Bing wallpaper for mobile

Hottest Latest
Where do those colors come from?
Where do those colors come from?
As National Park Week continues, we"re turning our attention to the vivid colors of the Grand Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone National Park. Its intense rainbow hues are formed by cycles of hot water rising, cooling, and falling—creating rings of distinct temperatures inside the spring. The clear, blue center is the hottest part, with almost nothing living in it. But the other rings are home to various microorganisms that produce bands of distinct colors ranging from green to orange to red.Desktop Version
A gorge-ous mill in the Causses
A gorge-ous mill in the Causses
It may look peaceful now, but on warm days the river below this mill attracts swimmers, kayakers, and the occasional sport fisherman. Moulin de Corps (Corps Mill) connects to a stone bridge that spans the Dourbie River in a gorge deep within the Grands Causses Regional Nature Park of southern France. Built by a French lord in the 14th century, the mill originally produced flour. But by the 20th century it had been converted to the private residence we see in today"s picture. The Grands Causses Regional Nature Park is home to hundreds of mills like this one, examples of a cultural heritage that can still be found throughout the Mediterranean agro-pastoral landscape.Desktop Version
Celebrating sea otters
Celebrating sea otters
Say hello to this mom and newborn pup in Monterey Bay, California, during Sea Otter Awareness Week. Sea otters shower their pups with attention, cradling them and grooming them for hours. But it"s more than a gesture of affection—a mom will rub her pup to fluff the pup"s coat, which causes the fur to retain air bubbles. The air insulates the pup from chilly water and sometimes causes the youngster to float like a cork. Sea otters can survive on land, but they spend most of their time in the water, sleeping above the surface and anchoring themselves with kelp—or by holding onto each other. When they get hungry, they use rocks as tools to hunt food and pry open shells—something that makes them relatively unique, as they"re one of the few animal species that can use tools.Desktop Version
A treaty for science
A treaty for science
Twelve nations signed the Antarctic Treaty System on December 1, 1959, establishing the ice-covered continent as a place for scientific study open to all nations and banning any military activity there. Since then, additional countries joined in the treaty—now 53 nations participate in activities at the various research stations there. Our photo shows the northernmost part of Antarctica, the Antarctic Peninsula, south of Chile and Argentina.Desktop Version
The circular castle of Cornwall
The circular castle of Cornwall
Many generations watched fog roll over this countryside long before the bellicose Norman visitors who built this fortress got the chance. The peninsula of Cornwall has been populated since the Mesolithic period 10,000 years ago, and is one of the traditional Celtic nations—areas of the British Isles and France where the Celts" culture survived Roman, Norman, and other outside influences despite repeated attempts at incursion.Desktop Version
The parenting of a piping plover
The parenting of a piping plover
To celebrate Mother’s Day this year, we’re on Jones Beach Island in New York, where piping plovers are helping their newly hatched chicks prepare to leave the nest—just hours after they hatch. While mom and dad were sitting on the unhatched eggs, if a predator, such as a fox, raccoon, or house cat were to get too close, they’d fake an injured wing and limp away from the nest to distract the animal. That’s some extra-mile parenting! Who knows if that little chick will remember to call mom this time next year…Desktop Version
Celestial Spain
Celestial Spain
Today we"re in the Extremadura region of western Spain, in the beautiful Monfragüe National Park near the border with Portugal. This 18-mile long, 4-mile wide stretch of nature in the province of Cáceres is framed by the Tagus and Tietar Rivers (it"s the Tagus that"s in our image today). The mountainous Peña Falcon rock face defines its western side. Much of the park is covered by a thick Mediterranean forest full of wildlife, making this place a destination for outdoor lovers of all sorts. It"s especially notable for the many birds: Over 280 species are found here, including storks, kingfishers, cormorants, and eagles, as well as one of the world"s largest reserves of black vultures and their tawny vulture cousins. Other wildlife routinely spotted in Monfragüe include otters, deer, wild boar, and Iberian lynx.Desktop Version
The desert blooms
The desert blooms
It"s getting to be wildflower season in the Sonoran Desert in Arizona. That means it won"t be long before we see blooms from the big daddy of the cactus world—the saguaro. Our homepage pic shows just a glimpse of this amazing succulent. The saguaro is the largest of them all, with some of the oldest specimens reaching more than 50 feet tall. It can hold huge amounts of water—after plentiful rains when it"s fully hydrated, a saguaro can weigh between 3,200 and 4,800 pounds. In the right conditions, it will live more than 100 years, growing arms as it ages, creating that classic cactus profile that"s associated with the desert and Old West.Desktop Version
