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13 Nov 2024Sea lion in a kelp forest, Baja California, Mexico

Take a stroll along almost any marina from Costa Rica to Alaska, and you"ll likely hear the playful barks of sea lions echo through the air. California sea lions, like the one pictured, are a common sight basking in the sun along the rocky shores of North America"s western coast. These marine mammals, belonging to the pinniped group, are often mistaken for seals. An easy way to distinguish between them is by looking at their ears—sea lions have visible flaps, seals don"t.Desktop Version

19 Jul 2024A young jaguar on a riverbank, Pantanal, Brazil

Spot the wildlife star in today"s image; it"s the jaguar, the largest cat in the Americas, seen here gracing the Pantanal, Brazil. Jaguars arrived in the Americas some 2 million years ago, migrating from Eurasia through the Bering Strait. Today, they inhabit diverse habitats, from the woodlands of southwestern United States to the rainforests of northern Argentina.Desktop Version

13 Mar 2024Lake Magadi, Kenya

What an unearthly view! This aerial photograph shows a flamboyance of lesser flamingos against the backdrop of Lake Magadi in Kenya. The lesser flamingo is one of the six species of flamingos and is known for its vibrant pink plumage and distinctive feeding behaviour. These birds prefer to eat near the surface of the water due to the way their beaks are built. They primarily inhabit African soda lakes that have a high carbonate concentration. Lake Magadi is one of the soda lakes that are brimming with cyanobacteria and algae, providing ample nourishment for the flamingos. The spectacle of thousands of these avian wonders congregating at the lake reveals the importance of these unique ecosystems.Desktop Version

Flying the flag for Pride

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19 Mar 2025A black heron canopy hunting in Botswana

In the world of clever hunting, the black heron rules the roost. This bird thrives in shallow, open waters and at the edges of freshwater lakes and ponds. It"s also commonly spotted in marshes, rice fields, seasonally flooded grasslands and along riverbanks. At first glance, this feathered genius seems like any other wading bird, with its long legs, slender neck and pointed beak that aid in hunting. But when it hunts, this jet-black African species showcases an extraordinary skill—it takes the shape of an umbrella, as seen in today"s image.Desktop Version

12 Dec 2024Poinsettia or Christmas flower

Here"s the red poinsettia, one of the plants synonymous with the holiday season in the United States. With its striking star-shaped leaves, the poinsettia has become a symbol of Christmas cheer, brightening homes and public spaces during winter. Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first US ambassador to Mexico, introduced these vibrant plants to America in the 1820s. He discovered them while exploring the Taxco region in Guerrero. So taken by their beauty, he sent clippings back to his home in Charleston, South Carolina.Desktop Version

7 Apr 2025Happy International Beaver Day!

Today, we celebrate International Beaver Day! Established in 2009 by Beavers Wetlands & Wildlife, this day highlights the vital role beavers play in our ecosystems. Beavers are remarkable creatures known for their dam-building skills, which create wetlands, benefiting numerous species. As North America"s largest rodents, they can grow up to a metre long, not including their distinctive flat tails. Their continuously growing teeth, with thick enamel giving them an orange hue, are essential tools for gnawing on trees—a behaviour that maintains both their dental health and their environment. No wonder their strong choppers make them one of nature"s best engineers.Desktop Version

9 Apr 2025Naxos, Cyclades, Greece

As daylight fades or just before it emerges, the island of Naxos in Greece takes on an azure glow, immersing itself in the magic of the blue hour. When the sun is positioned well below the horizon, during this brief window, the lingering sunlight casts a deep blue hue across the sky.Desktop Version

18 Apr 2025International Day for Monuments and Sites

Imagine a world without the pyramids, the Great Wall or ancient cave cities—hard to picture, right? That"s why April 18 is the International Day for Monuments and Sites, an event recognised by UNESCO dedicated to protecting cultural treasures worldwide. This day is all about celebrating our history, raising awareness about endangered sites and making sure future generations can enjoy them too. A remarkable example is Göreme Historical National Park in Cappadocia, Türkiye. It"s famous for its "fairy chimneys"—towering rock formations shaped by volcanic ash and erosion over thousands of years. People even carved homes, churches and entire underground cities into these soft rock formations, some dating back to the 4th century. Today, it"s a UNESCO World Heritage Site, attracting visitors from around the world.Desktop Version

Teeming with trout

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1 Dec 2024Antarctica Day

Today, Antarctica Day shines a spotlight on one of the world"s most remarkable international agreements—the Antarctic Treaty. Signed in 1959 by 12 nations, this treaty designated the entire continent as a demilitarised zone, with a special focus on promoting scientific research and collaboration. This day honours the spirit of global cooperation, reminding us of the collective responsibility to protect the planet"s last great wilderness.Desktop Version

