Bing wallpaper for mobile

Hottest Latest
Yarn bombing in the village of Gurnard, England
Yarn bombing in the village of Gurnard, England
Yarn bombing–also called guerilla knitting, yarnstorming, or kniffiti–brings a warm and fuzzy bent to modern street art. Artists use knitted materials to cover outdoor fixtures such as lamp posts, park benches, and manhole covers–often anonymously. This knitted ‘fungus’ is on a tree in Gurnard, a village on the Isle of Wight.Desktop Version
Not your average sandcastle
Not your average sandcastle
Memorial Day is the unofficial start of summer, so of course we’re heading to the beach—the city beaches of Valencia, Spain. Valencia is famous for its beautiful, golden sand beaches, where people build incredible sand sculptures, like this one on Malvarrosa Beach. An elaborate sand sculpture can take over a week and multiple people to build. In fact, the world’s tallest sandcastle reached over 50 feet into the sky. But if you’ve got the time, sand, and water, you too can build a cool sandcastle.Desktop Version
Enter the magical world of Livraria Lello
Enter the magical world of Livraria Lello
How will you celebrate International Literacy Day today? We"re highlighting this important observance with a photo of a very special bookstore, Livraria Lello in Porto, Portugal. With its art nouveau façade, neo-Gothic interior, stained-glass ceiling, swooping catwalks, and the dramatic, curvaceous staircase with crimson steps, the Lello is considered one of the most beautiful—and among the oldest—bookstores in the world. The Lello bookstore opened in 1906 and has been serving up the magic of books ever since.Desktop Version
National Park Week: Olympic National Park, Washington
National Park Week: Olympic National Park, Washington
The final day of National Park Week brings us to Ruby Beach, a coastal destination named for its sparkly sand, at Washington’s Olympic National Park. Here on the Olympic Peninsula you’ll find rugged beaches, glacier-topped mountains, and temperate rainforests that receive upwards of 12 feet of rainfall per year. All that rain feeds the mosses, lichens, and ferns that lend the forests a unique, jungle-like quality. Thanks for exploring national parks with us for the past week–it’s been fun!Desktop Version
It s Slovenia s Independence and Unity Day
It s Slovenia s Independence and Unity Day
Today we"re featuring an image of the Slovenian village of Praprotno and its Church of St. Thomas for the country"s Independence and Unity Day. On December 26, 1990, the results of a Slovenian vote on the country"s independence were announced. More than 95 percent of voters answered "Yes" to the question: Should the Republic of Slovenia become an independent and sovereign state?Desktop Version
Combating extinction with citizen science
Combating extinction with citizen science
Just as every human has a unique set of fingerprints, each zebra has a subtly different pattern of stripes–and that trait is proving valuable in a new conservation effort. A nonprofit conservation project called Wildbook utilizes crowdsourced photos to identify and track individual animals that belong to threatened species. But it doesn’t just identify zebras. The effort extends to whale sharks, manta rays, giraffes and more. This new technology provides a non-invasive way to study the species over time. We’re fans of the project, especially since it helps friends like our Grévy"s zebra, which is endangered.Desktop Version
King of the dinosaurs
King of the dinosaurs
No other dinosaur has quite the notoriety of the Tyrannosaurus rex. The species gained widespread popularity in 1905, when a New York Times article hailed it as "the king of all kings in the domain of animal life," and the "absolute warlord of the earth." The so-called "tyrant lizard" has been a star ever since, regularly appearing in film, TV, literature, and—for some of us—nightmares.Desktop Version
Floating temples in the Land of Smiles
Floating temples in the Land of Smiles
Greetings from northern Thailand, near the city of Lampang, where the mountain peaks have been majestically transformed with the addition of these golden and white "floating" stupas and pagodas. Their construction was a monumental effort, with materials hauled up in pieces by around 50 workers under the direction of a Lampang monk over the course of two years. The resulting temple complex of Wat Chaloem Phra Kiat Phrachomklao Rachanusorn is off the beaten path and requires a half-mile stair climb in what can be punishing heat.Desktop Version
Happy trees = Clean air
Happy trees = Clean air
We’re gazing up at the tree canopy in the Tambopata National Reserve of the Peruvian Amazon. The Amazon rainforest covers 60 percent of Peru’s total landmass, stretching over 37,000 square miles.Desktop Version
Reflecting on one of the world s strangest rivers
Reflecting on one of the world s strangest rivers
If you like your landscapes on the surreal side, then this weird and wonderful river in the Andalusia region of southwestern Spain should be to your liking. The Rio Tinto (Red River) gets its name from the reddish hue of its water, caused by high levels of iron and sulfur, which make it very acidic. This unusual chemical makeup may or may not be a result of the area"s long history of mining, which dates back at least 5,000 years. Ancient residents like the Tartessians and Romans dug here for copper, silver, and gold, as well as the mineral pyrite, commonly referred to as "fool"s gold." Legend has it that the Rio Tinto was the site of the fabled mines of King Solomon.Desktop Version
