2021-03-12
A balloon flies over the Pyramid of the Sun at sunrise in Teotihuacan, Mexico (© Marco Ugarte/AP Photo)
倒映在艾布湖上的楚格峰，德国巴伐利亚 (© Martin Siepmann/Westend61/Offset by Shutterstock)
If the Aztecs had hot air balloons, they may well have greeted the new year like this—floating above the massive Sun Pyramid at sunrise today, the first day of the year according to the Aztec calendar. Also known as Yancuic Xihuitl, the Aztec New Year is still celebrated by some Indigenous Nahua communities here in central Mexico with songs, dances, and the flames of 'ocote' (pitch-pine) candles. Dancers wear colorful traditional costumes topped by quetzal feather headdresses, and celebrants greet the New Year by making loud noises with seashells, just as Aztecs did centuries ago. It's one of the many expressions of pre-Columbian tradition that managed to survive the Spanish conquest and modern erosion of Indigenous customs.
A balloon flies over the Pyramid of the Sun at sunrise in Teotihuacan, Mexico (© Marco Ugarte/AP Photo)
倒映在艾布湖上的楚格峰，德国巴伐利亚 (© Martin Siepmann/Westend61/Offset by Shutterstock)
If the Aztecs had hot air balloons, they may well have greeted the new year like this—floating above the massive Sun Pyramid at sunrise today, the first day of the year according to the Aztec calendar. Also known as Yancuic Xihuitl, the Aztec New Year is still celebrated by some Indigenous Nahua communities here in central Mexico with songs, dances, and the flames of 'ocote' (pitch-pine) candles. Dancers wear colorful traditional costumes topped by quetzal feather headdresses, and celebrants greet the New Year by making loud noises with seashells, just as Aztecs did centuries ago. It's one of the many expressions of pre-Columbian tradition that managed to survive the Spanish conquest and modern erosion of Indigenous customs.
2021-03-13
Common rhododendrons in Semper Forest Park, Ruegen, Germany (© Sandra Bartocha/Minden Pictures)
森佩尔森林公园中的黑海杜鹃，德国吕根岛 (© Sandra Bartocha/Minden Pictures)
Often called the 'king of shrubs,' rhododendrons are prized by gardeners for their green, glossy leaves and often brightly colored flowers. Depending on the variety, the blooms usually emerge anytime from late winter into summer. Either evergreen or deciduous, rhododendrons make up a large and diverse genus of woody plants in the heath family. With over 1,000 wild species and scores of cultivated options, rhododendrons are native to temperate areas of Asia, North America, and Europe, as well as some tropical parts of Southeast Asia and northern Australia. Our image today captures 'rhodies' in full bloom in March along a path at Semper Forest Park of Ruegen, Germany.
Common rhododendrons in Semper Forest Park, Ruegen, Germany (© Sandra Bartocha/Minden Pictures)
森佩尔森林公园中的黑海杜鹃，德国吕根岛 (© Sandra Bartocha/Minden Pictures)
Often called the 'king of shrubs,' rhododendrons are prized by gardeners for their green, glossy leaves and often brightly colored flowers. Depending on the variety, the blooms usually emerge anytime from late winter into summer. Either evergreen or deciduous, rhododendrons make up a large and diverse genus of woody plants in the heath family. With over 1,000 wild species and scores of cultivated options, rhododendrons are native to temperate areas of Asia, North America, and Europe, as well as some tropical parts of Southeast Asia and northern Australia. Our image today captures 'rhodies' in full bloom in March along a path at Semper Forest Park of Ruegen, Germany.
2021-03-14
Lyon astronomical clock, Lyon, France (© kyolshin/Alamy)
里昂天文钟，法国里昂 (© kyolshin/Alamy)
If the first day of daylight saving time doesn't have you springing for joy, this towering timekeeper might be more your speed. The astronomical clock at Lyon Cathedral in France was built in 1660, long before daylight time became widely adopted in the 20th century. The clock's intersecting hands and dials don't just tell time, they form a flattened model of our planet that tracks the positions of the sun and moon relative to Earth. The zodiac dial, offset to account for the planet's rotational tilt, shows the star sign currently in season.
Lyon astronomical clock, Lyon, France (© kyolshin/Alamy)
里昂天文钟，法国里昂 (© kyolshin/Alamy)
If the first day of daylight saving time doesn't have you springing for joy, this towering timekeeper might be more your speed. The astronomical clock at Lyon Cathedral in France was built in 1660, long before daylight time became widely adopted in the 20th century. The clock's intersecting hands and dials don't just tell time, they form a flattened model of our planet that tracks the positions of the sun and moon relative to Earth. The zodiac dial, offset to account for the planet's rotational tilt, shows the star sign currently in season.