National Geographic

Photo by | "Everyone says that the tie that binds us is love or blood, but I think it is memory. For nine years I cared for my mother, Madje, as she set sail on the melancholic voyage of memory loss. My mother was half Cherokee, and she was a scientist. The accumulated events of her life, some of which I could only guess at, created a brilliant but complicated woman who became an eccentric recluse with age. As she began to lose her memory, I visited 50 places looking for the right one, and I found it: a place where caregivers would treat people as though they were their own mothers. I could sleep there if Madje was upset. She would be served breakfast in bed whenever she woke up. Her main caregiver, Minadora, was from Romania and loved Madje as though she were her mother and I her sister. Toward the end of Madje’s life, we would lie on her big bed by the open window, a sigh of wind blowing the lace curtains over us. I wondered how she could be so beautiful at the end, even as her brow was knit with confusion. Madje died in my arms one week after her 89th birthday. I held her in the last hours of her life, rocking her as though she were my baby. And then she took her last breath. We bathed her and put her in a beautiful dress and surrounded her with roses. Everyone came up to her room to say goodbye. As a last act before her cremation, I braided her long Cherokee hair and cut the braids, giving one to each of her caregivers. I kept one for myself, and when I miss her the most, I smell the braid. It smells like Madje." In honor of #MothersDay, we’re sharing moments of motherly love in its many forms. ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ 🎥 National Geographic by ASM Channels

Did you know that the twilight zone is real? It's home to sea creatures that play a vital role in maintaining the health of our oceans. But with increasing threats, there's a growing need to protect this crucial ecosystem. Learn more at the link in bio. ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ 🎥 National Geographic by ASM Channels

When it comes to fitness guidance, many of us hear familiar refrains about the benefits of cardio exercise. Calls for cycling, running, jogging, or simply "getting your steps in" are commonplace. Though aerobic exercise is critical for optimal health, it’s also important to prioritize resistance training—a form of strength training that utilizes resistance from weights, body weight, or resistance bands to strengthen muscles. Doing so brings about many proven and often surprising health gains. Head to the link in bio to learn more about what lifting weights does to your body—and your mind. Photograph by Cayce Clifford, The New York Times/Redux. ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ 🎥 National Geographic by ASM Channels

Photos by | It’s difficult to grasp the skillful work that goes into excavating an archaeological site. While on assignment for my latest story about lidar technology, I was able to spend some time on the ground and see how archaeologists and their teams conduct their work at a site in Petén, Guatemala. In the first photo, Clara Alexander excavates what is thought to be an Early Classic period household (A.D. 250-550) near the Maya city of Holmul. Thanks to lidar technology, archaeologists like her are able to garner more precise information on where important structures lie hidden within the jungle. In the second photo, an excavation worker stands at the entrance to a temple from the Classic period (A.D. 450) at the Holmul site. Lidar, light detection and ranging, is one of archaeology’s most exciting modern tools. Lidar uses light pulses taken aerially to scan the topography below and report back data as 3D renderings with precise, detailed information. In the past, an archaeological site of 20 to 30 square kilometers (7.7 to 11.5 square miles) might take a decade to map, investigate, and excavate. With lidar, a team gets precise data over 300 square kilometers (115 square miles) within 6 months. All excavated materials are turned in to the Guatemalan Ministry of Culture after they have been restored and documented. Read more at the link in bio. ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ 🎥 National Geographic by ASM Channels

Photo by | "Everything the light touches is our kingdom." That famous moment in The Lion King sees young Simba surveying a vast expanse of sun-drenched plains. The trials and tribulations of lion life have inspired generations of storytellers, but the real-life wildernesses where these stories unfold are diminishing at an alarming pace. Kenya is among the few strongholds that still support large populations, yet even here, threats such as conflicts with humans, poaching, development, and climate change-driven droughts are closing in. ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ 🎥 National Geographic by ASM Channels

This is Tashi, our local guide to exploring Bhutan. The country just opened its borders to tourists in 1999, and very few slots are given every year. The colored flags behind us represent different elements. For example, blue is for water. And every single one represents a part of all living creatures. The flags are full of blessings, and with the wind going through them, it carries the blessings through all the country. And that’s just one of the many magical things about this place.   In this episode, I get to share parts of one of the most remote locations in the world. All the way from finding its temples and chatting with the monks to learn about Buddhism, to eating ‘doma’ (a local stimulant), trying ‘ara’ (a home made alcoholic drink), and practicing one of the country’s most famous local sports, archery (of course, not all together).   This place is full of wonder, and it feels completely protected from the rest of the world. I knew that in Bhutan happiness was a priority above everything else, but I hadn’t expected it to be so clear.  Get completely immersed into this mighty country with the latest full episode of Nat Geo’s Best of the World, now available on ’s YouTube channel, hosted by your skinny Mexican. Link in bio 🇧🇹 ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ 🎥 National Geographic by ASM Channels

Photos by | Imagine for a moment how hard it might be to get comfortable enough to rest on a wild array of tree branches. Here are two examples of a leopard in Kenya's Maasai Mara doing just that. The first image shows a more casual, watchful pose with a paw wedged into the crook of a branch. Take note of the back left paw—a little uncomfortable, but making it work. The second image is where we achieve full naptime bliss. This one found a split in the branch, perfect for resting his head and letting all four limbs free fall. Leopards don’t utilize trees merely as a safe place to sleep. They also drag their prey into the canopy to secure it from lions and hyenas. ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ 🎥 National Geographic by ASM Channels

Warmer springs and longer summers mean a longer tick season. Learn how to keep them away, what to do if you find a tick on you, how to identify a tick bite, and more at the link in bio. Photograph by Roman Willi, Nature Picture Library. ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ 🎥 National Geographic by ASM Channels

Photo by | The Great Plains toad truly lives a life of leisure. A solitary, burrowing species, these toads will spend around seven to nine months of the year in a state of dormancy and torpor, called estivation. When fully awake, they may still spend up to six days inside their burrow without moving! Most activity happens at night during the dry season, but this toad’s movement is also triggered by heavy rainfall and the start of the breeding season. Photo taken at the Phoenix Zoo. To see more species featured in the Photo Ark, follow me . #PhotoArk ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ 🎥 National Geographic by ASM Channels

When billions of cicadas emerge from the ground this spring in the U.S., many will be the unwitting hosts of this fungus that eats them from the inside out and turns them into sex-crazed zombies. The parasitic Massospora fungus is waiting to infect them, take over their bodies, and keep them just alive enough to spread the disease to their mates during reproduction. Find out more at the link in our bio. Host: ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ 🎥 National Geographic by ASM Channels