Art installation of umbrellas, Borough Market, London, England 10 Feb 2025

Today"s image features one of the simplest yet most essential inventions in human history: the umbrella, or parasol. Over 4,000 years ago, in ancient Egypt, Assyria and China, these foldable canopies were first used to shield people from the sun. It wasn"t until the 17th century that the umbrella, as we know it today, gained popularity in Europe, initially as a luxury item primarily for women. Fast-forward a few centuries, and these weather shields have become a staple in pop culture, too. Remember Mary Poppins with her iconic umbrella that helped her fly, or Rihanna"s hit song "Umbrella"?

© Malcolm P Chapman/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Masterpiece of acoustic engineering
10 Feb 2024South Downs Dark Skies Festival
10 Feb 2026Es Vedrà and Es Vedranell, Ibiza, Spain

More Desktop Wallpapers:

14 Nov 2025Mother manatee and calf, Crystal River, Florida, United States
6 Aug 2025Ring-tailed lemur
8 Nov 2025Bandon Beach in Bandon, Oregon, United States
So nice, they made it twice
30 Jan 2025Rolands Breach, Spain
12 May 2025An iris garden in Tokyo, Japan
14 May 2026Pitigliano, Tuscany, Italy
19 Jan 2026Abraham Lake, Alberta, Canada
13 May 2024Fish River Canyon, Namibia
A fox in the dunes
27 May 2024Hay Festival
29 Aug 2025Aerial view of Plaza Mayor, Madrid, Spain
9 Nov 2024Aït Benhaddou, Morocco
1 May 2025Lei Day
The other great barrier reef
10 Oct 2023Mount Sopris, Colorado, USA
10 Sep 2025Hay bales in North Yorkshire, England
What are these colorful insects?
4 Nov 2024Grasmere, Lake District, Cumbria, England
28 Feb 2025Tibetan New Year
4 Sep 2025Grizzly bears, Katmai National Park and Preserve, United States
29 May 2024World Otter Day
When ice imitates art
19 Sep 2023Splügen Pass, Switzerland
Sanctuary among the trees
23 Dec 2025Reindeer, Lapland, Finland
Sociable climbers
6 Oct 2025Anshun Bridge, Chengdu, China
22 Sep 2025Autumn equinox
22 Dec 2025The Nutcracker performed by the Turkish State Opera and Ballet in Ankara