:32 -0400

Scientists have restored a 200-year-old opera using special x-ray technologies, leading to questions about other possible uses.

First Person: Living Through Turkey's Summer of Discontent

Julia Konmaz — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 13:47:33 -0400

It's not just about the trees—what's fueling the protests in Turkey?

Why Novelist Jonathan Franzen Loves Birds

Rachel Hartigan Shea — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:12:20 -0400

The author of Freedom talks about discovering the joy of watching birds and why he's still hopeful for their future.

Costa Rican Murder Shines Light on Poaching, Drug Nexus

Scott Wallace in Playa Moín, Costa Rica — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 16:51:07 -0400

Police are still looking for environmentalist Jairo Mora Sandoval's murderers, while the episode has more Costa Ricans talking about the links between poaching and drug trafficking.

Picture Archive: Lindbergh and Byrd, 1920s

Johnna Rizzo — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 11:37:42 -0400

Admiral Byrd had a history of being second in flight.

Restoring Trees to Save the World's Rarest Parrot

David Braun — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 12:13:16 -0400

National Geographic explorer Steve Boyes talks about his work to pull the Cape parrot back from the brink of oblivion.

Does Geography Influence How a Language Sounds?

Ker Than — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 17:14:24 -0400

A new study is the first to show that language can be influenced by geography.

Space Pictures This Week: Surfing Mars, Mercury Rising

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 17:02:36 -0400

Mars reveals its secrets, a powerful Midwestern storm is viewed from orbit, and a new type of star is discovered in this week's best space pictures.

How Diving Mammals Stay Underwater for So Long

Jane J. Lee — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 16:31:16 -0400

Researchers have discovered the secret to how champion divers like sperm whales can dive for an hour or more.

Mysteries of the Lost (and Found) Nazi Diaries

Charles Fenyvesi — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 16:24:52 -0400

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.

When Head Meets Soccer Ball, How Does Your Brain Fare?

Roff Smith — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 13:53:39 -0400

There's a new cause for concern in the sports world: The first study of "heading" soccer balls shows an impact on the brain.

7 Takeaways From Supreme Court's Gene Patent Decision

Ker Than — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 13:19:56 -0400

The Supreme Court ruling bans the patenting of naturally occurring genes, but not of artificial DNA.

New Shades for a Dinobird's Feathers

Harmony Huskinson — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 11:34:40 -0400

Extensive x-rays of the ancient bird Archaeopteryx reveal a previously unseen pattern in its feather pigments.

Whisky a Go Go: Can Scotland’s Distillery Waste Boost Biofuels?

Thomas K. Grose — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 11:29:29 -0400

Scotland's whisky industry churns out a sobering amount of waste, but it may eventually feed a heady biofuels market if Celtic Renewables' plans succeed.

Pictures: Light Paths Reveal Water Currents

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 11:12:41 -0400

British photographer Joel James Devlin makes haunting images of night landscapes.

The Ethical Flap Over Birdsong Apps

Mel White — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 09:20:36 -0400

Bird-watchers are using the songs on their smartphones to lure birds. But the result could be bad karma for the birds.