One giant leap for penguins
One giant leap for penguins
These Adélie penguins are jumping for joy because it"s World Penguin Day. Or maybe they"re just looking for a snack as they dive off this iceberg. Native to the land and surrounding waters of Antarctica, Adélie penguins migrate to their coastal breeding grounds in late October or November. They can dive as deep as 575 feet, and swim as far as 185 miles round trip to find krill, fish, and squid.Desktop Version
World Migratory Bird Day
World Migratory Bird Day
For World Migratory Bird Day, we"re looking at a flock of black-tailed godwits in the Netherlands. These shorebirds breed in parts of Europe and Russia, and then migrate to areas in Western Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia. A large percentage of the godwit population breeds in the Netherlands, which is why the country voted to make it the national bird in 2015. It"s also captured in paintings by Dutch artists Vermeer and Rembrandt, making the black-tailed godwit as "Dutch as they come," according to the Dutch newspaper Trouw.Desktop Version
The owl that loved football
The owl that loved football
As the name indicates, you’ll find the Eurasian eagle-owl across Asia and Europe. The eagle-owl in our photo today lives near Helsinki, Finland. Why an eagle-owl on Finnish Independence Day today? When Finland’s national team was playing a qualifying match against Belgium in 2007, an eagle-owl flew onto the pitch, delaying the game for several minutes. Ever since, the Finnish team has been nicknamed ‘Huuhkajat’—the eagle-owls. The owl, called ‘Bubi,’ was later named Citizen of the Year in Finland.Desktop Version
Harvest season begins
Harvest season begins
Today we"re in Kathmandu, Nepal, where the Boudhanath stupa stands out against the skyline. A UNESCO World Heritage site, the stupa is on the ancient trade route from Tibet—traders have rested and offered prayers here for centuries. Like all stupas, Boudhanath is a mound-like structure containing relics. It was first built sometime after the 600s, when Buddhism was first spreading through Tibet and Nepal. It"s long been a major pilgrimage site for Buddhists, and is said to entomb the remains of Kassapa Buddha, one of the 29 named ancient Buddhas.Desktop Version
A state-of-the-art lookout on the Rock of Gibraltar
A state-of-the-art lookout on the Rock of Gibraltar
Make your way up the trails of this monolithic rock promontory to the Skywalk, an 8,000-square-foot glass platform that soars more than 1,100 feet above sea level. On a clear day, you can see three countries and two continents from here. These epic views draw tourists, as does the Rock’s legendary history. A British Overseas Territory since 1713, Gibraltar has long been a strategically important military outpost located near the southern tip of Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Far below the Skywalk, visitors can take in military relics that date back to the first years of British rule here.Desktop Version
High tide at the walled city
High tide at the walled city
Saint-Malo was founded by the Gauls more than 2,000 years ago and has an appropriately rich and storied history. Built on the Brittany coast of the English Channel, Saint-Malo became an important stop for ships coming into and out of Western Europe. And because of its strategic location, Saint-Malo was, for a time, a favorite spot for pirates, corsairs, and privateers—as ships made their way through the channel, pirates lurking off the Saint-Malo coast could pounce easily while French authorities looked the other way.Desktop Version
Rockin with the rockhoppers
Rockin with the rockhoppers
For World Penguin Day, we"re featuring a jaunty group of southern rockhopper penguins on a Falkland Islands beach. Most penguins slide over ice on their bellies, but these small penguins opt for more aerobic locomotion—they hop. Of all penguin species, rockhoppers are among the most numerous. But pollution, overfishing, and climate change have taken a toll: Their population has declined by about 30% over the last 30 years. Today, there"s an estimated 1.5 million breeding pairs of rockhoppers. About 1 million of those are southern rockhopper couples, like these, with the northern and eastern subspecies accounting for the rest.Desktop Version
Welcome to the pack
Welcome to the pack
This fuzzy pup is a young gray wolf, the largest member of the dog family (Canidae). Gray wolf pups are born between March and May, blind and deaf, but after about three weeks they"re ready to leave the den and begin exploring their surroundings for the first time. It doesn"t take long–around six months–before they"ve grown enough to join their pack on hunts.Desktop Version
Macro photograph of a migrant hawker dragonfly
Macro photograph of a migrant hawker dragonfly
Adult migrant hawkers like this one are usually found near water, where they’ll look for a mate and find plenty of mosquitos and midges to eat. This photo was taken using macro photography techniques—the camera’s macro lenses get clear images of small subjects like insects and flowers.Desktop Version
The first ascent
The first ascent
