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Pont Rouge
Pont Rouge
When the Pont Rouge (Red Bridge) of Sainte-Agathe-de-Lotbinière was built over the Palmer River in 1928, covered bridges were already commonplace here in Quebec. Simple designs imported from the United States allowed relatively untrained workers to quickly construct crossings like this. "Ponts rouges" (often called this whether or not they were painted red) popped up wherever rural French Canadians required a convenient river crossing—as many as 1,500 were built between the late 1800s and the 1950s. Today fewer than 100 still stand, and some—like this one—are protected by local and provincial agencies for historic preservation.Desktop Version
On the wings of the Wright brothers
On the wings of the Wright brothers
For National Aviation Day, we’re highlighting a rare view from inside a wind tunnel at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Virginia. The plane is a replica of the historic craft that was invented, designed, and flown by the Wright brothers in what’s generally acknowledged to be the first powered airplane flight–an event that took place on Dec. 17, 1903, near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. On that day, both Wilbur and Orville Wright took turns flying their aircraft, dubbed the Wright Flyer, cementing their place in aviation history. Their original plane lives at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC, where it inspires generations of pilots and innovators to come.Desktop Version
Beyond Walls for World Refugee Day
Beyond Walls for World Refugee Day
For World Refugee Day, we"re featuring an aerial view of "Beyond Walls," an art installation by the French artist Saype. In the span of five years, he aims to create the longest symbolic human chain around the world by constructing outdoor designs of interlaced hands just like this in over 20 cities. The first four were completed in 2019 in Paris, Andorra, Berlin and Geneva, Switzerland, shown here.Desktop Version
Rainbow Mountain
Rainbow Mountain
Even to the huge bummer that is glacial melting, there are bright sides: The radiant colors of Vinicunca (aka Rainbow Mountain) might have gone unseen had rising temps not melted the peak"s glacial caps beginning in the 1990s. Rainbow Mountain"s streaky sediment layers, multicolored like a wildflower bloom, were revealed by the 2010s. Since then, it"s become the most visited natural attraction in the lofty Peruvian Andes of the Cusco region. At more than 17,000 feet above sea level, Rainbow Mountain isn’t the tallest peak in the area—towering Ausangate is nearly 21,000 feet in elevation—but most visitors will need time to acclimatize before attempting the trek to the summit.Desktop Version
Stepping into autumn
Stepping into autumn
Look closely and you"ll see a snake slithering down the steps of the Temple of Kukulcan (aka El Castillo or The Castle), in Chichen Itza, Mexico. Not a real snake, it"s an image created by natural light and shadows only during the spring and fall equinoxes. The equinox (which means equal night in Latin) is either of the two times each year—like today, the first day of fall—when the Earth"s orbit and position cause the sun to pass directly over the equator, creating equal amounts of daylight and darkness. According to Mayan legend, on both equinoxes this pyramid is visited by Kukulcan, the feathered serpent god. Thousands of spectators gather to watch and celebrate as seven triangles of light slide down the pyramid, illustrating Kukulcan"s descent.Desktop Version
Wheels up in Beijing
Wheels up in Beijing
Last Wednesday, September 25, China officially opened the world’s largest airplane terminal, Beijing Daxing International Airport. Constructed to alleviate pressure on the city"s existing airport, Beijing Capital International, the bright orange starfish look-alike took more than four years to construct. And travelers, hold on to your hats, because Daxing International will connect to China"s capital city—about 30 miles away—with a high-speed train that travels at top speeds of more than 200 mph.Desktop Version
Laguna de Torrevieja, Spain
Laguna de Torrevieja, Spain
When we encounter bodies of water in nature, we might expect hues of blue, from the pale cyan shade of lagoons to the navy blue of deep lakes. But pink water—where on Earth could that be found? At (deep breath) El Parque Natural de Las Lagunas de La Mata y Torrevieja in Alicante, Spain. Here, there are two lakes: one green and one pink, and it is the latter that you see on our homepage. The highly saline water, dotted with clusters of salt crystals, is the perfect environment for microscopic algae, which are rich in carotenes. This results in the rosy tinge that protects the algae from solar radiation. And the pink is just getting started, as the algae are eaten by tiny crustaceans, which turn pink and are then eaten by flamingos, which acquire the rosy hue as well.Desktop Version
I ll call for pen and ink
I ll call for pen and ink
