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Apr 2, 2024Beech trees and wild anemones, Jutland, Denmark

Today"s homepage takes us to Jutland, Denmark, where the arrival of spring showcases the green hues of the European beech, a national symbol of this northern land. The young leaves of these budding trees are significant to the Danish people, as they are harvested from April to May and used in cooking—particularly in salads. In the past, Europeans would often use the smooth bark of beech trees for writings texts and the word "book" is thought to be derived from the word for "beech." As the sun shines through the forest canopy, wild anemones brighten up the woodland with their white petals. These blooms, representing delicate beauty and sincerity, have even starred in masterpieces by artists such as Monet and Vincent van Gogh.Desktop Version

Jun 18, 2024Lupine fields, Snæfellsnes, Iceland

As spring gives way to summer in Iceland, the rugged landscape bursts into color. Lupines were introduced here in the 1940s for their soil-binding properties, to reduce erosion. The plant flourishes in sandy and salty soils and spreads rapidly, bringing hues of purple, pink, and blue. Although some consider lupine to be a threat to native plants, it is welcomed by many as a cherished part of the summer landscape. You can find lupine fields in Reykjavík, near the Skógafoss waterfall, and lining the road to the Hellissandur Church in the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, as seen in today"s image.Desktop Version

Jun 13, 2022Okavango Delta, Botswana

At a glance, this might look like some ordinary swamp, but the Okavango Delta in the African nation of Botswana is a veritable miracle of nature. Unlike most rivers, the Okavango River doesn"t drain into any sea or ocean, but rather empties into the open savanna. Thousands of elephants, and just about every other type of African animal you can name, owe their existence to this annual wetland. "Annual," because the marshland of the delta swells threefold to its full size but once a year, between March and July, when the seasonal rains from the highlands of Angola flow downhill 750 miles until they flood the arid savanna of northwest Botswana. The wildlife drawn to this life-sustaining water includes lions, leopards, cheetahs, rhinos, giraffes, zebras, hippos, wildebeests, hyenas, crocodiles, impalas, and of course elephants, the planet"s largest land animals.Desktop Version

Aug 7, 2024St. Joseph North Pier Inner and Outer Lights, Michigan

Amid dusky hues, lighthouses mark where a Great Lake meets a river. Two piers were built on Lake Michigan, one either side of the mouth of the St. Joseph River to help protect ships sailing upstream. In the early 20th century, a lighthouse was built at the end of each pier; the St. Joseph North Pier Inner and Outer Lights, pictured here.Desktop Version

Sep 28, 2022A. M. Foster Bridge in Cabot, Vermont

At one point in history, the United States had upwards of 14,000 wooden covered bridges. Most of them were built between 1825 and 1875 to cross a stream or river and were intended to withstand the elements. An uncovered wooden bridge may have a life span of only about 20 years while a covered bridge could stand for more than 100. Even still, they don"t fare well without upkeep and restoration costs can be high. That"s why iron replaced wood as the preferred bridge-building material in the mid-1800s. These days, fewer than 900 of the original wooden covered bridges are believed to still be standing. The A. M. Foster Bridge, seen in today"s photo, can be found in Cabot, Vermont.Desktop Version

Jan 20, 2025Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Today we honor the life and legacy of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Prominent in the 1950s and 1960s, King was a Baptist minister who promoted nonviolent protest to effectuate social change. In 1963, he helped organize the March on Washington, DC, which 250,000 people attended to protest discrimination and support pending civil rights legislation. During this event, King delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech, imagining America free of racism and segregation. His speech is regarded as one of America"s greatest, and his leadership was instrumental in ending racial segregation of African Americans throughout many parts of the United States. He received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964, but his life was cut short by an assassin in 1968.Desktop Version

Oct 29, 2024Great horned owl

The Halloween season is upon us, so let"s meet one of the holiday"s icons: the great horned owl. With its keen vision, eerie vocalizations, and silent flight, this owl has historically been revered and feared. In folklore and mythology, owls were considered symbols of wisdom and omens of death. On Samhain, the Celtic precursor to Halloween, the owl was believed to be the kin of roaming spirits.Desktop Version

Oct 12, 2022Fossil Day

Travel back 199 million years with a trip to the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site, a 95-mile-long stretch of coastline in southern England. This stunning fossil display is known as the Ammonite Pavement, where thousands of ammonite fossils are embedded in a limestone ledge at the west end of Monmouth Beach in Dorset. Although the ammonites look rather like snail shells, these are fossils of extinct sea creatures that are more closely related to today"s octopus or squid. Britain"s Natural History Museum notes that the fossil-filled ledge is unique in the world because of the sheer number and size of the ammonites: The fossils reach up to 27 inches in diameter. If you want to check them out, timing is everything—the ledge emerges at low tide, and there are more ammonites in large rocks nearby, too.Desktop Version

