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Tolkien Reading Day
Tolkien Reading Day
Today is Tolkien Reading Day. It"s a time to dust off well-worn copies of "The Lord of the Rings" or "The Hobbit," and journey once more into the lands of elves, dwarves, and one particularly famous ring. But why this date? March 25 is the day the One Ring was destroyed, bringing down Sauron and ending his dark reign. The observation was launched in 2003 to encourage people to explore J.R.R. Tolkien"s works. Schools, libraries, and fans worldwide take part, reading passages aloud, discussing favorite moments, and diving into the rich lore of Middle-earth. Some go all out with themed events, cosplay, and even second breakfasts—because what better way to honor Tolkien than by feasting like a hobbit?Desktop Version
World Lizard Day
World Lizard Day
Do you hold a warm spot in your heart for these cold-blooded creatures? Lizard lovers celebrate the scaly squamates on this day each year. This camouflaged panther chameleon is one of a multitude of lizards that inhabit the island of Madagascar, many of which are found nowhere else. More than 50% of chameleon species are found only on the island, including the world"s smallest known chameleon, the recently discovered Brookesia nana, which is smaller than your fingernail.Desktop Version
Fallow deer, Bradgate Park, Leicestershire, England
Fallow deer, Bradgate Park, Leicestershire, England
This doe and fawn are fallow deer, known for their striking chestnut brown coats with white spots, which typically darken to gray in the winter. Fallow deer are native to Europe and parts of Asia and are a common sight in England, where they were introduced by the Normans in the 11th century. During the autumn rutting season, mothers stay close to their young while the males, which have broad palmate antlers, spar to establish their dominance. Our homepage doe and fawn are pictured in 850-acre Bradgate Park in Leicestershire, a medieval deer park set within woodlands and a beautiful landscape in England"s East Midlands region.Desktop Version
AAPI Heritage Month & Lei Day
AAPI Heritage Month & Lei Day
May 1 means different things in different parts of the world, but here in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, it means Lei Day, a statewide celebration of Hawaiian culture and the spirit of "aloha," that intangible sense of warmth, belonging, and connection that emanates from this isolated chain of volcanic islands. Lei Day was first celebrated in 1927 and made an official holiday in 1929. It also happens to fall on the first day of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, which honors Americans of Asian, Melanesian, Micronesian, and Polynesian heritage. May is the month the first Japanese immigrants arrived in the US in 1843, and the month the transcontinental railroad was completed in 1869 by, mostly, Chinese immigrants.Desktop Version
Shark Fin Cove, California
Shark Fin Cove, California
Shark Fin Cove, also known as Shark Tooth Beach, is nestled in a cove in the tiny town of Davenport on California"s Central Coast. The cove is a coastal gem known for its stunning sea stack—a vertical rock formation that resembles a shark"s fin. The fin used to be connected to the mudstone cliff that surrounds the beach. Over time, the relentless crashing waves and strong winds slowly eroded the rock formation. Shark Fin Cove is visible from Highway 1, where travelers can stop and look at the expansive Pacific Ocean views.Desktop Version
Saint Andrews Day
Saint Andrews Day
Put on your tartan and let the bagpipes play—it"s St. Andrew"s Day! Scotland"s national day is a public holiday there—though not everyone takes the day off. A fisherman by trade, St. Andrew—also the patron saint of several other countries including Greece, Barbados, Romania, and Ukraine—was one of the 12 apostles and a key figure in Christianity. Though he never set foot in Scotland, his influence is immortalized in the country"s flag, a white saltire on a blue background, said to represent the cross on which he was martyred.Desktop Version
Porto Flavia, Sardinia, Italy
Porto Flavia, Sardinia, Italy
Most ports rely on docks and cranes that extend into the shoreline. Porto Flavia on the Italian island of Sardinia took a completely different approach. This engineering marvel transformed a cliff into a gateway for Sardinia"s ore industry. Mining in the area has a history dating back thousands of years, from the Phoenicians and Romans to the industrial boom in the 20th century. Lead, zinc, coal, sulfur, barium, and silver were extracted from these rugged hills, but transporting them was a logistical nightmare. Ore had to be hauled by cart, loaded onto small boats, and then transferred to larger ships—a slow, costly, and inefficient process.Desktop Version
Groundhog Day
Groundhog Day
It"s Groundhog Day … again. Today, Americans and Canadians rely on the prognostication skills of Punxsutawney Phil to determine if winter will hang on. Phil is a famous groundhog, also known as a woodchuck, and legend has it that if he emerges from his burrow February 2 and sees his own shadow, he"ll go back to sleep for another six weeks of winter. If he doesn"t, it will be an early spring. German immigrants brought the custom to America, where it was first celebrated in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, in 1887. Historically, Europeans celebrated February 2 as the first day of spring, and Germans originally watched badgers and other small animals for signs of seasonal change important to farmers. The Germans who settled in Pennsylvania in the 18th and 19th centuries chose the area"s native groundhog for this task.Desktop Version
