Topic: National Geographic Society

Top Picks: Historian Niall Ferguson on PBS, Carole King's demos, and more

National Geographic's digital edition shines on the iPad, an old newsreel shows window washers in 1938, and more top picks.

Oldest Mayan calendar found, and it goes way beyond Dec. 12, 2012 (+video)

A Mayan calendar was found deep in the Guatemalan rainforest. But this ancient Mayan calender refutes claims that the world will end Dec. 21, 2012

European Space Agency to explore Jupiter's moons (+video)

The ESA has given the go-ahead for a solar-powered space probe that will examine the icy Jovian moons of Ganymede and Europa, along with Jupiter's upper atmosphere. 

'Survivalist' murder suspect goes to ground in huge earthen 'bug out' bunker

The survivalist movement is aimed toward apocalypse and social meltdown. But for some, the end game is one of their own making, as seems to be the case with accused murderer Peter Keller, holed up in an earthen fort.

Antarctic ice melting from below, reveals satellite (+video)

Antarctica's ice shelves are being melted away by warm ocean currents underneath, shows data collected from a NASA satellite.

Top Picks: 'Once' as a musical, 'Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol,' and more

PBS's romance 'Birdsong' will appeal to 'Downton Abbey' fans, 'Revenge of the Electric Car' explores why the plug was pulled on the electric car, and more top picks.

People, companies, elephants - it's all relative.

Our choice of pronouns gives clues about how we think about humans, animals, and corporations.

What James Cameron saw 6.8 miles deep in Mariana Trench (+video)

James Cameron describes deepest spot in ocean as 'barren' (+video)

Filmmaker James Cameron became the first person to make a solo dive to Challenger Deep, the deepest known point in the ocean, in a custom-built submersible. 

James Cameron dive launches race to the bottom of the world (+video)

Before James Cameron made a solo dive to the Challenger Deep – the deepest point in the ocean – only one mission had been there before. Now, several groups are planning deep-sea dives, and engineering advances could shed new light on the region. 

'Titanic' director James Cameron dives to Earth's deepest spot

Cameron is using a submarine to descend nearly seven miles to the bottom of the Mariana Trench in the Pacific. The pressure below is the equivalent of three SUVs sitting on your toe.

James Cameron makes final preparations for historic deep-sea dive

Weather permitting Saturday, explorer and filmmaker James Cameron could take his Deepsea Challenger to the bottom of the world, a place of perpetual cold, darkness, and abiding mystery. 

Belfast: reluctant birthplace of the Titanic

The city tried to ignore the Titanic until recently because of guilt over its loss, but is now celebrating the shipbuilding genius of Belfast workers at the new Belfast Titanic museum.

Fast-track breeding could bring a second Green Revolution

Green revolution: Fast-track breeding is beginning to develop crops that can produce more and healthier food – without controversial genetic engineering.

James Cameron to go into the deep for film and science

This month, filmmaker James Cameron plans to lead the second trip to the deepest place on Earth. He aims to collect samples for science, as well as video footage.

Filmmaker James Cameron to plunge to deepest spot in ocean

James Cameron plans to visit the Challenger Deep, which at seven miles below the ocean's surface is the deepest place on Earth, aboard a state-of-the-art diving craft.

T. rex bite: Tyrannosaurus easily out-chomped alligators, but not ancient sharks

T. rex bite: The Tyrannosaurus rex had the strongest bite of any terrestrial animal to live on Earth. Now scientists have found that  T. rex  had a stronger bite than was previously understood.

Is Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show dissing shelter dogs? (+video)

The 2012 Westminster Kennel Club show is, er, dogged by controversy after dumping its long-time sponsor Pedigree over dog food ads that promote the adoption of sad-eyed shelter dogs. 

Bullish on jobs? These 10 cities are.

Our list of the 10 metro areas that saw the most job growth in 2011 might surprise you.

Sundance 2012: Documentaries dominate

'Ethel,' about R.F.K.'s wife, and 'The Invisible War' leave a somber aftertaste.

Archaeopteryx: Birdlike dinosaur wore black plumage of feathers

Archaeopteryx lived about 150 million years ago in what is now Bavaria in Germany. First unearthed 150 years ago, the fossil of this carnivore, with its blend of avian and reptilian features, seemed an iconic evolutionary link between dinosaurs and birds.

Bill O'Reilly's 'Killing Lincoln' will be made into a documentary by Ridley and Tony Scott

Ridley and Tony Scott will be filming a National Georgraphic documentary based on Bill O'Reilly's book 'Killing Lincoln.'

Grand Canyon ban on new mining riles Republicans

US Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced a 20-year ban on new mining claims near the Grand Canyon in Arizona on Monday.

Thirty ideas from people under 30: The Environmentalists

They are explorers and activists, artists and educators, farmers and faith leaders – even mayors. And they have trenchant suggestions on how to improve the world.

Top Picks: The life of Charles and Ray Eames, the best travel destinations for 2012, and more

'The Help' is a worthy adaptation of a powerful book, NPR's hilarious 'Wait Wait ... Don't Tell Me!' looks back at the year's top stories, 'Christmas at St. Olaf' on PBS celebrates the 100th anniversary of a beautiful musical tribute, and more top picks.