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Friday 6 April 2012

BREATHTAKING VISIONS OF EARTH


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Visions of Earth
By
National Geographic, 4 April 2012.

Each month, National Geographic magazine features breathtaking photographs in Visions of Earth. Browse through visions of the world as seen through a photographer's eye.


1. Spain
New Picture (7)
A poppy's ardent colour provides the perfect complement to a brilliantly hued Psilothrix beetle. Springtime foraging is common for the insect in the semi-desert Bardenas Reales, a UNESCO biosphere reserve.


2. United States
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On Fourth Lake in New York's Adirondacks, a crush of 1,902 canoes and kayaks attempts to break a "largest raft" world record. Rules dictate that the mega structure float freely for at least 30 seconds, held together only by hands.


3. Greenland
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Snow-covered ice saturated with winter twilight sets the stage for recreational soccer in the village of Aappilattoq. Athletic moves in bundles of warm clothing can prove more challenging than manoeuvring on the frozen surface.


4. United States
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With aquatic tails plus full sets of legs, western spade-foot tadpoles display the magic of metamorphosis. Just days away from terrestrial life, these pollywogs will not eat until their tails are completely reabsorbed into their bodies.


5. South Korea
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Rings of smoke pierce the air during a military exercise near the Demilitarized Zone. The South Korean tank, loosely camouflaged with tree branches, fires smoke shells amid man-made mounds of dirt.


6. Uganda
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On a lodge terrace in Queen Elizabeth National Park, a photographer’s butter and roll prove irresistible to the local lunchtime crowd. East Africa is home to many species of weaver birds, known for their skill in building nests.


7. Afghanistan
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On drought-pocked earth near Marjah, in the restive Helmand Province, a lone shepherd leads his sheep through a mud wall's gap. Scenes of pastoral grace persist in this agriculturally intensive country, despite strife, insecurity, and dire food shortages.


8. Tajikistan
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Long hair flowing in the Pamir mountain air, two sisters prepare to bathe in a pond near Rushan. Several major ranges radiate from this region, providing water - some of it diverted for irrigation and a growing populace - to much of Central Asia.


9. France
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On a bright summer morning a captive-bred male harvest mouse perches acrobatically in an Alsace wheat field. This species - the smallest European rodent - boasts a prehensile tail and builds a round nest that resembles a bird's.


10. Spain
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At the Feria del Caballo festival in Jerez de la Frontera, an assistant to a rejoneador, or horseback bullfighter, stands in the arena wings with mules used to remove felled bulls. The mules are festooned in traditional Spanish colours.


11. Thailand
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Stretching across a temple plaza, seemingly into the infinite, thousands of robed monks are ordained at a ceremony on the Buddhist holy day of Magha Puja. The holiday celebrates a key sermon and a gathering of monks during Buddha’s lifetime.


12. Indonesia
New Picture (18)
A flurry of filaments helps camouflage the striated frogfish, a bottom dwelling predator often found in warm, weedy waters. Like its anglerfish relatives, it also employs a dangling lure to seduce fish and other prey into its lair - and gaping mouth.


[Source: National Geographic. Edited. Top image added.]


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