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In J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings series, Ents are a sentient tree-like species that can walk and talk. While these creatures are sadly figments of the author's imagination, elements of Middle-earth do occasionally slip into our world. One recent example of this can be seen in New Zealand’s Tree of the Year contest, as this year's winner bears a striking resemblance to the mystical beings.

This year, the Tree of the Year award was given to a northern rātā (Metrosideros robusta), a flowering tree that is native to New Zealand. The species can grow up to 82 feet (25 meters) or taller, allowing it to tower over forest canopies. Impressively, it can live for up to 1,000 years. The rātā also has a unique shape—instead of one trunk, it has two, and these twin trunks extend down to make it look like the tree is walking, earning the entry the title of “The Walking Tree.” Clearly, this paid off, as the photo of the tree earned 42% of the public's vote in the final round of judging.

“The Walking Tree is a prime example of the remarkable trees that we, as New Zealanders, are fortunate to experience,” said Richie Hill, president of the New Zealand Tree of the Year contest. “This award recognizes the significant role that trees play within our communities, not only enhancing our local environments but also providing a sense of place for past, present, and future generations. The Walking Tree is an exceptional feature and a must-see destination, highlighting the uniqueness and diversity that exists within New Zealand’s notable tree population.”

In addition to its majestic appearance, the northern rātā also has a unique growing pattern. It starts as an epiphyte, meaning that it is a plant that grows on the surface of a tree, similar to a parasite. As it grows, the rātā's roots grow toward the ground and, eventually, entirely envelop its host tree, which could be the cause of its unusual shape.

h/t: [IFL Science]

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READ: “Walking” Tree That Looks Like a ‘Lord of the Rings’ Creature Just Won the New Zealand Tree of the Year Contest

Illustration of Archaeopteryx (Photo: Ville Sinkonnen © Field Museum)

One of the best specimens of the Archaeopteryx is now on display at Chicago's Field Museum. The discovery of the first Archaeopteryx fossil in 1861 was integral in confirming Darwin's theory of evolution, as it helped prove that birds are the closest living relatives to dinosaurs. No other museum in a major city in the Western hemisphere has an Archaeopteryx, a dinosaur that roamed what is now Europe, making this a unique opportunity for American science lovers.

It might seem strange that baby ducklings are related to T. Rex, but Archaeopteryx helped scientists understand this leap, as the creature marks a key evolutionary step.

“Archaeopteryx is arguably the most important fossil ever discovered,” shares Field Museum CEO and President Dr. Julian Siggers. “This is the Field Museum’s most  significant fossil acquisition since SUE the T. rex, and we’re thrilled to be able to study ‘the Chicago Archaeopteryx’ and to share it with our visitors.”

While the Archaeopteryx (Greek for “ancient wing”) has a snout with sharp teeth, claws on its wings, and a long bony tail more evocative of dragons than a sparrow, it also shares defining features of birds. Firstly, the dinosaur is small in size. Chicago's specimen is about the size of a pigeon, but they could grow up to 20 inches long. It also has hollow bones, including a wishbone, and its feathers are asymmetrical.

Only a dozen other fossils of this late Jurassic critter have been discovered, all in Europe. Like most of those fossils, the Chicago specimen was found in Germany at the Solnhofen limestone deposit. Private fossil collectors first found it in 1990 and held onto it until the Field Museum was able to purchase it in 2022.

In a twist of good luck for scientists, when the museum received the fossil, it was still mostly encased in a layer of rock. The Field’s associate curator of fossil reptiles, Dr. Jingmai O’Connor, explains, “When a fossil is prepared for the commercial fossil industry, sometimes the physical beauty of the specimen is prioritized over the scientific details. But since the Field Museum’s fossil preparators Akiko Shinya and Connie Van Beek led the project, they preserved all sorts of fine details that are invaluable to scientists using this fossil for research.”

After 1300 hours of museum workers' efforts, the public can view the Archaeopteryx in a temporary exhibit that is open until June 7, 2024. If you can't visit our fossilized feathered friend soon, don't worry. Starting in September, it will be on permanent exhibition at the Field Museum.

The Archaeopteryx is a bird-like dinosaur that lived 150 million years ago in what is now Europe.

Photo: Adrienne Stroup © Field Museum

Chicago's Field Museum is the only museum in a major city in the Western Hemisphere to own one of its fossils.

Photo: Delaney Drummond © Field Museum

Photo: Delaney Drummond © Field Museum

After X-raying the stone slab it had received, the museum was thrilled to discover that the specimen was nearly 100% complete.

