Magazines

National Geographic Adventure —
December 2009/January 2010
The Best of Adventure 2010

2009-11-17

Adventurers of the Year — National Geographic Adventure's seventh annual "Best of Adventure" issue recognizes 16 individuals who went to extremes in 2009 — racking up amazing achievements in exploration, conservation, action sports and humanitarian work — earning them the coveted title of Adventurers of the Year. Honored for their exceptional accomplishments in a variety of fields, the class of 2009 are BASE jumper Dean Potter; military veterans Marc Hoffmeister, Jon Koniholm, Matt Nyman and David Shebib; adventurers Gayle Hoffmeister and Bob Haines; explorer Albert Yu-Min Lin; road trippers Stephen Bouey and Steven Shoppman; surfer Maya Gabeira; astronaut John Grunsfeld; ultra runner Diane Van Deren; humanitarian/educator Khadija Bahram; filmmaker Louie Psihoyos; and scientist Katey Walter Anthony. The Adventurer of the Year honorees were nominated by an advisory board of 30 explorers, scientists, journalists and luminaries in the world of adventure. Plus: This year, for the first time, readers can cast a vote online for the honoree they believe best embodies the spirit of adventure. The winner will receive the first-ever "Adventurer of the Year: Readers' Choice Award." Voting, at www.ngadventure.com, ends Jan. 15, 2010. The Readers' Choice winner will be announced online on Jan. 19, 2010. Page 55.

The Visionary — Medical pioneer Geoff Tabin wants to cure preventable blindness everywhere, especially in the developing world, where four out of five of the 150 million people who are blind don't need to be. Many have easily curable conditions like cataract disease. Tabin's task involves grueling travel, marathon field surgeries and very little downtime. For his vision — and for past accomplishments that include helping restore sight to more than 500,000 people in Nepal, Tibet, Pakistan, India, Bhutan, China, Thailand, Vietnam and North Korea through the Himalayan Cataract Project, as well as adventure exploits like attempting the first ascent of the last unclimbed face of Everest and becoming only the fourth person to scale the Seven Summits — National Geographic Adventure magazine recognizes Tabin with a Hall of Fame award. Award-winning author David Oliver Relin ("Three Cups of Tea") profiles Tabin and his mission. Page 48.

Must-Have Gear — Climb higher, camp lighter, bike faster — great equipment should do more than perform well and look good, it should inspire you to go harder than ever before. National Geographic Adventure honors the most groundbreaking gear for 2010 with Best of Adventure awards. The 26 must-have new products, selected by Adventure editors and an advisory board of the country's leading retailers, are: Black Diamond Fusion ice ax; Black Diamond Infinity 50 backpack; Columbia Bugathermo winter boots; Dagger Axis 12.0 kayak; Eddie Bauer First Ascent Downlight Sweater jacket; Firewire Dominator with Rapidfire Technology surfboard; Garmin Edge 500 cycling computer; Helly Hansen Barrier 3L jacket; HP Envy 13 laptop; inov-8 roclite 288 GTX light hiker; Mountain Hardwear Skyledge 2.1 tent; Nokia N900 phone; Oakley Jawbone sunglasses; Olympus E-P1 camera; Osprey Raptor 6 hydration pack; Pearl Izumi syncroFuel XC trail runner; Rossignol S7 skis; Santa Cruz Blur XC mountain bike; Smith Optics Vanguard sunglasses; Somnio Runaissance road runner; Therm-a-Rest Haven Top sleeping bag; Timex Ironman Sleek 150-Lap training watch; Trek District Carbon road bike; VAEL Project Apres boots; Victorinox Swiss Army Travel Alarm 1884 Limited Edition pocket watch; Wenger Mike Horn Ranger multi-tool. Page 67.

The Wayfinders — While European mariners were still hugging coastlines and puzzling out longitude, Polynesians were sailing the open ocean, guided by navigators who harnessed the sun and stars, the wind and waves. On a trip to the South Pacific, National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Wade Davis investigates the ancient art of wayfinding. Page 76.

The Big Trip: Argentina — Glaciers, big peaks, balmy days and vino. And right now it's all on sale. Crusted in snow and ice, Cerro Aconcagua shoots up from the fertile plains of the Mendoza province to an altitude of 22,835 feet. It's a spectacular sight, the highest peak in the Western Hemisphere towering over the finest wine-growing region in South America. And scenes like this are hardly out of the ordinary in Argentina. National Geographic Adventure writer Claire Martin uncorks a foodie experience high on adventure. Page 44.

Nat Geo in the Field: Relics Recovered — Scaling the crumbling cliffs of Mustang in north-central Nepal to explore mysterious man-made cave systems carved 700 feet high into the cliffsides, a pair of world-class climbers goes where archaeologists can't, for the benefit of science. Page 22.

* National Geographic Adventure experts are available for interviews. Contact Ethan Fried if you have questions, need additional information or would like to schedule an interview.

National Geographic Adventure, winner of four National Magazine Awards, is the fastest-growing magazine in the outdoor category and the ultimate guide to the adventure lifestyle. Published eight times a year, with a rate base of 625,000, National Geographic Adventure has 2.8 million readers. It is available by subscription (800-NGS-LINE) and on newsstands in the United States ($4.99) and Canada ($6.99). Its editorial mission supports National Geographic's mission to inspire people to care about the planet. The magazine's Web site is www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure.

National Geographic Magazine, December 2009

2009-11-17

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE, DECEMBER 2009

On newsstands Nov. 24

Features and additional Web content at ngm.nationalgeographic.com
ngm.nationalgeographic.com

Click on link on right to view the press release

National Geographic Adventure Magazine Names 2009's Adventurers of the Year

2009-11-12

WASHINGTON (Nov. 12, 2009)--National Geographic Adventure magazine has selected 16 individuals as 2009's Adventurers of the Year, recognizing extraordinary achievements in exploration, conservation, action sports and humanitarian work. The honorees are featured in the December 2009/January 2010 "Best of Adventure" issue of the magazine (on newsstands Nov. 24). A robust and interactive Best of Adventure Web portal with more than 100 pages of content also highlights the 2009 Adventurer of the Year honorees with in-depth feature profiles, exhilarating videos and photo galleries. This year, for the first time, readers can cast a vote online for the honoree they believe best embodies the spirit of adventure. The winner will receive the first-ever "Adventurer of the Year: Readers' Choice Award." Voting, at www.ngadventure.com, begins today and ends Jan. 15, 2010. The Readers' Choice winner will be announced online on Jan. 19, 2010.

