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Jul 21, 2021An octagonal architectural treasure

Built in the 1240s by the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II in southeast Italy, Castel del Monte (Castle of the Mount) features an unusual octagonal design. Eight stone walls stretch between eight octagonal towers and enclose an octagonal courtyard. Each of the two floors also has eight trapezoidal rooms. Acclaimed and protected as a World Heritage Site in 1996, the castle symbolically reflects a harmonious integration of classical Roman, Arabic, and medieval architecture and design—and to some, its octagonal symmetry suggests a connection between heaven and earth.Desktop Version

Jul 20, 2021Fly me to the moon

It was 52 years ago today that astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to land on the moon. Their photographs of the moon, and others taken since then, have become commonplace. But for Moon Day—the annual celebration of that first lunar landing—let"s take a close look at this extraordinary image of Earth"s only natural satellite. Prathamesh Jaju, age 16, of Pune, India, worked for over 40 hours stitching together this detailed photograph from more than 50,000 images he took of the moon"s surface. Jaju, who describes himself as an "amateur astrophotographer," used an automated telescope to track the moon"s movements over a four-hour period in May 2021. The result is this highly detailed portrait showing the moon"s craters, textures, shadows, and colors. While this image may be as close as we ever get to the moon, at least we know we"ll never gaze at it the same way again.Desktop Version

Jul 19, 2021Wander the ancient medina

This colorful alleyway is in the medina—the ancient part—of the Moroccan city of Tétouan. From above, the medina appears to be a maze of traditional white plaster buildings surrounded by rampart walls and seven magnificent gates. But inside the maze, some alleyways like this one display a burst of color, an embellishment created by mixing pigments into the buildings" plaster. The passageways here are tall and skinny, large enough for a donkey and its handler to pass by, but too small for vehicles, so they invite peaceful strolls through the colorful shade.Desktop Version

Jul 18, 2021Grand finish of Le Tour

After a three-week jaunt around France, cycling"s most prestigious race concludes today with a triumphant procession into Paris before a sprint finish on the iconic Champs-Élysées. The 21st and final stage of this year"s Tour de France—the 108th edition of the famous event—begins in Chatou, a town in the western suburbs of Paris along the River Seine. Tour tradition dictates the overall race leader isn"t challenged on the last day, so it starts out as a victory parade for the champion-elect, who will be wearing a yellow jersey, posing for pictures, and sipping a glass of champagne along the route. But when the riders reach the heart of Paris, the pace picks up as they dash along the Champs-Élysées, a tree-lined promenade often described as the "most beautiful avenue in the world."Desktop Version

Jul 17, 2021Pretty, pretty…butterfly?

Not quite. This winsome winged creature is a moth, a Loepa oberthuri to be exact, a type of silkmoth. It"s the star of our homepage because today marks the start of National Moth Week, which shines the porch light on this unlikely hero. Unlike their showier cousins, butterflies, moths get a bad rap from time to time, and that"s fair, as caterpillars of some moth species are agricultural pests. But before you break out the mothballs, consider this: Scientists estimate that there are some 160,000 species of moths worldwide, many just as stunning as our silkmoth today, and tracking their health often helps us gauge the health of entire ecosystems. So we encourage you to investigate moths this week right in your own backyard. All you have to do: Turn on the porch light—and the moths will come calling.Desktop Version

Jul 16, 2021Whatever floats your boat

These turquoise waters are lapping the sands of Mont Choisy Beach in Mauritius, an island nation off the southeastern coast of Africa. It"s a popular spot for locals and tourists to swim, enjoy the sun, or head out in one of these boats to catch some fish. The island has a unique cultural history. Most scholars believe it was known to Arab seafarers by the 10th century, but it remained uninhabited until Portuguese sailors established a base on the island in the early 1500s. Mauritius was later colonized in succession by the Netherlands, France, and Great Britain before gaining independence in 1968. Over the years, Mauritius has evolved from a low-income economy based mostly on sugarcane (still one of its biggest exports), to a more diverse one that includes tourism, clothing production, and technology.Desktop Version

Jul 15, 2021A river runs through rice fields

We"re peering down the winding Ngo Dong River at a group of rowboats meandering through rice paddy fields. This is Ninh Bình province in Vietnam, about 60 miles south of Hanoi. On these two-hour tours by traditional Vietnamese rowboat, visitors wend their way between limestone karst peaks, through grottoes, and, if they"re lucky, by workers harvesting rice in the fields, their wide-brimmed hats shielding them from the sun. Perhaps the most spectacular time to take this river cruise is around harvest time in late May and early June when the paddy fields are awash in a golden glow with a backdrop of bright green hillsides. But don"t be surprised if the person rowing your boat moves the oars from hands to feet. It"s tradition here for rowers to give their arms a break and let their legs take over.Desktop Version

