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National Roller Coaster Day
National Roller Coaster Day
To really get the feel for today"s photo, stop what you"re doing, put your hands in the air, and imagine yourself plunging downhill at 50 miles an hour. Screaming is optional. It"s National Roller Coaster Day and we"re waiting in line at Morey"s Piers in Wildwood, New Jersey, for our ride on the Great White. A hybrid wooden and steel coaster, it"s been in operation since 1996 and reaches its highest point 110 feet above the ground. Coaster enthusiasts point out the ride"s dip under the pier shortly after the start as one of its highlights. It"s also noted for a portion of the ride swinging out over the nearby beach.Desktop Version
Indian Independence Day
Indian Independence Day
At 8 miles in circumference, the Chittorgarh Fort is one of the largest forts in India, a nation with scores of ancient and medieval fortresses. For starters there are seven massive gates from which to enter. Inside you"ll find four palaces and 19 temples. At one time there were almost 100 bodies of water, most of them ponds fed by natural catchment and rainfall, although now there are only 20. Chittorgarh ("garh" means "fort," so it"s also known as Chittor Fort) is so old, no one is sure exactly when it was built, although reports of its earliest capture go back to the 8th century. It is one of six large forts in the northwestern state of Rajasthan referred to as the Hill Forts of Rajasthan, all of them collectively designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We"re featuring this important and ancient complex on India"s 75th Independence Day, one of India"s three national holidays.Desktop Version
World Lizard Day
World Lizard Day
Do you hold a warm spot in your heart for these cold-blooded creatures? Lizard lovers celebrate the scaly squamates on this day each year. This camouflaged panther chameleon is one of a multitude of lizards that inhabit the island of Madagascar, many of which are found nowhere else. More than 50% of chameleon species are found only on the island, including the world"s smallest known chameleon, the recently discovered Brookesia nana, which is smaller than your fingernail.Desktop Version
Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness
Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness
In the mood for a quiet canoe ride? If so, consider a trip to Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) in northeast Minnesota. The Boundary Waters wilderness stretches for 150 miles along the US-Canada border within Superior National Forest. Known by those seeking solitude, Boundary Waters is one of America"s most beautiful and remote locations. Formed long ago from the scraping and gouging of glaciers, the area is distinct with its rugged cliffs, canyons, and thousands of lakes and streams. More than 1,200 miles of canoe routes are enjoyed by thousands of people every year.Desktop Version
World Elephant Day
World Elephant Day
Today is World Elephant Day, when we focus on these remarkable creatures and pledge to protect them. African elephants, like those shown here, are the largest living land animals, with bull elephants standing a whopping 13 feet tall at the shoulder. Their distinctive trunks and big, flapping ears make them one of the first animals every child can recognize. Adults marvel at the close family bonds they create and the way a herd rallies to protect its members, grieving when one dies. They form a strong, social community over their life span of about 60 to 75 years.Desktop Version
It s Mountain Day in Japan
It s Mountain Day in Japan
It makes a mountain of sense for Japan to celebrate Mountain Day, which occurs each August 11. First celebrated in 2016, it"s Japan"s newest holiday. Nearly three-quarters of the country is made up of mountains, thanks to its location in the Pacific Ring of Fire volcanic zone. Japan"s four major islands—Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu, and Shikoku—all have ranges running through them.Desktop Version
Joshua Tree National Park
Joshua Tree National Park
These immensely photogenic and relatable trees, their shaggy, sinewy limbs thrust upward into the pale light of the desert sky, are the main reason people come here to California"s Joshua Tree National Park. Joshua Tree was declared a national monument on August 10, 1936, before being designated a national park in 1994. Perhaps no other national park is so completely defined by a single feature, be it a plant or wildlife or natural formation. While Joshua Tree National Park contains other wonders, this tree that looks drawn by Dr. Seuss is what visitors come to celebrate.Desktop Version
International Day of the World s Indigenous Peoples
International Day of the World s Indigenous Peoples
What at first glance appears to be graffiti tagged on a rock wall is, in fact, artwork created by the first human settlers of this remote region deep in Argentine Patagonia. It"s thought that the cave paintings were made between 13,000 and 9,500 years ago. The archaeological site is known in Spanish as the Cueva de las Manos (Cave of the Hands). It"s the largest display of prehistoric handprints in the world, made all those years ago by people holding a hand against the rock wall and blowing pigments through tubes made of bone. Of the 829 black, white, red, and ochre prints, most are of young male hands. One print has six fingers, and only 31 are of right hands.Desktop Version
Pantaleu
Pantaleu
