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Jan 16, 2019Up on the glacier

The Athabasca is the most-visited glacier in North America. Located in Canada’s Jasper National Park, it’s one of the six ‘toes’ of the Columbia Icefield, a natural feature of the Canadian Rockies. The Athabasca has receded by nearly a mile in the past 125 years, losing about 16 feet of ice each year. And that"s not all that"s moving in the Columbia Icefield—there"s also an icefall that travels downslope (the way a waterfall would) between 50 and 400 feet per year.Desktop Version

Mar 26, 2023Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California

Welcome to the largest state park in the golden state of California, Anza-Borrego. Located about 100 miles northeast of San Diego, the park is well known for its spectacular springtime wildflowers, stunning landscapes, and natural marvels. Spring and early summer are the best times to visit. That"s when you"ll find a myriad of magnificent, blooming species of flowers, including dune primrose, desert sunflowers, and desert sand verbena. These hardy wildflowers can survive in extreme heat and with little water–perfect for California"s driest state park, in which some areas get just 2 inches of rain a year.Desktop Version

Jan 6, 2021Travels to the Oregon deep

We"re looking out on the deepest lake in the US. Crater Lake, the centerpiece and namesake of the only national park in Oregon, goes down to depths of 1,943 feet—that"s enough room to stack three-and-a-half Washington Monuments on top of each other. Fed mainly by snowfall, this pristine, crystal blue lake came into the world with a bang. Sometime around 5700 BCE, Mount Mazama erupted, losing roughly 3,000 feet of its height. The volcano blew out so much molten rock that it left a giant depression that gradually filled with water, giving us this serene scene today.Desktop Version

Mar 2, 2018Satellite image of sand and seaweed in the Bahamas

We have NASA’s Landsat program to thank for this rare view of the Atlantic Ocean in the Bahamas, as captured by satellite. The patterns you see are sand and seaweed beds that have been sculpted by ocean currents. That dark spot? It’s called the Tongue of the Ocean. The tongue is a deep, dark trench that separates the islands of Andros and New Providence in the Bahamas and connects to a larger geological feature known as the Great Bahama Canyon.Desktop Version

Apr 23, 2019A legend and a legendary home

To celebrate Sant Jordi’s Day today, we’re studying the intricate façade of Casa Batlló in Barcelona, Spain. The holiday is the Catalan celebration of Saint George’s Day, which is observed throughout Europe. According to legend, Jordi (Catalan for ‘George’) saved a princess from the clutches of a terrible dragon. After rescuing her, the knight gave the damsel a red rose, which has become an important symbol of the holiday in Catalonia. As it happens, Spaniards also celebrate April 23 as Book Day, marking the anniversary of the death of Miguel de Cervantes, the famous 16th- and 17th-century Spanish writer. So here in Barcelona, both roses and books are given to loved ones on Sant Jordi’s Day, while music and dancing fill the streets. We might pause in our revelry to spend some time taking in Casa Batlló, designed by Spanish architect Antoni Gaudí. The building is heavily inspired by Sant Jordi’s legend, with red roses on the balconies, and a roof made to look like dragon scales.Desktop Version

Mar 1, 2018Stari Most in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina

To celebrate Independence Day in Bosnia and Herzogovina we’re in Mostar, a city on the banks of the Neretva River. This bridge that joins the two sides of the city is called Stari Most, or ‘Old Bridge.’ The original stone bridge was built in the 16th century but destroyed in 1993 during the Bosnian War. Reconstruction began in 2001, using local materials and even some stones from the original bridge. The new ‘Old Bridge’ was completed in 2004.Desktop Version

Dec 14, 2018Time to count some birds

Before the 20th century, some North Americans organized ‘Christmas side hunts’ in which participants would choose sides, then compete to bag as many birds as possible. In 1900, ornithologist Frank Chapman suggested a bird census instead, and the Christmas Bird Count (CBC) was born. The annual count is sponsored by the National Audubon Society. This year, the CBC runs from today through January 5, 2019, giving citizen scientists across North America time to join in, get outside, and spot some birds. The data collected is used to gauge the health of various bird populations–this information is then used to focus conservation efforts on particular species and geographical areas.Desktop Version

Feb 2, 2019Groundhog Day arrives—beyond a shadow of a doubt

Do you think this hoary marmot in Alaska’s Denali National Park is wondering whether its relative, Punxsutawney Phil, saw his shadow today? Groundhog Day is an American tradition that originated among the Pennsylvania Dutch, but groundhogs aren’t the only animals believed to predict the weather. It’s said you can predict the severity of an upcoming winter by examining the stripes on a woolly bear caterpillar’s back. And in Germany, folks once looked to the badger to forecast the coming of spring. But no furry prognosticator of the weather has gained as much fame as Punxsutawney Phil. Perhaps we have Bill Murray to thank for that? (Be right back, got to cue up Murray’s film ‘Groundhog Day.’) Say, do you ever have déjà vu? Wait, did we just ask you that?Desktop Version