Jul 14, 2021A different view of sharks

They"ve long been treated as threats, portrayed as villains, and brutally hunted for their edible fins, so we think it"s only fair that sharks get their own day. Shark Awareness Day is meant to highlight the importance of the most fearsome fish in nature, from little dwarf lantern sharks to great whites to these blacktip reef sharks cruising the Tahitian coast.Desktop Version

Jul 13, 2021Through an artist s eyes

If this beautiful view of Grand Teton National Park seems as pretty as a painting, there may be a reason for it. The majestic peaks towering over the landscape include Mount Moran, named for Thomas Moran, an American artist of New York"s Hudson River School who earned fame by painting scenes of the Western frontier. In 1871, Moran and photographer William Henry Jackson were invited on an expedition to the Yellowstone region to accompany a team from the US Geological Society while they conducted the first comprehensive survey of the area. Moran"s paintings and Jackson"s photographs from the trip immediately captured the public"s attention and inspired Congress to establish Yellowstone as the first national park in 1872.Desktop Version

Jul 12, 2021A lofty lighthouse and a little ocean spray

The Farolim de Felgueiras (Lighthouse of Felgueiras) you see here has withstood relentless waves for around 135 years. It offered its solitary warnings to ships approaching Porto, Portugal"s second-largest city, beginning in 1886 until it was finally deactivated in 2009. Even though it"s no longer operational, it"s still a well-known local landmark. It offers sightseers a beautiful view, and maybe a little ocean spray, from its perch overlooking the mouth of the Douro River where it flows into the Atlantic.Desktop Version

Jul 11, 2021Why, aloe there

Aloe isn"t just that itch-relief ooze you buy at the supermarket. Aloes are some of the most splendid succulent plants in nature, coming in many shapes and colors. While the rubbery, gel-filled leaves of most aloe plants are long and spear-shaped, those of the pictured Aloe polyphylla species are stout and tightly set—one of many examples in nature of a near-perfect spiral. Commonly called spiral aloe, it"s a coveted garden plant with specific growing conditions that make it hard to keep alive. Even in nature it"s rare and native only to the chilly mountains of Lesotho, a tiny kingdom entirely surrounded by South Africa.Desktop Version

Jul 10, 2021Celestial Spain

Today we"re in the Extremadura region of western Spain, in the beautiful Monfragüe National Park near the border with Portugal. This 18-mile long, 4-mile wide stretch of nature in the province of Cáceres is framed by the Tagus and Tietar Rivers (it"s the Tagus that"s in our image today). The mountainous Peña Falcon rock face defines its western side. Much of the park is covered by a thick Mediterranean forest full of wildlife, making this place a destination for outdoor lovers of all sorts. It"s especially notable for the many birds: Over 280 species are found here, including storks, kingfishers, cormorants, and eagles, as well as one of the world"s largest reserves of black vultures and their tawny vulture cousins. Other wildlife routinely spotted in Monfragüe include otters, deer, wild boar, and Iberian lynx.Desktop Version

Jul 9, 2021A center of antiquity on the Mediterranean

This bird"s-eye view lets us take in the charms of Ortygia, a small island just offshore from Syracuse, on Sicily"s east coast. Ortygia is considered Syracuse"s "old town" and the historical heart of the city. Two bridges cross the narrow channel that separates Ortygia from Syracuse. Ancient Greeks first colonized this island in the 8th century BCE, and the town is brimming with 2,700 years of history. Walk Ortygia"s web of narrow streets and you"ll see Greek and Roman ruins, medieval Norman buildings, and examples of Baroque architecture as well.Desktop Version

Jul 8, 2021A storied trail marks a century

This is but a tiny portion of what"s often called the longest hiking-only trail in the world. Today we"re in Stokes State Forest along the top edge of New Jersey, and that 2-by-6-inch white stripe tells us that we"re on the famous Appalachian Trail (the "AT" to those in the know). And what a day to be here, for July 8, 2021, is the trail"s 100th birthday.Desktop Version

Jul 7, 2021Back 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

Jul 6, 2021The most Instagrammable bird?

Why did German researchers set out to determine the world"s most Instagrammable bird? We"re not quite sure, but once they did, we had to know what it was. And once we saw this cute, fuzzy, kind of angry-looking creature that reminds us of an owl, we had to feature it here. So, who is this we"re looking at? It"s a tawny frogmouth, a nocturnal bird found throughout Australia, including Tasmania. Tawny frogmouths are carnivores, eating nocturnal insects, worms, slugs, and snails, as well as small mammals, reptiles, frogs, and birds. Sometimes confused with owls, they"re more closely related to nightjars.Desktop Version

Jul 5, 2021How green is my valley

Cabo Verde ("Green Cape") celebrates its independence today. Located about 350 miles off the western coast of Africa, the country consists of 10 volcanic islands. We"re looking at the Serra da Malagueta mountain range in the northern part of the island of Santiago, which is protected as a national park. At nearly 3,500 feet, it"s the highest point of northern Santiago and offers views of nearby Fogo and Maio islands, as well as diverse plants and wildlife.Desktop Version

Jul 4, 2021Happy Independence Day!

