National Geographic | THE COMPASS

National Geographic

THE COMPASS

This week, we dive into the mysterious world of myths and legends. See why Area 51 still fascinates us, learn how Nessie and the Yeti birthed a global cryptid-chasing industry, and discover the legend of the "demon cat" that roams the U.S. Capitol. Plus, top stories you may have missed.

UFO believers look for suspicious spacecraft during a UFO and Vortex Tour in Sedona, Arizona. This composite image is a combination of six photographs taken in 2017 through night vision goggles.

COMPOSITE PHOTOGRAPH BY JENNIFER EMERLING

The legend of Area 51—and why it still fascinates us

Secluded in the Nevada desert, the military base has long been associated with alien and UFO sightings. Here's the real history behind the conspiracy theories.

HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Loch Ness, a deep freshwater lake in northern Scotland, is one of several destinations that draws tourists with rumors of cryptids, or mythical creatures.

PHOTOGRAPH BY JONATHAN WILLIAM COHEN, GETTY IMAGES

How Nessie and the Yeti birthed a global cryptid-chasing industry

From the mists of Loch Ness to the wilds of Australia, fantastical beasts are spawning a lucrative—and controversial—form of tourism.

FANTASTICAL BEASTS

DID YOU MISS THESE TOP STORIES?

1.

Deep in Florida, an ‘ecological disaster’ has been reversed—and wildlife is thriving

2.

See the flamboyant grandeur of the common betta fish

3.

The intrigue behind the Bermuda Triangle

4.

Why are these orcas killing sharks and removing their livers?

Max Schreck as the vampiric Count Orlok in F.W. Murnau's Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror (1922.)

PHOTOGRAPH BY ALAMY

How popular culture changed our view of the vampire

From a very real 18th century fear to the Halloween iconography we know and love—we owe it all to the enduring, mystifying appeal of the vampire.

THE STUFF OF NIGHTMARES

THE GREENLAND SHARK IS THE LONGEST-LIVED VERTEBRATE ON THE PLANET. A STUDY IN 2016 FOUND THEY LIVE AT LEAST HOW MANY YEARS?

A. 126 YEARS
B. 204 YEARS
C. 272 YEARS

CLICK TO SEE IF YOU'RE RIGHT!

Illustration of city with columns and buildings underwater.

ILLUSTRATION VIA ISTOCK, GETTY IMAGES PLUS

Why the myth of Atlantis just won’t die

The lack of evidence for its existence hasn’t stopped people from hunting for it—or insisting that archaeologists are involved in a cover-up.

A THOUSAND YEARS OF SPECULATION

The U.S. Capitol dome at sunset in Washington, D.C.

PHOTOGRAPH BY BILL CLARK, CQ-ROLL CALL INC/GETTY IMAGES

The legend of the ‘demon cat’ that roams the U.S. Capitol

This heathen god of the elements has a now-iconic identity. But how much of it is modern invention – and how much goes way back?

WHAT WILL WE EXPLORE NEXT?

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