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Wind horses carry wishes for a new year
Wind horses carry wishes for a new year
For the first day of Losar, or the Tibetan New Year, we"re paying a visit to these Buddhist pilgrims at the Ganden Monastery in Lhasa, Tibet. Losar is celebrated for 15 days, but most events occur in the first three days. They include wishing family members a prosperous year, praying at monasteries or temples, exchanging gifts, burning incense, chanting, wrestling, horse racing, and more. Celebrations for the new year end with Chotrul Duchen, or the Butter Lamp Festival. The pilgrims in today"s image are releasing prayer flags called "wind horses" or lungtas, a ritual they perform for Losar and during the rest of the year as well. Upon releasing the prayer flags, the pilgrims ask the mountain deity to "increase their fortune like the galloping of a horse and expand their prosperity like the boiling over of milk."Desktop Version
Mont-Saint-Michel, Normandy, France
Mont-Saint-Michel, Normandy, France
A tidal marvel and a slice of medieval life all rolled into one rocky outcrop—welcome to Mont-Saint-Michel in Normandy, northern France. The story of this "Wonder of the West" goes back to the early 8th century, when Archangel Michael was said to have appeared to the bishop of Avranches in a vision. The divine message was clear: build a sanctuary on this rock. Taking this angelic advice seriously, the bishop laid the foundations of what would eventually become the abbey that dominates the island today. Over the centuries, this UNESCO World Heritage Site grew in size and reputation, attracting monks, pilgrims, and invaders alike.Desktop Version
Beyond Walls for World Refugee Day
Beyond Walls for World Refugee Day
For World Refugee Day, we"re featuring an aerial view of "Beyond Walls," an art installation by the French artist Saype. In the span of five years, he aims to create the longest symbolic human chain around the world by constructing outdoor designs of interlaced hands just like this in over 20 cities. The first four were completed in 2019 in Paris, Andorra, Berlin and Geneva, Switzerland, shown here.Desktop Version
Aprils full moon
Aprils full moon
The full moon has inspired folklore, myths, writers, and artists throughout history and has been given many names, depending on the time of year it appears. April"s first full moon is known as the pink moon, but that doesn’t mean it will appear pink against the night sky. Native Americans named it for the pink wildflowers, moss pink or creeping phlox, that bloom in the eastern US in the spring.Desktop Version
An impactful day
An impactful day
We"ll be the ones to drop the news on you: It"s Asteroid Day! Today you"re invited to explore a realm of science usually encountered only through white-knuckle action flicks: asteroid impact avoidance, or the study of what the heck we do if we spot a big chunk of space junk hurtling right at Earth. That"s right, don"t worry: People somewhere are coming up with plans for this.Desktop Version
Mountain hare hopping into Lunar New Year
Mountain hare hopping into Lunar New Year
Today is the start of the Lunar New Year, which ushers in the Year of the Rabbit. Those born under the sign of the rabbit are believed to be ingenious, sweet, happy, quiet, and persistent. Famous rabbits include Albert Einstein, Frank Sinatra, Lionel Messi, and Ingrid Bergman. The Lunar New Year celebration starts with the first new moon in January and goes for the next 15 days, until the year"s first full moon lights up the night sky. Historically it has been an occasion for feasting and honoring deities as well as ancestors. We"re doing our part by sharing this lovely winter image of a mountain hare in Derbyshire, England.Desktop Version
A shell of many colors
A shell of many colors
We could perhaps fool you and claim you"re viewing a long-lost Jackson Pollock canvas, but it was Mother Nature who painted this blackfoot paua (aka rainbow abalone) shell. And modern art it ain"t: Fossils from similar marine gastropods date back at least 65 million years.Desktop Version
It s aboat time for the Barcolana
It s aboat time for the Barcolana
Today we"re featuring an image of the Barcolana regatta, which is happening this weekend off the shore of Trieste, Italy. What makes this race so unusual—and so popular—is that it"s open to both professional and amateur sailors. Its beginning was fairly inauspicious—in 1969 only 51 boats sailed in the inaugural race. But it"s been drawing increasing numbers of sailors and spectators to Trieste each year. Last year, for the 50th anniversary of the Barcolana, 2,689 yachts raced the course and set the official record for largest sailing race in the world. Featuring a youth sailing race, an open-water swimming race, a night sailing race, music concerts, food and wine tastings, and many other events, the Barcolana offers opportunities for landlubbers and sea dogs alike to enjoy themselves during the regatta.Desktop Version
A little blue
A little blue
If you want to see a little blue heron in its natural habitat, head to the swamps, tidal flats, and lake marshes of the US Gulf Coast, the Caribbean Islands, and Central America—and bring your patience. These herons keep a low profile, and often sit so still while hunting, they can be hard to spot. The adults develop deep blue plumage, sometimes sporting purple feathers on their heads, and tiptoe around the shoreline on green legs. The chicks are born snowy white, which scientists suggest is a survival adaptation to help them blend in with cattle egrets and snowy egrets—both species with bright white feathers—to enjoy the added safety of being in a large group.Desktop Version
