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International Day of the Tropics
International Day of the Tropics
Only in the tropics do forests grow in salt water. Take this forest of mangrove trees in Phang Nga Bay in southern Thailand, one of the largest and best-preserved mangrove forests in the country. Adapted to thrive in coastal marshes and swamps, mangroves can filter salt water and withstand strong coastal storms. Virtually all mangrove forests and all species of mangrove grow only in the tropical regions of the world. They are protectors of the coastlines, acting as a buffer against storms and floods.Desktop Version
Bukhansan National Park, South Korea
Bukhansan National Park, South Korea
Just a few miles north of South Korea"s capital city of Seoul, Bukhansan National Park is a retreat for city dwellers and international visitors. Forests and ancient temples sit side-by-side in the park, beneath the three granite peaks of Bukhan Mountain, or Bukhansan. Among the park"s ridges and valleys, water deer, wild boar, chipmunks, and squirrels roam freely. A careful ear might pick out the rat-a-tat of woodpeckers or the chirpy melody of songbirds perched in the trees. The park also boasts Bukhansanseong Fortress, whose current structure was completed in 1711.Desktop Version
Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta
Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta
October means pumpkin fields, Halloween, leaf-peeping, and the World Series. But in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the beginning of October means a skyful of hot air balloons. The 50th Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is the largest gathering of balloonists in the world, with more than 500 hot air balloons going aloft this week. The now nine-day event got its start by launching 13 balloons from a shopping mall parking lot in 1972 to celebrate the birthday of a local radio station. It has easily become the biggest event of the year in Albuquerque, whose entire populace can view balloons in flight simply by stepping outside their homes and looking up.Desktop Version
Siblings Day
Siblings Day
Oh brother! April 10 is National Siblings Day, a time to celebrate the special bonds shared by brothers and sisters. From friendly rivalries to shared memories, there"s nothing quite like the relationship between siblings. Siblings Day was created by Claudia Evart in memory of her siblings Alan and Lisette. Today, it is recognized by 49 states and 14 countries. Celebrations of this day can range from something simple, like phoning your siblings to let them know you"re thinking of them, to giving gifts or sharing a meal.Desktop Version
The globe skimmers return
The globe skimmers return
This time of year, millions of dragonflies are returning to the Maldives, a stage in the longest insect migration in the world. Flying thousands of miles across the open ocean, these dragonflies are known as globe skimmers, which refers to their migratory behavior. Until about 20 years ago, no one knew where they came from. But researchers have since discovered that the dragonflies take advantage of moving weather systems and monsoon rains to make their epic migration across the Arabian Sea from India. From the Maldives, the dragonflies will continue their journey, passing through the Seychelles and then on to East Africa.Desktop Version
Happy Birthday, J.R.R. Tolkien!
Happy Birthday, J.R.R. Tolkien!
"Don"t adventures ever have an end? I suppose not. Someone else always has to carry on the story." Today, on Tolkien Day, fans around the world honor the master storyteller who crafted the epic adventures of Middle-earth: J.R.R. Tolkien. While Tolkien may have started the tale, it"s his readers who carry it forward, generation after generation, diving into the pages of "The Hobbit," "The Lord of the Rings," and beyond. Tolkienists are encouraged to celebrate the author"s birthday with a toast at 9 PM local time—to participate, all you must do is stand and raise a glass of your choice, say "The Professor," and take a sip.Desktop Version
Gray seal pup, Norfolk, England
Gray seal pup, Norfolk, England
Here in Norfolk, on the east coast of England, a seasonal wildlife spectacle is underway. Between early November and January, thousands of gray seal pups are born on the shoreline, a little earlier than those on US coasts. The seal moms feed their pups on the beach for three weeks, during which time the pups gain about 4.5 pounds a day. They stay on the beach until they shed their pale fur to make way for a waterproof, mottled gray coat. Then it"s time to head to the sea and learn to hunt for themselves.Desktop Version
World Lion Day
World Lion Day
Lions are known as "the king of the jungle," but on World Lion Day, let"s set the record straight: Lions don"t live in the jungle. Lions lounge in lordly leisure and hunt with ferocious focus on grasslands and plains. When they"re not hunting, these majestic creatures nap, wrestle, and groom each other. But in an instant, they"re chasing down a hapless gazelle or a hippopotamus that"s wandered too far from the safety of its river. Like the opening song of "The Lion King" movie says, it"s the circle of life. World Lion Day is our opportunity to (ahem) lionize these regal beasts and raise awareness of threats to their well-being like poaching, habitat destruction, and other human-lion conflicts.Desktop Version
Golden larches and Prusik Peak, the Enchantments, Washington
Golden larches and Prusik Peak, the Enchantments, Washington
