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Birthplace of Roman emperors
Birthplace of Roman emperors
Just a few miles north of Seville, Spain, you"ll find the ancient ruins of Itálica, the first Roman city outside of Italy. The city was founded in 206 BCE by the Roman general Scipio as a place to house veterans from the Second Punic Wars. Itálica was also the birthplace of at least two Roman emperors.Desktop Version
A courtyard scene from Spain
A courtyard scene from Spain
For centuries people have lavishly decorated the courtyards of Córdoba, in southern Spain"s Andalusia region. Here in the San Basilio neighborhood of the city’s old town, the densely packed whitewashed houses look out onto courtyards and patios embellished by hanging flowerpots and trailing plants. The sculpture on today’s homepage, by artist José Manuel Belmonte, pays homage to the caretakers who pass along the tradition.Desktop Version
Happy Bee Day to you
Happy Bee Day to you
If flowers are the starring cast of nature"s big spring show, then bees are the crew. Honey bees are always buzzing in the background, pollinating not only our photogenic petaled friends, but also food crops that make up a third of humans" diet. But when seen in front of the camera, they"re hardly bee-listers: Today"s pollen-coated photo subject was certainly ready for her close-up.Desktop Version
Looking down upon Edinburgh
Looking down upon Edinburgh
We"re kicking off festival season in Edinburgh, Scotland, with this view of the capital city from Salisbury Crags in Holyrood Park. Throughout the month of August, the city is hosting a staggering number of music, theater, opera, dance, and other types of performances as part of the Edinburgh International Festival and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, which is the world"s largest international arts festival.Desktop Version
From Sputnik to extraterrestrial storms
From Sputnik to extraterrestrial storms
NASA’s solar-powered Juno probe took this photo of a massive storm near Jupiter’s north pole. Juno’s been collecting data and taking incredible photos of Jupiter since 2016, showing us detailed evidence of the turbulent atmosphere surrounding the largest planet in our solar system.Desktop Version
An improbable tribute for Towel Day
An improbable tribute for Towel Day
"Space," Douglas Adams observed in his comic sci-fi novel "The Hitchhiker"s Guide to the Galaxy," "is big. Really big. You just won"t believe how vastly hugely mind-bogglingly big it is. I mean, you might think it"s a long way down the road to the chemist, but that"s just peanuts to space." So, in his fictional universe, Adams invented the Infinite Improbability Drive as a way to cross its vast distances in a nothingth of a second. And, in one memorable passage, to convert two approaching nuclear missiles into a bowl of petunias and a sperm whale. Thus, today"s image of the Earth"s largest toothed whale is our tribute to Adams on the 20th annual celebration of Towel Day (it"s surprisingly difficult to find a really great image of a bowl of petunias).Desktop Version
In memory of those lost
In memory of those lost
For Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, we"re looking at the Pearl Harbor Dedication, part of the National World War II Memorial in Washington, DC. You can see the white obelisk of the Washington Monument lit up on the left. Engraved in stone is the famous quote that begins with, "December 7, 1941, a date which will live in infamy."Desktop Version
Under Parisian skies
Under Parisian skies
For Bastille Day, aka French National Day, we examine not the titular prison that was the site of the beginning of the French Revolution, but another building inexorably wrapped up in that powder-keg moment of French history. The dome in the upper right portion of this photo belongs to the Panthéon. Construction of the building—intended to be a church—began in 1758. But by the time it was completed in 1790, the French Revolution was in full swing and the new establishment decided that it should instead be used as a mausoleum for distinguished French citizens, which it remains today.Desktop Version
Kjell Henriksen Observatory
Kjell Henriksen Observatory
While these domes look like they should be in a movie set depicting a galaxy far, far away, they"re actually part of a scientific research station here on planet Earth. Kjell Henriksen Observatory is named for a Norwegian scientist whose research focused on the polar lights. The aurora borealis is frequently seen here, deep within the Arctic Circle in Norway"s remote Svalbard territory. And the observatory is specially designed to observe the aurora. Since it opened in 2008, the observatory has become a destination for atmospheric scientists, who can rent one of these 30 glass-topped rooms built to house high-end optical instruments.Desktop Version
Moving as one
Moving as one
After the nesting and breeding seasons of spring and summer have passed, starlings become highly social birds, often gathering in flocks that number in the thousands. These flocks sometimes take the form of a murmuration—when the birds form a group large and dense enough that they appear to move together as a single organism, even if the movements seem arbitrary. Though scientists still don"t quite understand how the individual starlings in a murmuration coordinate their tight, fluid formations, the behavior is thought to be a way to confuse predators.Desktop Version
A red knot on the Shetland Islands, Scotland
A red knot on the Shetland Islands, Scotland
This little bird with its 20-inch wingspan weighs about as much as a stick of butter, but it has the stamina of an Olympian. Each fall, red knots are known to fly more than 9,000 miles from the Arctic to South America–and in the spring, they do the journey in reverse, for a roundtrip of more than 20,000 miles. The most famous red knot, known as ‘Moonbird,’ is so named because the total of its known migrations have exceeded the distance to the moon. Moonbird was first banded in Rio Grande, Argentina, in 1995 and has been sighted many times in the years after–amazing scientists and birders alike.Desktop Version
Happy Star Wars Day!