Kagami-ike, Nagano, Japan
Kagami-ike, Nagano, Japan
This serene Japanese landscape is reflected in the still waters of an artificial reservoir known as Kagami-ike, meaning ‘mirror pond." Surrounded by lush greenery and the Togakushi Mountain Range in Nagano Prefecture, Kagami-ike emerges from the morning mists to create an enchanting spectacle. During the cherry blossom season, visitors walk among sakura petals that float along the breeze while, in autumn, they can enjoy its surrounding orange and yellow foliage. This secluded spot is a wonderfully peaceful place for mindful meditation and self-reflection.Desktop Version
Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival, China
Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival, China
The Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival, in China"s Heilongjiang province, begins today with all the spectacle and fanfare you"d expect from the world"s largest festival of its kind. Big, bold, and beautiful, the event features more than 2,000 ice sculptures made from 240,000 cubic yards of ice collected by nearly a thousand workers from the nearby Songhua River. Many of the sculptures are illuminated with colored lights, creating a vibrant, glowing world of ice. It"s estimated the colorful sights attract more than 18 million visitors each year. The event, which runs through late February, also features alpine skiing, cold water swimming in the aforementioned Songhua, as well as a festive ice lantern show.Desktop Version
Swim city
Swim city
Switzerland may be a landlocked country in the middle of Europe, but with about 6% of Europe"s fresh water flowing through its countless rivers and lakes, there are plenty of outdoor swimming spots to cool down in the Swiss summer heat. Today, we"re dipping our toes in the pristine waters of Lake Zürich in Switzerland"s largest city, which has developed its own urban lido culture. Dotted across Zürich, you"ll find lots of lidos (public open-air swimming pools or bathing beaches) that make the most of the city"s lakes. This time of year, it"s common to see bankers and other workers change from business suits into bathing suits as they enjoy a quick swim during their lunch break.Desktop Version
Guanahacabibes National Park, Cuba
Guanahacabibes National Park, Cuba
Today we"re admiring red mangrove seedlings at Guanahacabibes National Park in Cuba. Mangrove forests not only protect coastlines but are a crucial component of tropical coastal ecosystems and are uniquely suited to thrive in brackish or salty water. These hardy trees can withstand the force of tremendous waves and ferocious winds, fending off the damaging effects of storms and erosion.Desktop Version
On the wings of the Wright brothers
On the wings of the Wright brothers
For National Aviation Day, we’re highlighting a rare view from inside a wind tunnel at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Virginia. The plane is a replica of the historic craft that was invented, designed, and flown by the Wright brothers in what’s generally acknowledged to be the first powered airplane flight–an event that took place on Dec. 17, 1903, near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. On that day, both Wilbur and Orville Wright took turns flying their aircraft, dubbed the Wright Flyer, cementing their place in aviation history. Their original plane lives at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC, where it inspires generations of pilots and innovators to come.Desktop Version
National Mushroom Month
National Mushroom Month
Oh, to be a squirrel with a feast such as this! It"s National Mushroom Month, and it seems our red squirrel friend here in Alaska got a literal jump on celebrating. It might surprise you, but squirrels don"t only eat nuts. They"ll eat just about whatever"s around and that includes big mushrooms. Though a small percentage of wild mushrooms can be poisonous to humans, squirrels can eat many of these frightening fungi without worry, thanks to special proteins in their guts. Nice to know someone"s enjoying them.Desktop Version
An icy extravaganza
An icy extravaganza
We’re just outside Brainerd, Minnesota, for the Ice Fishing Extravaganza on Gull Lake. Each year in late January, more than 10,000 people will come out to catch as many fish as they can—mostly walleye and northern pike, but all fish species are eligible. The contest is organized and run by volunteers exclusively, and 100 percent of the proceeds—around $150,000—goes to local charities.Desktop Version
Daiichi Tadami River Bridge, Fukushima, Japan
Daiichi Tadami River Bridge, Fukushima, Japan
The Tadami Line is one of the most scenic railway lines in Japan. It winds through beautiful landscapes over 84 miles from Aizu-Wakamatsu, Fukushima prefecture, to Uonuma, Niigata prefecture. As travelers cross the Daiichi Tadami River Bridge, pictured in today"s image, they are treated to gorgeous vistas of the river below and the forests that blanket the area. After a snowfall, the icy blue water of the Tadami River cuts a bold streak through the forest, providing a welcome splash of color in a blanket of white.Desktop Version
