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.
Sotheby’s (November 17, 2024):In late September of 1925, Pablo Picasso, his wife Olga and their young son Paolo returned to Paris from their annual summer holiday in the South of France.
The summers were beginning to blend together for Picasso, who was tiring of the swell set he and Olga socialized with. The home they returned to at 23 rue la Boetie was a changed one. After lengthy negotiations, Picasso had acquired an additional floor of the building to be used as his studio.
He set about immediately modifying the space: removing doors from their hinges, bringing in his copious art supplies (and a limited amount of furniture) and stripping back most of the existing wallpaper. After years of jostling with his elegant and socially aspirational wife for space in their apartment on the floor below he relished a place to colonize as his own.
DW Travel (November 17, 2024): Even the artists of Romanticism loved the city of Heidelberg on the Neckar and painted the ruins of Heidelberg Castle.
Video timeline: 00:00 Intro 00:24 Heidelberg Castle 02:32 Philosopher’s Way 03:26 The Old Bridge
Today, it is tourists who post stunning photos of Heidelberg on social media. But are the castle and the city really as romantic as they appear? We conduct a reality check.
The Justice Department, Pentagon and intelligence agencies were the three areas of government that proved to be the most stubborn obstacles to Mr. Trump in his first term.
Processed foods are in the cross hairs of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., but battling major companies could collide with President-elect Donald J. Trump’s corporate-friendly goals.
India promised to burn its trash mountains and safely turn them into electricity. But a New York Times investigation found hazardous levels of toxic substances around homes, playgrounds and schools.
The Week In Art Podcast (November 15, 2024):UK museums are at a moment of transformation with a new generation of directors taking the helm at several of the major national institutions in London. So for this landmark 300th episode, we felt it was a good moment to look at the challenges and opportunities for museums now and in the future.
We invited Gus Casely-Hayford of V&A East, Nicholas Cullinan of the British Museum and Karin Hindsbo of Tate Modern to join our host Ben Luke for a wide-ranging discussion.
National Geographic Traveller Magazine (November 15, 2024): The latest issue features a Canadian wilderness governed by its Indigenous inhabitants; a vibrant Mexican city where mariachi music reigns supreme; and a remote corner of New Zealand where the rare kiwi bird is making a comeback — uncover unmissable travel destinations for the year ahead.
From a jungle treehouse in Mexico to a California-inspired sun ranch in Australia, these are the best new and improved hotels, according to National Geographic Traveller (UK)’s annual Hotel Awards.
Could this be Europe’s best hut-to-hut hiking trail?
On the northwest border of Slovenia is a mountain range as dramatic as it is accessible, offering hut-to-hut hiking on multi-day adventures — with plenty of hearty food and local tales to sustain the journey.
What it’s like to travel along the West Coast on a train
One of the most beautiful train journeys in the US, the Coast Starlight’s route unspools along the Pacific Ocean from Los Angeles via Sacramento to Seattle. With miles of coastline, towering mountain ranges and glistening cityscapes, this is the ultimate American slow travel experience.
The president-elect’s choice of combative loyalists who could have trouble being confirmed has raised constitutional questions about executive power and the Senate’s prerogatives.
Elon Musk Met With Iran’s U.N. Ambassador, Iranian Officials Say
The tech billionaire, a top adviser to President-elect Donald J. Trump, was reported to have discussed ways to defuse tensions between Iran and the United States.
In a special edition of the Guardian Weekly, our Washington bureau chief David Smith and diplomatic editor Patrick Wintour reflect on how Trump 2.0 is likely to play out for the US and for the rest of the world.
We look at the role played by the president-elect’s key supporter, Elon Musk, and ask what the world’s richest man can now expect back in return. We also trace the rise of the vice-president elect JD Vance, who is now just a heartbeat away from the presidency.
And senior US political reporter Joan E Greve considers the Democrats – bereft, broken and facing an internal civil war after a campaign that ended in disaster.
1 Spotlight | Odour of oil and return of Trump hang heavy over Cop29 As the annual UN climate summit got under way in Azerbaijan this week, Fiona Harvey sizes up the hopes for progressThe video player is currently playing an ad. You can skip the ad in 5 sec with a mouse or keyboard
2 Science | Unravelling the paradoxes of plankton Scientists are sequencing the DNA of microscopic marine life – to help us learn more about ourselves, reports Brianna Randall
3 Feature | When adult children cut the cord Grownups who cut of f contact with their family are often trying to break away after a traumatic childhood. But sometimes the estrangement can be totally unexpected for parents. ByGaby Hinsliff
4 Opinion | Trump unleashed will be even worse than last time’s dress reherarsal From a public health crisis to the end of Nato, the threats are clear, writes Jonathan Freedland
5 Culture | Sportswriters and arts critics swap jobs How does the English National Opera compare to the Premier League … or the NFL to a West End musical? Our sports and culture experts found out
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