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Dec 10, 2023Sand dunes in the Sahara, Algeria

The Sahara spans over 3 million square miles of North Africa, covering large parts of various countries including Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Sudan, and Tunisia. Vast sand dunes, rocky plateaus, and occasional oases create a landscape like no other. Although it is the largest hot desert in the world, the Sahara supports drought-resistant plants like acacia and palm trees, and hardy animals such as camels and fennec foxes. Intriguing features include its shifting sand dunes, pictured in today"s image, some of which are over 500 feet high. Ancient rock art and fossils have also been discovered here, providing insights into early civilizations and prehistoric creatures. Sandstorms are common, shaping the ever-changing scenery and adding to the mystique of this natural wonder.Desktop Version

Oct 23, 2023Corn maze in Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania

All hail Mazezilla, a massive maze of corn found in the Poconos region of Pennsylvania. Spread over 11 acres, there is a different one to solve every year, making it a popular attraction each September and October for those who enjoy perplexing challenges on a giant scale.Desktop Version

Nov 8, 2022Yi Peng Festival in Chiang Mai, Thailand

The bright light of the full moon is mirrored by lit lanterns launched skyward in the Thai festival of Yi Peng. It"s a beautiful celebration, as you can see, and it happens around the second full moon at this time of year ("yi" means "two" and "peng" means "full moon day"). Our photo shows the lanterns in Chiang Mai, Thailand"s second-largest city and the home of the most famous Yi Peng observance, which has strong ties to the Lanna people of northern Thailand.Desktop Version

Aug 17, 2019The buzz about bees

Even if most of the time you try to avoid bees—and, perhaps, even pictures of bees—you may want to make an exception today: it"s National Honey Bee Day. Back in 2009, then-Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack officially recognized this event to help raise awareness about the critical role bees play in the world"s ecosystem and give a nod to the beekeeping industry. Around the world, there are over 20,000 species of bees, which include solitary bees, bumblebees, and honey bees. Of these, only honey bees make honey, but all these industrious insects benefit humans by pollinating roughly a third of the crops we eat. Honey bees do most of the heavy lifting. In the US alone, each year domesticated honey bees pollinate about $20 billion worth of crops such as almonds, watermelons, blueberries, and more.Desktop Version

Jun 14, 2021A Flag Day tradition

Because it"s Flag Day in the US, we"re at the site of what"s believed to be the largest free-flying US flag in the land. It"s crowning the George Washington Bridge connecting Manhattan with Fort Lee, New Jersey. For those crossing the Hudson today, Old Glory will be on full display on the New Jersey tower, at least between the hours of 7 AM and 1:15 PM, after which New York Port Authority workers will reel the 60-by-90-foot, 450-pound nylon flag back into the tube where it"s housed, suspended hundreds of feet above the busy crossing. The flag is set to come out again on July 4, and if you can"t catch it then, you"ll still have a chance to see this enormous flag a few more times this year, as it is scheduled to fly again on Labor Day, September 11, and Veteran"s Day.Desktop Version

Apr 26, 2022Landscape Architecture Month

April is World Landscape Architecture Month, and to mark the occasion, we"re hovering above this masterwork, probably the most famous urban park in the world. Central Park is not the oldest, or the biggest, but no city park is more iconic. About 42 million people visit the park every year, and it"s the most filmed location in the world. What American movie is complete without a scene of a stroll through its unmistakable grounds?Desktop Version

Jul 3, 2022Dog days of summer

Other than our pet dogs, no other canine species has succeeded more at living among humans than the fox. This is despite the fact that people have hunted foxes for sport and for their highly coveted fur, and generally regarded them as pests and nemeses. No matter how we feel about them, foxes seem to have earned our respect. Of all the animals that are arguably clever and crafty, the word we use is "outfoxed," not "outcrowed," or "outbeared," or "outraccooned."Desktop Version

Apr 21, 2023Procida, Italy

Procida is a charming Italian island in the Gulf of Naples, boasting colorful buildings, picturesque streets, and stunning sea views. The island has a rich history, having been settled by the Greeks, Romans, and other civilizations over the centuries, but is less well-known than its larger neighbours, Capri and Ischia. Its oldest fishing village, Marina Corricella, features pastel-colored buildings and narrow streets and is a great place to enjoy fresh seafood and soak up the atmosphere. From there, you can climb up to the fortified medieval village of Terra Murata, built on the island"s highest point, which offers panoramic views over the entire Gulf of Naples.Desktop Version

