The Best of National Geographic
20+ most popular National Geographic articles, as voted by our community.
Since its inception nearly 130 years ago, the core purpose of National Geographic has been to further the knowledge and awareness of our world.
Paywall possible
New this Week
These are fresh off the press.
Can fasting help you live longer? Here’s what the science says.
It’s a popular practice, and research shows it has real health benefits. A new diet that tricks your body into thinking it’s fasting may have similar benefits.
Why your recycling doesn't always get recycled
The average American produces almost five pounds of waste every day. Here’s how to save yours from ending up in a landfill.
Trending
These are currently making the rounds on Refind.
To see Malaysia’s elusive wildlife, take a walk in the trees
Steel structures and swinging bridges built high above the rain forest floor give tourists a non-intrusive way to spot the country’s tapirs, tigers, and notoriously shy primates.
What’s that smell? It might just be the next big thing in travel.
Scented art exhibits. Tours that have you sniff your way through a city. These immersive travel experiences ask you to follow your nose.
Who celebrates the new year first and last? It’s complicated.
Each day starts at the international date line. But countries are free to observe time as they see fit—resulting in a number of calendar quirks.
What are NFTs, and how do they work?
From their environmental impact to how grifters are cashing in, here’s what you should know about non-fungible tokens.
11 spectacular night sky events to see in 2023
In the coming year, planetary alignments, perfectly timed meteor showers, and a pair of solar eclipses will delight stargazers around the world.
National Geographic on Aging
Can aging be cured? Scientists are giving it a try
Cutting-edge technologies are revealing the intricacies of human aging and sparking research into drugs to slow it, or even reverse it.
National Geographic on Dreams
While We Sleep, Our Mind Goes on an Amazing Journey
Our floodlit society has made sleep deprivation a lifestyle. But we know more than ever about how we rest—and how it keeps us healthy.
National Geographic on Elon Musk
Exclusive: Watch Elon Musk Freak Out Over the Falcon Heavy Launch
Unique footage shows the SpaceX CEO and his team in mission control in the moments leading up to the historic launch.
National Geographic on Nature
Fake animal news abounds on social media as coronavirus upends life
Bogus stories of wild animals flourishing in quarantined cities gives false hope—and viral fame.
Sperm counts worldwide are plummeting faster than we thought
“We may cross a tipping point when most men will be sub-fertile,” says one expert. Here are environmental and lifestyle factors that could increase a man’s risk.
National Geographic on Outdoors
Has science solved one of history’s greatest adventure mysteries?
The bizarre deaths of Soviet hikers at Dyatlov Pass have inspired countless conspiracy theories, but the answer may lie in an elegant computer model based on surprising sources.
10 books that will take you on real-life adventures
In the first of our series ‘Around the World in 80 Books,’ we boldly leap into epic journeys from Ethiopia to Ireland.
National Geographic on Photography
Best of the decade
Journey through National Geographic’s most powerful photographs of the decade
Majestic Mountain Views From Around the World
Put on your hiking boots and enjoy these gorgeous alpine views that were submitted to our photo contest.
National Geographic on Travel
25 breathtaking places and experiences for 2023
Looking for your next adventure? You’ll find it on our annual list of the world’s best destinations for travelers.
Where to find epic adventure in Europe’s best small villages
From Scotland to Switzerland and beyond, here’s where to hike through history, climb a mountain, and glide through crystal-clear waters.
National Geographic on Women
These women are defying tradition—by flying
In eastern Mexico, a few courageous women are breaking barriers to join a sacred—and breathtaking—Indigenous ritual.
Popular
These are some all-time favorites with Refind users.
‘Zoom fatigue’ is taxing the brain. Here's why that happens.
Video calls seemed an elegant solution to remote work, but they wear on the psyche in complicated ways.
This Tiny Country Feeds the World
The Netherlands has become an agricultural giant by showing what the future of farming could look like.
For Decades, Our Coverage Was Racist. To Rise Above Our Past, We Must Acknowledge It
We asked a preeminent historian to investigate our coverage of people of color in the U.S. and abroad. Here’s what he found.
Why every year—but especially 2020—feels like the worst ever
Unfettered media consumption skews our perception of the present. Here’s how to break the cycle.
The controversial quest to make a 'contagious' vaccine
A new technology aims to stop wildlife from spreading Ebola, rabies, and other viruses. It could prevent the next pandemic by stopping pathogens from jumping from animals to people.
What is Refind?
Every day Refind picks 5 links from around the web that make you smarter, tailored to your interests. is one of more than 10k sources we monitor.
How does Refind curate?
It’s a mix of human and algorithmic curation, following a number of steps:
- We monitor 10k+ sources and 1k+ thought leaders on hundreds of topics—publications, blogs, news sites, newsletters, Substack, Medium, Twitter, etc.
- In addition, our users save links from around the web using our Save buttons and our extensions.
- Our algorithm processes 100k+ new links every day and uses external signals to find the most relevant ones, focusing on timeless pieces.
- Our community of active users gets 5 links every day, tailored to their interests. They provide feedback via implicit and explicit signals: open, read, listen, share, add to reading list, save to «Made me smarter», «More/less like this», etc.
- Our algorithm uses these internal signals to refine the selection.
- In addition, we have expert curators who manually curate niche topics.
The result: lists of the best and most useful articles on hundreds of topics.
How does Refind detect «timeless» pieces?
We focus on pieces with long shelf-lives—not news. We determine «timelessness» via a number of metrics, for example, the consumption pattern of links over time.
How many sources does Refind monitor?
We monitor 10k+ content sources on hundreds of topics—publications, blogs, news sites, newsletters, Substack, Medium, Twitter, etc.
Can I submit a link?
Indirectly, by using Refind and saving links from outside (e.g., via our extensions).
How can I report a problem?
When you’re logged-in, you can flag any link via the «More» (...) menu. You can also report problems via email to hello@refind.com
Who uses Refind?
100k+ smart people start their day with Refind. To learn something new. To get inspired. To move forward. Our apps have a 4.9/5 rating.
Is Refind free?
Yes, it’s free!
How can I sign up?
Head over to our homepage and sign up by email or with your Twitter or Google account.