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"The show was another spectacular one! Reds and greens and yellows! The sky has just been on fire!" the photographer enthuses on Spaceweather.com.

Severe Solar Storm Paints the Sky Green on St. Patrick’s Day

A burst of particles from the sun is hitting our atmosphere and lighting up the night as far south as Illinois

Phytoplankton light up the beach on Vaadhoo.

These Spellbinding Light Phenomena Will Make You Believe in Magic

See seven stunning natural light shows from around the world

This sinkhole in Belize has drawn scientists and divers, shedding light on the mystery that ended the Mayan Empire.

The World is Full of Circles

In honor of a very special Pi Day, enjoy this map that explores the human-made and natural structures that come closest to a perfect circle

A man throws colored water as he celebrates Holi in Nandgaon, in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, February 28, 2015.

Holi 2015: Stunning Photos of Holi, the Festival of Colors

Celebrated all over India and around the world, the Hindu festival heralds the beginning of spring

The Well of Death came from the American motordome racing popular in the early 1900s.

India’s Dying Well of Death

Brave stuntmen have long been riding the near-vertical walls of India’s Well of Death—but the popular spectacle is on the decline

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Ask Smithsonian: Will the Leaning Tower of Pisa Ever Topple?

Imperceptible changes are occurring, but no worries, a collapse is not in the forecast

A dog sitting in a field of wildflowers in California's Anza Borrego Desert State Park.

American South

Best Places to See Wildflowers Around the United States

Snow and cold got you down? Remember, spring is around the corner, and that means wildflowers

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Announcing the Finalists of the 12th Annual Smithsonian.com Photo Contest

See the finalists of our 2014 photo contest and vote for the Readers’ Choice winner

A man overlooks a canyon, filled with glacial meltwater from the surrounding mountains, near Athabasca Falls.

The Beautiful Canadian Rockies Shine in the Photography of Chris Burkard

Known for his work with surfers, Burkard traveled to a much colder climate to immerse himself in a new world

Skiing toward the breaking waves on a slush-covered beach.

Anthropocene

How “Slurpee” Waves Formed Along a Nantucket Beach

New England’s record cold created the perfect conditions for waves of slush, offering an unusual opportunity to ski on the beach

A Prado visitor touches a 3-D printed replica of a contemporaneous copy of the "Mona Lisa."

Please Touch the Art: 3-D Printing Helps Visually Impaired Appreciate Paintings

The new “Touching the Prado” exhibit in Madrid showcases 3-D replicas of paintings, so blind visitors can feel key works of art

One of two newly installed wind turbines at the Eiffel Tower.

The Eiffel Tower Gets a Green Upgrade

The landmark now has two wind turbines above its second level

7 , 5 ° Rø, designed by German artists Wolfgang-A. Lüchow, Sebastian Andreas Scheller and Anja Kilian, offers a unique take on space by dividing the suite into 12 frames, each at an angle of 7.5 degrees from the other, forming a spiral-like suite that creates the illusion of infinity.

The Making and Remaking of the Original Ice Hotel

Often imitated but never duplicated, the world’s original ice hotel turns 25 this year

This Dutch Wind Wheel Is Part Green Tech Showcase, Part Architectural Attraction

A giant structure proposed in Rotterdam puts cutting-edge energy tech inside a rotating observation wheel, with room for a hotel and apartments

National Park Service map of loud and quiet areas in the United States—yellow areas represent loud areas, while blue represents quiet.

National Park Service Map Shows The Loudest, Quietest Places In the U.S.

Want some peace and quiet? Avoid cities, the East Coast

Best Travel Destinations for Food Foraging

Forage for wild foods like truffles, herbs and scallops on these guided tours—feasting included

Livraria Lello, Porto, Portugal

Charming and Unusual Bookstores Around the World

Curl up with a new book—or catch a reading or concert—at these thriving independent bookstores from Mexico City to Melbourne

Navajo activist Delores Wilson opposes development on land she holds sacred: “You don’t want to anger the Holy Beings there.”

Who Can Save the Grand Canyon?

A holy war is being fought over a proposal to build a $500 million commercial development, on the rim of America’s natural treasure

Fictitious Catalan figures known as "carnestoltes" dance in the street during the Carnival parade in Sitges, Spain.

Mad, Wonderful Photos From Mardi Gras and Carnival

From New Orleans to Panama to Spain, revelers celebrated Mardi Gras and the days leading up to it with costumes, color and craziness

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