NGM JULY 2026
BEYOND EARTH
Before humans can live off-world and embark on deep space missions, we need to understand how the body and mind adapt to space, from long isolation, limited resources, to the complex dynamics of small, high-stakes teams. On Earth, analog missions serve as testbeds for these challenges. This October, the World’s Biggest Analog (WBA) will attempt something no one has tried before: a synchronized, two-week mission spanning multiple research stations across the globe in a coordinated rehearsal for humanity’s multi-planetary future. Other features in this issue include:
• Revealing the Secrets That Mummies Keep: Scientists from Italy’s one-of-a-kind institute for Mummy Studies are revolutionizing the study of ancient remains, visiting burial sites across the globe to uncover new insight into how long-dead humans once lived.
• Wonders of America: As the United States marks 250 years of independence, we’re celebrating the country’s distinctive and superlative places and experiences—the grandest, wildest, and strangest bits of American geography and culture across every state and territory.
• The Snake That Saves Mountains: Conservationists in western Honduras have rallied around a seemingly unlikely species: the venomous jade palm pit viper. Now they’re leveraging sentiment for the serpent to launch creative protections for its cloud forest habitat.
