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Trevi in bloom
Trevi in bloom
Perched high above the lush Italian countryside is Trevi, a great medieval hill town. Trevi is considered one of the prettiest and most authentic of the medieval towns that dot the Umbria region. Counts and cardinals built these communities to show off their wealth and they built them up high to keep them safe from rivals.Desktop Version
Welcome to the Ring of Fire
Welcome to the Ring of Fire
Today we"re visiting the pair of volcanoes known as Tolbachik—the flat-topped Plosky (Flat) Tolbachik on the left of our image, and the majestic Ostry (Sharp) Tolbachik on the right, which soars 12,080 feet above the Kamchatka Peninsula in far eastern Russia. These are just two of roughly 300 volcanoes scattered through the region; 29 of them, including the Tolbachik complex, are still active. In fact, there is so much volcanic activity here that UNESCO calls the peninsula "one of the most outstanding volcanic regions in the world," and has designated it a World Heritage site.Desktop Version
Red fox
Red fox
Even in the most flattering daylight, foxes somehow always seem up to no good. Not to mention when they"re spotted slinking up a fallen tree in a dank, shadowy Black Forest in Germany. These cunning canids get away with a lot just by being cute, don"t you think?Desktop Version
Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau castles, Bavaria, Germany
Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau castles, Bavaria, Germany
The Bavarian Alps, a mountain range in southern Germany, are home to these enchanting 19th-century castles, Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau. Neuschwanstein Castle, on the left of our homepage image, was commissioned by King Ludwig II of Bavaria. Building work began in 1869 on this Romanesque Revival palace with its fairy-tale-like architecture and breathtaking mountain backdrop. Across the valley, gazing out over Lake Alpsee, is the equally spectacular Hohenschwangau Castle, built by Ludwig II"s father, King Maximilian II of Bavaria. These two castles boast rich interiors with intricate artwork and historical artifacts. Both castles attract millions of visitors every year, offering a glimpse into the opulent past of Bavaria.Desktop Version
Saffron in bloom
Saffron in bloom
It"s harvest time for saffron, the precious seasoning that"s mostly grown in Iran, but used in cuisines around the world. Saffron is derived from the saffron crocus, an autumn-flowering plant with purple petals as richly hued as the vivid crimson stigmas (called "threads") in the center of the bloom. These threads are carefully extracted by hand with tweezers and dried before they"re used for cooking. Each flower comes with just three threads, and it takes a lot of them—roughly 75,000 crocuses will yield just one pound of saffron. The entire harvest can last only about a week or two, because that"s the short life of the saffron crocus bloom.Desktop Version
An island for the birds
An island for the birds
Those white specks scattered around the surface of the Bass Rock are northern gannets—seabirds that spend their springtime breeding and nesting season on the islands and shores of the North Atlantic. At the height of the birds’ nesting season, roughly 150,000 gannets arrive on the Bass to rear their chicks, making this location the largest gannet colony on Earth. There are no human inhabitants on the Bass—the lighthouse is automated. The tiny volcanic plug island is just over a mile off the coast of the Lothian region of eastern Scotland in the Firth of Forth.Desktop Version
A glimpse of the Blue Forest
A glimpse of the Blue Forest
What color do you normally associate with a forest? Well, in the case of the Hallerbos forest of Belgium, that would be blue, for reasons you can clearly see here. For about 10 days every year, usually in late April or early May, this forest floor is transformed as bluebell hyacinths wake up from their winter slumber and carpet it in blue.Desktop Version
In the belly of Fat Bear Week
In the belly of Fat Bear Week
In Alaska"s Katmai National Park and Preserve, the "fattening" is under way. Brown bears like our homepage friend are bulking up for the long winter, gathering at Brooks Falls to feast on migrating salmon. The base of the falls is a prime fishing spot because it creates a temporary barrier to salmon jumping upstream. This makes the fish relatively easy pickings for hungry bears, who can catch up to 30 salmon a day.Desktop Version
Protecting Alaska
Protecting Alaska
On this day in 1980, President Jimmy Carter signed into law the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, which converted massive tracts of Alaskan wilderness into protected land. That single act 40 years ago doubled the size of the entire National Park System. Alaska"s eight national parks cover more than 54 million acres. The Cove of Spires, shown here, is just one of the dramatic glacial landscapes that you can experience in Kenai Fjords National Park. Located near Seward, the park is home to 38 glaciers, which cover over half the park"s area in ice—though climate change has reduced them drastically over the last decades.Desktop Version