Jan 11, 2019Life in a North African town

The nearly hidden valley town called Tafraout (sometimes spelled Tafraoute) and smaller settlement, Aguerd Oudad, are surrounded by the red hills of the Anti-Atlas Mountains, far from the larger cities in Morocco. The area is frequently visited by climbers who come to scale the nearby peaks, like this one, called Napoleon’s Hat (it’s thought to resemble the bicorne hat that Napoleon Bonaparte memorably wore sideways). The town is remote enough that tourists must make an effort to get there, but as many travel writers note, it’s well worth it. The villagers here lead a quieter, slower-paced life than those in Morocco’s bustling urban centers such as Marrakesh.Desktop Version

Oct 19, 2021These laurels are hardy

Go back 15 million years and you"d find most of Southern Europe looking like this fantasy forest: thick, scrubby underbrush canopied by wizened laurel trees. An epoch or two of human agricultural advances cleared those ancient woods, but patches persist on a few temperate Atlantic islands—especially here on Madeira, a Portuguese-held island off northwest Africa.Desktop Version

Jun 15, 2018Ready for takeoff

Anybody with a camera can celebrate Nature Photography Day with us today. That element of inclusion is one of the main points of this observance. Chances are your mobile device has a camera, so you’re already equipped to participate. And even if you live in the deepest reaches of the urban jungle, somewhere near you is a place where you can get a dose of nature—a park, for example, or even the planter box on your fire escape. Go to that spot with your camera, and start snapping photos. They don’t have to be works of art. It can be an exercise in paying attention to the natural world, and maybe—just maybe—you’ll end up with something like this shot of a seven-spot ladybug, wings unleashed and about to take flight. Have fun!Desktop Version

Feb 10, 2018Bonifacio on the island of Corsica, France

South of mainland France and west of Italy in the Mediterranean Sea is the French island of Corsica, famous for food, wine, and scenic coastlines. Visitors here can visit the birthplace of Napoléon Bonaparte, whose family lived in the town of Ajaccio. In the commune of Bonifacio, shown here, the limestone cliffs hosted the 2012 Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series, where brave competitors from around the world jumped from cliffside platforms up to 92 feet above the water’s surface.Desktop Version

Apr 5, 2021Once upon a time there was a bridge…

Although this stone bridge, known as Saut de Brot, looks right out of a fairy tale, it serves a very practical purpose. It connects walking trails on each side of the Areuse Gorge, offering safe passage to hikers exploring the lush Brot-Dessous area in western Switzerland, a predominantly French-speaking region of this multilingual country. It"s not known when the bridge was built exactly, though it"s thought to be a recent construction. But if that"s true, how do we not know who built it? All this mystery leads us to suspect it"s the work of helpful gnomes and fairies living deep in the Swiss woods. The end.Desktop Version

Jan 12, 2019Sailing across the ice

These snowkiters are competing at a tournament in Novosibirsk, Russia. Like kiteboarding on liquid water, the sport of snowkiting uses a parachute-like foil kite, which catches the wind and pulls the boarder along a frozen, snowy landscape. The sport wasn’t invented here in Siberia, but when January sends the mercury plunging, the freezing temperatures create ideal conditions for the sport.Desktop Version

Mar 8, 2018Celebrate International Women’s Day

On the day before the 2017 celebration of International Women’s Day, the statue called ‘Fearless Girl’ was unveiled in the Financial District of New York. Staring down the ‘Charging Bull’ statue with resolute defiance, ‘Fearless Girl’ immediately resonated with people around the world as a symbol of women taking positions of leadership. The statue was initially meant as a temporary installation, but many have called for her to become a permanent fixture.Desktop Version

Aug 4, 2020Into the woods

Catching a glimpse of a deer makes the world go suddenly quiet. One clumsy move, even a gasp, could send these two white-tailed deer, with a flash of their namesake tails, deeper into the woods. But if you live between southern Canada and South America, chances are good you"ll get another opportunity to see these native deer. They live throughout the United States, save for parts of the Far West, and thrive in a variety of habitats—forests, grasslands, even city suburbs. This doe and fawn were photographed in Wisconsin, a state that picked this locally abundant and economically important ruminant as its state wildlife animal back in 1957. So, why isn"t Wisconsin called "The White-Tailed Deer State"? Take the quiz to find out.Desktop Version

Dec 10, 2020What does the fox dream?

