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Kissing Day
Kissing Day
This affectionate pair of Atlantic puffins know a thing or two about the restorative pleasures of kissing, which we are celebrating today on International Kissing Day. Started in the United Kingdom, the holiday went global about 20 years ago as a yearly reminder that kissing isn"t reserved just for greetings or social formalities. Puffins engage in an endearing form of courtship behavior seen here called billing, in which they playfully tap each other"s beaks by swinging their heads from side to side.Desktop Version
50 years of the Endangered Species Act
50 years of the Endangered Species Act
Today is a special milestone for our furry, scaly, and feathered friends: the Endangered Species Act is turning 50. This landmark legislation, signed into law in 1973, has been helping species on the brink for half a century. Who"s that in the spotlight? A humpback whale! Known for their haunting songs and acrobatic breaches, these gentle giants are a success story of the ESA. They were once on the edge of extinction, largely due to commercial whaling, but thanks to conservation efforts, their population has bounced back from around 5,000 in 1966 to an estimated 135,000 today. However, our work isn"t over. Challenges persist, from habitat loss to poaching. So, what can we do? Spread the word, support conservation efforts, participate in local initiatives, and be eco-friendly.Desktop Version
Happy Independence Day!
Happy Independence Day!
Break out the BBQ and unfurl your flags, Independence Day is here! Founding Father John Adams wrote to his wife, Abigail, that he believed the holiday would be celebrated with parades, sports, shows, and illuminations. After 247 years, Americans are keeping those traditions alive, though not on the date that Adams anticipated. The Second Continental Congress voted to approve the independence of the United States of America on July 2, 1776, but formally adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4. That date, enshrined on the Declaration document, became the one we observe today. If you"re looking for a grand way to celebrate, journey to New York City for views of their annual fireworks show and the Empire State Building lit up to match in red, white, and blue.Desktop Version
Waiānapanapa State Park, Maui, Hawaii
Waiānapanapa State Park, Maui, Hawaii
Brooding black sand beaches are popular with photographers looking for something a little different, and Hawaii has plenty of them on offer. This famous beach at Wai"ānapanapa State Park on Maui was created when basalt, a dark volcanic rock, was eroded by waves into fine grains, creating a stunning shoreline. You"ll find it on Maui"s east side, toward the end of the legendary Road to Hana, a scenic 64-mile highway. You can also find black sand shores around the world, from Alaska to Greece, Costa Rica, Italy, Iceland, Indonesia, and New Zealand.Desktop Version
Negratín Reservoir, Granada, Spain
Negratín Reservoir, Granada, Spain
Step into serenity at one of the largest freshwater lakes in the southern Spanish province of Granada, in Andalusia. The Negratín Reservoir, created by a dam on the Guadiana Menor River, sits the heart of the Granada Geopark, a unique, semi-desert landscape surrounded by the mountains of the Sierra Nevada.Desktop Version
International Womens Day
International Womens Day
On International Women"s Day, we"re at Madrid"s iconic Cibeles Fountain and City Hall, which have been lit up in purple—one of the day"s official colors, representing justice and dignity. Each year, marchers pass by the Great Mother of the Gods on her chariot drawn by lions, as they turn out in their thousands to campaign for gender equality in Spain"s capital city.Desktop Version
World Rainforest Day
World Rainforest Day
Perhaps no other place on Earth plays a more crucial role in sustaining life as we know it than the Amazon rainforest, the largest in the world. The Amazon spans nine countries in South America including Ecuador, where this pristine ecoregion is protected by the Yasuní National Park, shown here. Today is set aside as World Rainforest Day, to remember the vital role of this and other rainforests and to champion efforts to protect them. The world"s rainforests are under threat like never before from deforestation driven by agriculture and cattle ranching. Some studies indicate that humans have degraded or destroyed more than half of the world"s rainforests. Fewer trees means warmer temperatures, which increases the risk of drought and wildfire and compounds the damage of deforestation.Desktop Version
Leap day
Leap 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 365.25 days 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
Pumpkin field, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Pumpkin field, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
As fall covers the landscape with amber hues and the chill of Halloween approaches, it"s time to start carving some spooky jack-o"-lanterns. Originally from Ireland and Scotland, this craft was brought to America by immigrants who initially made lanterns from turnips and potatoes but later found pumpkins more plentiful and easier to carve. Once hollowed out and lit with candles, the gourds were transformed into flickering defenses against evil spirits.Desktop Version
