125 Years of National Geographic

On January 13, 1888, thirty-three men gathered at the Cosmos Club in Washington D.C., and made a plan to form a new scientific society that would support research and spread the word about their findings (see photos and bios of the founders).

To kick off a full year of celebrating this anniversary, we gathered explorers from around the world together with public participants for an epic Google+ Hangout to talk with each other about the new age of exploration in which we live. Generations after that meeting of just thirty-three men from across the United States, this event spanned the globe as well as the human experience, and ultimately involved thousands of people watching from their homes around the world as well.

Watch the highlights video here or the full replay here, and see below to learn more about these thrilling explorers and the work they’ve done and will continue to do, and join us as we keep doing what we’ve always done together: explore.

Read the full post here and visit the “125 Years” anniversary site here for photos, videos, stories, and more.