Coleção de Papéis de Parede 202608

Imagine coming face to face with a fish the size of a bus. The whale shark is the world's largest fish, yet it is a remarkably gentle giant. Despite its name, it is not a whale but a shark, with the biggest confirmed individuals measuring around 18 metres long and weighing more than 20 tonnes. Found in warm tropical and subtropical seas, whale sharks move slowly through the water with their mouths open, filtering plankton, fish eggs and other tiny prey. Their distinctive white spots and stripes form patterns unique to each individual, allowing researchers to identify and track them over time.

From the cliffs of Lloret de Mar in Girona, Catalonia, the Camí de Ronda winds along the Costa Brava, a coastline true to its name: wild, rugged and full of surprises. This historic route passes hidden coves, rocky outcrops battered by the Mediterranean and pine forests that reach almost to the sea. It was originally established so that customs officers could patrol the coastline and help prevent smuggling. Today, it is considered one of the most spectacular coastal walks in Spain.

At sunset, Mont-Saint Michel rises from the waters of Normandy, France, like a fortress shaped by the sea. Perched on a rocky tidal island, the abbey and village stand at the centre of one of Europe's most dramatic coastal settings. Twice a day, the sea retreats to reveal vast stretches of sand before surging back to reclaim the landscape. At high tide, the mount becomes an island once again. For centuries, travellers timed their journeys to this rhythm, crossing the flats when conditions allowed and watching the sea return hours later.

Imagine a world without the natural wonders that hold about 90% of Earth's surface freshwater. Lakes are among our planet's most valuable resources. More than 117 million lakes cover nearly 4% of Earth's land surface, yet many face growing pressure from pollution, overuse and climate change.

As darker nights return to Iceland, visitors will soon look to the skies for a chance to see the aurora borealis. Better known as the northern lights, this luminous phenomenon occurs when particles from the sun interact with gases high in Earth's atmosphere, creating shimmering ribbons of green, pink, purple and sometimes red light. Iceland's northern location and increasingly dark autumn and winter nights make it one of the world's premier destinations for aurora viewing.

The walk begins with a patch of sunlight on the trail, then the redwoods seem to close around the path. Today's image from Redwood National and State Parks in California, USA, shows the scene many visitors remember most: towering trunks, ferns underfoot and moss clinging to fallen wood. The parks take their name from the coast redwood, Sequoia sempervirens, whose thick, reddish bark helps protect it from fire. After decades of extensive logging, Redwood National Park was created in 1968 and later expanded in 1978 to strengthen protection for old-growth forests.

The Brooklyn Bridge doesn't just connect Manhattan and Brooklyn—it bridges history, engineering and a few surprising stories too. Opened in 1883 after 14 years of construction, it became the world's first steel-wire suspension bridge, forever changing the way New Yorkers crossed the East River.

In Alaska, some of the world's wildest wildlife spectacles unfold far from cities and roads. At Katmai National Park, brown bears line the river, and when the salmon jump, the show begins. Created in 1918 after the dramatic 1912 Novarupta volcanic eruption, the park protects more than 16,000 square kilometres of wilderness, including active volcanoes, tundra and salmon-rich rivers.

That quick glimpse of blue fluttering through a field has a story that begins much earlier, with a tiny caterpillar and a surprising survival trick. The common blue is found across Europe, North Africa and parts of Asia, feeding on flower nectar as an adult. It starts life as a small egg, often placed by a female on a host plant such as bird's-foot trefoil. The real surprise comes during its caterpillar stage, when ants play an unexpected role in its survival. After hatching, the caterpillar feeds on leaves before entering the next stage of its transformation. Along the way, it produces a sugary substance called honeydew that ants feed on. As a way of saying thanks, the ants may protect the caterpillar from predators.

Some mountain roads become destinations in their own right, and Julier Pass is one of them. This Swiss mountain pass rises to 2,284 metres and has linked Alpine valleys along a route used for nearly 2,000 years. Its story began long before modern traffic. No guardrails, no pavement—just a route used by Roman travellers, merchants and messengers. Archaeological finds near the summit, including countless coins and two Roman soapstone columns, suggest there was once a sanctuary or stopping place for those tackling the climb.

