仙纳度国家公园的玳瑁峰, 弗吉尼亚州, 美国 Hawksbill Mountain in Shenandoah National Park, Virginia, USA (© John Baggaley/Getty Images)

静谧之巅，喧嚣之景 Quiet peak, loud view

仙纳度国家公园的玳瑁峰, 弗吉尼亚州

究竟要多高，才能尽享绝佳美景？在美国东部，其实无需太高的海拔。位于弗吉尼亚州仙纳度国家公园（Shenandoah National Park）内的玳瑁峰（Hawksbill Mountain），海拔仅为4050英尺；这充分表明，对于这些古老的山脉而言，开阔的视野远比绝对的高度更为重要。该公园成立于1935年，其建立过程伴随着大规模农耕与伐木活动之后的植被恢复工作。如今，昔日的土地大都已重披林装，孕育着混交阔叶林、山月桂以及杜鹃花等丰富的植被。此外还有什么值得一提？公园内的部分岩石距今已逾10亿年，堪称该州最为古老的岩层之一。这里栖息着200多种鸟类和32种鱼类；同时，公园对宠物也十分友好，允许游客携带爱犬进入露营地及大多数步道。

玳瑁峰（Hawksbill）的峰顶并非由陡峭的悬崖构成；取而代之的是，一座由“平民保护团”（Civilian Conservation Corps）于20世纪30年代修建的石质平台标志着这里的最高点。从此处眺望，连绵的山脊向远方层层延伸，呈现出柔和的淡蓝色调——这一景象正是由大气散射效应所致。“天际线公路”（Skyline Drive）将游客引向通往此类山峰的各处登山步道起点。

Hawksbill Mountain in Shenandoah National Park, Virginia

How high is high enough for a great view? In the eastern United States, it doesn't take much. Hawksbill Mountain is the highest point in Shenandoah National Park, Virginia, at 4,050 feet, showing how these older mountains rely on openness, not elevation. The park's establishment in 1935 involved reforestation after extensive farming and logging. Today, much of that land has returned to forest, supporting mixed hardwoods, mountain laurel, and rhododendron. What else? Some of the rocks found here date back over 1 billion years, among the oldest in the state. The park shelters over 200 bird species and 32 species of fish and remains dog friendly, allowing pets in campgrounds and on most trails.

Hawksbill's summit does not rely on steep cliffs. Instead, a stone platform built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps marks the top. From here, ridges stretch into the distance in soft blue layers, an effect caused by atmospheric scattering. Skyline Drive connects visitors to trailheads leading to peaks like this.

中世纪古镇皮蒂利亚诺, 托斯卡纳, 意大利 Medieval town of Pitigliano, Tuscany, Italy (© bluejayphoto/Getty Images Plus)

一场穿越时空的旅程 A journey through time

皮蒂利亚诺, 托斯卡纳, 意大利

皮蒂利亚诺坐落在意大利托斯卡纳南部的一处凝灰岩山脊上，是一座小巧却个性十足的城镇。它的历史可以追溯到伊特鲁里亚时代，蜿蜒的街道至今仍回荡着昔日的痕迹，从中世纪的防御工事到文艺复兴时期的宫殿，处处可见历史的印记。漫步在狭窄的巷弄中，仿佛能感受到几个世纪的生活印记镌刻在石头上，而小巧的广场则邀请您驻足，品尝咖啡或意式冰淇淋。这座经久不衰的宝藏常被誉为“小耶路撒冷”，因为它拥有历史悠久的犹太区，那里有一座犹太教堂和一座古老的墓地，诉说着曾经繁荣的犹太社区的故事。

当地的小餐馆供应经典的托斯卡纳菜肴，从浓郁的野猪肉宽面到香滑的佩科里诺奶酪，每一餐都是品味当地风味的绝佳机会。小镇的独特魅力源于其历史、建筑和日常生活的完美融合——熙熙攘攘的市集摊位、悠扬的教堂钟声以及当地人的谈笑声。即使只是在皮蒂利亚诺短暂漫步，也能仿佛穿越时光，感受文化、美食和漫步的乐趣自然交织在一起。

Pitigliano, Tuscany, Italy

Perched on a tufa ridge in southern Tuscany, Italy, Pitigliano is a small town with a big personality. Its roots stretch back to Etruscan times, and the winding streets still echo the past, from medieval fortifications to Renaissance palaces. Walking through its narrow alleys, you can feel centuries of life carved into the stone, while small piazzas invite pauses for coffee or gelato. This enduring treasure is often called 'Little Jerusalem' for its historic Jewish quarter, where a synagogue and historic cemetery tell stories of a once-thriving community.