Fighting evil with costumes
Fighting evil with costumes
Wearing costumes made of furs, fabric, and wood, these performers are known as kukeri. They march and dance, while making noise with the many bells on their costumes. It’s a pagan Slavic custom dating back to ancient times and still takes place each winter in many cities and villages in the Balkan Peninsula of southeastern Europe. The elaborate costumes and loud noises are intended to keep evil spirits at bay. Meanwhile, a member of each participating family—usually the youngest—conducts a blessing called a survakane; using a decorated staff, he or she lightly pats other family members on the back, giving a blessing of happiness and prosperity for the coming year. Traditionally, kukeri performers were men, though women now participate as well.Desktop Version
Bridge over the River Tara
Bridge over the River Tara
In northern Montenegro, the Đurđevića Tara Bridge is the fastest passage between the villages of Budečevica and Trešnjica. The five-arch concrete bridge was completed in 1940 just as World War II was spreading across Europe. By 1941, Italian forces from the Axis powers had invaded this region. Local guerrilla fighters took an extreme measure to keep the Italian army from crossing the Tara River Valley: They blew up one of the arches, making the bridge unpassable and slowing the advancement of the invading forces. The bridge was rebuilt in 1946, and though it retains its original name, some still call it the anti-fascist bridge. And now you know an awesome story about a bridge in Montenegro.Desktop Version
Green sea turtle on World Oceans Day
Green sea turtle on World Oceans Day
World Oceans Day takes us to the warm waters off Maui, home to this green sea turtle and many other species that rely on healthy oceans. The annual celebration, recognized by the UN, is an effort to raise awareness about ocean conservation with events around the world, including here in Hawaii. This year’s theme is preventing plastic pollution. Plastics pose a serious threat to marine animals, including sea turtles, which are known to ingest them and become seriously injured or killed. Here’s an easy way to help: Reduce, reuse, and recycle.Desktop Version
A unique perspective from Italy’s ‘golden sands’
A unique perspective from Italy’s ‘golden sands’
This is a photo–not a painting–of a beach in Lignano Sabbiadoro (Sabbiadoro roughly translates as ‘golden sand’ in Italian). The town and commune is a popular summer getaway in northern Italy, on the Adriatic Sea coast. And no, your eyes aren’t playing tricks on you—the optical illusion was intentional. It’s a composite image created by combining multiple exposures. We hope it takes you to a vacation state of mind, even if you can’t get to an actual beach this summer.Desktop Version
Pandas pucker up for International Kissing Day
Pandas pucker up for International Kissing Day
On International Kissing Day, take some inspiration from these two adorable panda cubs, nuzzling in a tree in their native country, China. This unofficial holiday is all about smooching your loved ones. When you’re done with that, consider how else you might spread some love—perhaps to our panda friends. It’s estimated that fewer than 2,000 giant pandas remain in the wild. Organizations like the World Wildlife Fund are working to protect their habitat, and your support can make a difference.Desktop Version
Green is the new black
Green is the new black
Black Friday traditionally marks the start of the holiday shopping season, but while bargain hunters scramble online this year to bag a discount or two, we"ve found a treat that money can"t buy—this view. Here on the crystalline waters of a lake in Glacier National Park, there"s no waiting in line as we take in the stunning scenery and marvel at the towering snow-capped peaks along the Continental Divide. If you prefer your adventure to take place on dry land, there are over 700 miles of trails to hike within the park—perfect for burning off those turkey and pumpkin-pie calories.Desktop Version
Australian baobab tree, Kimberley region, Western Australia
Australian baobab tree, Kimberley region, Western Australia
There is much mythology surrounding the Australian baobab tree, known for its large, swollen trunk. Commonly called a boab in Australia, the species is related to other baobab species in Arabia and Africa. Other names for the Australian boab are ‘bottle tree,’ ‘upside down tree,’ and ‘gouty stem tree.’ All seem appropriate to us. Some indigenous communities relied on the trees for water (stored in its massive trunk), food, and medicine. Ancient baobabs were cherished as beloved individuals.Desktop Version
