2012 July – December

The Riddle of Easter Island

How did the statues move? That question puzzles archaeologists - and modern-day islanders.

Epic Storms

Is that a spaceship? Or a mushroom cloud? Or a strange skyscape whipped up by wild weather?

Vanishing Voices

A language goes silent every 14 days. That could mean the end of words like tradzy, azaac, khei-at.

Life in an Icy Inferno

The breakfast of scientists freezes in the bowl. But weird microbes, possibly from Earth's bowels, thrive in the hot soil of an Antarctic volcano.

Russian Summer

In vacation cottages the women are in housedresses. The men, Speedos and rubber boots. They brood, plant, party, and restore their souls.

Ivory Worship

A National Geographic investigation reveals how the religious art market fuels ivory smuggling.

The Glory of Leaves

Sleek or prickly, waxy or spiny, pure green or silvery white ... why do they look the way they do?

A New Face For Rio

With the Olympics coming in 2016, the city is spending millions to fix up its hillside slims.

Amazing Mesoamerican Reef

In this world, mangrove forests, ssea grass beds, and coral reefs strike a delicate balance.

The Sky Caves of Nepal

Explorers scramble up cliffs to find out who created these ancient dwellings.

My Neighbor, Mr. Badger

The people moved away from their cottages in a rural Finnish town. And the animals moved in.