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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India Republic Day
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Celebrating women in science
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Three Musketeers Falls at Iguazú Falls, Argentina
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Zelenci Nature Reserve, Slovenia
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Veterans Day
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International Cheetah Day
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Enter the magical world of Livraria Lello
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A Eurasian red squirrel in Switzerland
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National Fossil Day
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Venice by night
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Bormio, Lombardy, Italy
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Glacial spires in the fog
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Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka
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A toast to California!
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Stompin’ with the Big Chief
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Earth at Perihelion
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Miravet, Catalonia, Spain
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The dancing trees of Sumba Island
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Happy Birthday, J.R.R. Tolkien!
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Gray days ahead in Monterey
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World Reef Awareness Day
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Guiding ships to safety
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Kissing Day
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Midsummer in Sweden
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Yosemite National Park turns 132
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Visiting the Mamanuca Islands for Fiji Day
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A wetland in Västmanland, Sweden
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Dragon dance performed in Chenzhou, Hunan Province, China
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The (Inca) empire strikes back
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World Elephant Day
Bing Wallpaper Gallery