Happy Star Wars Day!
Sprinting over the sands, this grey seal reminds us of Luke Skywalker"s zippy landspeeder vehicle from the first "Star Wars" flick. But unlike Luke, it"s not bound for Tosche Station to pick up some power converters—just to the sea for a fishy snack.Desktop Version
Celebrating Flag Day
Celebrating Flag Day
June 14 is Flag Day, which commemorates the adoption of the flag of the United States in 1777. Our nation"s first official flag had 13 stars and 13 red and white stripes to represent the original 13 colonies that broke from British rule. The stars were arranged on a blue background to represent a "new constellation." In 1795, two more stars and two stripes were added to reflect the entry of Vermont and Kentucky to the Union. Then in 1818, Congress passed a plan to go back to 13 stripes and add only stars for new states. The current version of the flag has been in effect since 1960, after Hawaii became a state the prior year. The flags we"re looking at here are flying in New Jersey"s Liberty State Park, with the Statue of Liberty in the background.Desktop Version
Grab onto the handlebars, kid
Grab onto the handlebars, kid
How does a bearded tamarin celebrate Father"s Day? Maybe by giving piggyback rides to pint-sized monkeys. From day one, both male and female bearded emperor tamarin babies (like the one hitching a ride in this photo), start growing their trademark handlebar mustaches and wispy beards. These diminutive residents of the Amazon basin are highly social animals. Females often give birth to twins and stay pretty busy during the day nursing them. After the babies are fed, the males watch over the youngsters by carrying them around on their backs. By the time the young tamarins reach two months old their pops become the primary caregivers, providing food and showing the ropes of the rainforest to their young charges—where to find fruit and nectar in the dry season, how to leap from branch to branch, and the best ways to groom those outrageous mustaches and beards.Desktop Version
Birds and bees, and why they re so important
Birds and bees, and why they re so important
As Pollinator Week kicks off today, we"re in Colombia witnessing what appears to be a faceoff between two pollinators. On one side, you have the bee, which takes the title as the best-known pollinator. But birds—like this lovely empress brilliant hummingbird—are excellent pollinators as well. And so are bats, beetles, and other critters that can also move pollen from plant to plant to aid pollination, giving us fruits, seeds, and the next generation of plants. So shall we call this a draw, fellas?Desktop Version
Welcome to Scotland s garden
Welcome to Scotland s garden
Today, we"re in the "Garden of Scotland," better known as the East Lothian region, to pay homage to the area"s agricultural roots on Lammas Day. Also known as Loaf Mass Day, it"s an observance that marks the beginning of the harvest season and is traditionally celebrated on August 1. The holiday is descended from the ancient British tradition known during the Middle Ages as the Gule of August and was gradually incorporated into the Christian liturgy celebrating Holy Communion. It gets its name from loaves of bread baked from the first harvested grain of the season each year.Desktop Version
Autumn comes to Old Town
Autumn comes to Old Town
The medieval center of Bern, Switzerland"s capital, looks much as it did when most of these buildings were first constructed between the 12th and the 15th centuries. What"s now called Old Town was founded in 1191 on a long, narrow peninsula surrounded on three sides by the Aare River. As Bern grew over the centuries, it erected defensive walls and moats only to tear them down again with each successive wave of expansion. In their place are now broad public spaces for outdoor cafes and markets, like the Zibelemärit (Onion Market), an annual fall tradition.Desktop Version
Castle Frankenstein in Darmstadt, Germany
Castle Frankenstein in Darmstadt, Germany
To celebrate Frankenstein Day, aka the birthday of writer Mary Shelley, we bring you this moody photo of Frankenstein Castle at Darmstadt, Germany. A man named Johann Dippel lived here once, and is said to have been involved in attempts to reanimate body parts of the deceased. Sound familiar? That may be because Dippel’s life is thought to have influenced the creation of the novel ‘Frankenstein’ by Mary Shelley. While scholars debate the real-life inspirations, we do know that Shelley was just 19 when she crafted the story, essentially written on a dare made by poet Lord Byron. While spending a rainy summer on Lake Geneva in Switzerland, Shelley (nee Godwin), her future husband Percy Bysshe Shelley, and Byron, all decided to try writing ghost stories. Mary Shelley outdid them all by creating the well-known story of the mad doctor who brings the dead back to life. Her book is often cited as the first true work of science fiction.Desktop Version
Feeling lazy? Today s your day.
