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In praise of the pipes
In praise of the pipes
International Bagpipe Day invites musicians to get out and play their pipes—anywhere, and for anyone. We’re guessing that the distinctive roof of the Sydney Opera House is off-limits to most, but these pipers are members of the Royal Highland Fusiliers, an infantry battalion in the Royal Regiment of Scotland, and surely that comes with privileges. It’s commonly believed that bagpipes originated in Scotland, but evidence suggests that the instrument may have first been played in the Middle East some 3,000 years ago. That’s right, the piping tradition predates tartans and kilts.Desktop Version
Nazar amulets, Goreme National Park, Cappadocia, Turkey
Nazar amulets, Goreme National Park, Cappadocia, Turkey
If you’re superstitious, you’re likely to recognize these eye-shaped amulets, called nazars, from Turkey. They’re said to ward off the ‘evil eye,’ a curse of misfortune that’s cast by a malevolent glare. These nazars decorate the branches of a tree in Georeme National Park in the Cappadocia region of Turkey, a landscape known for unusual rock formations and extensive underground cities built during the Byzantine era. The dwellings protected residents from hostile invaders, who may or may not have delivered evil curses.Desktop Version
Siblings that play together…
Siblings that play together…
It"s Siblings Day, "a day to honor, celebrate and memorialize all brothers and sisters, and the bond that is forever a special gift," according to the Siblings Day Foundation. Though it"s not a federal holiday in the US, 49 states have issued proclamations recognizing Siblings Day (come on, California!). Relationships between siblings can, of course, be complicated, whether you"re looking as far back as Cain and Abel or as recently as the Kardashians" latest spat. But siblings also share a unique bond. These male lion cubs in Kenya"s Samburu National Reserve embody both sides of the relationship as they playfully wrestle. Chasing and tackling each other, they"re also developing strength, coordination, and mental and social skills—just like you and your siblings might have.Desktop Version
Visiting a Maratha fortress
Visiting a Maratha fortress
To celebrate India’s independence on Republic Day today, we take you to Rajgad Fort near Pune, India. In the 17th century, this fort near the west coast of India was the capital of the Maratha Empire. Today it’s the reward for a long hike to the top, where some visitors opt to spend the night—a sprawling relic of India’s history, Rajgad Fort is worth exploring for more than a day.Desktop Version
Lionfish off the coast of Indonesia
Lionfish off the coast of Indonesia
Native to the waters of the Indo-Pacific region, the 12 recognized species of lionfish all sport venomous spikes in their fin rays. Their wild coloration acts as a warning to predators: Eat at your own risk. But across the eastern seaboard of the United States, there’s a campaign encouraging humans to eat lionfish. Why? Because at some point in the 1990s, one or more species of lionfish was introduced to the waters of the Atlantic, Caribbean, and Gulf of Mexico. The invasive lionfish will eat nearly anything they can, and as a result, are decimating native fish populations. Would you eat a lionfish? (Properly prepared, of course.)Desktop Version
Let the harvest begin
Let the harvest begin
It’s late summer in Argentina—harvest time for the nation’s grape crop. Though mechanical grape harvesters have been available since the 1960s, many wineries still prefer to handpick grapes to ensure gentler handling and a higher-quality grape selection. Both methods seem to work well in Mendoza; the region has become the largest wine producer in Argentina, best known for its high-altitude malbec wines made from grapes grown in the foothills of the Andes. Salud!Desktop Version
A view from the top
A view from the top
The Aiguille du Midi in eastern France is one of many peaks in the Mont Blanc massif, an Alpine range that stretches across the border into Italy and Switzerland. In 1909, an aerial tramway was proposed to take tourists from Chamonix, the valley town below, to the top of the Aiguille du Midi—a plan finally realized in 1955. The cable cars and viewing platform were upgraded most recently in 2012, and a new feature called ‘Step into the Void’ was added. It allows tourists to stand in a glass room jutting out from the mountain and look down through the glass floor with more than 3,000 feet of free air under their feet.Desktop Version
Stop and see the flowers
Stop and see the flowers
Since its opening in 2013, the Miracle Garden in Dubai has been setting records at a breakneck speed. At 780,000 square feet, the sheer size of this attraction makes it the world’s largest flower garden. With the addition of the Airbus A380 that appears in today"s image, the garden added ‘world"s largest floral installation’ to its achievements in 2016. Most recently, a 59-foot-tall Mickey Mouse helped them nab the tallest supported topiary sculpture record.Desktop Version
Celebrating Take Your Dog to Work Day
Celebrating Take Your Dog to Work Day
If every dog has its day, today may just be yours. Even if you can’t bring your dog to the office today, it’s the perfect time to paws and reflect on the benefits they bring to our lives. Proponents of Take Your Dog to Work Day, now in its 20th year, say canine companions reduce stress in the workplace and make for cheerful employees. Sounds like a win-win—now can you fetch me a coffee and a beagle? (Sorry, we couldn’t resist.)Desktop Version