A group of 30 explorers, scientists, journalists and luminaries in the world of adventure served on an advisory board for the nomination of this year's top adventurers. The class of 2009 includes a BASE jumper, military veterans, an explorer, road trippers, a surfer, an astronaut, an ultra runner, an educator, a filmmaker and a scientist. They are:

-Khadija Bahram, supported by the aid organization International Rescue Committee, guided an educational program that stretches across five provinces in war-torn Afghanistan reaching more than 10,000 pupils, mostly girls, as well as disabled children.
-Stephen Bouey and Steven Shoppman crossed 69 countries and racked up more than 77,000 miles during a two-and-a-half-year road trip that circumnavigated the globe by road.
-Maya Gabeira, the only sponsored female big-wave surfer in the world, surfed the largest wave by a woman ever, landing a 45-footer at South Africa's Dungeons break.
-John Grunsfeld, known as NASA's "Hubble Repairman," braved hurtling space debris to pull off the repair to end all repairs: Working at zero gravity some 350 miles above the surface of the Earth, the astronaut restored sight to a half-blind Hubble.
-Marc Hoffmeister, an injured Iraq veteran, organized a team of climbers, including his wife, Gayle Hoffmeister, his friend, Bob Haines, and injured vets Jon Kuniholm, Matt Nyman and David Shebib, to attempt the dangerous West Buttress route of Denali in Alaska.
-Albert Yu-Min Lin organized a high-risk, high-stakes project into Mongolia's "Forbidden Zone" to search for the lost tomb of Genghis Kahn, using state-of-the art, cutting-edge mapping technologies.
-Dean Potter recorded the longest BASE jump ever -- 2 minutes and 50 seconds -- while wearing a wingsuit that allowed him to cover some 9,000 vertical feet and nearly four horizontal miles in distance.
-Louie Psihoyos assembled an "Ocean's 11"-esque crew to expose and end the annual slaughter of hundreds of dolphins for meat in Taiji, Japan, a story told in the award-winning film "The Cove."
-Diane Van Deren, survivor of a successful lobectomy, became the first and only woman to complete the Yukon Arctic Ultra, a 430-mile run across frozen tundra in the dead of winter.
-Katey Walter Anthony mounted an expedition to Siberia to seek out and measure beds of thawing permafrost -- a major source of methane gas, a greenhouse gas that is 25 times more potent than CO2, yet is not factored into most climate change models.

The National Geographic Adventure Adventurers of the Year feature is presented and sponsored by South African Tourism, South African Airways and Budweiser American Ale.

About National Geographic Adventure
National Geographic Adventure, winner of four National Magazine Awards, is the fastest-growing magazine in the outdoor category and the ultimate guide to the adventure lifestyle. Published eight times a year, with a rate base of 625,000, National Geographic Adventure has
2.8 million readers. It is available by subscription (800-NGS-LINE) and on newsstands in the United States ($4.99) and Canada ($6.99). Its editorial mission supports National Geographic's mission to inspire people to care about the planet. The magazine's Web site is www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure.

National Geographic Kids — November 2009

2009-11-03

Amazing Animal Friends — National Geographic Kids proves that any two creatures can be best friends. Six heartwarming stories of companionship, including between a dog and a goat in England, a cat and an orangutan in Florida and a rabbit and a deer in Germany, prove that friendship comes in all shapes and sizes. Page 20.

World's Coolest Skyscraper — Humans have built some unbelievable structures, including the pyramids in Egypt, the Great Wall of China and the Roman Coliseum. National Geographic Kids travels to Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, where engineers are planning a first-of-its-kind super-structure: the Dynamic Tower, a shape-shifting mega-skyscraper that is in constant motion. Each floor will rotate independently at different speeds, resulting in an amazing building that will always look different. Plus: Learn remarkable facts about six of the world's skyscrapers. Page 14.

Wacky America — National Geographic Kids takes a road trip around the United States to see six of the wackiest roadside attractions, from a giant penguin statue in Montana to an entire alley covered in wads of chewed gum in California. Plus: Go online to kids.nationalgeographic.com to see more wacky roadside attractions. Page 24.

Guardians of the Tomb — For thousands of years a massive army of mysterious clay soldiers lay hidden underground near Xi'an, China. It is believed that China's first emperor, Qin Shihuangdi, had these life-size terra cotta warriors built to protect him in the afterlife. But you don't have to go to China to see these ancient wonders. A new National Geographic Museum exhibit, "Terra Cotta Warriors: Guardians of China's First Emperor," will display a collection of the figures in Washington, D.C., from Nov. 19, 2009, to March 31, 2010. Page 26.

"Fantastic Mr. Fox" — National Geographic Kids goes behind the scenes of the new movie "Fantastic Mr. Fox," based on the book by Roald Dahl, to find out if the characters in the film act anything like the real animals they depict. Do rabbits really prepare delicious food? Would a fox and rat wrestle in real life? Get the scoop on every character. Page 16.

Rhino Rescue — National Geographic Kids heads to Kenya to meet Maalim, a baby rhinoceros abandoned by his mother. Saved by a group of government rangers and the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, Maalim one day may be released back into the wild. Learn the precautions Maalim's keepers must take in order to not disrupt his natural development and what the keepers must do to ensure Maalim's survival in the wild. Page 28.

National Geographic Kids, a multitopic, photo-driven magazine for 6- to 14-year-olds, empowers its readers by making it fun to learn about the world. Its numerous industry awards include Periodical of the Year in 2005 and 2006 from the Association of Educational Publishers. Published 10 times a year, National Geographic Kids has a circulation of 1.2 million and is available by subscription for $19.95 a year and on newsstands for $4.99 a copy. Its Web site is at kids.nationalgeographic.com.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TO HOLD HUGE WAREHOUSE SALE AT WASHINGTON'S D.C. ARMORY NOV. 20-22

2009-10-27
WASHINGTON (Nov. 16, 2009)--National Geographic is bringing truckloads of books, maps, globes, toys, clothing, luggage and more to its warehouse sale in Washington, D.C., this week. The event will be held at the D.C. Armory from Friday, Nov. 20, to Sunday, Nov. 22, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free.

Fourteen tractor trailers will be loaded with almost everything that National Geographic has offered for sale in the past five years. Many of the items seen in National Geographic gift catalogs as well as 300 book titles will be available. Prices will be discounted up to 90 percent.

"This year's sale is one of the largest ever. We have more than 600 different products -- that's 200,000 of the best-quality books, maps, DVDs, toys, travel accessories and gifts from around the world," said Bill O'Donnell, director of sales, publishing.

New to the sale this year will be a display of rolled and framed prints of some of National Geographic's most iconic photographs, which are also available at www.printsNGS.com.

"Our warehouse sales attract both devoted fans of National Geographic and serious bargain hunters. They are a perfect opportunity to get a jump on holiday shopping. There is something for everybody on your list, be they professional or amateur traveler, adventurer, scientist, gardener, history buff, photographer, animal lover, student or teacher. Our books alone will be 20 percent to 90 percent off list price. People shopping for schools often buy lots of materials. At our last sale, the showroom was virtually emptied of merchandise," O'Donnell said.

The sale is being promoted through mailings, newspaper ads and radio spots. National Geographic members and teachers have received postcards that they can bring to the sale to exchange for a free calendar.

A National Geographic warehouse sale also will be held in Houston from Friday, Dec. 4, to Sunday, Dec. 6. Sale hours will be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The National Geographic Society is one of the world's largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations. Founded in 1888 to "increase and diffuse geographic knowledge," the Society works to inspire people to care about the planet. It reaches more than 375 million people worldwide each month through its official journal, National Geographic, and other magazines; National Geographic Channel; television documentaries; music; radio; films; books; DVDs; maps; exhibitions; live events; school publishing programs; interactive media; expeditions; and merchandise. National Geographic has funded more than 9,000 scientific research, conservation and exploration projects and supports an education program promoting geographic literacy. For more information, visit nationalgeographic.com.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TO LAUNCH KIDS' MAGAZINE IN INDONESIA

2009-10-22
WASHINGTON (Oct. 22, 2009)--The National Geographic Society will launch the newest edition of its children's magazine in Indonesia, bringing the number of international editions of its National Geographic Kids publication to 18. The November issue will be available beginning Oct. 26, and the official launch event will be held at SeaWorld Indonesia on Nov. 19.

National Geographic Kids Indonesia will be published by PT Penerbitan Sarana Bobo, the children's publishing arm of Kompas-Gramedia Group, the largest media corporation in Indonesia. Each issue will be completely bilingual in English and Bahasa Indonesia.

Content for the magazine will be drawn primarily from the award-winning U.S. magazine National Geographic Kids and also will include local Indonesian content related to the environment, animal life and other topics that will excite kids about exploring their world. There will be 12 issues a year, and the magazine will be available by subscription, on newsstands and in Gramedia bookstores throughout Indonesia.

