Who's this wild cat?

This young lynx will grow up to be the third largest predator in Europe. (The brown bear and wolf hold the first and second spots, respectively.) With an adult male lynx growing taller than two feet at the shoulder and weighing more than 60 pounds, it’s capable of hunting roe deer and sheep. And while the Eurasian lynx is a ‘least concern’ status species, habitat loss is affecting how widely dispersed they are across Europe, Russia and Central Asia. But protected locations, like the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands in the Czech Republic, where our lynx was photographed, help preserve habitat to keep this vital predator thriving.

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Where's this historic city?

The historic city of Oxford is famous for being the home of the University of Oxford, the oldest university in the English-speaking world, with teaching in some form dating back to 1096. The internationally renowned institution, which developed rapidly from 1167 when Henry II banned English students from attending the University of Paris, is made up of 38 constituent colleges, some of which can be seen sprinkled with snow on our homepage. Standing out from the surrounding architecture at the heart of the university is the circular domed Radcliffe Camera, or 'Rad Cam' for short, one of Oxford's most prized buildings. Built between 1737-1749, it was the first rotunda library in Britain and now serves as a reading room for the Bodleian Library, the main research library of the university.

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Where is this dam?

The Garreg Ddu Dam is one of the six dams within the Elan Valley in Mid Wales. It is a completely submerged dam which maintains water levels during drought conditions. The reservoirs here provide clean drinking water for Birmingham and add points of interest to the 70 square miles of natural scenery in this region that is sometimes called the ‘Welsh Lake District’.

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What Glacier is being climbed?

Athabasca Glacier is the most-visited glacier in North America. Located in Canada’s Jasper National Park, it’s one of the six ‘toes’ of the Columbia Icefield, a natural feature of the Canadian Rockies. Athabasca has receded by nearly a mile in the past 125 years, losing about 16 feet of ice each year. Most who visit hike up to the edge of the glacier. Some, with the right gear and permits, hike on Athabasca itself. And in the case of our photo today, a select few climb some of Athabasca’s ice walls. That’s the Aurora Borealis in the background. But you don’t need to climb a glacier to appreciate that.

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Where is Charles Bridge?

Charles Bridge connects Old Town Prague to the rest of the capital of the Czech Republic. It’s a popular experience for tourists to walk the bridge, snapping photos of the many statues on the span. In our photo today, light snow coats Prague and enhances the city’s old-world charm. In Prague, like some other European cities, the festive season builds up to Christmas Eve as the main event. A traditional Czech Christmas means fasting during daylight hours on 24 December, then joining family and friends for a large meal that may include fried carp, or a fish soup with carp. If you want to have more money in the new year, put one of the Christmas carp’s scales in your purse or wallet.

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Where are we stargazing?

If you can tear yourself away from this glimpse of the Milky Way and make your way ashore, Bar Harbor awaits. The coastal town is a haven for tourists who come to Mount Desert Island in Maine, north-east United States. And, since you’re here, you might as well venture into Acadia National Park, which essentially hugs Bar Harbor. The park comprises 47,000 acres of land along the Atlantic coastline and attracts over three million visitors per year.

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What's the occasion in Valencia?

Today marks the fifth, final, fantastic day of this noisy, fire-and-smoke-filled holiday in Valencia, Spain. While the origins aren’t entirely clear, the current customs practised in Las Fallas (‘torches’ in colloquial translation) borrow elements of pre-Christian spring festivals, Carnival and the feast of Saint Joseph – which is Father’s Day in this region. Each day of the festival follows a schedule of marching bands in the mornings and fireworks in the afternoon, which is what’s happening in our photo. There are dancers in traditional costumes as well, but the real spectacle comes tonight, as the parade of large, often bawdy wood and paper figures called ninots are marched through the streets and then added to a huge bonfire to welcome spring.

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Where's this island?

When is an island not an island? When it’s the Island in St Ives, Cornwall – which is actually a headland connected to Porthmeor Beach. The grassy peninsula is a stopping-off place for migratory seabirds and wildlife watchers, hoping to spot dolphins, seals, sunfish and basking sharks in the surrounding waters. At the top is the tiny St Nicholas Chapel, which boasts panoramic views across St Ives Bay and was once used to spot smugglers.

