Phone Wallpaper - Bing Wallpaper Gallery

Apr. 6, 2024Japan Castle Day

From Strawberry Day to Cat Day and even Vegetable Day, Japan has a list of faux holidays, which are the clever results of "dajare" or word plays. Today"s date, April 6, makes up the Japanese word for castle, "shiro" from "shi" (4) and "ro" (6). Hence, the celebration of castles. What better opportunity than Castle Day, to learn about the country"s largest and most visited castle—Himeji Castle? Dating back to 1333, this UNESCO World Heritage Site boasts an advanced defensive design and five National Treasure structures. The castle has also withstood time and nature"s fury, surviving the bombings of World War II and the Great Hanshin earthquake in 1995. In addition, nearly 700 years of glory, local legends and ghost stories reverberate through the 83 rooms of this hilltop fortress. Would you care to explore?Desktop Version

Where the humpback whale sings

One giant leap for mankind

Desktop Version

Feb. 29, 2024Leap Day

Are you a "leapling?" No, not like this Eurasian red squirrel; rather, that"s the term for anyone born on leap day! A leap year is a calendar oddity that exists because Earth"s orbit and our usual year count are slightly out of sync. Earth takes 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes and 46 seconds, to revolve around the sun. To compensate for those extra 5 hours, February gets an extra day—leap day—every four years. The concept, dating back to the ancient Romans, was refined in the Gregorian calendar, introduced in 1582 by Pope Gregory XIII. While the purpose of the day is to keep our year aligned with the solar calendar, it can also serve as an extra day to prepare for spring! Cultures worldwide mark leap days and years with unique customs. In Ireland and Britain, women propose to men, in Greece, marrying during a leap year is said to bring misfortune, and in France, a satirical newspaper is published.Desktop Version

Postcard from the Canadian Rockies

Desktop Version

May 9, 2025Canadian Tulip Festival

Ever spotted a field full of tulips and felt like you"d stepped into a painting? Well, you are not alone. Today, there are more than 3,000 registered varieties of tulips grown around the world. Originally found in the wild across Central Asia, tulips were cultivated by the Ottomans as early as the 10th century. These flowers made their way into Europe during the 16th century after being introduced through diplomatic and trade routes. By the 1630s, the Netherlands experienced tulip mania, one of the first recorded economic bubbles, where single bulbs could sell for more than a skilled worker"s annual salary.Desktop Version

Do pandas enjoy winter?

Desktop Version

Apr. 14, 2024Bowling Ball Beach, California, USA

Welcome to nature"s bowling alley. Bowling Ball Beach on the Mendocino Coast in California is named after the striking rock formations strewn across the shore. These sandstone balls—a phenomenon known as concretions—formed over millions of years as sedimentary layers built up around a central core of sand and stone held together by mineral cement. Erosion gradually wore away the outer layers to expose the spherical shapes we see today. This created a fascinating spectacle that only appears at low tide. Concretions are rare, and there has been plenty of wild speculation about where they come from, with some believing them to be extraterrestrial debris while others wondering if they are dinosaur fossils. The answer, however, is quite simple: it is the forces of nature at play.Desktop Version

Jan. 8, 2025The Great Wall of China

Think the Great Wall of China is just a long wall? Think again. It is a combination of walls and steep trenches that have protected China for centuries. One of the longest manmade structures in the world, this wall stretches over 20,900 kilometres and dates back thousands of years. Back then, glutinous rice flour was used to bind the bricks of the wall. The ancient marvel depicted in today"s picture consists of a series of fortifications that span rugged mountains, valleys and deserts. Featuring watchtowers and garrison stations, some sections were designed to keep invaders at bay. This wall was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987. Hiking offers a unique glimpse of this historical landmark. The experience ranges from well-preserved sections, like Mutianyu, to wild, unrestored parts such as Jiankou. Some steps are so high they feel more like climbing a ladder!Desktop Version

Aug. 30, 2023International Whale Shark Day

Say hello to the largest fish in the world, the whale shark. On August 30, we celebrate International Whale Shark Day to honour these magnificent marine creatures. These gentle giants are not related to whales, despite their impressive size of an average of 12 metres in length. Whale sharks are calm creatures which are usually safe for divers to swim alongside. These sharks are filter feeders and consume plankton and small fish by sieving them through their gill plates. There has been a significant decline in their populations, with an estimated 63% decrease in their numbers in the last 75 years. Threats include being hit by boats or tangled in fishing gear, and their habitats are being damaged by pollution, coastal development, and over-fishing. Advocates work through education and community engagement to help safeguard whale sharks and preserve our oceans.Desktop Version

A scented sea of purple

Desktop Version

Mar. 14, 2024Happy Pi Day!

