Saturday, November 14, 2009
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
PECULIAR SHAPES IN NATURE
The bark of whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis), found in the western U.S. and Canada, appears striated.
Mud tracks ripple like melted chocolate after a flood washed through a slot canyon in Arizona.
Matanuska Glacier is reflected in a glacial lake in Alaska's Matanuska Valley.
Scorching temperatures—sometimes topping 120 degrees Fahrenheit (49 degrees Celsius)—crack the earth in Ethiopia's Danakil Desert.
Sulfur, salt, and other minerals color the crater of Ethiopia’s Dallol volcano.
Sand dunes loom at Sossus Vlei in Namibia's Namib Desert.
White birch trees stand tall in Riding Mountain National Park, in Manitoba, Canada.
Antelope CanyonSUNRISES AND SUNSETS
The moon at sunrise lends an otherworldly feel to the freshwater lakes and pearly sands along the edge of lonely Shelburne Bay, on the remote northeast flank of the Cape York Peninsula."
Sunset over the Beaufort Sea plunges Canada's Yukon Territory into a crimson haze. More than 313,000 tourists make summer pilgrimages to the territory, one of North America's last great wildernesses. Today tourism booms there, drawing adventurers to the frontier's glaciated peaks, untouched wilderness, and abundant wildflowers and wildlife.
Splendor of the past endures in an Egyptian pyramid. Camels have provided desert transport in parts of Africa and Asia since ancient times."
The sun sets on the first-century ruins of Nemrud Dagh, Turkey,
millennia after it set on the ancient kingdom itself. Built by King Antiochus I in southeastern Turkey, the kingdom is one of the best preserved but least known ruins of the Late Hellenistic period. Its monuments are a story in stone depicting the king, his family and ancestors, and their interaction with the gods.
"The stone spires off Victoria's coast are called the Twelve Apostles ..."
WORLD HERITAGE LIST
The vineyard terraces of Lavaux, Switzerland,
date back to the 11th century, when Benedictine and Cistercian monasteries had sovereignty in the mountainous region.
Lavaux's vineyards and villages reflect ten centuries of change in the production and patronage of local wine. Remains of medieval houses, mills, and fortified towers provide an evolutionary timeline of the region's cultural traditions.
Today Swiss locals adamantly support protective measures against urban development projects that they say would endanger Lavaux's rich archaeological history.
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Lavaux's vineyards and villages reflect ten centuries of change in the production and patronage of local wine. Remains of medieval houses, mills, and fortified towers provide an evolutionary timeline of the region's cultural traditions.
Today Swiss locals adamantly support protective measures against urban development projects that they say would endanger Lavaux's rich archaeological history.
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Southern China is home to the world's largest karst, a three-dimensional rock landscape usually made from carbon deposits. The South China Karst covers nearly 232,000 square miles (600,000 square kilometers) and slopes from high-altitude plateaus in the northwest to low-lying plains in the southeast.
The eight areas that make up the South China Karst encompass a variety of unique natural forms, including tower karsts, cone karsts, pinnacle karsts, and rare giant karst pits.
The region's carbon deposits are thousands of meters thick and were created during the late Paleozoic era, which spanned 542 million to 251 million years ago. Fossils found in the karst have offered important information about Earth's past.
The eight areas that make up the South China Karst encompass a variety of unique natural forms, including tower karsts, cone karsts, pinnacle karsts, and rare giant karst pits.
The region's carbon deposits are thousands of meters thick and were created during the late Paleozoic era, which spanned 542 million to 251 million years ago. Fossils found in the karst have offered important information about Earth's past.
The Richtersveld Cultural and Botanical Landscape is a mountainous desert region that covers more than 395,000 acres (160,000 hectares) in northwest South Africa. Despite extreme temperatures and a scarce water supply, the national park contains a wide range of birds, mammals and plants.
UNESCO added the region to its World Heritage list because it is communally owned by the Nama, seminomadic people who descent from from the Khoi-Khoi, a group that was pushed out of the area more than a hundred years ago.
The Nama only recently returned to their homeland, where they now live by building portable houses and herding sheep and cattle. The Nama are the last remaining South African group to follow seasonal migration, a practice that was once common in the area because of the difficulty of land management in such extreme environmental conditions.
UNESCO added the region to its World Heritage list because it is communally owned by the Nama, seminomadic people who descent from from the Khoi-Khoi, a group that was pushed out of the area more than a hundred years ago.
The Nama only recently returned to their homeland, where they now live by building portable houses and herding sheep and cattle. The Nama are the last remaining South African group to follow seasonal migration, a practice that was once common in the area because of the difficulty of land management in such extreme environmental conditions.
Vlacherna Monastery on the island of Kirkira (Corfu) in Greece
People stand outside the . The church is part of the island's Old Town, which is noted for its well-preserved Venetian forts and neo-classical housing. The World Heritage Committee recently inscribed Old Town to the World Heritage list, calling it "a fortified Mediterranean port town of high integrity and authenticity, UNESCO reported."
