• by Philip Rosenstein , Staff Writer, May 1, 2017

From a live-action documentary about human travel to Mars to a fascinating new look at Jane Goodall’s first trip to Tanzania’s Gombe National Park, National Geographic is going all in on activism.

Given the overall political climate and assault on science, media companies and content producers have been incentivized to  champion environmental issues, such as global warming, that impact their audiences.

In fact, last week, Patagonia and the Outdoor Industry Association took a stand against President Trump’s Executive Order that endangered the protected status of our country’s national monuments.

“National Geographic is not just about driving a global conversation with stories that matter, but we’re taking it one step further, using our influence to inspire real action and change,” said Brendan Ripp, EVP of sales and partnerships at Nat Geo at this year’s upfront presentation.

Upcoming shows include: Filmmaker Darren Aronofsky and National Geographic Channel are teaming for the series "One Strange Rock," which explores the fragility and wonder of Planet Earth. The three-part special "Dian Fossey: Secrets in the Mist" will honor the legacy of gorilla researcher Dian Fossey, while "On the Ropes" draws on rediscovered archive film from Dr. Goodall’s early research.

Plus, "StarTalk" with Neil deGrasse Tyson returns this fall with 20 all-new episodes.

The series "Genius," about the life of Albert Einstein, which debuted April 25, has already been renewed for a second season, coming June 20.

As a content producer with 860 million viewers across various platforms every month, Nat Geo is in a unique position to help define the conversations around science and the environment.

Indeed, 21st Century Fox CEO James Murdoch told Deadline the entertainment power is “passionate” about NatGeo and prepared to “invest at a huge scale in mission-driven content.”

Nat Geo is also wading into other key topics, including race and the military. A docuseries titled “Race With Jay Z,” is produced by Jay-Z and Harvey Weinstein. "Chain of Command" includes behind-the-scenes footage of the Trump administration and the Department of Defense.