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An aviation celebration
An aviation celebration
The airborne craft you"re seeing aren"t models—they"re real airplanes hung in a hangar at the Smithsonian"s Udvar-Hazy Center, a National Air and Space Museum branch located next to Dulles International Airport. These retired craft are suspended in the company of notable flying machines from every era, like a Blackbird stealth fighter, a Concorde jet, and the space shuttle Discovery.Desktop Version
Zion National Park Turns 100
Zion National Park Turns 100
It"s been exactly 100 years since President Woodrow Wilson signed legislation that established Zion National Park in southwestern Utah. Fewer than 2,000 people visited back in 1919 due to poor road conditions and lack of trails. These days, the park has the opposite problem—with more than 4 million people coming each year, crowds create long lines for shuttles and clog popular areas such as the Narrows. Part of Zion Canyon, the Narrows can be seen from a paved path. But many people like to experience it up close by hiking in the Virgin River, and it can get crowded at peak times since it"s—as the name implies—narrow.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
Balloons and camels are two ways to catch a ride here
Balloons and camels are two ways to catch a ride here
Welcome to India"s largest camel and livestock festival, the Pushkar Camel Fair. Thousands of people travel across mountains and through the Thar Desert to buy and sell livestock and enjoy the carnival-like atmosphere here. The fair offers visitors many diversions, but it"s the camels who get top billing. Considered "ships of the desert," camels were domesticated by nomads thousands of years ago to carry goods across forbidding landscapes. When well fed and hydrated, a camel can travel great distances without needing water or food, sometimes for weeks. The humps on a camel"s back serve a purpose: they"re fatty deposits that act as a source of nutrition. Here, on the edge of the Thar Desert, the camel remains a mode of transport for nomads as well as a source for textiles, goods, and sustenance (did you know a camel"s milk does not curdle in the desert heat?). The camel is held in such high esteem, the Pushkar Fair even stages camel decoration contests.Desktop Version
A river runs through rice fields
A river runs through rice fields
We"re peering down the winding Ngo Dong River at a group of rowboats meandering through rice paddy fields. This is Ninh Bình province in Vietnam, about 60 miles south of Hanoi. On these two-hour tours by traditional Vietnamese rowboat, visitors wend their way between limestone karst peaks, through grottoes, and, if they"re lucky, by workers harvesting rice in the fields, their wide-brimmed hats shielding them from the sun. Perhaps the most spectacular time to take this river cruise is around harvest time in late May and early June when the paddy fields are awash in a golden glow with a backdrop of bright green hillsides. But don"t be surprised if the person rowing your boat moves the oars from hands to feet. It"s tradition here for rowers to give their arms a break and let their legs take over.Desktop Version
Bright and colorful peacock feathers
Bright and colorful peacock feathers
Peacock feathers, multicolored and radiant, are instantly recognizable. Their signature "eyespots" flash in the light when a male displays its tail plumage for a nearby female, known as a "peahen."Desktop Version
Global commerce in motion
Global commerce in motion
The COVID-19 pandemic has been rough sailing for everyone, and especially so for seafarers on shipping vessels. As if moving more than 80% of the world"s goods wasn"t a big mission already, the pandemic created urgent needs for certain goods to be shipped to all corners of the globe. At the same time, it forced travel restrictions that made shipping more complicated. Hundreds of thousands of sailors and other shipping personnel have found themselves stuck on ships much longer than planned as virus precautions impede crew changes.Desktop Version
Raise your hand for Teacher Appreciation Day
Raise your hand for Teacher Appreciation Day
At some point during the year, most countries will celebrate Teacher Appreciation Day, because who doesn’t appreciate the teachers in our lives? In the United States, we’re celebrating on this day. In fact, today’s party is part of Teacher Appreciation Week, a chance to honor those who dedicate their lives to shaping our minds, young and old, and encouraging us to explore and think about the world around us. What did your favorite teacher help you learn?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
