Pictures of the Year 2024
National Geographic photographers ventured to places far and wide to capture the year’s most fascinating images.
Taking the Plunge
Atka Bay, Antarctica
A young emperor penguin jumps off a 50-foot cliff for its first swim. The species normally breeds on low-lying sea ice, but some colonies have been found on higher and more permanent ice shelves, behavior likely to become increasingly common with climate change. Left by their parents a month earlier, the chicks must fend for themselves and find food by hunting in the sea.
Photograph by Bertie Gregory
Bertie’s incredible footage from Antarctica appears in Secrets of the Penguins, premiering April 2025 on National Geographic and Disney+.
Boomers Daily 