"…and write my mind." It"s Shakespeare Week in schools across the UK, so we"re field-tripping to the British Library for a peek at the only surviving specimen of what"s thought to be playwright William Shakespeare"s handwriting (if you don"t count legal documents). The scratchy cursive is inked within the script of Anthony Munday"s "Sir Thomas More," a then-controversial play about a king-defying statesman. In 1603, the censorial Royal Office of the Revels brought in Shakespeare among a team of writers to retool the script. But if Shakespeare"s task was to tone things down, he may have had other ideas: His three-page addition includes an impassioned speech by the title character to a mob that"s rioting over immigration policy.Desktop Version
A little blue
A little blue
If you want to see a little blue heron in its natural habitat, head to the swamps, tidal flats, and lake marshes of the US Gulf Coast, the Caribbean Islands, and Central America—and bring your patience. These herons keep a low profile, and often sit so still while hunting, they can be hard to spot. The adults develop deep blue plumage, sometimes sporting purple feathers on their heads, and tiptoe around the shoreline on green legs. The chicks are born snowy white, which scientists suggest is a survival adaptation to help them blend in with cattle egrets and snowy egrets—both species with bright white feathers—to enjoy the added safety of being in a large group.Desktop Version
An uncommonly cool critter
An uncommonly cool critter
An octopus"s life depends on camouflage, so don"t tell this one it"s sticking out like a sore tentacle. Or maybe this master of disguise is posing for the camera on purpose. Either way, we"re glad to have spotted it just in time for World Octopus Day!Desktop Version
Dark Sky Week
Dark Sky Week
During International Dark Sky Week, we"re counting ourselves lucky to have this spectacular nighttime view, considering the astonishing fact that 83% of the global population lives under a light-polluted sky. Unneeded artificial light is classified as a pollutant and has been proven to have harmful side effects. Not only does it waste money and energy, it also disrupts plants and animals, is believed to impact the climate, and blocks our view of the universe.Desktop Version
World Meteorological Day
World Meteorological Day
They might look like spaceships from a retro sci-fi movie, but these strange shapes hovering above the mountains in Patagonia are of earthly origin. These are lenticular clouds, named after their lens-like shape. They form near hills and mountains where moist air is pushed up and over the peaks, cooling as it rises and condensing into water droplets. As wind blows over the mountains it can create a series of waves in the air, and these unusual clouds form in the crest of those waves.Desktop Version
Poinsettia Day
Poinsettia Day
During the holiday season, poinsettias brighten up homes in suitably festive coloring, serving as symbols of goodwill. December 12 marks National Poinsettia Day, a special occasion to celebrate this holiday favorite. The plant was introduced to the US by Joel Roberts Poinsett, a botanist and former minister to Mexico who died on this day in 1851. Poinsettias can be found growing in the wild from Mexico to Guatemala. The ancestors of the modern, commercially available version have been traced to the Mexican state of Guerrero. The crimson-leaved plant was used by the Aztecs as a red dye and as a fever-reducing medicine.Desktop Version
World Population Day
World Population Day
On July 11, 1987, the world is thought to have welcomed its 5-billionth person. Thirty-six years later, our population has reached 8 billion and is still rising. World Population Day, established by the UN, is a day to reflect on how much life Earth can sustain, and how our lives impact our environment.Desktop Version
Northern cardinal in winterberry bush
Northern cardinal in winterberry bush
This scarlet winterberry shrub is the perfect hiding place for the northern cardinal. What better spot for singing in the winter holidays? Winterberry is a deciduous holly that"s native to North America and can be a modest shrub or a tree reaching up to 15 feet. The yellow and green flower clusters that bloom in spring give way to bright red berries in winter.Desktop Version
A Latino art exhibition in Denver
A Latino art exhibition in Denver
National Hispanic Heritage Month begins today in the United States. To explore the breadth of the Latino experience in the US, one might start with art—especially work from contemporary artists such as Gabriel Dawe, whose work is shown here. This is "no. 36" from Dawe’s Plexus series, a collection of art installations constructed from embroidery thread. The Plexus series is named for the networks of blood vessels and nerves that run through the human body. Dawe writes that his work–centered on textiles–seeks to examine gender and identity in his native Mexico and to subvert notions of masculinity and machismo. "Plexus no. 36," was on display at the Denver Art Museum in 2017.Desktop Version
Jane’s Carousel delights
Jane’s Carousel delights
National Merry-Go-Round Day brings us to the Brooklyn waterfront, home of Jane’s Carousel, a merry-go-round that’s been delighting riders for nearly a century. Its story starts in 1922, an era of speakeasies and flappers and a booming time in carousel history, when the rides were a symbol of a community’s prosperity. Jane’s Carousel was built in Idora Park in Youngstown, Ohio, a steel city.Desktop Version
National Mushroom Month
National Mushroom Month