Accentuated by secluded beaches and flowering countryside, Kérkira is a popular destination for international tourists. While some visitors seek out the island's cosmopolitan atmosphere and wild nightlife, others relax on its white pebble beaches and peaceful inlets.
The greenest of the Greek islands, Kérkira has more than three million olive trees.
Accentuated by secluded beaches and flowering countryside, Kérkira is a popular destination for international tourists. While some visitors seek out the island's cosmopolitan atmosphere and wild nightlife, others relax on its white pebble beaches and peaceful inlets.
The greenest of the Greek islands, Kérkira has more than three million olive trees.
Samarra, Iraq
A ninth-century spiral minaret is among the historical structures in the Samarra Archaeological City in Iraq, 50 miles (80.5 kilometers) north of Baghdad.
UNESCO's World Heritage Committee chosefor the World Heritage list because of its rich cultural remains related to the Abbasid empire, one of Baghdad's two great Sunni dynasties.
The Abbasid Dynasty, which lasted from A.D. 750 to 1258, is historically recognized as an age of great intellectual achievement.
Also on UNESCO's list of World Heritage in Danger, Samarra's archaeological remains are constantly threatened by warfare in the region. The city was once home to the largest mosque in the world. Now all that remains is its walls and the spiral minaret shown above.
The Abbasid Dynasty, which lasted from A.D. 750 to 1258, is historically recognized as an age of great intellectual achievement.
Also on UNESCO's list of World Heritage in Danger, Samarra's archaeological remains are constantly threatened by warfare in the region. The city was once home to the largest mosque in the world. Now all that remains is its walls and the spiral minaret shown above.
The Teide volcano on Tenerife,
one of Spain's Canary Islands, is among the new sites added to the World Heritage list.
Teide was selected because of its natural beauty and important geological history. The volcano is more than five million years old, so it provides valuable geological information about the evolution of oceanic islands.
The volcano's summit reaches to an elevation of 12,188 feet (3,715 meters), making it the third largest volcano on Earth. It is toped by the Las Canadas caldera, a 7- to 12-mile-wide (12- to 20-kilometers-wide) depression created by an ancient volcanic eruption.
Teide was selected because of its natural beauty and important geological history. The volcano is more than five million years old, so it provides valuable geological information about the evolution of oceanic islands.
The volcano's summit reaches to an elevation of 12,188 feet (3,715 meters), making it the third largest volcano on Earth. It is toped by the Las Canadas caldera, a 7- to 12-mile-wide (12- to 20-kilometers-wide) depression created by an ancient volcanic eruption.
Sydney Opera House
Perched in Sydney Harbor, the concrete "shells" of the Opera House, have become an icon for the country of Australia. Designed by Jørn Utzon in an architectural competition in 1957, the opera house opened for performances in 1973.
Last week the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) named the opera house—along with 22 other sites—as universally significant locations by adding them to the World Heritage list.
The sites will join the list's 851 other properties, which are decided on by representatives from 21 countries that are part of the World Heritage Convention.
The Sydney Opera House's inclusion on the list is notable because it arrived without a single dissenting vote, said Roni Amelan, a UNESCO spokesperson.
There was a consensus that it was a truly outstanding, iconic building that was a defining moment in 20th-century architecture," Amelan told the Associated Press.
The Sydney Opera House is now the youngest site to be included on the World Heritage list
Last week the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) named the opera house—along with 22 other sites—as universally significant locations by adding them to the World Heritage list.
The sites will join the list's 851 other properties, which are decided on by representatives from 21 countries that are part of the World Heritage Convention.
The Sydney Opera House's inclusion on the list is notable because it arrived without a single dissenting vote, said Roni Amelan, a UNESCO spokesperson.
There was a consensus that it was a truly outstanding, iconic building that was a defining moment in 20th-century architecture," Amelan told the Associated Press.
The Sydney Opera House is now the youngest site to be included on the World Heritage list
LAS MARAVILLAS DEL MUNDO
"Christ the Redeemer" statue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil,
The 105-foot-tall (38-meter-tall) was among the "new seven wonders of the world" announced July 7 following a global poll to decide a new list of human-made marvels. The other six new wonders are the Colosseum in Rome, India's Taj Mahal, the Great Wall of China, Jordan's ancient city of Petra, the Inca ruins of Machu Picchu in Peru, and the ancient Maya city of Chichén Itzá in Mexico
Great Wall of China
This newly elected world wonder was built along China's northern border over many centuries to keep out invading Mongol tribes.
Constructed between the fifth century B.C. and the 16th century, the Great Wall is the world's longest human-made structure, stretching some 4,000 miles (6,400 kilometers). The best known section was built around 200 B.C. by the first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang Di.
This newly elected world wonder was built along China's northern border over many centuries to keep out invading Mongol tribes.
