Inspiring people to care about the planet since 1888
Join explorers and scientists, master photographers, and adventurers at National Geographic Live—an online video lecture series featuring behind-the-scenes tales and magnificent images from one of the world’s largest non-profit science and education foundations. The program, filmed in the headquarters of the National Geographic Society in Washington, DC, is part of the society’s mission since 1888 to report on the world and all that’s in it… to inspire people to care about the planet.
Nat Geo Explorer-in-Residence Spencer Wells maps the history of human migration by analyzing the DNA of hundreds of thousands of people around the world.
Journey with author Scott Wallace deep into the Amazon rain forest in search of one of the last uncontacted tribes on Earth.
Nobel Laureate John Mather and Nat Geo Explorer-in-Residence Robert Ballard discuss how technology expands the limits of the known universe.
Far north of the Arctic Circle, Emerging Explorer Jørn Hurum coaxes the secrets of evolution from a rocky polar desert with a treasure trove of fossils, including sea monsters of the Jurassic era.
Emerging Explorer Sasha Kramer fights some of Haiti’s most pressing health, economic, and environmental problems, one toilet at a time.
Nobel Laureate Daniel McFadden and Nat Geo Explorer Jared Diamond discuss why humans make decisions the way they do and the impact of those choices on the survival of our species.
Nobel Laureate Martin Chalfie and Nat Geo Explorer Beth Shapiro examine clues to how species work, live, and ultimately perish.
National Geographic Explorer Beth Shapiro describes the common ancestry of polar bears and brown bears.
Perseverance and a little luck lead Dr. Osamu Shimomura to the discovery of a lifetime.
Explorer-in-Residence Wade Davis recounts the epic—and ultimately tragic—attempts by British climbers to scale Everest in the shadow of the Great War.
Explorer-in-Residence Wade Davis tells of a mapmaker who found the key to reaching the summit of Mount Everest.
Explore the Earth with one of the greatest natural history photographers of our time, Mattias Klum.
Join National Geographic Fellow and photographer Mattias Klum while he tries to capture images of the wily little mammal of the Kalahari Desert known as the meerkat.
Mattias Klum faces a critique of his Galápagos photos from a highly opinionated expert—his young son.
Professor Lee Berger and his son stumble across an amazing find in South Africa—two-million-year-old fossils of an unkown species of ape-like creatures.
Join husband-and-wife team Frans Lanting and Christine Eckstrom on a wild desert journey through Namibia—a land of exotic creatures and haunting landscapes.
Photographer Frans Lanting shares the secret of his masterful image, “Ghost Trees at Dawn”—the thorn trees of Namibia.
Join Frans Lanting as he tries to photograph the rare black rhino—without getting trampled.
Washington Post environmental reporter Juliet Eilperin delves into how humans have viewed sharks throughout history to explain why they are among the planet’s most awe-inspiring creatures.
Photographer Stephanie Sinclair and writer Cynthia Gorney investigate the world of prearranged child marriage, where girls as young as five are forced to wed.
Writer Cynthia Gorney recounts the story of Nujood Ali, a young girl from Yemen who stood up to the tribal tradition of forced marriage.
Can tiny sea creatures affect weather around the world? Emerging Explorer Kakani Katija looks to a new field of science for answers.
In a land shaped by centuries of conflict, Emerging Explorer Aziz Abu Sarah dealt with the death of his brother by working to build bridges between Israelis and Palestinians.
The best chance of discovering life beyond Earth may lie in the icy moons of Jupiter.
Emerging Explorer Paula Kahumbu seeks to balance the demands of Nairobi’s sprawling population with saving the migration paths of lions, giraffes and wildebeests.
National Geographic Fellow and acclaimed chef Barton Seaver wants to restore our ties to the natural world—through dinner.
Emerging Explorer Dino Martins says that from long-tongued bees to hawk moths, pollinators are the hidden workers that keep the planet running.
Pioneering activist and National Geographic Fellow John “Planetwalker” Francis took a 17-year vow of silence to walk across America, inspiring thousands. Here he offers lessons on the need for reflection in one’s life.
Join highliner Dean Potter while he tries to walk across Yosemite Falls, 1,400 feet above ground.
National Geographic Emerging Explorer Mireya Mayor joins in a desperate gamble to save two leopard cubs in Namibia.
An inside look into a vanishing way of life in South Sudan.
One of the world’s most sought-after expedition photographers reveals a new generation of daredevil climbers scaling the park’s sheer rock faces.
National Geographic Emerging Explorer Jimmy Chin recalls the terror of being buried alive under hundreds of tons of snow in the Tetons.
Join rock climber Alex Honnold in his ascent of Half Dome, nearly 2,000 feet—without a rope.
Archaeologists and National Geographic grantees George and David Stuart offer keen insights into the art and culture of the Mayans.
Father and son archaeologists discuss their shared passion for exploring ancient Mesoamerica.
Photographer Robb Kendrick uses a 19th century tintype process for his luminous portraits of modern-day cowboys in western U.S. and Mexico.
Photographer Robb Kendrick explains the art of tintype images.
Photographer Frans Lanting talks of his epic journey to capture images of the albatross, a hauntingly beautiful bird enshrined in legend and poetry.
Self-taught photographer Frans Lanting discusses how he adopts the view of his subject to get the best image.
Join National Geographic photographer Frans Lanting as he documents the plight of the albatross, one of the largest flying birds on Earth.
