Landforms, Landform Formation Information, Geology Facts, News, Photos -- National Geographic

Learn more about the Earth's dramatic landforms, from the tops of majestic mountains to the depths of mysterious caves and everything in between.

More About the Surface of the Earth

Call of the Abyss

An intrepid team of explorers broke the depth record in Krubera—the world's deepest cave. They'd barely gotten home before a second team went deeper.
Alashan Plateau—China's Unknown Gobi

Salty spring-fed lakes, towering sand dunes, and the ghosts of an ancient walled city lie at the heart of China's remote Alashan Plateau in the Gobi.
South Africa's Teeming Seas

Call it the greatest shoal on Earth. Cold and warm waters surge together off the coast of South Africa to create rich marine ecosystems and a billion sardines on the move.
Glen Canyon Revealed

Drought drains Lake Powell—uncovering the glory of Glen Canyon.

Explorer Moment: Ray of Hope

Biologist Andrea Marshall leads her team in discovering new and conserving known manta ray species.
Sylvia Earle on Women in Science

Sylvia Earle reflects on her scientific career and on gender obstacles she faced along the way.

Longevity Pictures

Our genes harbor many secrets to a long and healthy life. And now scientists are beginning to uncover them
Element Hunters Pictures

All the elements found in nature—the different kinds of atoms—were found long ago. To bag a new one these days, and push the frontiers of matter, you have to create it first.
Good Gas, Bad Gas

Burn natural gas and it warms your house. But let it leak, from fracked wells or the melting Arctic, and it warms the whole planet.

Explorer Moment: Ray of Hope

Biologist Andrea Marshall leads her team in discovering new and conserving known manta ray species.
Sylvia Earle on Women in Science

Sylvia Earle reflects on her scientific career and on gender obstacles she faced along the way.