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The crystal clear waters of Blue Nelson Lake, New Zealand
The Blue Lake in Nelson, New Zealand, or Rotomairewhenua (“land of peaceful waters” in Māori name), contains the clearest natural body of fresh water on Earth. The water is so lucid, as visually transparent as distilled water, that one can see down up to 262 feet down into the lake. The beautiful Southern Alps surrounding […]
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The bone-crushing bearded vulture
The bearded vulture (Gypaetus barbatus) is the only known animal that lives on an 80-90% diet of bones. That’s right — this intimidating-looking bird specializes in feeding on bone marrow. The Bearded Vulture is a bone eater and bone crusher This bird of prey is so desperate for bone that it’ll fly a dead carcass as high […]
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Draco volans: The flying dragon lizard
Draco Volans are real-life flying lizards from Southeast Asia. These mini flying creatures have developed the ability to glide up to 26 feet, often from one tree to another, over thousands of years. Draco Volans’ wings are made of its ribs, not true limbs Draco Volans use skin flaps on their elongated ribs to open and […]
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Waterfall of the Bride in Peru
Is nature greater than any human artist? There’s a beautiful 165-foot waterfall outside the city of Cajamarca, Peru, that forms the shape of a bride in her wedding dress. Ghost in the water The water source for the cascade is a cave that starts 650 feet above the falls. The hidden cave and sudden barrage […]
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The stealthy ghost crab
The ghost crab is about as big as your hand but as fast as lightning. The eight-legged little creature moves across sandy beaches at 100 body lengths per second, up to 10 miles per hour. That’s blazing-fast when compared to the size of a human and cheetah, who achieve speeds of 11 and 20 body […]
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Walking the ocean floor at Hopewell Rocks
The Hopewell Rocks is a series of sandstone pillars along the coast of the Bay of Fundy, New Brunswick, Canada. The unique-looking rock formations, cliffs, and coves result from centuries of tidal erosion, yet another reminder of how nature crafts its own beauty. Home to the highest tides in the world The tides at the […]
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Mount Roraima: An island in the clouds
Mount Roraima is a tabletop mountain located in the deep rainforest of Venezuela’s Canaima National Park. It serves as the tripoint of Venezuela, Guyana, and Brazil. Mount Roraima forms the highest peak of the Pakaraima chain of Tepuis plateaus in South America, standing 9,200 feet with a 12-square-mile summit area with 1,300-foot tall cliffs. It’s no wonder […]
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Crown shyness: Nature’s way of social distancing
Certain tree species in the forest resist touching each other as they grow, a natural event known as crown shyness. Here’s an aerial view of the jigsaw-like spacing. What explains the puzzle piece-shaped canopy? More than one theory explains why social distancing amongst the trees occurs. Scientists suggest that the channel-like gaps between the treetops […]
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Impossible heights: Lighthouse of Thridrangar, Iceland
Are you searching for your next getaway? There’s a lighthouse off the coast of southern Iceland that sits 120 feet upward on the highest of three steep rocks. It is one of the most remote lighthouses in the world. Constructed in 1939, the Thridrangar (Þrídrangar) Lighthouse, Þrídrangar means “three rock pillars,” is undoubtedly one of […]
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The beauty of Madagascar’s giant Baobab trees
The Grandidier’s Baobabs (Palmate adansonia) are giant trees indigenous to Africa. Nicknamed the “mother of the forest,” this species of Baobab trees are predominantly found off Africa’s mainland in the island country of Madagascar. Baobabs can live up to 800 to 1000 years with their unique ability to act as a water storage tank. The […]
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The spot where the Namib Desert meets the Atlantic ocean
Where in the world can you see an infinite beach? Try the Namib Desert in Namibia, where some of the world’s tallest dunes meet the sea. The Namib Desert is the world’s oldest desert, going back at least 55 million years. While devoid of surface water, there are nearly a thousand miles of desert coastline […]
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Pink sea urchins have self-sharpening teeth
Pink sea urchins house five teeth, each supported by a separate jaw in a circular arrangement at the center of their spiked spherical bodies. But researchers at Northwestern have discovered that the teeth of pink sea urchins are specially equipped to self-sharpen themselves. The tooth enamel breaks off regularly to sustain precision, like a knife […]