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Feb 3, 2019A crane for good luck in today’s big game

It’s Super Bowl Sunday and this Japanese crane looks like it’s getting into the spirit of things. Also known as the red-crowned crane, the species is among the rarest cranes in the world. It’s known in some cultures as a symbol of luck and longevity, making it an ideal football mascot. This particular crane seems to have a pretty good punting leg, to boot. Other animals that have served as good luck symbols around the world include the pig, the mandarin duck, and the albatross. Do you have a good luck charm?Desktop Version

Dec 14, 2018Time to count some birds

Before the 20th century, some North Americans organized ‘Christmas side hunts’ in which participants would choose sides, then compete to bag as many birds as possible. In 1900, ornithologist Frank Chapman suggested a bird census instead, and the Christmas Bird Count (CBC) was born. The annual count is sponsored by the National Audubon Society. This year, the CBC runs from today through January 5, 2019, giving citizen scientists across North America time to join in, get outside, and spot some birds. The data collected is used to gauge the health of various bird populations–this information is then used to focus conservation efforts on particular species and geographical areas.Desktop Version

Aug 4, 2020Into the woods

Catching a glimpse of a deer makes the world go suddenly quiet. One clumsy move, even a gasp, could send these two white-tailed deer, with a flash of their namesake tails, deeper into the woods. But if you live between southern Canada and South America, chances are good you"ll get another opportunity to see these native deer. They live throughout the United States, save for parts of the Far West, and thrive in a variety of habitats—forests, grasslands, even city suburbs. This doe and fawn were photographed in Wisconsin, a state that picked this locally abundant and economically important ruminant as its state wildlife animal back in 1957. So, why isn"t Wisconsin called "The White-Tailed Deer State"? Take the quiz to find out.Desktop Version

Jan 12, 2020The Zugspitze: Germany s highest point

Welcome to the snowy Bavarian Alps, where the mountain called the Zugspitze (TSOOG-shpit-seh) casts a cold shadow over the Eibsee, a small and serene alpine lake. Situated on the border with Austria, the peak is Germany"s highest point at almost 10,000 feet above sea level, towering over the lakeside village of Grainau.Desktop Version

Jan 12, 2019Sailing across the ice

These snowkiters are competing at a tournament in Novosibirsk, Russia. Like kiteboarding on liquid water, the sport of snowkiting uses a parachute-like foil kite, which catches the wind and pulls the boarder along a frozen, snowy landscape. The sport wasn’t invented here in Siberia, but when January sends the mercury plunging, the freezing temperatures create ideal conditions for the sport.Desktop Version

Nov 29, 2019Opt outside today

Instead of rushing to the mall today for Black Friday deals, perhaps you could make it a Green Friday and find a treasure in a nearby park or wilderness like the Maroon Bells near Aspen, Colorado, pictured here. A few years ago, outdoor retailer REI made news by closing its doors on the biggest shopping day of the year and encouraging its employees and customers to "Opt Outside" by spending time with their loved ones instead. While there is still no shortage of shopping options available to the intrepid Black Friday deal-hunter, a growing number of organizations have gotten behind this concept of Green Friday. And let"s face it, after all that turkey and pie yesterday, you could probably use a nice walk. You can always shop online at work on Cyber Monday ;)Desktop Version

Jan 6, 2021Travels to the Oregon deep

We"re looking out on the deepest lake in the US. Crater Lake, the centerpiece and namesake of the only national park in Oregon, goes down to depths of 1,943 feet—that"s enough room to stack three-and-a-half Washington Monuments on top of each other. Fed mainly by snowfall, this pristine, crystal blue lake came into the world with a bang. Sometime around 5700 BCE, Mount Mazama erupted, losing roughly 3,000 feet of its height. The volcano blew out so much molten rock that it left a giant depression that gradually filled with water, giving us this serene scene today.Desktop Version

Jan 8, 2020Take the stairs

If you want to celebrate Take the Stairs Day in style, look no further than China"s Tianmen Mountain (literally Heaven"s Door). About 5,000 feet above sea level, the hole in the mountain is the highest naturally formed arch in the world. Originally a cave, it became an arch in 263 CE when the back side of the mountain collapsed, creating the dramatic opening we see today. You"ll have to climb 999 steps to make it to the top, but we promise the view is worth it.Desktop Version

May 16, 2021A magnificent monolith

Towering more than 650 feet, El Peñón de Guatapé (The Rock of Guatapé) is an inselberg, which is geologist-speak for a stone monolith that stands alone amid relatively flat surroundings. This huge rock is found in northwest Colombia, a region once inhabited by the Indigenous Tahamí people, who are said to have worshipped El Peñón, as many locals now call it. Probably because it"s so smooth, no one is known to have climbed the rock until 1954, when a small group of friends scaled it by wedging a series of boards into a vertical crack. It took them five days to reach the top.Desktop Version

