A new scientific breakthrough at Tel Aviv University is changing the conversation about what it means to be a “natural human being.” With 7 billion people consuming the earth’s dwindling natural resources, a rising number that is rapidly reaching proportions that could collapse the planet, the question of artificially prolonging human life with technology remains […]
The Shouf Cedar Reserve is working tirelessly to protect Lebanon’s cedar forests from climate change. Fifteen years ago, civil war posed the greatest threat to Lebanon’s majestic cedar forests, but today climate change is their most prominent foe. The largest of Lebanon’s natural reserves and home to one quarter of the nation’s almost mythological cedar […]
This attractive Adhoc canoe packs down to the size of a backpack and weighs pretty close to nothing! It’s time to face the truth: I am an eco-nomad. Although it’s sometimes challenging to live up to my fullest green fantasies on the road, I do my best, though I often miss having easy access to […]
Led by Berber guides, five Australians and I head out on the Chebbi dunes outside Merzouga, Morocco for an unforgettable night under star-filled skies. Yesterday, Merzouga in southern Morocco (a stone’s throw from the border of Algeria) was so hot that I almost passed out in the internet cafe where I worked all day. There’s […]
Surrounded by trash in a small enclosure, this village woman from el-Qasr, Egypt, bakes several loaves of bread in giant clay “jar.” Baking bread el-Qasr style isn’t great for the lungs, but it does wonders for the beleaguered soul. Twelve hours south of Cairo, past the enigmatic White desert, and past the lush Farafra Oasis, […]
The revolution has been great for Egyptian sovereignty, but hard on the economy. Fearful tourists should know that traveling through the country can be safe (and fascinating!) The cozy Felfela restaurant in downtown Cairo serves up delicious food with plenty of choices for both omnivores and vegetarians. Just one block from Tahrir Square, where hundreds […]
This Japanese-style resort and spa attempts to add value to, rather than subdue, its natural surroundings. My stepmother always says about life that there is no such thing as perfect, that there are only degrees of imperfection. So it is with green building. Foster & Partners are among the world’s most evolved architectural firms, but […]
This is more than a building with a ragged mountain backdrop. This architecture creates the ultimate in sensory education for Jordan’s film students. The Red Sea Institute of Cinematic Arts in Aqaba, Jordan taps into natural light, sounds, and shadows to create a sensorily vivid learning experience for film students. Albeit minimalist and respectful of […]
This beautiful temple of light creates a subliminal healing effect for distraught visitors as soon as they enter its doors. Goodness knows we could use a little healing. Japanese residents are faced with a potential nuclear meltdown, the consequences of which are almost too horrible to imagine. Libyans are experiencing untold suffering as one man […]
Make your children earth conscious by collecting the special flora of the seasons. Every so often, the air is so pure you just have to go out and take a walk with your children. It’s not something we plan for, it just happens. We are lured to the outdoors like children that must follow the […]
National Geographic "isn't just about animals": that's the message the Editor-in-Chief of the Arabic version intends to convey.
After giving up the consumer lifestyle, Tafline reflects on how her Christmas list has evolved. It might not be what you’d expect. In four years, I turned my habits around completely: instead of buying the newest, snazziest jeans, I’ve been wearing the same clothes for nearly two years. And if I must get more, I […]
The hornet that captures the sun’s energy in its bright yellow abdomen teaches us that nature knows so much better than we do. When we cover crazy schemes to manipulate nature – such as the plan to move mini oceans to the desert – I inevitably shake my head at our collective arrogance. These plans […]
Is nothing holy anymore? The Iranian Government rubber stamps oil exploration in the country’s most important national park. The Iranian government has decided to start an oil exploration project in a national park in Kavir National Park in the Semnan province, south east of Tehran. The opponents of the project, from the Iranian Environmental Organization, […]
Use the heel-toe express to wander through Jordan, Lebanon, Israel and Palestine. The Middle East is a pretty amazing place (just ask any of the locals), and there is a lot to see. A LOT to see. So it would be a shame to miss anything by sticking to conventional modern (and polluting) forms of […]