There isn"t much to the tiny island of El Pantaleu (or Es Pantaleu in Catalan), cast off the westernmost shore of Mallorca, itself an island only about 60 miles across. Pantaleu and Mallorca are part of the archipelago of Balearic Islands in the Balearic Sea, off the east coast of Spain. Mallorca, Ibiza, Menorca, and Formentera are the chain"s four major islands, famous as destinations for tourists seeking the warm Mediterranean climate and inviting shoreline.Desktop Version
National Lighthouse Day
National Lighthouse Day
It"s Lighthouse Day in the United States, so let"s stroll over to Spring Point Ledge Light on the breakwater next to Southern Maine Community College in South Portland, Maine. Lighthouse enthusiasts will recognize this as a caisson-style light station, meaning it"s a lighthouse built on top of a water-tight chamber called a caisson. In the US, caisson lighthouses were once known as "bug lights" because at a distance they appeared short and broad, a bit like a beetle on the surface of the water. After the invention of the internal combustion engine, the shape reminded many people of spark plugs, so they started calling them "spark plug lighthouses." Most caisson lighthouses are offshore or on dangerously exposed sites, but this is the only spark plug lighthouse in the country that visitors can walk to.Desktop Version
San Francisco Bay salt flats
San Francisco Bay salt flats
You might be wondering where the volcano is in today"s photo, but that"s not lava. These are salt flats in San Francisco Bay—many of these tidal marshes have been developed into evaporation ponds for the harvest of sea salt. If you happen to be in the air and flying over this part of the country, you"ll notice pools of not just bright orange but green, blue, and even magenta among the famous salt ponds. The vibrant colors are determined by brine shrimp, algae, and other microorganisms and their responses to different levels of salt. This orange results from a mid-level saline concentration and the presence of tiny brine shrimp in the water. Green indicates low levels of salt, while pink or red are signs of high salt content in an algae-rich pond.Desktop Version
Edinburgh festivals
Edinburgh festivals
Here"s the world-famous Edinburgh Castle, lit up in all its glory as it keeps watch over Scotland"s capital city. Today the castle hosts the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, a full-on Scottish experience, with bagpipes, drums, and seemingly enough kilts to cover all of Scotland. Enthusiastic visitors can also indulge in whisky and haggis in one of the many hostelries on the Royal Mile, the colorful, bustling historic street that wends its way from the castle down to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, Queen Elizabeth II"s official residence in Scotland.Desktop Version
Satla marshland in Bangladesh
Satla marshland in Bangladesh
There may be a more peaceful, stress-free job somewhere, but we wager that the farmers harvesting water lilies and gliding along the river in Satla, Bangladesh, might have that locked up. The flowers bloom during the seasonal flood from August to November, cloaking an incredible 15 square miles of wetlands in gorgeous, fragrant pink. The village of Satla, in the Barisal District of south-central Bangladesh, is known as the capital of "shapla," or water lilies, for obvious reasons.Desktop Version
Red-necked grebes during breeding season
Red-necked grebes during breeding season
The red-necked grebe has a bit of a split personality—in fact, it only lives up to its name about half the year. Its feathers are not red but brambly brown and gray throughout the winter, when it lives a low-key, quiet life in salt water along North American and European coasts. But just before it migrates to a northerly lake, pond, or swamp for breeding season, the plumage around the grebe"s throat turns a distinctive rust-red. Both males and females undergo the plumage change.Desktop Version
Happy birthday, Capitol Reef National Park
Happy birthday, Capitol Reef National Park
You won"t find a lot of solitude on the Hickman Bridge Trail, a 1.7-mile route in Capitol Reef National Park that leads to this magnificent natural arch. The trail is used by hikers, runners, and nature lovers drawn by incredible rock formations, gullies, and remnants from the ancient Fremont Culture civilization. Hickman Bridge itself is one of the best-known geologic features of the park.Desktop Version
Hawai i Volcanoes National Park at 106
Hawai i Volcanoes National Park at 106
The orange glow of a lava tube like the one pictured here is a frequent sight on Kīlauea, the youngest volcano on the island of Hawaii. In near constant eruption for the last 40 years, Kīlauea is widely considered the most active volcano in the world and is the main attraction at Hawai"i Volcanoes National Park, which was created on this day in 1916. The park, which was designated an International Biosphere Reserve and a World Heritage Site, also includes another active volcano, Mauna Loa, the world"s most massive shield volcano, which last erupted in 1984. Together, they are among the most studied volcanoes in the world.Desktop Version
Noctilucent clouds
Noctilucent clouds
It"s around this time of year when some lucky people get to witness these rare, wondrous clouds. Known as noctilucent, or "night-shining," clouds, they"re the highest clouds in our sky and are only visible during summer. They"re made up of icy dust glowing at the edge of space, roughly 50 miles above the planet"s surface. The trick to seeing them is to gaze up into the sky at twilight, when sunlight is not reaching the Earth"s surface, but is still shining through the high-altitude noctilucent clouds. These clouds occur more often at high latitudes but have been seen lower than 50° north and south.Desktop Version
Milford Sound/Piopiotahi rainforest in New Zealand
