La Oroya
La Oroya, Peru, is one of the world's most polluted places.
Coco de Mer
The Coco de Mer is a palm endemic to the islands of Praslin. Until the true source of nut was discovered in 1768, it was believed by many to grow on a mythical tree at the bottom of the sea; European nobles in the sixteenth century would often have the shells of these nuts cleaned and decorated with valuable jewels as collectibles for their private galleries. The Coco de Mer is now a rare protected species.
The Devil’s Tower
American Indian legends tell of six Sioux girls who were picking flowers when they were chased by bears. Feeling sorry for them, the Great Spirit raised the ground beneath the girls. The bears tried to climb the rock, but fell off, leaving their scratch marks on the sides.
Yanar Dağ
Yanar Dağ is an ancient and visually stunning natural gas fire which blazes continuously on a hillside near Baku, Azerbaijan.
Orford Ness
Orford Ness on the Suffolk coast is known as an internationally renowned nature reserve, but its history is shrouded in secrecy and tales of military testing.
Alpenglow
Alpenglow is an optical phenomenon. When the sun is just below the horizon, a horizontal red glowing band can sometimes be observed on the opposite horizon. Alpenglow is easiest to observe when mountains are illuminated but can also be observed when the sky is illuminated through backscattering.
Petrified Forest National Park
The park features one of the world's largest and most colorful concentrations of petrified wood.
Couroupita guianensis
Couroupita guianensis is native to tropical northern South America and to the southern Caribbean. They produce large spherical and woody fruits ranging from 15 to 24 cm in diameter, containing up to 200 or 300 seeds apiece.
Toads in stone
Stories of animals - mostly toads - found alive when a stone or a lump of coal is broken open date back centuries.
Racetrack Playa
Racetrack Playa is a seasonally dry lake located in the northern part of the Death Valley National Park, California. It is famous for "sailing stones", rocks that mysteriously move across its surface.