Local editions of National Geographic's children's magazine also are available in Bulgaria, Croatia, Egypt, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Latin America, The Netherlands, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovenia, South Africa (two editions), Turkey and the United Kingdom. This growth mirrors the global expansion of the famous yellow-bordered National Geographic magazine, now available in 32 local-language editions and read by more than 35 million people each month. The children's magazines, which accept advertising, also sport the familiar yellow border.

"The growth spurt of our children's publications allows National Geographic and the local-language publishers to reach an untapped youth market with this best-loved brand," said Society President John Fahey. "Giving young people in Indonesia a window to the world in their own language through National Geographic's incomparable photographs and storytelling is a compelling way to spread geographic knowledge and to extend the Society's mission to inspire people to care about the planet."

Founded in 1973, PT Penerbitan Sarana Bobo is the largest publishing company and market leader for children's magazines in Indonesia, with publications for children of all ages from toddlers to secondary school students. With a focus on information, communication and education, the Kompas-Gramedia Group has in the past four decades diversified its media business to include regional newspapers, books, magazines, a television channel, radio, bookstores, hotels, real estate development, travel bureaus and tissue paper production.

The National Geographic Society is one of the world's largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations. Founded in 1888 to "increase and diffuse geographic knowledge," the Society works to inspire people to care about the planet. It reaches more than 375 million people worldwide each month through its official journal, National Geographic, and other magazines; National Geographic Channel; television documentaries; music; radio; films; books; DVDs; maps; exhibitions; live events; school publishing programs; interactive media; and merchandise. National Geographic has funded more than 9,000 scientific research, conservation and exploration projects and supports an education program promoting geographic literacy. For more information, visit nationalgeographic.com.

WORLD'S ICONIC DESTINATIONS RATED

2009-10-20
WASHINGTON (Oct. 21, 2009)—In conjunction with National Geographic Society's Center for Sustainable Destinations, National Geographic Traveler has devoted its sixth annual "Places Rated" Destination Stewardship survey to the world's most celebrated and iconic travel destinations and how well they have weathered the pressures of mass tourism and other threats.

Like the first Destination Rated survey in 2004, Norway's fjords region has again taken top honors, with a score of 85 points. Judges noted the gorgeous scenery and well-preserved rural life that are vigorously protected. Others making the top "Best Rated Places" category range from Japan's ancient Kyoto (#4, 79 points) for honoring the "serenity and charm of ancient Japan" to Slovenia, formerly part of communist Yugoslavia, tied at #5 (78 points) for being among the most sustainable and authentic places to visit in Europe.

The United Kingdom is the country with the most winners in this year's top category: England's Yorkshire Dales, Scotland's Highlands, and Wales.

A total of 133 destinations were surveyed by a panel of 437 well-traveled experts in a variety of fields related to sustainable tourism. The survey is the cover story of the November-December 2009 issue of National Geographic Traveler magazine, on newsstands Nov. 3.

"We hope the survey will bring attention to the places faring well, as well as to those in trouble, often due to reckless development and commercialism," said Jonathan Tourtellot, director of the Center for Sustainable Destinations, which conducted the survey. "If there is a blessing to the global downturn, it is the respite from such rampant, quick-buck degradation of Earth's remaining beautiful places."

The best U.S. ranking was the state of Vermont at #5 (78 points), scoring well not only for its scenic countryside but for environmental and social sustainability practices. Two other U.S. destinations made the top category: Oregon and Washington's Columbia Gorge region (#6, 77 points) and Massachusetts' Berkshires (#7, 76 points). Canada impressively took places #2 (81 points) and #3 (80 points), for British Columbia's Kootenay and Yoho national parks on the western slope of the Canadian Rockies and for Quebec's Gaspe Peninsula that juts into the Gulf of St. Lawrence with oceanfront, islands and mountains.

Examples of other successes:

Tanzania's Serengeti Plain went up 10 points (to 71 points, #12) since it was first surveyed in 2006, compared to Kenya's Masai Mara score, which went down three points (now 53 points, #29), reflecting the countries' varying efforts in conservation even though they share the same ecosystem.
Mid-coast California, from Santa Barbara to Monterey, is up eight points (71 points, #12) since the first 2004 survey, largely due to solid, good stewardship — not to mention the mix of wild coasts, mountains and wineries.
Hue, Vietnam, considered by many to be the most beautiful city in that country, is up 11 points (64 points, #19) — the highest upward leap from previous rankings — largely because of the restoration of its spectacular citadel.
Rajasthan, India, referred to as "India's Tuscany" by one panelist, experienced an eight-point jump (64 points, #19) in five years, sparked particularly by improved tourist facilities. It also boasts a strong sense of cultural identity and remarkable appeal and mystique, panelists noted.
Copán, the famed Maya ruins in Honduras, had a seven-point jump (68 points, #15) since it was first surveyed in 2006, due to excellent local guides and dedicated management, and other attractions, from coffee farms to local hot springs.

There were surprises. The Grenadine Islands in the Caribbean experienced a sharp dip of 15 points (now 62 points, #21) since it was first surveyed in 2007; this string of several hundred islands once ranked near the top of the Destination Scorecard but has dropped due to commercialization and damaging real estate deals. The Inside Passage in Alaska and British Columbia dropped markedly in the rankings since the first Destinations Rated survey in 2004 (64 points, #19), though still making the "Places Doing Well" category; panelists said the destination leaves one with a sense of awe, but the culture of the coastal towns is being overwhelmed by tourists and cruise ships.

A number of destinations were rated for the first time, including Arizona's Sonora Desert (63 points, #20), the Bahamas' Eleuthera Island (71 points, #12), Brazil's Rio de Janeiro beach districts (54 points, #28), the Chesapeake Bay region (42 points, #40), Florida's Sanibel and Captiva islands (53 points, #29) and New York's Long Island: Hamptons to Montauk (51 points, #31).

The panelists, all experts in various travel-related fields, were asked to evaluate the qualities that make a destination unique, measuring the "integrity of a place" and assessing its authenticity and stewardship. The ratings were based on six criteria: environmental and ecological quality; social and cultural integrity; condition of historic buildings and archaeological sites; aesthetic appeal; quality of tourism management; and outlook for the future.

The destinations are divided into five categories, listed below with examples:

Best-Rated Places (in excellent shape, relatively unspoiled and likely to remain so: 85- to 74-point range) New Zealand's South Island, Australia's Kakadu National Park, Spain's Medieval Granada and the Alhambra, Chile's Torres del Paine, Portugal's Douro Valley.
Places Doing Well (retaining sense of place, with a few surmountable problems: 73- to 64-point range) Brazil's Pantanal wetlands, Maine's coast, Italy's Tuscany, Austria's Salzburg historic center, Ireland's Ring of Kerry, Yellowstone/Grand Teton region.
Places in the Balance (a mixed bag of successes and worries, with the future at risk: 63- to 53-point range) Michigan's Traverse City and lakeshore, Arizona's Sonora Desert region, Hawaii's Maui and Island of Hawaii (Big Island), Jordan's Petra, Texas Hill County, Bali, Cape Cod, Greece's Santorini island, Turkey's Azure Coast.
Places with Troubles (under severe pressures; many places working to recover: 52- to 42-point range) Honduras' North Coast, New York's Long Island Shore, Tahiti, Ecuador's Galápagos Islands, Great Smoky Mountains, Florida's Everglades and Big Cypress, Beijing's historic districts, Italy's Venice and lagoon, Egypt's Luxor archaeological area, pollution-plagued Chesapeake Bay.
Worst-rated (severe problems; some destinations fighting back, some not: 41- to 31-point range) West Bank's Bethlehem, Dominican Republic's north coast, Egypt's Northern Red Sea coast, Spain's Costa del Sol.

