Olympic Torch Lit in Greece Video -- National Geographic

Olympic Torch Lit in Greece Video March 24, 2008—At a ceremony in Olympia, Greece, the torch was lit for the start of an 85,000-mile (137,000-kilometer) journey to Beijing, China for the 2008 Summer Olympic Games.Welcome to the National Geographic video player. Watch hundreds of free videos from National Geographic, featuring animal videos, news videos, weather videos, nature videos, kids videos, world music videos and other most popular video content including shark videos.Video Sections

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- "Apocalypto" Consultant Excavates Maya Temple - December 5, 2006—Before he became Mel Gibson's lead consultant on the movie Apocalypto, Maya expert Richard Hansen spent decades exploring their ancient civilization. Watch as he excavates a tomb in the lost city of El Mirador.
- "Epic" Vase Returned to Italy - January 23, 2008—A 2,500-year-old vase featuring scenes from a Homer poem is among several antiquities returned to Italy after lengthy negotiations with the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
- "Haunted" Castle Open to Public - October 26, 2007—Ghosts are said to haunt a centuries-old South African castle fortification. The military still uses the structure, which is now open to the public.
- "Kite Runner" Controversy - October 9, 2007—A child rape scene in the movie has one of its young stars fearing for his safety and underscores a cultural divide in Afghanistan.
- "Solar Taxi" Arrives in India - November 7, 2007—A Swiss adventurer is taking his solar-powered car on a world tour to promote conservation. His latest stop is in India.
- 1st Antarctic Airliner Landing - December 13, 2007—An Australian passenger jet touched down on an ice runway in Antarctica this week. Flights for scientific teams are to begin next week.
- 9/11 Staircase Moved - March 10, 2008—The "Survivor's Staircase" helped many escape the twin towers on 9/11. Now the only aboveground remnant of the World Trade Center Complex has been moved.
- A Look at Kosovo Independence - February 19, 2008—The declaration of independence over the weekend was actually decades in the making—at least. Here's the story.
- Abused Elephants Saved - March 26, 2008—A nature park in Thailand is dedicated to saving troubled elephants from abusive situations.
- Afghan Winter Kills Hundreds - February 8, 2008—Unusually severe winter weather in mountainous Afghanistan has caused more than 650 deaths, according to an Afghan official.
- Afghan Woman's Olympic Dream - March 17, 2008—Though she dresses more conservatively than her international counterparts, Afghanistan's only female Olympic athlete—a runner—hopes to bring home her country's first medal.
- Albino Alligators Stolen - January 7, 2008—Seven rare albino alligators recently disappeared from a Brazilian zoo. Authorities suspect smugglers stole the reptiles, which are valued at more than $9,000 each.
- Amateur Bullfighters Injured - January 22, 2008—An annual bullfighting festival in Colombia brings daredevils from the stands, right into the bullring.
- Amazon Dolphins - November 28, 2007—South American river dolphins are doing pretty well compared to some river dolphins in Asia. But boat traffic, fishing, and logging are still a threat.
- Ancient Cat in Today's Egypt - December 6, 2007—Egyptian Maus may descend from the first domesticated cats in the world. One woman is working to help save them.
- Ancient Little People Found? - March 10, 2008—Watch as a scientist uncovers tiny human bones in a tropical island cave, in what could be a major discovery.
- Ancient Site Found in Colombia - April 24, 2008—Archaeologists have unearthed the remains of a 2,000-year-old pre-Colombian settlement near Bogota, a find that may reveal information about the area's mysterious ancient inhabitants.
- Ancient Treasure Found - December 6, 2007—A trove of pre-Incan artifacts—including four-thousand-year-old gold pieces—have been returned to the Peruvian embassy in Spain.
- Anne Frank Tree Gets Reprieve - November 20, 2007—A tree admired by Anne Frank was saved Tuesday by a Dutch judge who disagreed with Amsterdam officials about its safety.
- Annual Donkey Race in Italy - April 1, 2008—In the small hilltop town of Torrita di Siena, they race a horse of a different color.
- Antarctica Images Best Yet - November 28, 2007—A nearly cloudless satellite image is the most geographically accurate and true-color map of the southern continent—at ten times the resolution of previous NASA views.
