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Jul 5, 2019Peel Castle on St. Patrick’s Isle with the Isle of Man in the background

The Isle of Man has a long and complicated history of invasions, conquests, and systems of government. Pictured on today’s homepage are the ruins of the cathedral on the grounds of Peel Castle, on St. Patrick’s Isle (which is connected by a causeway to the rest of the island). Vikings built the original wooden fortification during the 11th century on a location that had older Celtic monastic structures made of stone, which were incorporated into the castle. Over the next eight centuries, the various Norse, Scottish, and English rulers of the area added battlements, towers, and the cathedral to the grounds.Desktop Version

Jul 4, 2019It s Independence Day

Join us in marveling at this pyrotechnical display from the shores of Lake Union in Seattle, which hosts each Independence Day a grand spectacle of fireworks soaring up to 1,000 feet into the sky, all synchronized to music. Chances are there’s something similar happening this evening where you live. All across the United States on July 4, we come together as a nation to celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, one of the best break-up letters ever written. In it, the Second Continental Congress puts Great Britain on notice that the 13 American colonies are no longer subject to its rules or rulers and instead have formed a new country, the United States of America. Declaration signers, recognizing the importance of the moment and the message, anticipated that generations later, we would remember and celebrate "from one end of this continent to the other."Desktop Version

Jul 3, 2019Keep calm and drive on (slowly)

Following its winter closure due to heavy snowfall, the Transfăgărășan in Romania is now open for business. Also known as the DN7C highway, the road cuts through the Făgăraș Mountains, offering stunning views of waterfalls, glacial lakes, and lush valleys—plus steep drop-offs and hairpin turns to amp up the drama. Back in 2009, Jeremy Clarkson, co-host of the British TV show "Top Gear," called this twisty route the "best road in the world," which helped turn it into a major tourist draw. The Transfăgărășan reaches elevations just shy of 6,700 feet and has more tunnels and viaducts in its 55 miles than any other road in this mountainous country. But proceed with caution. The speed limit is a sensible 25 mph. And watch out for herds of sheep that use it as a path to greener pastures, and don"t mind blocking traffic as they amble there.Desktop Version

Jul 2, 2019Sequential images of a total solar eclipse

Today, lucky observers in South America will see an awesome event similar to the one captured in the composite of images on our homepage. They were taken during the Great American Eclipse of 2017.Desktop Version

Jul 1, 2019It’s Canada’s national day

For Canada Day, we’re dipping our paddles in Still Creek, a long gentle stream in British Columbia. The canoe has long been associated with Canada’s national history, linked with early explorers, fur traders, and colonists who ventured out into the wilderness of the great north. An image of a canoe even appeared on early versions of Canada’s silver dollar, a coin which was later replaced by the ‘loonie,’ so named for the depiction of a common loon on one side.Desktop Version

Jun 30, 2019San Francisco’s City Hall illuminated by the iconic colors of Pride

We’re celebrating Pride weekend with a view onto a Beaux-Arts gem that has a prominent place in the history of gay rights and culture. Even the city of San Francisco itself has played an outsized role in fostering gay pride, community, and visibility. It’s a legacy that can be traced along the timeline of the city’s many firsts. The San Francisco Bay Area held one of the first Pride parades after the 1969 Stonewall riots in New York, the event that sparked the gay liberation movement and the modern fight for LGBTQI+ civil rights. This is just part of the heritage that will be celebrated at San Francisco’s Pride this weekend, where people will be marking the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots. A big parade is planned with vibrant displays that will decorate Market Street, continuing all the way to the Golden Gate City’s Civic Center.Desktop Version

Jun 29, 2019It s National Camera Day. Get the picture?

Here on the green grass of Cape Coral, Florida, this owl looks ready for his closeup, and ready for National Camera Day. June 29 commemorates photographs, the camera, and their invention. The history of the camera goes all the way back to the ancient Greeks and Chinese, who used pinhole cameras (camera obscuras), similar to what you might use to view a solar eclipse. The camera obscura could project an image but didn’t leave a lasting one.Desktop Version

Jun 28, 2019Montreux, Switzerland, and all that jazz

We’re looking at Montreux, Switzerland, where the Montreux Jazz Festival begins today. Despite its name, the festival isn"t just about jazz. It highlights different styles of music across multiple venues over two weeks. This year"s lineup includes three farewell-tour stops (Elton John, Anita Baker, Joan Baez) and big names in jazz (Chick Corea, Bobby McFerrin), as well as young artists representing a variety of genres. The festival began in 1967 at the original Montreux Casino, which famously burned down during a December 1971 Frank Zappa performance. The fire was memorialized by Deep Purple in their hit "Smoke on the Water." A monument commemorating the band and their song can be found next to the rebuilt casino.Desktop Version

Jun 27, 2019The roots of invention

Living root bridges like this can be found in the tropical rainforests of Meghalaya, a state in northeast India that is among the wettest places on Earth. The gentle waterways that flow through the region’s valleys become gushing torrents during the summer monsoon season and will wash away traditional bamboo bridges. So, generations of indigenous Khasi people have devised a way of building root bridges by shaping living trees, like this one near the village of Mawsynram.Desktop Version

