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Christmas star lanterns, Germany
Christmas star lanterns, Germany
As Christmas draws near, star lanterns begin to appear everywhere—twinkling from balconies, shining in shop windows, and lighting up market stalls. Their shimmer cuts through the long winter nights, filling streets and homes with joy, color, and a sense of togetherness. But behind these festive decorations lies a story as captivating as their glow.Desktop Version
Polar Bear Week
Polar Bear Week
What"s drawing scientists, travelers, and cameras to Manitoba, Canada, this week? Polar Bear Week is here, and it"s more than a date on the calendar. For over a decade, Polar Bears International—a non-profit organization—has invited people to stream live cams and follow daily updates as the bears head to Hudson Bay. It"s a week of learning and a call to protect a fragile ecosystem.Desktop Version
Celebrating Yi Peng
Celebrating Yi Peng
What would you wish for if a single lantern could carry your heart"s desire skyward? Tonight, in northern Thailand, the Yi Peng festival offers that chance. This centuries-old Lanna tradition celebrates the 12th lunar month with glowing paper lanterns—khom loi—that are released to honor the Buddha. Each lantern is believed to carry away misfortune and light the way toward a brighter future. Children steady the lantern frames, elders whisper blessings, and the crowd pauses as hundreds of lights drift higher than the trees. Farther south, the same full moon watches over Loy Krathong, a sister festival, where candlelit rafts glide across the water.Desktop Version
Fibonacci Day
Fibonacci Day
Look closely at this ammonite fossil. Its swirling shell, once home to a prehistoric sea creature, holds a mathematical secret—a spiral pattern. Each new chamber is proportionally larger than the previous one, maintaining a consistent growth ratio, often associated with the Fibonacci sequence.Desktop Version
Whooper swans, Kotoku Pond, Japan
Whooper swans, Kotoku Pond, Japan
In Japan"s colder months, there"s a morning moment when stillness breaks—not with wind or footsteps, but with a bright, rolling call that sweeps across the water. Whooper swans have touched down. One loud whoop—and winter suddenly feels awake. These birds migrate from Siberia and the Russian Far East, choosing Japan as their seasonal home because its lakes offer what long-distance travelers crave: open water, steady food, and a safe place to rest. One of their favorite destinations is Kotoku Pond in the Kantō region on Japan"s largest island.Desktop Version
Martimoaapa Mire Reserve, Finland
Martimoaapa Mire Reserve, Finland
Today, we step into the Martimoaapa Mire Reserve in Finland, where wide, cold-climate wetlands and peatlands stretch across a landscape shaped over thousands of years. This reserve is more than just mires—it carries layers of history. During Finland"s Prohibition era (1919–1932), smugglers hauled sacks of liquor from Sweden across these bogs, following a "spirits" route that passed through Martimoaapa. Parts of that path can still be traced today. Imagine trekking with a heavy pack over soggy ground—would you have made it?Desktop Version
Leshan Giant Buddha, Sichuan, China
Leshan Giant Buddha, Sichuan, China
There are big statues—and then there"s the Leshan Giant Buddha. Carved into a riverside cliff at the confluence of the Min, Qingyi, and Dadu Rivers in Sichuan, China, this statue is an ancient engineering marvel. Construction began in 713 CE under a monk named Hai Tong, who hoped that the Buddha"s presence would calm dangerous river currents that threatened passing boats. He was so devoted that when funding ran out, he reportedly gouged out his own eyes to prove his sincerity. Construction took roughly 90 years and was completed long after Hai Tong"s death. At 233 feet tall, it is the largest stone Buddha in the world. Its shoulders stretch about 92 feet wide, its ears measure nearly 23 feet long, and each foot extends over 28 feet. Drainage channels built inside the statue protect it from erosion, helping explain its remarkable preservation for more than 12 centuries.Desktop Version
Eurasian otter and pup, Estonia
Eurasian otter and pup, Estonia
The clue isn"t the tracks in the snow—it"s the frosted faces peeking out like they"ve just discovered winter. Estonia is one of Europe"s best places to spot Eurasian otters, thanks to its clean rivers, wide wetlands, and snack-filled coastline. This protected species was named Estonia"s Animal of the Year in 2024. While globally considered near threatened, their population here has grown substantially, reaching an estimated 2,000 in recent years, up from a historic low of just 300 before the turn of the millennium.Desktop Version
St. Gregory Church in Ani Ruins, Kars, Türkiye
St. Gregory Church in Ani Ruins, Kars, Türkiye
On a windswept plateau in eastern Türkiye, along the border with Armenia, the ruins of the ancient city of Ani rise from the landscape with striking clarity. A millennium ago, Ani was a thriving Armenian capital on a major Silk Road route, its fortifications and busy streets shaping trade and culture across the region. Today, the city is quiet, but its outline still carries the weight of its past.Desktop Version
Celebrating 78 years of Everglades National Park
Celebrating 78 years of Everglades National Park
On Florida"s southern tip lies one of the United States" most unusual landscapes. The Everglades is not a typical swamp or river. It is a slow, shallow sheet of water that drifts south across flat grasslands toward Florida Bay, linking forests, marshes, mangroves, and coastal prairies. This subtropical wilderness supports hundreds of species, including alligators, manatees, and the endangered Florida panther. On December 6, 1947, the United States established the Everglades National Park, protecting over 1.5 million acres and shifting conservation toward preserving entire ecosystems rather than isolated landmarks.Desktop Version
Happy Halloween!
