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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Glen Canyon Revealed
Drought drains Lake Powell—uncovering the glory of Glen Canyon.
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2012 Emerging Explorers
ScienceBlogs Picks
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Explorer Moment: Ray of Hope
Biologist Andrea Marshall leads her team in discovering new and conserving known manta ray species.
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Sylvia Earle on Women in Science
Sylvia Earle reflects on her scientific career and on gender obstacles she faced along the way.
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Phenomena: A Science Salon
National Geographic Magazine
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Longevity Pictures
Our genes harbor many secrets to a long and healthy life. And now scientists are beginning to uncover them
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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.
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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.
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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.

