Bing wallpaper for mobile

Hottest Latest
Plitvice Lakes National Park in Croatia
Plitvice Lakes National Park in Croatia
In a country more famous for its coastline, about a million visitors each year venture inland to amble along these boardwalks and marvel at spectacular lakes and mountains. Plitvice Lakes National Park is the oldest and largest of Croatia"s national parks. The big attraction is the series of 16 descending, turquoise-colored lakes, connected by subterranean karst rivers, and above ground by streams and waterfalls. The lakes are separated by natural dams of travertine, which is created by the interplay of water, plant material, and bacteria. The water changes color from green to azure to gray depending on the angle of the light and the density of minerals and organisms in the water. About 11 miles of wooden boardwalk make it easy for people to wander among the lakes, falls, and caves that are open to visitors year-round.Desktop Version
A little blue
A little blue
If you want to see a little blue heron in its natural habitat, head to the swamps, tidal flats, and lake marshes of the US Gulf Coast, the Caribbean Islands, and Central America—and bring your patience. These herons keep a low profile, and often sit so still while hunting, they can be hard to spot. The adults develop deep blue plumage, sometimes sporting purple feathers on their heads, and tiptoe around the shoreline on green legs. The chicks are born snowy white, which scientists suggest is a survival adaptation to help them blend in with cattle egrets and snowy egrets—both species with bright white feathers—to enjoy the added safety of being in a large group.Desktop Version
Breckenridge, Colorado
Breckenridge, Colorado
Gold mining put this Rocky Mountain town on the map in the 1860s, but today the real gold is the powdery snow that falls liberally on the slopes that surround the town. Breckenridge is one of Colorado"s premier ski and snowboard destinations. The resort has 35 lifts servicing five peaks and 2,900 acres of terrain. The visitors—who also arrive in the summer to fish, cycle, and paddle—easily outnumber the 5,000 residents of this quaint village. The gold mines have long shut down, apart from hosting visits from tourists. The enduring value of Breckenridge is its natural beauty.Desktop Version
An uncommonly cool critter
An uncommonly cool critter
An octopus"s life depends on camouflage, so don"t tell this one it"s sticking out like a sore tentacle. Or maybe this master of disguise is posing for the camera on purpose. Either way, we"re glad to have spotted it just in time for World Octopus Day!Desktop Version
Cranborne Chase, England
Cranborne Chase, England
If this looks to you like the setting of a fairy tale, you"re not alone. England"s Cranborne Chase has long inspired writers and painters, and it"s been designated a national protected area because of its natural beauty. It may be especially beautiful in winter, when the trees and shrubs can be coated with hoarfrost, an uncommon type of frost that forms when water vapor turns directly into ice, skipping the liquid stage.Desktop Version
Road-trip worthy attraction in the heartland
Road-trip worthy attraction in the heartland
Today we’re visiting Carhenge, a popular roadside attraction in western Nebraska. Carhenge is the passion project of Jim Reinders, who came up with the idea to memorialize his father. Like Stonehenge, Carhenge is a glimpse of culture now past—the heyday of the American automobile. While living in England, Reinders studied Stonehenge"s structure, which allowed him to replicate the formation using 39 vehicles, including cars, trucks, and even one Jeep. Reinders and about 35 family members built the attraction in June 1987. And with another nod to Stonehenge, they dedicated it on the summer solstice that same month. Since then, more than 60,000 people have visited the attraction and it’s appeared in music videos, TV shows, commercials, and even on an album cover.Desktop Version
Remembering the Arizona
Remembering the Arizona
Looking up through the seven skylights of the USS Arizona Memorial, you"ll see the Stars and Stripes wave solemnly against a bright Hawaiian sky. On today"s infamous date, the flag flies at half-mast to honor the 2,403 people killed in Japan"s December 7, 1941 surprise attack on Pearl Harbor that thrust the US into World War II. Of these, 1,177 service members perished in a direct hit that blew apart the munitions-laden Arizona. Over 900 of these casualties remain buried at sea within the ship"s superstructure. They"re joined by survivors who upon their later deaths chose to have their ashes interred alongside their fallen crewmates.Desktop Version
Pretty poetic for a pit
Pretty poetic for a pit
Taking a bird"s-eye view along the coast of Italy"s bootheel, you"ll spot many coves and caves like this one, the Grotta della Poesia. In English that"s Poetry"s Cave, a sea-flooded sinkhole so named for the ancient poets who—legend has it—were charmed by a beautiful princess who often came here for a dip.Desktop Version
Computer Science Education Week
Computer Science Education Week
