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A Festivus for the rest of us
A Festivus for the rest of us
We didn"t have a Festivus pole handy, so we"re bringing you near the South Pole, where two gentoo penguins seem to be sharing a loud "Airing of Grievances." December 23 marks Festivus, a tongue-in-cheek observance created by writer Daniel O"Keefe. At first an O"Keefe family inside joke, Festivus was rebranded as a rejection of Christmas-season commercialism and written into a 1997 episode of "Seinfeld" by Daniel"s son Dan. The show introduced such goofy new traditions as the "Airing of Grievances," "Feats of Strength," and identifying "Festivus miracles."Desktop Version
Venture into a prehistoric gallery of art
Venture into a prehistoric gallery of art
In the fall of 1940, a group of boys exploring the outdoors in the Dordogne area of southwest France came upon the entrance to a cave–and unwittingly discovered a treasure trove of prehistoric art. The walls of the cave now known as ‘Lascaux’ are covered with hundreds of images–giant drawings of bulls, horses, and humans–created some 17,000 years ago, in the Upper Paleolithic Period. The cave was opened to the public in 1948, but after several years, scientists observed that the artwork was being damaged by carbon dioxide, heat, humidity, and other contaminants produced by an average of 1,200 visitors who explored the caves each day. To protect the prehistoric masterpieces, the cave has been closed to the public since 1963. Today, the closest you can get is viewing full-scale replicas at the International Centre for Cave Art in nearby Montignac, where our homepage image was photographed.Desktop Version
Finding a balance between wetlands and water treatment
Finding a balance between wetlands and water treatment
Take a stroll through the Wakodahatchee Wetlands and you"ll likely spot great blue herons, like the fluffed-up pair we"re featuring today. Located in Delray Beach, Florida, and created on 50 acres of wastewater utility property, the park first opened to the public back in 1996. A three-quarter-mile boardwalk takes visitors over ponds and through marshes, offering the chance to see more than 150 bird species, plus turtles, fish, frogs, alligators, and other Floridian fauna. Every day, the Palm Beach County Water Utilities Department pumps about 2 million gallons of highly treated wastewater into the wetlands. Then algae and other plants naturally finish the purification process before the water seeps back into the water table. Quite an upgrade from a yucky wastewater pond.Desktop Version
A theatrical dream
A theatrical dream
The work of surrealist artist Salvador Dalí is the stuff of dreams: melting clocks, burning giraffes, weird objects suspended in midair. Gaze at a Dalí and you may find yourself gripped with a strange sense of familiarity, like your subconscious has visited this strange place before. But what if you could literally step into a huge Dalí piece?Desktop Version
The Aomori Nebuta Festival parade, Japan
The Aomori Nebuta Festival parade, Japan
From now until Aug 7, the northern Japanese city of Aomori is celebrating Aomori Nebuta, a festival (‘matsuri’) that features bright, colorful floats like the one seen in our photo. The history of how the festival began depends on who you ask and what you read. But the way to celebrate is to join or watch the parade that is the centerpiece of the observance. The floats depict mythic warriors and creatures, and they move through Aomori accompanied by musicians, often playing flutes and pounding on loud taiko drums. The goal? To ‘awaken sleepy souls.’Desktop Version
Till the cows come home
Till the cows come home
These stylish cows are decorated to celebrate their annual return from high Alpine pastures to the towns and villages where they spend the winter. Known as the Almabtrieb, the tradition is generally held in late September or early October throughout the Alpine regions of Europe. These cows are in the Tannheimer Tal, a valley of the Allgäu Alps in Austria, where more than 100,000 head of cattle make the seasonal migration.Desktop Version
Seonam Temple, South Korea
Seonam Temple, South Korea
The Seonam Temple, or Seonamsa, in Jogyesan Provincial Park, South Korea, is famed for expressing calm serenity. Just downstream, Buddhist monks built this gently arched bridge by hand centuries ago. Stones around the base record the names of visitors for posterity. Called the Seungseon Bridge ("the Ascending Immortals"), it"s fitting to approach the temple itself on foot, at one with nature. The site is hidden away in ancient trees, with tranquil ponds and streams, gentle hiking trails, and gorgeous pagodas. The temple still ekes out its day in the traditional way, with mellow bells and meditation. The monks also cultivate wild tea plants and are happy to share the benefits of the harvest. You are at peace as soon as you arrive at Seonamsa, and there"s little to distract you from the present moment.Desktop Version
Behold the blood moon
Behold the blood moon
We"ve heard the phrase "many moons," but never took it this literally. We"re looking at 28 merged photos of our one and only moon over Utah"s Monument Valley: 26 snapshots of its partial phases, plus two layered exposures of the eclipsing moon at center.Desktop Version
A night on the (ghost) town
A night on the (ghost) town
