BIng Images 2019/01

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  2019-01-01New Year’s Day in the land of the rising sun

  Watching the first sunrise of a new year is a tradition for some, and in Japan, it’s an event. Crowds gather on mountaintops or beaches to get beautiful, unobstructed views of the new year’s first daybreak. The hikers in this photo are gathered on Japan’s Mount Fuji to watch the sunrise, but in a warmer time of year. Highly skilled mountaineers have been known to summit Mount Fuji on New Year’s Day, but dangerously high winds and bitterly cold temperatures make the peak of Mount Fuji on January 1 off limits to most of us. Of course, you don’t have to get to Japan and climb Fuji or any other mountain to watch the new year sun peek over the horizon. Maybe you are still awake from your New Year’s Eve celebration and can enjoy the sunrise just before you retire for the first official nap of 2019. Let’s make it a good one!

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  2019-01-02Tesla, the visionary

  We approach today’s observance of National Science Fiction Day through a route of science fact. Our photo shows Serbian-American inventor Nikola Tesla with his magnifying transmitter—an experimental power generator that used his Tesla coils to demonstrate the possibility of a safe, wireless electrical grid. While Tesla’s vision for an electrical system never materialized, many of his concepts and designs would shape various technologies to come, including radio transmission, and even some fundamentals of the internet.

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  2019-01-03How do ladybugs winter?

  Our photo shows a single ladybug taking a winter’s nap near Tewin, England. That’s right, many species of ladybug hibernate over the winter. In Redwood Regional Park near San Francisco, this time of year is ‘ladybug season’—when hikers in the cool, damp woods may spot a large group of ladybugs—called a ‘loveliness’—huddled for warmth and safety, snoozing until spring. They’ll wake up, and get back to eating more crop-killing aphids—seems reason enough to let that loveliness of ladybugs into your yard.

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  2019-01-04Observing World Braille Day in Bavaria

  This is not just a model; it’s also a tactile map of Landshut, Germany, and it’s meant to be explored with your fingertips. By touch alone, travelers with visual impairments can orient themselves among the real city’s streets and buildings. The miniature representation of this Bavarian town includes local landmarks like towering St. Martin’s Church, which is the tallest church in Bavaria and the second tallest brick structure in the world. The map is also embossed with the raised dots used in the Braille writing system, employed here to identify important parts of town. We’re showing this tactile visual aid today in honor of World Braille Day, an event observed each year on the birthday of Louis Braille, who created Braille in 1824.

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  2019-01-05Art abounds at the Palais Garnier

  Fancy opera houses like the Palais Garnier were designed for more than just watching a performance. The open balconies and winding staircases were meant to encourage people-watching, especially among the upper class. Commissioned by Napoleon III as part of his grand, transformative renovation of Paris, the Palais Garnier first opened on this day in 1875. Immediately upon opening its doors, it became the place to see and be seen—and to be surrounded by opulence. The domed ceiling shown here was painted by Marc Chagall in 1964, covering the original ceiling paintings by artist Jules Lenepveu. Chagall’s colorful, dreamlike work stretches nearly 2,600 square feet and depicts scenes from operas by 14 different composers, including Beethoven and Debussy.

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  2019-01-06A winter wonderland in Northeast China

  The annual Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival is considered the largest such event in the world. It’s home to record-breaking ice sculptures, including a 101-foot-tall tower installed just this year and shaped like the dress of a flamenco dancer. Here you can meander through entire villages made of ice and built to scale. You can also see ice replicas of famous landmarks like the Sphinx and the Great Wall of China. Last year’s event attracted more than 18 million visitors to this chilly destination, aptly nicknamed ‘Ice City.’

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  2019-01-07An avian predator built for the snow

  This striking snowy owl makes its home in the Arctic tundra, but the species is known to migrate as far south as the northern part of the contiguous United States in search of food. If you’re in snowy owl territory, keep a lookout for its signature wintry white plumage. While adult male snowy owls are almost entirely white, young owls and adult females like this one have patterns of black feathers among the snow-white plumage. All snowy owls have unmistakably golden eyes, and like other owls, they can rotate their heads about 270 degrees.

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  2019-01-08A stunning national park in winter white

  Most of us visit our national parks when the weather is warm and comfortable. But winter’s snowy landscapes and cold solitude can lend a striking beauty to the scenery and wildlife of many public lands. For example, winter is a great time to enjoy recreational snow activities at Mount Rainier National Park in Washington state, pictured here peeking through the clouds at sunrise. An added winter bonus is that visitors can experience public treasures like Mount Rainier without the summertime crowds. Other parks also have distinct charms when the snow falls. Check out dramatic steaming geyser action in the brisk winter air at Yellowstone. Easily spot herds of elk and other wildlife in the snow blanket of the Grand Tetons. Or walk among the snow-capped hoodoos (towering red-rock spires) of Bryce Canyon. You may decide wintertime is the right time to visit your national parks.

