From: explore on Mon, Dec 07 2009 6:46 PM

Homeboy Industries is bringing hope to some of L.A.'s toughest neighborhoods by providing ways for at-risk youth and former gang members to meaningfully contribute to their communities. Under the leadership of the inspiring Father Greg Boyle, and with the motto Nothing Stops a Bullet like a...

From: explore on Mon, Dec 07 2009 6:45 PM

Spyhopping is when orcas vertically propel themselves half-way out of the water and stay there for a moment, akin to a human treading water. They do this to sneak a peek at their surroundings above the surface — most commonly for food, but also just to see how close they are to shore.

From: explore on Mon, Dec 07 2009 6:45 PM

The fast-paced development projects that are turning Indian cities into modern metropolises are causing traditional wells to dry up, so many women — whose daily task is to collect water in jugs and bring it home — have to walk longer and longer distances back and forth, often making two trips a ...

From: explore on Mon, Dec 07 2009 6:45 PM

Problems arise when people simply do not understand one another. At the community school in Neve Shalom-Wahat al-Salam — named in both Hebrew and Arabic — children learn both languages at a very young age, thus cultivating a spirit of communication and mutual understanding. The village is a true...

From: explore on Mon, Dec 07 2009 6:12 PM

Master Fa Qing is a philosopher, calligrapher, and Buddhist monk who believes that calligraphy and other spiritual arts allow us to simplify our lives, opening up a door to happiness in a world where complexity often works against it.

From: explore on Mon, Dec 07 2009 6:11 PM

When pursuing prey, cheetahs can go from zero to sixty miles-per-hour in less than 3.5 seconds — an acceleration rate that is faster than most high-performance sports cars. The chase usually lasts less than a minute.

From: explore on Mon, Dec 07 2009 6:11 PM

Classical Indian dance encompasses many distinct forms: religious, educational, and some that are purely for entertainment. In all forms, precise movements help to convey the emotion and story associated with the music. Each of the dancer’s graceful, hypnotic gestures are rife with meaning.

From: explore on Mon, Dec 07 2009 6:11 PM

Charles Annenberg Weingarten introduces himself as the guide on explore’s journey around the world, as they try to make a positive impact on a local level and increase global awareness about essential issues.

From: explore on Mon, Dec 07 2009 6:10 PM

explore inspires, educates, and opens up new worlds. Never stop learning. Come EXPLORE.

From: explore on Mon, Dec 07 2009 6:10 PM

For many people in post-Katrina New Orleans, religious faith is one of the only ways to keep hope alive. Explore visits a Baptist church right in the heart of the damaged city, where the soulful music of Larry "Love" Hamilton helps to soothe the pain of the tragedy and awaken the spirit within.

From: explore on Mon, Dec 07 2009 6:10 PM

Prayer wheels — called Mani wheels by the Tibetans — are devices for spreading spiritual blessings and well-being. They are spindles wrapped with rolls of thin paper, on which are imprinted many copies of the mantra (prayer) Om Mani Padme Hum. The mantra is written in Sanskrit or Tibetan.

From: explore on Mon, Dec 07 2009 6:10 PM

At more than 15 feet long, weighing up to 1,000 pounds, and living for as many as 100 years, the Chinese sturgeon is a large fresh water fish, though it does spend part of its life-cycle in seawater, like the salmon. Along with the giant panda, the 140-million year-old species is a symbol of nat...

From: explore on Mon, Dec 07 2009 6:09 PM

The banana farm at EARTH University uses socially and environmentally responsible practices at every stage of the process. The farm treats its workers fairly, doesn’t use herbicides, and plants trees along river banks to promote biodiversity and reduce harmful erosion. The farm's eco-friend...

From: explore on Mon, Dec 07 2009 6:09 PM

Taught how to express their feelings with shapes and colors, the children at the Queen Rania Family and Child Center in Jordan use paint, brushes, and paper to build confidence in their emotions and discover their dignity and identity. The art program, along with other activities such as group y...

From: explore on Mon, Dec 07 2009 6:02 PM

"Three is a magic number." The students of Sunset Beach Elementary School sing along with Jack Johnson in a group rendition of 'Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.' Environmental education is crucial to the preservation of Hawaii - and the planet.

From: explore on Mon, Dec 07 2009 6:01 PM

Animal abuse is not just about physical beatings. Basic mistreatment of pets — putting a cat in a cage that is too small, or not providing enough water for a dog on a hot day — also falls under the category of abuse. The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) rescues mistreated ...

From: explore on Mon, Dec 07 2009 6:01 PM

India is a land of startling contrasts and inequality. Dr. Prabhavati Dwabha came to India to find herself; instead, she found people in need and a new purpose in life. At Ramana’s Garden, Dr. Dwabha is working to give a future to children who would otherwise be without one.

From: explore on Mon, Dec 07 2009 6:01 PM

A raga is a melodic mode consisting of five or more musical notes that is used in Indian classical music, though some popular Indian film songs or ghazals (verses) use the form in their compositions. The word is derived from Sanskrit, meaning "that which colors the mind."

From: explore on Mon, Dec 07 2009 6:01 PM

explore went to China on a fact-finding mission led by Charles Annenberg Weingarten, a trustee of the Annenberg Foundation. During the three-week trip, the team discovered many of China’s hidden gems: philosophy, art, education, and rural life. They also discovered how the country's hard-wo...

From: explore on Mon, Dec 07 2009 6:00 PM

The site of the terracotta warriors is considered by some to be the eighth wonder of the world. Over 6,000 life-sized terracotta warriors — believed to be exact replicas of a real, individual soldiers — have been unearthed, in a pit the size of two American football fields.