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Dec 27, 2020Turning darkness into light

Winter illuminations are a big deal in Japan and there is perhaps no bigger display than the one here at Nabana no Sato, a flower park in the gardens of Nagashima Spa Land in Kuwana, Japan. This image is just a glimpse of what awaits you in the park. More than 8.5 million LED lightbulbs illuminate pathways, trees, and the park"s famous "Tunnel of Lights." Can"t make it for the holidays? No worries. While many of Japan"s light displays end after the new year, this one lasts from mid-October through early May. And if not this year (hello pandemic), maybe next?Desktop Version

Jan 10, 2020League of Nations, 100 years later

For the anniversary of the League of Nations, we"re in Geneva, Switzerland, at the Palace of Nations. The LN was founded on January 10, 1920, after World War I. It served as an international diplomatic organization until World War II, when it gradually lost support and was eventually replaced by the United Nations. The Palace, built to be the LN"s headquarters, has served as UN headquarters in Geneva and hosts diplomats for thousands of meetings every year.Desktop Version

May 12, 2018It’s World Migratory Bird Day

Every traveler needs a place to rest from time to time. In the case of the snow goose, that place needs to be very large. Snow geese travel in flocks of hundreds, sometimes thousands, as they travel north to their springtime breeding grounds in the Arctic tundra. They stop along the way to rest and forage, relying on places like Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge in New York, where our homepage image was photographed. World Migratory Bird Day, recognized on May 12, highlights the need to protect habitat for winged travelers like these.Desktop Version

Sep 7, 2018An historic forest

When explorers from Portugal landed on the shores of what is now Brazil in 1500, the Atlantic Forest, seen here, is what greeted them. Before colonization, the forest the Portuguese called ‘Mata Atlântica’ is estimated to have covered nearly 400,000 square miles, and possibly as many as 600,000. As Brazil celebrates its independence today, the Atlantic Forest is in peril--85 percent of it has been destroyed to make room for agriculture and development.Desktop Version

Aug 7, 2021Salt of the earth

This shimmering white expanse could easily be mistaken for Antarctica. But what we"re looking at isn"t snow and ice—it"s a surreal landscape of endless salt high in the Andes of southwest Bolivia. Located at a lofty altitude of about 12,000 feet above sea level, Salar de Uyuni is the world"s largest salt flat (or salt pan), spanning just over 4,000 square miles. It was formed when prehistoric lakes dried up over centuries, leaving behind a desert of bright white salt that can be seen from space. During the rainy season (December to April), a thin layer of water covering the salt transforms the area into a giant mirror that reflects the beautiful Bolivian skies. If you"re driving across the surface at such times, it can appear as though you are navigating through a highway of clouds.Desktop Version

Jan 14, 2020Going head-to-head with winter

Muskoxen are built to chill. These animals can endure, even thrive, in some of the harshest conditions on Earth—the Arctic winter. Their long, wiry outer coat covers a soft and thick inner layer, called qiviut, that keeps them toasty even as temperatures plummet. When winter ends, the muskoxen shed this undercoat, which is collected and spun into yarn that"s warmer than sheep"s wool and softer than cashmere—pricier, too.Desktop Version

May 28, 2019Why’s it called a spelling ‘bee,’ anyhow?

You might recognize our homepage friend from the logo of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, an annual US competition since 1925. Why’s it called a spelling bee? Because another meaning of ‘bee’ is any kind of gathering or meeting for collective work or competition, like a quilting bee or, yes, a spelling bee. The Scripps National Spelling Bee is being held this week in National Harbor, Maryland, and savvy spellers from grade schools and middle schools around the world will compete for top honors.Desktop Version

May 23, 2020Bask in the glow—It s World Turtle Day

For the last 20 years, on May 23, turtle lovers everywhere have emerged to honor these shelled reptiles that have roamed the Earth for more than 200 million years. The over 350 known species of turtles alive today are found on every continent, except Antarctica. But despite their wide distribution, most turtles are endangered due to loss of habitat, illegal wildlife trade, and hunting and fishing. World Turtle Day aims to change that by raising awareness about their plight and encouraging conservation efforts. So today, we invite you to stick your neck out for turtles.Desktop Version

Oct 3, 2019Love on ice

There"s love in the air here in Antarctica, where these Adélie penguins have congregated after a long winter at sea. October brings them ashore in search of their breeding grounds. Here they"ll pair up and grow their families, gathering in large colonies of thousands and constructing nests made of stones piled together on the shoreline. Love can be a cruel game, and these penguins are known to steal stones from other nests. But when it comes to parenting, Adélie mates make a progressive couple. Once the pair of eggs arrives, the parents will take turns keeping them warm, and both mom and dad will help raise the chicks. In March, Adélie penguins will return to sea, where they"ll spend their winter foraging among icebergs.Desktop Version

