Burning Boats for St. Nick Video -- National Geographic

Burning Boats for St. Nick Video December 10, 2008—For centuries, each year before Christmas, a Croatian fishing village has "sacrificed" a boat in honor of St. Nicholas, patron saint of children and fishers—and inspiration for Santa Claus.Welcome to the National Geographic video player.Video Sections

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- "Cradle of Civilization" in Peril - April 21, 2009—Iraq's southern marshes were largely restored after Saddam Hussein drained them following the 1991 Gulf War. But now a drought threatens the ancient wetlands' recovery.
- "Missing Link" Found - May 20, 2009—A "missing link" found in Germany may be a key to human evolution—a nearly intact skeleton of a 47-million-year-old lemur-like creature.
- "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.
- "Cult of Dead" Cave Restored - December 15, 2008—For decades Italians adopted random skulls in a centuries-old underground mass grave as conduits to the afterlife. Now the complex is being readied for a reopening to the public.
- "Gladiator" Tomb Found - October 17, 2008—Archaeologists in Rome have discovered what's believed to be the tomb of a wealthy man on whom the main character of the movie "Gladiator" was based.
- "New" Moon Landing Video - July 16, 2009—See NASA's newly restored video of the first ever moonwalks in 1969—and find out what it took to capture it.
- "Witchcraft" Rebounds in Russia - October 28, 2008— Shamanism is making a comeback in the Russian region of Tyva (Tuva). Harshly suppressed during the Soviet era, Tyvan shamans combine magic and medicine.
- 16th-Century Convent "Reappears" - September 2, 2009—Low water levels at a southern Mexico reservoir have revealed the remains of a 16th-century convent submerged when the lake was created 40 years ago.
- 49 Aztec Warriors in Mass Grave - February 11, 2009—Archaeologists in Mexico City have discovered a mass grave of what may have been the last warriors to resist conquistador Hernán Cortés, who took the Aztec capital in 1521.
- Ancient Babylon Damaged - September 24, 2008—After years of deterioration, the ancient Iraqi city of Babylon is suffering anew in the wake of war.
- 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 Roman Tiny "Boxer" Found - January 28, 2009—Unearthed from the ruins of a 1,500-year-old, earthquake-hit Jerusalem building, the unprecedented marble figurine sports a short hairstyle indicating it depicts an athlete.
- Ancient Sahara Graveyard Found - August 14, 2008—A 10,000-year-old cemetery with hundreds of skeletons is giving unparalleled insight into life in Africa's great desert when it was green and lush.
- Ancient Sea Life in Utah - January 9, 2009—Some 93 million years ago, dinosaur-era "sea monsters" swam the seas above what is now Utah. Thanks to paleontologists, more evidence of the ancient beasts is now surfacing.
- Ancient Statue Returned to Iraq - January 12, 2009—Confiscated from a smuggler in Egypt, an ancient bronze statuette—perhaps of a goddess—has been returned to Iraq.
- Ancient Temples Found in Peru - October 20, 2008—Archeologists in Peru have discovered two religious temples more than 3,000 years old, the remains of which are still in excellent condition.
- 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.
- Australia's First Visitors? - November 7, 2008—Newfound rock art paintings in northern Australia may reveal that peoples from neighboring Indonesia traded with Aborigines centuries before the arrival of the British.
- Belief in Elves Strong in Iceland - December 11, 2008—Most Icelanders believe in elves, according to a self-proclaimed elf historian. Whether elves exist or not, their lore remains strong in the country.
- Biggest Snake Found - February 5, 2009—Fossils from the world's biggest snake—a prehistoric giant that weighed more than a ton and was more than 42 feet (13 meters) long—have been found in a Colombian coal mine.
- 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.
- Buried Spanish Galleon Found - December 31, 2008—Complete with canons and jars of olive oil, an 18th-century Spanish ship has been found at a Buenos Aires, Argentina, construction site.
- Burning Boats for St. Nick - December 10, 2008—For centuries, each year before Christmas, a Croatian fishing village has "sacrificed" a boat in honor of St. Nicholas, patron saint of children and fishers—and inspiration for Santa Claus.
- Cleopatra Tomb Site Found? - April 20, 2009—Cleopatra and Marc Anthony are likely buried together in one of three sites at an ancient temple, archaeologists announced in Egypt Sunday.
- 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.