With its golden sands, rock pools and clear waters, Porthmeor is popular with swimmers, surfers and families on their summer holidays. The picturesque beach is overlooked by artists’ studios and the famous Tate St Ives gallery, featuring modern and contemporary art. St Ives is said to benefit from a unique quality of light that has attracted generations of artists. A word of warning however, it is also known for its seagulls, which swoop down and steal food from unsuspecting tourists.

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Which coast we are looking at?

Nova Scotia is one of Canada's Atlantic provinces and almost completely surrounded by the ocean. With an area of just over 20,000 square miles, it is larger than countries such as Denmark, Netherlands and Switzerland, although roughly a third smaller than Scotland after which it is named (Nova Scotia briefly became a Scottish colony in the 1600s and means "New Scotland" in Latin). There is plenty of coastline here to explore, including the Bay of Fundy, which has the highest tidal range in the world.

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Where can you find Matusevich Glacier?

NASA satellites have taken numerous pictures of Matusevich Glacier on the coast of East Antarctica. The space agency uses the photos to help create a unified view of the ice-sheet volume and overall glacial health of Antarctica. Matusevich doesn’t push a significant amount of glacial ice into the ocean as it grows and recedes seasonally. But tracking it means scientists can compare the glacier’s movement to the more active movements of other glaciers on Antarctica.

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How deep is this crater?

Today’s a special day for astronomy enthusiasts. It’s both Asteroid Day and Meteor Watch Day. To celebrate, we’re at the rim of a 560-foot deep crater with a 3,900-foot diameter, creatively called Meteor Crater. (Scientists call it Barringer Crater, for the name of the man who first theorised it was a meteorite-impact crater.) Some 50,000 years ago, parts of an asteroid fell to Earth here, in a location just east of Flagstaff, a city in the US state of Arizona. And today, we can see just how devastating the meteorite must have been to leave a basin so large.

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Who haunt this limestone gorge?

Take a deep breath and let’s head up Winnats Pass, a spectacular limestone gorge in the Peak District, Britain’s first national park. These days the steep and winding road is popular with hardy cyclists and busy with cars heading into Derbyshire’s picturesque Hope Valley and Castleton village. But 350 million years ago, it was submerged beneath a tropical sea and the limestone is full of fossils of prehistoric sea creatures, making Winnats Pass a protected Site of Special Scientific Interest. Its towering grass-covered limestone sides are also home to a variety of wildflowers, including the rare Derby Hawkweed, while underground there are caves and old mine shafts.

The Peak District national park was created in 1951, the first of 15 created following demands for greater access to the countryside, including the 1932 “mass trespass” by 400 ramblers on Kinder Scout, the highest point in the Peak District. Winnats Pass is derived from “Windy Gates” – but is that the wind you hear whistling through, or something more sinister? Local legend has it that the pass is haunted by the ghosts of two young lovers, murdered there in 1758, on their way to get married.

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What type of bird is this?

Each autumn thousands of trumpeter swans can be seen on the Mississippi River Valley – a migration corridor for many species of waterfowl. Birdwatchers in Minnesota may spot the trumpeter swans as they make their way to favoured wintering grounds in coastal regions of the United States. The heaviest living bird native to North America, these immense swans have remarkably long necks that are typically held straight both on the water and in flight.

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Where is the North Shore?

The North Shore on Oahu, the most populated Hawaiian Island, is a great place for photographers to capture vivid images of the Pacific in motion as the legendary monster waves rise before breaking on the beach. This photo was taken in the morning using a long exposure to capture the movement of the water as it soars to form a curled wave. These waves make the North Shore one of Hawaii’s prime surfing destinations.

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Where is this fairytale castle?

Get to south-west Bavaria, near Germany’s border with Austria, to see this magnificent castle. It was built not as a stronghold against invaders, but as a fancy getaway for Ludwig II, the Bavarian king who commissioned the construction in 1869. Ludwig II sunk most of his personal fortune into Neuschwanstein Castle and a couple other estates, and even borrowed heavily to pay for the castle. Part of his inspiration for Neuschwanstein was the composer Richard Wagner as Ludwig II was a fan of Wagner’s operas. After Ludwig II’s death, the castle was opened to the public for tours, and it continues to be a popular local attraction today.

