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Christmas Tree Point Road and Twin Peaks, San Francisco
Christmas Tree Point Road and Twin Peaks, San Francisco
Panoramic views await at the dual peaks of Noe and Eureka, which rise nearly 1,000 feet above San Francisco. Known as Twin Peaks, this landmark provides habitat for a special species--the Mission blue butterfly. Only a handful of places in the world support these endangered little blues, and all are here in the Bay Area. Most of their grassland habitat has been destroyed.Desktop Version
The frog prince?
The frog prince?
Perched among the petals of a purple water lily, we think this petite tree frog makes a fine mascot for National Frog Month. The annual event celebrates frogs around the world, all 4,000+ species. Among the various kinds, the little green tree frog is commonly found in the backyards and water features of the southeastern United States. It was named the official state amphibian of both Louisiana and Georgia. Not bad for a little tree frog who likes flowers.Desktop Version
A towering view of the Pale Mountains
A towering view of the Pale Mountains
Behold the Tre Cime di Lavaredo, some of the most iconic peaks of the Dolomites range in the Italian Alps. The Dolomites, aka the "Pale Mountains," are named for the light-colored stone (dolomite) of the jagged range. This is the view from the highest point of a trail that encircles these three dramatic peaks. Usually mobbed with tourists in the summertime, autumn and spring offer a chance for a more tranquil amble along the 6-mile trail. The hike manages to reveal one stunning view after another with each turn of the route. Along the way, the hiker will pass three "rifugios," traditional Alpine shelters that offer drinks and meals, and even beds to stay the night.Desktop Version
The monsoon arrives in the desert
The monsoon arrives in the desert
Lightning strikes are common during the summer monsoon in southwestern US states and northwestern Mexico. In Arizona and New Mexico, powerful thunderstorms roll in most every afternoon from early July until mid-September. Here, in the Sonoran Desert north of Tucson, Arizona, severe weather over saguaro cactus makes for a dramatic scene.Desktop Version
Back on the rise
Back on the rise
This beautiful lake in northwestern Iran has had a rough couple of decades. Until around 1995, Lake Urmia was one of the 10 largest saltwater lakes on Earth, and the center of a thriving resort scene. Then drought, rising temperatures, water overuse, and the building of a causeway across the lake reduced it to less than 10% of its size by the 2010s.Desktop Version
Into the woods
Into the woods
On this day in 1908, President Theodore Roosevelt declared 554 acres in Marin County, California, a national monument. William and Elizabeth Kent, who donated the land, insisted the monument be named after naturalist John Muir, the environmentalist known as the "father of the national parks." Part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Muir Woods is best known for its old-growth coastal redwood forests, which make up more than half its land. The redwoods in the monument are 600-800 years old, on average, with the oldest being at least 1,200. The tallest tree is about 258 feet, though redwoods grow as high as 379 feet farther north. Redwoods are an important part of the forest ecosystem. They absorb and "strip" moisture from fog, which then drips into the ground, supporting the trees as well as other forest life.Desktop Version
Flying high on National Bird Day
Flying high on National Bird Day
On National Bird Day, we"re looking at two red-fronted macaws. These birds are endangered, but they"re not hard to find at the Red-Fronted Macaw Nature Reserve in Bolivia, where this picture was taken. They"re easiest to spot during breeding season, which runs from November to May, and they usually fly in pairs or larger groups. National Bird Day is observed on January 5, which coincides with the end of the Christmas Bird Count—a citizen survey that looks at native bird populations in the US. National Bird Day puts the focus on birds around the world, especially those threatened with extinction due to the pet trade, habitat loss, and climate change.Desktop Version
Watch your step
Watch your step
For Waitangi Day, we’re on New Zealand’s South Island, where a limestone formation known as the Pancake Rocks buffers the land and sea. Waitangi Day is New Zealand’s national day, established to commemorate the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi on February 6, 1840. The document was signed by representatives of the British Crown and some 500 Māori chiefs to establish British law on the islands. The treaty also created the framework for political relations between New Zealand’s government and the indigenous Māori people. It’s considered New Zealand’s founding document and a cornerstone in the country’s history.Desktop Version
Halo around the sun
Halo around the sun
What do you call a rainbow formed by ice? An icebow, of course. Others call the phenomenon a halo, and we"ll admit it does have a mystical aura. Halos can occur when ice crystals suspended in the air refract light into a colorful ring around the bright sun. That"s what"s happening in the cold atmosphere here in the Ore Mountains along the Czech-German border. It"s a perfect complement to the snow angels you"re yearning to make in this pristine blanket of white.Desktop Version
A different kind of dive
A different kind of dive
Our homepage divers are descending the clear turquoise waters of a cenote on Mexico"s Yucatán Peninsula. A cenote is a sinkhole that"s created when limestone bedrock collapses and exposes the groundwater underneath, creating pools of fresh water that delight swimmers, and even cave divers like those on our homepage. They"re diving in "El Pit" cenote, part of a flooded cave system near Tulum. It"s one of thousands of cenotes documented on the Yucatán, and a popular spot for divers who come to swim through the brilliant sunbeams.Desktop Version
The mountain of 30,000 sakura
The mountain of 30,000 sakura
