National Geographic November 1979

The Desert: An Age- old Challenge Grows { The Desert}
It covers a third of earth’s land, bringing hardship and suffering to a sixth of all people – – and it is spreading. Rick Gore and photographer George Gerster report on a globe- circling survey.
Hong Kong’s Refugee Dilemma
The jam- packed British crown colony must now cope with last summer’s flood of Asia’s homeless: boat people from Vietnam as well as those fleeing from neighboring China. William S. Ellis and William Albert Allard document the human side of the situatio
Incredible World of the Deep- sea Rifts { Incredible World of the Deep- sea Oases; Return to Oases of the Deep}
Marine geologist Robert D. Ballard and biologist J. Frederick Grassle describe mineral- spewing chimneys and newly discovered creatures living in warm- water oases around ocean- floor vents.
Incredible World of the Deep- sea Rifts { Incredible World of the Deep- sea Oases; Strange World Without Sun}
With the assistance of Alvin – – a tiny research submarine – – scientists find extraordinary critters and jetting hot water vents on the deep seafloor of the Mid- Ocean Ridge.
Winged Victory of [ Gossamer Albatross]
Its pilot, Bryan Allen, tells of his dramatic pedal- powered flight across the English Channel, a milestone in aviation history.
Which Way Oahu?
Buffeted by tourist boom, inflation, land shortage, and urban sprawl, Honolulu’s home island is a paradise in peril, Gordon Young and Robert W. Madden find.