Field Museum staff, including assistant curator Jing Mai O'Conner, PhD., opening up the Archaeopteryx fossil they just received. (Photo:© Field Museum)

The dinosaur helps prove Darwin's theory of evolution and is now on display in the museum.

Archaeopteryx fossil slab (Photo: Delaney Drummond © Field Museum)

Field Museum: Website | Facebook | Instagram
h/t: [Smithsonian Magazine]

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READ: Chicago’s Field Museum Exhibits Rare Skeleton of Bird-Like Dinosaur Archaeopteryx

The town of Ilulissat, Greenland, sits 220 miles north of the Arctic Circle, and its name may give away one of the area's most incredible sights. “Ilulissat” is the Kalaallisut word for icebergs, and the area has a front-row seat to the yearly journey of these ice mammoths at the nearby Ilulissat Icefjord. This area was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004, and now Danish photographer Jonas Høholt lets the world see it through a hypnotic time-lapse depicting the transit of the icebergs under the sweeping arctic skies.

The icebergs that populate this area have been split and shed by the Sermeq Kujalleq glacier one by one for thousands of years. “The sheer magnitude of the Ilulissat Icefjord, its icebergs, and their journey planted a deep fascination in me,” Høholt writes on YouTube. “Along with the distant sounds of icebergs cracking, squeaking, and rumbling, the feeling of being a mere speck in a world largely ruled by nature got its grip in me.”

Høholt shot this time-lapse over a four-month period during which he lived in Ilulissat. “Aside from handling my main job in the town, I grabbed the opportunity to depict my impressions of the seasonal changes from summer to winter around the iconic icefjord just south of Ilulissat,” he explained. “I naturally found purpose in using my time-lapse skills, that I've gradually developed over more than a decade, to capture footage for a personal project depicting the arctic autumn seasonal change along with my personal four month journey in the area.”

His footage captures the seasons changing from summer to the first days of winter. The icebergs parade first under sunny skies and in front of Greenland's colorful villages before moving alongside the aurora borealis at night. Impressively, as the cold kicks in, icebergs can reach up to 15 stories tall out of the water.

To Høholt, this project creations realizations about the constant evolution of both the environment and the human spirit. “The ever-changing icebergs remind me of the impermanence of life,” he writes. “It spurs me to appreciate each moment.”

To explore Høholt's work further, visit his YouTube channel.

Jonas Høholt: Instagram | YouTube
h/t: [PetaPixel]

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“Winter in the floodplain forest” by Dieter Damschen. Overall Winner and Second place, Special Category: Everything in flux – Germany’s River landscapes.
“The inundated trees in the floodplain hardwood forest of the Mittel Elbe during a winter flood.”

A dreamy winter scene has earned Dieter Damschen the title of GDT Nature Photographer of the Year. The competition is run by the Germany Society for Nature Photographers to highlight the talent of its members. This year, 481 members from 13 countries entered just under 8,000 images.

Damschen rose to the top with his photo of trees dusted with snow as a winter flood swept through Germany's Elbe River Landscape Biosphere Reserve.

“I often visit this hardwood riparian forest in the foreland of the dyke to take photographs at fixed points with lines of sight that reveal carefully selected compositions,” Damschen shares. “On this particular morning, the trunks and branches of the trees were plastered with snow on one side, thanks to snowfall in combination with strong winds during the previous night. The resulting contrasting lines emphasize the time-worn structures of the mighty trees, creating the special graphic effect of this fleeting moment.”

Other standout images include Kai Kolodziej‘s portrait of a diamondback rattlesnake flicking its tongue and Scott Portelli's aerial view of humpback whales during bubble-net feeding.

Scroll down to see some of our favorite winners and finalists from the 2024 contest. They just might inspire you to get out and spend more time in nature.

Here are the winners of the 2024 GDT Nature Photographer of the Year contest.

“Bubble netting” by Scott Portelli. First place, Mammals.
” Humpback whales spend the summer months in their Antarctic feeding grounds hunting energy-rich krill to build up sufficient blubber reserves for the long migration to their winter breeding grounds in the tropics. Using a technique known as bubble netting, several whales encircle a swarm of krill, crowd the swarm further by releasing a curtain of air bubbles, and then lurch in to feed effortlessly.”

“Tasting the air” by Kai Kolodziej. Second place, Other Animals.
” The diamondback rattlesnake uses its tongue to detect odors. My goal was to make this behavior visible.”