Happy Halloween!
Tonight, Halloween casts its spell—and only a few places on Earth carry a mystery quite like Bran Castle in Romania. The fortress was built in the 14th century and has withstood wars, monarchs, and shifting empires. But here, legends speak louder than history. Perched between the regions of Transylvania—renowned for its chilling tales—and Wallachia, once ruled by Vlad III Dracula, the castle evokes a haunting legacy. Vlad"s ruthless reputation inspired Bram Stoker"s 1897 Gothic novel "Dracula." Though the story is not set at Bran Castle, its looming form and persistent rumors of Vlad"s presence blur fact and legend, forever linking it to one of humanity"s most enduring tales.Desktop Version
National Take the Stairs Day
National Take the Stairs Day
National Take the Stairs Day, observed on the second Wednesday of January, encourages everyone to add small bursts of movement to daily life. Choosing stairs instead of elevators, or fitting in a short walk or bike ride, helps build healthier habits. With millions living with chronic lung disease and air quality concerns growing, simple actions that strengthen our bodies matter more than ever.Desktop Version
Leopard at Etosha National Park, Namibia
Leopard at Etosha National Park, Namibia
If you"ve ever watched a wildlife documentary, you know the moment: the camera pans across a quiet savanna, and suddenly a leopard appears as if it has been there all along. That quiet reveal says everything about how these cats operate. They move with precision, slipping through grass and branches without making a sound. Their build, muscular but lean, helps them climb, sprint, and hide in plain sight. Their rosetted coats? No two patterns match, each serving as natural camouflage from sunrise to moonlight.Desktop Version
A traboule in Lyon, France
A traboule in Lyon, France
In Lyon, France, you don"t just walk through the city—you glide through it. The traboules, a network of hidden passageways threading between courtyards and buildings, turn a simple stroll into a treasure hunt. They were the original shortcuts, allowing residents to dodge rain, carry goods, or move discreetly through the medieval quarters. Today, they"re less about practicality and more about discovery. These passages date back to the fourth century but became essential during the Renaissance, when silk traders used them to shuttle delicate fabrics safely from workshops to the river without braving the weather. Later, during World War II, Resistance fighters used the traboules as escape routes.Desktop Version
Boxing Day
Boxing Day
The best thing about Boxing Day is that it doesn"t ask much of you. No big countdown. No dramatic unwrapping. No last-minute dashes for batteries. It"s a rare holiday that says, "Sit down, finish your leftovers, and take a moment." Celebrated on December 26 in the United Kingdom and some Commonwealth countries, it"s a national cool-down after Christmas has done all the heavy lifting. The term goes back to Victorian Britain, when households prepared Christmas boxes for workers and tradespeople—tokens of thanks that ranged from coins to essentials. Churches joined in by opening alms boxes and distributing donations.Desktop Version
Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba, Andalusia, Spain
Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba, Andalusia, Spain
The Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba is a chronicle of Spain"s layered history. It began as a church built by the Germanic Visigoths, before being transformed into a mosque in 784 CE by Abd al-Rahman I, founder of the Umayyad Emirate of Córdoba. Its vast hypostyle hall, a space supported by rows of columns, features the famous red-and-white arches shown here. Today, it contains more than 850 columns, many reused from Roman and earlier Visigothic structures.Desktop Version
Plate ice along Lake Superior, Grand Marais, Minnesota
Plate ice along Lake Superior, Grand Marais, Minnesota
When winter tightens its grip on Lake Superior in Minnesota, the shoreline transforms into a landscape of tilted, glass-like shards known as plate ice. Thin sheets fracture under shifting temperatures, then drift and stack as the wind presses them toward land. The result is a field of translucent blues and silvers, catching the light at sharp angles and making the water"s edge appear sculpted rather than frozen.Desktop Version
Muir Woods National Monument anniversary
Muir Woods National Monument anniversary