An orca breaks the surface of Lynn Canal against the backdrop of the snow-capped Chilkat Mountains in Southeast Alaska, United States. Also known as the killer whale, the orca is the largest member of the dolphin family and one of the ocean's most recognisable predators. Alaska's Inside Passage provides abundant feeding grounds, sustaining salmon runs and a rich variety of marine life that supports these remarkable animals.

Where two great deserts meet, Joshua Tree National Park reveals a stark, mesmerising landscape shaped by wind, time and extremes. In Southern California, the higher Mojave Desert merges with the hotter, lower Colorado Desert, creating a unique blend of ecosystems and remarkable biodiversity.

Roads have made travel faster for people but created new challenges for wildlife. Highways often cut across their regular migration routes, increasing collisions, fragmenting habitats and isolating animal populations. Wildlife crossings, also known as ecoducts, were developed to reconnect these landscapes. They include vegetated bridges over roads and tunnels beneath them, allowing animals to cross safely while reducing the risk of vehicle collisions. Some of the earliest modern examples appeared in France during the 1950s, while the Netherlands later expanded the idea with wide, green bridges designed to blend into the surrounding landscape.

Location matters. Just ask the false clownfish seen in the image at Lighthouse Reef, near Cabilao Island, Philippines. In these tropical waters packed with hungry mouths and fierce competition, they've secured prime real estate: a sea anemone armed with thousands of microscopic stinging cells.

Some landscapes are shaped not by people, but by the steady forces of nature over thousands of years. That's exactly the story of Pedra Furada in Jericoacoara, in the Brazilian state of Ceará. Wind and sea gradually carved this natural arch, which has become one of the region's most recognisable landmarks. Located within Jericoacoara National Park, the arch stands along the coast and frames the Atlantic Ocean. From July into early August, visitors gather to watch its most famous spectacle, when the setting sun aligns with the opening in the rock, shining through it for a few minutes before dipping below the horizon.

At first glance, it's just a bridge. Then the reflection changes everything. Infinity Bridge spans the River Tees in Stockton-on-Tees, England, where its two striking steel arches and their reflections create the shape of an infinity symbol, inspiring its name. Opened in 2009, the pedestrian and cycle bridge was designed by Expedition Engineering with architect Spence Associates as part of the regeneration of the town's riverside. Stretching 240 metres, its tied-arch structure combines engineering efficiency with a distinctive visual identity.

From above, Palmanova looks less like a town and more like a carefully drawn star set into the plains of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy. Founded by the Republic of Venice in 1593, this fortress city was designed for defence, order and spectacle. Its streets radiate from a central square, while its walls are shaped into a precise nine-pointed pattern. That geometry was no accident. Palmanova became one of the most influential models of early modern military architecture. It was protected by concentric fortifications built first under Venice and later strengthened and expanded during the Napoleonic period.

When darkness falls over Tenerife, Spain, the stars take centre stage. Perched high on the slopes of Mount Teide, Teide Observatory is one of the world's leading solar observatories and among the best places in Europe for astronomical research. Opened in 1964 at an altitude of about 2,390 metres, it benefits from clear skies, dry air and minimal light pollution for much of the year, making it ideal for observing the sun by day and the night sky after sunset.

A line of elephants emerges from the morning haze, calves keeping pace beside older relatives as they head towards a marsh. In Amboseli National Park, scenes like this unfold every day, shaped by water hidden beneath the ground. Meltwater from Mount Kilimanjaro filters through volcanic rock before surfacing as springs that keep the park's wetlands alive, even when the surrounding plains are dry. These permanent water sources sustain elephants, buffaloes, hippos and many other animals, while acacia woodland and open grassland support predators such as lions and cheetahs.

Ships, storms and changing technology have come and gone, but the light remains. On Washington's San Juan Island, Lime Kiln Lighthouse has overlooked Haro Strait since 1919. Perched on a rocky bluff, its white flash continues to guide vessels through one of the Pacific Northwest's most important inland waterways. The lighthouse stands within Lime Kiln Point State Park, widely regarded as one of the world's best places to watch wild orcas from shore, with whales sometimes passing remarkably close to the coast.