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Who lived in Diocletian's Palace?

You’re looking at the view from the Vestibule inside Diocletian’s Palace, an ancient landmark in the city of Split, Croatia. Built in the early 4th century, the building served as the beachside retirement home for Roman emperor Diocletian. As much a fortress as a palace, it also housed Diocletian’s military garrison. Built mainly of limestone and marble, the palace also features Egyptian granite columns and originally contained several 3,500-year-old Egyptian sphinxes, three of which remain today. Look familiar? The site was a filming location for the fourth season of Game of Thrones.

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Where is the Palouse?

The Palouse region is an unusually hilly prairie straddling the US states of Washington and Idaho. The land and the weather patterns make it ideal for wheat and lentil farming and the Palouse produces more lentils than any other part of the US. This time of year, the soft white wheat harvest is on, as the crop turns from green to gold and, for the farmers, from harvest to profit. Before Europeans and early US settlers arrived, the Palouse was occupied by the Nez Perce people, who bred and raised horses with spotted coats - a breed that would eventually come to be known as Appaloosas.

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What is this flowering plant?

The bright flowers of these aloe vera plants offer a striking contrast to their more recognisable green, spiky stems. Native to Africa and the Mediterranean, aloe vera is now grown outdoors in many locations that boast mild winter climates. It can bloom at any time throughout the year. And yes, even indoor potted aloes can be encouraged to bloom with the right amount of sunlight, water and fertiliser.

Aloes, like most of the world’s flowering plants, need help with pollination, which is essential for maintaining biodiversity and our food supply. That’s where this buzzing little hummingbird comes into play. As it feeds on the aloe’s flowers, it pollinates the plants, too. But, broadly speaking, pollinator populations are declining, whether they’re bees, butterflies or birds. You can help by planting a pollinator garden and avoiding pesticides, which can harm the pollinators.

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Who created this iconic garden?

The village of Giverny in northern France – about 50 miles west of Paris – is best known as the location of Claude Monet's house and gardens, pictured here. The French master of impressionism lived and painted in Giverny from 1883 to his death in 1926 and was a passionate horticulturist. The artist's breathtaking gardens, including the iconic water lily pond and Japanese bridge, inspired some of his most prominent paintings. The gardens and house have been open to the public since 1980 and still draw hundreds of thousands of visitors every year.

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Which planets have polar ice caps?

No, that's not a new frozen coffee drink; it's the southern polar ice cap on Mars. Mars is the only other planet in the solar system with a visible ice cap, although it differs from Earth’s because it is comprised of both water ice and frozen carbon dioxide. The ice cap looks smooth here but its surface is pockmarked with Swiss-cheese-like depressions caused by the seasonal freezing and melting of the Martian winters and summers.

While Mars has been observed by humanity for thousands of years, it was only on 13 August 1642 that Dutch astronomer Christiaan Huygens observed the ice cap, using the most powerful telescope of the day. Huygens designed the 50x magnification telescope himself and, with his brother, produced the lenses as well.

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How fast are wildebeest?

There’s no rest for these wildebeest as they cross the crocodile-infested Mara River between Kenya and Tanzania. Each year, as many as 1.5 million wildebeest move through this region, travelling some 800 miles as they seek out lush, green grass and fresh water. They have no leader as such, instead herd mentality guides them as they thunder across the Serengeti. They can run at up to 50mph, which is just as well because it is not just the crocodiles that are after them - cheetahs, leopards and lions are among their predators.

August often finds wildebeest here in the Northern Serengeti Plains, where safari-goers can also see some 200,000 zebras as well as smaller numbers of gazelles and elands that accompany the herd, perhaps to make it more difficult for predators to pick them off. The great number of animals makes this phenomenon one of the largest land migrations on Earth, often called the ‘World Cup of Wildlife’.

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Who is this center name after?

The various vacuum chambers at NASA Glenn Research Center are used to simulate the atmosphere-free vacuum of space and how that affects various materials, constructions and rocket propulsion. Vacuum Chamber 5 (VF-5) is one of dozens at the research centre, each used for specific testing projects. The centre is named after John Glenn, the senator and former astronaut who was the first American to orbit the Earth.

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Who made this bridge?