- Anti-Whaling Activists Released - January 18, 2008—Two anti-whaling activists were returned to their ship in Antarctic waters Friday after a tense standoff with Japanese whalers.
- Arctic Ice Melting at Record Levels - September 18, 2007—Scientists in the U.S. say that Arctic sea ice is melting faster than ever before. Arctic ice receded this month to record lows. See the satellite images that tell the story.
- Astronomy Village Stays Dark - October 29, 2007—A stargazer's retreat, Deerlick Astronomy Village has strict has lights-out rules so vacationing astronomers can get a better view of the Georgia sky.
- Atlantis Volcano Devastated Ancient Egypt? - April 4, 2007—See the freshly uncovered evidence that may prove ancient cities on Egypt and Palestine's coast were devastated by a massive Mediterranean volcanic eruption.
- Attempted Destruction of Buddhist Carving in Pakistan - September 13, 2007—Islamic militants, believed to be alligned with the Taliban, tried to destroy a carving of Buddha in northwest Pakistan mountain.
- Baby Polar Bear Makes Debut - April 9, 2008—An eager public got its first glimpse of Flocke, the four-month-old polar bear that was rejected by her mother in January in Germany's Nürnberg Zoo.
- Bears Rescued From Bile Farms - April 10, 2008—Vietnam opened its first bear rescue center to house animals freed from illegal bile farms. Bile from Asiatic bears purportedly cures illnesses in humans.
- Bee Theft on Rise - March 28, 2008—As honeybees become scarce in the United States and farmers have to hire beekeepers to import bees to their orchards and farms, theft of the beehives is stinging everyone involved.
- Biggest Trout Fished in Asia - November 13, 2007—Fishing the world's largest trout, Mongolia's taimen, is encouraged—to help save it.
- Billboards Become Stylish Bags - April 21, 2008—Just in time for Earth Day, conservationists in the Philippines are recycling huge vinyl billboard advertisements as totes for everything from food to laptops.
- Boy Plays With Giant Python - November 28, 2007—A seven-year-old Cambodian boy and his python pal like to eat duck and chicken. Only the 15-plus-foot python eats 22 pounds of it weekly.
- Britain's Shire Horses Threatened - March 24, 2008—The shire horse, an iconic symbol of Britain and once a staple at breweries, is faced with possible extinction. Many now hope to save the breed.
- Buddhism Rebounds in Mongolia - January 4, 2008—After decades of persecution that began under Stalinist rule in the 1930s, Buddhism and monasteries are now on the rebound in Mongolia.
- Calif. Fires Force Evacuations - October 23, 2007—A quarter million people have been ordered to flee California wildfires. Fierce Santa Ana winds whipping the flames make the blazes difficult to control.
- Camels Replace Sick Racehorses - October 15, 2007—With an equine flu outbreak putting many Australian racehorses out of commission, camels recently stepped in for an amateur race in Sydney.
- Can Light Cure Arctic Blues? - January 3, 2008—Lapland's long winter nights can start with 2 p.m. sunsets. When so much darkness gets people down, bright lights can be used as therapy.
- Canada Seal Hunt to Begin - March 27, 2008—Canada's annual seal hunt begins Friday, as activists protest the government's allowance of more killings this year over last year. Warning: graphic imagery
- Carnivals Around the World - February 6, 2008—Sequins and feathers in Brazil, sheepskin-clad men in Hungary—celebrations around the world mark the days before many Christians begin pre-Easter fasting.
- Cat Gets Acupuncture - December 3, 2007—A veterinary clinic in Hong Kong gives pet cats acupuncture—using the traditional treatment in conjunction with standard western medical approaches, of course.
- China Nomads Forced to Settle Down - October 5, 2007—Along the Chinese and Kazakh border, many sheepherders are abandoning their traditional nomadic lifestyle in response to desertification and economic pressures.
- China's Amazing Flora - From deserts to lush tropical forests, one of China's richest treasures is its plant life. Join leading botanist and NG Research & Exploration chairman Peter Raven on a tour of China's regional flora.
- China's Snow Worst in 50 Years - January 29, 2008—Heavy snows in southern China have wreaked havoc for residents heading home during the busy Lunar New Year travel season.
- China, Brazil Share Satellite - November 30, 2007—Satellites and ocean buoys help scientists understand changing weather, bringing some countries—like Brazil and China—together. Specialists were gearing up for major climate talks in Indonesia.
