LOGIN Renew SUBSCRIBE MENU In Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park, two male lions take a break in a dry lake bed. PHOTOGRAPH BY CHARLIE HAMILTON JAMES MAGAZINEFROM THE EDITOR Think you know the planet? ‘Welcome to Earth’ will test that. In print, online, and in a broadcast series hosted by actor Will Smith, scientists and explorers journey to extreme places and explain curious phenomena. BYSUSAN GOLDBERG PUBLISHED NOVEMBER 30, 2021 • 3 MIN READ The National Geographic series Welcome to Earth is available on Disney+ December 8. Who hasn’t paused to appreciate a beautiful sunset? Or listen to the wind rustling through the trees? By the sea, there are mesmerizing tides and a salt-air scent; in the sky, dazzling formations of birds, and endless stars. Behind all those experiences are the natural forces that power our planet. They give rise to the sounds, smells, and sights we perceive; the life that swarms around us, moving at every speed. Those phenomena are the focus of this special issue and of a six-part National Geographic television series, starring Will Smith and available on Disney+. In print and broadcast media and on digital and social platforms, this project shares one title: Welcome to Earth. That’s an oddly appropriate greeting, addressing us as if we’re strangers to a place we think we know well. But we may find that we don’t know it well at all, as Welcome to Earth invites us to look at the planet in new ways. In this issue, six pieces explore one phenomenon each, such as color, sound, speed, and smell. And the stories documenting life on the Serengeti combine amazing storytelling with the photography of Charlie Hamilton James. “I’ve been going back and forth to the Serengeti for 25 years, and it’s never lost its wonder to me,” Hamilton James says. “There simply isn’t anywhere better on Earth to photograph wildlife.” Cumulatively, he’s spent more than two years there for National Geographic to capture the epic annual migration of about 1.3 million wildebeests—a swarm if ever there was one. Also included in this issue, in print and online: a Serengeti poster with maps and illustrations by Nat Geo artists and cartographers. Each month, we aim to transport you to places you’ve never been and to show you the world anew. I hope you think this issue more than fills the bill. Thank you for reading National Geographic. This story appears in the December 2021 issue of National Geographic magazine. SHARE TWEET EMAIL READ THIS NEXT MAGAZINEWELCOME TO EARTH Tracking the great Serengeti wildebeest migra… A mapping project lets you follow wildebeests fitted with GPS collars as they search for food and water in one of the last large-mammal migrations on Ear… How Berlin’s infamous club scene is weathering the pandemic HISTORY & CULTURECORONAVIRUS COVERAGE How Berlin’s infamous club scene is weathering the pandemic Why you shouldn’t panic over the Omicron variant SCIENCECORONAVIRUS COVERAGE Why you shouldn’t panic over the Omicron variant How fall foliage was disrupted by climate change ENVIRONMENT How fall foliage was disrupted by climate change GO FURTHER ANIMALS How wild animals eaten at the first Thanksgiving are faring today ANIMALS How wild animals eaten at the first Thanksgiving are faring today Insecticides can cause lasting harm for generations of bees ANIMALS Insecticides can cause lasting harm for generations of bees As tastes change, Vietnam’s bear bile industry is fading ANIMALSWILDLIFE WATCH As tastes change, Vietnam’s bear bile industry is fading See the microscopic world of plankton in stunning detail ANIMALS See the microscopic world of plankton in stunning detail ENVIRONMENT Inside a Ukrainian war zone, another fight rages—for clean air ENVIRONMENT Inside a Ukrainian war zone, another fight rages—for clean air How fall foliage was disrupted by climate change ENVIRONMENT How fall foliage was disrupted by climate change Empowering people to protect the Okavango Basin, Video Story PAID CONTENT Empowering people to protect the Okavango Basin The surprising ancient history of the hedge apple ENVIRONMENT The surprising ancient history of the hedge apple HISTORY & CULTURE How an ancient revolt sparked the Festival of Lights HISTORY & CULTURE How an ancient revolt sparked the Festival of Lights A rare look inside the Smithsonian’s secret storerooms HISTORY & CULTURE A rare look inside the Smithsonian’s secret storerooms The Orient Express embodied the romance of the railways HISTORY MAGAZINE The Orient Express embodied the romance of the railways Barbados will finally cut ties to the British monarchy HISTORY & CULTURE Barbados will finally cut ties to the British monarchy SCIENCE U.S. confirms first case of Omicron variant in California SCIENCECORONAVIRUS COVERAGE U.S. confirms first case of Omicron variant in California Ancient footprints hint at human relative with strange walk SCIENCE Ancient footprints hint at human relative with strange walk This bizarre armored dinosaur had a uniquely bladed tail weapon SCIENCE This bizarre armored dinosaur had a uniquely bladed tail weapon Why an HIV-prevention drug fails to reach at-risk women SCIENCE Why an HIV-prevention drug fails to reach at-risk women TRAVEL Why does Italy have a ‘Trans-Siberian’ railway? TRAVEL Why does Italy have a ‘Trans-Siberian’ railway? Here’s the best place to see northern lights in the U.S. TRAVELBEST OF THE WORLD Here’s the best place to see northern lights in the U.S. These are the best compact cameras for travelers in 2022 TRAVEL These are the best compact cameras for travelers in 2022 For travelers with disabilities, video games are windows to the world TRAVEL For travelers with disabilities, video games are windows to the world SUBSCRIBER EXCLUSIVE CONTENT previous MAGAZINE See how NASA’s new Mars rover will explore the red planet EXPLORE MAGAZINE Why are people so dang obsessed with Mars? READ MAGAZINE How viruses shape our world READ ANIMALS The era of greyhound racing in the U.S. is coming to an end READ MAGAZINE See how people have imagined life on Mars through history READ next SEE MORE THE BEST OF NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Sign up for more inspiring photos, stories, and special offers from National Geographic. SIGN UP LEGAL Terms of Use Privacy Policy Interest-Based Ads EU Privacy Rights Cookie Policy Manage Privacy Preferences OUR SITES Nat Geo Home Attend a Live Event Book a Trip Buy Maps Inspire Your Kids Shop Nat Geo Visit the D.C. Museum Watch TV Learn About Our Impact Support our Mission Nat Geo Partners Masthead Press Room Advertise With Us JOIN US Subscribe Customer Service Renew Subscription Manage Your Subscription Work at Nat Geo Sign up for Our Newsletters Contribute to Protect the Planet Pitch a Story FOLLOW US United States (Change) Copyright © 1996-2015 National Geographic SocietyCopyright © 2015-2021 National Geographic Partners, LLC. All rights reserved Your Privacy Settings We use cookies and various web tracking technologies to personalize content and ads, to provide social media features, and to analyse our traffic. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising, and analytics partners. You may read more about any of the purposes or vendors that we use by clicking ‘Show Purposes’ and exercise your right to consent or object to the processing of your personal data on the basis of legitimate interest. This preference center is accessible at any time through the ‘Manage Privacy Preferences’ link located on every page. We work in coordination with an industry framework which will signal your preferences to our participating vendors. For additional information, please visit our Privacy Policy. We and our partners process data to provide: Store and/or access information on a device. Precise geolocation data, and identification through device scanning. Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. List of Partners (vendors) I ACCEPT SHOW PURPOSES Continue without Accepting