Blue linckia sea stars in Papua New Guinea Aug 31, 2022

In shallow areas of the tropical Indo-Pacific, you"ll come across the blue linckia sea star. Oftentimes it"s found anchored to or hiding under rocks. This duo was spotted near the coast of New Ireland, an island in Papua New Guinea. Even though "blue" is in the name, this species of sea star has also been observed in purple, pink, or orange. The vibrant colors make the linckia popular in the seashell trade, unfortunately, and intensive poaching has diminished their populations. But new research could lead to calls for their protection: Scientists have studied potential anti-tumor and antibacterial properties inherent to the blue linckia.

© Jurgen Freund/Minden Pictures

palette

Today in History

Aug 31, 2018Let’s have a ball
Aug 31, 2019Walk the line
Aug 31, 2020At the shore of an inland sea
Aug 31, 2021Bridge over the River Tara
Aug 31, 2023Saguaro cacti, Ironwood Forest National Monument, Arizona
Aug 31, 2024Tassili n’Ajjer, Sahara, Algeria
Aug 31, 2025Scotts Bluff National Monument, Gering, Nebraska
Aug 31, 2026Building detail of Registan Square, Samarkand, Uzbekistan

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Jul 28, 2025World Nature Conservation Day
Aug 5, 2024Lavender field, Hertfordshire, England
Sep 25, 2021Autumn comes to the Porcupines
Jun 12, 2018Celebrating Helsinki’s birthday at the Kiasma Museum
Aug 1, 2021Welcome to Scotland s garden
Jan 22, 2019Is this Minecraft headquarters?
Jul 30, 2019A long, erratic commute
Mar 19, 2021Life carries on, rising from a ship s skeleton
Apr 6, 2024Castle Day in Japan
Aug 13, 2025Corona Arch near Moab, Utah
Nov 12, 2021Beavers Bend
Mar 5, 2022Mont-Saint-Michel
Oct 16, 2020It s harvest time on World Food Day
Oct 14, 2023Ring of fire solar eclipse
Jul 19, 2020Venice by night
Oct 3, 2023Whitehaven Beach, Whitsunday Island, Australia
Mar 31, 2020What a twist
Nov 5, 2022Tigh Mor Trossachs on Loch Achray, Scotland
Jan 8, 2025National Take the Stairs Day
Jul 12, 2024Mount Rainier National Park
Apr 16, 2023Go Fly a Kite Day
Oct 1, 2024Yosemite National Park anniversary
Sep 29, 2023Mid-Autumn Festival
Jun 23, 2019Adorable activism
Jan 27, 2021A dramatic view of Sicily
Mar 22, 2026World Water Day
Dec 10, 2024Lands End, Cornwall, England
Nov 4, 2025Tower Bridge, London, England
May 23, 2019Come out of your shell for World Turtle Day
Aug 10, 2021Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch on the institution s 175th anniversary