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Jan 9, 2021The stylish Spanish shawl

Today we"re meeting one of a motley group of sea slugs called the nudibranchs (rhymes with "thanks"), known for their unique, often complex shapes and neon-bright colors that help discourage predators. The Spanish shawl"s fire-orange mane is made up of tendrils called cerata that mainly act as gills. But that mane also retains venom from the slug"s prey—sea anemones—treating any would-be devourers to a painful sting. Should a ravenous sea star disregard these defenses and get too close for comfort, the Spanish shawl has a Plan B: By flapping its whole 2- to 3-inch body like a gelatinous wing, the nudibranch can flutter into open water for a quick escape.Desktop Version

Jan 3, 2022Lick Observatory

Shrouded in snow on the summit of Mount Hamilton, in the Diablo Range just east of San Jose, California, lies the world"s first permanently occupied mountaintop observatory. Constructed between 1876 and 1887, the Lick Observatory has been the site of significant discoveries, including several of Jupiter"s moons and other planetary systems. It"s named for American real-estate entrepreneur James Lick, who set aside $700,000 for the University of California to build a facility that would be home to a "telescope superior to and more powerful than any telescope yet made."Desktop Version

Dec 18, 2019It’s Weihnachtsmarkt time!

The streets of this market square are all decked out in a tradition born nearly 700 years ago. Weihnachtsmarkte or Christkindlmarkte (Christmas markets, if you prefer less of a mouthful), take place around the world, but they originated in Germany as a celebratory way to observe Advent, the Christian season leading up to Christmas Eve. These markets are generally open-air affairs where everything is decorated, including the trees (called Tannenbaums in German if they"re firs). People shop from local artisans who sell their handmade wares in small wooden chalets. Then it"s off to eat traditional foods—roasted almonds, pastries, and biscuits—and sip on warm mulled wine.Desktop Version

Jun 24, 2021The call of the wild in Alaska

Most visitors to Denali National Park and Preserve in Alaska come with a checklist for the "big five" mammals that live here: grizzly bears, moose, wolves, Dall sheep, and caribou like this small group walking along a ridge. These are barren-ground caribou, a migratory subspecies of caribou found across the Arctic band of North America to western Greenland. Barren-ground caribou migrate in large herds, some traveling over 600 miles one way between their summer and winter ranges. But the Denali herd, which numbers around 1,700 animals today, generally stays on the park"s 6 million acres. For good reason, too—it"s the only large herd that isn"t hunted.Desktop Version

Jul 27, 2020A stunning sight in Mexico s wilderness

Here in central Mexico, the Gallinas River spills into the Tampaón River gorge to create Tamul waterfall, renowned as a jewel of the country"s wilderness. Both rivers offer great swimming near the falls, and boaters can float by on the Tampaón for close-up views. Both activities are best attempted between July and October, though: During wetter months, the falls converge into a thundering cataract as the Gallinas rises to form torrential rapids.Desktop Version

Jul 13, 2021Through an artist s eyes

If this beautiful view of Grand Teton National Park seems as pretty as a painting, there may be a reason for it. The majestic peaks towering over the landscape include Mount Moran, named for Thomas Moran, an American artist of New York"s Hudson River School who earned fame by painting scenes of the Western frontier. In 1871, Moran and photographer William Henry Jackson were invited on an expedition to the Yellowstone region to accompany a team from the US Geological Society while they conducted the first comprehensive survey of the area. Moran"s paintings and Jackson"s photographs from the trip immediately captured the public"s attention and inspired Congress to establish Yellowstone as the first national park in 1872.Desktop Version

Nov 10, 2020Baddest of the badlands

Heading west on Interstate 90, peek out the driver"s side when you"re about three-quarters of the way across South Dakota. It"s the first clue you"ve entered the Wild West: the expansive, layered landscape of Badlands National Park. It"s enjoyed government protection since 1939, first as a national monument and more completely after it was upgraded to national park status on this day in 1978. The park protects 244,000 acres of dramatically eroded bedrock replete with fossil beds—as well as the nation"s largest mixed-grass prairie, hosting bison, prairie dogs, and endangered black-footed ferrets.Desktop Version

Jul 9, 2020High alpine color in Colorado

Songstress Dolly Parton once sang "wildflowers don"t care where they grow," but we gotta believe the wildflowers growing in Colorado"s American Basin, shown here, are pretty delighted with their surroundings. American Basin is in the San Juan Mountains in the southern part of the state, about a five-hour drive from Denver. Visitors here will find rocky cliffs, streams, unique rock formations, and some spectacular wildflowers. July and August are the best months to see the blooms—it"s the time of year when you"ll reliably spot the Rocky Mountain columbine (Colorado"s state flower), elephant"s head, Parry"s primrose, and marsh marigold. Bring us back a bouquet, all right?Desktop Version