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
Astrotourism at its finest
Astrotourism at its finest
Stay in Canyonlands National Park until after sundown so you can appreciate one of the park"s most distinct features—a night sky so free of artificial light that it’s been designated a Gold-Tier International Dark Sky park. Here’s another way of understanding what that means: When you’re in the city you may see up to 500 stars in a moonless night sky, but here in Utah"s Canyonlands, you can see more than 15,000. Many of the stars (and planets) sparkle in the Milky Way, our galactic home in the universe. It’s a big reason why astrotourists and photographers visit at night, to see the light show above. But for those who follow the sun, daytime is perfect for hiking and camping, wildlife viewing, and discovering rock art left behind by prehistoric peoples.Desktop Version
Sharp-dressed bug
Sharp-dressed bug
Sometimes to be left alone, you just have to act prickly—like a thorn bug. Looking like a plant"s painful parts, this sneaky insect wards off predators simply by being itself. Thorn bugs are found in the countries of Central America, such as Honduras, where this photo was taken, as well as Mexico, and parts of Florida…but only if you can spot them.Desktop Version
In Texas, even the riverbend is big
In Texas, even the riverbend is big
We"re celebrating the 77th birthday of Big Bend National Park, the place the National Park Service calls "one of the last remaining wild corners of the United States." To get here, you have to be committed. This rugged terrain, which covers almost a million acres, is one of the most remote spots in the country—it"s hours from the nearest towns or the closest airport, making it one of the least-visited national parks in the country. Those who do make the effort to get to Big Bend are rewarded with an undeveloped natural beauty, and silence, two things that seem to be in short supply these days.Desktop Version
Mesmerizing murmuration
Mesmerizing murmuration
Around this time of year, as temperatures dip in the Northern Hemisphere, European or common starlings put on a dazzling show. Most of the time, these noisy birds are scorned for their bullying behavior at the bird feeder. But in autumn months, they gather to roost in huge flocks, as they’re doing here in Blackpool, England. At dusk, the starlings take flight en masse and flock together in a hypnotizing, swirling cloud of fluttering wings. These flocks are called mumurations. They"re thought to help keep the birds warm while also acting as a defensive tactic to confuse predators like hawks and falcons. But maybe the raptors are rendered harmless simply because they’re awestruck by the starlings" synchronized spectacle.Desktop Version
The moon rises for Mid-Autumn Festival
The moon rises for Mid-Autumn Festival
Shenzhen, China—seen in our photo today—is a drone manufacturing hub. So, when this city celebrated Mid-Autumn Festival in 2018, a synchronized fleet of drones took to the skies over Shenzhen Talent Park and lit up in a crescent-moon shape to celebrate the lunar holiday. At other times in the performance, the drones created the shape of Chinese characters reading "Happy Mid-Autumn Festival!" So, what is the Mid-Autumn Festival? It’s a harvest celebration that’s been observed by Chinese and other Asian peoples for thousands of years. The date of the celebration changes each year on our Gregorian calendar, falling on the first full moon of the harvest season, which arrives today. One major feature of the lunar holiday? A sweet pastry called "mooncake." Let it be known that we fully embrace any holiday that includes cake.Desktop Version
Assembling the Smithsonian
Assembling the Smithsonian
Today’s photo–taken in 1953–depicts the dedication required to keep the Smithsonian Institution going and growing. This national treasure is made up of 19 museums and galleries and the National Zoo, as well as several research facilities. Admission to all Smithsonian museums in Washington is free, so that anyone can visit to learn about the US, and the world beyond it. It was this day in 1846 that President James K. Polk signed the legislation establishing the Smithsonian. Getting there took some doing, as Englishman James Smithson had donated the funds for an educational institution to the US in his will 20 years earlier. After the deaths of Smithson and his last surviving relative, Congress inherited 104,960 gold sovereigns as start-up money for the museum that would later bear Smithson’s name.Desktop Version
