Happy New Year! Jan. 1, 2026

Do you feel as if you have a whole year"s worth of rest to catch up on? Then you can relate to this Arctic fox, cosily tucked among the rocky outcroppings of the frozen tundra. Whether the new year greets you with biting cold or under a warm sun, take five extra minutes to stretch before diving into the 365 days ahead. Ever wondered why we have 365 days in a year? It"s because the Gregorian calendar—introduced in 1582—is based on a solar year: the time it takes Earth to orbit the sun. The stars have our backs, but the plans we make for the months ahead are all on us.

© Chansak Joe/Getty Images

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Today in History

Napping near the North Pole
Jan. 1, 2024Happy New Year!
Jan. 1, 2025Happy New Year!

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Sep. 20, 2024Ocracoke Lighthouse on Ocracoke Island, North Carolina, USA
May 28, 2025World Otter Day
Oct. 31, 2025Happy Halloween!
The largest gypsum dune field
Aug. 28, 2023Dubrovnik, Croatia
May 13, 2025Yoho National Park, British Columbia
Jul. 13, 2025International Rock Day
The sea pool of Penzance
Zebras enjoying their day
Feb. 26, 2026Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, United States
Let there be lights!
Feb. 28, 2026Oloupena Falls, island of Molokai, Hawaii, United States
Aug. 22, 2024Aerial view of Ocean City, Maryland, USA
Jan. 14, 2024Whooper swans
Mar. 23, 2024World Meteorological Day
Protecting the gentle giants
A delightfully ornate Easter display
The buffet is open
Zion National Park turns 103
Mar. 3, 2025World Wildlife Day
Feb. 8, 2025Medieval towers in Mestia, Upper Svaneti, Georgia
Feb. 13, 2025Lake Tyrrell, Victoria, Australia
Aug. 25, 2023Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
Jan. 9, 2026Muir Woods National Monument, California, United States
Nov. 3, 2025World Jellyfish Day
Piecing together a better tomorrow
Oct. 24, 2025Night view of the RMS Queen Mary, Long Beach, California, United States
As curious about you as you are about them
Jun. 18, 2025Pollinator Week
Jun. 20, 2025Summer solstice