National Geographic Magazine

Amazing discoveries and experiences await you in every issue of National Geographic magazine. The latest news in science, exploration, and culture will open your eyes to the world’s many wonders.

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IN FOCUS • JUST IN FROM OUR PHOTOGRAPHERS

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BATS A LOVE STORY • DAZZLING IN FLIGHT, MYSTERIOUSLY RESISTANT TO DISEASE, VITAL TO ECOSYSTEMS AROUND THE GLOBE—BATS ARE A SCIENTIFIC WONDER.

A WORLD OF BATS • More than 1,400 bat species live in nearly every biome on Earth, where some 530 plant species rely on them for pollination. Facing habitat loss and a warming climate, over 200 bat species are now considered threatened.

BAT SUPERPOWERS • Over the course of 50 million years bats evolved from tree gliders to the only mammals that fly. The key to their success is a host of unique adaptations that have allowed them to thrive in an environment few animals exploit: the night sky.

AN ACROBATIC AERIAL ATTACK • Split-second photos reveal a quick bat snack.

PROBING HOW BATS BEAT EBOLA • From the wild to the lab, scientists have developed a process for testing disease resistance.

HISTORY on HORSEBACK • A photographer documents the female equestrians who saddle up and keep a Mexican tradition alive.

The Seine’s Renaissance • A CLEANUP OF OLYMPIC PROPORTIONS IS PLAYING OUT ON FRANCE’S MOST CELEBRATED RIVER

Shaped by the Seine • Neither the longest nor strongest of France’s five major rivers, the winding Seine has had a profound impact on the country’s history and culture. Stretching from the hills of Burgundy to the English Channel, its watershed is home to nearly 30 percent of the French population. A stage for brutal battles and an evocative setting for some of the world’s most famed artists, the Seine is now inspiring a new generation to follow its path to a cleaner, greener future.

TAKING OUT the TOXIN • With high tech and hard-earned data, a geologist aims to make gold mining in the Peruvian Amazon a mercury-free enterprise.

THE SHAPING OF A SHELL • Math, physics, and evolution join forces to form some of our planet’s most fascinating natural structures.

FORCES BEHIND THE FORMS • A shell of a mollusk is formed as the mantle secretes compounding layers of calcium carbonate and proteins. Shell shape is determined by physical processes, from the simple to the complex.

A NEW KIND of FELINE • Scientists have confirmed a third species of tiger cat that lives in Latin America.

More SECRETS TO SHARE • Archaeological projects in Pompeii have moved from excavation to preservation. But there's still much we can learn from already unearthed finds.

THE INFLAMMATION AGE • WE KNOW MORE THAN EVER ABOUT INFLAMMATION’S CAUSES AND TREATMENTS. BUT EXPERTS SAY OUR BODIES NEED IT—JUST NOT TOO MUCH.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF INFLAMMATION

01 Beating the Heat • COLD DUNKS, PLASMA INJECTIONS, AND SAUNAS ARE POPULAR WAYS TO BATTLE INFLAMMATION. BUT DO THEY WORK?

INFLAMMATION TO THE RESCUE • When bacteria or a virus invade your body, the immune system reacts with both immediate and long-term protections. The body’s first line of defense: a phalanx of white blood cells.

02 Slowing the March of Time • AS WE GET OLDER, MORE INFLAMMATION DRIVES ACHES AND PAINS. BUT EXPERTS SAY IT DOESN’T HAVE TO, AND SOLUTIONS ARE ON THE WAY.

CAN YOU EAT TO COMBAT INFLAMMATION?

03 Linking Depression and Inflammation • INFLAMMATION IN THE BODY CAN AFFECT THE BRAIN AND ALTER MOOD, FINDINGS THAT COULD LEAD TO NEW SOLUTIONS FOR HARD-TO-TREAT ISSUES.

HAPPY GUT, HAPPY BRAIN?

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