Milford Sound/Piopiotahi rainforest in New Zealand
Today we"re taking a tramping trip to New Zealand"s South Island to visit the place Rudyard Kipling once called the eighth wonder of the world, Milford Sound and its surrounding rainforest. Tramping, New Zealand-speak for hiking, is incredibly popular at Milford Sound. Nearly a million tourists visit the fjord every year, despite its somewhat remote location. Originally overlooked by European explorers, the area is now known for its beauty and abundance of wildlife. It"s not uncommon for visitors to spot dolphins, humpback whales, and native Fiordland penguins.Desktop Version
International Tiger Day
International Tiger Day
Famously solitary, tigers seldom live in groups unless they"re still cubs staying close to their mother. This rare "streak," as a group of tigers is called, is an exception. So much so, they became the subjects of a TV documentary called "Girl Gang of Telia." Today, on International Tiger Day, we"re featuring these tigress sisters from the Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve in central India, a protected area that includes Tadoba National Park.Desktop Version
Longs Peak, Rocky Mountain National Park
Longs Peak, Rocky Mountain National Park
One of the 53 "fourteeners" in Colorado—mountains that exceed 14,000 feet—Longs Peak still manages to reach higher into the heavens than any other mountain in Rocky Mountain National Park at 14,259 feet. Thousands of climbers set off every year to attempt the summit. Some climbers will try to reach the peak of every fourteener in the US during their lifetimes—that"s 96 different mountains.Desktop Version
Mada in Saleh, Saudi Arabia
Mada in Saleh, Saudi Arabia
About 2,000 years ago, Mada"in Saleh, or Hegra as the Romans called it, was a thriving city of the Nabataean Kingdom, and a center for the trade of spices, incense, and myrrh, a valuable tree resin used to make perfume and medicine. The Nabataeans were Arab people whose precise origins are unknown. They lived in northern Arabia and the Southern Levant. Mada"in Saleh was their second-largest and southernmost city after Petra, their capital city to the north. About halfway between Petra and Mecca, Mada"in Saleh served primarily as a trading crossroads and was instrumental in establishing the Nabataeans as prosperous middlemen to the rest of the ancient world.Desktop Version
Mangrove Conservation Day
Mangrove Conservation Day
Although we think of forests as trees on land, some of the most important trees grow in water, or more precisely, marshland. Mangrove forests, like this one in Saloum Delta National Park in Senegal, are vital components of the world"s coastal ecosystems. Mangroves survive where no other trees can, in salty, low-oxygen coastal waters exposed to tides and storms. They grow up to 30 feet high primarily in tropical and subtropical regions and are able to store vast amounts of carbon, making them crucial to moderating our climate. Mangroves also act as nurseries for fish and aquatic life. And with their complex, interwoven root systems, they protect coastlines from erosion. Today we join the UN in shining a light on the necessity and fragility of mangroves: July 26 is the International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem.Desktop Version
National Merry-Go-Round Day
National Merry-Go-Round Day
Today we"re celebrating a necessary staple of fairs, carnivals, and boardwalks: the merry-go-round. You may know it as a carousel, like the Golden Gallopers Carousel at the seaside in Brighton, England, seen in today"s photo. The word "carousel" is possibly derived from the Spanish "carosella," meaning "little war." Carousels have a history that goes back centuries, with roots in medieval jousting competitions. As the war game grew in popularity, commoners without horses wanted to participate, and carousels with wooden horses soon appeared at fairgrounds. The popularity of carousels led to many advancements over the years, including the up and down galloping menagerie of animals real and imagined, and the instantly recognizable music that became widespread after 1803.Desktop Version
Amelia Earhart
Amelia Earhart
Few people in modern history have captured our imagination as much as the famed aviator Amelia Earhart, born on this day in 1897. She was doubly a pioneer of her day, a skilled pilot when flying was a relatively new and daring endeavor, and a woman in a field dominated by men. Earhart"s legend was made, sadly, not as much by her piloting accomplishments as by her sudden disappearance in 1937 when her fame was still ascending. The 39-year-old famously went missing, along with navigator Fred Noonan, in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, near Howland Island, while attempting to fly around the world. The official search for Earhart and Noonan lasted 17 days. The US Navy and Coast Guard searched 150,000 square miles of the Pacific, an effort that became the most expensive search in history at the time. Her husband, George Putnam, led a private search in the months that followed. No verified trace of Earhart, Noonan, or the twin-propeller Lockheed Electra plane has ever been found.Desktop Version
National Moth Week
National Moth Week
How come bees and butterflies get all the pollinator credit? Moths may not be as buzzy or flashy, but they get the job done, too. Cue National Moth Week, which starts today. Whether you generally swat at moths with a rolled-up newspaper or drape them in a towel to release outside, there"s a place for you in Moth Week. You can join enthusiastic "moth-ers" around the world to observe and document our flying friends and to help us understand more about them.Desktop Version