Art Installation of umbrellas, London, United Kingdom Feb 10, 2025

Art Installation of umbrellas, London, United Kingdom

Today"s image features one of the simplest yet most essential inventions in human history: the umbrella, or parasol. Over 4,000 years ago, in ancient Egypt, Assyria and China, these foldable canopies were first used to shield people from the sun. It wasn"t until the 17th century that the umbrella, as we know it today, gained popularity in Europe, initially as a luxury item primarily for women. Fast-forward a few centuries, and these weather shields have become a staple in pop culture, too. Remember Mary Poppins with her iconic umbrella that helped her fly, or Rihanna"s hit song "Umbrella"?

© Malcolm P Chapman/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Masterpiece of acoustic science
Feb 10, 2024Chinese New Year
Feb 10, 2026Es Vedrà and Es Vedranell, Ibiza, Spain

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Sep 11, 2025Butterfly Beach in Canacona, South Goa
Mar 23, 2024World Meteorological Day
A shiver of sharks on the hunt
Mar 15, 2025Ides of March
Mar 4, 2025Charminar, Hyderabad, Telangana
A symbol of peace
Apr 30, 2025International Jazz Day
Sep 6, 2024Glenariff Forest Park, Northern Ireland, UK
Nov 30, 2023Isle of Skye, Scotland, UK
Jan 21, 2024Eurasian red squirrel
Protecting the gentle giants
A day for cousins of every stripe
A feel of an era bygone
Dec 23, 2025Reindeer, Lapland, Finland
Apr 4, 2024Red lechwe, Okavango Delta, Botswana
A future built on the past
Sep 2, 2024Rhino mother and calf, Kaziranga National Park, Assam
What are these predators doing?
Jun 30, 2025Asteroid Day
Feb 15, 2025The natural ice wall of Misotsuchi, Chichibu, Japan
Feb 8, 2026Corfu at night, Greece
Pretty in pink
Rainbow around the sun
Whos in this creepy copse?
Nov 14, 2024Manarola, Cinque Terre National Park, Liguria, Italy
Jul 19, 2024A young jaguar on a riverbank, Pantanal, Brazil
Aug 30, 2023Celebrating sibling bonds
Mar 1, 2026African elephants in Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya
What are these ancient animals?
Sep 14, 2024Rapa Nui National Park, Easter Island, Chile