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Surf s up—Down Under
Surf s up—Down Under
It"s International Surfing Day! Here in the US we may be welcoming summer tomorrow, but these Aussie surfers are saying g"day to the rad waves of winter (which started for them on June 1). Though peak surf season is autumn (that is, our spring) here in the Gold Coast area of Queensland, these tropical beaches offer world-class breaks all year long.Desktop Version
Irohazaka road
Irohazaka road
If you"ve ever wanted to learn written Japanese, a joy ride on this undulating road offers an unexpected tutorial. The hairpin turns in our photo are just a few of the 48 curves you"ll negotiate on your way up one part of Irohazaka road and down another—together they make a scenic loop in the highlands outside the city of Nikkō. That"s one switchback for each of the 48 hiragana symbols in an ancient Japanese writing system, with each marked by a sign showing one symbol. Not a bad visual aid for the still-learning visitor!Desktop Version
Point Reyes National Seashore
Point Reyes National Seashore
This evocative photo of a cypress-lined road was taken in Point Reyes National Seashore, a marine and coastal reserve under the care of the National Park Service. A portion of the park preserves the marine habitat in the harbors along the coast of the Point Reyes Peninsula in the San Francisco Bay Area. Inland, the area"s grasslands, marshlands, and wooded uplands present a notably diverse collection of landscapes—including the cypress tunnel.Desktop Version
Fiordland National Park, New Zealand
Fiordland National Park, New Zealand
For Waitangi Day, we"re visiting the spectacular landscape of Fiordland National Park on New Zealand"s South Island. Waitangi Day is New Zealand"s national day, established to commemorate the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi on February 6, 1840. The document was signed by representatives of the British Crown and some 500 Māori chiefs to establish British law on the islands. The treaty also created the framework for political relations between New Zealand"s government and the Indigenous Māori people. It"s considered New Zealand"s founding document and a cornerstone in the country"s history.Desktop Version
Happy New Years Eve!
Happy New Years Eve!
It"s the final countdown! Tonight is New Year"s Eve, time to see out the old year and welcome the new. But how you celebrate depends which country you"re in. If you"re not in the US watching the Times Square Ball Drop, you might smash crockery in Denmark, eat 12 grapes as the clock strikes midnight in Spain, or hang onions outside your door in Greece. In Thailand, you might watch the fireworks illuminating Phra Nakhon Khiri, or "holy city hill," a historical park spread over three peaks overlooking the city of Phetchaburi. Wherever you celebrate, have a great one. See you next year!Desktop Version
Jöriseen lakes in the Silvretta Alps, Switzerland
Jöriseen lakes in the Silvretta Alps, Switzerland
Today we"re exploring a place of otherworldly beauty: the Jöriseen, a group of alpine lakes near Davos, Switzerland. On sunny days, the lakes glow an ethereal blue, contrasting with the dark, jagged Silvretta Alps that encircle them. The sunlight is reflected in the water by "rock flour"—silt-sized rock particles generated from the grinding of bedrock by glaciers.Desktop Version
Earth at Perihelion
Earth at Perihelion
We"ve reached perihelion! Two weeks after winter solstice the Earth"s orbit is closer to the sun than at any other time of year—a result of the Earth"s elliptical orbit. You may think, "If we"re so close to the sun, why can"t I feel the heat?" Well, that"s because we"re only receiving about 7% more solar energy than normal, which doesn"t really have much impact on the weather.Desktop Version
St. Patricks Day in County Waterford, Ireland
St. Patricks Day in County Waterford, Ireland
For St. Patrick"s Day, we"re enjoying this stunning rainbow over Ireland"s southeast coast. Shamrocks, parades, and all things green will be the order of the day as we celebrate the patron saint of the Emerald Isle. While many countries recognize the holiday today, the first celebration was held in Ireland more than 1,000 years ago, remembering the 5th-century missionary and bishop credited with bringing Christianity to the country.Desktop Version
Ponta da Piedade rock formations in Portugal
Ponta da Piedade rock formations in Portugal
Today we’re featuring the Ponta da Piedade rock formations in the Algarve region as a nod to Portugal Day, a celebration of the Portuguese nation and its people. Observed throughout the Portuguese diaspora, the main festivities are military ceremonies, exhibitions, concerts, pageants, and parades on June 10, the anniversary of the death of Portuguese poet Luís de Camões. Camões was an incredibly colorful character whose poem ‘Os Lusíadas’ chronicled the discovery of the sea route to India by Portuguese explorers and the development of the Portuguese Empire. It is regarded as the national epic poem, much like Virgil’s ‘Aeneid’ was to the ancient Romans, and his influence is so great that Portuguese is often referred to as “the language of Camões.”Desktop Version
It s Teacher Appreciation Week
It s Teacher Appreciation Week
Twelve-year-old Seattle student Caroline Holt knows that teachers play a pivotal role in her life, and that"s why she created this sign for Teacher Appreciation Week and posted it outside her school. Teachers everywhere could use a sign of our appreciation, this week and every week—but perhaps especially now. Despite more than a year of staggering challenges presented by the pandemic, teachers still manage to inspire a lifelong love of learning in their students and provide a foundation for young people"s future well-being and happiness.Desktop Version
Whangārei Falls in New Zealand
Whangārei Falls in New Zealand
This lush, Eden-esque location on New Zealand"s North Island has been a popular spot to bring a blanket and picnic basket for generations of Kiwis. Whangārei Falls is part of the Hātea River. At the falls, the river drops 85 feet over a basalt lava flow. The surrounding park provides a loop trail ideal for a hike along the edge of the river.Desktop Version
Happy 300th, NOLA!
