Mother Nature is full of surprises. From a landscape of bubbling, gurgling mud volcanoes to swirling, blue walls hidden in a cave, the world is dotted with spectacular, natural oddities that may seem too strange to be real. But they are, indeed, real. Many of the world's most amazing sights can be found in the vastness of China.One of its natural treasures is the in Hunan Province. With its deep canyons, majestic waterfalls, and sandstone-quartz pillars towering over 650 feet...

From above, they may resemble abstract paintings but it's not just their scenic beauty that makes the terraced rice fields of China and Southeast Asia some of the region's most popular tourist attractions. These "stairways to heaven" (the vast layers of rice terraces built to accommodate the region's weather and mountainous terrain can reach up to 6500 feet above sea level) are also the product of history, agricultural innovation and strenuous labor. (MORE: ) 1. Yuanyang Rice Terraces, Yunnan, China...

Photographer and student Chia Joel captures vibrant perspectives with his drone photography. (Chia Joel) “The Internet is changing lives” is an understatement. It’s a valuable, educational resource for any subject—drone photography included.“I was really intrigued and amazed by such views and went to research about the technology available,” 24-year-old photographer Chia Joel, the man behind the , told weather.com. His “random” encounter with a drone video on YouTube struck his curiosity, leading him to immediately get his hands on a...

Aletsch Glacier, Switzerland A hiker standing on the Aletsch glacier photographs an ice landscape on August 23, 2016 near Bettmeralp, Switzerland. (Sean Gallup/Getty Images) The glaciers of the European Alps are some of the region's most treasured natural wonders—and are prime tourist destinations. But the glaciers, such as Switzerland's Rhone and Aletsch glaciers, and Austria's Pasterze glacier, are rapidly shrinking, propelling them into the global climate change stage. The Pasterze Glacier, Austria's largest, , according to the Austrian Alpine Association's...

When you dream about your next big trip, your immediate response isn’t likely to be Armenia. But that’s where you are woefully overlooking a beautiful spot that hasn't yet been overrun by tourists.In honor of Armenian Independence on September 21, we wanted to give you a brief rundown of Armenia in all of its glory. (MORE: )With its rich cultural heritage, scenic landscapes, and tasty local cuisine, Armenia is a perfect spot for a long trek or a short trip....

From New Zealand to Austria, and a few places in between, architect, environmentalist, and thinker Friedensreich Hundertwasser has left his mark with the presence of some pretty jaw droppingly spectacular and rather quirky buildings.Born December 15, 1928, Hundertwasser studied in Vienna. His best-known work is considered Hundertwasserhaus in Vienna, Austria which has become an Austrian landmark, known for its liveliness and creative construction, especially against the backdrop of traditional Austrian architecture. The common themes in many of Hundertwasser’s works...

Pilot Christiaan van Heijst and friend Daan Krans capture images of spectacular weather from the airplane cockpit, from thunderstorms and lightning streaks to the Northern Lights. This photo captures a stunning view of a heavy thunderstorm in July as van Heijst flew over Toronto on a trip from Chicago to Amsterdam. (Christiaan van Heijst and Daan Krans/Caters News) Seated in a cockpit at an altitude of about 35,000 feet, pilots enjoy the best view, whether it's from above the clouds,...

Oh, how I love Italian food.I eat it all the time,Not just ‘cause how good it tastesBut ‘cause how good it rhymes.Minestrone, cannelloni,Macaroni, rigatoni,Spaghettini, scallopini,Escarole, braciole,Insalata, cremolata, manicotti,Marinara, carbonara,Shrimp francese, Bolognese,Ravioli, mostaccioli,Mozzarella, tagliatelle,Fried zucchini, rollatini,Fettuccine, green linguine,Tortellini, Tetrazzini,Oops—I think I split my jeani. More: There’s a reason celebrated poet Shel Silverstein wrote a happy-go-lucky poem all about Italian food.To us foreigners, Italy is the land of cannolis and mobsters, bucolic landscapes and villas, and Italians and good wine.We idealize all...

Photographer Mitch Dobrowner originally went storm chasing as an experiment, but ended up dedicating a full series to photographing nature's storms. (Mitch Dobrowner) Landscape photographer Mitch Dobrowner does more than shoot the quiet, beautiful scenes of nature, he heads out to capture the scene of storms.When it comes to weather, Dobrowner knows photography can be tricky. “In inclement weather, light and shadows are always changing,” he told weather.com. “Then there are all the unexpected things that Mother Nature throws at...

Coral bleaching in Okinawa, Japan, captured by the XL Catlin Seaview Survey in September 2016. (XL Catlin Seaview Survey) The underwater world that snorkelers and are known for the vibrant, rainbow colors of coral. But coral bleaching, a whitening of the coral due to a loss of the algae living within the tissue, is transforming some of the world's most important natural wonders and threatening some of the most colorful, richest marine habitats on Earth. Coral bleaching is caused by...

Photographer Kevin Horan challenged the traditional notions of portraiture to photograph a series on goats. (Kevin Horan) In case you missed it, goats have been trending on the internet lately. It’s one thing to photograph them hopping up mountains with ease, but another to sit down and bring them into a professional photo studio. That’s exactly what Kevin Horan did.The photographer from Whidbey Island, Seattle has sheep and goats for neighbors. “Hearing their different voices, it struck me that they...

Looking for a sun-drenched getaway this winter? With their stunning beaches, natural wonders and colorful villages, the might just serve as your personal paradise. The Spanish archipelago, most known for the islands of Tenerife, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria and Lanzarote, is a major tourist destination with over 12 million visitors per year. With nearly perfect year-rounds temperatures (residents enjoy long warm summers and moderately warm winters), it's easy to see why people flock to the Canary Islands to escape the winter...

Although we’re not yet at War of the Worlds level destruction, humankind’s heritage is at major risk due to civil wars, climate change, and ISIS, among others. Already, many major sites of cultural heritage have rapidly disappeared worldwide, and the anticipation is that more sites could be lost in the coming years.

In April 2015, a devastating earthquake hit Nepal, the reverberations of which are still being felt on the local peoples and economy. During the earthquake, centuries-old at UNESCO World...