Jun 26, 2019Get amped for Glastonbury

Greetings from Glastonbury Tor and St. Michael"s Tower in Somerset county of South West England. The tor (a Celtic word for an isolated hill) is often mentioned in Celtic mythology, and some believe it to be the site of Avalon, a mythical island central to legends of King Arthur. Glastonbury Tor has other enduring spiritual associations as well, particularly to various neopagan beliefs. Archaeological evidence suggests that several buildings have been constructed at the top of the hill over many centuries, but all that remains today is the roofless tower of St. Michael’s Church, built in the 1300s.Desktop Version

Jun 25, 2019Sutherland Falls in Fiordland National Park

Sutherland Falls spills over the side of Lake Quill in the jagged, glacier-carved landscape of Fiordland National Park on New Zealand’s South Island. For years, it was believed to be the tallest waterfall in the world, thanks in part to a rough estimate by Scottish explorer Donald Sutherland, the first European to see the falls. Later, more scientific surveys proved this estimate to be significantly inflated, but Sutherland Falls is still 1,900 feet tall, which is plenty high in our book.Desktop Version

Jun 24, 2019A summertime light show

It’s the season for spotting fireflies in some parts of the US, especially in the humid or damp areas that the winged beetles love. For fireflies themselves, it’s a season of love. They create these soft flashes of light as they search for a suitable mate. The glow is produced by a chemical reaction in a firefly’s abdomen. In addition to attracting a partner, the light is believed to deter potential predators by signaling that the insect’s chemical makeup may produce a foul taste or even be toxic. The fireflies in our homepage image were photographed with a long exposure in the Philippines, where fireflies are a popular tourist attraction. Some firefly species here and in other parts of Southeast Asia are known for their synchronized flashing, creating dramatic light shows in the dark.Desktop Version

Jun 23, 2019Adorable activism

In 1995, officials wanted to build a traffic roundabout in this area of the Ferguson Valley in Western Australia. Locals weren’t interested in seeing the wooded land paved over, but the roundabout was installed anyhow. In response, someone placed a garden gnome on the construction site—a form of guerilla-art protest. Other small bearded, pointy-hatted fellows soon joined the original settler. The newly arrived wee residents at least prevented further development in the area. For what manner of villain would destroy the forest home of a bunch of garden gnomes? Eventually there were hundreds of gnome figurines, and a roadside tourist attraction was created.Desktop Version

Jun 22, 2019Reflections on the mighty Amazon

For World Rainforest Day we take you below these clouds to the Amazon River Basin and the largest rainforest in the world. Numbers help the story of this extraordinary place: At more than 2.1 million square miles, the Amazon accounts for half of Earth’s remaining tropical rainforests. And a fifth of the world’s fresh water flows through this river basin. Perhaps a tenth of the planet’s known species call it home, many of which have yet to be identified—that’s trees, plants, fish, mammals, and a third of Earth’s bird species. Now take a deep breath. The ‘Lungs of the World’ produces 20 percent of Earth’s oxygen, while storing vast amounts of carbon dioxide, earning it an all-star ‘carbon sink’ status.Desktop Version

Jun 21, 2019Ode to the sun

Today marks the summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere—the longest day of the year and, for most of us on this side of the globe, the first official day of summer. (Iceland, being Iceland, celebrates the first day of summer in April, an old Viking tradition.) What better way to celebrate this day of sun than with Reykjavik’s Sun Voyager. Though it looks a bit like a Viking ship or maybe a fish skeleton, sculptor Jón Gunnar Árnason created it to be a dream boat and an ode to the sun. Sounds good to us. Join us in celebrating the sun today.Desktop Version

Jun 20, 2019In celebration of America’s national bird

June 20 is American Eagle Day, a celebration that commemorates the date in 1782 when the bird was added to the Great Seal of the United States, effectively becoming a national symbol. With an olive branch in its right talons and a bundle of 13 arrows in its left (representing the 13 original states in the Union), the eagle is said to represent a strong desire for peace, but readiness for conflict. You’ll likely recognize the Great Seal of the United States from its appearance on passports, flags, official documents, and American currency. The bald eagle, now federally protected, continues to inspire national pride.Desktop Version

Jun 19, 2019Glendurgan Garden hedge maze is 186 years old

Created by Alfred Fox in 1833 to entertain his 12 children, the cherry laurel hedge maze at Glendurgan Garden was designed to resemble a serpent curled in grass. In addition to the maze, Glendurgan also includes an amazing collection of exotic plants that Fox obtained on his travels and imported from abroad. Luckily, the temperate climate of Cornwall, in South West England, allowed rare imports, like bamboo, Brazilian giant rhubarb, and tree ferns to thrive in this valley garden. In 1962, the Fox family gifted the gardens to the National Trust, a UK charity that works to preserve places of historic interest or natural beauty.Desktop Version

Jun 18, 2019From garden to table?