- Chocolate to Save Forests? - March 19, 2008—Destruction of Dominican Republic forests could be offset by farmers growing organic cacao used for chocolate.
- Church Made From Tanker - February 6, 2008—Worshippers step into a converted railway tanker, now used as a chapel, in a small Ukrainian village.
- City of the Dead Thrives - March 28, 2008—Egypt's City of the Dead is one of the country's largest cemeteries, dating back to the 14th century. As Cairo's population swells, the graveyard provides cheap and even free housing.
- Clay Eating Discouraged - November 8, 2007—Poverty and tradition drive some Haitians to eat cakes of clay, salt, and butter. Nutritionists fight local beliefs about the dish's merits.
- Climate Drives Nomads to Cities - February 21, 2008—Mongolia's harsher, less predictable, and increasingly warmer weather is helping to drive a migration of nomadic herders from the steppe into cities.
- Colombian Mummies Baffling - December 6, 2007—Mysterious modern mummies draw tourists to a small Colombian village. Although scientists don't know how the corpses were preserved, some locals credit a spiny, berry-like fruit.
- Copacabana Washing Away - November 16, 2007—The rising sea is eating away at Copacabana and Ipanema—Brazil's most famous beaches.
- Could New Russian Line Leak? - November 20, 2007—The world's largest oil and gas project could be damaged by erosion and seismic activity, say environmentalists concerned about the Russian island that hosts the soon-to-be-completed pipelines and plant.
- Crickets Battle to the Death - October 4, 2007—Dozens gathered this week in Beijing to continue an ancient Chinese tradition of cricket breeding and fighting.
- Croc Gene Map Would Be First - November 9, 2007—The commercial crocodile breeder in Australia behind the genetic mapping project says similar science has helped businesses dealing in cattle, sheep, and pigs.
- Czech Gypsies Embrace Hip-Hop - October 18, 2007—Gypsy (Roma) teens near Prague learn hip hop as a means of communicating their frustrations with Czech society.
- Daring Rescues in Peru Floods - April 8, 2008—Dramatic rescues are underway to help people stranded by devastating rains and floods in north and west Peru.
- Dental Robot "Feels" Pain - November 29, 2007—A new robot yelps when dental students drill too close to sensors that have been fitted where nerve endings would be.
- Disease Feared in Flooded Mexico - November 5, 2007—Floods in southeastern Mexico have left thousands in serious need of food and water. Authorities are worried about the possible spread of waterborne disease.
- Dog Duo Sniff Out Pirated DVDs - April 24, 2008—The first dogs specially trained to detect the polycarbonate used in DVDs and CDs have helped detect nearly 2 million illegal discs, authorities say.
- Dolphins Swim to Germany - November 16, 2007—Dolphins have always liked the warm Mediterranean. Why are some of them now swimming around the Baltic Sea and playing with boats in northern Germany?
- Doomed New Orleans - September 21, 2005—For years man-made changes to the landscape of New Orleans have affected how well it could withstand the wrath of a powerful storm.
- Drug Lord's Hippos Thriving - January 25, 2008—A herd of hippos once owned by Pablo Escobar, Colombia's famed drug lord, run free on Escobar's former estate—creating a problem for the government.
- Dubai Skyscraper Now Tallest Structure? - September 14, 2007—Developers of a new skyscraper in Dubai claim it is now the tallest freestanding structure in the world.
- Eagle, Falcon Guard Art Center - March 5, 2008—A trained eagle and a peregrine falcon are to act as "security guards" against some troublesome cockatoos that have attacked an arts center in Melbourne, Australia.
- Earthquake Rocks Chile - November 15, 2007—Residents were recovering from a major earthquake that knocked down houses and electrical wires this week in northern Chile. At least two were killed.
- Eating Rat at the New Year - February 4, 2008—A long tradition of rat eating—here in Vietnam—is especially relevant at this lunar New Year ringing in the Chinese zodiac's Year of the Rat.
- Ebola Outbreak in Uganda - December 7, 2007—A new Ebola strain has killed health care workers in Uganda. There's no cure for the disease, and this subtype doesn't always show the classic symptoms.