May 15, 2019Basking in the glow

Norway may not be top of mind for most sun seekers, but around the middle of May until late July, head north to the part of the country inside the Arctic Circle and you can experience a natural phenomenon known as the midnight sun. During these few months the sun is visible at midnight local time, like you see in today"s image of Norway"s North Cape. Of course, as nature strives to maintain a balance, during winter this region experiences polar night, when the sun never rises above the horizon.Desktop Version

May 25, 2018Cheers! It’s National Wine Day

We heard through the grapevine that it’s National Wine Day, a celebration of vino near and far. To celebrate, we’re featuring an image of the vineyards in Vaud, Switzerland, on the shores of Lake Geneva near the French border. France, Italy, and Spain are among the world’s top wine producers, but the United States has become a major winemaking country as well, thanks largely to California, which produces about 90 percent of American wine.Desktop Version

Oct 21, 2020Does this chameleon look a little insecure?

If it appears to be slinking away from the camera, maybe this chameleon is all too aware of the way some of us humanfolk see reptiles: as frightening at best, disgusting at worst. We know you die-hard reptile lovers are out there too, but it"s undeniable that reptiles" reputation among people has suffered thanks to popular villainous depictions—from "Anaconda" and "Godzilla" to the serpent encountered by Adam and Eve. Even our everyday language throws shade on this vast class of critters: When"s the last time you called someone "reptile" and meant it nicely?Desktop Version

Jul 23, 2018Tokyo welcomes a futuristic new art museum

You’re looking at ‘Forest of Resonating Lamps,’ an art exhibit in the newly opened Mori Building Digital Art Museum in Tokyo’s Odaiba area, a manmade island in Tokyo Bay. The futuristic facility is making headlines this summer for its unique format. The venue features exclusively digital art–some 50 exhibits that are displayed throughout the 10,000-square-foot space to create an immersive, borderless experience. More than 500 computers and 470 projectors are used to create an ethereal effect. In "Forest of Resonating Lamps," hundreds of lamps dangle from the ceiling and light up in response to movement in the room.Desktop Version

Jan 20, 2023Penguin Awareness Day

We"re celebrating Penguin Awareness Day in the Falkland Islands, taking a stroll with some king penguins. Kings are the second-largest penguin species, only outranked in stature by their emperor penguin cousins. And while the kings" tuxedo coloring gives them a dash of the debonair, it also provides an important and more practical purpose: camouflage. When the birds dive deep into the ocean looking for food, their black feathers disguise the birds from predators above, while their white undersides do the reverse. Kings are legendary for their diving prowess—in their quest for tasty squid and lanternfish, they can dive to depths of 300 feet, and some have even been spotted nearly 1,000 feet beneath the surface. Underwater, these flightless birds are the epitome of grace. On land, however, they are not so graceful, and waddle or "toboggan" on their bellies to get around.Desktop Version

Aug 21, 2018Ingenuity in action on the Santa Monica Pier

The story of the Ferris wheel, first invented for the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago, is a prime example of human ingenuity in urban environments, which happened to be the theme of our most recent photo contest. Congrats to contest winner Chris Fabregas, who captured this shot of human ingenuity in action on the Santa Monica Pier in California. Santa Monica debuted its Ferris wheel here in 1996 and then adapted it two years later to make it the world’s first solar-powered Ferris wheel, using clean energy for the ride that propelled about 800 passengers an hour. In 2014 it was replaced with a newer version that sports 174,000 LED lights, providing for glittering nighttime scenes just like this.Desktop Version

Dec 21, 2019Seventeen arches at sunset

When it"s winter solstice time in the Northern Hemisphere, the setting sun shines under the Seventeen-Arch Bridge at the Summer Palace in Beijing, causing this romantic glow. In the 18th century, during the Qing dynasty of China, the Qianlong Emperor ordered the construction of this collection of gardens, lakes, and various structures, including temples and small palaces. These days, it"s one of Beijing"s premier attractions and sure to be crowded this time of year, with visitors headed to the bridge in time for sunset.Desktop Version

May 18, 2018It’s Endangered Species Day

We chose this photo of a peregrine falcon—a female, walking across the rail of a balcony in Chicago—to inspire hope on Endangered Species Day. Not every animal listed as endangered is doomed to extinction. Peregrine populations were decimated by the use of pesticides, such as DDT, in the mid-20th century. The chemicals accumulated in the birds’ bodies, causing weak eggshells and high mortality rates for chicks. But by the 1980s humans had learned the cause, reduced and eliminated the various chemicals, and helped the birds rebound with gusto.Desktop Version