Feb 9, 2024Pegadung Rock, Lampung, Sumatra, Indonesia

An unspoiled landscape carved by nature"s raw power, waves crash against Pegadung Rock on the southern coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra. This remote beach boasts turquoise waters, but it is the striking rocks that steal the show, standing tall against the might of the Indian Ocean. The rock formations, some of which are 33 feet tall, have given rise to various nicknames, among them Gigi Hiu (shark teeth) and Batu Layar (rock screen) Beach. While this beach has no tourist accommodation, the nearby village of Kiluan presents a haven for visitors. For those ready to trade lounging for exploring, this Sumatran treasure awaits.Desktop Version

Nov 21, 20222022 FIFA World Cup

Finally, after years of planning, building, and controversy, the 2022 World Cup is kicking off in Qatar. It"s the biggest event on the international soccer calendar, bringing together the globe"s top teams to proudly represent their countries. The prestigious World Cup tournament has been held every four years since 1930, except when WWII derailed it in 1942 and 1946. There will be fierce competition in Qatar as the champion French team seeks to defend their title, with the final scheduled for Qatar National Day, December 18. This is the first World Cup hosted by a country in the Middle East, and it"s later in the year than usual due to the hot weather in Qatar.Desktop Version

Jan 7, 2025Moeraki Boulders, South Island, New Zealand

Are you ready to rock the new year? Today is Old Rock Day, a day for celebrating and learning about old rocks and fossils. Rocks are common and few of us take the time to consider how amazing they are. But forged in volcanoes or molded by millennia of pressure, these solid masses of minerals hold the key to understanding how our planet formed. Rocks can also contain fossils, the remnants of long-extinct organisms, which give scientists clues about what creatures and plants have lived on Earth during its 4.5-billion-year history.Desktop Version

Jan 1, 2025Happy New Year!

Happy New Year"s Day! Humans have celebrated the new year since at least 2000 BCE, but various cultures have chosen different days coinciding with equinoxes or lunar cycles. The Romans established January 1 as the beginning of the year in 153 BCE, but this fell out of favor throughout Europe during the medieval era. Since 1582 and the widespread adoption of the Gregorian calendar, however, much of the world now celebrates the new year today. In addition to watching fireworks, drinking champagne, and making resolutions in the wee hours of the morning, other global traditions include making noise, eating lucky foods, and giving gifts.Desktop Version

Oct 22, 2019Bobbing for crab apples

If it"s autumn, it"s apple season—the time for apple pie, apple cider (and, of course, apple cider doughnuts), apple cake, caramel apples, or just biting into a fresh, crisp apple, especially one you picked yourself. There are more than 7,500 varieties of apples grown in the world—about 2,500 in the US. This blackbird is enjoying a crab apple, which most people find a little sour to eat right off the tree. They do, however, work well for jelly, apple butter, or even pie filling. The term "crab apple" doesn’t refer to a specific species but is used for several types of small apples. In Celtic culture, crab apples are associated with love and marriage. Supposedly if you throw the seeds into a fire while saying the name of your love, the seeds explode if your love is true. We"d try it but we"re busy baking a pie.Desktop Version

Jun 29, 2022International Day of the Tropics

Only in the tropics do forests grow in salt water. Take this forest of mangrove trees in Phang Nga Bay in southern Thailand, one of the largest and best-preserved mangrove forests in the country. Adapted to thrive in coastal marshes and swamps, mangroves can filter salt water and withstand strong coastal storms. Virtually all mangrove forests and all species of mangrove grow only in the tropical regions of the world. They are protectors of the coastlines, acting as a buffer against storms and floods.Desktop Version

Jul 21, 2023Storseisundet Bridge, Norway

Norway"s picturesque Atlantic Ocean Road crosses eight bridges as it makes its way across islands, islets, and reefs to link the island of Averøya with the mainland Romsdal Peninsula. The longest of them, pictured here, is the Storseisundet Bridge. This bridge, surrounded by ample natural beauty, was tough to build. It took six years, and during construction workers were pelted by the region"s unpredictable weather, including 12 hurricanes. It opened in 1989 and remains a popular visitor attraction. With its dramatic curve and sudden incline, Storseisundet Bridge creates the illusion of suddenly disappearing into the ocean, making drivers skip a heartbeat. Its construction showcases the brilliance of Norwegian engineering, blending seamlessly with the landscape.Desktop Version

