Tag: Travel & Discovery

Meet the 81-Year-Old Climbing Scottish Mountains for His Sick Wife

BALLACHULISH, Scotland—At the windswept summit of Buachaille Etive Mòr, a Scottish peak more than 3,350 ft)above sea level, 81-year-old Nick Gardner stops to gaze down at the rugged peaks, lochs, and valleys visible through the drifting clouds. “It’s so exciting every time I still feel like a little boy,” he said. “I need my hat…


Michigan Woman Sets Up Homemade ‘Feeder Cam’ to Capture Close-Ups of Birds in Yard

A German native who moved to Michigan was so taken with the local bird life that she installed a camera at the bird feeder in her yard. She soon amassed volumes of incredible photos, showcasing an insider view into the worlds of her feathered friends. Macomb County resident Lisa, 43, goes by “Ostdrossel” on social…


French Craftsmen Discover 239 Pre-Revolution Gold Coins in Walls of Mansion During Reno

While remodeling an old mansion in the French countryside, three craftsmen stumbled on hidden treasure: 239 rare gold coins stashed away in the walls of the property. The hoard is valued at roughly $350,000. In 2019, the married couple who owned the home in Plozévet—a commune in the Finistère department of Brittany in northwestern France—decided to…


Photographer Captures Fantastical Long-Tailed Indian Paradise Flycatchers in Stunning Photo Set

An Indian nature photographer has captured the breathtaking Indian paradise flycatcher in a series of uncanny close-up shots, showcasing the distinctive-looking bird in all its glory through the lens of an expert. Originally from Cuttack, Odisha, award-winning photographer Gyana Mohanty now works out of Navi in Mumbai. His passion for wildlife photography is dominated by…


Russian Man Finds Rubber Duck That Travelled Over 6,000 Miles From River Race in Canada

A man from Moscow, vacationing with his family on a rocky beach in northwestern Russia, stumbled upon a rubber duck bath toy that had floated far from home. After some inquiry, Vladimir Matusevitch, a graphic designer, learned that the yellow duck had voyaged some 6,000 miles to the shores of Rybachy Peninsula—all the way from a…


Stunning Photos Show Osprey Snatching Red Salmon out of Lake, Lifting Them Airborne

A talented wildlife photographer has captured an incredible series of images of osprey fishing for red kokanee salmon. The shots of keen-eyed raptors and captive crimson-colored fish, jaws gaping, immortalized in stunning detail, went viral. Ken Helal, a physician in his 50s from the inland northwest U.S., took the series over the course of several…


Short and Sweet: Pawpaw Season is Ripe Now

“The sweet, elusive pawpaw has been hiding in plain sight in the eastern and midwestern United States for centuries,” George Washington’s diary entry on March 7, 1785, mentions the pawpaw trees he planted at his Mount Vernon, Virginia home. The pawpaw is said to have been the first president’s favorite fruit. Lewis and Clark wrote of…


Unique Desert Biome in South Africa Is a Hotspot for Organisms Found Nowhere Else on Earth

Divided by mountains, there is a thriving desert on South Africa’s Western Cape where bushy, sandy plains belie beautiful, botanical treasures. This unassuming landscape is the world’s only arid plant hotspot—and home to a third of all succulent plant species in the world. Part of the region’s Sanbona Wildlife Reserve, the area of land falling…


Kew Gardens Gains Guinness World Record for Its 17,000-Strong Plant Collection

London’s Kew Gardens has secured a new world record for the “largest collection of living plants at a single-site botanic garden.” The Royal Botanical Gardens in Kew, London, has gained recognition from the Guinness World Records (GWR) for a feat in biodiversity, housing a total of 16,900 species of plants within its 320-acre site. The…


Once-Lost Ancient City Carved Out of Red Sandstone Cliffs Is a New Wonder of the World

Carved into red sandstone cliffs in southwestern Jordan, the lost city of Petra was the capital of an ancient kingdom. Once a thriving center of trade, having lain in ruins for centuries, Petra is now one of the world’s New Seven Wonders. Each year, the 102-square-mile site typically attracts over a million visitors to what was once the…