Computer science is a dynamically developing discipline that has revolutionized our lives within a few decades. For Computer Science Education Week, we celebrate information systems and their power to connect the world, 24 hours a day. Where better to mark the occasion than the European Organization for Nuclear Research, known as CERN—birthplace of the World Wide Web? The 89-foot ball seen on today’s homepage is CERN"s Globe of Science and Innovation in Switzerland, in which visitors can learn more about the organization"s research work on particle physics. Quiet observers can wander around exhibitions and follow guided tours, and curious minds can take part in lab workshops and science shows for a first-hand experience.Desktop Version
The lights of Paris
The lights of Paris
As twilight turns to night, the city of Paris lights up. Streets and buildings are bathed in light, alongside grand monuments such as the Hôtel National des Invalides, whose famous dome shines out in our homepage image. It was built during the 17th century under Louis XIV, as a hospital and home for army veterans. It was also Louis XIV, known as the Sun King, who ordered streetlights to be erected throughout the city to light up dark alleys where lawbreakers might lurk. Parisians were also asked to put up lanterns and oil lamps, and place lit candles in their windows.Desktop Version
National Mushroom Month
National Mushroom Month
Oh, to be a squirrel with a feast such as this! It"s National Mushroom Month, and it seems our red squirrel friend here in Alaska got a literal jump on celebrating. It might surprise you, but squirrels don"t only eat nuts. They"ll eat just about whatever"s around and that includes big mushrooms. Though a small percentage of wild mushrooms can be poisonous to humans, squirrels can eat many of these frightening fungi without worry, thanks to special proteins in their guts. Nice to know someone"s enjoying them.Desktop Version
Groundhog Day
Groundhog Day
Groundhog Day is a North American tradition with roots in the February 2 Candlemas observance practiced by German immigrants. The most well-known Groundhog Day celebration, in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, was first promoted by a local newspaper editor in 1886. Thousands of people gather in Punxsutawney each year to witness the groundhog emerge from its burrow, and more importantly, to see if the critter spots its shadow. If it does, winter will go on for six weeks, according to tradition. If it does not, spring-like conditions are said to be coming. Studies have yet to prove any link between the two events, but that hasn’t cast a shadow over this unusual tradition, which remains as popular as ever in the 21st century.Desktop Version
Goliath heron in Kruger National Park, South Africa
Goliath heron in Kruger National Park, South Africa
You are looking at the largest living heron in the world, the goliath heron, waiting for prey to swim by in Kruger National Park, South Africa. This wading bird is often referred to as the giant heron due to its enormous size—reaching as tall as 5 feet in height with up to a 7-foot wingspan. The goliath heron is a solitary creature, known for its slow, hunting-style movements and lives around lakes, swamps, and wetlands. They forage in deep waters and feast on large fish, like mullet and tilapia, as well as small animals including frogs, snakes, and lizards. They are often found in sub-Saharan Africa, with smaller numbers in western and southern regions of Asia.Desktop Version
Acadia transformed
Acadia transformed
Historically, mid-October is peak fall foliage season in Maine"s Acadia National Park. The forest canopy is aflame with autumn color, and here, the highbush blueberries on the forest floor provide an additional splash of color. Acadia has six marked coastal trails, and our photo today was taken on one of the most popular: Wonderland Trail. It’s just 1.4 miles round-trip, an easy trek for families and casual hikers. Acadia is Maine’s only national park, and it’s easy to see why this landscape was preserved—look at that beautiful fall color, and that’s just at ground level.Desktop Version
Adorable activism
Adorable activism
In 1995, officials wanted to build a traffic roundabout in this area of the Ferguson Valley in Western Australia. Locals weren’t interested in seeing the wooded land paved over, but the roundabout was installed anyhow. In response, someone placed a garden gnome on the construction site—a form of guerilla-art protest. Other small bearded, pointy-hatted fellows soon joined the original settler. The newly arrived wee residents at least prevented further development in the area. For what manner of villain would destroy the forest home of a bunch of garden gnomes? Eventually there were hundreds of gnome figurines, and a roadside tourist attraction was created.Desktop Version
Monarch butterflies, Pismo Beach, California
Monarch butterflies, Pismo Beach, California
Today we"re in Pismo Beach, California, to celebrate one of the best-known species of butterflies—the monarch. Western Monarch Day marks their seasonal migration to California"s Central Coast from cold northern locations west of the Rocky Mountains.Desktop Version
International Day for Monuments and Sites
International Day for Monuments and Sites
Located high in the Andes Mountains, Peru"s Machu Picchu is believed to have been an estate for the Inca emperor Pachacuti, who ruled in the mid-15th century. This "Lost City of the Incas" is one of the world"s most famous archaeological sites, an engineering marvel, built without mortar, metal tools, or the wheel. As an icon of Inca civilization, it is a perfect fit for UNESCO"s International Day for Monuments and Sites, which has been celebrating important cultural heritage sites for 40 years. Landmarks such as the Pueblo Indian dwellings of Mesa Verde, the Taj Mahal, the Great Pyramid of Giza, and the Parthenon give us the opportunity to look back at the cultures that came before us and preserve their memory for future generations.Desktop Version