“Thread-winged” by Dr. Gerald Haas. First place, Other Animals.
“Thread-winged antlion in camp at night, Namibia.”

“Isar floodplain in morning fog” by Andreas Volz. Second place, Special Category: Everything in flux – Germany’s River landscapes.
“The floodplain of Pupplinger Au is an invaluable and species-rich nature reserve. In this region, the streambed of the Isar is largely unregulated.”

“Scenes from a marriage” by Silke Hüttche. Special category winner.

“Eyes shut and waiting for spring” by Flurin Leugger. Second place, Mammals.
“Alpine ibex are perfectly adapted to the inhospitable conditions at high elevations and can even survive severe winter storms.”

The contest is open to members of the German Society for Nature Photographers.

“Arrowhead” by Heike Odermatt. First place, Plants and Mushrooms.
“The small river Groote Aa flows past the outskirts of my village. In the summer, this is the perfect habitat for arrowhead.”

“Flag tree” by Marte Engelbrecht. First place, Atelier Nature.
“A tree shaped by the wind in the grey dunes of the German barrier island Baltrum. Exposure with intentional camera movement (ICM).”

“Predator and prey” by Jan Sohler. Jury Prize.
“An eider drake tries in vain to snatch a mussel in Kieler Förde.”

“Surfing the wave” by Levi Fitze. First place, Birds.
“Gentoo penguin, Sea Lion Island, Falkland Islands. Gentoos are the fastest swimmers among penguins and agile enough to surf breaking waves.”

“Birches in autumn” by Felix Wesch. First place, Landscapes.
“A section of one of my favorite woods in Wahner Heath on a rare mornings in autumn with both fog and sunshine.”

“Morning roll call” by Jens Kählert. Third place, Birds.
“Black skimmers (Rynchops niger) on the east coast of Florida.”

481 members from 13 countries entered just under 8,000 images into this year's competition.

“Frosty morning at Istein Cataracts on the Rhine” by Karl Heinz Scheidtmann. Third place, Special Category: Everything in flux – Germany’s River landscapes.
” The Rhine flows over a limestone formation at Istein Cataracts. Severe frost and soft morning light create a mystical scene.”

“Godafoss” by Britta Strack. Fifth place, Landscapes.
“Godafoss is a waterfall in northern Iceland. According to legend, it is known as the ‘waterfall of the gods'.”

“Frosty bell(e)” by Sigi Zang. Second place, Plants and Mushrooms.
“Pasque flower on a frosty morning.”

“In the eye of the cheetah” by Monika Morlak. Eighth place, Mammals.
“‘But cheetahs don't kill zebras!' proclaimed our astounded guide in Madikwe, South Africa. But this cheetah with three adolescents in tow managed to do just that.”

“Yellow sac spider” by Christian Jakimowitsch. Ninth place, Other Animals.
“A male yellow sac spider in its web.”

“Marble” by Florian Smit. Second place, Landscapes.
“This photograph was taken in Marble Castle, Saltfjellet-Svartisen National Park, Norway. The scene was illuminated with flashes from several perspectives.”

“Aerobatics in morning light” by Christian Brinkmann. Second place, Atelier Nature.
“In the warm glow of the morning sun in the Wadden Sea, a group of wagtails chases through the air; I captured two at just the right angle—a goosebump moment!”

German Society for Nature Photographers (GDT): Website | Facebook | Instagram

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by GDT.

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READ: Amazing Winners of the GDT Nature Photographer of the Year 2024

Digitally restored black and white daguerrotype of Emily Dickinson, c. early 1847. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)
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The now-renowned Emily Dickinson is widely regarded as one of the most important poets of American literature. Famously a recluse in her later years, the overwhelming majority of her poems were never published until after her death. Even then, it wasn't until the 1920s, 40 years after her death, that her unconventional style was embraced and celebrated as proto-modern work. Poetry wasn't her only passion, though. In fact, during her life, more of Dickinson's acquaintances would have known her as a gardener than a poet, according to scholar Judith Farr in The Gardens of Emily Dickinson. From a young age, she studied botany. While still a student, the avid anthophile compiled a remarkable herbarium, a compilation of dried plants.

This herbarium still holds the same plants Dickinson dried 180 years ago and is held at Harvard University's Houghton Library. Unsurprisingly, though, the original herbarium is not available for viewing, even by academic researchers, since it is so fragile. Luckily, the Houghton Library used digital photography to make the collection viewable to scholars, and the general public. The book, housed in a green album embossed with a botanical pattern, contains 424 different plant specimens on 66 sheets of paper. Dickinson's neat handwriting can be viewed via the labels that use the scientific name of the plants.

