News from Nature - Wild Chronicles crisscrosses Tornado Alley in the Midwest with National Geographic grantee Tim Samaras a team of storm chasers in search of the next big mega-storm. Netting hailstones, video-taping lightning strikes and seeking out powerful tornados, the storm chasers use high-tech cameras and sensors to collect data that will help them discover ways to better predict severe weather in an effort to keep people safe. Stories from the Wild - Over the last 500 years, the homeland of the Zuni tribe in New Mexico has been redefined by Western colonizers. Most modern maps reflect Western names and places failing to recognize Zuni names and heritage. Now, through the Zuni Map Art Project, National Geographic grantee Jim Enote is helping Zuni artists and cultural advisors re-map their homelands and reconnect with their history and culture, with hopes of inspiring a younger generation to do the same. Field Reports - In the busy waters of the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary off the coast of Boston, ships and submerged fishing gear pose a threat to humpback whales. Researchers with NOAA and the Census of Marine Life tag the marine giants to gain a clearer picture of the humpback's underwater habits, foraging strategies and movements. The data collected is used to redirect water traffic and implement safer fishing practices to keep these whales out of harms' way. Adventure and Exploration - China's Yangtze River is home to some of the world's most spectacular whitewater, but plans to dam the river for hydropower threatens to alter the river's natural landscape. National Geographic Young Explorer Trip Jennings and a group of international scientists, conservationists and river enthusiasts raft 120 miles of the Yangtze's Great Bend for what may be the last time. The team hopes the seven day journey will bring national attention to this threatened wonder before the flow of development slows the rushing waters.