National Geographic's Center for Sustainable Destinations is dedicated to protecting the world's distinctive places through wisely managed geotourism and enlightened destination stewardship.

See more details on the 133 iconic destinations ranked for wisely managed tourism at
www.nationalgeographic.com/traveler.

Note: Images of several of the "Places Rated" destinations are available at the following ftp site: http://ftp.nationalgeographic.com/pressroom/announcement_destinations/

username: press
password: press

November 2009: National Geographic Adventure — The 25 Best New Trips in the World

2009-10-20
Twenty-Five Best New Trips — Somewhere out there is a continent you can cross on horseback, and a Sherpa city where treks are led by the strongest hikers on Earth. Perhaps you want to track wolves in Slovakia's Carpathian Mountains or navigate Class V rapids in rural Bolivia to deliver aid to local communities. Impossible? Hardly. National Geographic Adventure's 10th annual trip guide maps the 25 best new trips for 2010, putting the world's far corners well within reach. And after contacting more than 200 travel companies, writer Claire Martin discovered one time-honored truth time and again: Trips that give back often yield the coolest travel experience. "Companies are starting to 'get' voluntourism, and to do it in a way that is much more authentic and goes deeper," says Martin. Even better, "These are often the trips with the most bang for your buck." Page 49.

Nepal's New Path — A strong case can be made for Nepal as the birthplace of the adventure travel movement. Nowhere else on the planet boasts such dramatic mountain scenery (Everest and Annapurna) and such a crazy confluence of religions and cultures (Hinduism mixed with Buddhism mixed with a variety of local isms). National Geographic Adventure Contributing Editor James Vlahos returns from a five-week trek on the newly developed 1,600-mile Great Himalaya Trail — your everyday hiking path, if you consume a diet of red meat, anabolic steroids and nails. And the trail, stupefyingly grand and astounding to even the most well-traveled visitors, just might help unify a country healing from 10 years of civil war. Page 58.

Here Be Dragons — Strictly speaking, there are no rules against camping in Indonesia's Komodo National Park. It's just that most people think twice about pitching a tent on an island patrolled by marauding, man-eating lizards. National Geographic Adventure Contributing Editor Tom Clynes sleeps out — and lives to tell of the last place on the planet where reptiles still rule. Page 66.

Norway Takes Off — Watch your back, Chamonix. There's a new European action mecca in the making: Norway. National Geographic Adventure West Coast Editor Steve Casimiro tackles the Scandinavian hotbed one heli-bike, climb, paddle, dogsled and surf at a time. Page 72.

Next Weekend: The Snow Report '10 — If you're now just sharpening your edges and heating up the wax, chances are you've already missed the first turns of the 2010 ski/snowboard season. But fear not, this winter is shaping up to be a fierce one. National Geographic Adventure's annual snow report rounds up 16 places where the perfect powder day awaits. Plus: Powder, crud, groomers or bumps. This year's hottest skis and boards can handle anything you throw at them. Page 30.

Adventure on the Web (ngadventure.com) — Hone your outdoor skills with Adventure's new how-to videos featuring National Geographic correspondents. Find dozens of products field-tested by Adventure editors and hundreds more in our Gear Guide. Get the latest news on adventure travel destinations, trips and trends. Learn West Coast Editor Casimiro's photography secrets in a technical tutorial online. Page 12.

*Contact Ethan Fried if you have questions, need additional information or would like to schedule an interview with a National Geographic Adventure expert.

National Geographic Adventure, winner of four National Magazine Awards, is the fastest-growing magazine in the outdoor category and the ultimate guide to the adventure lifestyle. Published eight times a year, with a rate base of 625,000, National Geographic Adventure has 2.5 million readers. It is available by subscription (800-NGS-LINE) and on newsstands in the United States ($4.99) and Canada ($6.99). Its editorial mission supports National Geographic's mission to inspire people to care about the planet. The magazine's Web site is www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure.

National Geographic Magazine, November 2009

2009-10-15
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE, NOVEMBER 2009

On newsstands Oct. 27.

Features and additional Web content at ngm.nationalgeographic.com
ngm.nationalgeographic.com beginning Oct. 15

Click on link on right to view the press release

'THE COMPLETE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC' Every Issue of Iconic Magazine Since 1888 to Be Available on 6 DVD-ROMs and on Hard Drive

2009-10-13
WASHINGTON (Oct. 13, 2009)—One hundred twenty years of National Geographic, the magazine that captures "the world and all that is in it," will soon be in one place — a box set of six DVD-ROMs and on hard drive, to be released Nov. 1, 2009.

"The Complete National Geographic" will provide users new ways to explore the rich treasury of original reporting and stunning photography from one of the world's most iconic and best-loved magazines. In this archive, from October 1888 through December 2008, every printed page, including advertisements, has been digitally scanned, allowing users to leaf through electronic pages, search, zoom, scroll and print at a high-resolution level that captures the clarity and quality of the original publications. "The Complete National Geographic" can be ordered at www.completenatgeo.com or by calling (888) 225-5647.

Besides one-of-a-kind photography, the archive brings together more than a century of groundbreaking, unbiased coverage that has introduced millions of people around the world to the wonders of science, cultures and nature. Features of "The Complete National Geographic" include:

-Intuitive and user-friendly navigation that permits users to search by keyword, date, contributor and topic, and to browse all articles, illustrations, photographs and advertisements; a new Geobrowse function powered by Bing Maps that allows users with Internet access to search nearly 5,000 locations on a globe that are featured in the magazine's archive of articles and maps.

-Hundreds of the magazine's classic maps — consistently one of the most popular offerings to readers — digitized as part of the magazine's archive for the first time.

-Special "readlists," that compile favorite articles of National Geographic editors as well as some of its stars: Titanic discoverer Robert Ballard recommends specific articles by early underwater explorers that inspired him, and National Geographic photographer Michael "Nick" Nichols points to articles by field pioneers Jane Goodall and Dian Fossey. Users will be able to upload and share their own "readlists" with "The Complete National Geographic" community online.

-A trivia game with more than 300 questions that test players' knowledge of subjects, including exploration, biology, botany, archaeology, the environment, conservation, geography, history, cultures, science, technology and weather. At the conclusion of each 10-question quiz, the user receives a score and links to articles that relate to the quiz questions.

-Bonus DVD featuring videos documenting the history of the National Geographic Society and National Geographic magazine.

"The Complete National Geographic" users will be able to add to their archive after purchasing the DVD-ROM or hard drive product by downloading annual updates on a subscription basis from www.completenatgeo.com.

This electronic archive has been designed and developed by user experience agency EffectiveUI using Adobe AIR technology to produce a highly engaging, intuitive and immersive application that encourages exploration and improves user navigation, browsing and content filtering.

Six-DVD-ROM Set ($69.95, TOPICS Entertainment Inc., ISBN: 978-1-4262-9635-2)
Hard Drive ($199.95, TOPICS Entertainment Inc., ISBN: 978-1-4262-9637-6)

About National Geographic Magazine
National Geographic magazine has a long tradition of combining from-the-field reporting with award-winning photography to inform people about life on our planet. In 2009 it won a National Magazine Award for Photojournalism and was nominated as a finalist in four other categories, including General Excellence for a magazine with a circulation over 2 million. In 2008 it won three National Magazine Awards, for General Excellence, Photojournalism and Reporting. In 2007 it won two National Magazine Awards, for General Excellence and Photography. Its Web site, ngm.nationalgeographic.com, won a 2008 Webby Award for best magazine Web site.

