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National Take a Hike Day
National Take a Hike Day
National Take a Hike Day is more than a date—it"s an invitation to step away from screens and into the rhythm of nature. Created by the American Hiking Society, this day celebrates the simple act of walking under open skies and reminds us that health and happiness often begin with a single stride. Across 60,000 miles of US trails, hikers rediscover the quiet magic of forests, the strength in their own breath, and the promise of unspoiled landscapes.Desktop Version
A traboule in Lyon, France
A traboule in Lyon, France
In Lyon, France, you don"t just walk through the city—you glide through it. The traboules, a network of hidden passageways threading between courtyards and buildings, turn a simple stroll into a treasure hunt. They were the original shortcuts, allowing residents to dodge rain, carry goods, or move discreetly through the medieval quarters. Today, they"re less about practicality and more about discovery. These passages date back to the fourth century but became essential during the Renaissance, when silk traders used them to shuttle delicate fabrics safely from workshops to the river without braving the weather. Later, during World War II, Resistance fighters used the traboules as escape routes.Desktop Version
Irohazaka Road in fall, Nikko, Tochigi, Japan
Irohazaka Road in fall, Nikko, Tochigi, Japan
If you think the alphabet is straightforward, Japan"s Irohazaka Road in Nikko will twist that belief right out of you. Named after the old Japanese syllabary "Iroha," this mountain pass once had 48 hairpin bends—each curve matched to a character of the alphabet. Today, it"s a pair of separate one-way roads—one goes up, the other comes down, and both make drivers feel as if they"re spelling out a story with every turn.Desktop Version
Manatee Awareness Month
Manatee Awareness Month
November isn"t just about turkey dinners and pumpkin pie—it"s also Manatee Awareness Month, when we show some love to the ocean"s chillest stars. Forget dolphins doing flips or sharks stealing headlines—manatees win hearts by doing, well, almost nothing. And that"s the charm.Desktop Version
Quiver trees, Keetmanshoop, Namibia
Quiver trees, Keetmanshoop, Namibia
Of all the plants on Earth, the quiver tree looks the most like a vision from the future. Found in Southern Africa, including parts of Namibia, these striking giants are not true trees but a species of aloe adapted to life under the desert"s scorching sun. Their thick trunks store water, while their branches reflect heat, helping them endure harsh conditions. Reaching up to 23 feet in height, with some living for more than 100 years, quiver trees are also vital to their ecosystem. They offer rare perches and nesting sites for birds in landscapes where few other trees exist.Desktop Version
Colosseum, Rome, Italy
Colosseum, Rome, Italy
Think modern sports are dramatic? Ancient Romans had front-row seats to spectacles far more intense inside the Colosseum. Commissioned by the Flavian emperor Vespasian in 72 CE and finished by his son Titus in 80 CE, this amphitheater broke tradition with its predecessors that were built into hillsides for natural support. Instead, the Colosseum was a fully free-standing architectural giant. Crafted from stone and concrete, its arches and vaults supported an arena that could host up to 50,000 spectators. Gladiators, exotic animals, and even staged sea battles thrilled the crowds, while hidden elevators and trapdoors created sudden, dramatic appearances.Desktop Version
Marine Corps War Memorial, Arlington, Virginia
Marine Corps War Memorial, Arlington, Virginia
Veterans Day, observed every year on November 11, honors all US military veterans—those who have served in war and peace, past and present. It"s a time to reflect on the sacrifices made by millions of Americans who have worn a uniform with pride and courage.Desktop Version
47 years of Badlands National Park
47 years of Badlands National Park
On November 10, 47 years ago, a stark stretch of South Dakota prairie gained recognition as one of America"s natural treasures. Badlands National Park, carved by wind and water, was redesignated from national monument to national park status in 1978, securing stronger protection within the National Park System. Its cliffs and spires rise above fossil beds that reveal ancient rhinoceroses, camels, and subtropical seas. Yet the park is not only a window into the past; it also safeguards one of the largest remaining tracts of mixed-grass prairie in the US.Desktop Version
Carl Sagan Day
Carl Sagan Day