Memorial Day
Memorial Day
Today, on Memorial Day, many will no doubt stand before this fountain on the National Mall in Washington, DC. Dedicated 18 years ago as our national World War II Memorial, it"s become one of the most popular sites in the nation"s capital, and now receives more than 4 million visitors each year. To the west, toward the setting sun, is the Reflecting Pool and the Lincoln Memorial. To the east, unseen here, is the Washington Monument.Desktop Version
Arches National Park, Utah
Arches National Park, Utah
If you fancy a stroll through time, Arches National Park is the perfect gateway! With over 2,000 natural stone arches, hundreds of tall pinnacles, large rock fins, and giant balanced rocks, this park is among the world"s most scenic destinations. In the popular Windows Section, covering just over 2 square miles, there are spectacular rock formations including North Window, Turret Arch, and Double Arch. Others include Garden of Eden, Elephant Butte, a 5,653-foot summit, and Parade of Elephants, so visitors are never short of awesome sights to enjoy.Desktop Version
Tortula moss, Netherlands
Tortula moss, Netherlands
You may be surprised to learn that this elegant plant dappled with water droplets is a variety of moss: Tortula muralis, better known as wall screw-moss. It"s found all over the world, even in urban areas where more sensitive mosses have a hard time thriving because of dry soil and air pollution. Mosses in general are accurate monitors of air pollution—they absorb air and water, so contaminants can also be measured in their cells.Desktop Version
Okefenokee Swamp
Okefenokee Swamp
The Okefenokee Swamp, on the border of Georgia and Florida, is the largest intact freshwater swamp in the US. Its slow-moving blackwaters are stained by tannins from decaying organic matter and this vast ecosystem, covering 700 square miles, is packed with wildlife. Herons, cranes, bitterns, American alligators, turtles, snakes, frogs, and Florida black bears are among creatures who roam the swamp, which is largely protected by the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. In the early years of the 20th century, part of the swamp was logged, and its peat deposits were mined for use as fuel. Remnants of railroad lines can still be seen crossing swamp waterways as well as other equipment dating from its time as a logging area.Desktop Version
Zoroaster Temple, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
Zoroaster Temple, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
Carved by the Colorado River, nearly 2 billion years of Earth"s history are exposed in the layers of the Grand Canyon. While geologists continue to debate parts of the formation story of the canyon, recent studies suggest the river carved its path through the region about 5 to 6 million years ago. Since then, the river has been deepening and widening the canyon while sculpting its dramatic geographic features.Desktop Version
World Elephant Day
World Elephant Day
Today is World Elephant Day, when we focus on these remarkable creatures and pledge to protect them. African elephants, like those shown here, are the largest living land animals, with bull elephants standing a whopping 13 feet tall at the shoulder. Their distinctive trunks and big, flapping ears make them one of the first animals every child can recognize. Adults marvel at the close family bonds they create and the way a herd rallies to protect its members, grieving when one dies. They form a strong, social community over their life span of about 60 to 75 years.Desktop Version
Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Today, many Americans will spend time with friends and family, giving thanks and enjoying what some consider to be the best meal of the year. The tradition dates back to English colonists who celebrated the first Thanksgiving in Plymouth, Massachusetts, in 1621. Their treacherous journey from England the year before and their first winter claimed half of the colonists, and the rest might have died too if not for the generosity of the Wampanoag people. To celebrate their first corn harvest and thank the Native Americans who helped them, the colonists held a three-day feast.Desktop Version
Spring equinox
Spring equinox
Goodbye winter! Today marks the spring or vernal equinox, the official beginning of springtime in the Northern Hemisphere. Starting today, regions north of the equator will have longer days than nights.Desktop Version
Wild and Scenic Rivers Act
Wild and Scenic Rivers Act
Ever wonder how some of our rivers stay unspoiled? It"s thanks to the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, which was signed into law on this day in 1968. This legislation created the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System which preserves rivers with exceptional natural, cultural, and recreational qualities.Desktop Version
Mangrove Conservation Day
Mangrove Conservation Day
