National Geographic magazine, April 2024 Issue

Fabulous fungi. National Geographic stories take you on a journey that's always enlightening, often surprising and unfailingly fascinating. This month–fungi are critical to life on Earth and they're shaping our future.

In this issue: Why 'funga' is just as important as flora and fauna — They’re in us, on us, and all around us. A growing movement to study and protect our fungal neighbors may define our intertwined futures.; This deadly fungus is hitchhiking its way across the world — Death cap mushrooms are exploiting our interconnected world to start popping up in unexpected, new places. And it's not the only fungus taking advantage.; Fungi could be the key to major cancer research breakthroughs — Scientists' intrigue with fungi is twofold: the fungus in our bodies could hold crucial answers about the behavior of cancer cells, and the benefits of medicinal mushrooms are promising.; Mushroom leather? The future of fashion is closer than you think. — Imagine disposing of an old pair of shoes by simply composting them. The mycotextile industry is placing a big bet on that future—and redefining the limits of fashion.; 7 extraordinary photographers share the stories behind their most iconic images — In their new documentary, Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi show how far—or high—photographers will go to get for a picture.; The harrowing 5,000-mile flight of North America's wild whooping cranes — Endangered wild whooping cranes must soar across the continent each year to ensure the survival of their species—a journey packed with obstacles like power lines and poaching.; An archaeologist suspected something special was buried here. She was right. — Digging began over a decade ago at the site of a fifth century synagogue overlooking the Sea of Galilee. What they found is upending long-held beliefs about Jewish life in that era.; See the story of Jonah and the whale like never before — A 1600-year-old mosaic discovered in Israel tells the biblical story of the big fish in dazzling detail.; Chile's Atacama Desert has become a fast fashion dumping ground — Clothing from many of the world’s favorite brands lies in discarded heaps in Chile’s Atacama Desert. How it got there tells the story of modern fast fashion.; These photos are works of art—and the artists are bugs — A photographer’s innovative technique reveals the flight paths of insects in exquisitely alluring ways.; Inside the 124-year-old observatory that birthed modern astrophysics — Home to the world’s largest refracting telescope, the Yerkes Observatory in Wisconsin was so influential that Albert Einstein insisted on visiting. Now you can too.; See how T. rex and other fierce dinos evolved in our pages over 100 years — T. rexes and other theropods first appeared in National Geographic in 1919. But each new discovery since brought a new look for these apex predators.; What to do with your old copies of Nat Geo? Here's one 'novel' idea. — Zombie-creating worms, a passionate Chilean poet, and honey-laden Viking ships share the stage in this modern comedy of manners.; The Confederate flag of truce was a simple dish towel — “It is sufficiently humiliating to have had to carry it and exhibit it,” fumed the Confederate officer who wielded the flag of truce—now on display at the Smithsonian—at Appomattox Courthouse.