The Best of National Geographic

Almost half a century since taking his first long-distance train journeys, the author reflects on the inspiring, fast-evolving nature of rail travel.

As depicted in the new Ben Affleck film Air, here’s how Michael Jordan and Nike’s iconic Air Jordans transformed the sneakerhead subculture into a $79 billion industry.

Your biological age reflects your physical health and can differ from your actual age by years. A new tool that calculates that number “could be a wake-up call.”

Whether driven by an internal clock in our genes or a lifetime of wear and tear, aging often can be mitigated through lifestyle choices.

Early research suggests that monoclonal antibodies—used to protect the vulnerable from COVID-19—may provide non-addictive, long-lasting pain relief from a variety of conditions.

Unique footage shows the SpaceX CEO and his team in mission control in the moments leading up to the historic launch.

Social distancing isn’t a new idea—it saved thousands of American lives during the last great pandemic. Here's how it worked.

Curators are realizing that returning looted artifacts isn’t closing museums—it’s opening new doors. “The ethnographic museum of the past is making its way to the exit.”

«1897, a heavily armed British expedition invaded the Edo empire, overthrew its hereditary king, or oba, and plundered his palace in Benin City»

Bogus stories of wild animals flourishing in quarantined cities gives false hope—and viral fame.

“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.

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.

A 500-plus mile hiking path shows off the tiny nation’s stunning mountains and top-notch hospitality.

Looking for your next adventure? You’ll find it on our annual list of the world’s best destinations for travelers.

From Scotland to Switzerland and beyond, here’s where to hike through history, climb a mountain, and glide through crystal-clear waters.

In eastern Mexico, a few courageous women are breaking barriers to join a sacred—and breathtaking—Indigenous ritual.

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.

Video calls seemed an elegant solution to remote work, but they wear on the psyche in complicated ways.

The Netherlands has become an agricultural giant by showing what the future of farming could look like.

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.

The miracle material has made modern life possible. But more than 40 percent of it is used just once, and it’s choking our waterways.