The Twin Cities celebrate Pride
The Twin Cities celebrate Pride
June is Pride month, and cities across the nation are celebrating the LGBTQ community. Here in Minneapolis, the Interstate 35W Bridge is lit up with rainbow colors—a longtime symbol of gay pride. The rainbow flag first debuted 40 years ago, in 1978, after San Francisco city supervisor Harvey Milk suggested that designer Gilbert Baker create a flag for the San Francisco Gay Freedom Day Parade. Baker, who died last year, once said he was inspired by rainbows because they’re part of nature, and representative of everyone.Desktop Version
Rocky mountain pi
Rocky mountain pi
It’s Pi Day, the day we celebrate the mathematical constant π. This day was chosen since today’s date expressed numerically (in US format) matches the number’s first digits, 3.14. Pi represents the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter. It can be used to compute the area and circumference of a circle, such as the crop patterns we"re looking at here in Colorado. (Who said math wasn"t useful in the real world?) Many towns, schools, and museums mark the day with festivities based around mathematics and, of course, serving pie. We can’t think of a more delicious way to study geometry.Desktop Version
On the Route of the Waterfalls
On the Route of the Waterfalls
Coursing down the steep slopes of the Andes, the Pastaza River meets the edge of the Amazon jungle when it"s forced through a narrow channel that concentrates the river"s power like a firehose. The roiling torrent then shoots over the edge of this mountainside, plunging 200 feet into a cauldron-shaped pool. Agoyán, better known as El Pailón del Diablo (The Devil"s Cauldron), is Ecuador"s tallest and most famous waterfall. It"s a highlight of the Ruta de las Cascadas (Route of the Waterfalls), a popular circuit of the many waterfalls and hot springs near the mountain town of Baños de Agua Santa.Desktop Version
An island oasis in the Indian Ocean
An island oasis in the Indian Ocean
Ah, what it must be like to feel the sand under your feet on the beaches of La Digue, one of the islands of the Republic of Seychelles. The islands that make up the Seychelles lay far out in the western waters of the Indian Ocean—the closest mainland is the east coast of Africa, more than 900 miles to the west, and the island nation of Madagascar lies nearly as far to the south. But why go anywhere else when you can wander the beach and romp in the surf in the Seychelles—and perhaps even see an Aldabra giant tortoise in its natural habitat. You know what? We’re going to start packing right now…Desktop Version
It’s Art Deco Weekend in Miami
It’s Art Deco Weekend in Miami
We’re getting Don Johnson vibes from this image of Miami’s iconic Ocean Drive. It’s a landmark that’s appeared in many TV shows and movies over the years while also being home to celebrities like Gianni Versace. This weekend the city is celebrating the neighborhood’s distinct architecture. Art Deco Weekend is a long-running, free community festival that shines a light on the unique architecture here on Ocean Drive and throughout the Miami Beach Architectural District, better known as the Miami Art Deco District. Art Deco style, which reached its peak in the 1920s in the United States, is known for streamlined designs and symmetrical geometric figures, a look that pairs nicely with Miami’s ocean views.Desktop Version
Alpine marmots at Hohe Tauern National Park, Austria
Alpine marmots at Hohe Tauern National Park, Austria
Are these two alpine marmots waiting to hear news of spring from their distant American relative, the groundhog Punxsutawney Phil? Truth be told, here in the snowy Eastern Alps of Austria, most marmots will likely sleep through Groundhog Day, which is celebrated in the United States and Canada each year on February 2. Alpine marmots hibernate for up to nine months a year in underground burrows, relying on fat reserves to stay alive. During this time, their heart rate lowers to 5 beats per minute and they breathe just 1 to 3 times per minute. Sleep well, little friends.Desktop Version
Feelin groovy on Record Store Day
Feelin groovy on Record Store Day
Record stores are more than just places to buy music. They create communities where music fans can browse titles, discover new sounds, and connect with each other. Record Store Day started in 2008 to celebrate the culture of independently owned record stores and the people behind them. Since then it’s grown into an international event with special vinyl and CD releases, live performances, and a designated artist ambassador. This year"s ambassador is Pearl Jam, and the hundreds of special releases include a picture disc of the "Bohemian Rhapsody" soundtrack. Visit your local record store and see what you can discover—today or any day.Desktop Version
Meet our fuzzy Earth Day mascot
Meet our fuzzy Earth Day mascot
Earth Day brings us to Midway Atoll in the Pacific Ocean, where this fuzzy Laysan albatross chick is taking in its surroundings. The chick’s home, unfortunately, has a plastic problem. Midway Atoll is part of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, not far from the giant gyre of marine debris known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. It’s been estimated that some 100 pounds of plastic wash up on Midway Atoll each week, and most of the albatross population has ingested it (they confuse the brightly colored pieces with marine life). For chicks, eating the plastic often proves fatal. But one resilient Laysan albatross named Wisdom has become a symbol of hope. At 68 years old, Wisdom is the oldest known wild bird in the world–and as of 2018 she was still laying eggs. Sounds like a perfect Earth Day mascot.Desktop Version
