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New Year s Day
New Year s Day
This harp seal is starting 2022 off right. While many of us may be napping today to recover from New Year"s Eve celebrations, this seal is napping because it can. All the noise and excitement were last night, just 40 miles away at New York City"s ball drop, but it"s quiet enough here at Long Island"s Jones Beach for our sleepy friend to recuperate in the sand. Harp seals are one of five types of seals that populate Jones Beach from November to May. They travel from as far away as the Canadian Arctic and northwestern Greenland to rest up and feed before making their way north again in the spring.Desktop Version
Tall, taller, tallest
Tall, taller, tallest
Piercing the clouds above Shanghai as we celebrate National Skyscraper Day, each of these three supertall spires could be seen as a freeze-frame of China"s swift economic growth in the past couple of decades. Jin Mao Tower (right, 1,380 feet) was China"s tallest building from 1999 until the Shanghai World Financial Center (left, 1,614 feet) opened in 2007 and took the title. Shanghai Tower (center, 2,139 feet) topped out in 2013, besting the SWFC and becoming the second-tallest skyscraper in the world (behind Dubai"s Burj Khalifa, 2,722 feet).Desktop Version
Roman theater of Cartagena, Spain
Roman theater of Cartagena, Spain
A surprising discovery was made here in the city of Cartagena in 1988 during the construction of a new shopping center. The remains of this ancient Roman theater were found buried underground, where they’d been hidden for centuries, partially covered by the city’s old cathedral. The theater has since been painstakingly restored. Archaeologists say it was constructed sometime between 5 and 1 BCE and at one time could hold up to 6,000 spectators.Desktop Version
Sitka shines on Alaska Day
Sitka shines on Alaska Day
In honor of Alaska Day, we"re in the harbor of Sitka, Alaska, which was the capital of Russian America in the 19th century, when it was called Novo-Arkhangelsk. It was here on this day in 1867 that officials of the Russian Empire formally transferred the Territory of Alaska to the United States in a sale for $7.2 million, or just around 2 cents per acre. It seems an astonishingly small price today, but at the time, opponents called it "Seward"s Folly" after then-Secretary of State William H. Seward, who negotiated the deal. Few Americans moved to the "Last Frontier" at first, but in the 1890s, when gold was discovered in the Yukon and Alaska, a rush of prospectors and others began a wave of settlers in the territory. Ever since, Alaska, with its vast natural resources and staggering beauty, has been a prized American domain and an enduring symbol of American wilderness.Desktop Version
Earth seen from the International Space Station
Earth seen from the International Space Station
On April 12, 1961, Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin astounded the world by becoming the first person to travel to outer space. In less than two hours, Gagarin completed a full orbit of the Earth in the Vostok 3KA spacecraft. Less than a month later, Mercury astronaut Alan Shepard became the first American in space. The spectacle of looking back at Earth from space has not lost its charm, as you can see in today"s picture taken from the International Space Station. Also known as the "World Space Party," Yuri"s Night is a global celebration of astronomy and a reflection on how space exploration can unite people in a divided world.Desktop Version
Have fun storming the castle
Have fun storming the castle
Our headline quote comes from "The Princess Bride" film, of course, but our homepage castle is found in Lithuania, the largest of the three Baltic states (the others are Latvia and Estonia). Construction on this fortress was begun in the 14th century by the Grand Duke of Lithuania and completed years later by his son. It served as a strategic and bustling center of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, a European state that lasted until 1795. Like much architecture from so long ago, the castle was damaged and fell into disrepair, only to be reconstructed and reopened as a museum. These days it"s known as one of the most charming medieval castles in Europe.Desktop Version
Polar bears
Polar bears
Welcome to Churchill, Manitoba, population 899 (if you don"t count the bears, or the many human visitors who come around this time each year to glimpse the world"s largest land carnivore).Desktop Version
Happy Easter from the ‘peeps’ at Bing
Happy Easter from the ‘peeps’ at Bing
These lavender marshmallow chicks—and their siblings of other colors—are destined to arrive in Easter baskets around the country today. Lots and lots of Easter baskets. On average, the Just Born factory in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania produces 5.5 million PEEPS® every day, or more than 3,800 per minute. And all those PEEPS® have lots of company. According to the National Confectioners Association, Easter is a top-selling candy holiday in the US, second only to Halloween. This year there’s a twist on the holiday: Easter Sunday falls on the same day as April Fool’s Day. Whatever you have planned–we hope your day is a sweet one.Desktop Version
In orbit for Yuri s Night
In orbit for Yuri s Night