Rainbow Mountain
Rainbow Mountain
Even to the huge bummer that is glacial melting, there are bright sides: The radiant colors of Vinicunca (aka Rainbow Mountain) might have gone unseen had rising temps not melted the peak"s glacial caps beginning in the 1990s. Rainbow Mountain"s streaky sediment layers, multicolored like a wildflower bloom, were revealed by the 2010s. Since then, it"s become the most visited natural attraction in the lofty Peruvian Andes of the Cusco region. At more than 17,000 feet above sea level, Rainbow Mountain isn’t the tallest peak in the area—towering Ausangate is nearly 21,000 feet in elevation—but most visitors will need time to acclimatize before attempting the trek to the summit.Desktop Version
Old Fortress, Corfu, Greece
Old Fortress, Corfu, Greece
This imposing structure is the Old Fortress on the Greek island of Corfu, off the western coasts of Greece and Albania. Situated in a strategic location between the Ionian and Adriatic seas, Corfu became one of the most fortified places in Europe amid successive sieges by the Ottoman Empire. The island was ruled by the Republic of Venice for 400 years until the late 18th century, which built forts in Corfu"s Old Town to defend its maritime trading interests. They held off three Ottoman sieges in 1537, 1571, and 1716 but have been repaired, rebuilt, and added to over the centuries. The Old Fortress has witnessed the rise and fall of mighty empires for hundreds of years, from the tip of a rocky peninsula jutting into the sea. These days, however, it is home to the public library and Corfu"s archives.Desktop Version
Moai statues on Easter Island, Chile
Moai statues on Easter Island, Chile
Today we"re looking at something you may have heard about before—the famous Moai statues on Chile"s remote Easter Island. These big-headed statues were carved out of solidified volcanic ash by the Rapa Nui people between 1250 and 1500, and there are nearly 1,000 of them on the island. Archaeologists believe they were meant to honor Rapa Nui ancestors and were revered as symbols of power and authority. All but seven of the statues face away from the surrounding Pacific Ocean, and instead look inward toward the villages, as if positioned to watch protectively over the Rapa Nui.Desktop Version
Blue Lagoon spa, Grindavík, Iceland
Blue Lagoon spa, Grindavík, Iceland
Let"s be frank here, the origin of today"s beautiful picture is a pool of wastewater from a nearby geothermal plant. While that may not sound enticing, Iceland"s Blue Lagoon is one of the country"s most-visited attractions. The trick is to not get stuck on the "waste" part of wastewater. The water here is clean, always hovers around 100° F, and is enriched with tons of silica—which is what makes it blue—and sulfur, thanks to the plant"s processes. Those minerals, along with a little algae, are believed to combine into a highly beneficial tonic for skin and overall well-being.Desktop Version
Let s ride! It s Roller Coaster Day
Let s ride! It s Roller Coaster Day
Whether screaming with delight and waving their hands or closing their eyes and praying for it to be over, these riders are on the downslope of one of Europe"s biggest and fastest hypercoasters (that"s a roller coaster over 200 feet tall). Spain"s PortAventura Park is home to seven coasters, more than enough to get the adrenaline pumping. The Shambhala coaster, seen here, reaches 256 feet above the ground and has a max speed of 83 miles per hour. If that"s too tame, the park"s Red Force roller coaster climbs to 367 feet and reaches 112 miles per hour. Hang on!Desktop Version
Wheels up in Beijing
Wheels up in Beijing
Last Wednesday, September 25, China officially opened the world’s largest airplane terminal, Beijing Daxing International Airport. Constructed to alleviate pressure on the city"s existing airport, Beijing Capital International, the bright orange starfish look-alike took more than four years to construct. And travelers, hold on to your hats, because Daxing International will connect to China"s capital city—about 30 miles away—with a high-speed train that travels at top speeds of more than 200 mph.Desktop Version
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Martin Luther King Jr. Day serves as a reminder not only of the man, but also of his mission. He stood for advances in civil rights, nonviolent resistance, and a dream of racial harmony. In 1983, the third Monday of January was made a federal holiday to mark his birthday, which was on January 15. It"s the only federal holiday that"s designated as a national day of service and the "day on, not a day off" continues to inspire unity, progress, and the ongoing struggle for equality.Desktop Version
Adorable activism
Adorable activism
In 1995, officials wanted to build a traffic roundabout in this area of the Ferguson Valley in Western Australia. Locals weren’t interested in seeing the wooded land paved over, but the roundabout was installed anyhow. In response, someone placed a garden gnome on the construction site—a form of guerilla-art protest. Other small bearded, pointy-hatted fellows soon joined the original settler. The newly arrived wee residents at least prevented further development in the area. For what manner of villain would destroy the forest home of a bunch of garden gnomes? Eventually there were hundreds of gnome figurines, and a roadside tourist attraction was created.Desktop Version