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  2019-01-09What, no escalator?

  On Take the Stairs Day, take some inspiration from this mountain path in the Ninh Bình province of Vietnam. Or just be glad you don’t have to climb it. The stone path next to the entrance of the Mua Caves zigzags up 486 steps that were designed in the style of the Great Wall of China. At the top, you’ll find a small pagoda and panoramic views of the countryside. Plus, a feeling of achievement.

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  2019-01-10‘You should see the one that got away!’

  Don’t be fooled by the modest size of these ice-fishing shanties near the village of L"Anse-Saint-Jean, Quebec. Modern day ice huts are often tricked out with big-screen TVs, underwater cameras, sonar fish-finders, and even bathrooms with hot showers. Some fishermen and women spend entire weekends out on the lake, warm and dry. Here in the Saguenay region of Quebec, they may be fishing for walleye, redfish, cod, or black turbot, which are reeled in after drilling a hole in the ice and casting a line in the frigid waters. Brrrr!

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  2019-01-11Life in a North African town

  The nearly hidden valley town called Tafraout (sometimes spelled Tafraoute) and smaller settlement, Aguerd Oudad, are surrounded by the red hills of the Anti-Atlas Mountains, far from the larger cities in Morocco. The area is frequently visited by climbers who come to scale the nearby peaks, like this one, called Napoleon’s Hat (it’s thought to resemble the bicorne hat that Napoleon Bonaparte memorably wore sideways). The town is remote enough that tourists must make an effort to get there, but as many travel writers note, it’s well worth it. The villagers here lead a quieter, slower-paced life than those in Morocco’s bustling urban centers such as Marrakesh.

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  2019-01-12Sailing across the ice

  These snowkiters are competing at a tournament in Novosibirsk, Russia. Like kiteboarding on liquid water, the sport of snowkiting uses a parachute-like foil kite, which catches the wind and pulls the boarder along a frozen, snowy landscape. The sport wasn’t invented here in Siberia, but when January sends the mercury plunging, the freezing temperatures create ideal conditions for the sport.

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  2019-01-13On the hunt

  Historians believe that falconry may have begun in Mesopotamia as long as 4,000 years ago, but this particular style of hunting with eagles on horseback dates back roughly 1,000 years. Various nomadic tribes from the Middle East and Western Asia trained golden eagles, falcons, and hawks to ride out to the mountains with them, and when the bird spotted a hare or fox, it flew out, caught the animal, and brought it back to the rider on the horse. Many people in Mongolia continue to hunt in this traditional fashion today. Our photo of an eagle hunter was taken in the Altai Mountains of western Mongolia, where many ethnic Kazakh eagle hunters fled during the communist era of Kazakhstan.

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  2019-01-14An island oasis in the Indian Ocean

  Ah, what it must be like to feel the sand under your feet on the beaches of La Digue, one of the islands of the Republic of Seychelles. The islands that make up the Seychelles lay far out in the western waters of the Indian Ocean—the closest mainland is the east coast of Africa, more than 900 miles to the west, and the island nation of Madagascar lies nearly as far to the south. But why go anywhere else when you can wander the beach and romp in the surf in the Seychelles—and perhaps even see an Aldabra giant tortoise in its natural habitat. You know what? We’re going to start packing right now…

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  2019-01-15A personal collection becomes an institution

  That blue expanse on the left of today"s homepage image is the roof of the British Museum"s Great Court and Reading Room in London. The oculus at the top of the dome is made of glass, and the ceilings within are papier-mâché. The Great Court opened in 2000, a new addition to a storied institution. Irish physician Sir Hans Sloane sold his personal collection of antiquities and books to Great Britain in the early 18th century. Sloane’s items included many books, rare manuscripts, and artifacts from around the globe, and he wanted them preserved and exhibited in public. This led to the creation of the British Museum, the world’s first national public museum, which opened this day in 1759. The collection has grown and changed significantly since then, but one detail remains: Admission to this London attraction is still free.

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  2019-01-16Up on the glacier

  The Athabasca is the most-visited glacier in North America. Located in Canada’s Jasper National Park, it’s one of the six ‘toes’ of the Columbia Icefield, a natural feature of the Canadian Rockies. The Athabasca has receded by nearly a mile in the past 125 years, losing about 16 feet of ice each year. And that"s not all that"s moving in the Columbia Icefield—there"s also an icefall that travels downslope (the way a waterfall would) between 50 and 400 feet per year.

