Saguaro cacti in the Sonoran Desert, Arizona, USA Mar 23, 2026

Saguaro cacti in the Sonoran Desert, Arizona, USA

The strength of nature is nowhere more evident than in powerful storms. Scary? Yes. Fascinating? Even more so. Learning to understand and respect these forces is how people learn to live alongside them. The image of lightning over saguaro cacti captures that balance perfectly. The Sonoran Desert, spanning 260,000 square kilometres across the United States and Mexico, may appear dry and still, but it hosts one of North America"s most dynamic desert climates.

© Jack Dykinga/Nature Picture Library

palette

Today in History

Mar 23, 2024Large anvil clouds, Amazon, Brazil
Mar 23, 2025Lightning and storm clouds at sunset near Bowman, Nebraska, United States

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Apr 9, 2024Tulip fields in spring, Skagit Valley, Washington, USA
Jun 25, 2024Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada, USA
Aug 13, 2026Perseid meteor shower over Teide Observatory, Tenerife, Spain
June 26, 2026The River Thames, London, England
Nov 8, 2024Glacial rivers, Iceland
Dec 31, 2023Phra Nakhon Khiri, Thailand
Nov 16, 2025A traboule in Lyon, France
May 1, 2024Hawaiian lei flower garlands
Jun 4, 2024Chestnut-headed bee-eaters
Jul 17, 2024Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Bavaria, Germany
Oct 20, 2024Three-toed sloth in Costa Rica
Oct 7, 2023Grizzly bears, Katmai National Park, Alaska, USA
Apr 21, 2025Joshua trees under the Milky Way, California, United States
Aug 31, 2024Sahara, Algeria
Sep 16, 2024Wallabies at sunrise, Australia
Dec 20, 2025Red fox
Jan 5, 2026A herd of impalas
Jan 25, 2024Ynys Llanddwyn, Wales, United Kingdom
Dec 1, 2025Natural arch carved in an iceberg, Antarctica
Jul 10, 2024Collared aracari
Oct 8, 2024Mototi octopus
Dec 9, 2025Guanaco, Argentina
Nov 20, 2025Chapada Diamantina, Bahia, Brazil
Jan 5, 2025Plum-headed parakeet
Mar 13, 2025Gran Paradiso National Park, Piedmont, Italy
Dec 13, 2024St. Stephens Basilica, Budapest, Hungary
Feb 21, 2025Champaka Sarasi, Shivamogga, Karnataka, India
Nov 19, 2024Tasmans Arch, Tasman National Park, Tasmania, Australia
Apr 4, 2026Black grouse males, Estonia
Feb 18, 2026Przewalskis horses