Historian Christopher Heaney relates how 100 years ago Hiram Bingham stepped into the astounding ruins of Machu Picchu, the lost city of the Incas.
In 30 years, award-wining photographers and National Geographic grantees Carol Beckwith and Angela Fisher have traveled over 270,000 miles through 40 countries in Africa to document more than 150 cultures. Here they share their images of a vanishing way of life in southern Sudan.
A clever feast spares the lives of photographers Carol Beckwith and Angela Fisher during a harrowing trip to Surmaland near the Ethiopian-Sudanese border.
Go behind the scenes with photographers Carol Beckwith and Angela Fisher on assignment across Africa.
One of the most highly regarded natural history photographers, National Geographic Fellow Mattias Klum has a special passion for Borneo, where he has spent 20 years producing magazine articles, books, and films. Don’t miss this powerful and disturbing vision of what might be the Borneo rain forest’s last stand.
Self-taught photographer Mattias Klum shares his passion for capturing both beauty and destruction around the world—while anchored by his family.
Scientist, explorer, and conservationist Tim Flannery views the impact of humans on the planet and asks if our species will survive.
Tim Flannery, who has discovered more than 30 mammal species, explains why one type of tree kangaroo in New Guinea is considered sacred.
Most famous as an actor, Andrew McCarthy is also an award-winning travel writer. Here he shares his most memorable adventures on the road.
Former Miami Dolphins cheerleader, Fulbright scholar, television correspondent, field biologist, and National Geographic Emerging Explorer Mireya Mayor shares her adventures from the field.
National Geographic Emerging Explorer Mireya Mayor explains how her role as a mother frames her work for wildlife conservation.
Veteran photographer Michael Melford travels to one of the most pristine places in Alaska where residents must choose between two incompatible futures.
Renowned landscape photographer Michael Melford explains how photography became his first language.
Join Michael Melford and his son on a photo shoot of wild bears in Alaska.
Stunning courage and matchless skill with the camera are the twin hallmarks of Alexandra Avakian’s fascinating career as a photojournalist. Here, she weaves stories from her two decades traveling the globe to document the culture of the Muslim world.
Listen as photographer Alexandra Avakian talks about how her work has been influenced by her father, a movie director, and framed by her Armenian heritage.
Hear about one of the most bizarre dinosaurs ever uncovered from its discoverer, acclaimed paleontologist and National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Paul Sereno.
Go behind the scenes and hear National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Paul Sereno talk about his decision to become a paleontologist and his most memorable discoveries.
Watch as the skeleton of a prehistoric dinosaur is rebuilt inside National Geographic headquarters.
National Geographic grantee Andrew Skurka gave up a promising future in investment banking to become a legend in the outdoor world for his record-setting, long-distance solo hikes. With stunning images and video, he guides us through his 4,700-mile, six-month trek around Alaska and the Yukon.
Go behind the scenes and hear National Geographic grantee and adventurer Andrew Skurka talk about how he became a record-breaking, long-distance solo hiker.
Bulent Atalay, himself a scientist and artist, offers a comprehensive look at Leonardo da Vinci, his work, and the many ways this enigmatic genius has influenced our world.
Go behind the scenes and hear scientist, artist, and author Bulent Atalay elaborate on Leonardo da Vinci’s genius, contradictions, and new discoveries.
Veteran National Geographic photographer Sam Abell offers a look inside the heart and mind of a master photographer.
Go behind the scenes and hear National Geographic photographer Sam Abell talk about his career, what inspires and influences his work, and his most memorable adventures.
One of only a handful of people to earn a Ph.D. under the world’s most famous ecologist, E.O. Wilson, National Geographic grantee Mark Moffett — an intrepid and eccentric ecologist — shares the beauty and marvels of life in the treetops.
Go behind the scenes and hear photographer and National Geographic grantee Mark Moffett talk about his career, what inspires and influences his work, and his most memorable adventures.
Veteran photographer Carsten Peter is also an accomplished climber, diver and caver who has photographed some of the world’s most extreme environments. Here he shares stories and images from a cave system in Vietnam that may be the world’s largest.
Go behind the scenes and hear photographer and National Geographic grantee Carsten Peter talk about his career, what inspires and influences his work, and his most memorable adventures.
Frances Mayes, best-selling author of Under the Tuscan Sun, discusses her book Every Day in Tuscany. Enjoy her Italian memoirs about her renovation of a 13th century house in the mountains above Cortona.
Award-winning underwater photojournalist, Brian Skerry explains how he uses photography to celebrate the sea, bring awareness to the dangers that face our oceans and inspire change.
Go behind the scenes and hear photographer Brian Skerry talk about his career that inspires and influences his work, and his most memorable adventures.
Paleontologist and National Geographic grantee Phillip Manning shares the exciting cold-case of a 67 million year old dinosaur – one of the rarest specimens ever unearthed.
Go behind the scenes and hear paleontologist and National Geographic grantee Phillip Manning talk about his career and his most memorable adventures.
Go behind the scenes and hear paleontologist and National Geographic grantee Phillip Manning talk about paleontology research at the University of Manchester.
Photographer Annie Griffiths has worked on every continent except Antarctica; when her two children were born, she decided to take them along for the ride. Here, Griffiths shares her portfolio of emotionally rich photographs.
Go behind the scenes and hear photographer Annie Griffiths talk about her career, what inspires and influences her work, and her most memorable adventures.