Leaves of Grass
Leaves of Grass
If you feel inclined to lounge on the lawn today, we encourage you to crack open a copy of ‘Leaves of Grass,’ the life’s work of American poet Walt Whitman, whose birthday is May 31. When ‘Leaves of Grass’ was first released in 1855 it was considered controversial for its imagery of sexuality among other wide-ranging topics. Expressed as a form of free verse without rhyme and with ever-changing meter and rhythm, Whitman’s style was highly personal, but also expansive, meant to reflect the limitless possibilities of Americans and the United States itself. He spent years revising and adding to the compilation of poems and today is regarded as one of the most important of American poets. He once said, "Keep your face always toward the sunshine—and shadows will fall behind you."Desktop Version
Keep watching the skies
Keep watching the skies
There are two World UFO Day observances, one on June 24 and the other today, and you’re free to celebrate both. Though today’s observance takes inspiration from the famous Roswell UFO incident of 1947 in New Mexico, our photo was snapped in northeastern Wyoming, at the striking natural geographical feature known as Devils Tower.Desktop Version
National Museum of African American History and Culture
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Join us in celebrating Black History Month here at the Contemplative Court fountain of the Smithsonian Institution’s newest museum, the National Museum of African History and Culture in Washington, DC. Even before Black History Month was established in the United States, the second week of February was important to black communities who celebrated the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln (Feb 12) and Frederick Douglass (Feb 14).Desktop Version
That bill s just not going to fit
That bill s just not going to fit
Today we"re visiting Costa Rica, where this magnificent chestnut-mandibled toucan is fashioning a nest in the cavity of a tree. It can be hard to find a suitable space for this, the largest toucan in Costa Rica, so mating pairs will often use an abandoned woodpecker"s nest or find a large hole in a decaying part of a tree. This one seems perfectly formfitting.Desktop Version
Happy Pi Day!
Happy Pi Day!
To celebrate Pi Day this March 14 (or 3/14 or 3.14), we visit the balmy waters of Little Bahama Bank, Bahamas. Two Atlantic spotted dolphins were photographed here blowing a bubble ring, also known as a toroidal ring. And if they were to calculate the circumference of their bubble ring, they’d need to use our favorite irrational number, π.Desktop Version
Upstate autumn
Upstate autumn
Paddle out onto Connery Pond in the Adirondacks of upstate New York and you may be treated to this mist-shrouded peekaboo tease from Whiteface Mountain. We"re near the town of Lake Placid, known to many as the two-time home of the Winter Olympic Games, in 1932 and again in 1980. The Alpine skiing events in 1980 were held right on the slopes of Whiteface Mountain.Desktop Version
Welcome to the Year of the Pig
Welcome to the Year of the Pig
Today marks the start of Chinese New Year festivities, which begin on the first day of the traditional lunisolar Chinese calendar. The celebration culminates 15 days later with the Spring Lantern Festival. According to the Chinese zodiac, 2019 is the Year of the Pig. These lanterns were photographed in Xi"an, China, but celebrations will occur throughout the vast nation as well as in neighboring countries. And other parts of the world with significant Asian populations will also see large public celebrations. It’s traditionally a time to reunite with relatives, and the period sparks one of the largest annual human migrations, with millions of people from major cities journeying home to see their families in more rural areas. Happy New Year!Desktop Version
Jasper Dark Sky Festival
Jasper Dark Sky Festival
We"re in Canada"s Jasper National Park, one of the best stargazing spots in the world, to witness the Comet NEOWISE shooting across the night sky. NEOWISE, discovered on March 27, 2020, happens to be the brightest comet in Earth"s northern skies since Comet Hale-Bopp became visible to the naked eye in 1997.Desktop Version
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
‘Lá fhéile Pádraig sona dhuit!’ That’s what you might hear if you find yourself in Ireland on March 17. And if you do, be sure to join in the celebration, because it means ‘Happy St. Patrick’s Day!’ The holiday originated as a religious feast in the 17th century, but today it’s better known for parades, festivals, and green attire. And, for some, green beer. Here in County Galway, St. Patrick’s Day is an official public holiday. That means residents have time to enjoy the local surroundings, like the medieval ruins of Ross Errilly Friary, shown here.Desktop Version