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Isle of Staffa, Scotland In the Hebrides, rank upon rank of basalt pillars line Fingal’s Cave, a sea cavern lit from within by the photographer. The natural precision of the columns and the echoes of lashing waves have captivated travelers since the late 18th century. Photograph by Jim Richardson |
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Millennial companions Cedar Breaks National Monument, Utah: The Milky Way paints the backdrop for an ancient twisted bristlecone pine forest. These pines live up to 5,000 years — an invaluable resource for dendrochronologists, who consult the longest continual, climatically sensitive tree-ring chronologies available. |
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Sea Dragons There be dragons: Port Phillip Bay, Victoria, Australia: Sea dragons, which can grow up to 18 inches (35 centimeters) long, are some of the most ornately camouflaged creatures on the planet. Adorned with gossamer, leaf-shaped appendages over their entire bodies, they are perfectly outfitted to blend in with the seaweed and kelp formations where they live. |
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Antarctica On the bottom of the world. Grandider Channel, Crew members on a cruise ship test the ice for stability in a region first charted by the French Antarctic Expedition in 1903-05 and named for Alfred Grandidier, president of the Paris Geographical Society. |