The spooky scene here might look like a place you"d want to avoid, but it"s not likely to scare you—not too much anyway. It"s the Fort Rock Valley Historical Homestead Museum in central Oregon, a collection of abandoned homestead-era buildings from the area. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, people acquired federal lands around here for farms and ranches via the Homestead Acts. But most left within a few years due to the hot, dry summers and extremely cold winters. Today, the buildings are assembled as a ghost town and contain items from that period, including furniture, dishes, and tools. There"s also a nearby cemetery which, according to local lore, is haunted by the ghost of rancher and author Reub Long riding his horse.Desktop Version
An island hopper s paradise
An island hopper s paradise
Welcome to sunny and sultry Seychelles, a tropical island nation just south of the equator in the Indian Ocean, roughly 900 miles off the eastern coast of Africa. The gorgeous beach you see here is Anse Source d"Argent on the island of La Digue, one of 115 islands that make up this tropical republic. Anse Source d"Argent has long been a favorite of photographers, who are drawn to its contoured, dark granite boulders, pristine white sand, and turquoise-colored water. Beachcombers and sun worshippers also flock to the Seychelles because of their consistently great weather—daily high temperatures almost always stay within a comfortable range of between 75 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit all year round.Desktop Version
Sundance Film Festival opens in Park City
Sundance Film Festival opens in Park City
As beautiful as this vista is, most of today"s visitors to Park City are there to spend the day inside. Sundance Film Festival, the nation"s biggest celebration of independent cinema, opens today and runs through January 29. The careers of Hollywood directors such as Quentin Tarantino and Steven Soderbergh were launched here, and every year a new crop of greenhorns arrives in this mountain enclave with the dream that they"ll leave with a distribution deal.Desktop Version
Listening to the sea
Listening to the sea
Two enormous horns like those of old-fashioned gramophones are pointed toward the North Sea along this stretch of the Belgian coast. At the end of one of the horns, a bronze figure of a woman sits on a bench, seemingly listening to the distant sounds of the sea, while the other horn invites a visitor to do the same. The woman"s antiquated clothing, the outsized bolts on the horns, and the fluted Victrola-like design all echo the Belle Époque style once prevalent here on the Flemish coast. (Click on the above image to see more detailed views.)Desktop Version
Just a couple of yellow-billed hornbills
Just a couple of yellow-billed hornbills
Southern yellow-billed hornbills live in the dry savannas of southern Africa. These two were photographed in South Africa"s Kruger National Park, one of the largest nature preserves on the continent. While hornbills tend to live and hunt alone, they do mate for life, maintaining a monogamous relationship year after year. And with a lifespan of 20 years in captivity, it"s entirely possible that there are some yellow-billed hornbill grandparents out there. Why do we mention that? Because we"re celebrating National Grandparents Day in the US today!Desktop Version
Art in the chapel
Art in the chapel
You have until Oct 31 to get to Governors Island in New York Harbor to see artist Jacob Hashimoto’s installation ‘The Eclipse.’ The Colorado native built this room-filling artwork out of rice-paper and bamboo kites, stringing the delicate pieces across the ceiling of the Chapel of St. Cornelius. ‘The Eclipse’ is accompanied by another of the artist’s works, ‘Never Comes Tomorrow,’ which is on display in Liggett Hall Archway, also on the island.Desktop Version
Uncommon clouds are gathering
Uncommon clouds are gathering
A satellite view of the Mania River in Madagascar allows us to see a curious cloud pattern. It"s common for cool, moist marine air to rise and form dense clouds over bodies of water, then for the clouds to evaporate as they drift over warmer, drier land. The opposite is happening here: Puffs of clouds are forming over land, but not over water. That"s because Madagascar"s tropical rainforests are warm and wet enough that evaporating moisture rises as the day heats up. When it rises high enough, the moisture encounters cooler air, which condenses the water into clouds. Generally speaking, clouds will form where the air is rising, which in this case is only over the land. Above the river, the air is cooler and descending, so no clouds are forming there.Desktop Version
Wanderin Wawayanda
Wanderin Wawayanda
Preserving more than 35,000 acres of prime New Jersey highland wilderness, Wawayanda State Park brushes up against the state"s border with New York. The park"s name comes from a transliteration of the Indigenous Lenape people"s word for the area, said to mean "winding water" or "water on the mountain." A lake and a mountain within the park are also called Wawayanda—perhaps because it"s so fun to say?Desktop Version
Celebrating Native American Heritage Month
Celebrating Native American Heritage Month
These dancers from the Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma are preforming a ceremonial Gourd Dance at the Gallup Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial in New Mexico, an annual gathering that also includes art, demonstrations, a rodeo, parades, and other events. We’re featuring the image in honor of Native American Indian Heritage Month, which is observed each November. The commemorative month celebrates the contributions of Native Americans to our national culture. In honor of this event, we invite you to learn more about Native people in your region.Desktop Version
The Giants Causeway, Northern Ireland
The Giants Causeway, Northern Ireland