Jan 13, 2023Giant kelp in the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary

All along the Pacific Coast of North America, giant stands of kelp up to 100 feet high, like this one in California"s Channel Islands, provide habitat for a vast number of fish, invertebrates, and sea mammals. Giant kelp, technically a type of brown algae, is the largest of all seaweed and one of the fastest-growing of any organism—as much as 2 feet per day! The gas-filled pods you see in this image help the kelp float. Like the trees in the Amazon, the kelp forests of our oceans are key to the health of marine life.Desktop Version

Jan 31, 2023Burchells zebras for International Zebra Day

It"s International Zebra Day, and we"re giving a shout-out to the flashiest animal on the African savanna. It"s a day to raise awareness of these distinctive creatures and encourage measures to protect them and their habitat. This group of Burchell"s zebras is hanging out at Rietvlei Nature Reserve in South Africa.Desktop Version

Sep 22, 2019Barcelona bids farewell to summer

Every year, for four days in September, locals and tourists flock to one of Barcelona’s biggest events, La Mercè Festival. It got its beginnings in 1687 when Barcelona was suffering from a plague of locusts. In desperation, city officials voted to ask for the assistance of La Mare de Déu de la Mercè (the Virgin of Mercy). Eventually, having been delivered from the pestilence, the officials named the Virgin of Mercy the patroness of Barcelona, and an annual festival has been celebrated in her honor in the city ever since.Desktop Version

Feb 4, 2024Devetashka Cave, Devetaki, Bulgaria

Step through time and into the cavernous depths of Devetashka Cave in Bulgaria, a sprawling prehistoric complex which humans called home for tens of thousands of years. These days, it is home to bats, about 30,000 of them, as well as rare birds and reptiles. This karst cave was formed by erosion and is now part of a public park. Humans are thought to have sought shelter here as far back as the Early Stone Age, about 70,000 years ago, and many Neolithic artefacts from 6000-4000 BCE have been discovered. Several large openings in the cave cast natural light into the chambers, offering better illumination for photographers and nature lovers alike.Desktop Version

Mar 6, 2024Wahclella Falls, Oregon

Nestled in the Columbia River Gorge in Oregon, there"s something special awaiting hikers: the Wahclella Falls. Fed by Tanner Creek, a tributary of the Columbia River, these waterfalls were named after a Native American village by members of the Mazama Mountaineering Club. At the end of a trail, visitors can see the spectacular two-tiered cascade that crashes down 350 feet into a pool below, which is the perfect place to take a dip and cool off. While you"re swimming, keep an eye out for the water ouzel—also known as the American dipper—a species of bird that lives here. They can be spotted flying along the stream and occasionally diving into the water.Desktop Version

Sep 11, 2019A tower of remembrance

Pictured here is the Tower of Voices, a 93-foot-tall monument to the passengers and crew on Flight 93. Hijackers seized the plane shortly after it left Newark, New Jersey, on September 11, 2001. As travelers onboard learned of the coordinated attacks in New York and Washington, DC, a group of passengers and flight crew attempted to wrest control of the plane. The aircraft crashed into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, killing everyone on board. It was the only one of the four hijacked planes that didn’t hit its intended target.Desktop Version

May 23, 2023World Turtle Day

With distinctive markings on their shells, western box turtles, such as the one seen here, are among the most widely recognized turtle species and one of two box turtle species in the US. Box turtles are named after their dome-shaped shells which are hinged at the bottom, allowing the shell to close like a box if it needs to hide from predators. They generally live for around 25 years but can survive for more than 50, and there have been reports of some living for 100 years.Desktop Version

Mar 16, 2023Panda Day

Giant pandas are loved the world over but nowhere more than in China, where they are considered national treasures. On March 16, we celebrate these distinctive bears, which live mainly in forests in the mountains of western China and subsist almost entirely on a diet of bamboo. These black-and-white giants start off small—a newborn panda is about the size of a stick of butter—but after eating their way through between 26 and 84 pounds of bamboo a day, male adults can weigh in at up to 300 pounds.Desktop Version

Jul 20, 2022National Moon Day

Bigger and brighter than anything else you can see from Earth in the night sky, the moon has inspired our calendar, our songs, our art, our stories, and our dreams. Today, on National Moon Day, we remember one dream that came true on this date in 1969: the day humans first set foot on the lunar surface. So far, it"s the only place beyond our planet that humans have visited.Desktop Version

Jul 31, 2022Noctilucent 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

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