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National Poinsettia Day
National Poinsettia Day
Some plants simply sit quietly on windowsills. The poinsettia? It demands the spotlight. Bright, bold, and as red as Rudolph"s nose, this December diva even has its own holiday—National Poinsettia Day, celebrated on December 12. Prior to becoming a popular Christmas decoration, this shrub had quite a journey. Long before it appeared in living rooms, it grew wild in Mexico, where the Aztecs used it for dyes and medicine. Then, in the 1820s, US diplomat Joel Roberts Poinsett spotted the plant, fell for its charm, and sent it home. The rest, as they say, is history—and botany.Desktop Version
Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba, Andalusia, Spain
Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba, Andalusia, Spain
The Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba is a chronicle of Spain"s layered history. It began as a church built by the Germanic Visigoths, before being transformed into a mosque in 784 CE by Abd al-Rahman I, founder of the Umayyad Emirate of Córdoba. Its vast hypostyle hall, a space supported by rows of columns, features the famous red-and-white arches shown here. Today, it contains more than 850 columns, many reused from Roman and earlier Visigothic structures.Desktop Version
International Mountain Day
International Mountain Day
Every December 11, we celebrate International Mountain Day, honoring the majestic peaks that shape our planet and the glaciers that support life. From the rolling Alps to the towering Himalayas, mountains cover nearly a quarter of Earth"s land and host 15% of the world"s population and nearly half of its biodiversity hotspots. Mount Everest, the world"s highest peak at over 29,000 feet, stands as a symbol of human aspiration and natural beauty. Its glaciers feed rivers sustaining millions, showing that mountains are more than scenery—they are lifelines.Desktop Version
Merced River, Yosemite National Park, California
Merced River, Yosemite National Park, California
Every masterpiece needs a brushstroke to tie it together. For Yosemite National Park, that stroke is the Merced River—painting reflections of granite cliffs, pine forests, and waterfalls across its canvas. One of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers, this waterway begins high in the Sierra Nevada. It gathers meltwater and winds 145 miles west through Yosemite Valley into California"s Central Valley.Desktop Version
Celebrating 78 years of Everglades National Park
Celebrating 78 years of Everglades National Park
On Florida"s southern tip lies one of the United States" most unusual landscapes. The Everglades is not a typical swamp or river. It is a slow, shallow sheet of water that drifts south across flat grasslands toward Florida Bay, linking forests, marshes, mangroves, and coastal prairies. This subtropical wilderness supports hundreds of species, including alligators, manatees, and the endangered Florida panther. On December 6, 1947, the United States established the Everglades National Park, protecting over 1.5 million acres and shifting conservation toward preserving entire ecosystems rather than isolated landmarks.Desktop Version
Audubon Christmas Bird Count
Audubon Christmas Bird Count
Each December, thousands swap wrapping paper for binoculars and step outside for a different kind of holiday tradition: the Audubon Christmas Bird Count. Instead of hunting for bargains, they hunt for birds—with pencils, rather than pellets. Started in 1900 by ornithologist Frank M. Chapman, the count offered a peaceful alternative to the Christmas "side hunts," where people competed to shoot the most animals. Chapman had a better idea: count them instead. Over a century later, that simple shift has grown into the world"s longest-running citizen-science project.Desktop Version
World Childrens Day
World Childrens Day
On the lawns of the United Nations headquarters in Geneva, two children lean over a blank page, sketching the world as they dream it could be. This scene unfolds in "World in Progress II," a monumental land art painting created by Swiss-French artist Saype in 2020. Made with biodegradable paint, the artwork depicts the vision and innocence at the heart of World Children"s Day—a spirit mirrored in today"s featured image. Look closer, and you"ll spot the artist himself posing with his artwork.Desktop Version
Pearl Harbor Day
Pearl Harbor Day
At 7:55 AM on December 7, 1941, Japanese aircraft appeared over Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, and the course of history changed. In less than two hours, 19 ships were sunk or damaged, nearly 200 aircraft destroyed, and 2,403 Americans lost their lives. The battleship USS Arizona suffered the most devastating hit: a bomb struck its forward deck, igniting ammunition below and sending the ship to the harbor floor. The surprise assault crippled the US Pacific Fleet and ended America"s neutrality in World War II. The next day, President Franklin D. Roosevelt told Congress it was "a date which will live in infamy," and the US entered the war.Desktop Version
Maya site of Copán
Maya site of Copán