The universe hums with creation. Featured here, in the Lagoon Nebula, a cluster called NGC 6530 is kindling newborn stars, a glowing reminder that beginnings are woven into the fabric of the cosmos. About 4,350 light-years away and a few million years old, it is a stellar formation still in its earliest chapter.Desktop Version
Bandon Beach in Bandon, Oregon
Bandon Beach in Bandon, Oregon
Pull off of Highway 101, and Bandon, Oregon, greets you with salty air and the clang of harbor bells. The town began as a small settlement in the 1850s and grew into a center for timber and salmon fishing. Cranberries became a key crop and are still celebrated each September during the Cranberry Festival. Old Town reflects that past with boardwalk cafés and galleries, while the Coquille River Lighthouse stands restored at Bullards Beach as a reminder of the days when its beacon guided ships.Desktop Version
Polar Bear Week
Polar Bear Week
What"s drawing scientists, travelers, and cameras to Manitoba, Canada, this week? Polar Bear Week is here, and it"s more than a date on the calendar. For over a decade, Polar Bears International—a non-profit organization—has invited people to stream live cams and follow daily updates as the bears head to Hudson Bay. It"s a week of learning and a call to protect a fragile ecosystem.Desktop Version
Celebrating Yi Peng
Celebrating Yi Peng
What would you wish for if a single lantern could carry your heart"s desire skyward? Tonight, in northern Thailand, the Yi Peng festival offers that chance. This centuries-old Lanna tradition celebrates the 12th lunar month with glowing paper lanterns—khom loi—that are released to honor the Buddha. Each lantern is believed to carry away misfortune and light the way toward a brighter future. Children steady the lantern frames, elders whisper blessings, and the crowd pauses as hundreds of lights drift higher than the trees. Farther south, the same full moon watches over Loy Krathong, a sister festival, where candlelit rafts glide across the water.Desktop Version
Peña Roya beech forest, Moncayo Natural Park, Aragon, Spain
Peña Roya beech forest, Moncayo Natural Park, Aragon, Spain
Spain"s Aragon region isn"t exactly famous for its forests—it"s more "sun and scrub" than "shade and shuffle." And yet, climb the slopes of Moncayo and you"ll walk straight into a twist ending: a dense, whispering beech forest. The mountain is a climate roller coaster. At the bottom? Mediterranean shrubs. Midway up? Oaks and pines. Push further? Suddenly you"re in Peña Roya, a beech wonderland that seems to say, "Surprise, leaf it to me!"Desktop Version
Tower Bridge, London, England
Tower Bridge, London, England
Some bridges connect two sides. Tower Bridge connects history, engineering, and a flair for drama. Standing next to the Tower of London and rising over the River Thames since 1894, this London icon literally knows how to lift spirits—and traffic. With its twin towers, blue-and-white paintwork, and bascules that open like a giant"s drawbridge, Tower Bridge is less a traffic solution and more a stage performer.Desktop Version
World Jellyfish Day
World Jellyfish Day
They don"t have brains, bones, or even hearts, yet jellyfish have pulsed through Earth"s oceans for half a billion years. Today, on World Jellyfish Day, these wobbly wonders get their moment in the sun—or at least under the sea. The day promotes efforts to protect jellyfish habitats from threats like pollution, nutrient-rich runoff, and ocean acidification.Desktop Version
Maple and bamboo forests in Arashiyama, Kyoto, Japan
Maple and bamboo forests in Arashiyama, Kyoto, Japan
Today, we travel to the Arashiyama district in Kyoto, renowned for its captivating seasonal landscapes. Here, vibrant Japanese maple trees and serene bamboo forests create a harmonious blend of color and tranquility. These maples, known for their delicate, deeply lobed leaves, turn fiery shades of red, orange, and gold during fall, attracting visitors from around the world. They are celebrated not only for their beauty but also for their cultural symbolism—representing elegance, peace, and the fleeting nature of life.Desktop Version
National Bison Day
National Bison Day
The bison embodies a paradox: immense strength paired with quiet calm. Weighing up to 2,000 pounds and standing 6 feet tall, these giants roam North America"s grasslands and river valleys in mobile herds. Photographed here in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, they once numbered in the tens of millions but were nearly eradicated in the 19th century—a loss that reshaped ecosystems and disrupted lifeways.Desktop Version
Happy Halloween!
Happy Halloween!
