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Hey neighbor, it s World Space Week!
Hey neighbor, it s World Space Week!
Space is a big, lonely place, so it"s nice to know we have neighbors. The pictured Andromeda galaxy is our Milky Way"s closest neighbor—right next door at 2.5 million light-years away. Our cordial relationship with Andromeda goes back about 10 billion years to when both galaxies were still forming. But trouble is brewing: Andromeda is on a collision course with the Milky Way, due for impact in 4 billion years. This neighborhood"s about to get rough…Desktop Version
The ruins of a Maya superpower
The ruins of a Maya superpower
Deep in the jungle of southern Mexico lie the ruins of a city that thrived for centuries before it was abandoned more than 1,000 years ago. Calakmul was once one of the two dueling superpowers—along with Tikal—of the Classic Maya civilization. At its height, around 1,200 years ago, the city of Calakmul had a population of about 50,000 people, but the kingdom as a whole numbered more than 1.5 million. Archaeologists have uncovered 6,750 structures here—the largest is this pyramid temple, called, simply, "Structure 2." It"s one of the tallest and most massive remaining structures from that highly advanced culture. The ruins of the city proper cover nearly 8 square miles in the jungle and the kingdom once ruled over settlements as far as 90 miles away.Desktop Version
A river runs through it
A river runs through it
In just a few months it"ll be warm enough to perch for a while on this smooth river rock, dangle your feet into the water, and take in this gorgeous Swiss scenery. We"re here in the Valle Verzasca, a valley in Ticino, Switzerland, close to the Italian border. There in the near distance is the tiny hamlet of Lavertezzo, where most everyone speaks Italian. Tourists normally flock to this area in warm summer months to swim and snorkel in the Verzasca River"s famous turquoise waters and to jump off the 17th-century double-arched bridge known as the Ponte dei Salti (Bridge of Jumps). The very, very brave bungee jump off the nearby Contra Dam, made famous in the 1995 James Bond film "GoldenEye."Desktop Version
Celebrating World Wildlife Day
Celebrating World Wildlife Day
We like to think this lone cougar is off to meet its friends in a celebration of World Wildlife Day, recognized each year on March 3. The 2018 theme of the UN-sponsored event is protecting big cats, including lions, tigers, cheetahs, and cougars just like this one. Cougars have a wide range in the Americas, spanning from Canada to Argentina. Photographer Sebastian Kennerknecht captured this image in the Andes of northwest Argentina using a camera trap, a remotely activated camera equipped with a sensor that can photograph animals without a human present.Desktop Version
National Bird Day
National Bird Day
In honor of National Bird Day, observed every year on January 5, we"re at the Bellavista Cloud Forest Reserve in the Pichincha Province of Ecuador, a 2,000-acre conservation area that was established in 1981. Bellavista is located at high altitude, in the northwestern Andes mountains, and is home to a huge variety of bird species, including the plate-billed mountain toucan you see here.Desktop Version
Hoisting a flag for seafarers
Hoisting a flag for seafarers
Here above the chilly seas off Iceland, we"re peering down at a tall ship called the Gorch Fock—a training vessel of the German navy. Built in 1958, it replaced the original 1933 Gorch Fock, which was seized by the Soviets in the wake of World War II (but is now back home in Stralsund, Germany, as a museum ship). Because traditionally rigged tall ships are valued as tools for learning general sailing skills, the "58 Gorch Fock is still in official service—but for much of the 21st century, it"s been in and out of dry dock for repairs and safety improvements.Desktop Version
Looking for peace on the precipice
Looking for peace on the precipice
The Sanctuary of Madonna della Corona sits on an outcropping almost 2,500 feet high overlooking the Adige River Valley in northern Italy, near the city of Verona. Since the Middle Ages, this spot has been a destination for religious pilgrimages. The faithful are drawn no doubt by the views and, perhaps, the dangerous path to get there—enlightenment shouldn"t come easy.Desktop Version