Jan 16, 2019Up on the glacier

The Athabasca is the most-visited glacier in North America. Located in Canada’s Jasper National Park, it’s one of the six ‘toes’ of the Columbia Icefield, a natural feature of the Canadian Rockies. The Athabasca has receded by nearly a mile in the past 125 years, losing about 16 feet of ice each year. And that"s not all that"s moving in the Columbia Icefield—there"s also an icefall that travels downslope (the way a waterfall would) between 50 and 400 feet per year.Desktop Version

Mar 1, 2018Stari Most in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina

To celebrate Independence Day in Bosnia and Herzogovina we’re in Mostar, a city on the banks of the Neretva River. This bridge that joins the two sides of the city is called Stari Most, or ‘Old Bridge.’ The original stone bridge was built in the 16th century but destroyed in 1993 during the Bosnian War. Reconstruction began in 2001, using local materials and even some stones from the original bridge. The new ‘Old Bridge’ was completed in 2004.Desktop Version

Apr 23, 2019A legend and a legendary home

To celebrate Sant Jordi’s Day today, we’re studying the intricate façade of Casa Batlló in Barcelona, Spain. The holiday is the Catalan celebration of Saint George’s Day, which is observed throughout Europe. According to legend, Jordi (Catalan for ‘George’) saved a princess from the clutches of a terrible dragon. After rescuing her, the knight gave the damsel a red rose, which has become an important symbol of the holiday in Catalonia. As it happens, Spaniards also celebrate April 23 as Book Day, marking the anniversary of the death of Miguel de Cervantes, the famous 16th- and 17th-century Spanish writer. So here in Barcelona, both roses and books are given to loved ones on Sant Jordi’s Day, while music and dancing fill the streets. We might pause in our revelry to spend some time taking in Casa Batlló, designed by Spanish architect Antoni Gaudí. The building is heavily inspired by Sant Jordi’s legend, with red roses on the balconies, and a roof made to look like dragon scales.Desktop Version

Aug 13, 2018Look to the north sky tonight for the Perseids

We can’t all gather on the southern Black Sea coast of Bulgaria to watch the Perseids meteor shower tonight, but perhaps this amazing photo from that location will inspire you to head outside for a look at your own skies. Every August, Earth passes through the trail of debris left by Comet Swift-Tuttle. When Swift-Tuttle’s ‘dirty snowballs’ of dust, ice, rock, and other material hit Earth’s atmosphere, they burn up as the ‘shooting stars’ of the Perseids. If you can, get away from city lights any time between now and Aug 24, find a safe spot outside, and let your eyes adjust to the dark for about 30 minutes. Look to the northern portion of the sky, or find the Perseus constellation, and you’ll start seeing streaks of light tumbling through the sky.Desktop Version

Feb 2, 2019Groundhog Day arrives—beyond a shadow of a doubt

Do you think this hoary marmot in Alaska’s Denali National Park is wondering whether its relative, Punxsutawney Phil, saw his shadow today? Groundhog Day is an American tradition that originated among the Pennsylvania Dutch, but groundhogs aren’t the only animals believed to predict the weather. It’s said you can predict the severity of an upcoming winter by examining the stripes on a woolly bear caterpillar’s back. And in Germany, folks once looked to the badger to forecast the coming of spring. But no furry prognosticator of the weather has gained as much fame as Punxsutawney Phil. Perhaps we have Bill Murray to thank for that? (Be right back, got to cue up Murray’s film ‘Groundhog Day.’) Say, do you ever have déjà vu? Wait, did we just ask you that?Desktop Version

Feb 5, 2020Frozen beauty

Located on the North Saskatchewan River, Abraham Lake is an artificial lake and Alberta"s largest reservoir. Even though it"s man-made, it takes on the blue color of other glacial lakes in the Rocky Mountains. In winter, the lake draws nature photographers interested not just in the wildlife and spectacular landscape, but also the lake"s odd appearance when it freezes over. Bacteria on the lake bottom feed on dead organic matter and release the methane bubbles you see here. When the surface water freezes, the bubbles get trapped, creating a photographer"s dream. They may be beautiful, but these frozen bubbles can be dangerous because they"re highly flammable. If you happen to be lighting a match nearby, you"ll want to watch out or the released methane could explode. The bubbles aren"t so friendly to the environment, either; methane in the atmosphere is a major part of global greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to climate change.Desktop Version

Mar 2, 2018Satellite image of sand and seaweed in the Bahamas

We have NASA’s Landsat program to thank for this rare view of the Atlantic Ocean in the Bahamas, as captured by satellite. The patterns you see are sand and seaweed beds that have been sculpted by ocean currents. That dark spot? It’s called the Tongue of the Ocean. The tongue is a deep, dark trench that separates the islands of Andros and New Providence in the Bahamas and connects to a larger geological feature known as the Great Bahama Canyon.Desktop Version

Jan 10, 2019‘You should see the one that got away!’