The magazine is the official journal of the National Geographic Society, one of the world's largest nonprofit educational and scientific organizations. Published in English and 32 local-language editions, the magazine has a global circulation of around 8 million. It is sent each month to National Geographic members and is available on newsstands for $5.99 a copy. Single copies can be ordered by calling (800) NGS-LINE, also the number to call to apply for membership in the Society.

About EffectiveUI
Founded in 2005, EffectiveUI is an award-winning, user-centered design and development agency that specializes in the creation and implementation of custom Web, mobile and desktop applications. Leveraging innovative technologies with expertise in user-experience strategy, design and development, EffectiveUI helps today's most respected brands deepen customer engagement through more exceptional software experiences that deliver competitive advantages, increase customer satisfaction and loyalty and produce measurable results. EffectiveUI has developed ground-breaking applications for organizations including National Geographic, eBay, GE Health, NBC Universal, Viacom and Discovery Channel and has earned the distinction of being named an Adobe Gold Partner and a member of Microsoft's Global 20 Agency Partners. www.effectiveui.com

###

NOTE: A selection of hi-res magazine cover images from the past 120 years is available at the following ftp site:
http://ftp.nationalgeographic.com/pressroom/cng
Login: press Password: press
Or contact photo editor Kate Baylor, kbaylor@ngs.org.

National Geographic Magazine Launches Lithuanian Edition

2009-09-29
WASHINGTON (Sept. 24, 2009)—Today National Geographic magazine celebrated its 32nd local language edition at a launch event at the National Gallery in Vilnius, Lithuania. Representing National Geographic was the editor in chief of the flagship English language edition of National Geographic magazine, Chris Johns, and Executive Vice President Terry Adamson. The Lithuanian edition is published by Alma Littera, a major Lithuanian publishing house specializing in fiction, nonfiction, reference and textbooks. October marks the inaugural issue, on sale throughout the country now. The issue includes a five-page, pull-out gatefold of a unique photograph of a redwood tree, composed of 84 separate photographs digitally stitched together.

Published under license from the National Geographic Society, the new Lithuanian edition, like the magazine's 31 other local-language editions, will follow closely the editorial content of the English-language original. It will be printed in Lithuania and produced to the exacting standards of the Society, in the same format, with the familiar yellow-bordered cover.

"It is a tremendous pleasure to work with Arvydas Andrijauskas of Alma Littera, who is a wonderful partner in helping us share National Geographic magazine with Lithuanian readers," said Terry Adamson of National Geographic. "We are excited about this opportunity to grow the National Geographic magazine brand and further expand on the mission of the National Geographic Society to inspire people to care about the planet."

Andrijauskas, managing director of Alma Littera, has built the company into a publishing powerhouse in Lithuania. In publishing National Geographic magazine, he says, "National Geographic has the highest quality standards. It is an honor for us to publish this magazine and to provide our readers with the joy of knowledge. I have no doubt that National Geographic will have the full attention of people who are interested in culture, nature and geography."

Frederikas Jansonas, editor in chief of National Geographic Lithuania, has 18 years' experience in media and communications. He has been a partner and senior consultant at the pan Baltic public relations and communications company KPMS since 2004. Previously, he was editor and deputy editor in chief of Lithuania's second biggest daily newspaper, Respublika, where he started at the foreign news desk.

The official journal of the 121-year-old National Geographic Society, National Geographic magazine provides in-depth editorial coverage of cultures, nature, science and technology. Published in English since 1888, the magazine currently appears in Japanese, Spanish (separate editions for Spain and Latin America), Italian, Hebrew, Greek, French, German, Polish, Korean, Portuguese (separate editions for Portugal and Brazil), Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Dutch, Chinese (traditional characters), Chinese (simple characters), Finnish, Turkish, Thai, Czech, Hungarian, Romanian, Russian, Croatian, Bahasa, Bulgarian, Slovenian and Serbian. The magazine has a total circulation of around 8 million and is read in every country of the world.

The National Geographic Society is one of the world's largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations. Founded in 1888 to "increase and diffuse geographic knowledge," the Society works to inspire people to care about the planet. It reaches more than 370 million people worldwide each month through its official journal, National Geographic, and other magazines; National Geographic Channel; television documentaries; music; radio; films; books; DVDs; maps; exhibitions; live events; school publishing programs; interactive media; and merchandise. National Geographic has funded more than 9,000 scientific research, conservation and exploration projects and supports an education program promoting geographic literacy. For more information, visit nationalgeographic.com.

National Geographic Kids — October 2009

2009-09-23
Animal Fun & Games at the Zoo — Wild animals lead busy lives, so at zoos around the world teams of dedicated zookeepers work tirelessly to ensure their captive counterparts live equally enriched lives filled with activities and choices that often mimic day-to-day life in the wild. National Geographic Kids travels around the country to see how keepers are providing a taste of home to many of their favorite animal friends. Page 14.

Myths Busted — Many urban myths, made-up tales told as fact, were started to scare people into behaving. But some urban myths have been told so many times that people start believing them. National Geographic Kids asks the experts for the real story behind five urban myths — Swallowed chewing gum takes seven years to digest; turkeys are so dumb that they'll look up during a rainstorm and drown; tapping a soda can keeps it from spraying when you open it; if you don't wash your hair, spiders will live on your head; and fortune cookies come from China — and busts them once and for all. Plus: How to spot an Internet hoax. Page 10.

Family Project: Pumpkin Carving — National Geographic Kids cranks up the carving fun this Halloween. Check out some wildly creative ideas for decorating pumpkins this year, such as: Build a skeleton or snowman by stacking three pumpkins; turn a curvy stem into a funny nose; paint funny faces instead of carving; arrange your jack-o'-lanterns so they're "reacting" to each other; carve kooky Halloween messages to spook trick-or-treaters. Page 28.

Weird But True — National Geographic Kids digs up 10 outrageous facts, including: Before toothpaste was invented, some people cleaned their teeth with charcoal; if humans came in as many sizes as dogs, people would range from 3 to 18 feet tall; in Italy, you can buy fresh pizza from a vending machine; all of today's pet hamsters can be traced back to one hamster family that lived in Syria in 1930. Check out all the Weird But True facts. Page 4.

"Where the Wild Things Are" — National Geographic Kids goes behind the scenes of the new movie "Where the Wild Things Are," based on the book by Maurice Sendak, and discovers some very wild things about the film. Page 12.

City of Bones — Beneath the streets of Paris lies one of the creepiest burial sites in the world. In 1785, centuries of death from the plague, smallpox, war and France's infamous guillotine left the city's cemeteries literally overflowing, putting people at risk of disease. The solution: bury people in the old limestone mines carved under the city. National Geographic Kids explores France's famous catacombs, a maze of shadowy tunnels that contains the bones of nearly 6 million people — stacked and displayed in ghoulish, artistic patterns. Page 24.

