James Cameron-backed 'Secrets of the Penguins' set to premiere on National Geographic this Earth Day

By A Representative

This Earth Day, National Geographic invites audiences on an awe-inspiring journey to the ends of the Earth with its latest three-part documentary series, "Secrets of the Penguins." Executive produced by Academy Award®-winning filmmaker and National Geographic Explorer-at-Large James Cameron, the series premieres on Tuesday, April 22 at 7 PM on National Geographic, with all episodes available to stream on JioHotstar.

Narrated by Blake Lively, the series is fronted by Emmy® and BAFTA Award-winning National Geographic Explorer Bertie Gregory, who leads viewers into the heart of penguin colonies across some of the planet’s most extreme and remote habitats. From Antarctica’s frozen cliffs to Namibia’s desert caves, "Secrets of the Penguins" uncovers never-before-seen penguin behaviours with breathtaking cinematography and innovative filming techniques.

A standout moment from the series includes never-before-filmed footage of hundreds of emperor penguin chicks fearlessly leaping off a 50-foot ice cliff at the Ekström Ice Shelf in Antarctica — a jaw-dropping clip that previously went viral with over 165 million views across Nat Geo’s social platforms. The full scene, along with newly revealed footage, is now part of this cinematic spectacle.

Over two years in the making, the production team—including over 70 scientists and filmmakers—spent 274 days embedded in some of the world’s harshest environments, capturing intimate, surprising, and even humorous moments in the lives of penguins. The series highlights remarkable behaviour such as emperor penguins practicing egg transfers using snowballs, young chicks navigating dangerous crevasses, and a daring fish heist by Galapagos penguins.

Additional stunning sequences include:

- The discovery of healthy “rockaroni” chicks — a rare hybrid between rockhopper and macaroni penguins.

- The first-ever footage of African penguins nesting in hidden cave colonies.

- A courageous rockhopper penguin fending off a southern sea lion.

The series features insight from world-renowned scientists and conservationists including Dr. Pablo Borboroglu, Dr. Michelle LaRue, Dr. Andrea Thiebault, and others who shed light on penguin evolution, climate resilience, and conservation.

Episode Guide:

- "Heart of the Emperors" (April 22, 7 PM): A deep dive into the frozen world of emperor penguins and the complex social bonds that help them survive.

- "Survival of the Smartest" (April 29, 7 PM): Explores how penguins adapted to deserts, tropics, and even urban life by becoming the most inventive of their kind.

- "Rebels with a Cause" (May 6, 7 PM): Follows the fearless rockhoppers, gentoos, and macaronis across the Southern Ocean’s toughest outposts.

"Secrets of the Penguins" follows in the footsteps of National Geographic’s Emmy-winning “Secrets of” franchise, which includes "Secrets of the Whales" (narrated by Sigourney Weaver), "Secrets of the Elephants" (narrated by Natalie Portman), and "Secrets of the Octopus" (narrated by Paul Rudd).

Produced by Talesmith for National Geographic, the series boasts an impressive production team: executive producers James Cameron and Maria Wilhelm (Lightstorm Earth), Emmy and BAFTA winners Ruth Roberts and Martin Williams (Talesmith), and Bertie Gregory, who also serves as lead storyteller, cinematographer, and producer. Serena Davies is the series producer, and Pam Caragol serves as executive producer for National Geographic.

Comments

From plagiarism to proxy exams: Galgotias and systemic failure in education

By Sandeep Pandey* Shock is being expressed at Galgotias University being found presenting a Chinese-made robotic dog and a South Korean-made soccer-playing drone as its own creations at the recently held India AI Impact Summit 2026, a global event in New Delhi. Earlier, a UGC-listed journal had published a paper from the university titled “Corona Virus Killed by Sound Vibrations Produced by Thali or Ghanti: A Potential Hypothesis,” which became the subject of widespread ridicule. Following the robotic dog controversy coming to light, the university has withdrawn the paper. These incidents are symptoms of deeper problems afflicting the Indian education system in general. Galgotias merely bit off more than it could chew.

Covishield controversy: How India ignored a warning voice during the pandemic

Dr Amitav Banerjee, MD * It is a matter of pride for us that a person of Indian origin, presently Director of National Institute of Health, USA, is poised to take over one of the most powerful roles in public health. Professor Jay Bhattacharya, an Indian origin physician and a health economist, from Stanford University, USA, will be assuming the appointment of acting head of the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), USA. Bhattacharya would be leading two apex institutions in the field of public health which not only shape American health policies but act as bellwether globally.

The 'glass cliff' at Galgotias: How a university’s AI crisis became a gendered blame game

By Mohd. Ziyaullah Khan* “She was not aware of the technical origins of the product and in her enthusiasm of being on camera, gave factually incorrect information.” These were the words used in the official press release by Galgotias University following the controversy at the AI Impact Summit in Delhi. The statement came across as defensive, petty, and deeply insensitive.

Farewell to Saleem Samad: A life devoted to fearless journalism

By Nava Thakuria* Heartbreaking news arrived from Dhaka as the vibrant city lost one of its most active and committed citizens with the passing of journalist, author and progressive Bangladeshi national Saleem Samad. A gentleman who always had issues to discuss with anyone, anywhere and at any time, he passed away on 22 February 2026 while undergoing cancer treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital. He was 74.

Growth without justice: The politics of wealth and the economics of hunger

By Vikas Meshram* In modern history, few periods have displayed such a grotesque and contradictory picture of wealth as the present. On one side, a handful of individuals accumulate in a single year more wealth than the annual income of entire nations. On the other, nearly every fourth person in the world goes to bed hungry or half-fed.

From ancient wisdom to modern nationhood: The Indian story

By Syed Osman Sher South of the Himalayas lies a triangular stretch of land, spreading about 2,000 miles in each direction—a world of rare magic. It has fired the imagination of wanderers, settlers, raiders, traders, conquerors, and colonizers. They entered this country bringing with them new ethnicities, cultures, customs, religions, and languages.

Thali, COVID and academic credibility: All about the 2020 'pseudoscientific' Galgotias paper

By Jag Jivan* The first page image of the paper "Corona Virus Killed by Sound Vibrations Produced by Thali or Ghanti: A Potential Hypothesis" published in the Journal of Molecular Pharmaceuticals and Regulatory Affairs , Vol. 2, Issue 2 (2020), has gone viral on social media in the wake of the controversy surrounding a Chinese robot presented by the Galgotias University as its original product at the just-concluded AI summit in Delhi . The resurfacing of the 2020 publication, authored by Dharmendra Kumar , Galgotias University, has reignited debate over academic standards and scientific credibility.

Conversion laws and national identity: A Jesuit response response to the Hindutva narrative

By Rajiv Shah A recent book, " Luminous Footprints: The Christian Impact on India ", authored by two Jesuit scholars, Dr. Lancy Lobo and Dr. Denzil Fernandes , seeks to counter the current dominant narrative on Indian Christians , which equates evangelisation with conversion, and education, health and the social services provided by Christians as meant to lure -- even force -- vulnerable sections into Christianity.

Unpaid overtime, broken promises: Indian Oil workers strike in Panipat

By Rosamma Thomas Thousands of workers at the Indian Oil Corporation refinery in Panipat, Haryana, went on strike beginning February 23, 2026. They faced a police lathi charge, and the Central Industrial Security Force fired into the air to control the crowd.

Search This Blog