Don’t be fooled by the modest size of these ice-fishing shanties near the village of L"Anse-Saint-Jean, Quebec. Modern day ice huts are often tricked out with big-screen TVs, underwater cameras, sonar fish-finders, and even bathrooms with hot showers. Some fishermen and women spend entire weekends out on the lake, warm and dry. Here in the Saguenay region of Quebec, they may be fishing for walleye, redfish, cod, or black turbot, which are reeled in after drilling a hole in the ice and casting a line in the frigid waters. Brrrr!Desktop Version

Feb 17, 2019Flock online for the Great Backyard Bird Count

Both amateur and professional birders alike are invited to participate in the 22nd annual Great Backyard Bird Count, an online citizen science project that helps scientists monitor bird populations around the world. Participating is easy–just venture outside for as little as 15 minutes and record any bird sightings. Perhaps you’ll spot a black-crested titmouse, like this one photographed in Texas Hill Country. Last year’s event saw nearly 200,000 participants who recorded a combined 6,310 species.Desktop Version

Dec 25, 2018Happy holidays!

The practice of decorating a home with pine boughs predates the more modern idea of the Christmas tree by centuries. By the 1600s, the Protestant population of Germany embraced the idea of bringing a tree into the home and decorating it, setting in motion the development of a grand Western tradition that has spread beyond Europe and North America, and fuels an entire industry of tree farms and the manufacture of artificial trees. If you’re celebrating Christmas today, we wish you a merry one.Desktop Version

Jan 29, 2021So, how long till springtime?

Winter often brings cold and snow to the uplands of England"s Peak District National Park, as this wee European robin surely knows. Here we see it puffing up its plumage to insulate its body against the wintry weather. Unrelated to the American robin, the European robin is commonly known in the British Isles as the robin redbreast. But it"s more orange than red, you say? That"s because when British people first named it the redbreast, probably in the 1400s, the word "orange" had not yet been introduced as a color name in the English language. Animals and other things were often named "red" even when orange or tawny: the red deer, Red Planet, and robin redbreast are all examples. Whatever you decide to call our diminutive friend, we appreciate its bright splash of color on an otherwise bleak wintry day.Desktop Version

Jan 11, 2019Life in a North African town

The nearly hidden valley town called Tafraout (sometimes spelled Tafraoute) and smaller settlement, Aguerd Oudad, are surrounded by the red hills of the Anti-Atlas Mountains, far from the larger cities in Morocco. The area is frequently visited by climbers who come to scale the nearby peaks, like this one, called Napoleon’s Hat (it’s thought to resemble the bicorne hat that Napoleon Bonaparte memorably wore sideways). The town is remote enough that tourists must make an effort to get there, but as many travel writers note, it’s well worth it. The villagers here lead a quieter, slower-paced life than those in Morocco’s bustling urban centers such as Marrakesh.Desktop Version

Feb 5, 2018Iceberg off the coast of Antarctica

There’s more than meets the eye in this image of an iceberg floating off the coast of Antarctica. That’s because about 90 percent of every iceberg exists beneath the surface of the water—and it can be hard to gauge its shape from the surface. The largest recorded iceberg, known as B-15, had a surface area larger than the island of Jamaica (just imagine what that baby looked like under water!). On the other end of the spectrum, hunks of ice smaller than 16 feet across are known as ‘bergy bits’ and ‘growlers.’Desktop Version

Jan 27, 2019A memorial in Germany

We’re in Berlin for International Holocaust Remembrance Day today, looking at the monument called ‘Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe.’ The memorial looks rigid and ordered, with 2,711 concrete slabs arranged in a grid pattern across 4.7 acres. But architect Peter Eisenman, who designed the work, purposely skewed some of the grid, so that spaces between the slabs may shrink or grow as you walk among the gray blocks. And the gaps are intentionally so narrow that they allow only individual passage. As the visitor navigates through the grid, the subtle shifts in these spaces are meant to shatter the illusion of order and security.Desktop Version

Dec 24, 2018The birthplace of a classic Christmas carol

All is calm here in Salzburg, Austria, tonight–much like we imagine it was on this day 200 years ago, when the song ‘Silent Night’ made its debut in the world. This is the bicentennial of the popular carol, written by Franz Gruber and Joseph Mohr, and first performed in a chapel in the nearby town of Oberndorf. The song has since been performed by artists around the world and was given intangible cultural heritage status by UNESCO. But the most popular recording of the song belongs to Bing Crosby, whose rendition remains the third best-selling single of all time.Desktop Version

Feb 24, 2018A red fox on the Swiss side of the Jura Mountain range

Red foxes are a common sight in this subalpine range that forms a natural border between Switzerland and France. Our photo of a red fox prowling on a snowy winter night was taken with a "camera trap," a remotely activated camera equipped with a motion sensor and a light flash. Images taken with this method reveal the local wildlife going about their business undisturbed by the presence of humans, and give us a glimpse into the lives of our fellow creatures.Desktop Version

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