Constructed between the fifth century B.C. and the 16th century, the Great Wall is the world's longest human-made structure, stretching some 4,000 miles (6,400 kilometers). The best known section was built around 200 B.C. by the first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang Di.
The Colosseum, Rome, Italy
The only finalist from Europe to make it into the top seven—the Colosseum in Rome, Italy—once held up to 50,000 spectators who came to watch gory games involving gladiators, wild animals, and prisoners.
Construction began around A.D. 70 under Emperor Vespasian. Modern sports stadiums still resemble the Colosseum's famous design.
European sites that didn't make the cut include Stonehenge in the United Kingdom, the Acropolis in Athens, Greece, and the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France.
The only finalist from Europe to make it into the top seven—the Colosseum in Rome, Italy—once held up to 50,000 spectators who came to watch gory games involving gladiators, wild animals, and prisoners.
Construction began around A.D. 70 under Emperor Vespasian. Modern sports stadiums still resemble the Colosseum's famous design.
European sites that didn't make the cut include Stonehenge in the United Kingdom, the Acropolis in Athens, Greece, and the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France.
Petra, Jordan
Perched on the edge of the Arabian Desert, Petra was the capital of the Nabataean kingdom of King Aretas IV (9 B.C. to A.D. 40).
Petra is famous for its many stone structures such as a 138-foot-tall (42-meter-tall) temple carved with classical facades into rose-colored rock. The ancient city also included tunnels, water chambers, and an amphitheater, which held 4,000 people.
The desert site wasn't known to the West until Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt came across it in 1812
Perched on the edge of the Arabian Desert, Petra was the capital of the Nabataean kingdom of King Aretas IV (9 B.C. to A.D. 40).
Petra is famous for its many stone structures such as a 138-foot-tall (42-meter-tall) temple carved with classical facades into rose-colored rock. The ancient city also included tunnels, water chambers, and an amphitheater, which held 4,000 people.
The desert site wasn't known to the West until Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt came across it in 1812
Machu Picchu, Peru
One of three successful candidates from Latin America, Machu Picchu is a 15th-century mountain settlement in the Amazon region of Peru.
The ruined city is among the best known remnants of the Inca civilization, which flourished in the Andes region of western South America.
One of three successful candidates from Latin America, Machu Picchu is a 15th-century mountain settlement in the Amazon region of Peru.
The ruined city is among the best known remnants of the Inca civilization, which flourished in the Andes region of western South America.
The city is thought to have been abandoned following an outbreak of deadly smallpox, a disease introduced in the 1500s by invading Spanish forces.
Hundreds of people gathered at the remote, 7,970-foot-high (2,430-meter-high) site on Saturday to celebrate Machu Picchu's new seven wonders status.
Hundreds of people gathered at the remote, 7,970-foot-high (2,430-meter-high) site on Saturday to celebrate Machu Picchu's new seven wonders status.
Chichén Itzá, Mexico
Chichén Itzá is possibly the most famous temple city of the Mayas, a pre-Columbian civilization that lived in present day Central America.
It was the political and religious center of Maya civilization during the period from A.D. 750 to 1200.
At the city's heart lies the Temple of Kukulkan (pictured)—which rises to a height of 79 feet (24 meters). Each of its four sides has 91 steps—one step for each day of the year, with the 365th day represented by the platform on the top.
Chichén Itzá is possibly the most famous temple city of the Mayas, a pre-Columbian civilization that lived in present day Central America.
It was the political and religious center of Maya civilization during the period from A.D. 750 to 1200.
At the city's heart lies the Temple of Kukulkan (pictured)—which rises to a height of 79 feet (24 meters). Each of its four sides has 91 steps—one step for each day of the year, with the 365th day represented by the platform on the top.
Taj Mahal, India
The Taj Mahal, in Agra, India, is the spectacular mausoleum built by Muslim Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan to honor the memory of his beloved late wife, Mumtaz Mahal.
Construction began in 1632 and took about 15 years to complete. The opulent, domed mausoleum, which stands in formal walled gardens, is generally regarded as finest example of Mughal art and architecture. It includes four minarets, each more than 13 stories tall.
Shah Jahan was deposed and put under house arrest by one of his sons soon after the Taj Mahal's completion. It's said that he spent the rest of his days gazing at the Taj Mahal from a window
The Taj Mahal, in Agra, India, is the spectacular mausoleum built by Muslim Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan to honor the memory of his beloved late wife, Mumtaz Mahal.
Construction began in 1632 and took about 15 years to complete. The opulent, domed mausoleum, which stands in formal walled gardens, is generally regarded as finest example of Mughal art and architecture. It includes four minarets, each more than 13 stories tall.
Shah Jahan was deposed and put under house arrest by one of his sons soon after the Taj Mahal's completion. It's said that he spent the rest of his days gazing at the Taj Mahal from a window
Thursday, November 5, 2009
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