Living root bridges like this can be found in the tropical rainforests of Meghalaya, a state in north-east India, which is among the wettest places on Earth. The gentle waterways that flow through the region’s valleys become gushing torrents during the summer monsoon season and will wash away traditional bamboo bridges. So, generations of indigenous Khasi people have devised a way of building root bridges by shaping living trees.

It works like this: rubber fig trees are planted or located on opposite riverbanks. As the trees' above-ground roots grow, the Khasi will guide them across the water, sometimes with the support of temporary scaffolding, like bamboo. After years of patient tending, the roots will eventually join and take hold of each other, forming a living suspension bridge that provides safe passage over the swollen rivers. The innovation has proved critical to the Khasi people. In this environment, bridges made from harvested materials would quickly rot and fall apart, leaving villages cut off and isolated. Building a living root bridge requires patience, though. It takes about 15 to 30 years to grow one sturdy enough to support humans. But investment pays off. As these bridges age, they get stronger. Some are 100 feet long and can hold over 50 people.

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Where on the Arctic Circle are we?

Norway may not be top of mind for most sun seekers, but around the middle of May until late July, head to the Arctic Circle and you can experience a natural phenomenon known as the midnight sun. During these few months the sun is visible at midnight local time, like you see in today's image of Norway's North Cape. Of course, as nature strives to maintain a balance, during winter many of these same places experience polar night, when the sun never rises above the horizon.

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Footpath in Tatra National Park, Poland

The Tatra Mountains form a natural border between Poland and Slovakia, and much of the territory is a park reserve shared by both nations. This photo was taken on the Polish side, but the Slovakian side has the same name: Tatra National Park. To reach this footpath, start in the nearby town of Zakopane, a mountain resort in the Podhale region of southern Poland. The town and region have long been home to members of the Goral, or ‘highland’ people. Today, Tatra National Park overlaps some Goral villages, where the inhabitants maintain cultural traditions such as cheesemaking and woodworking.

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Why is this owl posing?

This burrowing owlet – one of the few types of owls that are active during the day in North and South America – looks ready for his close-up and set for Camera Day. Today’s date, 29 June, commemorates photographs, the camera and their invention. This history of the camera goes all the way back to the ancient Greeks and Chinese who used pinhole cameras (camera obscuras), similar to what you might use to view a solar eclipse. The camera obscura could project an image but didn’t leave a lasting one. In the 1800s, several inventors made advances towards producing an image on a piece of paper or sensitised plate. They also experimented with various lenses. In 1884, American entrepreneur George Eastman patented the first film in rolls, and a few years later introduced the Kodak Black camera.

These days, of course, just about everyone carries around a digital camera in their phones, documenting everything from major life events to their latest sandwich. So get in the spirit and snap a selfie, a picture of your pet or anything for Camera Day.

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Where is this twisty road?

The Transfăgărășan in Romania is open for business. Also known as the DN7 motorway, the road cuts through the Făgăraș Mountains, offering stunning views of waterfalls, glacial lakes and lush valleys – plus steep drop-offs and hairpin bends to amp up the drama. Back in 2009, Jeremy Clarkson called this twisty route the 'best road in the world', which helped turn it into a major tourist draw. The Transfăgărășan reaches elevations just shy of 6,700 feet and has more tunnels and viaducts in its 55 miles than any other road in this mountainous country. But proceed with caution. The speed limit is a sensible 25mph. And watch out for herds of sheep that use it as a path to greener pastures and don't mind blocking traffic as they amble there.

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What is this under water structure?

Humans have been trying to construct artificial coral reefs since at least the 1950s, with only marginal success. But in 1979, German scientist and inventor Wolf Hilbertz created ‘Biorock’, also known as ‘Seacrete’ or ‘Seament’. Hilbertz found that by directing a low-voltage charge to a metal frame submerged in seawater, calcium and other minerals in the water would build up on the frame in much the same way that a coral reef naturally forms. The electric charge isn’t high enough to harm any marine life, so Biorock reefs are appearing around the globe where natural reefs are dying off.

The story of Biorock is a good example of how technology and human innovation are important parts of the conservation movement, especially where Earth’s oceans are concerned. More than 70 per cent of our planet’s surface is covered by oceans, and those oceans contain 97 per cent of Earth’s water. That’s why ocean health is a global concern. It’s also the motivation behind World Oceans Day, celebrated every 8 June. We’re celebrating with this photo of a Biorock reef off the Gili Islands in Indonesia.