Step into the realm of giants. Try embracing a BFG (Big Friendly Giant) as you wrap your arms around a thousand years of wisdom in a single tree trunk. Welcome to Muir Woods National Monument—established on this day in 1908—a majestic hall of coastal redwoods just north of San Francisco. These towering redwoods are the tallest trees on Earth—one here stretches about 258 feet, roughly the height of 43 people stacked head to toe. Most are 600–800 years old, and some have stood for over a millennium, yet they"re still considered "young" for a species that can live for 2,000 years.Desktop Version
Karlovy Vary, Bohemia, Czechia
Karlovy Vary, Bohemia, Czechia
In today"s image, winter settles over Karlovy Vary in Czechia, a pastel valley that built its identity around the hot springs rising through its hills. The eponymous city traces its beginnings to accounts of Charles IV, then king of Bohemia (a historic region of Czechia) and later Roman Emperor, encountering a steaming pool here in the 14th century, an early moment that set this quiet part of Bohemia on the path to becoming a spa retreat.Desktop Version
Nuuk, Greenland
Nuuk, Greenland
Picture a city where your daily commute offers views of fjords, drifting ice, and the Northern Lights. That"s everyday life in Nuuk, the capital of Greenland—a small yet spirited Arctic hub blending Inuit heritage with Nordic modernity. Founded in 1728 by Danish-Norwegian missionary Hans Egede, it began as a small settlement called Godthaab—"Good Hope."Desktop Version
Celebrating Native American Heritage Day
Celebrating Native American Heritage Day
Think Thanksgiving weekend is just about turkey and leftovers? Think again—today is Native American Heritage Day. Established in 2009, it celebrates the voices, art, and achievements of Indigenous peoples across the United States. This day is a reminder to look beyond parades and sales and learn from the experiences of those who first shaped this land. Communities host cultural events, storytelling sessions, and feasts featuring dishes like Three Sisters soup, wild rice, pemmican, beans, squash, and buffalo stew—each carrying centuries of legacy.Desktop Version
The Matterhorn reflected in Lake Stellisee at sunrise, Zermatt, Switzerland
The Matterhorn reflected in Lake Stellisee at sunrise, Zermatt, Switzerland
Few sights capture the spirit of the Alps like the Matterhorn mirrored in Lake Stellisee"s glassy waters. Rising 14,692 feet on the Swiss-Italian border, this legendary peak has long symbolized natural beauty and adventure, drawing climbers, hikers, and dreamers from every corner of the globe.Desktop Version
Old Rock Day
Old Rock Day
Today is a day that puts time into perspective. Old Rock Day highlights the vast geological processes that have shaped our world since its earliest eras. In Arches National Park, Utah, Turret Arch—seen through North Window—offers a striking reminder: landscapes can take hundreds of millions of years to assemble. The Entrada Sandstone that forms these arches began as shifting dunes and shallow seas long before erosion carved today"s shapes. Even so, these formations are relatively young. Most rocks on Earth disappear over time because plate tectonics, erosion, and volcanism continually recycle the crust. Only the planet"s ancient continental shields preserve truly old material. Canada"s Acasta Gneiss, about 4 billion years old, is the oldest known rock still rooted where it formed.Desktop Version
Starling murmuration over the ruins of Brightons West Pier, England
Starling murmuration over the ruins of Brightons West Pier, England
When a bird is called a starling, you"d expect it to be a bit of a show-off. True to its name, this little creature knows how to steal the spotlight. From shimmering feathers that glint green and purple in the sun, to its ability to mimic sounds, the starling is the headline act. Originally native to Europe and Asia, the common starling has spread across the globe. In the 19th century, a group of them were introduced to New York"s Central Park by an enthusiast of birds mentioned in Shakespeare"s plays.Desktop Version
Þorrablót, Icelandic midwinter festival
Þorrablót, Icelandic midwinter festival
When January"s chill grips Iceland, locals turn to warmth and tradition with Þorrablót—a midwinter festival rooted in Viking heritage. Named after Þorri, a winter figure from Norse mythology, this celebration began as a sacrificial feast to honor the gods and ensure survival through harsh winters. Today, it"s a lively cultural event that blends history with hearty camaraderie.Desktop Version