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WHITE GOLD: The Sahara Salt Trade
During the cool months from October to March, camel caravans arrive in the desert city of Timbuktu every few days.
The Brave Librarians of Timbuktu
Ever hear the expression “from here to Timbuktu”? People use the word “Timbuktu” to mean a faraway, remote, and possibly mythical place. But not only is it a real city in the north of Mali, it was once the crossroads of the world. Hundreds of years ago, caravans passed through Timbuktu, trading gold, salt, and other goods between the Middle East and Morocco. Timbuktu became a city of wealth, not just in material riches, but also in learning and ideas.
Saving Mali's Migrating Desert Elephants
Eco-guardians spread the word to the Tuareg villagers, “The elephants are coming.”
Mali's Music: A Universal Language
The country of Mali and the U.S. state of Mississippi are more than 5,000 miles apart and very different from each other in almost every way. But many people say that music is a universal language, and in this case, it’s true. Mississippi and Mali share a flavor of blues music that connects their modern-day musicians with ancient African musical traditions. How did these two places end up sharing a musical language?
Mali: An Ancient Empire
The Republic of Mali was once part of the Mali Empire, an ancient empire that controlled a large portion of West Africa. A West African prince named Sundiata Keita established the empire in 1235. He united a group of indigenous groups and waged war against the Sosso people who controlled the region at the time.
Life Behind the Mask : THE DOGON
In the central region of Mali and spread out as far as the land of Burkina Faso, there lives a mysterious people known as the Dogon (do-gän).
BOOMSLANG
DEADLY AFRICAN TREE SNAKE
Welcome To Denmark
Find Germany on a map of Europe, and then look to its north. There you will find a peninsula known as Jutland. To its west is the North Sea; to its east, the Baltic Sea and a thick cluster of more than 400 islands. Together, Jutland and the islands form one of the smallest but most admired nations of Europe—the kingdom of Denmark.
The Floating City
If you put a fish on dry land, can it survive? That is the way we people here are like. We cannot live on land. Living on water is part of our culture.” -Noah Shemede, native of Makoko
Welcome To Nollywood
Lagos is home to Nollywood, one of the world’s largest film industries. More than 2,500 movies are made in Nollywood each year. The industry adds about $10 billion a year to the country’s economy. According to the International Monetary Fund, as many as one million Nigerians work in the movie industry.
Preserving Ancient Mysteries At The Nigerian National Museum
Many amazing works of art are on display at the Niegerian National Museum in Lagos.
LAGOS: A City Of Opportunity
The Nigerian city of Lagos is Africa’s most heavily populated city. It is home to an estimated 21 million people. Researchers at the Global Cities Institute predict it will be the world’s largest city by the year 2100. By then, they estimate the city’s population will have reached 88 million.
Eshu: The Yoruba Trickster God
One hot afternoon, two friends were having an argument.
The Chocolate Hills of Bohol
Wait, did you say, “Chocolate Hills?!” If you have mouth-watering images of mounds of chocolate ready to be munched, your taste buds will be sorely disappointed.
One-Hundred Eighty Bars A Day
An apple a day keeps the doctor away. What about a chocolate bar a day? Cacao beans, the primary ingredient in chocolate, are part of the fruit from a flowering tree, just like apples. Cacao beans are the seeds from the cacao fruit. Cacao beans have more than 300 chemicals, including a poison. Yet eating a chocolate bar doesn’t kill us—it makes us happy.
From Bean to Bar
Aztecs believed that chocolate was the gift from a god, and most people today would probably agree that it is a heavenly treat. The ingredients of this exotic and ancient food gets its complex flavors from the fruit of cacao trees. In fact, it might be strange to think about, but chocolate is made from the seeds of this fruit, the cacao pod.
A World Without Chocolate?
Many people enjoy a steaming cup of hot chocolate on a snowy day or a gooey candy bar as an afternoon treat. So rumors predicting that chocolate would disappear from the planet by the mid-21st century sent chocoholics into a frenzy.
The Three Shades Of Chocolate
Like coffee, chocolate contains caffeine—but in much smaller quantities. White chocolate has no caffeine; milk chocolate has some; dark chocolate has the most.
A Short, Sweet History Of Chocolate
No one knows exactly when and how the delights of chocolate were first discovered.
The Curious Connection Between Brain-Eating Flies And Chocolate
A large leaf-cutter ant has just cut a piece of fresh, new leaf from a cacao tree in Brazil.
Costa Rica: Happy, Healthy, And Peaceful
Not once, not twice, but three times in the past decade, the New Economics Foundation (NEF) named Costa Rica the happiest country in the world.If you have ever lived in or visited Costa Rica, you probably aren’t surprised at its selection. People smile and welcome you. Lush, green plants and trees grow everywhere; tropical birds and lively wild creatures live naturally nearby. Comfortable year-round temperatures suggest you could stay there forever. Is that what happiness is?​​​​
An Environmental Giant
The tiny nation of Costa Rica is a giant when it comes to environmental stewardship.
Critter Corner - Indian Elephants. Pachyderms in Peril
In India and Asia, elephants are superstars.
The Timeless Fleet Of Amsterdam
The four hours of my gangway watch have come to an end, and I’m ready to dive into the thick of action.
Maslenitsa - The Pancake Festival
Dark, heavy clouds weigh on our shoulders,” Natalia Korteleva says about winter in Vyborg, her hometown in northern Russia.
Abby Goes To La Feria
"You can’t miss la feria de abril!”
Art Connection - Festival Floats
Festivals around the world show off many different cultures and traditions, but there is one thing they all have in common — art.
Scotland's Inspiring Castles
Scotland's Inspiring Castles
Hogmanay
Welcoming a tall, dark stranger into your house at midnight may not seem like the best way to celebrate New Year’s . . . unless you’re in Scotland celebrating Hogmanay!
Scotland: More Than Kilts And Bagpipes
Scotland: More Than Kilts And Bagpipes