Africa’s Mysterious “Fairy Circles”

Fairy circles—circular patches of bare soil surrounded by a ring of grass—have long mystified scientists.Found mainly in the grasslands of southern Africa, the oddly shaped formations can grow to more than 65 feet (20 meters) wide, but no one knew what caused them. Now, perhaps dashing the hopes of those who thought actual fairies were involved, a new study has found a possible explanation: termites.

American Magpie

Endangered Species:The American magpie or black-billed magpie (Pica hudsonia) inhabits a swath of the western United States. It is one of only four North American songbirds whose tail makes up more than half of its total body length.

The gardens of Kykuit, NY

Night Garden:The gardens of Kykuit, at the Rockefeller estate in Sleepy Hollow, New York, were planned for day or night display. A row of lindens leads to the perfection of the Temple of Aphrodite.The sun vanishes. The pearl of a moon rises. Magic happens.

Ometepe Island, Nicaragua.

Nicaragua today is like Costa Rica was 30 years ago: a pristine Central American country that’s easy to reach—and virtually empty.
On Ometepe, kids can hang back to check out petroglyphs or join in on a challenging hike up the perfect cone of dormant, 4,573-foot (1,394-meter) Maderas Volcano.

Kungsleden, Sweden

A hundred miles inside the Arctic Circle, Sweden’s legendary 275-mile Kungsleden (the “The King's Trail”) begins its traverse of the last great wilderness in western Europe. This mind-blowing northernmost section penetrates the vast Arctic landscape of Sweden through birch forests, open tundra, and big glaciers before crossing the shoulder of Sweden’s highest peak, 6,926-foot Mount Kebnekaise. Using the comfortable huts placed about a day apart assures you have refuge in bad weather. Sturdy suspension bridges take the danger out of the big rivers. The vibe here is “far north,” with palpable emptiness and low-angled light that stirs the soul.

Tibet:Mount Kailash

Kailash, considered sacred to five religions. According to Hindus, the perfect pyramid of the 22,028-foot peak is where the god Shiva sits in meditation. The mountain is also a holy place to Buddhists, Jains, the Ayyavazhi branch of Hinduism, and the ancient Bon religion of Tibet.

Into the heart of the Amazon

Yasuní National Park:Cobalt-winged parakeets flock to a pool.