It s Star Wars Day
It s Star Wars Day
Does this place look familiar? If you"re a "Star Wars" fan you might recognize it as the planet of Crait, featured in "The Last Jedi." In reality it"s Salar de Uyuni, the world"s largest salt flat, found in southwest Bolivia. This otherworldly landscape is near the crest of the Andes, about 12,000 feet above sea level. The salt flat was formed when prehistoric lakes dried up over centuries, leaving behind a salt crust several feet deep. After a rare rainfall, a thin layer of perfectly still water will transform the salt flat into a giant mirror 80 miles across.Desktop Version
A tale of almonds and bees
A tale of almonds and bees
Every February in California, the almond trees bloom, sparking a massive migration of commercial beekeepers to the Golden State. With box hives stacked high onto semi-truck trailers, they transport their honeybee colonies to almond orchards in the Sacramento and San Joaquin areas of California’s Central Valley, renting the little workers out to farmers. In recent decades, this practice has grown to become the largest managed pollination effort in the world, sometimes called the ‘Super Bowl of beekeeping.’Desktop Version
It’s Draw a Bird Day
It’s Draw a Bird Day
Both male and female resplendent quetzals have the bright body feathers, though the color on males is generally even brighter. During mating season, the males—like this one, photographed in Costa Rica—grow double tail feathers that usually measure longer than the bird’s body. In fact, some tail feathers can form a train up to three feet long. If you want to celebrate Draw a Bird Day today, maybe the resplendent quetzal will inspire you. Time to break out the crayons?Desktop Version
Goats don t grow on trees
Goats don t grow on trees
You"re not seeing things—these goats in Essaouira, Morocco, have climbed high up into an argan tree. And it"s not a one-time event. The goats enjoy the small yellow fruit these trees produce, and when the low-hanging fruit is gone they"re willing and able to make the climb. Goats aren"t the only ones benefitting from these trees. The nuts from argan trees are used to produce argan oil, which is edible and also used for some rather pricey cosmetics, making it a valuable export.Desktop Version
Happy Easter from the ‘peeps’ at Bing
Happy Easter from the ‘peeps’ at Bing
These lavender marshmallow chicks—and their siblings of other colors—are destined to arrive in Easter baskets around the country today. Lots and lots of Easter baskets. On average, the Just Born factory in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania produces 5.5 million PEEPS® every day, or more than 3,800 per minute. And all those PEEPS® have lots of company. According to the National Confectioners Association, Easter is a top-selling candy holiday in the US, second only to Halloween. This year there’s a twist on the holiday: Easter Sunday falls on the same day as April Fool’s Day. Whatever you have planned–we hope your day is a sweet one.Desktop Version
Midsummer in Sweden
Midsummer in Sweden
This mirrorlike lake—pictured not at dawn nor dusk, but under the tireless midnight sun that marks Scandinavian summers—lies just outside Örebro, a midsized city in south-central Sweden. To Swedes, late June is synonymous with Midsummer, a solstice festival with roots in ancient, pagan Europe that was later combined with the June 24 Christian feast of John the Baptist.Desktop Version
Nubble Island’s only industry
Nubble Island’s only industry
For National Lighthouse Day, we’re visiting Cape Neddick Light, which sits on a tiny island called Nubble Island, or "the Nub"—just 100 yards from the mainland. It"s on Maine"s southern shore and is one of just eight lighthouses in Maine that still use a Fresnel lens, the 19th-century invention that greatly amplifies the light. The island isn"t accessible to the public, but because it"s so close, many visitors come to Sohier Park on the cape for the view of the lighthouse. Why August 7 for National Lighthouse Day? Because it was this day in 1789 when the US government placed all lighthouses under federal control to make sure these important safety signals were all built, supported, and maintained equally.Desktop Version
Happy Syttende Mai!
Happy Syttende Mai!