Greetings from base camp at Mount Everest, the highest peak on Earth. For most of us, pictures are as close as we’ll get to this iconic destination, which was first summited on this day in 1953. Mountaineers Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay made the historic first ascent and achieved instant fame. The two spent 15 minutes on the summit, with Norgay leaving an offering of sweets.Desktop Version
A fortress in the sky
A fortress in the sky
Beginning as a lone watchtower high in the Apennines of Italy in the 10th century, the fortress called Rocca Calascio gained more heft over the next few hundred years. A quartet of additional towers and heavy walls were gradually added around the first tower. These fortifications made clear that Rocca Calascio was ready for any military rivals who might scale the slopes from the valley below to attack this garrison. The fight never came. The ruins you see here are not battle scars but the result of a powerful earthquake. By the early 1700s, Rocca Calascio was abandoned, but it can still claim the title of highest fortress in the Apennines—and some of the most spectacular views in all of Italy. In fact, filmmakers have chosen the site for several movies, including "The Name of the Rose" and "Ladyhawke."Desktop Version
A glittering diamond in the rough
A glittering diamond in the rough
Peering from this vantage point you may wonder, how in the world could anyone access this hut nestled in Germany"s Bavarian Alps? By hiking in, of course. There are well over 1,000 such huts dotting the Alpine landscape throughout Europe, most of them built and maintained by private social clubs devoted to climbing, hiking, and other activities in the mountains. These huts allow hikers to light out onto the extensive trail systems, sometimes for days, while carrying as little gear as possible. No need to pack cooking equipment, tents and sleeping bags when you have guaranteed shelter each night, with dinners, breakfasts, and, if you"re lucky, a hot shower, included.Desktop Version
Crimson-rumped toucanet in the Refugio Paz de Las Aves, Ecuador
Crimson-rumped toucanet in the Refugio Paz de Las Aves, Ecuador
A small patch of red quills in its tail feathers earned this smaller cousin of the toucan its common name. That ‘crimson rump’ provides striking contrast to the deep green, gold, and blue feathers on the rest of the toucanet’s body. Our specimen was photographed in the Refugio Paz de Las Aves (Peace of the Birds Sanctuary), a private nature reserve nestled in the foothills of the Ecuadorian Andes near the equator. Visitors there can spot many neotropical bird species, including antpittas, hummingbirds, and tanagers.Desktop Version
I m here! Take a look at me!
I m here! Take a look at me!
Spring is lekking season for the black grouse. In the early morning, the male birds, like this fancy fella in Finland, gather on lek sites, often a patch of open ground, to put on a show for the ladies in the audience. The guys flash their white tail feathers, utter cooing and hissing noises, flutter-jump, and pick fights with each other—all to demonstrate their dominance to the watching hens. (Hens are smaller and have gray-brown feathers.) When a hen picks out the male she likes, the two fly off to mate and then go their separate ways. Love connections are brief in the black grouse world.Desktop Version
Aerial view of the Colorado River Delta in Mexico
Aerial view of the Colorado River Delta in Mexico
For centuries, the Colorado River emptied into the Gulf of California between the Baja Peninsula and the mainland of Mexico. But dams and diversions have reduced the delta to a trickle, resulting in the desert-like landscape seen in this image. Conservation efforts on the parts of Mexico and the United States are helping to return the Colorado Delta to its former condition.Desktop Version
Up, up, and away for Hot Air Balloon Day
Up, up, and away for Hot Air Balloon Day
Really, there’s only one way to celebrate Hot Air Balloon Day properly. But if you can’t catch a ride in a basket under a giant balloon today, know that the idea dates back at least to 3rd-century China, where paper lanterns were used as military signals. Fast forward to 18th-century France, where two paper-making brothers, the Montgolfiers, launched unmanned hot air balloons. Then, to great fanfare, they tried sending up a sheep, duck, and chicken, and finally, Étienne Montgolfier took a ride. Designs have improved since then, resulting in the standard hot air balloon seen here.Desktop Version
A monster view in Scotland
A monster view in Scotland
People love a good mystery. Maybe that"s why we"ve been fascinated by mythical creatures like the Loch Ness monster for nearly 1,500 years. We"re looking at Urquhart Castle, a ruin founded in the 13th century, with Loch Ness behind it. As the legend goes, on August 22, 565, an Irish priest named Columba confronted "Nessie" and commanded the "water beast" away. Since then, several other people have claimed to spot, or even photograph, the Loch Ness monster. And then there are the alleged sightings of Bigfoot, the chupacabra, the yeti, and other creatures around the world. These are all examples of a subculture engaged in cryptozoology—the study of hidden animals. Are any of these beasts real? Probably not, but why spoil the fun?Desktop Version