贝尔尼纳山口的滑雪场，格劳宾登州，瑞士 Skier at Bernina Pass, Graubünden, Switzerland（© Francesco Bergamaschi/Getty Images）

瑞士的雪花漱漱落下 Swish Swiss Swish

贝尔尼纳山口，格劳宾登州，瑞士

你被眼前这片白茫茫的大地震撼到了吗？这正是游客们在瑞士格劳宾登州阿尔卑斯山目睹贝尔尼纳山口时的感受。它的海拔高达7638英尺，吸引着来自世界各地的冬季运动爱好者。这个山口现在可能是滑雪场的大本营，但在中世纪它是一条重要的贸易路线。有趣的是，与滑雪有关的考古证据最早可追溯至公元前6000年左右的俄罗斯。每年的11月到次年3月是贝尔尼纳山口雪况最好的时候，喜欢滑雪的朋友们可别错过哦！

Bernina Pass, Graubünden, Switzerland

This awesome white winter expanse is found in the Alps of eastern Switzerland. The famous Bernina Pass stands tall at an elevation of 7,638 feet and attracts winter sports enthusiasts from all over the world. Fun fact: Evidence of the oldest wooden skis, dating back to around 6000 BCE, was found in Russia. Boasting excellent snow conditions from November to March, the Bernina Pass is a must-visit spot on every skier's bucket list.

魔鬼大理石保护区，澳大利亚 Karlu Karlu/Devils Marbles Conservation Reserve, Australia (© Yva Momatiuk and John Eastcott/Minden Pictures)

大自然的平衡术 Nature's balancing act

古老岩石日

这些可不是普通的石头！魔鬼大理石是已知最古老的宗教场所之一，对澳大利亚土著居民来说，它是一个古老的圣地，具有重要的价值。如今，澳大利亚北领地的魔鬼大理石保护区--又称卡鲁卡鲁，保存着这些巨大的圆形巨石。这些岩石由花岗岩构成，其奇特的形状是数百万年风化和侵蚀的结果。今天恰好是“古老岩石日”，是欣赏这一地质奇观最好的日子。你知道地球上最古老的岩石在哪吗？阿波罗14号任务期间从月球上带回的月球样本14321，被称为“大伯莎”，经测定约有44.6亿年的历史，只比地球本身年轻一点点。科学家们认为，一颗古老的小行星撞击地球，将大块的陆地碎片抛向太空和月球表面，然后在数百万年后被我们带了回来。无论你是地质学迷，还是自然爱好者，拥抱你周围的矿物质，继续前进吧！

Old Rock Day

These aren't your ordinary rocks! One of the oldest-known religious locations, the Devils Marbles Conservation Reserve is a sacred site to Aboriginal Australians. The site, also called Karlu Karlu, in Australia’s Northern Territory, is home to a collection of giant, gravity-defying boulders. These rocks are composed of granite, and their peculiar shape is the result of millions of years of weathering and erosion.

And what better occasion than Old Rock Day, to appreciate such geological wonders? Did you know that the Earth's oldest rock is truly out of this world? Lunar sample 14321, or 'Big Bertha,' is approximately 4.46 billion years old—just a smidge younger than the Earth itself—and was recovered from the moon during the Apollo 14 mission. Scientists believe that the rock was a meteorite from Earth that hit the moon, only to be brought back home, millions of years later. Whether you're a geology nerd or just a nature lover, today's the day to rock on!

巴伐利亚阿尔卑斯山脉，德国 (© JFL Photography/Adobe Stock)

是现实还是童话？

山脉和小溪，阿尔卑斯山，德国

冬日的晴空笼罩着阿尔卑斯山白雪皑皑的山景，雄伟的山峰倒映在冰湖光滑的镜面上。四周白雪覆盖的树木见证了这一刻的宁静与祥和，只有脚踏积雪发出轻柔的嘎吱声可以偶尔打破这种宁静。阳光洒向湖光山色，令人心旷神怡。

你也想徒步穿越这个神奇的地方吗？或者你已经收拾好滑雪板，准备去阿尔卑斯山了？在这宁静的风景中，人们可以感受到即将到来的假期的魔力，就好像大自然本身也在为庆祝活动做准备。

金门大桥，旧金山，加利福尼亚州，美国 Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, California (© Jim Patterson/Tandem Stills + Motion)