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  2019-01-17A wassailing we go

  Somewhere under that dense fog, the people of Somerset county in southwest England may be marching from house to house, singing songs and dancing, and asking for a drink or snack in return. If that sounds like Christmas caroling, you’re right. But it’s the English tradition of wassailing—a practice that usually takes place on Twelfth Night, which marks the coming of the Epiphany and takes place on January 5th or 6th. So why do the people living in this farmland moor wassail on January 17? Because in Somerset, the locals observe the pre-Gregorian calendar Twelfth Night, which falls on January 17. They may even stage an ‘apple wassail’ with a trip to a local cider orchard, to sing and make noise for a good harvest in the new year.

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  2019-01-18An opulent backdrop for a historic event

  We’re at the Palace of Versailles for the 100th anniversary of the Paris Peace Conference, which convened here in January 1919, marking the end of World War I. Diplomats from 32 countries and nationalities attended to negotiate terms of peace. They ultimately signed five treaties, including the Treaty of Versailles, which ordered Germany to take responsibility for losses and damages in the war and to pay reparations. The conference also established the League of Nations, the first intergovernmental organization dedicated to preserving world peace. The organization was later succeeded by the United Nations.

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  2019-01-19It’s Art Deco Weekend in Miami

  We’re getting Don Johnson vibes from this image of Miami’s iconic Ocean Drive. It’s a landmark that’s appeared in many TV shows and movies over the years while also being home to celebrities like Gianni Versace. This weekend the city is celebrating the neighborhood’s distinct architecture. Art Deco Weekend is a long-running, free community festival that shines a light on the unique architecture here on Ocean Drive and throughout the Miami Beach Architectural District, better known as the Miami Art Deco District. Art Deco style, which reached its peak in the 1920s in the United States, is known for streamlined designs and symmetrical geometric figures, a look that pairs nicely with Miami’s ocean views.

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  2019-01-20It’s Penguin Awareness Day

  In honor of Penguin Awareness Day, we’re featuring the big daddy of the penguin world–the emperor penguin. At about 4 feet tall and weighing up to 100 pounds, it’s both the tallest and heaviest penguin species. The emperor is found only in Antarctica, where it endures wind chills colder than -75 degrees F and blizzard winds of more than 120 mph. It survives these harsh weather conditions by storing lots of fat underneath four layers of feathers. But the emperor penguin truly rules underwater, where it spends roughly half of its life. Studies show that an emperor can dive more than 1,700 feet below the surface, holding its breath more than 15 minutes at a time. It goes to such great depths in search of food, often for its babies back on shore.

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  2019-01-21A day of service for Dr. King

  This statue is ‘Stone of Hope,’ part of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial that opened in 2011 in West Potomac Park, Washington, DC. The title of the 30-foot granite sculpture comes from a line in King"s ‘I Have A Dream’ speech: ‘Out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope.’ Across the country today, volunteers will spend their day giving back in honor of Dr. King. His birthday was made a federal holiday in 1983, and in 1994 Congress designated the event as a national day of service, inviting citizens to observe the holiday by improving their communities.

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  2019-01-22Is this Minecraft headquarters?

  This pixelated-looking building is home to a boutique winery in the Rioja region of northern Spain. Inside, the Bodegas Ysios produces red wine from Tempranillo grapes grown in the area. The building itself was designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava to echo the outline of wine barrels lined up in a row. Out here in the foothills of the Sierra de Cantabria, it creates a memorable contrast with the rustic environment.

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  2019-01-23Celebrating Pie Day is as easy as, well…

  Can these frosty apples be salvaged in time for National Pie Day today? The annual event—a simple celebration of the beloved desserts–was created by the American Pie Council (APC), a group dedicated to ‘preserving America"s pie heritage and promoting America"s love affair with pies.’ According to a survey conducted by the APC in 2008, more Americans prefer apple pie over any other, and it’s that variety which inspired our homepage today. But while many things may be as American as apple pie, it’s generally believed that the pie itself originated in England. In fact, English poet Geoffrey Chaucer penned a recipe in 1381 for a pie that includes apples, spices, raisins, figs, pears, and saffron. If you have a favorite pie, it sounds like today’s a sweet day to celebrate.

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  2019-01-24Lights, camera, Sundance

  The Sundance Film Festival begins today in Utah, bringing glitz and glamour to the ski town of Park City. When it first launched in 1978, the goal of the festival was to highlight American-made films and attract filmmakers to Utah. Robert Redford has long been involved in the festival, serving as chairman at the first event and in the years since, helping it become the media extravaganza it is today. In 1984 Redford’s Sundance Institute took over management of the festival, hence the ‘Sundance’ name, which comes from the name of the character he played in ‘Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.’ In its 41-year history, Sundance has become perhaps the premier showcase for American independent and documentary film. We look forward to seeing what innovative new films steal the limelight in 2019.