National Geographic Kids, a multitopic, photo-driven magazine for 6- to 14-year-olds, empowers its readers by making it fun to learn about the world. Its numerous industry awards include Periodical of the Year in 2005 and 2006 from the Association of Educational Publishers. Published 10 times a year, National Geographic Kids has a circulation of 1.2 million and is available by subscription for $19.95 a year and on newsstands for $4.99 a copy. Its Web site is at kids.nationalgeographic.com.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELER October 2009 50 PLACES OF A LIFETIME WORLD'S GREATEST DESTINATIONS, PART II

2009-09-21
A decade ago, National Geographic Traveler published a landmark issue — "50 Places of a Lifetime" — that in subsequent years has become something of a hallmark of the magazine, spawning related books, podcasts, special issues, Web content, games, mobile apps — even a round-the-world jet trip from National Geographic Expeditions that will lift off in October 2010. Long before "The Bucket List" and "1,000 Places to See Before You Die," we showcased those destinations that every curious traveler should visit in his or her lifetime. Now in our 25th anniversary year, we recognize the first 50 places we featured and offer a fresh set of 50 that speak to the transformation of travel since 1999 — how we travel, where we travel and why we travel. The list is presented in five categories — Urban Spaces, Wild Places, Paradise Found, Country Unbound and World Wonders.
BONUS FEATURES: The soundtrack to our 50 Places of a Lifetime, selected by the staff of Nat Geo Music, and a surprising 51st Place of a Lifetime.

URBAN SPACES (PAGE 20)
From Athens to St. Petersburg to Vancouver, National Geographic Traveler spotlights 10 remarkable, stimulating cities that stand in a league of their own.

WILD PLACES (PAGE 42)
The primordial beckons at remote and unspoiled wilderness spots like Australia's Arnhem Land, Siberia's Lake Baikal and Botswana's Okavango Delta.

PARADISE FOUND (PAGE 62)
The places we call heaven on Earth require the perfect mix of elements, a mix you will find in such extraordinary destinations as Costa Rica's Osa Peninsula, Switzerland's Mount Rigi and Australia's Lord Howe Island.

COUNTRY UNBOUND (PAGE 78)
Man and nature harmonize in scenic landscapes, including Turkey's Azure Coast, the exotic Gobi Desert and Virginia's pastoral Piedmont.

WORLD WONDERS (PAGE 94)
Monumental creations such as China's terra cotta warriors, Easter Island's stone figures and Tibet's Potala Palace have fascinated generations with their mystery and power.

* National Geographic Traveler experts are available for interviews. Contact Heather Wyatt if you have questions, need additional information or would like to schedule an interview.

National Geographic Traveler: All travel, all the time.
National Geographic Traveler is the world's most widely read travel magazine. Published eight times a year, Traveler is available by subscription (800-NGS-LINE) and on newsstands in the United States ($4.99) and Canada ($6.95). Its Web site is at www.nationalgeographic.com/traveler.

MIKE FAY TAKES ON THE REDWOODS

2009-09-15
WASHINGTON (Sept. 15, 2009)—The man who walked 2,000 miles through African wilderness has taken on a new challenge: the American redwoods. Mike Fay, a National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence and a conservationist at the Wildlife Conservation Society, has completed the first comprehensive transect of the entire range of the coast redwood tree — from Big Sur in southern California north to the last known redwood, just over the Oregon border.

"I've been walking in forests for 40 years," said Fay. "Never could I have imagined a woods as grand as this."

Over the 1,800-mile, 333-day transect, Fay exhaustively documented the forests' wildlife, plant life and the condition of forests and streams. He talked to loggers, foresters, biologists, environmentalists, local business owners and timber company executives, all of them dependent on the forests.

More importantly, he witnessed the aftermath of the cutting of at least 95 percent of the original growth in the most wood-laden forest on earth. Fay spent most days on the transect pushing past gigantic stumps, through weedy stands of small trees amid crumbling road systems, and across rivers choked with gravel and silt whose fisheries had collapsed.

"The devastation I've heard about was real," Fay said. "You don't fathom what clear-cutting means until you see it day after day. The thousands of ancient stumps are still there, so you can imagine the forest as it once was."

The transect is featured in the cover story of the October 2009 issue of National Geographic magazine and in a film, "EXPLORER: Climbing Redwood Giants," airing at 10 p.m. ET/PT Tuesday, Sept. 29, on the National Geographic Channel.

Nearly all of the nation's original redwood growth has been cut down, victim of an industry that sprang up soon after the California Gold Rush, starting in 1848, when eastern businessmen saw gold in the reddish, straight-grained, rot-resistant wood. The San Francisco fire of 1906 further fueled the redwood industry, resulting from the urgent demand for timber to rebuild the devastated city.

In the years that followed, timber barons cheaply acquired thousands of acres of federal lands in the redwood range, beginning an era of corporate lumbering that continues today. By the early 1950s mills were cutting more than a billion board feet of redwood lumber a year.

Of the 1.6 million acres of remaining redwood forest today, 34 percent is owned by three companies, 21 percent by the state of California and the federal government, and the rest by smallholders. Less than 5 percent of the roughly 2 million acres of ancient forest remains. Besides logging, redwoods today face other threats: urban development, population growth and climate change.

"The battle to save the redwoods has already been fought, and look, we're left with table scraps," said Steve Sillett, a forest scientist at Humboldt State University, whose research is funded by National Geographic, Save the Redwoods League and the National Science Foundation. "The challenge now is understanding how to improve management on the 95 percent of the redwood landscape that's just starting to grow."

Sillett, who has spent more time high in the redwood canopy than anyone, has helped discover an entire ecosystem living there. At those lofty heights, thickets of berry bushes, ferns and other conifers rise from dense mats of soil that are perched on broad limbs or in trunk forks.

After coring and measuring two dozen trees — ranging from 95 feet to 370 feet tall — from the canopy down, Sillett has found that the redwood's annual rate of wood production increases with age for at least 1,500 years. Sillett found that the older the trees get, the more high-quality, rot-resistant heartwood they put on.

Thanks to their phenomenal growth, resistance to disease, insects and rot, and incredibly long lives, redwood forests are the best of all forests at capturing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and locking away the carbon in their wood, scientists have found.

All along the redwood range, Fay met land owners, ranchers, foresters and loggers who had discovered a new way of managing the forests. Fay believes this system — which brings vigor back to the ecosystem while keeping people in business — can serve as a blueprint not only for the redwoods but for forests around the world. Their desire to make the forest a sustainable resource, not merely a supplier of lumber, is a principle that should be applied around the world, he says.

In brief, these veteran foresters are carrying out single-tree selection. Every 10 or 15 years, they take about a third of the timber in a stand, going for the least robust trees — for instance, ones that are deformed or have broken tops. This creates more open space, allowing the remaining trees to get a greater share of the sunlight, which speeds their growth. Every year the amount and quality of the standing wood increase, and because regeneration happens gradually, the process can proceed for centuries. The advantages are twofold: short-term income and a larger payback over the long term.

The redwood transect, supported by National Geographic, the Wildlife Conservation Society and Save the Redwoods League, represents renewal of a historic partnership. In 1917 a group of prominent and passionate conservationists traveled to northern California to inspect the fabled redwoods groves. The men were appalled at the vast destruction of redwood forests along the newly completed coastal Highway 101 running north of San Francisco into Oregon. The group included Henry Fairfield Osborn, director of the New York Zoological Society (forerunner of the Wildlife Conservation Society); Franklin K. Lane, U.S. secretary of the interior; Stephen Mather, director of the National Park Service; and Gilbert H. Grosvenor, young editor of National Geographic magazine. As a result of this trip to the groves, Save the Redwoods League was founded in 1918 and formally incorporated in San Francisco in 1919. National Geographic went on to advocate for the redwoods in its pages.

In an essay in the October 2009 issue of National Geographic magazine, Fay calls for a White House conservation conference, a century after President Teddy Roosevelt brought together governors, Supreme Court justices, members of Congress and members of professional societies for such an assembly. "We need to generalize this simple notion: Rebuild our natural capital thoughtfully and reap the benefits," Fay writes. "... We can — and must — do this not just with our forests and wildlife but also with the fish in our oceans and streams, the soils on our farms, and the grass in our pastures. The redwoods can show us the way."

