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Lucian Blaga National Theater, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Lucian Blaga National Theater, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
The Lucian Blaga National Theater, in the Romanian city of Cluj-Napoca, is a cultural icon. Built between 1904 and 1906, it was designed by the famous Austrian architects Ferdinand Fellner and Hermann Helmer in the Neo-Baroque style, popular in the late 19th century. This opulent style nodded back to the grandiosity of the Baroque movement, which began in Rome in the 1600s and flourished across Europe. The building houses both the national theater and the Romanian Opera and plays host to a wide array of cultural events here in Romania"s second-largest city.Desktop Version
The Cutty Sark turns 150
The Cutty Sark turns 150
We"re featuring the Cutty Sark in today"s image to mark the 150th anniversary of its launching on November 22, 1869. Built for speed, the Cutty Sark began its abbreviated career as a tea clipper racing across oceans "at a clip" (hence the designation "clipper ship") to deliver the season"s first tea harvest from China to England. While at times considered one of the fastest ships in the world, the Cutty Sark’s practical use as a cargo ship was ending almost as soon as it was launched. That"s because steamships using the much shorter route through the newly opened Suez Canal were able to deliver the highly anticipated tea harvest faster and more cheaply. In 1883, the Cutty Sark began hauling wool from Australia, but within 10 years steamships also disrupted this business.Desktop Version
All eyes on moths
All eyes on moths
Quick! Can you find this moth"s head? If the markings on the wings distracted you for a second, score an evolutionary victory for this saturniid moth resting in Mole National Park in Ghana. It"s thought that moths, butterflies, and other creatures use this crafty form of mimicry, called eyespots, to either intimidate predators or draw them to attack less vulnerable parts of the body.Desktop Version
Talk like a pirate—or walk the plank
Talk like a pirate—or walk the plank
Blimey! The so-called Golden Age of Piracy, in the 17th and 18th centuries, has long captured our imaginations, and inspired books and movies about swashbucklers on the high seas. So much do Americans love pirates, that they created a holiday dedicated to blabberin" like one. Talk Like a Pirate Day was first imagined in 1995 by two Oregon residents who pitched the idea to columnist Dave Barry. From there, it went viral. These days, Sept 19 is celebrated internationally, with major brands and media personalities joining in the silliness. We’re fans, too. Just picture us typin" this here with an eye patch, peg leg, an" pocket-full o" swag doubloons. Arrrrrr!Desktop Version
GOAL!
GOAL!
This photo captures an unusual view of Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, Russia, where soccer"s most prestigious event, the 2018 FIFA World Cup Final, takes place today. If you"re still feeling fuzzy on World Cup details, here’s a quick primer: Today"s event is the culmination of 64 matches that began June 14, with 32 men"s national teams battling for the sport"s top honors. Previous World Cup champs France face off against Croatia in today’s game. Croatia’s team is the "Cinderella" of the match, as they’ve come through with some unexpected victories. Congrats to both teams for making it this far!Desktop Version
Taking the scenic route to Sturgis
Taking the scenic route to Sturgis
South Dakota’s scenic highways roar to life this week as hundreds of thousands of bikers from around the world arrive for the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. The small town of Sturgis, population roughly 7,000, swells to a gathering of half a million for this event, which includes 10 days of races, concerts, and revelry. The Sturgis rally was founded in 1938 by the Jackpine Gypsies Motorcycle Club and Sturgis resident Clarence ‘Pappy’ Hoel–a legend in these parts. What started as a modest gathering of just nine riders is now one of the largest rallies in the world.Desktop Version
International Polar Bear Day
International Polar Bear Day
February 27 marks International Polar Bear Day—an effort to raise awareness of the enormous threats polar bears face due to climate change. Polar bears need Arctic pack ice to hunt on, but that ice is shrinking as the planet warms. While polar bears are excellent swimmers—so much so that they"re classified as marine mammals—the Arctic ice is still a crucial part of their survival. Let"s take this day to think about what we can do to help reduce climate change and protect polar bear habitats.Desktop Version
The snows of Fuji
The snows of Fuji
This shot of Mount Fuji"s symmetrical cone was taken in September 2020, showcasing the first snow of the season. The dusting proved short-lived, melting off in just a couple of days. And snow wouldn"t come again until the end of December—raising new concerns about decades of rising temperatures on Fuji"s slopes.Desktop Version
World Meteorological Day