All across the United States on July 4, we come together as a nation to celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. In it, the Second Continental Congress put Great Britain on notice that the 13 American colonies were no longer subject to its laws and instead had formed a new country, the United States of America. Declaration signers, recognizing the importance of the moment and the message, anticipated that generations later we would remember and celebrate "from one end of this continent to the other." The celebration we"re looking at here is in San Francisco, where crowds traditionally gather at various spots along the waterfront area to take in the annual fireworks display over the bay.Desktop Version

Jul 3, 2021Diving into the underwater nirvana

Indonesia"s Wakatobi National Park protects one of the most diverse underwater environments in the world. Around 400 species of coral are found in these pristine waters, and they"re home to a staggering variety of marine life, including dolphins, whales, turtles, and hundreds of species of fish. The park was established in 2002, preserving more than 5,000 square miles, most of which is covered by coral reefs. In fact, the barrier reef here is second in size only to the Great Barrier Reef and is so full of life that famed oceanographer and explorer Jacques Cousteau is said to have called it an "underwater nirvana." Many others have followed in Cousteau"s wake, and Wakatobi has become a preeminent destination for diving and snorkeling.Desktop Version

Jul 2, 2021A meerkat stands alone

Meerkats, also called suricates, are members of the mongoose family native to the southern African plains. They live in mobs (yes, that"s what a group of meerkats is called) of 20 to 50 animals that work together and share extensive networks of underground burrows. Our friend today, photographed in Namibia, appears to be on sentry duty, which is when a meerkat stands lookout for predators as the rest of the group forages for food, such as insects, small reptiles, and other delicacies. A sentry shift usually lasts about an hour, after which another meerkat takes over and the now-relieved sentry gets to focus on filling its belly.Desktop Version

Jul 1, 2021Celebrating migrations

For Canada Day, we"re peering up at "Passage migratoire" ("Migratory Passage"), an art installation of hanging woven canoes in Old Québec City. It was part of the 2016 edition of Passages Insolites (Unusual Passages), an annual public art exhibition in the historic Petit-Champlain and Saint-Roch districts of the city. The canoe has long been associated with Canada"s national history, linked with early explorers, fur traders, Indigenous peoples, and colonists who ventured out into the wilderness of the great north. The artist behind this installation, Giorgia Volpe, was inspired by "the idea of migration and its influence on the formation of our society and our territory." Canada welcomes on average about 200,000 immigrants each year, many of whom will become Canadian citizens. The migrations continue…Desktop Version

Jun 30, 2021An impactful day

We"ll be the ones to drop the news on you: It"s Asteroid Day! Today you"re invited to explore a realm of science usually encountered only through white-knuckle action flicks: asteroid impact avoidance, or the study of what the heck we do if we spot a big chunk of space junk hurtling right at Earth. That"s right, don"t worry: People somewhere are coming up with plans for this.Desktop Version

Jun 29, 2021An island hopper s paradise

Welcome to sunny and sultry Seychelles, a tropical island nation just south of the equator in the Indian Ocean, roughly 900 miles off the eastern coast of Africa. The gorgeous beach you see here is Anse Source d"Argent on the island of La Digue, one of 115 islands that make up this tropical republic. Anse Source d"Argent has long been a favorite of photographers, who are drawn to its contoured, dark granite boulders, pristine white sand, and turquoise-colored water. Beachcombers and sun worshippers also flock to the Seychelles because of their consistently great weather—daily high temperatures almost always stay within a comfortable range of between 75 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit all year round.Desktop Version

Jun 28, 2021A medieval celebration in the Mediterranean

That mighty fortress at the top of the hill is called the Cittadella—it"s a medieval fortified city at the geographical center of the island of Gozo. Gozo is the second-largest island in the Maltese archipelago (after the island of Malta itself), and despite all appearances it"s the less densely populated of the two.Desktop Version

Jun 27, 2021Bathing in the light of Pride

In June 2020, Lincoln Center, New York City"s premier arts complex, lit its iconic plaza and fountain in the colors of the rainbow for the first time. It was as a tribute during Pride Month to Pride celebrations and the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots, a pivotal moment in the LGBTQI+ rights movement. The theme of this year"s NYC Pride celebrations is "The Fight Continues," in recognition of the advancements that have been made over the last 51 years and to highlight the ongoing struggle for equality.Desktop Version

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