Great horned owl fledglings
Great horned owl fledglings
These little furballs will grow up to be great horned owls, fierce predators with camouflage coloring. For now, they sport a layer of fluffy light-colored down and have yet to grow their full "horns"—tufts of feathers known as plumicorns. But they will become voracious carnivores capable of hunting down prey larger than themselves, including other owls. Typical meals will consist of small animals like rabbits, squirrels, mice, and even scorpions.Desktop Version
World Rainforest Day
World Rainforest Day
Welcome to the largest tropical rainforest on Earth. Our homepage image was taken in Peru, home to about 13% of the Amazon rainforest. Most of it, about 60%, is in Brazil, while 10% is in Colombia. Bolivia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, and Venezuela also have sections within their borders. Covering nearly 40% of South America, the rainforest is teeming with life, including endangered species like jaguars and giant otters, more than 40,000 plants, and thousands of birds and butterflies. Millions of people also live in the Amazon.Desktop Version
Hawai i Volcanoes National Park at 106
Hawai i Volcanoes National Park at 106
The orange glow of a lava tube like the one pictured here is a frequent sight on Kīlauea, the youngest volcano on the island of Hawaii. In near constant eruption for the last 40 years, Kīlauea is widely considered the most active volcano in the world and is the main attraction at Hawai"i Volcanoes National Park, which was created on this day in 1916. The park, which was designated an International Biosphere Reserve and a World Heritage Site, also includes another active volcano, Mauna Loa, the world"s most massive shield volcano, which last erupted in 1984. Together, they are among the most studied volcanoes in the world.Desktop Version
Daylight saving time
Daylight saving time
Just like the European hare, we get a little more hop in our steps this time of year—and a bit more daylight as well. It"s the second Sunday of March, when most Americans and Canadians "spring forward," setting their clocks ahead one hour in observance of daylight saving time (DST). Then on the first Sunday of November, we"ll "fall back" by turning our clocks back an hour.Desktop Version
Quiver trees in Namibia
Quiver trees in Namibia
The quiver trees pictured on our homepage are uniquely suited to Namibia"s hot, dry climate. They are not trees at all, but an endangered species of aloe plant. These succulents can grow up to 30 feet tall and live for 200 years. The name comes from the Indigenous San people who made quivers out of the plant"s tube-shaped branches to hold their arrows while hunting. You can see scattered quiver trees across southern Namibia, but for sheer numbers, head to the Quiver Tree Forest, where more than 200 of these distinctive plants grow among dolerite rock formations outside the city of Keetmanshoop. In June and July, during Namibia"s winter, you can see the plant"s flowers in bright, yellow bloom.Desktop Version
75th anniversary of the Spruce Goose
75th anniversary of the Spruce Goose
Today we"re looking back to a time when an eccentric billionaire"s dream of reaching new heights was still a novel idea. It was 75 years ago today that Howard Hughes" "flying boat," dubbed the "Spruce Goose," made its one and only flight. Officially named the Hughes H-4 Hercules, the press persisted in calling it the "Spruce Goose" even though it was constructed almost entirely of birch wood. The plane was commissioned in 1942 by American industrialist Henry Kaiser, who supplied ships to the US during World War II. Kaiser recruited Hughes—the film producer turned pilot, engineer, and business magnate—to build a flying cargo ship that could avoid German submarines while transporting troops and war supplies across the Atlantic. The contract called for three of the planes to be built within two years. Hughes was still working on the design when the war ended—in the end, he delivered only the one in our photo, two years after V-E Day.Desktop Version
Chestnut-eared aracari in the Pantanal, Brazil
Chestnut-eared aracari in the Pantanal, Brazil
Today we"re following our nose to the Pantanal in Brazil to visit this member of the toucan family named for the brownish plumage around its ears. What, you"ve never heard of a chestnut-eared aracari? That could be because aracaris don"t really stand out among toucans at a glance: They have long, colorful bills, and they mate for life, always laying eggs in the same nest year after year. But aracaris are much more social nesters: Up to six aracari adults and all their babies might live in one nest.Desktop Version
International Women s Day
International Women s Day
This famous feisty girl stands her ground in front of the New York Stock Exchange in lower Manhattan, a striking reminder as we celebrate International Women"s Day that we still have work to do in the quest for gender equality. Kristen Visbal"s bronze sculpture "Fearless Girl" took up her power pose in 2017 facing down the iconic Wall Street bronze statue called "Charging Bull." For the 2021 observance of International Women"s Day, the corporate sponsor of "Fearless Girl" added broken glass around her, with a plaque that read: "Today"s broken glass ceilings are tomorrow"s stepping stones."Desktop Version