Let s ride! It s Roller Coaster Day
Let s ride! It s Roller Coaster Day
Whether screaming with delight and waving their hands or closing their eyes and praying for it to be over, these riders are on the downslope of one of Europe"s biggest and fastest hypercoasters (that"s a roller coaster over 200 feet tall). Spain"s PortAventura Park is home to seven coasters, more than enough to get the adrenaline pumping. The Shambhala coaster, seen here, reaches 256 feet above the ground and has a max speed of 83 miles per hour. If that"s too tame, the park"s Red Force roller coaster climbs to 367 feet and reaches 112 miles per hour. Hang on!Desktop Version
Mountain hare hopping into Lunar New Year
Mountain hare hopping into Lunar New Year
Today is the start of the Lunar New Year, which ushers in the Year of the Rabbit. Those born under the sign of the rabbit are believed to be ingenious, sweet, happy, quiet, and persistent. Famous rabbits include Albert Einstein, Frank Sinatra, Lionel Messi, and Ingrid Bergman. The Lunar New Year celebration starts with the first new moon in January and goes for the next 15 days, until the year"s first full moon lights up the night sky. Historically it has been an occasion for feasting and honoring deities as well as ancestors. We"re doing our part by sharing this lovely winter image of a mountain hare in Derbyshire, England.Desktop Version
Work out on your way to work
Work out on your way to work
The third Friday in May is National Bike to Work Day, which encourages commuters to try biking as a healthy and safe alternative to driving. The carving we"re looking at is in Bali, Indonesia. It depicts W.O.J. Nieuwenkamp, a Dutch landscape and portrait artist who rode his bike around Bali in the early 1900s, painting as he went—essentially biking to work every day. Nieuwenkamp was the first European artist to visit Bali and was influential in introducing Balinese art to Europe. The carving is part of the Pura Meduwe Karang, one of the largest temples in Bali. The temple served as an entrance to the island in the early 20th century and contains several symbols of international influence to reflect that.Desktop Version
Inside the Oculus
Inside the Oculus
Reconstruction after the Sept 11 attacks included not just rebuilding on the site of the Twin Towers, but replacing the transit hub station there as well. The new vision for the transit hub includes the Oculus, a building designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. A defining feature of the Oculus is a skylight at the peak of its roof, which is opened on clear days, flooding the space below with light and giving patrons a view of the new One World Trade Center building. And every Sept 11, the skylight is left open to the elements for 102 minutes—the duration of the attack on the World Trade Center. The elegant transit station is often busy with travelers making a quick stop to shop or eat, since most of the space is dedicated to retail, as it had been before the attacks on 9/11.Desktop Version
Penn Station
Penn Station
If this image of New York City"s Pennsylvania Station seems straight out of a classic film noir, it"s for good reason. The photo was taken in the 1950s, just a few years before the city"s beloved Beaux-Arts style masterpiece was dismantled and then demolished so that Madison Square Garden could be built atop its warren of walkways and train lines.Desktop Version
Aprils full moon
Aprils full moon
The full moon has inspired folklore, myths, writers, and artists throughout history and has been given many names, depending on the time of year it appears. April"s first full moon is known as the pink moon, but that doesn’t mean it will appear pink against the night sky. Native Americans named it for the pink wildflowers, moss pink or creeping phlox, that bloom in the eastern US in the spring.Desktop Version
Tambopata National Reserve, Peru
Tambopata National Reserve, Peru
Those brave enough to step out over this suspension bridge will be treated to a macaw"s-eye view of the Amazon rainforest, on which the survival of life on Earth depends. The vast Amazon biome, which spans 2.6 million square miles—an area twice the size of India—stores enormous amounts of carbon and supports approximately 10% of all known animal and plant species on Earth.Desktop Version
Yi Peng lantern festival, Chiang Mai, Thailand
Yi Peng lantern festival, Chiang Mai, Thailand
As twilight descends today, Chiang Mai, Thailand"s second-largest city, will come alive with thousands of glowing lanterns for Yi Peng. Held on the full moon of the second month of the Lanna lunar calendar, this celebration is about letting go of negativity and embracing new beginnings. The highlight of the festival is the release of "khom loi" or "khom loy"—floating paper lanterns—into the night sky, which becomes a sea of warm, golden lights. People often write their hopes and dreams on the lanterns. They gather around temples and palaces to send their wishes skyward, hoping for good fortune in the year to come.Desktop Version