From: explore on Mon, Dec 07 2009 4:06 PM

During the summers of 2007 and 2008, year-round Arctic sea ice shrank to its lowest level since satellite records began 30 years ago. Some scientists now predict an ice-free Arctic summer by 2012. As snow and ice levels decline, sea-levels and weather patterns are affected which in turn...

From: explore on Mon, Dec 07 2009 4:06 PM

The Taj Mahal was designed as a mausoleum for Mumtaz Mahal, the favorite wife of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. While the white domed tomb is the most famous structure, the Taj Mahal is actually a large, interconnected complex of gardens and buildings.

From: explore on Mon, Dec 07 2009 4:06 PM

The djembe, common throughout all of West Africa, is a skin-covered hand drum shaped like a large goblet. The drum is said to contain three spirits: One from the tree, one from the animal that gave its skin, and one from the drum-maker. In the past, rural villages used the djembe to com...

From: explore on Mon, Dec 07 2009 4:06 PM

Wild mountain gorillas share so many characteristics with humans, from the way they grasp their mother’s fingers to how they hear, see, and smell the outside world. Gorilla expert Craig Sholley explains how we can learn about ourselves simply from observing the social behavior of gorillas, perha...

From: explore on Mon, Dec 07 2009 3:56 PM

Fly with explore over the Hawaiian Islands. Experience the breathtaking beauty of the mountains' cascading waterfalls; watch humpback whales splash offshore; see surfers hitch rides on some of the best waves on the planet.

From: explore on Mon, Dec 07 2009 3:56 PM

Sled dogs, generally of the Siberian Husky or Alaskan Malamute breed, worked side by the side with people for centuries to pull runnered or toboggan-style sleds over long distances of snow or ice. But as global warming causes a dramatic shift in Arctic climates and wintry conditions become less ...

From: explore on Mon, Dec 07 2009 3:56 PM

In the waters of Kochi, unique fishing nets known as Cheena Vala, or Chinese Fishing Nets, are used. Kochi is the only place in the world outside of China that uses such nets. The canals and waterways of Kochi are vital to its unique character and way of life.

From: explore on Mon, Dec 07 2009 3:56 PM

Although India’s HIV rate is much lower than other developing nations, some 5.7 million people still reportedly carry the virus. The efforts of Dr. Suniti Solomon and her team at the Y.R.G. Centre for AIDS Research and Education have taken care of 11,000 patients and are helping to slow the spre...

From: explore on Mon, Dec 07 2009 3:56 PM

"There doesn’t seem to be much space in modern India for tigers," says longtime conservationist Belinda Wright. Widely hunted for their skin, which is made into decorative clothing, and other body parts that are used in folk medicine and magical rituals, tigers are becoming critically endangered.

From: explore on Mon, Dec 07 2009 3:55 PM

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) issued temporary housing in the form of free-standing trailers, often simply called FEMA trailers. Designed to provide shelter to victims of natural disasters, the trailers often took months to receive fro...

From: explore on Mon, Dec 07 2009 3:55 PM

The Maasai are a tribal group of East Africa known for their tall stature, signature red clothing, and highly energetic and athletic style of dancing. Both Tanzanian and Kenyan government have encouraged abandonment of the traditional semi-nomadic lifestyle, but they have successfully maintained...

From: explore on Mon, Dec 07 2009 3:55 PM

What does it mean to be Jewish? Rabbi Engelman, Director of the Yakar Study Centre in Jerusalem, agrees with philosopher Jacques Derrida that to be Jewish is to always seek that meaning. He brings Charles Annenberg Weingarten to a yeshiva to meet these "eternal students" as they study the Talmud...

From: explore on Mon, Dec 07 2009 3:55 PM

Professor Tsedum, a monk at the Sera Monastery, explains the Buddhist notion of compassion.

From: explore on Mon, Dec 07 2009 3:55 PM

Protecting animals in India is no easy task. Conservation and anti-poaching laws are not properly enforced, and land developers and mining companies are poised at the edge of many of the country’s last great nature sanctuaries. Though she believes the power to save India's most revered anim...

From: explore on Mon, Dec 07 2009 3:55 PM

The ruan is a Chinese musical instrument with a long history stretching back 2,000 years. The name comes from musician Ruan Xian, one of the legendary Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove. It is similar to a banjo, with a fretted neck, circular body, and four strings, which up until the 20th century ...

From: explore on Mon, Dec 07 2009 3:55 PM

Abebech Gobena saves children who have lost their parents due to starvation and other causes. Through great perseverance and seemingly boundless generosity, she now supports more than 5,000 children.

From: explore on Mon, Dec 07 2009 3:55 PM

China’s future lies in the hands of its children, who have in front of them the daunting task of taking 100% responsibility for supporting their families as a free-market economy replaces the former communist system. Hear how the children of AnWu's primary school are already preparing for t...

From: explore on Mon, Dec 07 2009 3:54 PM

In the mood for raw seal meat? Arctic food may seem foreign to most people, but the region’s culinary culture is deeply rooted in the Inuit history and tradition of hunting for caribou, seal, walrus, and whale. Modern Inuit people still prepare and eat these delectable dishes, along with harvest...

From: explore on Mon, Dec 07 2009 3:54 PM

Each day on the Gold Coast of Ghana the beaches are crowded with fisherman as they gather to pull in their nets, used to capture small fish, such as sardines. While working, they chant and sing to honor their ancestors and to bless the fish they catch. Women come by to pick up the fish to sell a...

From: explore on Mon, Dec 07 2009 3:54 PM

Watch as a treepie bird eats from a human hand in the Ranthambhore National Park. Treepies rarely come down from the trees to feed, but this one worked up enough courage to acquaint itself with explore founder Charles Annenberg Weingarten.