Mount Yoshino ranks as one of the best places in Japan to immerse yourself in the spring cherry blossom season. Over 30,000 flowering Japanese cherry trees, or sakura, grow in four main groves on the hillside. Because the trees, some planted over 1,300 years ago, grow at different elevations, the cherry blossom front gradually moves up the mountain in a slow, fragrant wave as the season progresses. Peak bloom usually arrives between early and mid-April. Most years, crowds wander through the town of Yoshino, visiting its traditional temples and shrines, before admiring the profusion of cherry blossoms, a custom known as hanami. Of course, we can practice hanami virtually with pictures. But if you"re lucky enough to have a blooming cherry tree near you, we encourage you to pause and breathe the moment in.Desktop Version
A hidden jewel in Croatia
A hidden jewel in Croatia
Today we"re walking out into the winter wonderland of Plitvice Lakes National Park, the oldest and largest national park in Croatia. More than a million tourists per year flock to this central mountainous region, renowned for its cascading waterfalls and 16 turquoise-colored lakes. These wooden pathways meander for miles around and above the lakes, beside waterfalls and over streams and rivers, which disappear into the moss-covered earth only to burst through again somewhere downstream. In fact, the lakes are all interconnected by underground flows and are separated from each other by natural dams of travertine.Desktop Version
The Lena Delta Wildlife Reserve in Siberia, Russia
The Lena Delta Wildlife Reserve in Siberia, Russia
At 5,530 square miles, the Lena Reserve is one of the largest protected lands in Russia. This is a ‘false-color’ image of the massive Lena River basin, taken by the Landsat 7 satellite. The colors were created by capturing infrared, shortwave infrared, and red wavelengths—the combination of light waves enhances the view of various topographical features. The Lena Delta Wildlife Reserve is home to numerous vital bird species, and various terrestrial wildlife adapted to the rugged Siberian wilderness.Desktop Version
A leafy seadragon in the waters off Wool Bay, Australia
A leafy seadragon in the waters off Wool Bay, Australia
Australia’s southern coast is leafy seadragon territory, so it’s the place to go if you want to see the camouflaged critter in its native habitat. This amazing specimen was photographed near Wool Bay. The leafy seadragon has evolved to resemble seaweed as a way to fool predators. It’s a relative of the seahorse, but isn’t quite the swimmer that its cousin is, so the camouflage gives it a big advantage.Desktop Version
Embracing the cold
Embracing the cold
We’re in St. Paul, Minnesota, for day seven of the Winter Carnival—an 11-day celebration of all the fun you can have during the cold winter months. In 1885, a journalist from New York who had visited St. Paul called it ‘another Siberia, unfit for human habitation.’ This news prompted the people of St. Paul to create the Winter Carnival, which debuted in 1886. When the temperature is cold enough, carnival organizers build a massive ice palace, whose ice-block walls frame the Landmark Center clock tower in our photo today.Desktop Version
Field of Light at Sensorio by Bruce Munro
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
Earthrise on Moon Day
Earthrise on Moon Day
Only two dozen people have ever personally witnessed the Earth rising over the lunar surface: the crews of Apollo 8 through 17. Those 24 astronauts are also the only humans to leave low-Earth orbit and see the "dark" side of the moon—and only 12 of them walked on its surface.Desktop Version
The fantastic winter fox
The fantastic winter fox
Animals have many adaptations for winter weather, such as migration, hibernation, and growing thick fur. For the small but mighty Artic fox–the change in seasons means changing colors. Its thick fur coast transitions from brown and gray to a snowy white as a form of camouflage when colder temperatures arrive at its tundra habitat. Other animals that turn white in winter include the snowshoe hair, and several species of weasel–but we’re partial to this noble-looking fox. Stay warm, buddy!Desktop Version
Celebrating National Dentist Day
Celebrating National Dentist Day
If ever there was a perfect mascot for National Dentist Day, celebrated on March 6, it’s the crab-eating macaque. This individual was photographed cleaning its teeth in Malaysia’s Bako National Park. Crab-eating macaques are native to Southeast Asia and they have a proclivity for using tools to forage, eat, and even practice dental hygiene. Scientists have observed them using blades of grass, fibers, and feathers to floss between their teeth. Give this macaque a gold star!Desktop Version
Napping away New Year s Day
Napping away New Year s Day
This mountain hare is starting the year off right. It"s used to cold weather and high altitudes—and, since it"s nocturnal, it"s perfectly comfortable sleeping through an afternoon snowstorm in northeast Scotland. On New Year"s Day, humans in the US are more likely to be found in their natural habitat, the couch, dozing off or perhaps watching one of the college football bowl games on TV. Some more ambitious folks might be getting a jump on their New Year"s resolutions and exercising. First Day Hikes are part of an initiative led by state parks, with hundreds of free guided hikes offered in all 50 states. That sounds great, but maybe a little later. Right now, we think the hare has the right idea.Desktop Version
A Christmas market with a long history
A 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
The rainbow connection
The rainbow connection
April showers bring rainbows, and on April 3, the celebration of Find a Rainbow Day. The rainbow shown here is at Victoria Falls in southern Africa on the Zambezi River, at the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe. Scottish explorer David Livingstone named the falls in honor of Britain"s Queen Victoria, though it"s also still called by its indigenous Lozi language name, Mosi-oa-Tunya, which means "the smoke that thunders." According to some historical records, local villagers described the falls to Livingstone as "Seongo" or "Chongwe," which means "The Place of the Rainbow," since rainbows usually appear in the constant spray. Under a bright moon, the falls will produce a "moonbow."Desktop Version
To Sua Ocean Trench
To 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
The Zugspitze: Germany s highest point
The 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
Atop the Needle of Chamonix
Atop 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