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National Geographic Adventure and National Geographic Traveler magazines will feature redwoods in their October 2009 issues. For more information: www.nationalgeographic.com/redwoods
For photographs or footage, contact Barbara Moffet, bmoffet@ngs.org.

SCALE THE WORLD'S TALLEST TREES IN NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CHANNEL'S EXPLORER: CLIMBING REDWOOD GIANTS AND NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE'S OCTOBER COVER STORY, "THE TALLEST TREES"

2009-09-15
They are living giants — among Earth's largest and longest-lived trees. Some tower higher than 350 feet, or taller than the Statue of Liberty; some may have been seedlings when Jesus was born. These natural legends house secret-garden worlds high up in their canopies and shroud centuries-old mysteries.

This fall, National Geographic magazine and National Geographic Channel (NGC) journey deep into the great redwood forests on the American West Coast for an illuminating look at these magnificent wonders — from the outermost edges of the forest to the tip of a single tree's crown. For the first time, we'll size up the health and future of the redwood range on foot and scale the trees' hulking limbs 30 stories up to glimpse rich canopy ecosystems in the clouds. Then, we'll see how state-of-the-art digital technology provides a never-before-seen perspective of a 300-foot tall titan.

The redwood adventure is described in the cover story of the October issue of National Geographic magazine and in NGC's Explorer: Climbing Redwood Giants, premiering Tuesday, September 29, 2009, at 10 p.m. ET/PT. More information can be found at www.nationalgeographic.com/redwoods

In 2007-2008, conservationist and National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Mike Fay set out to walk the entire redwood range to study how forestry management is affecting the trees' survival. Both the magazine cover article and film illuminate Fay and his hiking partner's unprecedented 333-day, 1,800-mile trek from Big Sur north to southern Oregon. "There's nothing that compares to the redwood," says Fay in the film. "When you walk through one of the ancient groves of redwoods, you get a feeling like no other forest can give you."

Over the course of their grueling journey, Fay became convinced that California could be at the forefront of a new philosophy of forestry, one that holds the promise not just of sustainable logging but of some forest recovery.

In the National Geographic magazine cover article, author Joel Bourne describes the complicated logging history of the redwood range and reveals the forestry management techniques that may lead toward Fay's vision of redwood forests managed not only for human benefit but also with an eye to bringing back the rich diversity of ecosystems that once flourished throughout the redwood range.

Graphics show how canopy gardens grow, and Michael "Nick" Nichols' photographs of the forests, their wildlife and the communities around them bring home the beauty of this unique American habitat. The issue includes a five-page foldout poster of Nichols' full-length portrait of a 300-foot tree.

Juxtaposed with the challenges of Fay's 11-month trek through clear-cuts, second-growth forest, dense underbrush and soaring cathedral-like old-growth stands, Explorer: Climbing Redwood Giants highlights the work of forest scientist Steve Sillett of Humboldt State University ― the first scientist to climb into redwood canopies and pioneer studies of their rich canopy ecosystems. Hear about his "mind-blowing" findings in the canopy during his extensive eight-year research, including immense tree limbs that support three-foot-thick mats of canopy soil, huckleberry bushes with fruit and even wandering salamanders.

Sillett's painstaking cataloging and measurement of trees by hand is complemented by a new use of lidar (light detection and ranging) technology, which allows him to pinpoint trees from airplane surveys — prompting discoveries of tall trees hidden on slopes or valleys. Viewers are taken up into the trees to experience the mystery and grandeur of the canopy and get a behind-the-scenes glimpse of how National Geographic photographer Nick Nichols captured a unique perspective of a 300-foot tall tree. Nichols used state-of-the-art digital technology and human ingenuity to rig cameras that smoothly traveled from the crown of the tree to its base.

With insight from Fay's extreme expedition and Sillett's detailed research, as well as that of foresters practicing forest management, National Geographic celebrates the majesty of the remaining ancient giants and shines a light on what the future holds for our redwood forests.

"If you're lucky enough to get up into the crowns of one these trees, it puts your own insignificant existence in perspective," says Sillett in the film. "It makes you realize that there's something much greater than yourself."

Together, National Geographic magazine and National Geographic Channel reach more than 350 million people worldwide.

Explorer: Climbing Redwood Giants is produced by National Geographic Television for the National Geographic Channel. For National Geographic Television, executive producer is Jonathan Halperin, series producer is Max Salomon and producer/directors are John Rubin and James Donald. For the National Geographic Channel executive producer is Kathleen Cromley, senior vice president of production is Juliet Blake and executive vice president of content is Steve Burns.

For more information, visit natgeotv.com/explorer.

# # #

About National Geographic magazine
Long recognized for outstanding photojournalism, award-winning National Geographic magazine offers in-depth reporting on science, world cultures, archaeology, paleontology, adventure and the environment to inspire readers to care about the planet. Reaching more than 35 million readers a month, the magazine is the official journal of the National Geographic Society, founded in 1888. Sale of the magazine supports the exploration and research work of the Society, one of the world's largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations. Published in English and 31 local-language editions, the magazine is available on newsstands or can be ordered by calling (800) NGS-LINE or visiting its Web site at www.ngm.com.

National Geographic Channel
Based at the National Geographic Society headquarters in Washington, D.C., the National Geographic Channel (NGC) is a joint venture between National Geographic Ventures (NGV) and Fox Cable Networks (FCN). Since launching in January 2001, NGC initially earned some of the fastest distribution growth in the history of cable and more recently the fastest ratings growth in television. The network celebrated its fifth anniversary January 2006 with the launch of NGC HD which provides the spectacular imagery that National Geographic is known for in stunning high-definition. NGC has carriage with all of the nation's major cable and satellite television providers, making it currently available in nearly 70 million homes. For more information, please visit www.natgeotv.com.

National Geographic Magazine, October 2009

2009-09-15
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE, OCTOBER 2009

On newsstands Sept. 24.

Features and additional Web content at
ngm.nationalgeographic.com beginning Sept. 15

Click on link on right to view the press release

October 2009: National Geographic Adventure Picks Top U.S. Cities to Live & Play

2009-09-14
Where to Live & Play Now! — The search for where to live is a decidedly soft social science. When one is dreaming about a new home, the question "Why do I want to move?" can be open-ended. In its fifth annual look at the hottest cities to live and play in now, National Geographic Adventure's October 2009 issue shares the 411 on the housing market, job market and local lifestyle of 18 adventure towns that could inspire new direction and a change in zip code. Plus: Browse Adventure's comprehensive online guide to the 100 best towns and top outdoor hubs across the country. Page 62.

Wait out the worst job market in years in Red River, N.M.; Black Mountain, N.C.; or Boise, Idaho.
Bust through the recession in Washington, D.C.; Manchester, N.H.; or Provo-Orem, Utah.
Get wired to the new new economy in Corvallis, Ore.; Blacksburg, Va.; or Truckee, Calif.
Find a green-collar job in Minneapolis; San Francisco; or Des Moines, Iowa.
Start a family in Bozeman, Mont.; Burlington, Vt.; or Fort Collins, Colo.
Cash out and retire in Haleiwa, Hawaii; Austin, Texas; or Apalachicola, Fla.

The Big Trip: Surefire Safaris — Whether it's a gorilla encounter you're after or a Swahili sailing lesson, National Geographic Adventure has the action plan for 12 trips that offer the inside track to the best of Africa — Kruger, the Okavango and Mount Kenya included. Page 38.

Big Ideas for 2009 — Seek out life on Mars, battle mass extinction, fly a new breed of personal airplane, fight poaching (with DNA). This year's bold theories, big thinkers and groundbreaking products aren't just changing our world — they're reinventing it. Page 53.