Tonight, Halloween casts its spell—and only a few places on Earth carry a mystery quite like Bran Castle in Romania. The fortress was built in the 14th century and has withstood wars, monarchs, and shifting empires. But here, legends speak louder than history. Perched between the regions of Transylvania—renowned for its chilling tales—and Wallachia, once ruled by Vlad III Dracula, the castle evokes a haunting legacy. Vlad"s ruthless reputation inspired Bram Stoker"s 1897 Gothic novel "Dracula." Though the story is not set at Bran Castle, its looming form and persistent rumors of Vlad"s presence blur fact and legend, forever linking it to one of humanity"s most enduring tales.Desktop Version
Camels at Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, India
Camels at Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, India
Every fall, the desert town of Pushkar in Rajasthan, India, comes alive with one of the most colorful gatherings—the Pushkar Camel Fair. Timed with the Hindu lunar month of Kartik, it usually takes place between late October and early November on the Gregorian calendar. This year, the celebrations stretch from today until November 5, marking the region"s most anticipated season.Desktop Version
Ancient til trees in Fanal Forest, Madeira, Portugal
Ancient til trees in Fanal Forest, Madeira, Portugal
The Portuguese island of Madeira—about 600 miles southwest of mainland Portugal—hides a forest unlike any other. On its northern slopes lies Fanal Forest, where veils of mist drift through centuries-old til trees. These are part of the Laurissilva of Madeira—an outstanding relict of a once widespread laurel forest type. Laurissilva is the largest surviving area of its kind, with about 90% considered primary forest. Home to a unique array of plants and animals, including endemic species such as the Madeiran long-toed pigeon, it remains a living museum of natural history.Desktop Version
The Gothic Gate in the Adršpach-Teplice Rocks, Czechia
The Gothic Gate in the Adršpach-Teplice Rocks, Czechia
From 18th-century visitors to fire-carved trails, this rock city tells a story of survival. Hidden in Czechia"s Hradec Králové Region, the Adršpach–Teplice Rocks form Central Europe"s largest sandstone labyrinth. For centuries, the cliffs and passages lay cloaked in forest, until a great fire stripped the land bare. Arches, towers, and winding corridors emerged out of the ashes, and the first hiking paths were carved into the rock. Soon after, explorers and poets left their marks with stone inscriptions that captured a destination both wild and enchanting.Desktop Version
Thick-billed raven, Simien Mountains, Ethiopia
Thick-billed raven, Simien Mountains, Ethiopia
Perched high in the mountains of Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Somalia, the thick-billed raven holds the title of the world"s largest raven. At nearly 28 inches in length and weighing more than 3 pounds, it is about a quarter heavier than the common raven. Its enormous, arched bill—pale at the base and close to 3.5 inches long—is the largest among perching birds. These ravens live mostly between 5,000 and 11,200 feet above sea level, found across farmland, rocky cliffs, and even rooftops in mountain towns.Desktop Version
National Pumpkin Day
National Pumpkin Day
Nothing says fall like spotting a field full of pumpkins waiting to be picked. These gourds have rolled their way into pies, porches, lattes, and parades, but today they get the spotlight: It"s National Pumpkin Day. Some places go all out to show their affection—Morton, Illinois, calls itself the "Pumpkin Capital of the World," thanks to its high production and ties to canned pumpkin. New Hampshire follows closely, with pumpkin as its official state fruit.Desktop Version
Martimoaapa Mire Reserve, Finland
Martimoaapa Mire Reserve, Finland
Today, we step into the Martimoaapa Mire Reserve in Finland, where wide, cold-climate wetlands and peatlands stretch across a landscape shaped over thousands of years. This reserve is more than just mires—it carries layers of history. During Finland"s Prohibition era (1919–1932), smugglers hauled sacks of liquor from Sweden across these bogs, following a "spirits" route that passed through Martimoaapa. Parts of that path can still be traced today. Imagine trekking with a heavy pack over soggy ground—would you have made it?Desktop Version
Night view of the RMS Queen Mary, Long Beach, California
Night view of the RMS Queen Mary, Long Beach, California
She was never meant to fade away. When the RMS Queen Mary sailed in 1936, she stole the spotlight across the Atlantic—an Art Deco liner that broke speed records and carried celebrities, royalty, and dignitaries. War transformed her from a floating palace into the "Grey Ghost," stripped of luxury and loaded with Allied troops. In 1967, after 30 years at sea, she retired to Long Beach, where her decks now serve as hotel corridors, guided exhibits, and a living monument to maritime history.Desktop Version