- Darwin Voyage to Rio Retraced - December 2, 2008—Stunned by slavery and "the glories of the vegetation of the tropics," Charles Darwin explored Brazil's Rio de Janeiro state in 1832—a voyage now being retraced with the help of one of his great-great-grandsons.
- Dozens of Girls Found Sacrificed - July 14, 2009—Many of the 33 mummies uncovered near Chiclayo, Peru, were those of girls—a rarity, experts say. Their throats slit, the girls were probably killed in a bid for agricultural fertility.
- 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.
- Dung Heaps Tell Climate Story - September 4, 2009—Rock rabbit dung heaps in Africa—some dating back tens of thousands of years—are time capsules of climate and vegetation information.
- Egypt Mummy Has Sex Changed - June 26, 2009—Lady Hor, an ancient Egyptian mummy at New York's Brooklyn Museum, is actually Sir Hor, CT scans reveal.
- Farmer Busted With Artifacts - December 18, 2008—A farmer in Italy uncovered hundreds of ancient artifacts—some perhaps 2,500 years old—but ran into trouble with police when he tried to sell some of them.
- 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.
- Forbidden "Paradise" Revealed - November 12, 2008—Built as a "paradise on Earth" in Beijing for a Chinese emperor, the Forbidden City's newly restored garden quarters have been sealed off for nearly a century.
- Fossil Found in Kitchen Counter - May 5, 2009—After a factory had found a 40-million-year-old whale fossil in a limestone kitchen counter, researchers investigated the stone's fossil-packed quarry, which could shed light on the origins of African wildlife.
- Giant Prehistoric Elephant Found - June 22, 2009—Scientists in Indonesia claim they have unearthed the 200,000-year-old skeleton of a giant elephant that stood more than 13 feet (4 meters) tall.
- Hatshepsut - June 27, 2007—Watch as archaeologists reveal how they identified the long-lost mummy of Hatshepsut, an Egyptian ruler famous for donning the male garb of a pharaoh.
- Herod Mausoleum, Art Found? - November 20, 2008—Archaeologists in Israel announced new discoveries at what the team believes is the tomb of the biblical King Herod on Wednesday.
- How Flu Viruses Attack - May 1, 2009—See how a flu virus attacks, mutates, and becomes contagious—perhaps resulting in an outbreak or even pandemic.
- Ice Age People in Florida? - October 1, 2008—People may have lived in Florida over 10,000 years ago—earlier than previously thought—according to evidence uncovered by National Geographic researchers.
- Internet's 40th "Birthday" Marked - August 31, 2009—In fall 1969, computers sending data between two California universities set the stage for the Internet, which became a household word in the 1990s.
- Juice Stains Huge Ancient Heads - January 14, 2009—Pouring grape juice and other liquids on 3,000-year-old Olmec sculptures in Mexico, people performing a ritual badly damaged the treasures.
- Killer Dino Stalked Outback - July 6, 2009—A "terrifying" raptor-like dinosaur roamed what is now Australia's outback about 98 million years ago, newfound fossils show.
- Leonardo da Vinci Portrait Found? - April 3, 2009—A medieval historian in Italy found what is believed to be a portrait, hidden beneath another painting, of Leonardo da Vinci.
- Lost Civilization Under Istanbul - January 29, 2009—A rail-tunnel project has led to the discovery of artifacts proving that an ancient city is much older than originally believed.
- Machu Picchu Find Revealed - December 1, 2008— Archaeologists in Peru have discovered an Incan mummy and artifacts at a site within the Machu Picchu national park.
- Maya "Road to Hell" Found? - November 10, 2008—The Maya believed the road to the afterlife ran through the underworld. Now an archaeologist says he's found the real-life version of that road in a Mexican cave.
- MLK, Jr. Remembered - January 7, 2007—Thanks to the efforts of a humble Baptist preacher, Martin Luther King, Jr., the law is bound to uphold equal rights for all people across the country regardless of race, color, or creed.
- Moon Pics Fixed at Old McDonald's - May 5, 2009—It might sound like going from the frying pan to the Frymaster, but it's actually a good thing that historic moon pictures have been moved from dusty storage to an old McDonald's--a "pretty cool place" for restoration work.
- New Egypt Pyramid Discovered - November 12, 2008—A previously buried 4,300-year-old pyramid in Egypt has been found by archaeologists—the tomb of Queen Sesheshet.
- New Terra-Cotta Army Dig Begins - June 15, 2009—Archaeologists have begun excavating more of the famed terra-cotta warriors, life-size clay figures created to guard the tomb of China's first emperor.
