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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The story of the poinsettia
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For Hispanic Heritage Month: Out of Many, One
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It’s Canada’s national day
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Back to the nest
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Northern hawk-owl
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A good time in the Badlands
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Common raven
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Abraham Lake, Alberta, Canada
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Great white egret, Upper Bavaria, Germany
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Welcome to Scotland s garden
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Badlands National Park turns 44
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Modica, Sicily, Italy
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A learning garden
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Happy Mothers Day!
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A midsummer twilight s dream
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Celebrating the Day of the Dead
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World Penguin Day
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Cumberland Island National Seashore
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Fall for birding
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Everglades National Park turns 75
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Martin Luther King Jr. Day
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Autumn in the cypress swamp
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Of balloons and lost pantaloons
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Lake Louise, Banff National Park, Alberta
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Plum blossoms in China
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Come out of your shell for World Turtle Day
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Gdańsk on the banks of the Motława, Poland
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World Wildlife Day
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Apple Tree Day
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Upper Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park
Bing Wallpaper Gallery