That jagged granite summit is Prusik Peak, an icon of Washington state"s Enchantments region, high in the Cascade Mountain range. Getting here means a long, strenuous hike, and for much of the year it is covered in snow. But from midsummer through the fall, hikers and climbers arrive here as the larch trees turn golden. The granite peaks and autumnal colors are not the only attractions. The Enchantments boasts more than 700 alpine lakes and ponds, as well as herds of grazing mountain goats that roam this corner of the scenic Alpine Lakes Wilderness.Desktop Version
Big Bend National Park turns 78
Big Bend National Park turns 78
Join us for a hike at one of America"s least-visited national parks. Big Bend National Park may be among the country"s largest national parks with an area of over 800,000 acres (about the size of Rhode Island), but it"s also one of the most remote. Found in West Texas along the Rio Grande at the Mexico border, the park entrance is roughly a two-hour drive from the nearest interstate. The good thing is, even in a "busy" year when half a million people visit, there"s plenty of space to enjoy the great outdoors unhindered by crowds.Desktop Version
Hang Sơn Đoòng Cave, Vietnam
Hang Sơn Đoòng Cave, Vietnam
In 1991, logger Hồ Khanh stumbled upon something big in what is now Vietnam"s Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park. During a jungle expedition, he found the entrance to a cave with a roaring underground river. It was later named Hang Sơn Đoòng, or "cave of the mountain river" and in 2009, the British Cave Research Association led an expedition to explore it. They realized something incredible: It was the world"s largest cave. Hang Sơn Đoòng"s main passage is 3.1 miles long, 490 feet wide, and 660 feet high. That"s tall enough to fit a 40-story skyscraper.Desktop Version
Eurasian lynx
Eurasian lynx
Ready for a next-level staring contest? Don’t worry, you"re unlikely to come face to face with a Eurasian lynx like this one, padding through the snow on our homepage. This elusive predator prowls around the forests of northern Europe and Siberia and the hills and mountains of Central Asia, often unnoticed by humans. Their low calls can be heard by other lynx, and they are primarily active at night, dawn, and dusk, although they can hunt by day if needed. These solitary hunters have keen senses and remarkable agility, able to climb trees and jump more than 6 feet straight up to catch prey. In temperate forests, they mainly dine out on rabbits, hares, marmots, and other small mammals, although they can take on prey as large as deer.Desktop Version
Jeju Island, South Korea
Jeju Island, South Korea
The South Korean island of Jeju is full of wonders. If you don"t have a chance to visit its volcanic landscape, ancient stone statues, waterfalls, and rocky coastline, you can dive into the island"s fascinating chronicles from the comfort of your computer. The star of today"s image, Seongsan Ilchulbong (Sunrise Peak), is the island"s rare tuff cone formation, created by an underwater volcanic eruption about 5,000 years ago. Tuff cones are also called ash cones, referring to the accumulated ash settling in a cone formation after the lava"s forceful explosion. Seongsan Ilchulbong was added to the UNESCO World Natural Heritage List in 2007.Desktop Version
Ad-Deir, Petra, Jordan
Ad-Deir, Petra, Jordan
Carved into rose-red cliffs, Petra and its crown jewel, Ad-Deir, or "The Monastery," feel like stepping into a real-life Indiana Jones adventure. Tucked in the heart of Jordan"s arid desert landscapes, this ancient city once thrived as the capital of the Nabataean Kingdom in the 2nd century BCE. It was also a hub of the spice trade, connecting distant regions like China, Egypt, Greece, and India. The city was abandoned for around 500 years before being rediscovered in 1812, earning it the "Lost City" moniker.Desktop Version
Burchells zebras for International Zebra Day
Burchells zebras for International Zebra Day
It"s International Zebra Day, and we"re giving a shout-out to the flashiest animal on the African savanna. It"s a day to raise awareness of these distinctive creatures and encourage measures to protect them and their habitat. This group of Burchell"s zebras is hanging out at Rietvlei Nature Reserve in South Africa.Desktop Version
Giant kelp in the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary
Giant kelp in the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary
All along the Pacific Coast of North America, giant stands of kelp up to 100 feet high, like this one in California"s Channel Islands, provide habitat for a vast number of fish, invertebrates, and sea mammals. Giant kelp, technically a type of brown algae, is the largest of all seaweed and one of the fastest-growing of any organism—as much as 2 feet per day! The gas-filled pods you see in this image help the kelp float. Like the trees in the Amazon, the kelp forests of our oceans are key to the health of marine life.Desktop Version
Wild lupines
Wild lupines
These stunning wild lupines bring shades of blue, pink, and purple to meadows and roadsides from early spring. They are not just a stunning addition to the landscape—they are crucial for the survival of the rare Karner blue butterfly. The larvae of the short-lived species will only feed on wild blue lupines, crawling up their stems to eat new leaves when they hatch. Once widespread across much of eastern North America, wild lupines have been in decline since the Industrial Revolution and human development has reduced their range. This has had a knock-on effect on the butterflies, which are now an endangered species. Conservation efforts have focused on replanting areas of wild blue lupines to boost butterfly numbers.Desktop Version