Happy 300th, NOLA!
Today, Jackson Square and other places in New Orleans will be full of revelers. No, it’s not a Mardi Gras do-over, it’s the city’s 300th birthday celebration. Sometime in the spring of 1718, ‘La Nouvelle-Orléans’ was founded by French investors. Since then, residents of the Big Easy have chosen May 7 as the day to celebrate the birth of New Orleans. Really, this city doesn’t need an excuse to throw a party, but this one’s going to be big.Desktop Version
Bringing the moon to Earth
Bringing the moon to Earth
It was 50 years ago that Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to feel an alien gravity tugging at them. By landing on the moon on July 20, 1969, a mere 66 years after the first powered flight by the Wright brothers, the two astronauts met the challenge set by John F. Kennedy seven years earlier to land men on the moon before the end of the decade.Desktop Version
Ardez, Graubunden, Switzerland
Ardez, Graubunden, Switzerland
Perched on a terrace above the Inn Valley at 4,790 feet, Ardez is a hidden gem in eastern Switzerland renowned for its deep cultural roots and stunning preservation of history. This picturesque village, starring in today"s image, showcases the rich traditions and unique language of Switzerland"s Romansh-speaking communities. Its homes are adorned with sgraffiti—decorative designs etched into plaster—and colorful murals, both iconic art styles of the Engadin region. Dating back to 840 when it was first referred to as Ardezis, the village"s history includes Steinsberg Castle, originally owned by the Bishop of Chur. Though destroyed during the Swabian War in 1499, the castle"s tower has been restored multiple times and stands today as a proud reminder of its past. In 1975, Ardez was chosen as a Swiss model village for its exceptional preservation efforts, which have kept its historic charm intact.Desktop Version
An island in the Highlands
An island in the Highlands
Here in the Scottish Highlands, there"s something about the rugged environs of Glen Etive that has tickled the imaginations of both ancient and modern storytellers. A glen is a long, narrow valley and this one is especially beautiful. It has strange footnotes in both Irish and Scottish folklore. The name itself translates to "little fierce one" and was given in honor of Etive, the Gaelic goddess long associated with Loch Etive.Desktop Version
A path to access
A path to access
Here"s an example of cutting-edge form meeting practical function. This snakelike bridge, the brainchild of famed architect Frank Gehry, provides a meandering and safe path over a busy thoroughfare that separates Millennium Park and Maggie Daley Park in downtown Chicago. With a gentle 5% slope, the 935-foot bridge is accessible for people who use wheelchairs or have trouble navigating stairs, and that"s the main reason why we"re featuring it on our homepage today. Thirty years ago to the day, President George H.W. Bush signed the Americans With Disabilities Act. This sweeping civil rights bill prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities at work, in school, and in public spaces. The resulting law meant that much of the country"s physical infrastructure, like this elegantly curving bridge, was required to accommodate people with disabilities.Desktop Version
An uncommon look at an American icon
An uncommon look at an American icon
The tallest building in the world when it was completed in 1884, the Washington Monument was meant to capture the respect and gratitude American citizens have for our first president. The journey to build the obelisk was long and arduous, including a 23-year gap in the construction. According to Mark Twain, the incomplete monument looked like ‘a factory chimney with the top broken off.’ On this day in 1876 the Washington Monument was accepted into the National Park System, and today it’s one of the most recognizable buildings in the US.Desktop Version
Welcome to ‘Hollywood North’
Welcome to ‘Hollywood North’
Today our travels take us to Toronto, the vibrant urban powerhouse of Ontario, Canada. Our photo shows the 2007 addition to the Royal Ontario Museum, a building known as The Crystal. The museum may not be terribly busy today, as the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is in full swing right now. If we’ve inspired you to cash in some frequent-flyer miles, bring some sensible walking shoes for the museum, and maybe something red-carpet worthy for TIFF.Desktop Version
Time for brass bands and beer
Time for brass bands and beer
Our photo today shows the crowds at an Oktoberfest parade reflected in the bell of a brass horn. In Munich, Germany, the 16-day festival will include many brass bands marching and playing celebratory Bavarian folk music, while other bands will play for the beer drinkers in the tents and beer halls that dot the festival grounds. Why call it ‘Oktoberfest’ when it begins in September? The original Oktoberfest began on October 12, 1810, as a massive one-day royal wedding celebration open to the public. On October 12 the following year, Munich citizens commemorated the wedding with another party, and an annual tradition was born. The festivities grew longer and longer each year over the course of two centuries, and Oktoberfest eventually extended into the weeks before the original date. Organizers supported the earlier start to take advantage of better weather in late September, but the party will forever be known as Oktoberfest.Desktop Version
Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day
Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day
Today we"re in Hawaii to mark the 80th anniversary of the surprise attack on the US naval base in Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. The strike by Japan cost 2,403 service members and civilians their lives, injured 1,178 others, and thrust the US into WWII. The sailors you see here are standing on the deck of the USS Bowfin, a US Navy submarine that is now a memorial and museum moored in Pearl Harbor next to the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center.Desktop Version
Congratulations, 2019 Nobel Prize laureates!