Local trattorias serve classic Tuscan dishes, from rich pappardelle with wild boar to creamy pecorino cheeses, making every meal a chance to savor the region. The town's flair comes from its combination of history, architecture, and everyday life—market stalls, church bells, and the chatter of locals. Even a brief stroll through Pitigliano turns into a journey through time, where culture, cuisine, and the simple joy of walking intertwine naturally.

拱门与银河, 阿拉巴马山, 内华达山脉, 加利福尼亚州, 美国 Arch and Milky Way, Alabama Hills, Sierra Nevada, California, USA (© Tim Fitzharris/Minden Pictures)

银河系，摇滚吧！ Rock on, Milky Way!

拱门与银河, 阿拉巴马山, 内华达山脉, 加利福尼亚州

在今天这张照片中，阿拉巴马山的花岗岩拱门将银河框入加州东部内华达山脉崎岖的地貌之中。这片区域以其圆润的巨石和风化的岩层而闻名，大约在1亿年前由火山活动形成。水和风逐渐将岩石塑造成如今光滑的形状。游客可以探索天然拱门，在岩石间徒步，拍摄独特的景观，骑马或骑山地自行车，并欣赏季节性的野花盛开。

由于光污染极少，这些山丘是观星和夜间摄影的热门地点。在晴朗的夜晚，构成我们银河系的密集星带肉眼可见。虽然如今这里看起来像一片宁静的沙漠，但这片地形却在银幕上扮演过许多角色。自20世纪20年代以来，数百部电影和电视剧都曾以这些山丘为背景，拍摄西部片和科幻冒险片，其中包括格里高利·派克主演的《黄沙》、昆汀·塔伦蒂诺执导的《被解救的姜戈》以及乔恩·费儒执导的漫威经典之作《钢铁侠》。

Arch and Milky Way, Alabama Hills, Sierra Nevada, California

In today's image, the granite arches of the Alabama Hills frame the Milky Way over a rugged landscape in California's eastern Sierra Nevada. Famous for its rounded boulders and weathered rock formations, this area formed when molten rock cooled deep underground around 100 million years ago. Water and wind gradually shaped the stone into the smooth shapes seen today. Visitors can explore the natural arches, hike among the rocks, capture photographs of the unique landscape, ride horses or mountain bikes, and enjoy seasonal displays of wildflowers.

With minimal light pollution, the hills are popular for stargazing and night photography. On a clear night, the dense band of stars that forms our galaxy is visible to the naked eye. While it might look like a peaceful desert today, this terrain has played many roles on screen. Since the 1920s, hundreds of movies and television shows have used these hills as a backdrop for westerns and sci-fi adventures, including 'Yellow Sky' with Gregory Peck, 'Django Unchained' by Quentin Tarantino, and the Marvel classic 'Iron Man' by Jon Favreau.

从上方俯瞰大堡礁, 昆士兰州, 澳大利亚 Great Barrier Reef from above, Queensland, Australia (© Francesco Riccardo Iacomino/Getty Images)

水下建筑 Underwater architecture

从上方俯瞰大堡礁, 昆士兰州, 澳大利亚

世界最伟大的自然奇观之一，绵延在澳大利亚东北海岸线外的珊瑚海碧绿海水中。大堡礁沿着昆士兰海岸延伸，是世界上最大的珊瑚礁系统。它由近3000个独立的珊瑚礁和数百个岛屿组成，绵延超过1400英里。

这片非凡的海洋景观孕育着极其丰富的生物多样性，包括数百种珊瑚、超过1600种鱼类，以及海龟、鳐鱼、海鸟和礁鲨。其浅水泻湖、珊瑚礁岛和较深的外礁交错分布，构成了一幅地球上其他任何地方都无法比拟的壮丽景观。

作为联合国教科文组织世界遗产，这片珊瑚礁不仅因其规模和美景而备受珍视，更因其重要的生态意义以及与澳大利亚原住民深厚的文化联系而熠熠生辉。如今，研究人员、社区和政府携手合作，共同保护这片脆弱的生态系统，致力于为子孙后代守护珊瑚礁复杂的生态格局和生机勃勃的海洋生物。

Great Barrier Reef from above, Queensland, Australia

One of the world's greatest natural wonders stretches through the turquoise waters of the Coral Sea off Australia's northeast shoreline. The Great Barrier Reef, running along the coast of Queensland, is the world's largest coral reef system. It is made up of nearly 3,000 individual reefs and hundreds of islands, spanning more than 1,400 miles.

