Portfolio

Randy Olson

Ogallala Aquifer | What Happens When the Water Runs Out, National Geographic Magazine

Ogallala Aquifer | What Happens When the Water Runs Out, National Geographic Magazine

This is a water story. There are only six great aquifers in the world and the only great …

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Planet or Plastic | National Geographic Magazine

Planet or Plastic | National Geographic Magazine

By 2050, oceans are expected to contain more plastics than fish by weight. River systems in China, Indonesia …

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7 Billion Humans | National Geographic Magazine

7 Billion Humans | National Geographic Magazine

Urbanization: Population shift into and out of the cities is a particularly interesting dynamic. We became an urban …

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Kamchatka, Russia | Where the Salmon Rule, National Geographic Magazine

Kamchatka, Russia | Where the Salmon Rule, National Geographic Magazine

This is a story about fish and the social fabric that exists around the last salmon stronghold on …

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Indus Valley | Clues to an Ancient Civilization, National Geographic

Indus Valley | Clues to an Ancient Civilization, National Geographic

Nearly 5,000 years ago as Bronze Age civilizations developed in Mesopotamia and Egypt, great cities arose along the …

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Shattered Sudan | Drilling for Oil, Hoping for Peace, National Geographic

Shattered Sudan | Drilling for Oil, Hoping for Peace, National Geographic

Sudan is the largest country in Africa. Two and a half million Sudanese have died—the most casualties anywhere …

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Remote Russia: Expedition to Putorana Plateau, National Geographic

Remote Russia: Expedition to Putorana Plateau, National Geographic

It takes two vans to get everything to the airport. The helicopter is a flying gas tank, carrying …

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Ethiopia’s Omo Valley | Africa’s Last Frontier, National Geographic Magazine

Ethiopia’s Omo Valley | Africa’s Last Frontier, National Geographic Magazine

This is a fairly simple and sad story—a snapshot of cultures in southern Ethiopia that will disappear. The …

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China’s “Comfort Class” | The Bling Dynasty, National Geographic Magazine

China’s “Comfort Class” | The Bling Dynasty, National Geographic Magazine

“Never in the course of human history has a larger number of people gained more wealth in such …

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7 Billion Humans | National Geographic Magazine

7 Billion Humans | National Geographic Magazine

By the United Nations estimates, the world’s population is now over seven billion. The first billion people accumulated over …

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7 Billion Humans | Empty Pockets, The Youth Bulge in Developing World

7 Billion Humans | Empty Pockets, The Youth Bulge in Developing World

Empty pockets – Fertile Developing World: Half of Uganda’s population is under the age of 15 and they …

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Ituri Forest Pygmies | Who Rules the Forest? National Geographic Magazine

Ituri Forest Pygmies | Who Rules the Forest? National Geographic Magazine

“Pygmy” refers to any human group whose adult males reach less than 150 cm (4 feet 11 inches) …

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The Human Cost of Gold | National Geographic Magazine

The Human Cost of Gold | National Geographic Magazine

Throughout civilization, gold has commanded more respect than any other substance. King Ferdinand of Spain said, “Get gold …

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Maasai: Lost in the Stampede, National Geographic Magazine

Maasai: Lost in the Stampede, National Geographic Magazine

The Serengeti may be one of the healthiest ecosystems on the planet. But while many work tirelessly to …

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7 Billion Humans | Empty Nests in the Aging Developed World

7 Billion Humans | Empty Nests in the Aging Developed World

Empty Nests: Europe, Russia and Japan are aging and producing more empty nests than offspring. Every child in …

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Rural America’s Last Hurrah, County Fairs, National Geographic

Rural America’s Last Hurrah, County Fairs, National Geographic

County fairs—a celebration of harvest, skills, productivity, and survival—are reality shows for city dwellers, and an annual last …

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Black Sea Culture, Crucible of the Gods, National Geographic Magazine

Black Sea Culture, Crucible of the Gods, National Geographic Magazine

The Black Sea, lying along the northern border of present-day Turkey, was the end of the world for …

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Global Fish Crisis | Still Waters, National Geographic Magazine

Global Fish Crisis | Still Waters, National Geographic Magazine

The diversion of low-value fish from the mouths of people in developing countries into the mouths of well-fed …

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Australia’s Monsoonal North, Wet Down Under, National Geographic

Australia’s Monsoonal North, Wet Down Under, National Geographic

I was assigned to do a story about monsoon season in Northern Australia. Simple really, a story about …

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7 Billion Humans | Immigration

7 Billion Humans | Immigration

Immigration: In this urbanized world where rich, poor, young and old from all cultures and with different customs …

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