Although we think of forests as trees on land, some of the most important trees grow in water, or more precisely, marshland. Mangrove forests, like this one in Saloum Delta National Park in Senegal, are vital components of the world"s coastal ecosystems. Mangroves survive where no other trees can, in salty, low-oxygen coastal waters exposed to tides and storms. They grow up to 30 feet high primarily in tropical and subtropical regions and are able to store vast amounts of carbon, making them crucial to moderating our climate. Mangroves also act as nurseries for fish and aquatic life. And with their complex, interwoven root systems, they protect coastlines from erosion. Today we join the UN in shining a light on the necessity and fragility of mangroves: July 26 is the International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem.Desktop Version
Ukrainian Independence Day
Ukrainian Independence Day
Ukrainian Independence Day takes on a greater meaning this year, as Russian troops occupy its eastern provinces and the invaders" shells rain down on its citizens. On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War that began with Russia"s annexation of Crimea in 2014. NATO and Europe have rallied to Ukraine"s cause, and a war that many expected to last weeks has stretched into months, with the Western-backed Ukrainian forces thwarting Putin"s ambitions and not showing any signs of relenting.Desktop Version
Kelimutu, Flores, Indonesia
Kelimutu, Flores, Indonesia
Atop Kelimutu, a volcano on the Indonesian island of Flores, sit three lakes, each with its own hue and folklore. Volcanic vents deep within the Earth release steam and gas that alter the lakes" mineral compositions, creating different colors, which can change independently. The westernmost lake, Tiwu Ata Bupu (Lake of Old People), not pictured, normally has a dark blue hue. Meanwhile, Tiwu Ko"o Fai Nuwa Muri (Lake of Young Men and Maidens), tends to be light green or light blue and Tiwu Ata Polo (Bewitched or Enchanted Lake) can be red, dark green, blue or brown. The local Lio people revere these lakes, believing them to be the resting place of souls.Desktop Version
St. Paul Winter Carnival
St. Paul Winter Carnival
A chilly paradise awaits at the St. Paul Winter Carnival! This annual celebration, taking place between January 25 and February 4 this year, transforms Minnesota"s capital city into a winter wonderland. It all started in 1885, when a group of reporters visited and referred to Minnesota as another Siberia, unfit for human habitation. This offended city officials who devised a plan to showcase the area"s winter beauty. The Winter Carnival was born, featuring seasonal activities such as bobsledding and ice horse-racing. Today, the carnival attracts visitors and strengthens community bonds through parades, markets, and winter sports. And ice sculptors carve stunning but fleeting works of art, like the frozen palace towering over today"s image.Desktop Version
Seitan Limania Beach, Crete
Seitan Limania Beach, Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of all the Greek islands, and also the farthest from the mainland (in fact, it"s just about halfway to Turkey). This big little island is small enough to drive across in a few hours but full of wonders, from mountain ranges to gorges to beautiful beaches. Take this jewel box of turquoise water near the port city of Chania, for example. Set on the easternmost of three peninsulas that stick out like horns from the northwest shoreline of Crete, Seitan Limania is one of the most photographed beaches on the island.Desktop Version
Oktoberfest
Oktoberfest
Oom-pah, oom-pah… That sound can mean only one thing (at least that isn"t chocolate factory-related). It"s Oktoberfest season! Don"t start the party too fast, though: You might want to ride the Wellenflug swing carousel seen in today"s photo before you get too much of that distinctly German beer in your belly. And it is distinct: Due to strict Reinheitsgebot ("purity orders") regulations in place since 1516, real German beer can only be made with certain ingredients—originally just barley, hops, and water, though other additions have trickled in over time.Desktop Version
Waitangi Day in New Zealand
Waitangi Day in New Zealand
What do you get when you bring together more than 500 Māori chiefs, representatives of the British Crown, and a treaty signed in 1840? A day that New Zealanders still commemorate: Waitangi Day. On this date, the Treaty of Waitangi was signed, establishing the principles for how the two cultures would coexist. Ceremonies are held at Waitangi Treaty Grounds—where the document was signed—featuring traditional Māori performances, speeches, and the ever-dramatic waka (canoe) races. From festivals and concerts in cities like Auckland and Wellington to low-key community gatherings, the spirit of the day is about connection and culture.Desktop Version
International Day of Forests
International Day of Forests
Today we"re rooting for woodlands worldwide as we celebrate the International Day of Forests. Established by the UN 11 years ago, the day draws attention to the need to preserve these essential ecosystems, which supply food, water, medicines, and other resources. Covering over 30% of land on Earth, it is thought that woodlands around the world contain more than 60,000 tree species. Featured here is the Bwindi Impenetrable National Forest in Uganda, which is home to 160 species of trees and 100 species of ferns, as well as an extraordinary 50% of the world"s mountain gorilla population. The forest has thickets of bamboo growing between the trees, making access on foot difficult, giving the Impenetrable Forest its name.Desktop Version