Dressed for winter fun
Dressed for winter fun
Native to North America, mountain goats spend much of the year scaling peaks from south-central Alaska down to the northern Rockies. They tend to live at high altitudes, often above 13,000 feet, where their sure-footed climbing ability allows them to clamber up extraordinarily steep, rocky slopes. In the winter, they"ll migrate down to slightly lower elevations to seek shelter in subalpine forests with south-facing rocky ledges, where the sun and relentless winds keep ice to a minimum. Here, they forage for lichen, mosses, grasses, and other greens. Their woolly, two-layered coats keep them toasty as temperatures dip, which is probably why even in the chill of western Montana this young mountain goat—or kid—appears to be having a ball. Enjoying winter is all about how you dress.Desktop Version
How Quảng Ngãi got its grove back
How Quảng Ngãi got its grove back
Could these humble rows of trees prevent a natural disaster? The Vietnamese government hopes so. Mangrove forests like Bàu Cá Cái in coastal Vietnam"s Quảng Ngãi province are an important shield against destructive typhoons that rock the coast each year. Unfortunately, mangrove trees have been depleted over the years by population growth, climate change, and increased use of waters for fish farming. Plantings at Bàu Cá Cái—outlined by bamboo frames to create the neat patterns seen here—have been part of a major initiative to regenerate nearly 10,000 acres of mangrove forest around the country.Desktop Version
In the Supertree Grove
In the Supertree Grove
Every August 9, the streets of Singapore fill with revelers celebrating the anniversary of the city-state"s independence from Malaysia in 1965. Like patriotic events in other nations, Singapore"s National Day features parades, speeches from political leaders, and fireworks. This year also marks the 200th anniversary of the first British colonial outpost in what would become modern-day Singapore.Desktop Version
Mysterious prairie mounds abound
Mysterious prairie mounds abound
Collections of these dome-like hills are common in landscapes throughout the United States. Depending on your region, you might know them as Mima mounds, hogwallow mounds, or even pimple mounds–and their origin isn’t always clear. Theories range from seismic activity to gophers—and even just an accumulation of sediment. The prairie mounds on our homepage today are part of Oregon’s Zumwalt Prairie, a protected grassland area in northeast Oregon. Encompassing some 330,000 acres, it’s of one of the largest remaining tracts of bunchgrass prairie in North America. Once part of an extensive grassland in the region, this portion has remained preserved due to its high elevation, which made farming difficult.Desktop Version
Wyoming celebrates its statehood
Wyoming celebrates its statehood
On this day in 1890 Wyoming became the 44th state in the US, which is good news for wilderness fanatics. Wyoming is home to iconic outdoor spaces such as the Tetons, Devils Tower, the Black Hills, and Yellowstone. Shown here is Bridger Wilderness, part of Bridger-Teton National Forest, named for the famous frontiersman Jim Bridger. Bridger was a trapper, explorer, and wilderness guide who is often called the ‘Daniel Boone’ of the Rockies. He’s credited with discovering Wyoming’s Bridger Pass as well as being the first European American to see the Great Salt Lake. And it’s not just the state’s spectacular landscape that sets it apart—Wyoming Territory granted women the right to vote in 1869, earlier than anywhere else in the country. And in 1924, the people of Wyoming elected the nation’s first female governor. Here’s to you, Equality State!Desktop Version
Mercury in retrograde
Mercury in retrograde
Today we"re traveling to outer space to catch a glimpse of the Caloris Basin on the planet Mercury. This small planet—about the size of Earth"s moon—is riddled with craters, but none as spectacular as the Caloris Basin. One of the largest impact craters in the solar system, Caloris is about 950 miles across and ringed by mile-high mountains.Desktop Version
Reflecting on fall
Reflecting on fall
Some of the best things about fall in many parts of the country are the amazing colorful displays across the landscape. While the trees here in Beaver Lake Nature Center, near Syracuse, New York, are already bare, the autumn ferns cast a radiant reflection on the water. This 661-acre natural area contains a 200-acre glacial lake that draws migrating Canada geese to its shores. Visitors may also see more than 200 other species of birds and over 800 varieties of plants. The nature center is a destination for cross-country skiing in the winter, while the summer months are popular for kayaking and canoeing.Desktop Version
Fashion models of the avian world
Fashion models of the avian world
