2021-04-02
Lençóis Maranhenses National Park in Barreirinhas, Brazil (© WIN-Initiative/Getty Images)
伦索伊斯马拉年塞斯国家公园，巴西巴雷里尼亚斯市 (© WIN-Initiative/Getty Images)
From the air, the mesmerizing tapestry of sandy dunes and lagoons you see here gives Lençóis Maranhenses National Park an otherworldly, desert-like appearance. Located in the sparsely populated Northeast corner of Brazil, this park gets far too much annual rainfall—nearly 50 inches—to be considered a desert. In fact, heavy rain is part of what makes this place unique: Nearly 70% of its annual rainfall comes between January and May, filling the park's nearly 40,000 lagoons to the brim with fresh rainwater. Why doesn't the water sink into the sand? A layer of impermeable bedrock beneath the dunes prevents that from happening.
Lençóis Maranhenses National Park in Barreirinhas, Brazil (© WIN-Initiative/Getty Images)
伦索伊斯马拉年塞斯国家公园，巴西巴雷里尼亚斯市 (© WIN-Initiative/Getty Images)
From the air, the mesmerizing tapestry of sandy dunes and lagoons you see here gives Lençóis Maranhenses National Park an otherworldly, desert-like appearance. Located in the sparsely populated Northeast corner of Brazil, this park gets far too much annual rainfall—nearly 50 inches—to be considered a desert. In fact, heavy rain is part of what makes this place unique: Nearly 70% of its annual rainfall comes between January and May, filling the park's nearly 40,000 lagoons to the brim with fresh rainwater. Why doesn't the water sink into the sand? A layer of impermeable bedrock beneath the dunes prevents that from happening.
2021-04-03
Lighthouse at Cape Aniva, Sakhalin Island, Russia (© Amazing Aerial Agency/Offset by Shutterstock)
阿尼瓦角的灯塔，俄罗斯萨哈林岛 (© Amazing Aerial Agency/Offset by Shutterstock)
Seemingly against all odds, the Aniva Lighthouse stands atop this rocky outcrop where it once lit the way for vessels navigating the fierce currents, hidden rocks, and frequent fogs of Cape Aniva on the island of Sakhalin. Russia's largest island, Sakhalin lies off the mainland's Far East coast, due north of the Japanese island of Hokkaido. The island was hotly contested by both Russia and Japan in the 19th and early 20th centuries. In the late 1930s, when the Aniva Lighthouse was built, Russia controlled the northern half of Sakhalin while Japan controlled this, the southern part—so it was a team from Japan that built this lighthouse.
Lighthouse at Cape Aniva, Sakhalin Island, Russia (© Amazing Aerial Agency/Offset by Shutterstock)
阿尼瓦角的灯塔，俄罗斯萨哈林岛 (© Amazing Aerial Agency/Offset by Shutterstock)
Seemingly against all odds, the Aniva Lighthouse stands atop this rocky outcrop where it once lit the way for vessels navigating the fierce currents, hidden rocks, and frequent fogs of Cape Aniva on the island of Sakhalin. Russia's largest island, Sakhalin lies off the mainland's Far East coast, due north of the Japanese island of Hokkaido. The island was hotly contested by both Russia and Japan in the 19th and early 20th centuries. In the late 1930s, when the Aniva Lighthouse was built, Russia controlled the northern half of Sakhalin while Japan controlled this, the southern part—so it was a team from Japan that built this lighthouse.
2021-04-04
An Ostereierbaum (Easter egg tree) in Saalfeld, Germany (© Rudi Sebastian/Alamy)
【今日清明】（ © yangphoto ）
If you find yourself in Germany or Austria around Easter, you'll see trees, branches, and bushes decorated in colorful eggs such as these. The Ostereierbaum (aka Osterbaum or Easter egg tree), is a German tradition dating back centuries, though no one's quite sure of the exact origin. Eggs have long been a symbol of rebirth and spring, and the sight of colorful eggs hung by ribbon can melt even the coldest of hearts.
An Ostereierbaum (Easter egg tree) in Saalfeld, Germany (© Rudi Sebastian/Alamy)
【今日清明】（ © yangphoto ）
If you find yourself in Germany or Austria around Easter, you'll see trees, branches, and bushes decorated in colorful eggs such as these. The Ostereierbaum (aka Osterbaum or Easter egg tree), is a German tradition dating back centuries, though no one's quite sure of the exact origin. Eggs have long been a symbol of rebirth and spring, and the sight of colorful eggs hung by ribbon can melt even the coldest of hearts.