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Ammonite fossils from the Jurassic Period
How do we know what Earth looked like long before humans appeared? Fossils provide many clues. Palaeontological discoveries help scientists reconstruct past environments, trace the evolution of life and learn about creatures that vanished millions of years ago. From dinosaurs to tiny marine organisms, these remnants of the past preserve snapshots of ancient worlds that no longer exist.
The coiled shells in today's image are the remains of ammonites from the Jurassic Period, when dinosaurs dominated the land and ancient seas teemed with marine life. Though they resembled modern nautiluses, ammonites were more closely related to squid and octopuses. Their chambered shells formed the distinctive spirals that make them some of the world's most recognisable fossils.
Ammonites disappeared alongside the non-avian dinosaurs about 66 million years ago, but they remain invaluable to scientists. Their widespread presence helps researchers date ancient rocks and understand prehistoric seas. Preserved in stone, these shells offer a window into a vanished world.
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Brown bear in Lake Clark National Park and Preserve, Alaska, USA
The season of big meals, bigger bellies and stocking up for winter is here. In Alaska, brown bears at Lake Clark National Park and Preserve make the most of the food still available in October. They feed on fish, sedges, berries, roots, clams and other foods to build up fat reserves. Some can weigh more than 450 kilograms before entering their dens for hibernation. That stored fat helps them survive the winter, when they do not eat or drink.
Silver Salmon Creek is a bear buffet, and bear-watching is a popular activity in this national park. One of the nation's most remote units, Lake Clark National Park and Preserve spans more than 16,000 square kilometres and can be reached by plane or boat. Its Cook Inlet coast is also home to moose, wolves, foxes and marine mammals. If you're planning a visit, come prepared for wilderness, wildlife and a place where the bears get one of the best tables.
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Market Square from the Witches' Bridge, Wroclaw, Poland
As twilight settles over Wroclaw, golden light spills across rooftops, church towers, and one of Central Europe's most striking historic centers. This southwestern Polish city spans islands and waterways linked by more than 100 bridges, blending medieval architecture with vibrant modern life. At its heart is Rynek, a lively Market Square established in the 13th century and home to the Gothic Old Town Hall, one of Wroclaw's most recognizable landmarks.
Today's view was captured from the Witches' Bridge, also known as the Bridge of the Penitents, a footbridge connecting the towers of St. Mary Magdalene Church. Suspended about 148 feet above the ground, it offers sweeping views of the Old Town's colorful facades, winding streets, and the bustling Market Square below. From centuries-old churches and riverside promenades to museums and cafés, Wroclaw rewards visitors with something new at every turn. After sunset, the city is especially enchanting as its historic center glows beneath the evening sky.
WroclawPoland
Horseshoe Falls at night in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada
People have been coming to Niagara Falls, on the Canada-US border, for centuries to admire the view. A few, however, decided admiring it from a safe distance was overrated. In 1901, Annie Edson Taylor climbed into a barrel and became the first recorded person to survive going over the Falls. Others followed with their own stunts, although such attempts are now illegal. The Falls have also inspired artists, filmmakers and musicians, with Hollywood giving them a starring role in 'Niagara' (1953), featuring Marilyn Monroe and Joseph Cotten.
Horseshoe Falls is the largest of Niagara's three waterfalls, alongside American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls. During peak daytime tourist hours, more than 168,000 cubic metres of water flows over the crest every minute. The Falls drop an average of 57 metres into the Lower Niagara River, while the crest stretches about 670 metres wide. After dark, nightly illumination lights all three waterfalls in changing colours, giving Niagara Falls a colourful second act.
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Mount Sneffels in the San Juan Mountains near Ridgway, Colorado
Some mountains make you work for the view. Mount Sneffels makes you work for the last few hundred metres. Rising to 4,310 metres in Colorado's San Juan Mountains, this fourteener is a familiar sight around Ridgway, Ouray and Telluride. It sits within the 67-square-kilometre Mount Sneffels Wilderness, a protected area designated in 1980. Hikers can reach the mountain from several approaches, including the Yankee Boy Basin and the Blue Lakes area.
The mountain itself is geologically distinctive: unlike many of its nearby peaks, Mount Sneffels is largely made of an intrusion of igneous rock that pushed into older volcanic deposits. Below its western flank, Blue Lakes fill a deep alpine basin and offer another way to experience the area. The peak also rises above the tree line, where the landscape becomes noticeably more exposed and rocky. Keep an eye on the sky because mountain weather loves a plot twist. Check the forecast and start early, and bring layers, water and the right gear for the conditions.
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Andechs Monastery at sunset, Andechs, Bavaria
Andechs in Upper Bavaria combines wide views with a long history. High on the Holy Mountain sits the Andechs Monastery, a place of pilgrimage to which people have been making pilgrimages since the 12th century. The Benedictine monastery itself was founded in 1455. Since then, Benedictines have been in charge of the pilgrimage. However, the religious roots of the mountain are even older: the treasure of relics kept there dates back to the 10th century.
In today's picture, the monastery church stands out between golden yellow autumn trees, while the setting sun bathes fields and forests in soft light. But Andechs is not only a historical place of pilgrimage. The monastery also has an independent brewery, which is still run by the religious community today. Its brewing tradition developed from the supply of pilgrims. It is precisely this juxtaposition of faith, history and everyday life that makes the place so special. If you let your gaze wander here, you will not only experience the Bavarian landscape, but also a tradition that continues to this day.