The best route here isn't built with concrete. Instead, the tide reveals a rocky path leading from Whytecliff Park to Whyte Islet in West Vancouver, Canada. A few hours later, the sea quietly covers the crossing again, making timing part of the experience. This shoreline has drawn visitors for generations. The tide opens the path; wet rocks keep you humble. The reward is a sweeping view back towards the beach and the hillside homes of Gleneagles.

At first glance, they look like giant wooden shells rising above the trees. Look a little closer and every curve has a purpose. The Jean-Marie Tjibaou Cultural Centre, which opened in 1998, celebrates the Kanak people, the Indigenous inhabitants of New Caledonia, whose traditions, languages and customs have shaped the archipelago for thousands of years. Italian architect Renzo Piano designed the complex after studying traditional Kanak building techniques, reinterpreting them with laminated timber ribs, steel frames and modern engineering. Rather than copying historic structures, he created a contemporary design inspired by traditional Kanak grandes cases, or ceremonial houses.

Nature has a knack for balancing the impossible. In New Mexico's Ah-Shi-Sle-Pah Wilderness, towering hoodoos perch hefty rock caps on slender stems. Wind, water and ice have spent roughly 75 million years sculpting these remote badlands into an open-air gallery that feels more alien than terrestrial.

In Copenhagen, Nyhavn Canal is a burst of colour and history. In Denmark's capital, bright, gabled houses lean toward the water, their reflections rippling beside old wooden ships. Carved out in the 1670s under King Christian V, this 17th-century canal once served as a busy gateway where cargo vessels unloaded goods straight into the city's heart. Sailors crowded its taverns, and the harbour gained a rough reputation long before it became the postcard-perfect place seen today.

In the Masai Mara, Kenya, the ground seems to move. A vast surge of wildebeest—hoofed grazers built for endurance—travel in tightly packed herds, drawn by fresh grass and water replenished by seasonal rains.

In Fez, Morocco, the Royal Palace—known as Dar al-Makhzen—has stood as a seat of power since the 13th century, when Morocco's rulers established a fortified royal city around it. Behind its high walls lie gardens, courtyards, mosques and royal residences spread across a vast complex still used by the king today, making it both historic and fully active.

Owls are far more than the wide-eyed birds they appear to be. Found on every continent except Antarctica, they are known for forward-facing eyes, flat facial discs that channel sound and specialised hearing. Many species hunt in near silence thanks to soft-edged feathers. Their eyes remain fixed in their sockets, so they rely on remarkably flexible necks to scan their surroundings. From forests to deserts, owls inhabit a wide range of environments and play an important role in maintaining ecosystem balance.

Colourful luzzus—traditional Maltese fishing boats—fill the sheltered harbour of Marsaxlokk, a village on Malta's southeastern coast. Just a short drive from Valletta, the island's capital, it remains one of the country's main fishing hubs, where daily life follows the steady pace of the sea. Home to roughly 4,000 residents, the village is also widely known for its lively waterfront, especially its popular Sunday fish market, and for the steady return of boats carrying fresh catches each morning.

Finland is famous for the northern lights, its high happiness rankings, saunas and thousands of lakes. Helsinki adds history, design and the Baltic Sea to that list. The story begins in 1550, when King Gustav I of Sweden founded a trading town that would become Finland's capital in 1812. Today, a walk through the city can take you from Senate Square and the white-domed Helsinki Cathedral to the sea fortress of Suomenlinna, a UNESCO World Heritage Site accessible by ferry.

Most landscapes change over thousands of years. Volcanoes can reshape them in a matter of hours, and on Hawaii's Big Island, they continue to do just that. Recognising the scientific and natural importance of this ever-changing environment, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park was established in 1916. For more than a century, it has protected more than 1,430 square kilometres of volcanic terrain, native forests and rare wildlife.

Some railways retire. The Virginia Creeper Trail simply changed gears. Stretching 55 kilometres through southwest Virginia, this trail follows a former rail line once used to haul lumber and iron ore through the Appalachian Mountains. Its unusual name traces back to the steam locomotives that laboured up steep grades in the early 1900s.