You may be surprised to learn that this elegant plant dappled with water droplets is a variety of moss: Tortula muralis, better known as wall screw-moss. It"s found all over the world, even in urban areas where more sensitive mosses have a hard time thriving because of dry soil and air pollution. Mosses in general are accurate monitors of air pollution—they absorb air and water, so contaminants can also be measured in their cells.
Tortula moss, Netherlands
Today in History
More Desktop Wallpapers:
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Welcome to the Ring of Fire
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Happy Cinco de Mayo!
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A star is borne by seaweed
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Incense making, Vietnam
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South Padre Island, Texas
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Class, please take out a No. 2 pencil…
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The moon rises for Mid-Autumn Festival
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San Francisco’s City Hall illuminated by the iconic colors of Pride
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Burrowing owls
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The Christmas Bird Count begins
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From the mind of Frank Gehry
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The island fox’s incredible comeback
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Once in a pink moon
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Happy World Meteorological Day
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Groundhog Day arrives—beyond a shadow of a doubt
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Visiting a Maratha fortress
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International Day for Biodiversity
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Black Fell in England s Lake District
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In the Supertree Grove
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Great on so many levels
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A cozy winter village
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Old Town of Rovinj, Croatia
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At the foot of Dubrovnik s Gibraltar
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Tiny fliers head south
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Veterans Day
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The Great Glen
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There was gold in them there hills…
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Museum Night in Berlin
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Penguin Awareness Day
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It’s Opening Day for Major League Baseball