Throughout history, humans have crafted legends to explain natural phenomena that defy our understanding. A prime example is the Giant"s Causeway in Northern Ireland where some 40,000 basalt columns spring from the ground at the shore. Scientists tell us these columns developed 50 to 60 million years ago, when lava erupted from volcanic fissures, then cooled and contracted, cracking into hexagonal structures.Desktop Version
Illuminated Uluru
Illuminated Uluru
This landmark of the Land Down Under is usually pictured in sweltering desert sunlight. Now a 21st-century addition near the ancient rock of Uluru has people flocking here even at night.Desktop Version
Take a hike near Lovers Lane
Take a hike near Lovers Lane
For those of you who love getting outside, you"re in luck! Today is Take a Hike Day, an activity the American Hiking Society says will make you happier as you enjoy the great outdoors. And what better way to take a hike than a walk near Lovers" Lane in San Francisco"s Presidio? The sinuous trail we see in today"s photo is called "Wood Line" and was designed by the environmental artist Andy Goldsworthy. By using felled eucalyptus trees, Goldsworthy intended this land art to eventually biodegrade and fade back into the forest floor. It"s one of four of his works within this national park that once served as a US military outpost.Desktop Version
A long, erratic commute
A long, erratic commute
Don’t set your watch to the migration timetable of the Galápagos giant tortoise—it doesn’t follow a predictable schedule the way so many other animal migrations do. Scientists first tracked the migration of giant tortoises in the Galápagos Islands in 2013, and they’ve discovered that not only is it marvelously slow, it’s kind of erratic, and flies in the face of human understanding as to why and how most animals migrate. Only the older tortoises make the roughly 6-mile climb out of the soggy jungle up into the hills—in this case, the slopes of Alcedo Volcano on Isabela Island. The journey is loosely related to mating, but researchers think there may be many other unknown variables at play. Whatever compelled these two lumbering giants up here, in about six months, they’ll start the slow climb back down to the jungle.Desktop Version
Indigenous Peoples Day
Indigenous Peoples Day
With this image of totem poles, carved and erected by Haida people in British Columbia, Canada, we"re touching on two important events in North America today, one in the United States and the other in Canada. In the US, an increasing number of Americans observe the second Monday in October as Indigenous Peoples Day, a celebration of Native American peoples and an implicit (and sometimes explicit) critique of the Columbus Day holiday. Observations of Indigenous Peoples Day reflect an effort to honor the tribes, nations, and cultures that existed in North America before the arrival of European settlers and have endured since then.Desktop Version
Composite of photographs from the Apollo 15 mission
Composite of photographs from the Apollo 15 mission
Today is National Moon Day, commemorating the day in 1969 that Neil Armstrong was the first person to set foot on the moon. Eleven other astronauts have gone on to follow in his bootsteps, including Commander David Scott and Lunar Module Pilot James Irwin, who took these historic photos during the Apollo 15 moon mission in 1971. We’ve stitched together their images to create this composite panorama of the landing site, where they spent three days conducting research. (If only they had selfie sticks back then.) Look for the ‘play’ button on our homepage to hear actual transmissions between the crew and the Mission Control Center in Houston.Desktop Version
‘Hello’ from zero degrees longitude
‘Hello’ from zero degrees longitude
This laser projected from the Royal Observatory at Greenwich, in London, England, marks the prime meridian, dividing Earth’s Eastern and Western Hemispheres and helping travelers to chart their courses by establishing a universally adopted 0 degrees longitude. The meridian itself is essentially an imaginary line, arbitrarily placed. By the early 19th century, most maritime countries had established their own prime meridians to aid in navigation. But on this date in 1884, delegates from 25 nations met at a conference in Washington, DC, where they established Greenwich as the international standard for mapping and timekeeping. The decision made sense, as the Greenwich meridian was already widely used. But there was one holdout: France abstained from the vote and used its own prime meridian for several decades before eventually joining other countries in recognizing the Greenwich meridian.Desktop Version
The Battle of the Bulge 75 years later
The Battle of the Bulge 75 years later
Seventy-five years ago this week, the Battle of the Bulge began in the forests of the Ardennes, Belgium. On the morning of Dec 16, 1944, the beleaguered German army threw its best remaining troops and armor against a lightly defended section of the Allied line. Bad weather neutralized Allied air superiority and over the first few days, the Nazi offensive produced a "bulge" in the Allies" defensive line west into Belgium. Desperate to hold the line, US General Eisenhower sent the 101st Airborne to defend the strategically important crossroads in Bastogne. The town was surrounded for nearly 10 days by German forces, but the Airborne held out. In fact, a German demand for Allied surrender was rejected with a single word: "NUTS" (a bit of 1940s American slang that needed to be explained to the Nazi officers). In the end, the German offensive was defeated, with US forces having borne the brunt of the fighting—Americans sustained their highest casualties of any single battle in World War II.Desktop Version