In a quiet valley of western Honduras lie the ruins of Copán—a city of the ancient Maya civilization. Its sky served as both compass and calendar, guiding celestial events and shaping temples, rituals, and the rhythm of life. Around 426 CE, K"inich Yax K"uk" Mo", a warrior from the Maya heartland, founded Copán and established its royal dynasty. The city became a center of Maya art, astronomy, and power.Desktop Version
National Llama Day
National Llama Day
If llamas are the laid-back stars of the Andes, their cousins, the guanacos, are the free spirits of Patagonia. And what better day to give them the spotlight than National Llama Day? Guanacos are part of the same camelid family as llamas, alpacas, and vicuñas. But unlike their domesticated relatives, they keep things wild. Found mainly in Argentina, Chile, Peru, and Bolivia, they"re built for life at high altitude. Their thick coats help them handle chilly winds, while their padded feet give them the grip to trek across rocky terrain that would make even mountain goats nervous.Desktop Version
Celebrating Native American Heritage Day
Celebrating Native American Heritage Day
Think Thanksgiving weekend is just about turkey and leftovers? Think again—today is Native American Heritage Day. Established in 2009, it celebrates the voices, art, and achievements of Indigenous peoples across the United States. This day is a reminder to look beyond parades and sales and learn from the experiences of those who first shaped this land. Communities host cultural events, storytelling sessions, and feasts featuring dishes like Three Sisters soup, wild rice, pemmican, beans, squash, and buffalo stew—each carrying centuries of legacy.Desktop Version
International Cheetah Day
International Cheetah Day
High atop a termite mound in the Maasai Mara National Reserve—a protected savanna in southwestern Kenya—a cheetah scans the plains. Its sleek body can reach speeds of up to 70 mph, making it the fastest land mammal on Earth. Long legs and a flexible spine allow incredible acceleration, while its strong tail helps maintain balance during high-speed chases. Today is International Cheetah Day—an event that couldn"t have arrived any quicker. With fewer than 7,100 individuals left in the wild, these are among Africa"s most vulnerable big cats.Desktop Version
Leshan Giant Buddha, Sichuan, China
Leshan Giant Buddha, Sichuan, China
There are big statues—and then there"s the Leshan Giant Buddha. Carved into a riverside cliff at the confluence of the Min, Qingyi, and Dadu Rivers in Sichuan, China, this statue is an ancient engineering marvel. Construction began in 713 CE under a monk named Hai Tong, who hoped that the Buddha"s presence would calm dangerous river currents that threatened passing boats. He was so devoted that when funding ran out, he reportedly gouged out his own eyes to prove his sincerity. Construction took roughly 90 years and was completed long after Hai Tong"s death. At 233 feet tall, it is the largest stone Buddha in the world. Its shoulders stretch about 92 feet wide, its ears measure nearly 23 feet long, and each foot extends over 28 feet. Drainage channels built inside the statue protect it from erosion, helping explain its remarkable preservation for more than 12 centuries.Desktop Version
Red deer stag in De Hoge Veluwe National Park, Netherlands
Red deer stag in De Hoge Veluwe National Park, Netherlands
Picture 21 square miles of open land, wildlife on the move, and a stag flaunting its crown of antlers. In 1909, husband and wife Anton Kröller and Helene Kröller-Müller began building a private estate in Gelderland, Netherlands—what we now know as De Hoge Veluwe National Park. Their vision? To merge art and nature. They brought it to life by placing artwork within the landscape, like "Three Upright Motives" by English sculptor Henry Moore in the Pampelse Zand and the President Steyn stone bench by Belgian architect Henry van de Velde, among others.Desktop Version
A traboule in Lyon, France
A traboule in Lyon, France
In Lyon, France, you don"t just walk through the city—you glide through it. The traboules, a network of hidden passageways threading between courtyards and buildings, turn a simple stroll into a treasure hunt. They were the original shortcuts, allowing residents to dodge rain, carry goods, or move discreetly through the medieval quarters. Today, they"re less about practicality and more about discovery. These passages date back to the fourth century but became essential during the Renaissance, when silk traders used them to shuttle delicate fabrics safely from workshops to the river without braving the weather. Later, during World War II, Resistance fighters used the traboules as escape routes.Desktop Version
Fibonacci Day
Fibonacci Day
Look closely at this ammonite fossil. Its swirling shell, once home to a prehistoric sea creature, holds a mathematical secret—a spiral pattern. Each new chamber is proportionally larger than the previous one, maintaining a consistent growth ratio, often associated with the Fibonacci sequence.Desktop Version
World Hello Day
World Hello Day
