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Jewels of the Jungle
A silverback from the 22-member Mapuwa family in Virunga National Park emerges from the jungle to keep an eye on a ranger patrol. The park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has largely succeeded in protecting mountain gorillas, its top tourist draw, from violence. Their population is now growing.
Jewels of the Jungle
A silverback from the 22-member Mapuwa family in Virunga National Park emerges from the jungle to keep an eye on a ranger patrol. The park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has largely succeeded in protecting mountain gorillas, its top tourist draw, from violence. Their population is now growing.
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Frozen bubbles of methane trapped beneath Alberta's Lake Abraham are beautiful, but dangerous if popped
These frozen bubbles under Alberta's Lake Abraham might look like winter jewels, but you wouldn't want to be too close to one if it popped: the bubbles are actually frozen pockets of methane, a highly flammable gas. Most of the time, methane escaping from the surface of water is relatively harmless—but if you happen to be lighting a match at the time one of these bubbles explodes, watch out.
Methane bubbles form in bodies of water when dead organic matter (leaves and animals) falls into the water and sinks to the bottom, to the delight of bacteria waiting below. The bacteria munches on the matter and poops out methane, which turns to white floating blobs when it comes into contact with frozen water. Methane is formed in thousands of lakes around the arctic, but decreasing permafrost means more and more of this methane is being released into the atmosphere, a worrying trend for climate scientists who note that methane is a more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide.
Photographer Darwin Wigget has been leading photography tours and workshops to Lake Abraham for 11 years, which has helped popularize the location.
Frozen bubbles of methane trapped beneath Alberta's Lake Abraham are beautiful, but dangerous if popped
These frozen bubbles under Alberta's Lake Abraham might look like winter jewels, but you wouldn't want to be too close to one if it popped: the bubbles are actually frozen pockets of methane, a highly flammable gas. Most of the time, methane escaping from the surface of water is relatively harmless—but if you happen to be lighting a match at the time one of these bubbles explodes, watch out.
Methane bubbles form in bodies of water when dead organic matter (leaves and animals) falls into the water and sinks to the bottom, to the delight of bacteria waiting below. The bacteria munches on the matter and poops out methane, which turns to white floating blobs when it comes into contact with frozen water. Methane is formed in thousands of lakes around the arctic, but decreasing permafrost means more and more of this methane is being released into the atmosphere, a worrying trend for climate scientists who note that methane is a more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide.
Photographer Darwin Wigget has been leading photography tours and workshops to Lake Abraham for 11 years, which has helped popularize the location.
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Strange Roots
Socotra Island, located off the southeast coast of Yemen, is known for its lush biodiversity—and strange plant life. Dracaena cinnabari—more commonly known as the dragon’s blood tree—is the island’s iconic species, with its upturned branches perfectly adapted to capturing moisture.
Strange Roots
Socotra Island, located off the southeast coast of Yemen, is known for its lush biodiversity—and strange plant life. Dracaena cinnabari—more commonly known as the dragon’s blood tree—is the island’s iconic species, with its upturned branches perfectly adapted to capturing moisture.
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Ahead of the Herd 🐾
"I've been working on a photographic survey, 'The Saami of Russia,' for 22 years (since 1991)," writes Your Shot contributor Alexander Stepanenko. "This picture was taken on black-and-white film in April 1996 near Murmansk." Stepanenko explains that herders were attempting to drive the reindeer into a corral. He captured this shot while riding on a sledge that was leading the reindeer in the foreground. "Fascinated by shooting," he says, "I almost fell off the sledge." Stepanenko's photographs documenting Russian village life are highlighted in the new Your Shot feature Long Lens.
"I've been working on a photographic survey, 'The Saami of Russia,' for 22 years (since 1991)," writes Your Shot contributor Alexander Stepanenko. "This picture was taken on black-and-white film in April 1996 near Murmansk." Stepanenko explains that herders were attempting to drive the reindeer into a corral. He captured this shot while riding on a sledge that was leading the reindeer in the foreground. "Fascinated by shooting," he says, "I almost fell off the sledge." Stepanenko's photographs documenting Russian village life are highlighted in the new Your Shot feature Long Lens.
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Polished Porcelain🍄
“I am a big fan of mushrooms,” writes member Agorastos Papatsanis. He encountered these specimens on Mount Olympus. “On one of my autumn excursions in the beech forest, I found this amazing porcelain fungus (Oudemansiella mucida). I was drawn to their cyclic hats with the radial paths of the gills, the amazing porcelain texture, and the combination of rain and sun. I used the available bright sunlight as a backlight and enhanced it with an off-camera flash to create this atmosphere.”
“I am a big fan of mushrooms,” writes member Agorastos Papatsanis. He encountered these specimens on Mount Olympus. “On one of my autumn excursions in the beech forest, I found this amazing porcelain fungus (Oudemansiella mucida). I was drawn to their cyclic hats with the radial paths of the gills, the amazing porcelain texture, and the combination of rain and sun. I used the available bright sunlight as a backlight and enhanced it with an off-camera flash to create this atmosphere.”
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