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Jul 4, 2022Independence Day

Americans will spend this day in a myriad of ways, likely with others and likely outdoors. Many will be at carnivals and picnics, watching parades and listening to concerts. It"s all in honor of the moment that the people of 13 far-flung colonies collectively declared they would become a united and independent nation, free of the rule of Great Britain and its monarch King George III across the Atlantic Ocean. For millions of Americans, Independence Day, or the Fourth of July, will end with the launching of fireworks over towns and cities, including the nation"s capital of Washington, DC, shown here with the White House and the Washington Monument illuminated.Desktop Version

Aug 11, 2022It s Mountain Day in Japan

It makes a mountain of sense for Japan to celebrate Mountain Day, which occurs each August 11. First celebrated in 2016, it"s Japan"s newest holiday. Nearly three-quarters of the country is made up of mountains, thanks to its location in the Pacific Ring of Fire volcanic zone. Japan"s four major islands—Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu, and Shikoku—all have ranges running through them.Desktop Version

May 29, 2023Memorial Day

On Memorial Day, we honor the brave men and women who sacrificed their lives serving in the US military. People mark the day in different ways by attending parades, laying flags or flowers on the graves of fallen soldiers, and participating in community events.Desktop Version

Jul 8, 2022Preveli Gorge

Trojan War-era rest stop? Local legend has it that this striking and historic location in southern Crete was a stopover on Odysseus" long return to Ithaca. Whatever credence you give to Homeric tales of island hopping, there"s no denying the appeal of the palm-lined Preveli Gorge or the enchanting beach it pours out to. Preveli Beach, just out of the frame of this image, was a favorite spot for hippie travelers in the "60s and "70s and remains an idyllic tourist destination today.Desktop Version

Mar 25, 2024Happy Holi!

It"s Holi; get ready to become a walking rainbow and sprinkle joy wherever you go! This festival of colors, spring, and love is a cornerstone of Indian and Nepali culture. It is also celebrated in other countries with large Hindu populations, such as Bangladesh, Pakistan, the US, the UK, Suriname, Indonesia, and Malaysia. Festivities last for a night and a day, starting on the evening of the last full moon in the Hindu calendar month of Phalguna, which usually falls in March in the Gregorian calendar. As the sun sets, people gather to light bonfires, a ritual known as Holika Dahan, symbolizing the triumph of good over evil. The following day, the streets come alive with people splashing each other in colors, giving everyone a vibrant makeover. Are you ready for the hues of Holi?Desktop Version

Jul 14, 2022Shark Awareness Day

For Shark Awareness Day, let"s consider things from the shark"s point of view. Sharks get a bad rap. They may be apex predators of the oceans, but we"re the ones most responsible for reducing their populations by more than 70% in the past half-century. Rather than perpetuate the stereotype of sharks being dangerous, let"s think of them as they are—amazing sea creatures with hundreds of millions of years of history in their genes. We may not always want to encounter them face to face, but they deserve our respect and for the health of our oceans as whole, sharks deserve protection.Desktop Version

Apr 16, 2022National Park Week begins

Only a very small percentage of Yellowstone"s total visitors see the park when it looks like this. In winter, when the park grows quiet, its hydrothermal features really stand out, like the rainbow-hued Grand Prismatic Spring in the bottom center of this image, the most photographed feature in Yellowstone.Desktop Version

Nov 27, 2023Río Negro, Amazon basin, Brazil

From its source in Colombia, the Río Negro flows about 1,400 miles to become one of the largest tributaries of the Amazon River at the Meeting of Waters in Manaus, Brazil. It is also the largest blackwater river in the world, its water stained by decomposing organic matter that seeps in from swamps. These slow-moving, dark waters beautifully reflect the colors of the sky, including the rainbows which form over the Amazon basin, as seen here. The river also plays a crucial role in the ecosystem, as the home of many plants and animals, including the critically endangered Brazilian barefaced tamarin, the giant river otter, and nearly 700 species of fish.Desktop Version

Sep 5, 20242024 Toronto International Film Festival

Cinema aficionados, assemble. The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) gears up to dazzle with its 49th edition in Canada"s largest city, seen in today"s image. Since it began in 1976, the TIFF has become one of the largest publicly attended film festivals in the world. Attendees range from seasoned directors to rising stars and eager cinephiles and the festival has hosted premieres of many critically acclaimed films, including "The Fabelmans" and "Black Swan."Desktop Version