- Ebola Outbreak Strikes Congo - October 1, 2007—Ebola has struck at least 24 people in the Democratic Republic of Congo, prompting doctors fearful of an epidemic to set up an isolation ward.
- Ecuador Volcano Erupts - February 8, 2008—The Tungurahua volcano in Ecuador erupted again this week. The volcano has been active on and off since 1999.
- Ecuador Volcano Rumbling - January 7, 2008— In a spectacular show of fire and smoke, Ecuador's Tungurahua volcano is forcing the evacuation of 1,000 nearby villagers.
- Ecuador Volcano Spewing Ash - January 9, 2008—The recently rumbling Tungurahua volcano is spewing more ash and smoke.
- Electric Boost for Reefs - December 5, 2007—Electrical charges cause a chemical reaction that spurs growth in ailing coral.
- Elephants, Rhino Freed in India - March 4, 2008—Two young Asian elephants and a young greater horned rhino were released into the wild in India.
- Elusive Tree Kangaroo Helped - February 5, 2008—Saving the unusual marsupial's habitat requires cooperation from everyone—right down to the rare animals themselves, scientists in Papua New Guinea find.
- Ethiopian Roses - February 12, 2008—Ethiopia's flourishing rose industry peaks ahead of Valentine's Day.
- Explosions May Save Wetlands - October 31, 2007—The Nature Conservancy has blasted through 1950s-era levees in the Williams River Delta in southern Oregon to save the wetlands and endangered fish species.
- Extreme Weather in Australia - January 4, 2008—Australia has seen some extreme weather-related events this week—from unusually foamy ocean water on a New South Wales beach to bushfires in the country's west.
- Eyewitness to Congo Crash - April 16, 2008—National Geographic producer Michael Davie was an eyewitness to yesterday's plane crash in Goma that reportedly killed at least 21 people.
- Farm Fish Threaten Wild Fish? - January 31, 2008 —Fish farms currently provide sustainable populations of fish for eating, but fish raised in open-net farms can spread disease and parasites to wild fish.
- Fin Soup Spurs Shark Decline - January 2, 2008—The delicacy is a status symbol in fast-growing China, where demand has caused a startling drop in the number of sharks in the Atlantic.
- First New World Gunshot Victim Discovered - July 19, 2007—Archaeologists uncover and examine the 500-year-old skeleton of the Inca man they believe was the first shooting victim in the Americas.
- Freak Wave Pushes Cars - March 14, 2008—An unusually high wave crashed onto a boulevard in northwestern Spain, pushing people and cars aside. Much of Western Europe saw harsh weather this week.
- French Wine From Africa? - March 3, 2008—One of France's largest winemakers plans to begin production in Ethiopia, where an unusual climate allows farmers two grape harvests a year.
- Gandhi's Ashes Spread - January 30, 2008—Sixty years to the day after his assassination, some of Mahatma Gandhi's ashes were scattered across the Arabian Sea Wednesday. Descendants of India's iconic, non-violent leader took part in the ceremonies.
- Getty Returning Artifacts to Italy - September 26, 2007—The Getty Museum on Tuesday signed a deal to return 40 contested artifacts to Italy. Many artifacts were stolen or looted in the aftermath of World War II.
- Giant Fish Faces Big Trouble in China - September 11, 2007—Join biologist Zeb Hogan of the National Geographic Society's Megafishes Project as he explores the threats facing the giant Chinese sturgeon and the efforts underway to save it.
- Gorillas Find Refuge in Uganda - October 22, 2007— A Ugandan national park is a sanctuary for some 325 mountain gorillas, about half of the critically endangered species' population.
- Grand Canyon Skywalk - April 13, 2007—See what it's like to walk on a glass walkway 4,000 feet (1,220 meters) above the canyon floor in this un-narrated video.
- Greek Sculptures to "Hover" to Museum - October 10, 2007—Athens's cutting edge new Acropolis Museum will begin receiving 4,000 ancient works next week, many of them arriving by crane from the old museum.
- Grisly Whaling Video Released - February 7, 2008—To call attention to Japanese whaling practices, the Australian government released video captured on the ocean near Antarctica. Warning: graphic imagery.
- Grisly Wildlife Trade Exposed - February 25, 2008—An activist uses a video camera to expose what many would consider a grisly illegal wildlife trade in Myanmar. Warning: graphic imagery.

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