Badlands National Park, South Dakota, USA 10 Nov 2023

This densely layered image is not an error of your screen, but the fascinating tiers of fossil beds in Badlands National Park in South Dakota, USA. Under the multicoloured coating lies the land"s history, conserving the remains of ancient horses, camels, tigers and rhinos. The barren landscape, decorated with pinnacles and prairies, was mainly formed by two contrary forces of nature: deposition (the process of small rocks being moved around and deposited in new places) and erosion (the process of rocks wearing away). The Red Shirt Table, at 1,020 metres, is the highest point on the rugged terrain. The park covers a 379-square-mile territory that was established as a national park on this day in 1978. Still thirsty for knowledge? Visit the national park"s museum collection. There are over 360,000 artefacts that have a lot more to reveal!

© Grant Ordelheide/Tandem Stills + Motion

palette

Today in History

Lighting up the Badlands
10 Nov 2024Remembrance Sunday
10 Nov 2025Black-tailed prairie dogs, Badlands National Park, South Dakota, USA

More Desktop Wallpapers:

26 Nov 2025World Olive Tree Day
4 Mar 2026Purple crocus flowers, Seven Rila Lakes, Bulgaria
Remember, remember…
The lonely castle
4 Jun 2024Chestnut-headed bee-eater, Bardia National Park, Nepal
16 Nov 2023World Philosophy Day
15 Apr 2026World Art Day
28 Jun 2025Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes in Death Valley National Park, United States
29 Oct 2024Great horned owl
Festival fever
23 Nov 2023Teide National Park, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
Zebras enjoying their day
Hop into Lunar New Year
The mountains are calling
What are these colorful insects?
Panoramic Penzance
6 Mar 2026The Wave, Vejle, Denmark
5 Jan 2025Plum-headed parakeet
One giant leap for mankind
Spanning the soft sunlight
Tree-mendous
2 Aug 2024Virgin Islands National Park, USA
26 Aug 2025Trullo buildings in Alberobello, Apulia, Italy
17 May 2025A delta in the Venetian Lagoon, Italy
29 Aug 2025Aerial view of Plaza Mayor, Madrid, Spain
This blue succulent has spirit
7 Jan 2026Old Rock Day
20 Aug 2025The citadel in Bonifacio, Southern Corsica, France
7 Dec 2025A pine forest in Alsace, France
30 Mar 2024Brown-throated three-toed sloth