Jurassic Coast, Dorset, England 16 Oct 2024

Jurassic Coast, Dorset, England

If you"re a fan of dinosaurs, trilobites or fossilised shells, then let"s visit the Jurassic Coast, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in England. It"s like a giant natural history museum, with rocks and cliffs that reveal 185 million years of Earth"s history. But what really steals the show are the fossils, especially those of belemnites and ammonites—extinct marine creatures—that are pictured here. Mary Anning, a pioneering fossil hunter who combed these shores, paved the way for our current understanding of fossils. Lyme Regis and Charmouth are hotspots for fossil hunting. In these towns, you"ll find beaches where fossils practically wash up at your feet. The coast"s rock formations are more than just pretty to look at—they"re iconic. Durdle Door, a natural limestone arch, and Old Harry Rocks, a set of chalk formations near Swanage, are some of the examples.

© Nature Picture Library/Alamy Stock Photo

palette

Today in History

Southern tip of a northern isle
16 Oct 2023Golden larches and Prusik Peak, Enchantments, Washington, USA
16 Oct 2025Eurasian lynx

More Desktop Wallpapers:

8 Oct 2023World Octopus Day
24 May 2024European Day of Parks
15 Jun 2025Happy Fathers Day!
9 Oct 2024Aspens near Marble, Colorado, USA
Gateway to Iberia
An island park
4 Apr 2025National Cherry Blossom Festival, Washington, DC, United States
Where are these spectacular peaks?
11 Jun 2024Gemsboks in the savannah, Botswana
8 Mar 2025International Womens Day
3 Jun 2026World Bicycle Day
Creating a better world
Autumn in Georgia
7 Aug 2025Sweetheart Abbey, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland
8 Sep 2025International Literacy Day
The road less taken?
8 May 2026World Donkey Day
1 Apr 2025Tree frog
19 Apr 2025Zion National Park, Utah, United States
18 Nov 2024Porthcawl lighthouse, Wales
12 Nov 2024Arches National Park, Utah, United States
3 Aug 2024Three Natural Bridges, Wulong National Park, China
23 Jan 2025Sundance Film Festival
Alps of the sea
18 Dec 2025Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, United States
21 Oct 2024Cypress trees in George L Smith State Park, Georgia, United States
15 Mar 2024Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California, USA
11 May 2024World Migratory Bird Day
30 Aug 2025International Whale Shark Day
28 Sep 2024Taj Mahal, Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India