We"re sure you could just squeeze this snoozing Arctic fox like a stuffed animal, but we wouldn"t advise it. These cute little fuzzballs can be ferocious hunters. In fact, the Arctic fox is one of the most prolific predators on the tundra, preying on lemmings, voles, rabbits, birds (often with a side of eggs), and other small critters that cross its adorable path. But right now, our Arctic fox is happy to curl up with its tail and get some shut-eye—by forming a ball with its body, the fox is exposing the least possible surface area to cold air, helping to conserve heat no matter how low the mercury dips.Desktop Version

Apr 7, 2020Once in a pink moon

We"re seeing a vivid "pink moon" rise above St. Michael"s Mount—a granite-encrusted isle connected to the rugged peninsula of Cornwall, England, by sandy flats and a man-made causeway that submerge at high tide. The same order of monks that established France"s Mont-Saint-Michel built a church and priory here in the 12th century. In ensuing centuries of war, the insular monastic outpost was fortified into the imposing castle we see today. Privately purchased in 1659, the mount was opened to the public in 1954—and is still managed by members of the family that bought it over 350 years ago.Desktop Version

Feb 3, 2019A crane for good luck in today’s big game

It’s Super Bowl Sunday and this Japanese crane looks like it’s getting into the spirit of things. Also known as the red-crowned crane, the species is among the rarest cranes in the world. It’s known in some cultures as a symbol of luck and longevity, making it an ideal football mascot. This particular crane seems to have a pretty good punting leg, to boot. Other animals that have served as good luck symbols around the world include the pig, the mandarin duck, and the albatross. Do you have a good luck charm?Desktop Version

Jan 8, 2020Take the stairs

If you want to celebrate Take the Stairs Day in style, look no further than China"s Tianmen Mountain (literally Heaven"s Door). About 5,000 feet above sea level, the hole in the mountain is the highest naturally formed arch in the world. Originally a cave, it became an arch in 263 CE when the back side of the mountain collapsed, creating the dramatic opening we see today. You"ll have to climb 999 steps to make it to the top, but we promise the view is worth it.Desktop Version

Nov 20, 2020Atop the Needle of Chamonix

With these dramatic clouds, the shardlike pinnacles of the Aiguille du Midi (Needle of Midday) resemble the spires of a ruined Alpine cathedral. This is just one of the many spectacular peaks of the Mont Blanc massif, the storied Alps range in eastern France that stretches across the border into Italy and Switzerland. It was here in France"s Chamonix valley that mountaineering became a sport in the mid-1700s. This dramatic peak was first summited in 1818, a feat that helped to popularize mountain climbing throughout Europe.Desktop Version

Jan 12, 2020The Zugspitze: Germany s highest point

Welcome to the snowy Bavarian Alps, where the mountain called the Zugspitze (TSOOG-shpit-seh) casts a cold shadow over the Eibsee, a small and serene alpine lake. Situated on the border with Austria, the peak is Germany"s highest point at almost 10,000 feet above sea level, towering over the lakeside village of Grainau.Desktop Version

Jan 15, 2022To Sua Ocean Trench

This majestic swimming hole on Samoa"s Upolu Island sits just inland from the coast. It was formed when the roof of an ancient lava tube collapsed, exposing the 98-foot-deep teal-blue pool. This is the largest of many such tide pools and blow holes formed in the area thousands of years ago. An underground cave system connects this swimming hole to the nearby ocean, and the water rises and falls with the tides.Desktop Version

Nov 29, 2018A Christmas market with a long history

We think even Scrooge would delight in the Frankfurt Christmas Market, or Christkindchesmarket (gesundheit!), a tradition that’s been traced back to 1393. Here you can shop for goods from artisans, binge on marzipan candies, and sip a warm cup of mulled wine. Locals can even shop for Christmas trees, a tradition that is said to have originated in this part of the world. The modern Christmas tree tradition as we know it started in the 15th and 16th centuries in northern Germany and Livonia (present-day Estonia and Latvia). It’s believed the Protestant reformer Martin Luther was the first to add lighted candles to an evergreen. Sidenote: That had to be a fire hazard, right?Desktop Version

Jan 3, 2020 Field of Light at Sensorio by Bruce Munro

Artist Bruce Munro was camping at Uluru (aka Ayers Rock) in Australia in 1992 when he envisioned the art installation on today"s homepage. Titled "Field of Light," it"s currently on display at a venue called Sensorio in Paso Robles, California, the latest stop in a tour of sites around the world. At Sensorio, a new arts center that bills itself as representing "the intersection of art, technology and nature," visitors will find 58,800 solar-powered spheres, lit by optical fibers, that change color. When the sun sets, the fibers illuminate, creating a shimmering, interactive landscape in the meadow. The art installation changes a bit at each site, but Munro tells reporters, "The one constant is that it does make people smile."Desktop Version

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