Mount Etna, Italy Perched above the lighted city of Catania, Italy, Mount Etna hurls a fountain of fire skyward as rivers of lava spill down its flanks. In spite of its dazzling displays, Mount Etna is a relatively safe volcano with rare, compact eruptions and slow-flowing lava that gives people a chance to escape.

Bora-Bora Lacy breakers lap the coral reef that rings Bora-Bora, an ancient sunken volcano 165 miles (266 kilometers) northwest of Tahiti in French Polynesia’s Society Islands. Surrounded by sugar-white beaches, an electric-blue lagoon, and some of the clearest water on the planet, Bora-Bora is home to hundreds of species of tropical fish. Not surprisingly, it’s one of the world’s top spots for divers.

 

Ring-Tailed Lemur Lemurs are primates found only on the African island of Madagascar and some tiny neighboring islands. Ring-tailed lemurs are unmistakable because of their long, vividly striped, black-and-white tail. These lemurs have powerful scent glands and use their unique odor as a communication tool and even as a kind of weapon. Lemurs mark their territory by scent, serving notice of their presence to all who can smell. During mating season, male lemurs battle for dominance by trying to outstink each other. They cover their long tails with smelly secretions and wave them in the air to determine which animal is more powerful.

 

Ice Canopy, Japan A diver explores an ice canopy off Hokkaido, Japan. The frozen seas here are a harsh realm to explore, but they’re anything but bleak, sustaining a variety of life above and below.