Jan 28, 2020US Coast Guard: Protecting us for 105 years

In recognition of the modern US Coast Guard, formed on this day in 1915, we"re featuring the Cape Disappointment Lighthouse, one of many lighthouses managed by the USCG. How did Cape Disappointment get its name? A British fur trader in 1788 mistook the mouth of the Columbia River for a bay and was disappointed because his ship couldn"t pass due to the river"s shallow bar. Many ships would eventually sink in these dangerous waters, but this lighthouse has warned off countless others since it was lit in 1856, making it the first lighthouse in the Pacific Northwest. Most of the lighthouses in the US have been built and maintained by the US Coast Guard and its predecessors.Desktop Version

May 25, 2019Traveling warblers

The Cape May warbler was named for Cape May, New Jersey, where it was first observed by ornithologist Alexander Wilson in 1811. After that, these birds weren"t seen again in the area for more than a century.Desktop Version

Dec 26, 2019It s Slovenia s Independence and Unity Day

Today we"re featuring an image of the Slovenian village of Praprotno and its Church of St. Thomas for the country"s Independence and Unity Day. On December 26, 1990, the results of a Slovenian vote on the country"s independence were announced. More than 95 percent of voters answered "Yes" to the question: Should the Republic of Slovenia become an independent and sovereign state?Desktop Version

Dec 23, 2020Swimming into the season

This aquatic candy cane is called a banded pipefish. You won"t find it at the North Pole or on your Christmas tree, but in the tropical seas of the Indo-Pacific region, from Australia and Japan to the Philippines and South Africa. It"s in the same family as the seahorse, and like its cousin, the pipefish has plates of bony armor covering its body. This gives it protection, but a rigid body (like a candy cane!), so it swims by rapidly fanning its fins. Also like the seahorse, it"s the male pipefish—not the female—who carries the eggs. After an elaborate courtship dance, the female deposits her eggs in the male"s brood pouch, where they develop until the male gives birth. We"re not making this stuff up, but we can"t vouch for the theory that the red-and-white banded pipefish has a minty taste.Desktop Version

May 14, 2020Green fields of grain

We"re looking down on the lush fields of the Sidemen Valley, sitting in the shadow of Bali"s tallest mountain, Mount Agung. In May, this Indonesian province marks the end of the harvest season of a key staple—rice. Towns and villages are decorated with colorful flags, and farmers erect shrines to Dewi Sri, the rice goddess. Small handmade straw dolls depicting the goddess are left here and there in further tribute. Before "social distancing" entered the global vocabulary, people came together to share traditional food and indulge in fun and games, like water buffalo races through the streets. This year, to be sure, the celebrations will be more subdued, more private, though the gratitude for a bountiful harvest, we suspect, will be just as deeply felt.Desktop Version

Aug 25, 2018Happy trails for the 21st century

We celebrate National Park Service Founders Day today with this photo from the John Muir Trail near Mammoth Lakes in California. The 210-mile trail is so long, to hike it all would take you through three national parks: Yosemite, Kings Canyon, and Sequoia. At 102 years old, the National Park Service continues to do the day-to-day work of preserving our parks ‘for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations.’Desktop Version

Sep 8, 2021Enter the magical world of Livraria Lello

How will you celebrate International Literacy Day today? We"re highlighting this important observance with a photo of a very special bookstore, Livraria Lello in Porto, Portugal. With its art nouveau façade, neo-Gothic interior, stained-glass ceiling, swooping catwalks, and the dramatic, curvaceous staircase with crimson steps, the Lello is considered one of the most beautiful—and among the oldest—bookstores in the world. The Lello bookstore opened in 1906 and has been serving up the magic of books ever since.Desktop Version

May 18, 2020Desert rose of Qatar

International Museum Day brings us to Qatar, a small but wealthy nation on the Arabian Peninsula, surrounded by the waters of the Persian Gulf and bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south. In the capital city of Doha you"ll find its national museum, shown here, which opened in March 2019. This elaborate building was designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Jean Nouvel, who sourced his inspiration from the desert rose crystal. Look closely and amid the futuristic interlocking disks of the new museum you"ll see the early 20th-century Old Amiri Palace, once home of the Emir of Qatar, surrounded by a courtyard of palm trees.Desktop Version

Oct 10, 2019A star blows a bubble

This giant space bubble is being blown by a massive star visible at the 10 o"clock position inside it. Already over 7 light-years across and expanding at a rate of over 4 million mph, the "bubble" is actually the shock wave created when expanding hot gas (or stellar wind) hits the cold, interstellar gas that surrounds it. The Bubble Nebula was discovered in 1787 by William Herschel. The star inside is living fast and will die young (for a star)—it will likely detonate as a supernova in only 10 to 20 million years. This image was taken in 2016 by the Hubble Space Telescope to mark the 26th anniversary of Hubble"s launch into Earth orbit by the STS-31 space shuttle crew. We"re showing it to mark the last day of World Space Week, an annual "international celebration of science and technology, and their contribution to the betterment of the human condition."Desktop Version

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