Striking plumage, dramatic tail feathers, long down-curved bills, that indefinable certain something… You can see why bee-eaters are considered among the most beautiful of birds—and highly prized by photographers. There are about 25 species of bee-eaters that live throughout tropical and subtropical parts of Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia. They"re medium-sized and both males and females sport similar jewel-toned plumage. This group perching in Mkomazi National Park in Tanzania is mostly made up of the northern carmine variety—with blue-green heads and mostly red bodies—plus a few European bee-eaters seemingly for accent color.Desktop Version
Bridges to the past
Bridges to the past
The story of this sandstone formation in southeastern Utah"s Natural Bridges National Monument begins around 10 million years ago. That"s when tectonic shifts began slowly lifting what is now the 130,000-square-mile Colorado Plateau above the surrounding plains. In ensuing eons, the Colorado River"s many streams eroded the elevated land, threading it with deep canyons. When water broke through one canyon wall into another canyon, sometimes a natural bridge like this one remained above the breach.Desktop Version
Tokyo welcomes a futuristic new art museum
Tokyo welcomes a futuristic new art museum
You’re looking at ‘Forest of Resonating Lamps,’ an art exhibit in the newly opened Mori Building Digital Art Museum in Tokyo’s Odaiba area, a manmade island in Tokyo Bay. The futuristic facility is making headlines this summer for its unique format. The venue features exclusively digital art–some 50 exhibits that are displayed throughout the 10,000-square-foot space to create an immersive, borderless experience. More than 500 computers and 470 projectors are used to create an ethereal effect. In "Forest of Resonating Lamps," hundreds of lamps dangle from the ceiling and light up in response to movement in the room.Desktop Version
Baddest of the badlands
Baddest of the badlands
Heading west on Interstate 90, peek out the driver"s side when you"re about three-quarters of the way across South Dakota. It"s the first clue you"ve entered the Wild West: the expansive, layered landscape of Badlands National Park. It"s enjoyed government protection since 1939, first as a national monument and more completely after it was upgraded to national park status on this day in 1978. The park protects 244,000 acres of dramatically eroded bedrock replete with fossil beds—as well as the nation"s largest mixed-grass prairie, hosting bison, prairie dogs, and endangered black-footed ferrets.Desktop Version
The stylish Spanish shawl
The stylish Spanish shawl
Today we"re meeting one of a motley group of sea slugs called the nudibranchs (rhymes with "thanks"), known for their unique, often complex shapes and neon-bright colors that help discourage predators. The Spanish shawl"s fire-orange mane is made up of tendrils called cerata that mainly act as gills. But that mane also retains venom from the slug"s prey—sea anemones—treating any would-be devourers to a painful sting. Should a ravenous sea star disregard these defenses and get too close for comfort, the Spanish shawl has a Plan B: By flapping its whole 2- to 3-inch body like a gelatinous wing, the nudibranch can flutter into open water for a quick escape.Desktop Version
When in Rome...celebrate Saturnalia
When in Rome...celebrate Saturnalia
We"re looking at the Temple of Saturn, one of the oldest structures of the Forum in Rome. It was here that ancient Romans began their celebrations of Saturnalia, which started on December 17. Both the temple and the festival are dedicated to the agricultural god Saturn, whose reign was associated with a golden age of prosperity and peace. Saturnalia festivities kicked off with a sacrifice at the temple, followed by a public banquet and a week of general merrymaking. Activities included gambling, eating, drinking, and playing music. Businesses and schools closed, and even slaves were free from work and allowed to participate in the festivities. Many Saturnalia customs evolved into Christmas traditions, such as gift giving, decorating homes with wreaths, and drinking spiced wine.Desktop Version
Honoring the first American woman in space
Honoring the first American woman in space
This far-out image of the Sahara Desert was photographed from space via the Sally Ride EarthKAM, a camera aboard the International Space Station. The EarthKAM is programmed remotely by middle school students as part of an educational program established by Sally Ride, the first American woman to travel to space. Ride’s first trip to space was in 1983. On May 26, her birthday, we remember her legacy.Desktop Version
High alpine color in Colorado
High alpine color in Colorado
Songstress Dolly Parton once sang "wildflowers don"t care where they grow," but we gotta believe the wildflowers growing in Colorado"s American Basin, shown here, are pretty delighted with their surroundings. American Basin is in the San Juan Mountains in the southern part of the state, about a five-hour drive from Denver. Visitors here will find rocky cliffs, streams, unique rock formations, and some spectacular wildflowers. July and August are the best months to see the blooms—it"s the time of year when you"ll reliably spot the Rocky Mountain columbine (Colorado"s state flower), elephant"s head, Parry"s primrose, and marsh marigold. Bring us back a bouquet, all right?Desktop Version