Our Fantastic Planet (National Geographic)

Name: helencb

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Product:	National Geographic
Date:	12/07/02 (252 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Photography, Educational, Insightful

Disadvantages: None

I have subscribed to National Geographic Magazine since January 1996, and so I am in my seventh year of membership now. Joining National Geographic is easy. You can simply purchase a magazine from a larger newsagent, and there will be a coupon inside to allow you to subscribe. You may not be familiar with this magazine but some of you may recognise it from the distinctive yellow border on the front cover of every magazine and their AWESOME photography.

To subscribe in the UK, simply write to National Geographic, PO Box 19, Guildford, Surrey, GU3 3NY. Subscription currently costs £29 for twelve issues delivered to your door. I am not sure what the shop price is for a single copy, as my copies are not marked up with the price. In the USA, you can subscribe for $34 by following the links from the internet site www.nationalgeographic.com.

If you are wondering how I have managed to keep 84 editions in some sort of order, you can also purchase attractive NG Magazine holders, each holding six issues. However 84 issues on the top shelf of my book case are causing it to bow a little, and I will have to make the effort and move them to the base fairly soon!

National Geographic is just one of the publications from the National Geographic Society, which was formed in 1888. It is the world?s largest non profit society dedicated to science and education. They also publish books, and have shops in some countries, such as Australia.

Each magazine is about 120 pages in length, and contains about six or seven features. National Geographic researches and journalists certainly get to some remote parts of the world, and the stories that they bring back, together with their photographs are fascinating. Every two or three issues, there is also a A1-size pull out publication, the most recent one being dedicated to the Incas and Macchu Picchu in South America.

I will give you a run down of January 2002 Issue to give you a flavour of the brea
dth and depth of the contents.

Forum
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Each edition begins with a Letters Section, which typically consists of three or four pages of letters from readers in response to previous issues. Usually, a previous story or edition would be highlighted and all the letters would relate to that story, reflecting different sides to a debate or argument.

Articles
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1. Seabirds. This was a two page spread detailing information and great photography relating to the half a million nesting seabirds on Barren Islands, Alaska.
2. Syrian Tomb. This article details the discovery of a three layered tomb in the lost city of Tuba, Syria. The tomb is 4300 years old and contained two women and two babies, on the top level, and two men below. We are shown an artists impression of how the scene would have looked at the time of the burial.
3. Behind the Scenes looks at some of the people involved in the making of articles for the magazine.
4. Ask Us, is a page dedicated to answering questions which members require answers to. For example one reader asks whether it is true that Mt Everest is not the highest mountain if you measure from the centre of the Earth. (Answer, Correct, Mount Chimborazo in Ecuador is 2km ?higher? when measured this way)
5. The first main article in the January magazine is dedicated to the Dog ? in particular their evolution from Wolf to the domesticated breeds of today. The story looks at the remains of dogs first discovered with human remains, and the differences in the bone structures. The story also looks at how dogs moved across the world?s continents beginning 37 million years ago in America and reaching Europe 7 million years ago. We also delve into the lives of a variety of dog owners today, including the Crufts Dog show, a sheep farmer in the Highlands, a spoilt Maltese in Manhattan, and guide dogs. We also look at the use of search and rescue dogs involved in the September 11 disaster.
6. T
he next main article is looking at the Euro and cohesion in Europe in general, a very fitting topic, for the January 2002 edition. We look at the balance of trade and the GDP for the member countries. Once again the article focuses in on individuals in the member countries, and the similarities and diversities of these countries.
7. We then move to an article about China?s Alashan Desert Plateau where people rely on camels for transportation and daily life is similar to the Mongol herdsmen of centuries ago. The monastery used to house 80 monks but now, as the population is aging and dwindling, there is just one left. The photography is truly amazing. Again we are able to discover the daily lives of individuals who live in this area, in their mud brick houses.
8. Another key article is about Islam which is the fastest growing religion on earth, with one fifth of the world?s population. There is a pullout map with a key to the percentage of the population of each country who are Muslim, together with an in-depth look at some countries and the faith in general.


This year so far, the main articles have covered: Antarctica, Aids, Reefs, Etna, Salt Lake Valley, Central Asia, Diamonds, Arctic, Danube, Bears, Greek Shipwreck, Tibetans, Lions, Lewis and Clark, China, Bats, The Inca, Food, Moths, Mummies, Po River, Chicago, D Day, Jamestown, Afghanistan, Andes, Iowa. And that is just the main topics in six issues, phew!

I love this magazine, and I am loathe to throw a single one away, or worse still cancel my subscription, although I know I cannot keep them for ever! Learning about different cultures and seeing different parts of the world is always fascinating, and this is blended well with articles about places and people who we in the Western World are more familiar with. It is a magazine for dipping into now and again, I rarely read each new issue cover to cover, but I always skim through them to admire the photography and read the articl
es which attract me the most. I believe I have widened my own knowledge immensely in the time that I have been receiving this magazine and if I had about a year to spare, I could truly get stuck into my reading and learn even more. I highly recommend this magazine to you, and it could be a great gift for someone you know who enjoys Science, Nature, Culture and Geography.

Helen Bradshaw
July 2002

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