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Chapada dos Veadeiros, Goiás
If someone were to say that this image shows an abstract work of art, it would be easy to believe. But the artist here is less conventional: flowing water, tons of rock, and a lot, a lot of time. In Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park in Goiás, nature has spent millions of years carving canyons and crevices that seem to defy the logic of stone. Drop after drop, stream after stream, the water wears away the rock and redesigns the landscape, feeding crystal-clear rivers and waterfalls that tumble down old walls.
But Veadeiros does not live only in spectacular ways. The park protects one of the most impressive areas of the Brazilian Cerrado, home to maned wolves, giant anteaters and jaguars. Between the dry and rainy seasons, golden tones give way to explosions of green. And this is perhaps Chapada's greatest talent: surprising in any direction. Those who arrive through the waterfalls end up discovering the animals. Those who come for the fauna are enchanted by the rock formations. And those who come for a quick visit usually leave planning the next one.
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Maligne Lake, Jasper National Park, Canada
When night falls in Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada, the mountains get a whole new backdrop. Designated a Dark-Sky Preserve in 2011, the park spans more than 11,000 square kilometres, with measures in place to reduce light pollution. Here, the stars, planets and the Milky Way put up a celestial show, giving visitors a reason to look up. Then morning arrives and the focus shifts from the sky above to the landscape below.
Jasper's forests include groves of aspen and Douglas fir, while alpine meadows and grasslands add variety to its mountain habitats. These landscapes support 53 species of mammals, such as grizzly and black bears, elk, moose, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, wolves and coyotes. Maligne Lake is another standout. Fed by glaciers, the 22-kilometre-long lake is the largest natural lake in the Canadian Rockies. There are trails around the lake and paddlers can explore its long shoreline, though the water stays very cold even in summer. From star-filled nights to wildlife-filled days, Jasper certainly keeps things interesting.
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Dried persimmons swaying in the autumn breeze
Persimmons are one of the most representative fruits of autumn. In addition to eating them raw, they have also been cherished for processing them into dried persimmons and other forms. The image shows dried persimmons seen in Tsumago-juku, Nagano Prefecture. From autumn to winter, the vivid colors of persimmons decorate the historic streets. Dried persimmons are a traditional food made mainly by peeling and drying astringent persimmons. Drying removes the astringency and reduces moisture, condensing the sweetness. The preparation method varies by region and type, with various techniques passed down during drying or finishing stages. It is a unique taste unique to autumn and winter, allowing you to enjoy its unique texture and rich sweetness.
Persimmons2026
International Archaeology Day
Some discoveries start with a shovel. Others start with a drawing on a cave wall. International Archaeology Day celebrates both the detective work and the evidence behind them. Organised by the Archaeological Institute of America, this annual event began in 2011 and became International Archaeology Day in 2013 as participation expanded worldwide. Today, it brings archaeology closer to the public through talks, museum programmes, site visits, simulated digs and hands-on activities.
That detective mindset helped reveal the significance of Chauvet Cave in southern France. Discovered in 1994, the cave contains more than 1,000 drawings and engravings depicting at least 14 animal species, including mammoths, lions, rhinoceroses and bison. Dating back to roughly 35,000 years ago, the artwork offers evidence of early human creativity and artistic techniques. The original cave is carefully protected, so visitors can experience a detailed replica at Grotte Chauvet 2 in Vallon-Pont-d'Arc. Archaeologists combine excavation, documentation, scientific dating and modern imaging to turn such discoveries into clues about the past.
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Red Squirrel
In the image of the day, a squirrel seems to be giving us a mischievous smile. An irresistible expression, perfectly matched to the effervescence of autumn.
Under the coppery foliage, the red squirrel leaps from branch to branch, tail in plume, in search of hazelnuts, acorns and seeds. As the days get shorter, it takes advantage of the seasonal abundance and becomes active with astonishing energy before the first cold weather arrives. Rather than gathering everything in one place, it distributes its provisions in many hiding places, under the leaves or at the foot of trees. Because contrary to popular belief, the red squirrel does not hibernate.
When winter arrives, it regularly leaves its nest to find its reserves, with the help of its sense of smell. Some forgotten seeds then end up germinating. Behind this almost human smile hides a tireless woodland gardener who contributes, without knowing it, to the renewal of the forest.
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Medieval Aqueduct, Perugia, Italy
Perugia has a walkway with a story beneath every step: its medieval aqueduct. Construction began in 1254, and by around 1280, the aqueduct was carrying water from Monte Pacciano to the Fontana Maggiore in the city centre. The clever bit? Engineers found a way to make the water flow uphill. Using a pressurised conduit, the system overcame the city's steep terrain—an impressive feat of medieval engineering.
The aqueduct was eventually decommissioned in 1835, but its final urban section found a new lease of life. Today, it forms a pedestrian walkway above the rooftops, connecting the Porta Sant'Angelo district with Perugia's historic centre. Stone arches, railings and glimpses of courtyards add plenty of character to the route. It may no longer carry water, but this centuries-old structure still knows how to make a stroll memorable—one step and rooftop view at a time.
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