Waterfalls on Uluru: A Rare Sight

It is estimated thatonly 1% of visitorsto Uluru get the chance to witness waterfalls flowing from the rock.

June 23, 2014 · 1 min · 18 words · Christine Adams

The Depressing Industrial City of Norilsk

Norilsk is an industrial city located in Krasnoyarsk Krai, in Russia. Norilsk is almost cut off from the world. It is connected by a railroad to only one city the port of Dudinka. The only way to leave Norilsk is to then travel 2,000 km down the Yenisei River or by air. But due to bad weather a flight can be delayed for up to two weeks. Norilsks exports make up more than 2 percent of Russias GDP....

June 21, 2014 · 2 min · 250 words · Thomas Jones

Saddening Images of Dead Sea Birds With Plastic in Their Stomach

The birds then return to the island, regurgitate the plastic and feed it to their young. Of the 500,000 albatross chicks born here each year, about 200,000 die, mostly from dehydration or starvation. The plastic punctures the birds stomachs, creating life-threatening injuries. Midway Atoll is a critical habitat in the Pacific Ocean. Three million seabirds and 250 different marine species populate the island, the nearby reefs and lagoons. Critically-endangered Hawaiian monk seals, green sea turtles and about 300 spinner dolphins call this remote paradise their home....

June 20, 2014 · 1 min · 90 words · Angie Fernandez

The Perched Villages of Cote d'Azur

Artists and artisans moved in and set up boutiques and galleries to show their wares. Now, most villages have a thriving commercial life catering to tourists, retirees, and part-time residents. Many villages still have buckled medieval walls and their crooked, cobbled streets are pleasant to stroll. There are more than 120 perched villages scattered over the territory of Cote d’Azur. They each have a singular charm to be discovered in their little streets or in the craftsmen’s workshops....

June 19, 2014 · 1 min · 211 words · Joshua Valencia

Desert Wildflowers in the Colorado Plateau

The Colorado Plateau is mostly desert, with a few scattered areas of forests. Thescorpion weedandbee plantflowers shown in these images doesn’t always appear every year. Most flowers on the Colorado Plateau depend on winter precipitation for soil moisture. During winter months precipitation generally exceeds potential evaporation, therefore moisture remains in the soil for use by plants. However, their beauty is best appreciated only in a photo. These pictures were taken by photographer Guy Tal....

June 18, 2014 · 1 min · 90 words · Jamie Shields

The Trulli Houses of Alberobello

Despite the lack of mortar, the structure is surprisingly stable. Trulli were built during a period of history, when the construction of stable dwellings was highly-taxed. This is known to have occurred in 1644 to thwart tax inspectors sent by the King of Naples. Photo credit Trulli were constructed using roughly worked limestone boulders collected from neighboring fields. The structural walls are laid directly on the bedrock, after removal of the topsoil when necessary....

June 17, 2014 · 1 min · 116 words · Christine Alexander

Beichuan, The Preserved Ruins of an Earthquake Destroyed Town

Few places provide the opportunity to see the aftermath of a violent natural calamity. The town of Beichuan is one of them. Among these were 1,300 children when a large populated school collapsed. Condition was further aggravated by landslides that buried the town under several stories worth of mud. Today, Beichuan appear frozen in time, its crumbling buildings preserved almost exactly as they fell. Many of the buildings appear much as they did only a few minutes after the earthquake struck....

June 15, 2014 · 1 min · 90 words · Alison Bean

Johannesburg's Ponte City Tower

But in the early 1980s investment in the suburb dried up and the building fell into disrepair. The residents moved out and by 1990s, the entire neighbor turned into a slum. Ponte City became a breeding ground for crime. Its signature hollow core was the perfect trash dump and suicide point. After four decades of decay, the core was filled with debris five stories high. Photo credit Since 2001, the building has been undergoing steady renovation....

June 13, 2014 · 1 min · 80 words · Gregory Johnson

A Psychedelic Salt Mine in Yekaterinburg

Deep underneath the city of Yekaterinburg in Russia lies the most colorful cave you have ever laid your eyes upon. The walls of this abandoned salt mine is covered with psychedelic patterns, brought on by the natural layers of carnallite, a mineral used in the production of plant fertilizers, and is most often yellow to white or reddish, but can sometimes be blue or even completely colorless. A small portion of the carnallite mines remain in use, but most of the passageways are now closed and off-limits to the public without a special government permit....

June 12, 2014 · 2 min · 225 words · Melvin Thompson

Hallerbos, The Blue Forest of Belgium

The wild bluebell hyacinths, however, are all natural and have been for centuries. The forest has other riches. In spring its full of birds - blackcap warblers, wrens and nuthatches are the loudest. There are red squirrels amongst the pines, buzzards in the clearings and tadpoles in the ponds. Sources:Eupedia/Bois de Jasmin/Discovering Belgium, viaMy Modern Metropolis

June 12, 2014 · 1 min · 56 words · William Stewart

Maggie Rudy’s Hand Crafted Mice Dolls

The idea for a picture book came during Christmas when she was making mouse photos for Christmas cards. The mice are stuffed with cotton, and are sewn and glued together. The eyes are black glass beads, and their paws are made of paper. The last task is sewing on the nylon thread whiskers. Each mouse can take several hours to make. For the stage she uses rigid foam insulation board for the ground....

June 12, 2014 · 1 min · 124 words · Joseph Davis

Benjamin Affagard’s Miniature Dioramas of Suburban Graffiti

French artistBenjamin Affagardcreates extremely intricate and detailed mini dioramas depicting graffiti-strewn cityscapes. Affagard would then incorporate the decorated cardboard piece into his model. The store fronts are itself inspired by real life locations.

June 11, 2014 · 1 min · 33 words · Kelli Haley

Geamana, The Romanian Village Flooded by a Toxic Lake

The waters of the lake is highly toxic laced with cyanide and other chemicals. As the lake grew, it engulfed what was once a beautiful village. The tower of the church and a few houses are all that remains today. Photo credit Source:NYTimes/Digi24

June 11, 2014 · 1 min · 43 words · Ronald Johnston