Snow on the temple
Snow on the temple
One hundred years ago today, the Grand Canyon was designated as a national park. To celebrate, we’re at the North Rim—one of the only portions of the park that get snow every winter. The snow causes the National Park Service to close the North Rim during winter months, so few visitors get to see in person such incredible views as the Isis Temple dusted in winter white. Numerous geologic formations at the North Rim have names referencing mythologies and faiths from around the world. (Vishnu Basement Rocks are nearby.) The ‘temple’ at Isis Temple is an erosion-resistant stone at the top of the mound.Desktop Version
A plot was afoot
A plot was afoot
We"re at the Roman Forum for the ides of March, a day made famous by the assassination of Julius Caesar. While Shakespeare"s Caesar was warned to "beware the ides of March," historians have never attributed the phrase to those who tipped off the actual Caesar about a plot against him. But we do know that before March 15, 44 BCE was over, Caesar was assassinated. Afterward, Rome descended into war, ending the Roman Republic and leading to the rise of the Roman Empire.Desktop Version
A universe underground
A universe underground
When Vietnamese farmer Hồ Khanh stumbled upon this cave in 1991, it was immediately clear the gaping mouth led to a huge, dark, untouched chamber, complete with a free-flowing underground river. What couldn"t have been apparent to him then was that this cave, now known as Sơn Đoòng, is by far the world"s largest by volume.Desktop Version
The Big Blue of the Sierra
The Big Blue of the Sierra
High in the Sierra Nevada, straddling the border between Nevada and California, you"ll find the largest alpine lake in North America, Lake Tahoe—sometimes called Big Blue. Seventy-two miles in circumference, with an average depth of 1,000 feet, it has the sixth-largest volume of any lake in the US—only the Great Lakes are larger. For at least 6,000 years, the territory of the Washoe people centered around Lake Tahoe, but the arrival of non-native people in the 19th century led to a series of armed conflicts and eventual loss of land to farms and townships.Desktop Version
A story of wind and ice
A story of wind and ice
The extreme weather atop New Hampshire’s Mount Washington is a combination of the peak’s 6,288-foot elevation and its position between three storm fronts, from the Atlantic, the Gulf region, and the Pacific Northwest. Our photo today shows the Mount Washington Observatory, a private, non-profit weather and climate research facility at the summit. Two crews of scientists alternate living here every other week. For most of the winter, rime ice covers the observatory, as sub-zero water droplets instantly freeze on contact with the building façade. Not only is it cold up here; the winds can be ferocious. It was on this day in 1934 that instruments at the observatory clocked a wind speed of 231 mph. That was the fastest recorded wind speed in the world, until the record was broken in 1996 by Cyclone Olivia on Barrow Island, off the coast of Western Australia.Desktop Version
Over and under the delta
Over and under the delta
This ambitious construction project in China connects three major cities (Hong Kong, Macau, and Zuhai) on the Pearl River Delta. The Hong Kong-Zuhai-Macau Bridge (HZMB) includes three cable bridges, and a tunnel—similar to the Chunnel between England and France—that takes commuters below the delta’s waters. The HZMB is currently the world’s longest sea-spanning bridge, with a combined length of more than 34 miles. Originally set to open in 2016, it was finally completed and open to traffic in October 2018. Would you take a ride through the tunnel under the waters of the Pearl River Delta?Desktop Version
St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland
St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland
For centuries, St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland was not a loud, celebratory holiday, but more of a quiet observance of the feast day on March 17. It didn’t become an official public holiday in Ireland until 1903. Then in 1996, the capital city of Dublin started embracing the way St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated in the US and other places outside Ireland with large Irish populations: It began hosting a festival that’s become so popular, even government agencies housed in Dublin’s Government Buildings—seen in our photo today—get in on the fun by bathing their building’s façade in green light. A big parade and performances celebrating Irish culture are the order of the day here and at St. Patrick’s festivals throughout the country.Desktop Version
Cherry blossoms at the National Mall, Washington, DC
Cherry blossoms at the National Mall, Washington, DC
This week marks the start of the National Cherry Blossom Festival, which commemorates the gift of 3,000 cherry trees from Japan to the city of Washington, DC, in 1912. The National Park Service says that during a two-week period each spring, the festival draws more than one million visitors to the National Mall, aka America’s Front Yard. In Japan, the custom of picnicking under the cherry blossoms is known as ‘hanami,’ and it’s said to be more spectacular at night, when revelers hang lanterns from the tree branches to illuminate the blooms.Desktop Version