Congratulations, 2019 Nobel Prize laureates!
This opulent room is the Golden Hall, a banquet hall in Stockholm City Hall, which will be one of the venues for today"s Nobel Prize award proceedings. The room, which is completely covered in mosaic tiles, includes representations of Swedish history and culture. Swedes refer to their capital as Mälardrottningen—the Queen of Lake Mälar—and our image depicts the queen with the city of Stockholm in her lap (the city lies between the lake and the Baltic Sea).Desktop Version
Jaguar in the Pantanal wetlands
Jaguar in the Pantanal wetlands
What"s the best place to see a wild jaguar? The Amazon rainforest may be more well known, but the Pantanal is the world"s largest tropical wetlands—and the place you"re most likely to spot a jaguar in the wild. The Pantanal"s estimated 70,000 square miles cover part of the western side of Brazil and extend into Bolivia and Paraguay. Portions of the Pantanal are protected within national parks and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It"s difficult to travel there during the wet season (November-April)—high temperatures make it nearly unbearable, and rain and flooding often close roads. Hotels in the region even shut down for periods of time each year. May through September is the dry season, when temperatures cool off and conditions are more friendly to both people and many animals. If you plan to visit, pack some binoculars and keep your eyes peeled for a big spotted cat sitting blithely on the riverbank.Desktop Version
Reflections on the mighty Amazon
Reflections on the mighty Amazon
For World Rainforest Day we take you below these clouds to the Amazon River Basin and the largest rainforest in the world. Numbers help the story of this extraordinary place: At more than 2.1 million square miles, the Amazon accounts for half of Earth’s remaining tropical rainforests. And a fifth of the world’s fresh water flows through this river basin. Perhaps a tenth of the planet’s known species call it home, many of which have yet to be identified—that’s trees, plants, fish, mammals, and a third of Earth’s bird species. Now take a deep breath. The ‘Lungs of the World’ produces 20 percent of Earth’s oxygen, while storing vast amounts of carbon dioxide, earning it an all-star ‘carbon sink’ status.Desktop Version
Where the bearded reedling sings
Where the bearded reedling sings
Feeling a hint of fall in the air? This bearded reedling could be, but a drop in temperature isn"t a signal for it to fly on to warmer destinations. These songbirds belong to a resident species, which means most stay put in the marshes, from England to eastern Asia, where they thrive. Their diet changes with the seasons: In the summer, they dine on reed aphids, while during the colder months, reed seeds sustain them. This guy—and we know he"s a male due the distinctive black "mustache" stretching down his face—is perching in the Elmley National Nature Reserve in Kent, one of the largest bird reserves in England.Desktop Version
Traffic jam on the caribou highway
Traffic jam on the caribou highway
Today we"re in Kobuk Valley National Park in Alaska to witness one of the world’s great annual migrations. Every spring, a quarter million caribou come together to form the Western Arctic Herd and pass north through the 1.8-million-acre park to their summer calving grounds in the Brooks Range and its foothills. Then in the fall, the caribou make the reverse trip, heading south back through the park to where they spend the winter in the Nulato Hills and the Seward Peninsula. One of the best spots to see the herd on the move is where it crosses the Kobuk River at Onion Portage. This area is a major archaeological site too. For thousands of years, the crossing has drawn native groups that rely on caribou meat, a tradition that continues to this day.Desktop Version