London
By Simon Worrall
Photographs by Jodi Cobb

Britain’s capital city has shed its staid reputation. Newly enlivened by hot culture and cold cash, London is redefining itself as a global trendsetter.

• Also in this issue: a double map supplement of Britain and Ireland.

• Have fun with the dialectical divide found among English speakers. Read our online essay, check the glossary for translations, and add your thoughts to our forum.

* Excerpt: “London Bridges the Racial Divide”

• In Our Store: National Geographic Guide to London

Debut Sue
By Donovan Webster
Photographs by Ira Block

The largest Tyrannosaurus rex ever discovered has found new stomping grounds at Chicago’s Field Museum.

Suriname
By John McCarry
Photographs by Robert Caputo

Can local knowledge of medicinal plants protect the South American rain forest and bolster this young nation’s economy?

• See a map of Suriname from the new National Geographic Atlas of the World.

Sierra Madre Pilgrimage
By Paul Salopek
Photographs by Maria Stenzel

In a 1,300-mile [2,090-kilometer] journey through the mountains of Mexico, the author pursues the past—his own and that of an enigmatic 19th-century Norwegian explorer.

Jelly Bellies
By Richard Conniff
Photographs by David Doubilet

The beauty of these drifting predators may surprise those who know jellyfish only as the bane of the beach.

• National Geographic News: “Jellyfish Population Explosion Intrigues Scientists”

In Focus: Golan Heights
Since 1948 this small patch of land overlooking the Jordan River has been a source of contention between Israel and Syria. Now it may be the bargaining chip that finally brings them peace.