World Meteorological Day
Did you check the weather forecast today? Does it look like rain? Will it turn colder? What"s the outlook for the weekend? These questions may seem commonplace, even mundane, but the answers can be of crucial importance. Given our reliance on weather prediction, let"s tip the rain hat to the world"s weather experts on World Meteorological Day, celebrated each March 23 by the United Nation"s World Meteorological Organization (WMO).Desktop Version
Mount Hood, Oregon
Mount Hood, Oregon
Mount Hood graces Oregon"s skyline with a pointed, snow-capped peak. At nearly 11,250 feet high, this dormant stratovolcano is the tallest mountain in the state, drawing adventurers and nature aficionados alike. With 12 named glaciers and numerous snow fields, Mount Hood offers a wintry playground all year round. It also nurtures ancient forests and provides a haven for wildlife, including cougars and wolves. Over the past 1,800 years, the volcano has erupted three times. While considered dormant, there is still a chance that it could erupt one day.Desktop Version
Crescent Lake near Dunhuang, China
Crescent Lake near Dunhuang, China
Crescent Lake is a captivating natural wonder hidden in the vast Gobi Desert near the Chinese city of Dunhuang in Gansu province. This oasis, named for its unusual shape, has been a vital water source here for centuries. The lake is thought to have formed in a valley carved by wind and been fed by an underground spring. It sits amid Dunhuang"s "singing" sand dunes, which make a noise when the wind blows. The sand dunes also help stop the lake from being swallowed by sand and conservation efforts have ensured that it doesn"t dry out. Visitors enjoy boating on the lake, camel rides through the surrounding dunes, and seeing ancient Buddhist art and murals in the nearby Mogao Caves.Desktop Version
Wake up, it s Darwin Day
Wake up, it s Darwin Day
On Charles Darwin"s birthday, we celebrate Darwin Day—and, of course, there"s no better place to do that than the Galápagos Islands. Darwin is best known for his theory of evolution by natural selection, which he published in his 1859 book "On the Origin of Species." During his travels to the Galápagos Islands years earlier, Darwin observed creatures that were similar from island to island but had slightly different adaptations to better survive in their specific environments. This became a key component of his research. The islands are home to thousands of unique species, including this Pinzon Island tortoise, which we see hatching from an egg at the Charles Darwin Research Station.Desktop Version
Lower Antelope Canyon, Arizona
Lower Antelope Canyon, Arizona
Today we"re peering up from the depths of Lower Antelope Canyon, located in Lake Powell Navajo Tribal Park near Page, Arizona. This tall, narrow channel is an entry point into Antelope Canyon, a slot canyon that was created over millions of years by flash floods carving away at the soft Navajo sandstone.Desktop Version
A goldie gala
A goldie gala
It"s ladies" night at the Great Barrier Reef: Their bright orange-pink coloration indicates these sea goldies are females. But that could change quickly: Sea goldies are protogynous hermaphrodites, meaning that when there aren"t enough fellas around, the largest females change sex to become male, turning purplish and growing even larger. All goldies are born female, but those that switch to male enjoy instantly better odds at mating time: For every male goldie there are up to 10 females.Desktop Version
Petrified Forest National Park
Petrified Forest National Park
The burliest lumberjack with the best-oiled chainsaw couldn"t slice the massive "timbers" found in Petrified Forest National Park in northeastern Arizona. So why are these giant stone logs segmented in such symmetrical rounds, as if they"re ready to be split into firewood?Desktop Version
Women s suffrage at 100
Women s suffrage at 100
Today marks 100 years since women won the constitutional right to vote in the United States, and we"re in Nashville, Tennessee, to celebrate five monumental figures in the women"s suffrage movement. Why Nashville? Because it was Tennessee"s capital that became the final battlefront in the long fight for the Nineteenth Amendment. On August 18, 1920, the state legislature faced a choice: Should Tennessee become the 36th and deciding state to ratify the amendment, securing its place in the Constitution? The stakes were high as eight states had already rejected the measure—but thanks to some unexpected "aye" votes from known opposers (one representative switched his vote at the urging of his mother), ratification won out.Desktop Version
Remembering the Velvet Revolution
Remembering the Velvet Revolution
Today we"re visiting Prague for the 30th anniversary of the start of the Velvet Revolution in what was then Czechoslovakia. On November 17, 1989, during their annual International Students Day observance, 15,000 students in Prague began demonstrating against the Communist Party"s authoritarian rule over the country. After the official end of the demonstration, the students continued marching to the center of the city. When they reached Národní Street, they were met by security forces who, after blocking all escape routes, began attacking. Afterwards, unfounded rumors of an injured or possibly dead student triggered strikes among students, actors, and others.Desktop Version