Mists over the Amazon

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28 Jun 2025Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes in Death Valley National Park, United States

The Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes, located near Stovepipe Wells Village in Death Valley National Park, California, are the most accessible and iconic dunes in the park. They are formed by a combination of eroding mountains to the north that supply sand, prevailing winds that move it and surrounding mountains that trap it from the south—creating a stunning landscape of rippling sand hills. Named after the resilient mesquite trees that grow here, the dunes offer breathtaking views at sunrise and sunset, as well as exceptional stargazing opportunities.Desktop Version

Pier perfect

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2 Apr 2025Sandstone formations in the badlands near Caineville, Utah, United States

Wavy sandstone ridges stretch across the Caineville Badlands, Utah, United States, resembling nature"s brushstrokes on stone. These formations are made of fine-grained sediment that settled in ancient river deltas and inland seas and later hardened into stone. Over time, erosion carved through the layers, exposing flowing, ripple-like patterns. The sedimentary layers tell a story of shifting climates and ancient landscapes. The barren land, seen in today"s image, may appear lifeless, but during early spring, rainfall blankets the terrain with tiny purple and yellow flowers. Light and shadow shift throughout the day, offering photographers and visitors various angles. While much of the terrain remains rugged, some areas offer easy access, allowing visitors to explore without strenuous hiking.Desktop Version

25 Oct 2024Frankenstein Friday

Picture yourself at the highest peak in the Alps, where the air is crisp and the views are breathtaking. The towering presence of Mont Blanc, seen in this image, has left an indelible mark on literature, most notably on Mary Shelley"s "Frankenstein." The last Friday of October is Frankenstein Friday, honouring Shelley"s literary genius and the fascinating creature born from her imagination. "Frankenstein" was conceived during a ghost story challenge. In 1816, an 18-year-old Shelley, along with fellow writers Percy Bysshe Shelley, John Polidori and Lord Byron, spent a stormy summer in Switzerland. There, she penned the tale of Victor Frankenstein and the Creature. A pivotal scene in the novel takes place on a glacier near Mont Blanc, where Victor is confronted by his monstrous creation. This setting, with its surreal beauty and treacherous terrain, perfectly captures a sense of awe and terror.Desktop Version

A show of prehistoric hands

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18 Apr 2024International Day for Monuments and Sites

Today is a monumental occasion: International Day for Monuments and Sites. Also called World Heritage Day, the event aims to highlight how important the task of conserving our cultural heritage is. A monument can be anything from an architectural work to a sculpture—something that has outstanding value from a historical, artistic, or scientific point of view. Some of the amazing heritage sites around the world include Machu Picchu in Peru and the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt. The stone structure in today"s image is part of the medieval city walls of Ávila in Spain. Built between the 11th and 14th centuries, these fortifications have a perimeter of 2,516 metres. When they were first built, they served to defend the city against attacks from outsiders; nowadays, visitors can walk around nearly half of the circumference of the walls, enjoying views of the city and the surrounding countryside.Desktop Version

Ablaze with colour

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4 Dec 2024Wildlife Conservation Day

It"s Wildlife Conservation Day—an important reminder to celebrate and defend our planet"s incredible biodiversity. Many species face extinction, including African forest elephants, Cross River gorillas, saolas and Yangtze finless porpoises. Since its launch in 2012, this special day has highlighted the illegal wildlife trade and other threats that animals face. It also draws attention to the need for stronger long-term solutions.Desktop Version

14 Mar 2025Celebrating Pi Day

Calculating the ratio of a circle"s circumference to its diameter is as easy as pi. Today is Pi Day, an event that celebrates this mathematical constant. This date was chosen because 3, 1 and 4 are the first three significant figures of pi (π) when it is written out. Pi is an irrational number, which means that it can"t be written as a fraction. When written out, its decimal representation goes on infinitely without repeating. The oldest attempts to calculate pi date back to ancient Babylon and Egypt, around 1,900 BCE.Desktop Version

Sep 8, 2023International Literacy Day

Jane Austen, author of "Pride and Prejudice," is one of the best-known writers in English literature, so it"s not a surprise that there are multiple festivals honoring her legacy. The largest is held here, in the English city of Bath, where Austen lived from 1801 to 1806. On September 8, International Literacy Day, the city begins its annual 10-day Jane Austen Festival with hundreds of Austen fans walking the streets dressed in costumes from Britain"s Regency era, in the early 19th century.Desktop Version

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