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  2019-01-25Fighting evil with costumes

  Wearing costumes made of furs, fabric, and wood, these performers are known as kukeri. They march and dance, while making noise with the many bells on their costumes. It’s a pagan Slavic custom dating back to ancient times and still takes place each winter in many cities and villages in the Balkan Peninsula of southeastern Europe. The elaborate costumes and loud noises are intended to keep evil spirits at bay. Meanwhile, a member of each participating family—usually the youngest—conducts a blessing called a survakane; using a decorated staff, he or she lightly pats other family members on the back, giving a blessing of happiness and prosperity for the coming year. Traditionally, kukeri performers were men, though women now participate as well.

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  2019-01-26Visiting a Maratha fortress

  To celebrate India’s independence on Republic Day today, we take you to Rajgad Fort near Pune, India. In the 17th century, this fort near the west coast of India was the capital of the Maratha Empire. Today it’s the reward for a long hike to the top, where some visitors opt to spend the night—a sprawling relic of India’s history, Rajgad Fort is worth exploring for more than a day.

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  2019-01-27A memorial in Germany

  We’re in Berlin for International Holocaust Remembrance Day today, looking at the monument called ‘Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe.’ The memorial looks rigid and ordered, with 2,711 concrete slabs arranged in a grid pattern across 4.7 acres. But architect Peter Eisenman, who designed the work, purposely skewed some of the grid, so that spaces between the slabs may shrink or grow as you walk among the gray blocks. And the gaps are intentionally so narrow that they allow only individual passage. As the visitor navigates through the grid, the subtle shifts in these spaces are meant to shatter the illusion of order and security.

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  2019-01-28Ancient groves in Australia

  Like mainland Australia, the island state of Tasmania is home to many distinct landscapes and ecosystems, and Mount Field National Park is a spectacular showcase of the island’s diversity. Tall swamp gum forests and massive tree ferns distinguish the base of the mountain, but climbing to higher elevations leads to the temperate rainforests of pencil pine, leatherwood, and other trees endemic to Tasmania along the shores of Lake Dobson, shown here. While rare species of plants and animals call the park home, perhaps the park’s greatest diversity lies with its fungi—the tremendous variety of mushrooms found here is still not fully cataloged, but fungi are increasingly understood to underpin the general health of the park’s ecosystems as a whole. And if all that natural diversity here isn’t enough to draw you to Tasmania’s Mount Field, some of the hills and mountains in the park have ski runs during snowy winters.

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  2019-01-29A winter’s holiday ends

  Should you find yourself in Lerwick, Scotland, on the last Tuesday of January, you’ll witness a celebration to mark the end of Yule called Up Helly Aa. Here in the Shetland Islands, off the northern coast of Britain, the cultural influence of the Vikings is still felt. And when the Yule season comes to a close, many Shetlanders dress up like Vikings—it’s a tradition called ‘guising,’ short for ‘disguise.’ In their Viking costumes, they march the streets of Lerwick singing songs and delivering short comedic performances. Ultimately, a torchlight procession ends with the marchers setting a fake Viking galley ship ablaze. The name ‘Up Helly Aa’ is roughly translated as Up Holy All, an invitation for all to rise and join in the holiday revelry.

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  2019-01-30Embracing the cold

  We’re in St. Paul, Minnesota, for day seven of the Winter Carnival—an 11-day celebration of all the fun you can have during the cold winter months. In 1885, a journalist from New York who had visited St. Paul called it ‘another Siberia, unfit for human habitation.’ This news prompted the people of St. Paul to create the Winter Carnival, which debuted in 1886. When the temperature is cold enough, carnival organizers build a massive ice palace, whose ice-block walls frame the Landmark Center clock tower in our photo today.

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  2019-01-31A bohemian feline

  This young lynx will grow up to be the third largest predator in Europe. (The brown bear and wolf hold the first and second spots, respectively.) The lynx is a crepuscular creature, meaning it hunts mainly in the hours just before dawn and just after dusk. With an adult male lynx growing taller than 2 feet at the shoulder, and weighing more than 60 pounds, it’s capable of hunting roe deer and sheep. And while the Eurasian lynx is a ‘least concern’ status species, habitat loss is affecting how widely dispersed they are across Europe, Russia, and Central Asia. But protected locations, like the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands in the Czech Republic, where our lynx was photographed, help preserve habitat to keep this vital predator thriving.