Oct 30, 2022Polar Bear Week

The largest carnivore on land roams the icy north. Polar bears like this one spend much of their lives on sea ice rather than terra firma, stalking their favorite prey: seals. Superbly insulated against the cold, polar bears are uniquely suited for life on the ice—so they"re especially vulnerable to a warming planet. Their plight is the focus of Polar Bear Week, observed the first week of every November, bringing attention to these creatures who live far out of sight of most humans.Desktop Version

Sep 21, 2022International Day of Peace

Today we"re marking the International Day of Peace, first commemorated in 1981, when the United Nations dedicated the day to "strengthening the ideals of peace, through observing 24 hours of nonviolence and ceasefire." This year"s theme is "End racism, build peace." As the UN says, "Achieving true peace entails much more than laying down arms. It requires the building of societies where all members feel that they can flourish. It involves creating a world in which people are treated equally, regardless of their race."Desktop Version

Jun 30, 2022Asteroid Day

Today is Asteroid Day, and it"s a reminder that as our planet follows its path around the sun, it encounters a lot of stuff. Science tells us that every day, Earth"s atmosphere is hit with roughly 100 tons of dust and particles the size of a grain of sand. And every year, at least 30 small asteroids enter the atmosphere, only to burn up before touching the ground. NASA says it"s pretty much guaranteed that at least one of them will be about the size of a car. As time progresses, the likelihood increases that even larger celestial rocks will hit the ground and cause significant damage.Desktop Version

Mar 15, 2024Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California

The first day of spring may be just days away, but the season"s wildflowers at California"s largest state park—Anza-Borrego Desert State Park—are already here to say hello! Every spring, this barren desert floor undergoes a dramatic makeover. Flowers like heliotrope, brittlebush, and desert dandelion burst into a riot of bloom, creating a spectacle of color. For those seeking a more adventurous experience, this park has a lot to offer—from the mountains of the Peninsular Ranges and cactus-studded hills to slot canyons, badlands, and natural palm oases. In addition, as a designated International Dark Sky Park, it is an exceptional spot for stargazing. Beyond its natural wonders, the park, spanning over 600,000 acres, is also home to a rich cultural and historical legacy, including ancient pictographs, or rock paintings, from the Native American tribes that once lived here.Desktop Version

Sep 30, 2022Southern right whale

The end of September in the Southern Hemisphere means warming weather and the nearing of summer. For southern right whales like this one off the coast of Argentina, it"s time to migrate southward toward Antarctica and rich feeding grounds. Southern right whales are a subspecies of right whale that inhabit the oceans below the equator. They feed on krill at the surface of the water, holding their mouths open as they swim through clouds of the tiny crustaceans.Desktop Version

Oct 18, 2023Alaska Day

On October 18, 1867, the Russian Empire transferred the territory of Alaska to the United States of America as a result of negotiations by US Secretary of State William Seward. Referred to as the Alaska Purchase, the United States paid 7.2 million dollars, about two cents per acre, for the land. Today, that date is known as Alaska Day, a commemoration that honors the rich history, cultural tapestry, untamed wilderness, and unwavering resilience of the state.Desktop Version

Oct 7, 2024Elbphilharmonie concert hall in Hamburg, Germany

Build your excitement—it"s World Architecture Day! Today"s image features the Elbphilharmonie on the Grasbrook peninsula of the Elbe River in Hamburg, Germany. Designed by the Swiss architecture firm Herzog & de Meuron, this concert hall is a modern architectural marvel perched atop an old brick warehouse from 1963. A centerpiece of the new Hafencity development, it"s Hamburg"s tallest inhabited building—there are 45 luxury apartments in the upper floors—reaching a height of 354 feet.Desktop Version

Nov 5, 2022Tigh Mor Trossachs on Loch Achray, Scotland

Fairy-tale castle? Check. Stunning Scottish backdrop? Check. Calm, tranquil loch? Check. If Tigh Mor looks idyllic to you, you"re not alone. Queen Victoria spent time here in its heyday, and though the old hotel (it was built in 1849) declined over the years, a multimillion-dollar restoration has brought it right back to its former glory.Desktop Version

Oct 29, 2022Sea Slug Day

Swimming into view like an oceanic Halloween specter, today"s "sea angel" is one of about 3,000 sea slug species. Sea slugs can be found in all the oceans and seas of the world. Scientifically known as nudibranchs, sea slugs are mollusks and today is the day the world celebrates them. What, you didn"t know? Perhaps that"s because technically it"s the birthday of the premier authority on all things related to sea slugs, Terry Gosliner. Gosliner has identified nearly half of the known sea slug species in the world, has written 150 scientific papers about them, and has personally named around 350 individual species. "Everything about them just piques the imagination," he says. So, we"re saying "Happy birthday, Terry" by taking a moment to examine the sea angel.Desktop Version