雾锁金门 On cloud forty-nine

金门大桥，旧金山，加利福尼亚

金门大桥是人类建筑的奇迹，它像哨兵一样矗立在旧金山湾区的入口处。金门大桥被金门海峡水域上方的浓雾所笼罩，桥塔高达746英尺，塔身上有着充满艺术气息的装饰元素。这座大桥是工程师约瑟夫·施特劳斯、建筑师艾尔文·莫罗和其他许多人为连接旧金山和马林县而共同协作的结果。金门大桥被漆成国际橘，而大桥名字中的“金”则指的是桥下那片反射阳光的金门海峡水域。这座桥于1937年向公众开放，但要建成这座大桥并不容易，尤其是在大萧条时期。不过因为它的建设雇用了数千人，间接促进了当地的就业和技术发展，所以付出还是得到了回报。光影变幻，时代变迁，金门大桥不仅成为了人类创新的证明，更是集功能性与美学于一体的永恒杰作。

Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, California

An iconic feat of engineering, the Golden Gate Bridge stands like a sentinel at the entrance to San Francisco Bay. Pictured here blanketed by fog above the waters of the Golden Gate Strait, its towers, adorned with Art Deco elements, reach a height of 746 feet. The bridge opened in 1937, thanks to the efforts of engineer Joseph Strauss, architect Irving Morrow, and others who wanted to connect San Francisco to Marin County. It wasn't an easy vision to accomplish during the Great Depression, but the investment paid off as its construction created thousands of jobs and boosted growth. It was Morrow who picked the striking color, International Orange, an unusual choice at the time when many bridges were gray or black. He felt it would contrast well with the surrounding hills, sky, ocean, and fog. The Golden Gate Bridge, a testament to human innovation, is a timeless masterpiece blending functionality with beauty.

明尼汪卡湖，阿尔伯塔省，加拿大 (© Ken Phung/500px/Getty Images)

星光璀璨

明尼汪卡湖，阿尔伯塔省

明尼汪卡湖的星空已经被人类欣赏了几个世纪。纳科达人敬畏湖水，因为他们相信湖中住着神灵，他们满怀敬意地在湖中捕鱼并沿着湖岸狩猎。湖的名字来源于印第安斯通尼族，意思是“水之精灵”。随着加拿大落基山脉旅游业的发展，人们在湖岸边建立了一个定居点。然而，为了下游的水力发电厂保留水源，该湖在1895年和1912年两度筑起了水坝，明尼汪卡的定居点也随之被淹没，只能靠潜水进入。如今，这个冰川湖是班夫国家公园的第二大湖，全长约21公里。

贾斯旺萨达陵墓和梅兰加尔古堡，焦特布尔，拉贾斯坦邦，印度 (© Twenty47studio/Getty images)

百年城堡

焦特布尔的梅兰加尔古堡

夕阳西下，印度拉贾斯坦邦的焦特布尔市沐浴在温暖的光芒中，一幅神奇的景象徐徐展开。坐落在岩石山顶上的梅兰加尔古堡矗立于这片景色中，这里曾是拉索尔王朝的权力中心，见证了荣耀和挑战。这座城堡始建于1459年，由当时的统治者拉奥·约达创建，至今已经有500多年的历史。

这座堡垒不仅是一处遗迹，更是拉贾斯坦邦的文化瑰宝。在这座城堡蜿蜒的深处，过去的秘密在一连串的宫殿中重现。从珍珠宫、镜宫、武器宫到花宫和藏宝阁，这些建筑瑰宝各有各的故事，是拉贾斯坦邦辉煌历史的篇章。再往前走，这里的博物馆展示了皇室专用的轿子、华丽的穹顶塔和乐器。

帕那空奇里上空的烟花，碧武里府，泰国 Fireworks over Phra Nakhon Khiri, Phetchaburi, Thailand (© noomcpk/Shutterstock)

明年见! See you next year!

跨年夜快乐!

现在是最后的倒计时！许多国家都在今晚庆祝跨年夜，以送走旧的一年，并期待新的一年的到来。在辞旧迎新的时候，各个国家的传统习俗都很有创意。如果你不在美国观看时代广场的落球仪式，你可能会在丹麦摔盘子，在西班牙往嘴里塞葡萄，或者在希腊把洋葱挂在门外。在泰国，庆祝者可能会去寺庙祈求好运，或者观看照亮帕那空奇里的烟花。“帕那空奇里”在泰语中意为“山中之城”，该地坐落在同名的历史公园内，又名“圣城山”或“拷汪行宫”。无论你在哪里庆祝跨年夜，都要过得愉快。明年见！

Happy New Year's Eve!

It's the final countdown! Tonight is New Year's Eve, time to see out the old year and welcome the new. But how you celebrate depends which country you're in. If you're not in the US watching the Times Square Ball Drop, you might smash crockery in Denmark, eat 12 grapes as the clock strikes midnight in Spain, or hang onions outside your door in Greece. In Thailand, you might watch the fireworks illuminating Phra Nakhon Khiri, or 'holy city hill,' a historical park spread over three peaks overlooking the city of Phetchaburi. Wherever you celebrate, have a great one. See you next year!

