National Geographic | THE COMPASS

National Geographic

THE COMPASS

This week, we celebrate the fall season. Learn why the equinox ushers in the arrival of fall, see the fascinating ways animals prepare for fall, and discover where to avoid the crowds on these leaf-peeping scenic drives. Plus, top stories you may have missed.

A flock of swans fly at sunrise on the first day of fall in London's Richmond Park.

PHOTOGRAPH BY PETER MACDIARMID, EYEVINE/REDUX

Why the equinox ushers in the arrival of fall

Every six months, the equinox splits Earth's day almost in half. Here's how it happens—and why people have celebrated it since ancient times.

WHY DO EQUINOXES HAPPEN?

A male moose emerges from the bushes during fall rutting season on the Alaska tundra.

PHOTOGRAPH BY JOHN EASTCOTT AND YVA MOMATIUK, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION

Fascinating ways animals prepare for fall

Male deer fight for mates, ladybugs stuff themselves silly, the only known "hibernating" bird prepares for its slumber, and more.

A SEASON OF PREPARATION

GOOD READS

1.

Who were the Tarim Basin mummies? Even scientists were surprised.

2.

Another rare spotless giraffe found—the first ever seen in the wild.

3.

COVID cases are rising again. Here’s a refresher on everything you forgot.

4.

How 200 volunteers pulled off one of the most difficult cave rescues ever

Visitors pick their own pumpkins at Rock Creek Farm Pumpkin Patch in Colorado.

PHOTOGRAPH BY HELEN H. RICHARDSON, THE DENVER POST/GETTY IMAGES

The surprising history of America’s ‘pick-your-own’ farms

From wartime to the Great Depression, here’s how farmers turned hard times into a billion-dollar agritourism industry.

SOMETHING OF A TRADITION

A male reticulated glass frog hangs upside down on a leaf next to its eggs in Costa Rica.

PHOTOGRAPH BY JAIME CULEBRAS, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION

What do you see? Camouflage is complicated. It comes in multiple styles, and some animals use more than one to fool predators. What animal do you see in this picture?

A. A snake
B. A caterpillar
C. A frog
D. A moth

CLICK FOR THE ANSWER

Guests have been overnighting in the Sonoran Desert at Arizona‘s Castle Hot Springs resort since the 1900s. oday, its lodging options include newer bungalows (shown) as well as historic digs.

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY CASTLE HOT SPRINGS

What’s better than autumn at a historic inn? Here are 10 to visit.

From a castle-like resort in Quebec City to a hot springs retreat in the Arizona desert, these stays come with colorful scenery and stories.

FALL VIEWS AS RICH AS THEIR PASTS

Photograph of a sunrise from Bear Rocks in West Virginia in October.

PHOTOGRAPH BY EJ-J, ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES

It’s leaf-peeping season: Avoid the crowds on these scenic drives

Explore these lesser known U.S. byways for maximum autumn splendor—from Wisconsin to West Virginia.

WILD AND ICONIC LANDSCAPES

For Antarctica’s emperor penguins, ‘there is no time left’ +

THE LAST OF THEIR KIND

Did ancient Romans love French bulldogs as much as we do? +

Reconstructing the face of a 700-year-old murder victim. +

UNSOLVED MYSTERY

WHAT WILL WE EXPLORE NEXT?

Be sure to check your inbox next week to find out.

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