Sunday Stills: Explore the World of 'Aquanauts,' China's Incredible Cliffs, and More

Read: Zombie Spacecraft Rescue View the email on a web browser. Sunday Stills ISSUE 19 Sunday, June 29, 2014 NEWS The Funtastic World of the ‘Aquanauts’ PHOTOGRAPH BY ROBERT GOODMAN Fabien Cousteau is leading a team of scientists, educators, and filmmakers on the longest ever expedition in a stationary habitat beneath the sea. “We have playing cards, but they haven’t been opened. Most of the time we’re just looking out the window,” says Cousteau. His colleague, scientist Liz Magee, adds: “The fish are just as intrigued with us as we are with them. Last night we had a grouper that was staring in at our window. She was checking us out.” READ NEWS Hope and Distrust in Mississippi PHOTOGRAPH BY BETTMANN, CORBIS “There’s going to be no sugarcoating of it. I don’t believe in sugarcoating.” —Jacqueline Dace, project manager of the Civil Rights Museum in Mississippi When Mississippi decided to build a civil rights museum in 2011, it was hailed as a watershed event for a state that was one of the most virulently racist and violent during the turbulent civil rights era. The museum was meant to heal wounds; however, some ask whether the state can truly own its shameful past. READ PROOF ‘Everybody Can See How the Animals Suffer in a Zoo.’ PHOTOGRAPH BY ELIAS HASSOS It’s not unusual to see or hear people attributing human qualities to animals. With the increasing popularity of animal celebrities like Boo and Grumpy Cat, the lives, projected thoughts, and emotions of animals are more pervasive than ever. Scientific studies on dolphins, for example, show a higher level of animal intelligence than we previously thought possible. The line between humankind and the animal kingdom becomes increasingly blurry. But animals do not have voices to speak up for their own lives and experiences. We can only theorize and study their behavior to look for answers to our questions. Because of this gap in understanding, institutions like animal parks and zoos are a contentious topic. Do animals benefit from human intervention, or are they unfairly confined? It’s a tricky subject to tackle. READ TRAVEL Beyond a Touristic View PHOTOGRAPH BY Md Khalid Rayhan Shawon “Dhaka is the capital city of a country that, while relatively new in name, is rich in history and tradition, with a population as passionate about politics as it is about poetry,” recounts Bangladeshi-American poet Dilruba Ahmed. “On a public and political level, Dhaka represents parts of the world that—as world citizens and consumers in an increasingly globalized existence—we can no longer ignore.” Above, photographer Md Khalid Rayhan Shawon captured a tiny slice of Dhaka’s vibrant culture—a rare, intimate gathering in a city of 15 million. Shawon’s photo is one of over 14,000 entries submitted to the 2014 Traveler Photo Contest, which ends Monday, June 30. SEE ALL PHOTO ENTRIES MAGAZINE Climbing China’s Incredible Cliffs China is home to the world’s greatest concentration of karsts: rocky spires and spillways shaped over time by the elements. For some climbers, scaling these challenging natural sculptures is the experience of a lifetime. WATCH Show Your Support: SHOP DONATE SUBSCRIBE TRAVEL BECOME A MEMBER You are receiving this email because ignoble.experiment@arconati.us is signed up to receive National Geographic communications. If you prefer not to receive emails from us, please unsubscribe. To ensure that you receive your National Geographic emails, please add ngs@e.nationalgeographic.com to your address book now. Learn how. Contact Us | Privacy Policy | About Us | Customer Service National Geographic | 1145 17th Street N.W. | Washington, D.C. 20036 Copyright © 2014 National Geographic Society. All Rights Reserved.