If you have Norwegian roots, May 17, aka Syttende Mai, is a day to celebrate. On this day in 1814 the constitution of Norway was signed, declaring Norway an independent kingdom. Today we honor this stunning country by looking out over the town of Ålesund, nestled amid mountains and fjords in the western part of the country. This seaport stretches across several islands linked by bridges and is known for its charming art nouveau architecture. In ordinary years, Ålesund draws hordes of tourists and serves as a gateway for visitors to explore the bird island of Runde as well as Geirangerfjord, considered one of Norway"s most beautiful fjords.Desktop Version
Wild and beautiful Alaska
Wild and beautiful Alaska
In honor of Alaska National Parks Day, we"re traveling to Kenai Fjords National Park—home of the awe-inspiring Exit Glacier, seen here. The park sits at the edge of the North Pacific Ocean where frequent winter storms dump the snow that feeds this land of ice. The Harding Icefield crowns the park with at least 38 flowing glaciers—one of which is Exit Glacier. Exit Glacier is known for being one of the most visited of Alaska"s glaciers, likely because it’s accessible via the Seward Highway. In mid-November, the road to the glacier closes to cars due to heavy snowfall, so visitors can only get there using snow-friendly transportation like dogsled or cross-country skis.Desktop Version
Travel Sunday: Sintra, Portugal
Travel Sunday: Sintra, Portugal
Perched atop a hill overlooking the city of Sintra, Pena Palace is one of Portugal’s most iconic national monuments, and would be a romantic setting to celebrate Portugal’s National Day today. The June 10 holiday commemorates the death of Luís de Camões, a literary icon in Portugal who is revered for his adventurous spirit. It’s said the one-eyed poet (he lost the other eye in a fight) saved his most famous work—titled "Os Lusíadas"—from destruction during a shipwreck by holding the manuscript above water while he swam with one arm.Desktop Version
New Year s Day
New Year s Day
This harp seal is starting 2022 off right. While many of us may be napping today to recover from New Year"s Eve celebrations, this seal is napping because it can. All the noise and excitement were last night, just 40 miles away at New York City"s ball drop, but it"s quiet enough here at Long Island"s Jones Beach for our sleepy friend to recuperate in the sand. Harp seals are one of five types of seals that populate Jones Beach from November to May. They travel from as far away as the Canadian Arctic and northwestern Greenland to rest up and feed before making their way north again in the spring.Desktop Version
Polar bears
Polar bears
Welcome to Churchill, Manitoba, population 899 (if you don"t count the bears, or the many human visitors who come around this time each year to glimpse the world"s largest land carnivore).Desktop Version
There’s a dog in there somewhere
There’s a dog in there somewhere
Komondors, also known as Hungarian sheepdogs, have a strong instinct to herd and protect livestock. They’re famous for their distinctive coats—when left untrimmed, a komondor’s fur ‘cords’ up, creating the unusual, mop-like appearance seen here. The Komondor in this photo was competing at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show at Madison Square Garden. The 2019 Westminster competition begins today.Desktop Version
In orbit for Yuri s Night
In orbit for Yuri s Night
Sixty years ago today at around 9 AM Moscow time, Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human to get a view of Earth from space (like this one captured from the International Space Station by astronaut Jeff Williams). With the famous utterance "Poyekhali!" ("Off we go!"), Gagarin launched into low Earth orbit in his Vostok 3KA spacecraft, making history in less than two hours with a complete trip around the planet. Landing in rural Russia, he became an instant worldwide celebrity—that is, after convincing puzzled locals he was a comrade and not a space alien.Desktop Version
Celebrating National Panda Day
Celebrating National Panda Day
This giant panda seems content to be indulging in his favorite snack at the Wolong National Nature Reserve in the mountains of Sichuan, China. Bamboo makes up 99 percent of a panda’s diet, and it must consume upwards of 30 pounds of the woody grass each day to meet its dietary needs. This presents a predicament, as human development continues to encroach on the bamboo forests of pandas’ natural habitat. National Panda Day, celebrated on March 16, aims to spread awareness about this iconic species.Desktop Version
Reflections of the night sky
Reflections of the night sky
Because August is such a fantastic time for stargazing, we’re looking skyward at this spectacular nighttime scene of the Milky Way over the Totensee, a small natural lake in Switzerland. In the Northern Hemisphere, the nights are still long and remain warm, so if you"re lucky you can catch the always thrilling sight of a falling star. Tonight would be a good night to look for one because we"re at the tail end of the annual Perseid meteor shower. Like most predictable meteor showers, it occurs when the Earth"s orbit intersects with the long elliptical path of one of the millions of comets that orbit the sun. It is called the Perseid meteor shower because the bulk of the meteors will appear to originate out of the constellation Perseus. So, turn out the lights, head outside, and look up!Desktop Version
Who created the Easter Bunny?
Who created the Easter Bunny?
German Lutherans in the 16th century first came up with the idea of the "Easter hare," which eventually formed the basis for the modern-day Easter Bunny. The German version of the bunny judges whether children have been good or bad during the Eastertide season—well-behaved kids get a treat. But rabbits and hares have long been associated with springtime, rebirth, and fertility, so perhaps it was inevitable that the fuzzy bunny would make the leap from gentle backyard visitor to keeper of spring"s "naughty or nice" list.Desktop Version
It s Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
It s Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
As Asian Pacific American Heritage Month kicks off today, we"re visiting Kubota Garden in Seattle, part of the city"s extensive park system. The 20-acre Japanese garden is tucked away in the Rainier Beach district—one of the traditional centers of Seattle"s Asian American community.Desktop Version