China Danxia is a UNSECO World Heritage Site and the name given in China to landscapes developed on continental red terrigenous sedimentary beds influenced by endogenous forces (including uplift) and exogenous forces (including weathering and erosion). The inscribed site comprises six areas found in the sub-tropical zone of south-west China. They are characterized by…
MALETSUNYANE FALLS, LESOTHO Photograph by BagelBelt Maletsunyane Falls is a 192 meter (630 ft) high waterfall in the Southern African country of Lesotho. It is located near the town of Semonkong. Lesotho, officially the Kingdom of Lesotho, is a landlocked country and enclave, completely surrounded by its only neighbouring country, South Africa.…
THE ROCKY WAVE Photograph by G.A. KOUT | gakout.tumblr.com The Wave is located on the Colorado Plateau, near the Utah and Arizona border. The area is a gallery of twisted sandstone, resembling deformed pillars, cones, mushrooms and other odd creations. Deposits of iron claim some of the responsibility for the unique blending…
NORTHERN PARADISE Photograph by STEPHANE VETTER | nuitsacrees.fr In this breathtaking photograph we see a stunning aurora over an icy Gullfoss waterfalls in southwest Iceland. The photograph was taken in late March. The auroras followed a M-1 class solar flare and powerful coronal mass ejection (CME) two days prior. Also visible is…
THE ANCIENT BANYAN TREE Photograph by JAMES BRANDON | Prints available Taken on Hawaii’s Big Island, this beautiful photograph of an ancient Banyan tree was sent to the Sifter by professional photographer James Brandon, who recalls: “This massive banyan tree is located at Rainbow Falls on the Big Island of Hawaii. I…
Root-Over-Rock Trident Maple Photograph by Peggy Greb, USDA Part of the penjing collection at the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum, this trident maple, Acer buergerianum, has its roots growing over a rock and its foliage and stems trimmed in the shape of a dragon. Penjing, also known as penzai, tray landscape, potted…
FOREST ON SHIPWRECK ISLAND Photograph by Bruce Hood | brucehoodphotography.com In this reflective beauty by Bruce Hood, we see the shipwrecked SS Ayrfield in Homebush Bay, Sydney, Australia. The photograph was taken from Wentworth point, and what I find truly remarkable are all of the trees growing on the abandoned ship! Nature…
A fungus is a member of a large group of organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and moulds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, Fungi, which is separate from plants, animals, and bacteria. The discipline of biology devoted to the study of fungi is known…
ATOP EARTH’S ATMOSPHERE Photograph by NASA Earth Observatory In this breathtaking photograph we see the crescent moon through the top of Earth’s atmosphere. The image was taken above 21.5°N, 113.3°E by International Space Station crew Expedition 13 on July 20, 2006 over the South China Sea, just south of Macau. The atmosphere…
DESICCATION CRACKS Photograph by Hannes Grobe Desiccation is the state of extreme dryness, or the process of extreme drying. A desiccant is a hygroscopic (attracts and holds water) substance that induces or sustains such a state in its local vicinity in a moderately sealed container. In biology and ecology, desiccation refers to…
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