Oct 19, 2020A cliff-hanging complex of temples

Feast your eyes on the colorful Mati Si (Horse"s Hoof Temple) and its cliffside complex of sandstone grottoes and wooden pavilions. An indentation in the sandstone provides a clue to the mythical origin of the temple. One legend has it that a frightened longma—a winged dragon horse—visited here thousands of years ago and left its hoof mark in the rock as it landed. What you can"t see in our homepage image is the narrow network of tunnels cut into the cliff, connecting the seven floors and multiple grottoes to the Mati Si pagoda, which is 200 feet high and holds hundreds of Buddha statues.Desktop Version

Aug 16, 2020Here s looking at you

This bright-eyed burrowing owl is emerging from its burrow just in time to enjoy the sunset here in Northern California. And yes, you read that right—it’s a burrowing owl. Unlike most owls, burrowing owls nest and roost underground, often in tunnels abandoned by ground squirrels or prairie dogs. It"s one of many traits that make the pint-sized species unique among owls. Burrowing owls live in grasslands, deserts, or other open dry areas with low vegetation. When threatened, they retreat to their burrows and are known to frighten off predators by mimicking the rattling and hissing sounds of a rattlesnake. And while most other owls sleep during the daytime, burrowing owls are often active in the daylight hours. It"s as if they didn"t finish proper owl training.Desktop Version

Nov 13, 2019Big-wave hunters watch Nazaré

Today"s image captures Brazilian surfer Rodrigo Koxa in action, surfing a record 80-foot wave off the coast of Nazaré, Portugal. Nazaré began attracting surfers in the 1960s and has since become a major destination for men and women who want to surf some of the world"s biggest waves. Nazaré"s Praia do Norte (North Beach) is the site of the two latest records for largest wave ever surfed. The previous record was set by American Garrett McNamara on November 1, 2011, when he rode a 78-foot wave here. Then, on November 8, 2017, Koxa set a new record with this ride.Desktop Version

May 11, 2020A tree amid the Tetons

This limber pine standing alone in the sagebrush flats has a name—Old Patriarch. A favorite subject of nature photographers in Wyoming"s Grand Teton National Park, Old Patriarch is thought to be more than a thousand years old. The Cathedral Group of the Teton Mountains forms a breathtaking backdrop, bursting up from the valley floor below and stretching dramatically to the soaring peaks. The national park spreads out below the spires for 310,000 acres, featuring extraordinary wildlife, pristine lakes, and alpine terrain. Sounds like the Old Patriarch has found quite a home for himself.Desktop Version

Sep 4, 2018What the hay?

Is it harvest time where you live? Perhaps growing up you spent this season bucking hay with your family. If you’re not familiar with the practice, it involves stacking hay bales that weigh up to 150 pounds–-often throwing them up onto higher levels. These days, farmers use sophisticated machinery to handle many aspects of hay production. The round, uniform bales of hay shown here in the fields of Tuscany were likely produced by a baler machine. And the round shape, while not as easy to maneuver as the rectangular style, is more resistant to moisture, which can damage a crop. Happy harvest!Desktop Version

Aug 6, 2020Space-age style by the sea

This pod-like structure near the seaside resort of Binz, on the Pomeranian coast of northeast Germany, provides a snapshot into a different era, delivered by the architect Ulrich Müther. Originally a lifeguard tower, it was constructed in 1968 in a style known as shell architecture using an innovative thin, poured-concrete material. Müther designed and built roughly 70 buildings in this manner, many of them here on the island of Rügen, where he lived. His work is regarded as some of the most outstanding examples of architecture in the region.Desktop Version

Jun 4, 2019Breaking the fast for Eid

Here in the Draa River Valley, farmers grow date palms in the oasis town of Zagora, which for many is the last stop before a long journey into the Sahara. Today the Muslim population of Zagora will join billions of Muslims around the world to celebrate Eid al-Fitr. The food-filled holiday marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan.Desktop Version

Feb 15, 2020Whales in winter

Wintertime brings large numbers of humpback whales to the icy waters off the Norwegian coast, where they feed on herring and krill—and delight whale watchers with powerful leaps, tail-slaps, and glimpses into their underwater world. Male humpbacks are famous for their haunting songs, which can last up to 20 minutes and be heard over great distances underwater. Scientists aren"t sure why exactly the males sing these ballads, but some theorize it"s related to courtship. That sounds romantic enough, but ladies take note—the humpback isn"t one to settle down. It"s a migratory animal that swims up to 16,000 miles a year, traveling from southern breeding grounds to Arctic waters like these.Desktop Version

