国家地理
When National Geographic Explorer Tamara Merino’s tire blew out in a seemingly desolate area of Australia’s Simpson Desert, she had no idea she was near an entire underground community of 2,000 dwelling in an opal mining outpost called Coober Pedy. Intrigued by their way of life, she’s traveled the world—including Jordan, Lesotho, Tunisia, and Turkey, as captured here—in search of other cave societies to document.
Though it’s an increasingly rare way of life in the 21st century, humans have lived in caves for millions of years. This ancient practice isn’t just a remnant of humanity’s past—it can also provide important lessons for how we might adapt to climate change as global warming makes surface dwelling more difficult.
Learn more about these cave societies at the link in bio.
Videos by @tamaramerino_photography and Recep Akar