National Geographic February 1973

Eden in the Outback
Nurtured by seasonal rains, the forests and floodplains of Australia’s Top End display an incredible array of blossoms and animals.
The Peaceful Mrus of Bangladesh
A little- known hill tribe grows upland rice, melons, yams, and chilies on slash- and- burn fields and appeases the spirits with animal sacrifices.
The Top End of Down Under
At the tip of Australia’s Northern Territory the tropical climate swings between very wet and very dry; humans and animals have adjusted.
Rock Paintings of the Aborigines
Aboriginal drawings and paintings adorn caves and cliffs in Australia’s rugged Northern Territory.
Journey to Mars
The first spacecraft to orbit Mars, Mariner 9, photomapped its surface, recorded its atmosphere, temperature, and chemistry, and transmitted the data to Earth.
The Search for Life on Mars
A model of a Viking lander practices for a 1976 landing on Mars to analyze its soil.
Oman, Land of Frankincense and Oil
A new era dawned for the Muslim sultanate on the Arabian Sea after the eccentric, isolationist ruler was deposed by his progressive son, who now uses oil revenues to fund progress.