The Overzealous Orchard Keeper — Contributing Editor Scott Anderson swapped city life for a little place in the country. But when the hard-bitten former war correspondent pushed his luck with Mother Nature, he nearly loved his new home to death. Page 70.

Hidden Giants — It took 333 days and nearly 2,000 miles, but National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Mike Fay tracked down every last redwood on the West Coast. In the past 150 years, 95 percent of all redwoods have been cleared and the 5 percent that remain are still being liquidated. Now it's time to save them. Page 20.

The 36,201-Foot (Deep) Man — Adventurer Steve Fossett wanted the record. Engineer Graham Hawkes wanted the challenge. Together they built a single-person sub that would dive to the deepest point in the ocean — the Mariana Trench. Then disaster struck. Page 48.

Where Next — Pro: Ancient ruins left by Alexander the Great. Con: IEDs. National Geographic Adventure examines the calculated risks of tourism in Iraq. Page 24.

Digital Adventure: Netbooks — Smart, affordable and eminently portable. No wonder netbooks are computing's next big thing. West Coast Editor Steve Casimiro picks the three best options. Page 27.

*Contact Ethan Fried if you have questions, need additional information or would like to schedule an interview with a National Geographic Adventure expert.

National Geographic Adventure, winner of four National Magazine Awards, is the fastest-growing magazine in the outdoor category and the ultimate guide to the adventure lifestyle. Published eight times a year, with a rate base of 625,000, National Geographic Adventure has 2.5 million readers. It is available by subscription (800-NGS-LINE) and on newsstands in the United States ($4.99) and Canada ($6.99). Its editorial mission supports National Geographic's mission to inspire people to care about the planet. The magazine's Web site is www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure.

National Geographic Kids — September 2009

2009-08-27
The Secret of the White Lion -- Exotic and majestic, white lions are beloved by many people around the world. But these big white cats -- merely a color variation of regular lions rather than a separate species -- are controversial. White lions are the result of a rare color gene mutation. Not many lions carry the mutation, and in the wild, white lions are extremely rare. However, breeders interested in the animals' moneymaking potential know how to create more white lions, which is causing concern and debate. White lions continue to exist only because people inbreed close relatives, which can result in serious health problems -- problems that could spread to other captive lions or wild lions they may breed with. Plus: Free white lion pullout poster. Page 14.

Twenty Cool Facts About Money -- National Geographic Kids shares 20 cool things about American money and its history, including: A quarter's edge has 119 grooves; the Bureau of Engraving and Printing produces approximately 38 million bills a day with a face value of more than $274 billion; if you placed $2.2 million in pennies side-by-side, they'd stretch from New York City to San Francisco; when the first U.S. Mint opened in Philadelphia, it was guarded by a dog the government bought for $3 in 1793; and only two current U.S. bills do not feature presidents -- $100 (founding father Benjamin Franklin) and $10 (Alexander Hamilton, the first treasury secretary). Check out all the fun facts. Page 12.

National Parks Trivia Challenge -- The United States is home to 58 national parks that are visited by more than 61 million people every year. National Geographic Kids tests your national park knowledge with an eight-question, multiple-choice trivia challenge. What funny name is used for the bizarre, totem-pole-shaped rock formations found at Bryce Canyon? According to legend, what Everglades animal did early sailors mistake for a mermaid? What Grand Teton animal would win a 50-yard dash? See how many answers you know. Page 26.

Space Vacation -- Thrill seekers have long traveled the Earth in pursuit of unforgettable vacations. But those who crave the ultimate in extreme adventure will soon be able to leave the Earth behind. National Geographic Kids explores five out-of-this-world vacations that scientists believe will be possible someday. Play zero-gravity laser tag on an orbital resort. Ride an elevator 22,000 miles straight up to space. Take a planetary sightseeing cruise. Scale Mars' Olympus Mons, the highest mountain in the solar system. Go beyond our solar system on an alien planet safari. Page 20.

National Geographic Kids, a multitopic, photo-driven magazine for 6- to 14-year-olds, empowers its readers by making it fun to learn about the world. Its numerous industry awards include Periodical of the Year in 2005 and 2006 from the Association of Educational Publishers. Published 10 times a year, National Geographic Kids has a circulation of 1.2 million and is available by subscription for $19.95 a year and on newsstands for $4.99 a copy. Its Web site is at kids.nationalgeographic.com.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELER SEPTEMBER 2009

2009-08-21
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
"Every time I hear the Eagles' song 'Take it Easy' — 'Well, I'm running down the road/Tryin' to loosen my load' — I smell asphalt. For me, the road offers pure freedom — to pick a route at random, to stop and go whenever you please, to encounter surprises that elude the guidebooks, and to connect with true local color. In this issue, you can ride a sportster through the Cotswolds, RV into wild New Zealand, or zip past Italian coastal vistas astride an iconic motorbike. An added bonus: We offer 20 journeys that showcase great American road trips. So hit the gas and take it easy."
—Keith Bellows, Editor

ULTIMATE DRIVES

SARDINIA'S CAREFREE COAST (PAGE 54)
A lipstick-red motorcycle propels our writer around Sardinia's serpentine north coast — and into stony strongholds of the ancient Sards.

WAKING A SLEEPING BEAUTY (PAGE 64)
A Brit from the industrial north of England explores the storybook world of the Cotswolds in a classic Triumph convertible.

CARAVANING KIWILAND (PAGE 72)
A transplanted Yank takes off in a RV to discover New Zealand's offbeat towns and eye-grabbing countryside.

20 GREAT AMERICAN DRIVES (PAGE 80)
From Cape Cod, Mass., to Kentucky's Bourbon Trail to Washington's Olympic Peninsula, these 20 memorable routes will have you itching to hit the road. The list is all-inclusive, featuring road trips for every season and from all around the country.
Want More? Check out Traveler's Web site (http://traveler.nationalgeographic.com/drives) for complete driving directions, maps, details on sights along the routes and links to recommended Web sites for major attractions. The 20 drives here are part of our online roundup of 50 classic road trips in the United States, Canada, Europe and the Caribbean — all drives you're sure to enjoy!

* National Geographic Traveler experts are available for interviews. Contact Heather Wyatt if you have questions, need additional information or would like to schedule an interview.

National Geographic Traveler: All travel, all the time.
National Geographic Traveler is the world's most widely read travel magazine. Published eight times a year, Traveler is available by subscription (800-NGS-LINE) and on newsstands in the United States ($4.99) and Canada ($6.95). Its Web site is at www.nationalgeographic.com/traveler.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE, SEPTEMBER 2009

2009-08-13
On newsstands August 24.

Features and additional Web content at
ngm.nationalgeographic.com beginning August 17

Click on link on right to view the press release

Magazines

National Geographic Adventure — December 2009/January 2010 The Best of Adventure 2010

National Geographic Magazine, December 2009

National Geographic Adventure Magazine Names 2009's Adventurers of the Year

National Geographic Kids — November 2009

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TO HOLD HUGE WAREHOUSE SALE AT WASHINGTON'S D.C. ARMORY NOV. 20-22

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TO LAUNCH KIDS' MAGAZINE IN INDONESIA

WORLD'S ICONIC DESTINATIONS RATED

November 2009: National Geographic Adventure — The 25 Best New Trips in the World

National Geographic Magazine, November 2009

'THE COMPLETE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC' Every Issue of Iconic Magazine Since 1888 to Be Available on 6 DVD-ROMs and on Hard Drive

National Geographic Magazine Launches Lithuanian Edition

National Geographic Kids — October 2009

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