Sixty years ago today at around 9 AM Moscow time, Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human to get a view of Earth from space (like this one captured from the International Space Station by astronaut Jeff Williams). With the famous utterance "Poyekhali!" ("Off we go!"), Gagarin launched into low Earth orbit in his Vostok 3KA spacecraft, making history in less than two hours with a complete trip around the planet. Landing in rural Russia, he became an instant worldwide celebrity—that is, after convincing puzzled locals he was a comrade and not a space alien.Desktop Version
My my, it s Syttende Mai
My my, it s Syttende Mai
Home to only about 500 folks, the far-flung village of Henningsvær, Norway, is recognized for its historic charm and as part of the Lofoten Archipelago"s important cod fishery. And thanks to the recent boom in drone photography, the Arctic hamlet with the unlikely soccer field has come to be regarded among the most scenic on Earth. The Henningsvær Idrettslag Stadion (in our photo"s lower center) lies at Henningsvær"s southern tip, on flat ground hewn out of the rocky outcrop. Look closely at the hills around the stadium and you"ll see wooden racks for drying cod—a reminder that even though there"s space for fun on these tiny islets, the business of fishing is still very much a key part of life here.Desktop Version
A wonderland in winter
A wonderland in winter
There’s no shortage of activities in New York’s Central Park, even when winter covers the park in snow. Here in the uh, central part of Central Park is the Bethesda Terrace, and in the center of that, the Bethesda Fountain. A fresh coat of snow highlights details on the fountain’s Angel of the Waters sculpture—the only statue that was part of the park’s original design. Beyond the terrace is the Ramble and Lake—a great stretch of park to have a snowball fight in if you ask us. Do you have a favorite park for winter activities?Desktop Version
Celebrating National Panda Day
Celebrating National Panda Day
This giant panda seems content to be indulging in his favorite snack at the Wolong National Nature Reserve in the mountains of Sichuan, China. Bamboo makes up 99 percent of a panda’s diet, and it must consume upwards of 30 pounds of the woody grass each day to meet its dietary needs. This presents a predicament, as human development continues to encroach on the bamboo forests of pandas’ natural habitat. National Panda Day, celebrated on March 16, aims to spread awareness about this iconic species.Desktop Version
Nubble Island’s only industry
Nubble Island’s only industry
For National Lighthouse Day, we’re visiting Cape Neddick Light, which sits on a tiny island called Nubble Island, or "the Nub"—just 100 yards from the mainland. It"s on Maine"s southern shore and is one of just eight lighthouses in Maine that still use a Fresnel lens, the 19th-century invention that greatly amplifies the light. The island isn"t accessible to the public, but because it"s so close, many visitors come to Sohier Park on the cape for the view of the lighthouse. Why August 7 for National Lighthouse Day? Because it was this day in 1789 when the US government placed all lighthouses under federal control to make sure these important safety signals were all built, supported, and maintained equally.Desktop Version
Travel Sunday: Sintra, Portugal
Travel Sunday: Sintra, Portugal
Perched atop a hill overlooking the city of Sintra, Pena Palace is one of Portugal’s most iconic national monuments, and would be a romantic setting to celebrate Portugal’s National Day today. The June 10 holiday commemorates the death of Luís de Camões, a literary icon in Portugal who is revered for his adventurous spirit. It’s said the one-eyed poet (he lost the other eye in a fight) saved his most famous work—titled "Os Lusíadas"—from destruction during a shipwreck by holding the manuscript above water while he swam with one arm.Desktop Version
The ruins of a Maya superpower
The ruins of a Maya superpower
Deep in the jungle of southern Mexico lie the ruins of a city that thrived for centuries before it was abandoned more than 1,000 years ago. Calakmul was once one of the two dueling superpowers—along with Tikal—of the Classic Maya civilization. At its height, around 1,200 years ago, the city of Calakmul had a population of about 50,000 people, but the kingdom as a whole numbered more than 1.5 million. Archaeologists have uncovered 6,750 structures here—the largest is this pyramid temple, called, simply, "Structure 2." It"s one of the tallest and most massive remaining structures from that highly advanced culture. The ruins of the city proper cover nearly 8 square miles in the jungle and the kingdom once ruled over settlements as far as 90 miles away.Desktop Version
Reflections of the night sky
Reflections of the night sky
Because August is such a fantastic time for stargazing, we’re looking skyward at this spectacular nighttime scene of the Milky Way over the Totensee, a small natural lake in Switzerland. In the Northern Hemisphere, the nights are still long and remain warm, so if you"re lucky you can catch the always thrilling sight of a falling star. Tonight would be a good night to look for one because we"re at the tail end of the annual Perseid meteor shower. Like most predictable meteor showers, it occurs when the Earth"s orbit intersects with the long elliptical path of one of the millions of comets that orbit the sun. It is called the Perseid meteor shower because the bulk of the meteors will appear to originate out of the constellation Perseus. So, turn out the lights, head outside, and look up!Desktop Version