This remarkable marine landscape supports extraordinary biodiversity, including hundreds of coral species, more than 1,600 kinds of fish, as well as sea turtles, rays, seabirds, and reef sharks. Its shallow lagoons, coral cays, and deeper outer reefs create a mosaic found nowhere else on Earth.

Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the reef is valued not only for its size and beauty, but also for its ecological importance and deep cultural connections to Australia's First Nations peoples. Today, researchers, communities, and governments work together to protect this fragile ecosystem, helping preserve the reef's complex patterns and vibrant marine life for the future.

克尔卡国家公园的斯克拉丁斯基布克瀑布, 克罗地亚 Skradinski Buk Waterfall in Krka National Park, Croatia (© Amazing Aerial Agency/Adobe Stock)

克尔卡的造物主 The architect of Krka

克尔卡国家公园的斯克拉丁斯基布克瀑布, 克罗地亚

水是克罗地亚克尔卡国家公园的缔造者，它沿着克尔卡河塑造了碧绿的水潭和层叠的瀑布。今天的照片重点展示了公园最著名的瀑布群——斯克拉丁斯基布克瀑布，多条溪流从洛佐瓦茨村附近茂密森林中的石灰华梯田倾泻而下。

斯克拉丁斯基瀑布并非单一的瀑布，而是绵延近半英里、由17级台阶组成的宽阔瀑布群。富含矿物质的水流经苔藓和岩石，缓慢形成层层阶梯，最终塑造了河流的自然走向。木栈道横跨水面，使游客可以近距离欣赏奔腾的瀑布、星罗棋布的小岛以及曾经为当地社区提供动力的修复水磨坊。

除了瀑布群之外，克尔卡国家公园还保护着一系列天然水域和野生动物栖息地，使其成为克罗地亚最具特色的景观之一——在这里，运动、历史和地质仍然紧密交织在一起。

Skradinski Buk Waterfall, Krka National Park, Croatia

Water is the architect of Krka National Park in Croatia, shaping emerald pools and layered waterfalls along the Krka River. Today's image highlights Skradinski Buk, the park's most famous waterfall system, where multiple streams spill over travertine terraces in a dense forest near the village of Lozovac.

Skradinski Buk is not a single waterfall, but a wide cascade of 17 steps stretching nearly half a mile. These terraces form when mineral-rich water flows over moss and stone, slowly creating natural barriers that reshape the river's course. Wooden walkways cross the water, offering close-up views of rushing falls, small islands, and restored watermills that once powered local communities.

Beyond the waterfall complex, Krka National Park protects a network of natural waters and wildlife habitats, making it one of Croatia's most distinctive landscapes—where movement, history, and geology remain deeply intertwined.

科法国家野生动物保护区，亚利桑那州，美国 Kofa National Wildlife Refuge, Arizona, USA (© Denis Tangney Jr/Getty Images)

广袤铺展的沙漠 Desert, drawn wide

科法国家野生动物保护区

横跨美国西南部亚利桑那州索诺兰沙漠的科法国家野生动物保护区，是一片由峭壁山峰、开阔天空与顽强生命共同构成的独特荒野。

“科法”（Kofa）这一名称源自附近群山中的一座历史金矿——“亚利桑那之王金矿”。这座矿场曾一度繁荣兴盛，其名称后来被简化并缩写，最终演变为如今简洁而易记的“科法”。

如今，科法国家野生动物保护区覆盖面积达665,400英亩，是一片广袤的开放沙漠。高大的巨柱仙人掌从岩石沟谷中拔地而起，幽静的峡谷中则隐藏着罕见的棕榈林。在这片辽阔的土地上，沙漠大角羊与沙漠陆龟、郊狼以及仙人掌鹪鹩等动物共同栖息，它们都适应了高温、干旱与广阔空间的生存环境。徒步路线和荒野小径带领人们穿越古老的火山岩地貌，欣赏雨后短暂绽放的花海，以及似乎没有尽头的地平线。当黄昏降临，光线变得柔和，沙漠逐渐降温，野生动物也开始活跃。这片偏远而少有人为开发的区域，以宁静、辽阔与原始荒野的魅力，回馈每一位探索者。

Kofa National Wildlife Refuge, Arizona

Stretching across the Sonoran Desert in southwestern Arizona, Kofa National Wildlife Refuge is a land of sharp peaks, wide skies, and surprising life. The refuge was established in 1939 to protect desert bighorn sheep, whose sure-footed silhouettes still define the rugged landscape.