Nov 12, 2022Alaska Bald Eagle Festival

Each November as many as 4,000 bald eagles descend on the Chilkat River near Haines, Alaska, to feed on the late run of chum and coho salmon that have returned to spawn in the river flats. It"s a feast for birds and birders alike, as the raptors tear into a never-ending supply of tasty fish. The largest congregation of eagles in the world, it"s celebrated by the annual Alaska Bald Eagle Festival in the second week of November. The event features live raptor demonstrations, educational programs, guided hikes, and live music.Desktop Version

May 26, 2023Wat Sri Sawai in Sukhothai Historical Park, Thailand

Welcome to Sukhothai Historical Park, one of Thailand"s most spectacular UNESCO World Heritage sites. The park is dotted with ancient temples, the remains of a palace, and towering Buddha statues—within its boundaries is the historic town of Sukhothai, an important metropolitan hub in the 13th and 14th centuries. The name translates as "the dawn of happiness" and you can spend many happy hours here, strolling among the beautiful lawns, trees, and lakes. The temple on our homepage is Wat Si Sawai, one of the oldest on the site, founded in the late 12th or early 13th century. Sukhothai was the capital of the first Kingdom of Siam more than 700 years ago and this historic site continues to offer a window onto what is sometimes seen as a golden age of Thai civilization.Desktop Version

Mar 9, 2024Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness, New Mexico

Time is the great transformer, changing the world and all of us. For instance, this New Mexico badland—the Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness—was once a lush, tropical forest. Nearly 70 million years ago, instead of twisted terrains and towering spires, this place was home to an array of Late Cretaceous dinosaurs, including armored Ankylosaurs, duck-billed Hadrosaurs, and mighty Tyrannosaurs. Today, the area is filled with wonders of a different kind, rock formations that look more like sculptures than natural phenomena. Bisti/De-Na-Zin is named after Navajo words: Bisti means "among the adobe formations," and De-Na-Zin means "standing crane," a reference to nearby rock carvings of the bird. Visitors to the Four Corners region shouldn"t miss out on this otherworldly landscape of shale and sandstone.Desktop Version

Aug 13, 2022Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness

In the mood for a quiet canoe ride? If so, consider a trip to Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) in northeast Minnesota. The Boundary Waters wilderness stretches for 150 miles along the US-Canada border within Superior National Forest. Known by those seeking solitude, Boundary Waters is one of America"s most beautiful and remote locations. Formed long ago from the scraping and gouging of glaciers, the area is distinct with its rugged cliffs, canyons, and thousands of lakes and streams. More than 1,200 miles of canoe routes are enjoyed by thousands of people every year.Desktop Version

Jun 6, 2022Indigo bunting

This time of year, from late spring to summer, male adult indigo buntings take it up a notch and turn a brilliant deep blue. They fly up to a perch—like our cheerful fellow atop a branch—and sing from morning to night to defend their territory from other males and to catch the attention of females. Indigo buntings are members of the "blue" clade (subgroup) of the cardinal family.Desktop Version

Nov 27, 2024Tombeau du Géant in Bouillon, Belgium

Tombeau du Géant in Bouillon, Belgium, offers a picturesque panorama for those who make the journey to see it. The Giant"s Tomb, as the hill is known in English, resembles a giant resting in the crook of the 130-mile-long Semois River. The name originates from a local legend about a Gallic giant, Treviso, who chose to leap off the cliffs of Rocher des Gattes rather than be captured by Roman soldiers. This vantage point, popular among hikers and road-trippers, provides a view that shifts dramatically with the seasons. During autumn, the landscape dons warm colors, as seen in today"s image, making it an ideal spot for nature enthusiasts and photographers.Desktop Version

Aug 25, 2023National Park Service anniversary

Though summer is winding down, it"s not too late to pack some gear and head into the great outdoors. Unsure where to go? Look no further than our 63 national parks, which exist thanks to the National Park Service, created on this day in 1916 by President Woodrow Wilson. He ordered the service to preserve the landscape, wildlife, and history of the parks "in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations." In other words, the park service was established for all of us! Just make sure that whether you"re visiting the islands of American Samoa, the glaciers of the North Cascades, the waterways of the Everglades, or the 308-foot Lower Falls of Yellowstone in today"s image, that you explore them with care and appreciation so that they can be preserved for centuries to come.Desktop Version

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