National Bird Day
National Bird Day
In honor of National Bird Day, observed every year on January 5, we"re at the Bellavista Cloud Forest Reserve in the Pichincha Province of Ecuador, a 2,000-acre conservation area that was established in 1981. Bellavista is located at high altitude, in the northwestern Andes mountains, and is home to a huge variety of bird species, including the plate-billed mountain toucan you see here.Desktop Version
It s Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
It s Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
As Asian Pacific American Heritage Month kicks off today, we"re visiting Kubota Garden in Seattle, part of the city"s extensive park system. The 20-acre Japanese garden is tucked away in the Rainier Beach district—one of the traditional centers of Seattle"s Asian American community.Desktop Version
Borrego Badlands
Borrego Badlands
If you"re looking to take in a beautiful sunset over some exotic terrain, you could do worse than the Borrego Badlands, a 20-mile stretch of desert in southeastern California"s Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. This arid landscape is not the kind of dune-filled terrain that you might visualize when you think of a desert. Instead, it"s a series of rolling hills, canyons, gullies, and arroyos, speckled with sparse but hardy vegetation. It makes for a surreal and beautiful view.Desktop Version
Happy Syttende Mai!
Happy Syttende Mai!
If you have Norwegian roots, May 17, aka Syttende Mai, is a day to celebrate. On this day in 1814 the constitution of Norway was signed, declaring Norway an independent kingdom. Today we honor this stunning country by looking out over the town of Ålesund, nestled amid mountains and fjords in the western part of the country. This seaport stretches across several islands linked by bridges and is known for its charming art nouveau architecture. In ordinary years, Ålesund draws hordes of tourists and serves as a gateway for visitors to explore the bird island of Runde as well as Geirangerfjord, considered one of Norway"s most beautiful fjords.Desktop Version
There’s a dog in there somewhere
There’s a dog in there somewhere
Komondors, also known as Hungarian sheepdogs, have a strong instinct to herd and protect livestock. They’re famous for their distinctive coats—when left untrimmed, a komondor’s fur ‘cords’ up, creating the unusual, mop-like appearance seen here. The Komondor in this photo was competing at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show at Madison Square Garden. The 2019 Westminster competition begins today.Desktop Version
Christmas comes to New York City
Christmas comes to New York City
The Rockefeller Center Christmas tree draws throngs of people to Midtown each year to celebrate the holidays. The tradition started in the 1930s, when construction workers at Rockefeller Center pooled their money to buy a tree. Officials at Rockefeller Center later formalized the event, especially today’s lighting ceremony, which will be attended by thousands of onlookers. Each year’s tree is selected by the head gardener at Rockefeller Center and topped with a huge star adorned with Swarovski crystals. This year, the tree introduces a new star designed by architect Daniel Libeskind—it weighs 900 pounds, is more than 9 feet in diameter, and features 70 spikes and three million crystals outfitted with LED lights to emit rays in all directions. In January, the tree is milled, and the lumber donated to Habitat for Humanity. We think Santa would approve.Desktop Version
Fly me to the moon
Fly 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
Celebrating World Wildlife Day
Celebrating World Wildlife Day
We like to think this lone cougar is off to meet its friends in a celebration of World Wildlife Day, recognized each year on March 3. The 2018 theme of the UN-sponsored event is protecting big cats, including lions, tigers, cheetahs, and cougars just like this one. Cougars have a wide range in the Americas, spanning from Canada to Argentina. Photographer Sebastian Kennerknecht captured this image in the Andes of northwest Argentina using a camera trap, a remotely activated camera equipped with a sensor that can photograph animals without a human present.Desktop Version
A river runs through it
A river runs through it
In just a few months it"ll be warm enough to perch for a while on this smooth river rock, dangle your feet into the water, and take in this gorgeous Swiss scenery. We"re here in the Valle Verzasca, a valley in Ticino, Switzerland, close to the Italian border. There in the near distance is the tiny hamlet of Lavertezzo, where most everyone speaks Italian. Tourists normally flock to this area in warm summer months to swim and snorkel in the Verzasca River"s famous turquoise waters and to jump off the 17th-century double-arched bridge known as the Ponte dei Salti (Bridge of Jumps). The very, very brave bungee jump off the nearby Contra Dam, made famous in the 1995 James Bond film "GoldenEye."Desktop Version