The name 'Kofa' comes from the historic King of Arizona gold mine, once a booming operation in the nearby mountains—its title shortened into a single, memorable word.

Today, Kofa spans 665,400 acres of open desert, where saguaros rise from rocky washes and quiet canyons shelter rare palm groves. Bighorn sheep share this vast terrain with desert tortoises, coyotes, and cactus wrens—each adapted to heat, scarcity, and space. Hiking routes and backcountry tracks reveal ancient volcanic rock, sudden blooms after rain, and seemingly endless horizons. At dusk, light softens the desert, and wildlife stirs beneath the cooling air. Remote and largely undeveloped, Kofa rewards curiosity with silence, scale, and the thrill of true desert wilderness.

平原上空的雷暴，保加利亚 Thunderstorm above the plains, Bulgaria (© Revolu7ion93/Getty Images)

承受压力之下的平原 Plains under pressure

保加利亚，多瑙河平原

在壮阔的天幕下，保加利亚的两大平原展现了国家的农业核心。多瑙河平原横跨北部，起伏的田野与河谷受温带大陆性气候影响，炎热的夏季常催生强烈的雷暴。再往南是上色雷斯平原，地势更低且更温暖，受大陆系统及从爱琴海地区涌入的地中海气流共同影响。在这里，酷暑与马里查河流域的水汽交织，使该地区极易发生剧烈的夏季风暴——正如此刻在图像中平原上空上演的景象。

这两大平原共同构成了保加利亚粮食生产的支柱，映射出一片天气、地理与人类历史紧密相连的土地。

Thunderstorm above the plains, Bulgaria

Located on the eastern Balkan Peninsula, Bulgaria sits at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, where ancient cultures, fertile landscapes, and shifting climates converge.

Under dramatic skies, Bulgaria's two great plains reveal the country's agricultural heart. The Danubian Plain spreads across the north, a rolling landscape of fields and river valleys shaped by a temperate continental climate, where warm summers often fuel powerful thunderstorms. Farther south lies the Upper Thracian Plain, lower and warmer, influenced by continental systems and Mediterranean air masses flowing inward from the Aegean region. Here, hot summers and moisture from the Maritsa River basin combine to make the region especially prone to intense summer storms—like the one unfolding above the plains in this image.

Together, these plains anchor Bulgaria's food production and reflect a land where weather, geography, and human history remain closely linked.

乌莱德·索尔坦克萨尔，塔塔温区，突尼斯南部 Ksar Ouled Soltane, Tataouine district in southern Tunisia (© Dark_Eni/Getty Images Plus)

科幻源于现实 Sci‑Fi, Earth‑made

星球大战日

“愿原力与你同在！”在星球大战日这一天，现实仿佛披上科幻的外衣，让人一时难以分辨虚实。画面将我们带到突尼斯南部塔塔温地区的乌莱德·索尔坦克萨尔，这里层层堆叠的土坯粮仓宛如沙色堡垒，充满异域与未来感。这座建筑群始建于 15 世纪，由当地柏柏尔人修建，用于保护粮食免受高温、盗窃和时间侵蚀。它的设计首先服务于实用功能，而独特的美感则在不经意间自然呈现——仿佛现实中的“科幻场景”。

几个世纪之后，电影制作人偶然发现了这些建筑，并立刻意识到，这正是他们一直在寻找的“世界”。这些独特的建筑风格几乎无需改动，便自然融入了《星球大战》的叙事体系之中，成为塑造虚构星球“塔图因”的重要灵感来源——这个名字本身，也与现实中的“塔塔温”相呼应。

每年5月4日，这个最初源于谐音玩笑的日子，逐渐发展为一场面向全球的文化致敬——致敬视觉想象力、故事创作，以及那个“遥远的银河系”。像这样的地方，正是想象力得以具象化的来源：开阔的地平线、被阳光炙烤的夯土，以及人类智慧的结合，共同构成了独特的质感。电影的奇观并不只存在于特效之中——有时，大自然本身，就是最完美的“取景地”。

Star Wars Day

May the 4th be with you! On Star Wars Day, reality cosplays as science fiction and dares you to tell the difference. Our image takes us to Ksar Ouled Soltane in Tunisia's Tataouine district, where stacked clay granaries rise like sand‑colored fortresses. Dating back to the 15th century, this storehouse complex was built by Berber communities to protect harvests from heat, theft, and time. Function first. Beauty as a side effect.

Centuries later, filmmakers stumbled upon these structures and instantly recognized the world they were looking for. The architecture slid straight into Star Wars mythology, helping shape Tatooine, a planet whose name echoes Tataouine.