Oh, to be a squirrel with a feast such as this! It"s National Mushroom Month, and it seems our red squirrel friend here in Alaska got a literal jump on celebrating. It might surprise you, but squirrels don"t only eat nuts. They"ll eat just about whatever"s around and that includes big mushrooms. Though a small percentage of wild mushrooms can be poisonous to humans, squirrels can eat many of these frightening fungi without worry, thanks to special proteins in their guts. Nice to know someone"s enjoying them.Desktop Version
Plitvice Lakes National Park in Croatia
Plitvice Lakes National Park in Croatia
In a country more famous for its coastline, about a million visitors each year venture inland to amble along these boardwalks and marvel at spectacular lakes and mountains. Plitvice Lakes National Park is the oldest and largest of Croatia"s national parks. The big attraction is the series of 16 descending, turquoise-colored lakes, connected by subterranean karst rivers, and above ground by streams and waterfalls. The lakes are separated by natural dams of travertine, which is created by the interplay of water, plant material, and bacteria. The water changes color from green to azure to gray depending on the angle of the light and the density of minerals and organisms in the water. About 11 miles of wooden boardwalk make it easy for people to wander among the lakes, falls, and caves that are open to visitors year-round.Desktop Version
Fannette Island, Lake Tahoe
Fannette Island, Lake Tahoe
Tucked into a tiny bay of a grand alpine lake is this granite bump called Fannette Island, the only island in Lake Tahoe. The massive lake lies in the Sierra Nevada at an altitude of 6,225 feet, straddling the state line between California to the west and Nevada to the east with near perfect symmetry. Fannette Island is in Emerald Bay, on the California side of Tahoe"s southwest shore. A narrow inlet, seen here at the top center of this image, connects Emerald Bay to the rest of the lake, whose natural beauty draws visitors in all seasons of the year.Desktop Version
Acadia transformed
Acadia transformed
Historically, mid-October is peak fall foliage season in Maine"s Acadia National Park. The forest canopy is aflame with autumn color, and here, the highbush blueberries on the forest floor provide an additional splash of color. Acadia has six marked coastal trails, and our photo today was taken on one of the most popular: Wonderland Trail. It’s just 1.4 miles round-trip, an easy trek for families and casual hikers. Acadia is Maine’s only national park, and it’s easy to see why this landscape was preserved—look at that beautiful fall color, and that’s just at ground level.Desktop Version
Road-trip worthy attraction in the heartland
Road-trip worthy attraction in the heartland
Today we’re visiting Carhenge, a popular roadside attraction in western Nebraska. Carhenge is the passion project of Jim Reinders, who came up with the idea to memorialize his father. Like Stonehenge, Carhenge is a glimpse of culture now past—the heyday of the American automobile. While living in England, Reinders studied Stonehenge"s structure, which allowed him to replicate the formation using 39 vehicles, including cars, trucks, and even one Jeep. Reinders and about 35 family members built the attraction in June 1987. And with another nod to Stonehenge, they dedicated it on the summer solstice that same month. Since then, more than 60,000 people have visited the attraction and it’s appeared in music videos, TV shows, commercials, and even on an album cover.Desktop Version
Great hornbill, Thailand
Great hornbill, Thailand
The great hornbill is a remarkable bird found in the tropical forests of Southeast Asia. Despite weighing as much as 9 pounds and growing up to 4 feet long, it is an agile flyer capable of maneuvering through dense forests. Alongside its striking black and yellow plumage, the great hornbill has a unique helmet-like casque on its bill, which amplifies its calls. The bird primarily feeds on fruit but also eats small mammals, reptiles, and insects. While incubating her eggs, the female great hornbill seals herself inside a tree cavity, leaving a small opening through which the male inserts food. This magnificent bird holds cultural and spiritual significance in many Southeast Asian cultures as a sacred animal and the subject of festivals.Desktop Version
Pretty poetic for a pit
Pretty poetic for a pit
Taking a bird"s-eye view along the coast of Italy"s bootheel, you"ll spot many coves and caves like this one, the Grotta della Poesia. In English that"s Poetry"s Cave, a sea-flooded sinkhole so named for the ancient poets who—legend has it—were charmed by a beautiful princess who often came here for a dip.Desktop Version
Balloon Ascension Day
Balloon Ascension Day
Up, up, and away! Today is Balloon Ascension Day, celebrating the anniversary of the first manned balloon flight in North America. French aeronaut Jean-Pierre Blanchard"s flight took him from Philadelphia to Deptford, New Jersey, back in 1793. Interest in ballooning took off from there and today, hot air balloon festivals take place across the country, including Albuquerque, where today"s sunrise image was taken. Every year, hundreds of thousands of people attend the nine-day Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta—the largest hot air balloon festival in the world—to see skilled pilots expertly maneuver their baskets through balloon-filled skies.Desktop Version