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Where does this deer call from?

Created by Charles I in the 17th century as a deer park, Richmond Park is a national nature reserve and home to 300 red deer – Britain's largest land mammal. Stags (males) – like this chap peering at the camera – are bigger than hinds (females) and boast magnificent branching antlers, which start growing in the spring and are shed each year, usually at the end of winter. The deer gets its name from its rich, reddish summer coat, although it turns brown to grey in the colder months.

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Where is The Bazaruto Archipelago?

Those turquoise waters are a particularly fetching corner of the Indian Ocean, lapping at the white-sand islands of Mozambique’s Bazaruto Archipelago. The islands have been a national park since 1971, protecting the delicate ecosystem and the rare animals that live here, both on land and in the coral reefs below the surf.

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What's a Japanese kamakura?

Here at Yunishigawa Onsen, a hot spring spa town in the mountains of Tochigi Prefecture, Japan, the Yunishigawa Kamakura Festival lights up the countryside each winter. Kamakuras are snow huts that range in size from these small, candlelit structures along the river banks to large igloo-like domes. People gather in the larger kamakuras to worship, socialise or share a meal. The entire community pitches in to build and light the kamakuras during the festival, which runs from late January to early March.

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Where is the Kelpies monument?

The world’s largest equine sculptures, the Kelpies, were built in 2013 in Falkirk as a tribute to the country’s horse-powered heritage. Designed by sculptor Andy Scott, each one is 30 metres tall and weighs 300 tonnes. They’re named for the kelpie spirits of Scottish folklore – shapeshifting water creatures that favoured the shape of a horse, but are known to take human form. These spirits aren’t nice. Scottish poet Robert Burns wrote about their dark intentions in his verse Address to the Deil.

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What is this structure in Derbyshire

This peaceful setting in the Derwent Valley of Derbyshire seems an unlikely location for the birth of the Industrial Revolution, but in the 18th century it was buzzing with innovation. It’s here that inventor Richard Arkwright created machinery to manufacture textiles faster and of a high quality – ushering in the modern factory system. Located in the Peak District National Park, this region has World Heritage status for its historic significance. Even the Derwent Dam, shown here, has a unique past. The dam served as a practice site for WWII pilots as they prepared for Operation Chastise, aka Dam Busters, due to its similarity to the German dams.

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What's this contraption?

You’re looking at a full-scale model of the James Webb Space Telescope, a marvel of engineering. When it launches about this time next year, it will be the largest telescope to enter space. Equipped with a massive, gold-coated mirror to capture infrared light, the Webb will peer deep into space and glimpse the first stars, planets and galaxies that were formed after the Big Bang over 13.5 billion years ago. It will do this all while orbiting the Sun from a position about 940,000 miles from Earth.

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Where's this wintry scene?

Situated in the Sierra Nevada mountain range of Central California, Yosemite gets a heavy dose of snow every winter. This makes for lovely, perhaps unexpected scenery like our image today, with icy branches framing the Stoneman Bridge, one of the eight Yosemite Valley Bridges. The US National Park Service keeps parts of Yosemite open to the public during the winter. One change you may not notice is that the rangers also take tracking collars off the bear population in the park. Why? To prevent disturbing the bears while they hibernate. Even bears like a little privacy when they sleep.

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Klondike gold rush map

On 16 August 1896, in a remote area of north-west Canada, two prospectors hit upon a large deposit of gold in a tributary of the Klondike River. And with that, “Skookum” Jim Mason and George Carmack set in motion the Klondike Gold Rush, the richest gold strike in North American history. Because the Klondike, in Canada’s Yukon Territory, was so isolated, it would be more than 11 months before the world found out. The news reached the United States and Canada during a prolonged economic depression and more than 100,000 people quit their jobs (including the mayor of Seattle) to set out for the Yukon, with dreams of striking gold.

But the long journey across the wilderness was gruelling, and less than half of those who set out for the Klondike made it there. The sudden influx of those who did briefly turned Dawson City, from where today’s photograph of the Yukon River was taken, into the second largest city in Canada. In the saloons of the boom town, a profit could be made simply by sweeping the floor and collecting spilled gold dust. Today, Dawson City has a population of about 1,400, making it the second largest city in the Yukon.