Each May 4, what began as a playful pun grew into a global tribute to visual magic, storytelling, and a galaxy far, far away. Places like this are where imagination gets its texture: a combination of open horizons, sunbaked mud, and human ingenuity. Cinematic wonder isn't limited to special effects—sometimes it's Earth itself, perfectly cast.

阿尔伯塔省贾斯珀国家公园中的小型湖泊与湿地，加拿大 Small lake and marsh in Jasper National Park in Alberta, Canada (© Don White/Getty Images)

贾斯珀的自然魅力 The magic of Jasper

阿尔伯塔省贾斯珀国家公园，加拿大

你能想象一片面积超过1.1万平方公里的受保护荒野吗？这便是位于加拿大阿尔伯塔省的贾斯珀国家公园。它始建于1907年，是加拿大落基山脉日益完善的保护地网络中的重要一环，并于1930年正式被命名为国家公园。贾斯珀不仅展现了现代自然保护的成果，更承载着悠久的原住民文化底蕴，其中包括纳科达族（Nakoda）和塞克维潘族（Secwépemc）等民族与这片土地跨越千年的联系。公园内的地形地貌极为宏伟多样：从冰川融水汇聚而成的河川，到生机勃勃的高山草甸，再到由云杉和松树构成的茂密针叶林，共同构建出了一幅原始而壮丽的自然画卷。

在这片土地上，野生动物才是真正的主人。马鹿（Elk）成群结队地穿越开阔的山谷，驼鹿（Moose）在湿地中觅食，而偶尔现踪的灰熊或狼则时刻提醒着游人，这里依然是原始的生命领地。尽管种群现状依然脆弱，但珍稀的林地驯鹿（Caribou）至今仍徘徊在公园的深处。你是否也渴望与这些生灵不期而遇？这里的徒步路径从短途散步到跨越数日的荒野纵贯线应有尽有。著名的冰原大道（Icefields Parkway）是通往冰川、饱览宽阔谷地的必经之路；而到了夏季，玛琳湖（Maligne Lake）那如宝石般湛蓝的水面则吸引着无数划桨爱好者。当季节更迭，冬日的贾斯珀会化身为越野滑雪和雪鞋徒步的胜地。而当夜幕降临，作为全球知名的暗夜星空保护区，贾斯珀将褪去白日的喧嚣，向世人展示那片纯净无瑕、群星璀璨的浩瀚穹顶。

Jasper National Park in Alberta, Canada

Can you picture more than 4,200 square miles of protected wilderness? That's Jasper National Park in Alberta, Canada. Established in 1907 as part of a growing network of protected landscapes in the Canadian Rockies, it was designated a national park in 1930. The park reflects both conservation efforts and much older Indigenous connections, including those of the Nakoda and Secwépemc peoples. Its terrain ranges from glacier-fed rivers and alpine meadows to dense conifer forests dominated by spruce and pine.

Wildlife is ever-present. Elk move through open valleys, moose feed in wetlands, and the occasional grizzly bear or wolf is a reminder that this is their space. Caribou still roam parts of the park, though their numbers remain fragile. Do you hope to catch sight of the fauna? Trails range from short walks to multi-day backcountry routes. The Icefields Parkway offers access to glaciers and wide valley views, while Maligne Lake draws paddlers in summer. Winter brings cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. After sunset, Jasper's Dark Sky Preserve status reveals clear, star-filled skies.

中国的长城 The Great Wall of China (© aphotostory/Getty Images)

初夏·翠微长城 Emerald Great Wall in Early Summer

中国夏季的长城

五月的中国北方，仿佛刚从春天的画卷中苏醒，带着清新的气息与恰到好处的温度，向远方的旅人发出邀请。无论是在古城街巷间寻访历史的回声，还是沿着万里长城的脊线远望群山，五月的北方都以其明净与舒展，呈现出一年中最适合出行的模样。此时出发，不仅能避开盛夏的炎热，也能在恰好的光影与温度中，收获一段轻盈而难忘的旅途。

初夏的万里长城，呈现出与春秋截然不同的生命力。连绵起伏的山峦被郁郁葱葱的植被覆盖，长城宛如一条蜿蜒的巨龙，在翠绿之间若隐若现。阳光充足时，城墙的砖石在蓝天映衬下显得格外鲜明，视野开阔、层次分明。这一时节的长城更具活力，但气温也相对较高，尤其是像八达岭长城这样的热门段落，人流较多、体感较热。相比之下，慕田峪长城等区域植被覆盖更丰富，环境相对清幽，是不少人避开拥挤、享受自然的选择。