卡塞里格石圈，湖区国家公园 ，坎布里亚，英国 Castlerigg Stone Circle near Keswick, Lake District National Park, Cumbria, United Kingdom (© John Finney Photography/Getty Images)

古石圈 ancient stone circle

卡塞里格石圈

考古学家认为，古代文明排列石圈是为了让石头与月亮和太阳的位置保持一致。图中这个位于英格兰西北部湖区的卡塞里格石圈的就是这样的一个遗址。这个新石器时代的纪念碑有40块石头，呈圆形排列，其历史可以追溯到公元前3000年。虽然卡塞里格石圈的排列方式在某些方面仍然是个谜，但在几个世纪以来，其古典的魅力一直吸引着游客。

旧西街区，阿姆斯特丹 ，荷兰 Oud-West neighborhood, Amsterdam, Netherlands (© George Pachantouris/Getty Images)

旧西街区的故事 Oud-West side story

旧西街区，阿姆斯特丹 ，荷兰

欢迎来到阿姆斯特丹！荷兰首都阿姆斯特丹以其历史悠久的运河、多姿多彩的建筑和悠闲自在的氛围吸引着来自世界各地的游客。这座城市的历史可以追溯到12世纪，当时它还是阿姆斯特尔河畔的一个渔村。如今，阿姆斯特丹拥有梵高博物馆、EYE电影博物馆和国家海事博物馆等机构，让人们可以深入了解阿姆斯特丹的历史和艺术遗产。阿姆斯特丹的同心圆型运河区建于17世纪，已被联合国教科文组织列为世界遗产。此外，这座城市还拥有众多的餐馆、古董店和露天市场，图片上展示的旧西街区就是其中之一。准备好骑自行车吧，因为阿姆斯特丹的自行车文化无处不在。阿姆斯特丹拥有约320英里长的自行车道，是世界上最适合骑自行车的城市之一。

Oud-West, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Welcome to Amsterdam! The capital of the Netherlands charms visitors with its historic canals, versatile architecture, and laid-back vibe. The city's history can be traced back to the 12th century when it was a fishing village on the banks of the Amstel River. Institutions like the Van Gogh Museum, the Eye Film Museum, and the National Maritime Museum offer insights into its history and arts legacy. Amsterdam's canal ring area, built at the turn of the 17th century, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city is also home to its fair share of restaurants, vintage shops, and outdoor markets in neighborhoods like Oud-West, pictured in today's image. Get ready to pedal because Amsterdam's cycling culture is ubiquitous. With approximately 320 miles of bike lanes, it's one of the most bike-friendly cities in the world.

座头鲸，迪斯科湾，格陵兰 Humpback whale, Disko Bay, Greenland (© Paul Souders/DanitaDelimont.com)

跳出“濒危名单” Jumping off the endangered list

《濒危物种保护法》颁布 50 周年

对于我们毛茸茸的、有鳞片的和长羽毛的朋友们而言，今天是一个特殊的里程碑：美国《濒危物种保护法》迎来了它的50周年。这项具有里程碑意义的法律于1973年签署确立，半个世纪以来，它一直在向濒临灭绝的物种伸出援助之手。那么，谁是这次的焦点呢？是照片中的座头鲸！这些温顺的庞然大物以悦耳的歌声和杂技般的“鲸跃”而闻名，是《濒危物种保护法》成功实施的典范。过去，由于捕鲸和捕鱼装置的缠绕，座头鲸一度濒临灭绝，但在保护工作的努力下，它们的种群正在复苏，从1966年的约5,000头到增加到现在的约135,000头。然而，保护濒危物种，任重而道远。从预防栖息地丧失到防止偷猎，各种挑战依然存在。而我们能做的，就是宣传保护濒危物种，支持保护工作，参与当地活动，做一个环保主义者。

50 years of the Endangered Species Act

Today is a special milestone for our furry, scaly, and feathered friends: the Endangered Species Act is turning 50. This landmark legislation, signed into law in 1973, has been helping species on the brink for half a century. Who's that in the spotlight? A humpback whale! Known for their haunting songs and acrobatic breaches, these gentle giants are a success story of the ESA. They were once on the edge of extinction, largely due to commercial whaling, but thanks to conservation efforts, their population has bounced back from around 5,000 in 1966 to an estimated 135,000 today. However, our work isn't over. Challenges persist, from habitat loss to poaching. So, what can we do? Spread the word, support conservation efforts, participate in local initiatives, and be eco-friendly.