World Architecture Day
World Architecture Day
In Belgium"s largest city, the Antwerp Port Authority is housed in a century-old building that sports a gleaming new addition. The update to the building, known as the Port House, was the vision that Zaha Hadid created with her team at Zaha Hadid Architects, which won a 2009 competition to build the new structure around a 1911 firehouse. Work was completed in 2016, the same year the famed architect died. The expansion is intended to resemble the hull of a sailing ship with a protruding bow glimmering with diamonds, recalling Antwerp"s longtime trade in precious stones.Desktop Version
Noctilucent clouds
Noctilucent clouds
It"s around this time of year when some lucky people get to witness these rare, wondrous clouds. Known as noctilucent, or "night-shining," clouds, they"re the highest clouds in our sky and are only visible during summer. They"re made up of icy dust glowing at the edge of space, roughly 50 miles above the planet"s surface. The trick to seeing them is to gaze up into the sky at twilight, when sunlight is not reaching the Earth"s surface, but is still shining through the high-altitude noctilucent clouds. These clouds occur more often at high latitudes but have been seen lower than 50° north and south.Desktop Version
Natural Bridges State Beach in Santa Cruz, California
Natural Bridges State Beach in Santa Cruz, California
California brown pelicans, cormorants, and gulls enjoy jostling for position on top of this stunning rock formation in Natural Bridges State Beach in Santa Cruz. It is the sole surviving natural "bridge" in this state park. Once three bridges stood side-by-side here, carved by waves into cliffs that jutted out into the Pacific. This one stood in the middle, but the outermost bridge collapsed in 1905 and the innermost one disappeared in 1980.Desktop Version
National Hummingbird Day
National Hummingbird Day
It"s National Hummingbird Day, a day to celebrate these tiny wonders. Their colorful plumage and ability to hover mid-air make them particularly eye-catching. The rapid flapping of their wings—an average of 53 times a second—creates their trademark humming sound and works up quite an appetite: These little birdies can feed every 10–15 minutes! Today"s homepage star is an Allen"s hummingbird, which grows to about 3.5 inches in length and is found along the west coast of North America, most commonly in California. National Hummingbird Day aims to boost the preservation of these mini marvels, by protecting them and their habitat.Desktop Version
Kirkilai lakes, Biržai Regional Park, Lithuania
Kirkilai lakes, Biržai Regional Park, Lithuania
Curving above the treetops of Biržai Regional Park in northern Lithuania, this unusual structure allows a bird"s-eye view of a unique landscape. Built in 2015, the Kirkilai Observation Tower"s shape is said to resemble a sinking boat, appropriate in an area dotted with water-filled sink holes. About 30 of these small lakes can be seen from the top of the tower, nearly 100 feet in the air. These lakes can be up to 36 feet deep and are just some of the thousands of sinkholes identified in the park. Water-soluble rocks like gypsum lie under the soil in this area, and over time they gradually erode, forming caves, which then collapse. In some cases, they fill with water, creating this mesmerizing landscape. The interconnected lakes mirror the surrounding greenery, creating a scenic haven for nature enthusiasts.Desktop Version
Guilin and Lijiang River National Park, China
Guilin and Lijiang River National Park, China
Mountains pierce the mist like dragon"s teeth in this enchanting location. Though it may look like the setting of a fantasy story or science fiction epic, the remarkable Guilin and Lijiang River National Park is quite real.Desktop Version
Taughannock Falls State Park
Taughannock Falls State Park
Taughannock Falls State Park, in New York"s scenic Finger Lakes area, is home to this magnificent waterfall of the same name, which plunges 215 feet over the cliffs into the gorge below. The park also boasts stunning pathways, unique rock formations, and numerous wild animals. It"s not certain where the name Taughannock came from, though a leading theory says it is a combination of Iroquois and Algonquin terms, roughly translating to "great fall in the woods." The park, which was founded in 1924, guarantees visitors memorable adventures, whether you hike the rim paths for panoramic views of the falls and rock formations, take a plunge in Cayuga Lake, or bring a pair of binoculars for birding. A keen eye can spot winged locals such as turkey vultures, common loons, and great horned owls.Desktop Version
International Surfing Day
International Surfing Day
Of all the tricks humans have taught themselves, few delight and impress more than surfing. A sport, a pastime, an art, a philosophy of life, surfing is as close to magic as a person can perform on the untamed ocean. Today, the sport of wave riding gets its well-earned due with International Surfing Day, a time each year to honor the sport, the lifestyle of surfing, and the ocean itself, whose good health is vital to the sport and so much else. Surfers have a special connection to the ocean and the waves it produces. A surfable wave is shaped by countless variables: The winds hundreds or thousands of miles away that produced the energy to set the swells in motion, and then the reef or point of land or underwater boulder upon which a swell will break into a perfectly shaped wave. Wind and timing are everything, and devoted surfers know the weather and the shore intimately.Desktop Version