La Brecha de Rolando (Rolands Breach), Spain
La Brecha de Rolando (Rolands Breach), Spain
High up in the Pyrenees, there is a gap in the mountains. More than 300 feet tall and 131 feet across, La Brecha de Rolando (Roland"s Breach), featured here today, is a sight to behold. But who was Roland? Count Roland was a Frankish military leader during Charlemagne"s reign in the 8th century. Legend has it that, after being defeated in battle, Roland cut a gap in the mountains—either to destroy his sword or to catch one last glimpse of France.Desktop Version
Tulips, Netherlands
Tulips, Netherlands
From the famous tulip fields to the world"s largest flower auction, the Netherlands and tulips go a long way back. Tulips didn"t originate here. These beauties arrived in the country in the late 16th century, brought from the Ottoman Empire. By the 17th century, they became so valuable that a single bulb could cost more than a house. This period, known as "tulip mania," is considered one of the first recorded financial bubbles. When prices crashed in 1637, fortunes were lost, but the love for tulips remained.Desktop Version
Milford Sound/Piopiotahi rainforest in New Zealand
Milford Sound/Piopiotahi rainforest in New Zealand
Today we"re taking a tramping trip to New Zealand"s South Island to visit the place Rudyard Kipling once called the eighth wonder of the world, Milford Sound and its surrounding rainforest. Tramping, New Zealand-speak for hiking, is incredibly popular at Milford Sound. Nearly a million tourists visit the fjord every year, despite its somewhat remote location. Originally overlooked by European explorers, the area is now known for its beauty and abundance of wildlife. It"s not uncommon for visitors to spot dolphins, humpback whales, and native Fiordland penguins.Desktop Version
Bearded reedlings in Flevoland
Bearded reedlings in Flevoland
Flevoland, the 12th and newest province in the Netherlands, has only been around since 1986. Not only was it not established until this late date, but before the mid-20th century, much of the land here simply didn"t exist. Flevoland was created through vast land reclamation projects in the 1950s and "60s. While the Dutch had been reforming their landscape to meet their changing needs for hundreds of years, the 20th century would see their most dramatic and ambitious projects realized. The province"s anthem is the fitting "Waar Wij Steden Doen Verrijzen" ("Where We Let Cities Arise"). It"s an ode to pushing back the sea and creating a "province that"s not bad, youngest part of the Netherlands. Where it is nice to live, my beloved Flevoland!"Desktop Version
Molokini Crater, Maui, Hawaii
Molokini Crater, Maui, Hawaii
Today we"re at Molokini Crater. This pleasant crescent in the Pacific Ocean lies in the "Alalākeiki Channel between the Hawaiian islands of Maui and Kaho"olawe. The islet is all that remains of a volcano that erupted about 230,000 years ago. According to Hawaiian mythology, Pele the fire goddess was in love with a man named Mo"o. The trouble was that Mo"o was in love with another woman. Pele"s revenge was typically violent: She cut her rival in two, her body becoming Molokini, while her head became Pu"u Olai, a cinder cone on Maui.Desktop Version
National Trails Day
National Trails Day
Today is a great day to take a hike! Each year, National Trails Day brings together nature lovers, government agencies, and businesses to preserve hiking trails for everyone to enjoy. Looking for a stunning spot to stretch your legs? We suggest South Kaibab Trail in the Grand Canyon, seen here. The trail starts with a series of switchbacks known as "The Chimney," which leads to a steep, narrow descent—prepare for an invigorating workout! All that hard work will pay off though—fresh air and exertion can boost your mood, improve sleep, and reduce the risk of heart disease. Not to mention the panoramic views you can enjoy from the trail"s scenic viewpoints.Desktop Version
International Day of Mangrove Conservation
International Day of Mangrove Conservation
Natural vegetation is sparse in the United Arab Emirates, due to its hot and dry desert climate. But along its coast, mangroves have taken root. These hardy trees and shrubs are halophytes, salt-tolerant plants that can filter 90% of the salt from the seawater they live in. Despite their resilience, mangroves are threatened globally, largely due to human activity. Mangrove coverage is thought to have halved over the past 40 years, and they are dwindling much faster than forests overall. The UN has established the International Day of Mangrove Conservation, scientific funding, Global Geoparks, and World Heritage sites to try to reverse these trends. These efforts are vital; mangroves help prevent erosion and protect against storm surges, as well as providing a home for fish, crustaceans, and other wildlife.Desktop Version
Cinco de Mayo
Cinco de Mayo
Many celebrations of Cinco de Mayo owe a debt to these rolling fields of blue agave, or agave azul, the source material required to make genuine tequila. The distilled spirit is to Mexico what Scotch whisky is to Scotland and sake to Japan. Tequila is also the base ingredient in the beloved margarita cocktail certain to be served in abundance today.Desktop Version