This harbor seal, photographed at Robert Moses State Park on Long Island, New York, seems to be onto something—spreading good vibes, one wave at a time. That"s exactly the spirit of World Hello Day, celebrated every November 21. This cheerful observance began in 1973 when two American brothers, Brian and Michael McCormack, launched it as a peaceful response to global tensions. They mailed 1,360 letters in seven languages to world leaders, inviting them to join the first celebration. Their message was simple yet powerful: personal communication can help preserve peace. Today, people in more than 180 countries participate.Desktop Version
Sandhill cranes, Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, New Mexico
Sandhill cranes, Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, New Mexico
Every December, as morning unfolds, a chorus of rattling calls fills the marshes of the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge. This 57,000-acre sanctuary in central New Mexico prepares to stage one of nature"s most stirring performances as sandhill cranes return from their seasonal journey. Soon, tens of thousands of snow geese and other migratory birds join the scene, filling the sky with movement and sound.Desktop Version
Male hooded merganser, Oregon
Male hooded merganser, Oregon
Each fall, Oregon"s quiet waterways become seasonal waypoints for hooded mergansers—small diving ducks native to North America. They are agile divers, plunging beneath the surface to catch fish and other prey. Males, known as drakes, stand out with their fan-shaped white crests, dark heads, and chestnut-brown sides, while females, called hens, are brownish gray with smaller crests. Oregon"s lakes and wetlands provide sheltered feeding grounds as these birds migrate or winter across the continent.Desktop Version
Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving!
The wild turkey"s iridescent plumage, seen here at Aransas National Wildlife Refuge in Texas, isn"t just striking—it carries the shimmer of history. Today is Thanksgiving, when many Americans gather around the table, enjoying roast turkey stuffed with savory bread dressing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie. Football games hum in the background, parades march down city streets, and kitchens buzz with the familiar aromas of holiday cooking.Desktop Version
Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act anniversary
Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act anniversary
On December 2, 1980, the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) reshaped America"s conservation history. With one sweeping law, more than 104 million acres of Alaska"s wild lands gained lasting protection, like the Wrangell–St. Elias National Park and Preserve, seen here, now the largest national park in the United States. ANILCA balanced preservation with tradition, safeguarding ecosystems while honoring rural subsistence rights.Desktop Version
Polar Bear Week
Polar Bear Week
What"s drawing scientists, travelers, and cameras to Manitoba, Canada, this week? Polar Bear Week is here, and it"s more than a date on the calendar. For over a decade, Polar Bears International—a non-profit organization—has invited people to stream live cams and follow daily updates as the bears head to Hudson Bay. It"s a week of learning and a call to protect a fragile ecosystem.Desktop Version
Happy Halloween!
Happy Halloween!
Tonight, Halloween casts its spell—and only a few places on Earth carry a mystery quite like Bran Castle in Romania. The fortress was built in the 14th century and has withstood wars, monarchs, and shifting empires. But here, legends speak louder than history. Perched between the regions of Transylvania—renowned for its chilling tales—and Wallachia, once ruled by Vlad III Dracula, the castle evokes a haunting legacy. Vlad"s ruthless reputation inspired Bram Stoker"s 1897 Gothic novel "Dracula." Though the story is not set at Bran Castle, its looming form and persistent rumors of Vlad"s presence blur fact and legend, forever linking it to one of humanity"s most enduring tales.Desktop Version
Celebrating Yi Peng
Celebrating Yi Peng
What would you wish for if a single lantern could carry your heart"s desire skyward? Tonight, in northern Thailand, the Yi Peng festival offers that chance. This centuries-old Lanna tradition celebrates the 12th lunar month with glowing paper lanterns—khom loi—that are released to honor the Buddha. Each lantern is believed to carry away misfortune and light the way toward a brighter future. Children steady the lantern frames, elders whisper blessings, and the crowd pauses as hundreds of lights drift higher than the trees. Farther south, the same full moon watches over Loy Krathong, a sister festival, where candlelit rafts glide across the water.Desktop Version
Martimoaapa Mire Reserve, Finland
Martimoaapa Mire Reserve, Finland
Today, we step into the Martimoaapa Mire Reserve in Finland, where wide, cold-climate wetlands and peatlands stretch across a landscape shaped over thousands of years. This reserve is more than just mires—it carries layers of history. During Finland"s Prohibition era (1919–1932), smugglers hauled sacks of liquor from Sweden across these bogs, following a "spirits" route that passed through Martimoaapa. Parts of that path can still be traced today. Imagine trekking with a heavy pack over soggy ground—would you have made it?Desktop Version