They say the only constant in life is change. In mathematics, however, there are many constants, and today, we"re celebrating perhaps the most famous of them all: pi. This tasty-sounding constant is the ratio of a circle"s circumference to its diameter, approximately 3.14159. Every March 14, mathematics fans across the world get baking to mark Pi Day—a celebration of both the mathematical constant π and its delicious homophone, pie. It began in 1988, when physicist Larry Shaw connected the date (3/14) with the first three digits of this constant. Today, mathematicians and enthusiasts celebrate Pi Day with pie eating and pi reciting. Did you know that when your clock strikes 1:59 today, you will be three decimal places closer to the real value of pi? Pi is everywhere, even in nature. Pictured here is a bodhi tree in the shape of the pi symbol at Wat Phra Ngam, a temple in Ayutthaya, Thailand. Whether you"re a math geek or just in it for the treats, Pi Day is for everyone to enjoy!Desktop Version

Happy New Year’s from down under

Desktop Version

Surrounded by a sea of sand

Desktop Version

Oct. 26, 2023Schönbrunn Palace Park, Vienna, Austria

In 1743, Empress Maria Theresa decided to lavishly remodel the Schönbrunn palace, Austria, which served as the cherished residence of the Habsburg emperors until 1918. Complemented by its lush gardens, which house the world"s oldest existing public zoo, Schönbrunn is a true gem of the Baroque era. Both the splendid buildings and the meticulously manicured gardens are now under the ownership of the Austrian government. This pastoral path in the park, graced by a canopy of trees, offers an escape from the bustling city. So, take a leisurely stroll and let the charm of this enchanting estate transport you to centuries past.Desktop Version

Apr. 3, 2025Rufous hummingbird

Blink, and you miss them. Rufous hummingbirds don"t just fly—they dart, hover and zip through gardens like tiny, feathered rockets. They migrate thousands of kilometres from Mexico to the Pacific Northwest, making one of the longest migratory journeys relative to body size. The males arrive first, flashing their signature coppery-orange feathers to claim territory. They perform dramatic aerial dives to impress potential mates, reaching speeds of nearly 80 kilometres per hour. With wings beating up to 42 to 62 times per second based on gender, they burn energy fast, making frequent pit stops at flowers and feeders to fuel up. Once the display is over, the female gets to work, building a soft, camouflaged nest in trees or shrubs, where she raises the tiny chicks on her own.Desktop Version

Fourth rock from the sun

Desktop Version

Dec. 26, 2024Boxing Day

As the last notes of Christmas carols linger in the air, Boxing Day arrives. This day is celebrated in Canada, the United Kingdom and several Commonwealth countries. In the past, it was customary for the wealthy to give boxes filled with gifts to their servants on the day after Christmas. The tradition evolved into a day for charitable giving to the less fortunate. Today, while the spirit of giving remains, it has transformed into a holiday centred around enjoying bustling sales and a lineup of football matches.Desktop Version

Aug. 24, 2023Shark Fin Cove, California

Shark Fin Cove, also known as Shark Tooth Beach, is nestled in a cove in the tiny town of Davenport on California"s Central Coast. The cove is a coastal gem known for its stunning sea stack—a vertical rock formation that resembles a shark"s fin. The fin used to be connected to the mudstone cliff that surrounds the beach. Over time, the relentless crashing waves and strong winds slowly eroded the rock formation. Shark Fin Cove is visible from Highway 1, where travellers can stop and look at the expansive Pacific Ocean views.Desktop Version

Jul. 4, 2024Fisgard Lighthouse National Historic Site

Perched on the rugged coastline of Esquimalt Harbour, the Fisgard Lighthouse National Historic Site is a specimen of maritime history. Built on Fisgard Island in 1860, it was the first lighthouse on the west coast of Canada. The 15-metre bricked tower guided mariners through the treacherous Strait of Juan de Fuca. Operated by generations of dedicated keepers, it became automated in 1929 after which its light beamed in a "one second on/one second off" pattern also known as isophase light. Visitors today can explore the keeper"s house-turned-museum to uncover tales of shipwrecks and the intrepid lightkeepers who kept the flame alight, ensuring the safe passage of seafarers. The Fisgard Lighthouse continues to illuminate the past, captivating those who come to uncover its storied legacy.Desktop Version

Oct. 25, 2023Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Utah

The Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument is an untamed wilderness of cliffs and canyons nestled in the heart of southern Utah. The Grand Staircase is a fascinating sequence of five majestic sandstone cliffs, rising approximately 1,675 metres across the expanse of the monument. Each step displays a different era in Earth"s geologic history, a showcase of time that is unrivalled by any other place on the planet. Archaeologists have found prehistoric artefacts, petrified wood, and fossils dating back over 75 million years ago, from the Cretaceous Period. In human history, the Ancestral Puebloan and Fremont people mastered the art of farming in this challenging terrain. They ingeniously constructed granaries to store and preserve their bountiful harvests. Today, it is a splendid getaway for nature enthusiasts and travellers seeking adventure.Desktop Version

Bing wallpaper for mobile