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Which monarch first lived here?

In today's image, we're featuring a view of the East Front of Buckingham Palace and the Victoria Memorial to highlight a seasonal event and an historic one. This weekend, Buckingham Palace began its official summer tourist season, offering visitors a chance to tour the magnificent state rooms used for official and ceremonial events in this working royal residence. This year, to mark the 200th anniversary of Queen Victoria's birth, visitors can also see artefacts from her reign and artwork depicting her life at Buckingham Palace in a special collection called Queen Victoria's Palace.

Queen Victoria and Buckingham Palace are closely associated. In 1837, the recently crowned Queen became the first monarch to live here and, as her family and empire grew, she renovated, redesigned and extended it, turning it into one of the most-recognised palaces in the world. The East Front and the famous balcony, where the Royal Family make appearances on major occasions, were added by Victoria. The Victoria Memorial, which includes a statue of an enthroned Queen Victoria, a gilded Winged Victory and other symbols of Victoria, didn't exist during her reign – planning for it began less than a month after her death in 1901.

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The village of Castelluccio, Umbria, Italy

Welcome to wildflower season on the magnificent Piano Grande (Great Plain) in Central Italy. For some geographic perspective, we’re in the calf region of Italy’s boot, nestled in the Apennine Mountains. Perched on the hillside is the little village of Castelluccio, where you can purchase the crop that made this region famous: lentils. The tiny, thin-skinned lentils cultivated here are considered delicacies.

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Who's this charming bird?

On the final day of this year's RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch, we’re showcasing one of our most exotic-looking native birds. Sporting a splash of red on its face and flashes of yellow along its wings, the goldfinch stands out from the avian crowd. It might not come as a surprise to know that the collective noun for these birds is a 'charm', which describes their delightful twittering song. As well as its good looks, another notable feature of the goldfinch is its sharp-pointed beak, which allows this species to extract seeds from teasels. The goldfinch braving the cold in our photo was snapped here in the UK, but at this time of the year, many goldfinches will migrate as far south as Spain to enjoy a bit of winter sun.

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Where are these historic windmills?

On the second Saturday in May, the Dutch celebrate an iconic national structure – the windmill – like these historic ones at Zaanse Schans near Amsterdam. With hundreds of windmills across the country, many sites use the day to demonstrate how windmills work and host art exhibits. But the concept of using wind power isn’t just a historical anecdote – this renewable energy is experiencing a boom, and by 2050 is predicted to provide one-third of the world's electricity.

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Where are these stones?

Perched above the villages of Langcliffe and Stainforth sits a hidden gem in the Yorkshire Dales, which is renowned for its breathtaking scenery. Winskill Stones is a nature reserve of limestone pavement and limestone pasture, spread out over an area of 74 acres. The unspoilt landscape, which offers dramatic views to the Yorkshire Three Peaks of Whernside, Ingleborough and Pen-y-ghent, is owned by the conservation charity Plantlife. With the help of a public appeal, Plantlife bought Winskill to stop the extraction of rock from its limestone pavement, and to allow its varied flora to thrive.

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Where was Silent Night written?

All is calm here in Salzburg, Austria, much like we imagine it was on this day 200 years ago, when the song Silent Night made its debut. This is the bicentennial of the popular carol, written by Franz Gruber and Joseph Mohr, and first performed in a chapel in the nearby town of Oberndorf. The song has since been recorded by artists around the world and was given intangible cultural heritage status by UNESCO. But the most popular version of the song belongs to Bing Crosby, whose rendition remains the third best-selling single of all time.

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Which part of North Dakota is this?

Today's image of a thunderstorm moving over grasslands in the Theodore Roosevelt National Park, in the US state of North Dakota, illustrates the power of nature and of conservation. In 1883, Teddy Roosevelt travelled to the North Dakota Badlands to hunt bison. He fell in love with the cowboy lifestyle and, before heading back east, he became part owner of the Maltese Cross Ranch. A year later he was back in North Dakota and had built Elkhorn Ranch. Life in the west inspired Roosevelt. Later, as US president, he would establish various national parks and monuments.

