Diseases, Disease Information, Facts, News, Photos -- National Geographic

From smallpox to swine flu, learn how disease pandemics have shaped human history and what we can expect, and prepare for, next.

More About Disease

War on Disease—Challenges for Humanity

Microbes threaten billions of people in a world weakened by poverty, war, and lack of clean water—and now, new infections may be emerging.
Tracking the Next Killer Flu

In Southeast Asia a virus that kills chickens is now also killing people. And in those deaths, public health experts hear the distant rumbling of a global catastrophe.
Infectious Disease Quiz

See what can travel faster than a jumbo jet, wipe out entire civilizations, and confound the world's top researchers.
Malaria—Bedlam in the Blood

Nearly half a billion people get malaria worldwide each year. More than a million die. After decades of neglect, the world is renewing its fight against the disease.

Rocket City Rednecks

Wednesdays at 9P and 9:30P

Meet a group of backwoods Alabama geniuses who tackle problems with hillbilly ingenuity.
Mad Scientists

Wednesdays at 10P and 10:30P

Travel across America with host John Bowler as he seeks out the weirdest inventions.
National Geographic Investigates

Fridays at 8P, 9P, and 10P et/pt

Get up close with some of the world's most fascinating underground communities, from gangs to cults to organized crime families.

The Great American Zoo Trip

Joel Sartore Takes to the Road to Photograph Endangered Species
Tsunami Science Pictures

Japan knows what to do when the water suddenly goes away. People don’t always heed the warnings. When and where will the next giant wave hit?
Dog DNA Pictures

Scientists have found the secret recipe behind the spectacular variety of dog shapes and sizes, and it could help unravel the complexity of human genetic disease.

Genetics

Learn about what's passed on from generation to generation with an interactive look at DNA.
Get Involved

Learn where your ancestors came from and support the research of The Genographic Project with a Participation Kit.