Keep your hands inside the ride at all times…
Keep your hands inside the ride at all times…
This roller coaster at Skyline Park in Bad Wörishofen, Germany, like all other modern coasters, can trace its lineage back to the engineering work of Russian refugees living in 17th-century Portugal. To recreate the fun of sledding down snow-covered hills, the Russians built ice-bearing wooden platforms and ramps similar to very large playground slides. As the concept of the ‘Russian Mountain’ ride caught on across Europe, mechanical parts came into play, including sled-like vehicles to ride in, and rails to keep the carts on track. Over the centuries, these coaster-like rides grew to resemble the extreme, gravity-challenging thrill rides we see at modern theme parks. Where is your favorite roller coaster?Desktop Version
This reef is nowhere near the sea…
This reef is nowhere near the sea…
…nor the US Capitol building it"s named for. Utah"s Capitol Reef National Park—first established as a national monument this day in 1937—is named for its massive rock domes that reminded explorers of that famous rotunda back in Washington, DC. Why Capitol "Reef," though? Because the imposing formations were a major obstacle to travelers through the region, the same way a coral reef is an obstacle to sailors.Desktop Version
A wild, craggy corner of the United States
A wild, craggy corner of the United States
The sun is setting here on the west coast of Washington state"s rugged Olympic Peninsula, where more than 3,000 square miles of marine waters are protected as part of the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary. Wondering where exactly we are? Look at a map of the United States and draw your finger up the West Coast until it ends where the Strait of Juan de Fuca meets the Pacific Ocean. Those final 135 miles of shoreline form the landward boundary of the sanctuary, which also extends seaward 25 to 50 miles.Desktop Version
Dancing waters of Dubai
Dancing waters of Dubai
With the 2009 opening of the Dubai Fountain, featured in today"s image, the city of Dubai claimed another record for the books—"world"s tallest performing fountain.’ It"s located appropriately enough at the foot of the Burj Khalifa, currently the world"s tallest building. Designed by the same company that created the fountains at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas, everything about the Dubai Fountain is impressive. Over 900 feet long and located in the 30-acre Burj Lake, the fountain has more than 6,600 lights and 75 color projectors. These are used to create over 1,000 different "water expressions" and provide a rainbow of colors, all perfectly choreographed to a carefully crafted musical playlist.Desktop Version
Ice and Snow Sailing World Championships
Ice and Snow Sailing World Championships
Today is the opening day of the WISSA Ice and Snow Sailing World Championships, which take place this year in Lithuania. Iceboating, also known as ice sailing, began in 17th-century Europe. Travelers used vessels on blades to traverse the frozen Gulf of Riga in the Baltic Sea and the iced-over canals of the Netherlands. These days, the sport is enjoyed as a recreational and competitive activity using a variety of boats, boards, skates, and kites. The world championships, which fall under the broader umbrella of windsurfing competitions, have been held since 1980. Good luck to all those out there competing for fame and glory on the windswept ice!Desktop Version
Once upon a midafternoon dreary…
Once upon a midafternoon dreary…
To the superstitiously inclined, this flock of ravens—pictured battling a snowstorm in Finland—is nothing short of a bad omen, while to others it"s just a bunch of beaks. Likewise, today is just another flip of the calendar to some, while Friday the 13th consigns others to a day of dread—or at least one of relative inactivity to avoid potential mishaps.Desktop Version
Steyr River, Austria
Steyr River, Austria
These whitewater rapids are found in Upper Austria, where the Steyr River crashes down from the barren Totes Gebirge (the Dead Mountains) through this verdant landscape. When it comes to the ancient town of Steyr, at the foot of the Alps, it will meet the Enns River, which flows into the Danube.Desktop Version
Fibonacci Day
Fibonacci Day
It"s a bit of a fib that Fibonacci, the 13th-century Italian math whiz, was the first to sketch out a number sequence in which each number is the sum of the two preceding numbers: 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, and so on forever. In fact, scholars in India described the sequence centuries before Fibonacci, and they probably weren"t the first to figure it out either. But in any case, each November 23—that is, 11/23—we celebrate the infinite series known as the Fibonacci sequence.Desktop Version