Oct 19, 2022Wartburg Castle overlooking Thuringian Forest in Germany

As you glance over today"s photo of the trees changing color in the Thuringian Forest in Germany, make note of the castle in the distance. That"s Wartburg, a castle built in the Middle Ages that holds significance to Christians. It was the home of St. Elizabeth of Thuringia (aka St. Elizabeth of Hungary), and later, where Martin Luther translated the New Testament into German while in exile. Wartburg is the area"s most popular tourist attraction and has been recognized for its quintessential medieval architecture.Desktop Version

Dec 17, 2024Traditional red fishermens cabins, Reine, Norway

Step aside, regular beach houses—Reine"s little red cabins are here to steal the show. One of the prettiest places in the Lofoten Islands of Norway, Reine is a fishing village with a population of around 300. A trading post since 1775, it has evolved from a commercial hub to become a sought-after tourist destination. The village"s waterfront is lined with the traditional fishermen"s cabins called rorbu or rorbuer, which are mostly red in color, as seen in today"s image. Once important to fishermen, these cabins have now become a popular pick for tourist rentals. In 1999, German painter Ingo Kühl set up a pop-up studio in a rorbu in Reine, where he painted scenes of the harbor framed by the towering mountain range. This village truly shines in winter, when you have the chance to see the northern lights twinkling in the night sky.Desktop Version

Dec 5, 2024Tufa formations in Mono Lake, California

Shaped by the slow passage of time, tufa—a type of porous limestone—emerges as one of nature"s most spectacular formations. While these towers can be found in many places, today"s image shows some at Mono Lake in Mono County, California. These structures develop when calcium-rich fresh water, flowing into the lake from several creeks and streams, mixes with the lake"s alkaline water. Over centuries, this interaction caused calcium carbonate to build up, forming tufa spires above the lake"s surface. To preserve the tufa towers, the Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve was established in 1981.Desktop Version

Oct 20, 2022International Sloth Day

Is there another animal that has as coveted a life as the sloth? Your answer depends on how highly you rate the ability to just laze around all day, but in honor of International Sloth Day, let"s all just embrace slothfulness. If you want to live the sloth life, head outside and hang upside down in the nearest tree. You won"t be able to dangle there as long as a sloth though, because they spend most of their lives doing it. Their arms, legs, hands, and feet evolved for literally "hanging around" like the pair of Hoffmann"s two-toed sloths in today"s photo.Desktop Version

Oct 28, 2023Castilla-La Mancha, Spain

In the Spanish town of Consuegra, echoes linger of the adventures of Don Quixote, the hero of Miguel de Cervantes" epic novel. This tourist destination in Castilla-La Mancha is famous for its rocky ridge, known as Cerro Calderico, crowned with 12 white windmills. The windmills are thought to have inspired Cervantes to write the famous scene in which Don Quixote mistakes them for an army of giants. With their stone walls and wooden blades, some date back to the 16th century, when they were built to grind grain.Desktop Version

Feb 22, 2023Black History Month

February is Black History Month. History writer Carter G. Woodson worked with passion to organize the event with the aim of providing education about the origins, struggles, and achievements of African Americans. The United States memorializes Black history in February. However, in the UK, Ireland, and the Netherlands, they honor it throughout the month of October.Desktop Version

Jul 17, 2022The Wave at Coyote Buttes

By showing you this coveted sight, we"re saving you a bit of an ordeal. To get a close-up view of the Wave, a whorled sandstone formation in the northern Arizona wilderness, you"d have to navigate a rugged and mostly trail-free hiking route in typically scorching temperatures. You"d also need to have a permit in your pocket. To protect the landscape, only a small number of permits are available, offered through a daily lottery. But maybe for you the journey is at least as important as the destination? If so, this is just one hike of many in the expansive Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs National Monument, which protects more than 100,000 acres of Arizona and Utah canyonland.Desktop Version

Nov 25, 2022Native American Heritage Day

Today we mark Native American Heritage Day and Month with the imposing pyramid now known as Monks Mound, once the center of a city that rivaled any European city of the age in population. Built by people of the Mississippian culture, construction of Monks Mound began early in the 900s CE in present day southern Illinois. By around 1050 the area had grown into a major hub of commerce and agriculture now known as Cahokia. With a population that may have exceeded 40,000 at its peak, Cahokia was the largest urban center north of the great Mesoamerican cities of Mexico and Central America. In the 13th century, for reasons still debated by scholars, the city began to decline, and it was abandoned around 1350. Excavations in the 19th and 20th century revealed a society far more sophisticated and complex than many had believed existed north of Mesoamerica previously.Desktop Version

Sep 27, 2023Via Krupp, Capri, Italy

Via Krupp is a cliffside pathway on the Italian island of Capri, renowned for its dramatic serpentine design. Built between 1900 and 1902 by the German industrialist Friedrich Alfred Krupp, the footpath connects the town of Capri to Marina Piccola beach, and allowed Krupp to access his properties. The pathway"s intricate layout, with its sharp turns and steep inclines, was an engineering marvel of its time. Via Krupp"s panoramic vistas of the Tyrrhenian Sea, the Faraglioni rock formations, and the lush landscape of the island have drawn admiration for generations. Due to concerns over preservation and safety, because of falling rocks, the pathway has faced intermittent closures, though it reopened in June this year for the first time in nine years.Desktop Version

