National Geographic Magazine

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FROM the EDITOR

OUR WORLD • BEHIND THE SCENES WITH NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

IN FOCUS • JUST IN FROM OUR PHOTOGRAPHERS

LOST & FOUND • More than a thousand years after a ship vanished off the coast of modern-day Croatia, an archaeological dive team uncovered a wreck loaded with a trove of Byzantine artifacts—as well as some puzzling questions that might reshape our ideas of the medieval world.

YOUR CHIA PET’S ROOTS ARE DEEPER Than You Think • Long before the campy ceramic planters were all over TikTok—or even ’80s TV airwaves—they served as Mexican ceremonial artifacts with a different wow factor.

HOW NATIONAL PARKGOERS Learned to Love MODERNIST ARCHITECTURE • Mid-century planners in the U.S. park service ditched rustic timbers for clean lines and concrete. Now their creations have gone from eyesores to icons.

THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC 33 • At National Geographic we are inspired by the idea that people driven by a shared commitment to make the world a better place can have an enormous impact. And we’ve held that conviction since 1888, when our 33 founders came together to reimagine how we encounter and understand our planet. In that spirit we bring you the National Geographic 33, honoring a group of extraordinary people who are rising to meet the most critical challenges of our time, making meaningful progress and incredible breakthroughs. These are bold thinkers and problem solvers from across the globe who believe that our world needs imaginative solutions and urgent action—and are leading the charge for change.

NATURE’S Ultimate GLOW-UP • A new way of seeing tiny creatures that can illuminate after dark

LIVING HISTORY • At the glittering new Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi, curators want to bring visitors astonishingly close to the most fascinating creatures the Earth has ever seen. Doing so required dreaming up—and then bringing to life—one of the most ambitious museums ever attempted.

CREATING A NEW CULTURAL OASIS • The Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi is the latest—but not last—addition to Saadiyat Island, a burgeoning hub of world-renowned art, culture, and history institutions with a local lens. Globally acclaimed architecture firms have incorporated the region’s landscapes and heritage into distinct structures (including the Frank Gehry-designed Guggenheim Abu Dhabi)—all part of a plan to nearly quintuple the number of tourists to the emirate by decade’s end.

ABU DHABI BEYOND THE MUSEUM WALLS • In the push to transform itself into one of the top tourism destinations, the capital city of the United Arab Emirates has become a playground for art, culture, and, yes, play.

A MASK • Made for the TOP OF THE WORLD