Mar 31, 2020What a twist

No, it"s not a sci-fi movie set—but maybe it should be. The Twist seems like an intrusion from the future amidst the dense woods and preserved historical buildings of Jevnaker, Norway, home to the Kistefos Museum"s sculpture park. The Twist is a bridge, but also an art gallery. Its unique construction features straight slats set at increasing angles as one moves toward the center—"like a stack of books," as its architects at the Bjarke Ingels Group describe it—to create a 90-degree turn where a wall becomes the ceiling and vice versa.Desktop Version

Oct 19, 2018Portland celebrates its bounty

Colonial settlements in Portland, Maine, began with an economy based heavily on fishing, but over the years it has built up a bustling culinary scene as well. In fact, it’s been dubbed the ‘Foodiest Small Town in America.’ This week the Harvest on the Harbor Festival is showcasing what Portland’s chefs and other food and drink professionals can do with the region’s abundant foods, especially locally caught lobster. Harvest on the Harbor lasts until October 21, so if you’re the jet-setting type, there’s still time for a weekend getaway.Desktop Version

Jan 25, 2020Happy New Year! (Again!)

For the first day of the Chinese New Year, we’re showing the southern fortification of the Xi"an City Wall as it was decorated and lit up for last year"s lunar new year party. The south gate was rebuilt in 2014 and is often used to stage the fireworks show that rings in the Chinese New Year, which falls between late January and early February. Why a different new year celebration date? It comes down to the sun versus the moon: While the widely used Gregorian calendar is based on the Earth"s rotation around the sun, the lunar calendar is marked by the phases of the moon. So, the Gregorian new year always falls on January 1, while the lunar new year date moves around from year to year. Either way, we"re excited to have another excuse to throw a party.Desktop Version

Feb 8, 2021A hero for the 21st century

Towering above Atlanta"s Sweet Auburn district is this 65-foot-high mural of John Lewis, the civil rights icon. What better way to celebrate Black History Month than to honor Lewis, a son of sharecroppers who carried the struggles of the civil rights movement from the Jim Crow South to the halls of Congress? An Alabama native, Lewis moved to Atlanta in 1963. He was already famous and would become even more so for leading marches, protests, and sit-ins throughout the South. Beaten by police, the KKK, and angry mobs, Lewis never wavered from his belief in nonviolent protest. He famously fought with his voice and peaceful actions, never his fists.Desktop Version

Apr 23, 2018National Park Week: Haleakalā National Park, Hawaii

Each week hundreds of tourists make the journey to the summit of Haleakalā, a dormant volcano at Haleakalā National Park, to watch the sunrise at 10,000 feet above sea level. Legend says this protected place is the site where demigod Maui lassoed the sun and convinced it to slow down and make our days last longer. Thanks, Maui! Now is there any chance you can make the weekend longer, too?Desktop Version

Jul 3, 2021Diving into the underwater nirvana

Indonesia"s Wakatobi National Park protects one of the most diverse underwater environments in the world. Around 400 species of coral are found in these pristine waters, and they"re home to a staggering variety of marine life, including dolphins, whales, turtles, and hundreds of species of fish. The park was established in 2002, preserving more than 5,000 square miles, most of which is covered by coral reefs. In fact, the barrier reef here is second in size only to the Great Barrier Reef and is so full of life that famed oceanographer and explorer Jacques Cousteau is said to have called it an "underwater nirvana." Many others have followed in Cousteau"s wake, and Wakatobi has become a preeminent destination for diving and snorkeling.Desktop Version

Sep 4, 2021Humming along

Did you know that in the US, the first Saturday in September is National Hummingbird Day? You do now! And what a terrific bird to celebrate. Hummingbirds, such as the Anna"s hummingbird in this photo, are crucial to healthy ecosystems. Many flowers have evolved funnel-shaped blooms specifically to attract hummingbirds—large insects like bumblebees can’t always squeeze into these tubular blossoms. But hummingbirds can plunge their long, narrow bills deep into the blooms to find the nectar that accumulates in the base and in the process, they spread pollen from flower to flower.Desktop Version

Nov 6, 2023Lake Pehoé, Torres del Paine National Park, Chile

Turquoise waters surrounded by jagged peaks and lush forests—that"s Lake Pehoé for you. Nestled in Torres del Paine National Park, Chile, this glacial lake reflects the towering peaks of the Cuernos del Paine, pictured here bathed in the sun"s rays. The lake gets its color from finely ground rock particles and minerals, known as glacial flour, suspended in the water. The word "paine," pronounced pie-neh, in the park’s name is believed to have its roots in a Tehuelche word meaning "blue" while "torres" means towers. The park is named after three striking granite peaks that reach up to 8,200 feet above sea level but boasts many other spectacular mountains. At 700 square miles, Torres del Paine is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve with a huge amount to offer visitors, from hiking and kayaking to stargazing. So, pack your sense of adventure and head south to beat the blues.Desktop Version

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