Depending on where you live, you may know these snails as Burgundy, Roman, or edible snails. Yes, that last name acknowledges that these garden dwellers are often prepared as a food item, usually called ‘escargot’—the French word for ‘snail.’ In late spring and early summer, the adult snails will lay eggs and cover them up, leaving the young to hatch and survive on their own. Given that the adult snail in our photo is 1.5 inches tall, it puts the juvenile snail’s size into perspective.Desktop Version

Jun 17, 2019World-class art comes to Arkansas

Bentonville, Arkansas, is probably not the first place that comes to mind when you think about visiting a world-class art museum. But Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art is a new must-see in the art world. Its collection includes paintings, sculpture, photography, drawing, and installation art from colonial times to today and features American artists such as Maya Lin, Andrew Wyeth, Jacob Lawrence, Jackson Pollock, and Georgia O’Keeffe. But perhaps the biggest piece of art is the museum itself. Designed by Moshe Safdie, the building blends seamlessly and beautifully into the surrounding Ozark landscape. In addition to the art and architecture collections, there are eight nature trails on the grounds. And admission to the museum is always free.Desktop Version

Jun 16, 2019Happy Father s Day

These lions in southern Africa’s Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park probably aren"t heading out for Father"s Day brunch. Cubs are usually protected by their mothers, while their fathers merely tolerate them in most cases. While stereotypes might suggest that the same holds true for humans, a Pew Research study showed that dads are just as likely as moms to say that parenting is extremely important to their identity, and dads are much more involved in child care than they were years ago. It took dads a while to earn this day. Father"s Day was first celebrated in 1910 in Washington state. While it gained popularity over the years, it didn"t become a national holiday until President Richard Nixon signed a proclamation in 1972. Mother"s Day got a proclamation in 1914, but let"s not get competitive here—today"s about dad.Desktop Version

Jun 15, 2019Pasadena Chalk Festival supports local arts education

Since 1993, the Pasadena-based nonprofit Light Bringer Project has supported arts education in the Los Angeles area by helping produce the annual Pasadena Chalk Festival. Hundreds of artists spend the weekend creating unique chalk artworks on the sidewalks of historic downtown Pasadena for this free event. Funds are raised through donations from festival attendees and proceeds from sales of artwork and a silent auction.Desktop Version

Jun 14, 2019A perfect day to fly your flag

We"re at Chimney Rock State Park, about 25 miles southeast of Asheville, North Carolina, for Flag Day. The 6,807-acre park gets its name from the 315-foot spire that offers expansive views of Hickory Nut Gorge and Lake Lure with the Blue Ridge Mountains in the distance. If you"re wondering how this sizable flag made it up to the summit, we don"t know the answer to that. But there is an elevator inside the mountain that can zip you to the top in 32 seconds. The other option is to hike up the 499 steps to the viewpoint.Desktop Version

Jun 13, 2019A unique elephant encounter in Nantes

Created by François Delarozière, Pierre Orefice, and their team of artists and engineers at La Machine Company workshop, the Grand Éléphant was the first of three artworks/attractions constructed for the Machines de l’île (Machines of the Isle) in Nantes. The elephant is a mechanical sculpture that’s so big it can take up to 49 passengers for a 45-minute walk. After unveiling the elephant in 2007 and the Carrousel des Mondes Marins (Marine World Carousel) in 2012, they"re now working on an ambitious third project, L’Arbre aux Hérons (Tree of Herons), scheduled for 2022. The efforts of these visionary creators have turned a shuttered industrial shipyard on the Loire River into a unique place where art, architecture, tourism, and urban planning come together to delight all who visit.Desktop Version

Jun 12, 2019A big birthday for Big Bend

Seventy-five years ago today, on June 12, 1944, Big Bend officially became a US national park. The park covers more than 800,000 acres in West Texas along the Mexico border. The vast protected area contains mountain, river, and desert ecosystems, including the largest protected area of the Chihuahuan Desert in the United States. But the ‘big’ doesn"t stop there. Big Bend is home to 1,200 species of plants, over 450 species of birds, 75 species of mammals, and 56 species of reptiles. (We"re not sure how many of those are snakes, if you"re wondering.) Because of its remote location, Big Bend also has among the darkest skies ever measured in the contiguous US. So tonight, the only light you"ll likely see is the glow from 75 birthday candles—and a few million stars.Desktop Version

Jun 11, 2019Installation art turns heads

If you ever encounter a giant plastic snail in the city or an army of rainbow-colored meerkats holding sentry outside a historic building, it’s likely an art installation from the Cracking Art collective. The group uses recyclable plastic to craft vivid representations of meerkats, elephants, snails, and other natural creatures for traveling art installations in unexpected locations. The collective’s use of plastic is meant to call attention to the sometimes blurry connection between natural and artificial reality, inviting viewers to reexamine the world around them. The meerkat exhibit on our homepage took place in 2015 at Le Mans Cathedral in Le Mans, France.Desktop Version

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