High seas commerce
High seas commerce
Unless you work in shipping, you may not think about how much global shipping affects our daily lives. Most of the consumer goods we buy traveled across oceans on massive container ships. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) estimates that as much as 90 percent of global trade relies on ships. The IMO created World Maritime Day to call attention to the hard work mariners do finding the most efficient and safest shipping routes around the globe.Desktop Version
Celebrating the Acadians
Celebrating the Acadians
In honor of Canada"s National Acadian Day, we"re on the shores of New Brunswick as the ocean recedes to reveal the Bay of Fundy"s massive intertidal zone. The tide is a big deal at the bay—more than five times bigger than in most places. Typical tides around the world have a range of 3 to 6 feet, but these waters drop as far as 50 feet from high to low tide.Desktop Version
Goðafoss waterfall, Iceland
Goðafoss waterfall, Iceland
Goðafoss is one of the hundreds of show-stopping waterfalls Iceland is blessed with. And though it isn"t the island"s highest waterfall—that would be Morsarfoss at over 787 feet—or most powerful (the thundering Dettifoss), Goðafoss, has, within its swirling waters, its own story to tell.Desktop Version
Cecropia leaf and lobster claw petals in Mexico
Cecropia leaf and lobster claw petals in Mexico
No doubt your eyes are drawn to the large, silver-bluish leaf in today"s photo, but there"s a little more to this colorful display. We"re on the floor of a Mexican rainforest to examine a large Cecropia leaf and some lobster claw petals. The genus called Cecropia contains some of the most recognizable neotropical trees anywhere, but the roughly 60 different species can be hard to tell apart. All Cecropias grow fast, by tree standards anyway. On average, they"ll climb about 2.5 feet per year and under perfect conditions can grow as much as 10 feet in that time, eventually reaching around 60 feet tall. When dried, Cecropia leaves shrivel into a fist-like form which displays interesting patterns and shapes. Not only are Cecropias very popular with animals like sloths, monkeys, and toucans for their fruit and leaves, many species have a symbiotic relationship with Azteca ants. Cecropias provide shelter and food for ants, and the ants in turn defend the trees from plant-eating predators.Desktop Version
Pretty, pretty…butterfly?
Pretty, pretty…butterfly?
Not quite. This winsome winged creature is a moth, a Loepa oberthuri to be exact, a type of silkmoth. It"s the star of our homepage because today marks the start of National Moth Week, which shines the porch light on this unlikely hero. Unlike their showier cousins, butterflies, moths get a bad rap from time to time, and that"s fair, as caterpillars of some moth species are agricultural pests. But before you break out the mothballs, consider this: Scientists estimate that there are some 160,000 species of moths worldwide, many just as stunning as our silkmoth today, and tracking their health often helps us gauge the health of entire ecosystems. So we encourage you to investigate moths this week right in your own backyard. All you have to do: Turn on the porch light—and the moths will come calling.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
Put your flippers in the air…
Put your flippers in the air…
…it"s World Sea Turtle Day! The gentle giant seen here doing the wave was snapped mid-dive, headed to the seafloor near the Great Barrier Reef to munch some marine grass. The green sea turtle is among the larger of the seven sea turtle species, with some individuals reaching 5 feet in length and weighing 700 pounds. They live throughout the world"s subtropical waters, and like other sea turtles, they migrate long distances for food. Despite all that traveling, they return to hatch their eggs on the same select nesting beaches where they were born.Desktop Version
Happy World Photography Day!
Happy World Photography Day!
What"s the best thing to do when you come face-to-face with a giant manta ray? Take a photo of course, and then share your creation with the rest of the world, especially on World Photography Day, celebrated each August 19. As this photographer can attest, a lot of work goes into taking a great photo. There"s more to it than having mastery of your equipment and a willingness to go on the hunt for the perfect shot. You also must be ready for a magic moment like this one, so when that amazing shot does present itself, you"re ready to capture it.Desktop Version