- New View on Stonehenge Burials - May 29, 2008—Radiocarbon dating of human remains indicates that the mysterious stone monument was used as a cemetery longer than previously thought.
- North Korea's "School Train of Love" - August 5, 2009—Reportedly running since 1978, a special passenger train takes children living in one of North Korea's northernmost provinces on an hour-long ride to and from school.
- Oldest Woman is 130? - April 1, 2009—A Kazakh woman claims to be 130 years old, making her the oldest living human in history. Her doctor believes she's 130, and her passport is offered as proof, but skeptics question the claim.
- Painted Egypt Coffins Unearthed - April 27, 2009—Archaeologists in Egypt have found 53 rock tombs containing preserved mummies and painted coffins dating back as far as 4,000 years.
- Paris Catacombs "Dense in Death" - August 25, 2009—In underground passageways that snake underneath the French capital, nearly six million people who died of disease in the Middle Ages share a final resting place.
- Peru Sues Yale Over Artifacts - December 12, 2008—The Peruvian government is suing Yale University over artifacts removed from Peru nearly a century ago.
- Presidents' Day Discovery - February 13, 2009—Archaeologists digging at the site of George Washington's early home have discovered clues about the boyhood of the first U.S. President.
- Proof of Bible's King David? - October 31, 2008—The oldest known Hebrew inscription has reportedly been found where David and Goliath are said to have fought in Israel. If the controversial claim is true, it bolsters biblical accounts.
- Roman "Jewel" Promoted - November 25, 2008—Archaeologists are touting a "jewel" of the Roman Empire: the city of Viminacium in modern-day Serbia.
- Roman Emperor's Birthplace Found? - August 12, 2009—Rich with marble and mosaics, a vast, newfound ruin near Rome is likely the 2,000-year-old birthplace of Emperor Vespasian, who commissioned the Colosseum, archaeologists say.
- Sinkhole Swallows Hiker - June 29, 2009—Sinkholes around the Dead Sea pose a hazard to tourists and the environment alike. And while the danger may only get worse, geologists hope to map problem areas to help protect the public.
- Slain Che Guevara Soldiers Found? - August 21, 2009—Five bodies found in Bolivia may be guerrilla soldiers killed four decades ago for their involvement with revolutionary leader Che Guevara, anthropologists claim.
- Stonehenge Builders Village - January 30, 2007—Join archaeologist Mike Parker Pearson as he takes you through a huge prehistoric settlement that's believed to have housed the builders of Stonehenge.
- Surviving Deadly Everest - January 11, 2008—Climbing to the top of the world is an often fatal quest. But for many climbers, reaching the peak is a thrill like no other.
- The Hurricane Ike of 1900 - September 13, 2008— Hurricane Ike isn't the first epic storm to slam Galveston, Texas. See scenes of the devastation from what is still called the worst natural disaster in U.S. history.
- Toddler Becomes "Living Goddess" - November 4, 2008—A three-year-old has become the latest Kumari, or "living goddess" in Nepal. She will live away from her family until puberty.
- U.S. Mining Law Contested - February 1, 2008—An 1872 law that allows mining companies to buy land in the U.S. West for about $5 an acre is running smack into 21st-century sensibilities.
- Unusual Mummy Found in Peru - July 17, 2008—His eyes covered with metal plates, a thousand-year-old elite mummy has been found surrounded by unfamiliar artifacts—shedding light on a mysterious culture.
- White Trees Fill Capital - December 30, 2008—In the country of Georgia each new year, handcrafted, decorated trees sprout around the capital, Tbilisi, as emblems of prosperity and happiness.
- World's Largest Stone Dome Rises - September 19, 2008—The world's largest stone dome built without pillars is near completion in India at the site of a gigantic pagoda.
- World's Oldest Child - September 20, 2006—Journey to Ethiopia's barren great Rift Valley with Anthropologist Zeresenay Alemsegeed, and learn how he discovered "Lucy's Baby," the oldest and most complete human ancestor child ever found.
- Yale Agrees to Return Machu Picchu Artifacts - September 20, 2007—Yale University has agreed to return thousands of Machu Picchu relics to the government of Peru in what many officials are hailing as a landmark deal.
- Yves St. Laurent Auction Dispute - February 26, 2009—Two bronzes, which disappeared from a Chinese palace in 1860, sold at an auction of the late fashion designer's possessions for U.S. $36 million, despite pleas to halt the sale.
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