Nov 18, 2022Keyholes to the kingdom

The International Day of Islamic Art, proclaimed by UNESCO in 2019, occurs every November 18 to celebrate past and contemporary artistic expressions of Islam, and to highlight Islamic artists' contributions to world civilization. November 18 also marks Morocco's independence day, commemorating Sultan Muhammad V's return to Morocco from exile in November 1955.Desktop Version

Dec 10, 2024Lands End, Cornwall, England

Windswept cliffs, rugged beauty, and dramatic ocean views—welcome to Land"s End in Cornwall, England. Since ancient Greek times, when it was known as "Belerion" or "Place of the Sun," or in Arthurian legends about the lost land of Lyonesse, Land"s End has always been a place of fascination. Land"s End is the most southwestern point on mainland Britain. It"s often the starting point or end of charity races that run the length of the island of Great Britain from Land"s End to John o"Groats at Britain"s northeastern tip.Desktop Version

May 6, 2024The Roaches ridge in the Peak District, England

In today"s image, the sun encroaches on the Roaches, a rocky ridge in the Peak District, northern England. Its strange name comes from the French "les roches," which means "the rocks." Rising to a height of over 1,600 feet, the ridge is a popular destination for climbers and hikers in the Peak District National Park. It offers stunning views over the moorland and, if you"re lucky, you may spot a wallaby! A number of these Australian marsupials escaped from a nearby private zoo in the 1930s, and there are still recorded sightings of the descendants of the original wallabies.Desktop Version

Jan 31, 2024International Zebra Day

It"s time for some black-and-white thinking. January 31 is International Zebra Day, celebrating the stripey creatures pictured here in Rietvlei Nature Reserve, South Africa. There are three species of zebra: plains, mountain, and Grévy"s, and several subspecies. The mother and foal on our homepage are Burchell"s zebras, a subspecies of the plains zebra. Found across eastern and southern Africa, zebras thrive in savannas, shrublands, woodlands, and mountain regions. They spend most of their time eating grasses, leaves, and shrubs, and can travel hundreds of miles in search of food and water. Sadly, all three species are under threat due to hunting and habitat destruction. International Zebra Day aims to raise awareness of conservation efforts, to help protect these striking creatures.Desktop Version

Apr 23, 2024World Book Day

In the heart of Ireland, amidst the storied halls of the Library of Trinity College Dublin, scrolls and tomes whisper tales of long-gone eras. Today, these silent storytellers shine for World Book Day. Established by UNESCO in 1995, the day serves as a reminder of the importance of reading, publishing, and copyright. But why April 23? It marks the shared death anniversary of William Shakespeare, Miguel de Cervantes, and several other literary greats. From the annual street festival exhibiting authors, poets, and literary organizations in Kensington, Maryland, to the distribution of book vouchers to kids in many countries around the world, this day comes alive with the rustle of turning pages. Interestingly, each year, UNESCO crowns one city as the "World Book Capital." The chosen city then carries out activities aimed at promoting reading for the awarded year; this year it is Strasbourg, France. So, have you picked out a book to read yet?Desktop Version

Jun 2, 2022Queen Elizabeth s Platinum Jubilee

Any royal watcher will tell you that the Brits know how to throw a good party. For Queen Elizabeth II"s Platinum Jubilee—she"s been monarch for an amazing 70 years—a slew of events are planned, hitting all the notes from pomp and ceremony to picnics on the village green. Of course, the Trooping of the Colour will take center stage today as the official birthday parade, with 1,400 soldiers in full military regalia, 200 horses, and 400 military band musicians. The royal family will watch the parade and then turn their gaze to the skies as the Royal Air Force flies past. The rest of the jubilee week will include a service of thanksgiving at St. Paul"s Cathedral in London, a live concert here at Buckingham Palace, and a special pageant featuring people from throughout Britain.Desktop Version

Aug 28, 2024Paralympic Games begin in Paris

The Summer Paralympic Games get underway in Paris today. Over 4,000 athletes with a range of disabilities from all around the world will meet in the French capital to compete across 549 different events. For its first time hosting the Summer Paralympics, the city has got something special in store for the opening ceremony. Delegations from 184 nations will parade down the iconic Champs-Élysées to the Place de la Concorde, rather than entering a stadium. The first official Paralympic Games were held in Rome in 1960. Twenty-three nations took part, competing in eight sports, including wheelchair basketball and Para athletics.Desktop Version

Nov 13, 2022River Quoich in Aberdeenshire, Scotland

In the eastern Highlands of Scotland, tucked into the forested plateaus of the Cairngorms mountain range, is a small but beloved river that runs through a ravine. The River Quoich is frequented by nature lovers, hikers, and intrepid paddlers willing to brave its surprisingly swift currents and its several waterfalls, including the one featured here, the Linn of Quoich. This spot is famous for the bowl-shaped cavity in the rock that you see on the left.Desktop Version

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