Feeling lazy? Today s your day.
Isn"t it odd that many of us don"t have to work on Labor Day, but International Sloth Day is just another Wednesday? If you"re moving slowly today, that"s just fine: You"re outpacing today"s homepage subject, which spends 90% of its time scarcely moving a muscle.Desktop Version
Wild turkeys in repose
Wild turkeys in repose
The only difference between the wild turkeys in our photo today and the domestic turkeys many of us are preparing for the Thanksgiving meal is that domestic turkeys are raised on farms. Scientifically speaking, they’re the same species. The wild turkeys—like these two in Winter, Wisconsin—demonstrate how incredible these birds are in their natural environment. Adult turkeys have some 5,000 to 6,000 feathers, which work kind of like cat whiskers, helping the birds sense their environment. It’s the tom turkeys who have these large tail feather displays—they use them to attract hens. Wild turkeys don"t fly far and don"t migrate, but they are agile and can cover short distances quickly. They’re also highly adaptable to new environments, ranging throughout Mexico (where they originated) and the contiguous United States, and into several Canadian provinces as well.Desktop Version
Hohenzollern Castle near Stuttgart, Germany
Hohenzollern Castle near Stuttgart, Germany
For the charming Hohenzollern Castle, the third time really was the charm. Constructed on the top of Hohenzollern Mountain in the 11th century, the castle was largely ruined by a 10-month siege in 1423, only to be rebuilt a few decades later. It then served as an important strategic stronghold before again falling into disrepair. In the 19th century, King Frederick William IV of Prussia, best remembered for his commitment to building great works across Germany, had a new castle built on the grounds, replacing almost all the 15th-century construction. Today, Hohenzollern Castle is an open-air museum that hosts more than 350,000 visitors per year, making it one of the most-visited castles in Germany.Desktop Version
A toast to California!
A toast to California!
Today we"re celebrating the 169th anniversary of the Golden State"s admission into the Union with an appropriately golden image of a Central Coast winery and landscape. In 1850, just 14 months after the peace treaty ending the Mexican-American War ceded most of California along with a large portion of western territory to the US, the former self-proclaimed California Republic became the 31st state. California is one of only six states admitted to the Union without first being recognized as a US territory. Some link this to the California Gold Rush, which began in January 1848 and rapidly increased the California population by more than 1,000 percent.Desktop Version
In praise of the old…the very old
In praise of the old…the very old
What better way to honor National Fossil Day than with this amazing dragonfly! It"s rare to find one in such exquisite condition, but this one was discovered in Solnhofen, Germany, where limestone deposits preserved some of the most detailed fossils ever found—including the birdlike dinosaur called Archaeopteryx. This dragonfly was preserved in the Solnhofen limestone about 150 million years ago in the Jurassic Period. It measures about 5.5 inches across.Desktop Version
Deep in the North Woods wetlands
Deep in the North Woods wetlands
To celebrate American Wetlands Month, we"re flying over Norcross Brook, which snakes through the wetlands of Maine"s North Woods near Moosehead Lake. Wetlands like these are an often underappreciated natural resource. They act as vital links between the land and our planet"s watersheds, playing a crucial role in protecting healthy ecosystems. In addition to providing indispensable habitat for the many species that call them home, wetlands filter our drinking water and cycle nutrients. They also provide a natural buffer from storms, absorb flood waters, and capture carbon from the atmosphere—all of which help to mitigate the impact of climate change.Desktop Version
Behold the perfect cone
Behold the perfect cone
How far would you have to travel for the "perfect cone"? Well, probably not too far if you"re talking ice cream. But if volcanoes are what you"re looking for, you"ll have to make your way to Mount Mayon on the Philippine island of Luzon. The glowing lava you see is on the tip of what many consider to be the world"s most perfectly shaped, symmetrical volcanic cone. Mount Mayon has erupted dozens of times in the past 400 years, and there was a significant eruption as recently as 2018. Even this year, white steam plumes and a faint crater glow are sometimes visible. Mayon is the most active volcano in an island nation full of active volcanos. It"s located inside the UNESCO Albay Biosphere Reserve as well as in the Philippine"s Mayon Volcano Natural Park. Despite its active status, tourists still flock to the park to view the unique beauty of this cone-shaped spectacle.Desktop Version