At the Theodore Roosevelt National Park you can see some of the places that inspired his conservation efforts, including the cabin he used as his home during his first trips to the Badlands, restored to its original state. And if that's not enough, hours of scenic drives, hiking trails with dramatic views and wildlife-watching make for a memorable visit.

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What US park is this?

Two thirds of the world’s geysers are located here at Yellowstone National Park in the United States, each with its own unique characteristics. Shown here is the Great Fountain Geyser, which erupts every nine to 15 hours with sprays that reach 75 feet to over 220 feet in the air. More than just a spectacle, these geysers are evidence of the volcanic activity simmering beneath the surface. Yellowstone’s last volcanic eruption occurred about 630,000 years ago and the potential for future activity is the subject of much curiosity – and speculation.

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What's Canada's oldest park?

While we are certainly fans of pretty lights and ornaments during the festive season, nothing could be lovelier than these evergreens in their natural setting, with just a dusting of snow. This wintry scene is from Two Jack Lake in the eastern part of Banff National Park, in Alberta, Canada. Banff, Canada’s oldest national park, is surrounded by other provincial and national parks, and together they make up a vast area of spectacular wilderness. Wintertime in this neck of the woods means plenty of skiing, snowshoeing, and if you’re lucky, glimpsing the Northern Lights.

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What's so amazing about this?

Look closely at today’s picture and you might spot some adventurous folks searching for the way out of this elaborate maze in Northern California. Maize mazes – known as ‘corn mazes’ in the United States – have been growing in popularity since the first one cropped up on a farm in Pennsylvania 25 years ago. They can appear in many different designs, such as characters from films, allowing for much creativity. The biggest maize maze in the UK can be found in York, where previous themes have included Jurassic Park, Harry Potter and Star Wars. Maize the Force be with you!

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Where is this Stelvio Pass?

Search the web for ‘best driving roads’ and you’ll likely come across Stelvio Pass, a dramatic route that cuts through the Italian Alps near the Swiss border. Top Gear once named this pass the ‘greatest driving road in the world’ and it poses a tricky challenge to motorists – former British F1 driver Sir Stirling Moss went off the road here during a vintage car event in the 1990s. It was constructed by the Austrian Empire in 1820 and contains somewhere near 50 hairpin bends, making it a destination for petrolheads near and far.

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What's the oldest ever cow?

Just like humans, cows form strong maternal bonds with their babies. They are loving, affectionate mothers, who naturally feel very protective of their calves. Cows also have impressive memories. They remember and recognise human faces even after a long period of time, so make sure you're nice to them if you cross paths (or fields). The oldest cow ever recorded was called 'Big Bertha', who was born in Ireland on St Patrick's Day in 1945, dying three months short of her 49th birthday on New Year's Eve in 1993. She also holds the record for lifetime breeding, having produced 39 calves. That’s a lot of Mother’s Day cards!

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Where's this coastal town?

Now here's a location to add to your bucket (and spade) list. Tucked away on the south coast of Devon, Salcombe is one of England's iconic seaside towns, renowned for its picture-postcard harbour, sun-soaked beaches, rolling hills and breathtaking coastal views. With its estuary location, Salcombe is also a paradise for water sports and famous sailing destination. If you want to keep your feet dry, there are plenty of independent shops to browse and beachside cafes to visit, where you can sit back and relax with a delightful Devon cream tea (jam on top in this part of the South West). At this time of year, the town's atmosphere is buzzing as the winter population of about 2,000 swells to more than 10 times that amount in summer months, when tourists flock here for the fairs, regattas and festivals. You might even spot a famous face or two – Salcombe’s celebrity residents include the likes of Mary Berry, Sir Michael Parkinson, Kate Bush and members of Led Zeppelin.

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Where do wombats live?

Wombats, like kangaroos and koalas, are native only to mainland Australia and some of its surrounding islands, including Maria Island National Park, where this photo was taken. We bring you a wombat in celebration of Wombat Day. Why Wombat Day? Why not? Wombat fan groups – which are a thing – loosely tie the October celebration to spring planting festivals from Australia’s past. (Yes, it’s spring in the Southern Hemisphere.) But many admit that it’s also just a good excuse to share photos of wombats and eat cake, preferably chocolate.

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