Botany was a common past-time for girls of that era, an acceptable pathway to science through illustration, which was deemed to be suitably feminine. Over a third of Dickinson's poems refer to flowers, and she often gave gifts of her poems entwined with flowers to her friends and family. Farr argues that one can only understand Emily Dickinson the poet if one understands Emily Dickinson the gardener. For instance, most of the plants Dickinson features in her herbarium are ones native to her home in New England. Yet the collection opens with jasmine, a far more exotic species. Farr writes, “Just as her fondness for buttercups, clover, anemones, and gentians spoke of an attraction to the simple and commonplace, her taste for strange exotic blooms is that of one drawn to the unknown, the uncommon, the aesthetically venturesome.”

Emily Dickinson was a passionate gardener, creating her own herbarium when she was just 14 years old.

First page of Emily Dickinson's herbarium. (Photo: Houghton Library, Harvard University, Public domain)

Photo: Houghton Library, Harvard University (Public domain)

During the Victorian Era, young women were often well-versed in the “language” of flowers.

Photo: Houghton Library, Harvard University (Public domain)

Her herbarium was once inaccessible; but now, in Harvard's collections, it is fully digitized and viewable by the public.

Photo: , Harvard University (Public domain)

Photo: , Harvard University (Public domain)

Photo: Houghton Library, Harvard University (Public domain)

h/t: [Open Culture]

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The Sapphire Tower plant blooms at the San Diego Botanic Garden in 2019. (Photo: Zareksiegel via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED)

Many beautiful things prove exceptionally worth waiting for. Among these, and particularly among the slow-moving wonders of nature, is the Sapphire Tower plant. This large plant is native to the footlands of Chilean mountain regions, growing in elevations of up to 2,200 meters (about 7,218 feet). It can also be found in greenhouses and botanical gardens around the world—including one specimen at The Birmingham Botanical Gardens in the UK. The Gardens, which have housed their Sapphire Tower plant for 20 years, recently announced an exciting and rare occasion: the blooming of the turquoise flowers.

The Sapphire Tower plant is scientifically known as Puya alpestris, a species among the bromeliad family of plant. It generally takes up to a decade for these plants to flower in nature. “It is very slow-growing, so to witness its spectacular blooms is both exciting and rare,” the Gardens’ senior glasshouse horticulturist Alberto Trinco explains in a statement. The flowers typically attract hummingbirds in the wild who serve as pollinators for the plant. However, the specimen in the Arid Glasshouse of the Gardens required an alternate solution for pollination. The Gardens set about pollinating the flowers by human hand using a small paintbrush.

This uniquely man-enabled process is in effect because the plant will soon die after its flowering period is complete. “Each flower only lasts a few days, giving us a limited window of time to give nature a helping hand,” Trinco explains. “In the absence of its natural pollinators, we will attempt some hand pollination instead.”

The gardening expert adds, “Hopefully, pollinating the flowers with the brush to obtain seeds will allow us to secure the presence of this amazing species in our collection for future generations to come and admire.”

For a very limited time, visitors will be able to catch a glimpse of the blooms at the Gardens, and it is advisable to check and see if blooms are still open before visiting. The next blossoming likely won’t occur until 2034. Like a solar eclipse, it’s a special and elusive sight to behold. If you get a chance to visit the Gardens, you can also check out their other magnificent plants and stop for tea at the tearoom to celebrate the Sapphire Tower plant.

The Sapphire Tower plant takes 10 years to flower, and this rare event is in progress at The Birmingham Botanical Gardens in the UK.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Birmingham Botanical Gardens UK (@bhambotanicalgardens)

h/t: [IFL Science]

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Volcanos are fascinating geological structures. They essentially serve as vents, allowing the warmer inner materials of the Earth to emerge in flowing lava. Mount Etna, located in Sicily, is even more interesting than your average volcano though. Known as a stratovolcano for its steep cone-shape, Mount Etna's eruptions have been watched and recorded by humans since 1500 BCE. The mountain is particularly known for producing smokey vortex rings, which look almost mythical—and the mountain has been belching these at a swift rate recently.

Mount Etna is generally extremely active. The name Etna actually may originate in the Latin and Greek words meaning “to burn,” or potentially Phoenician for “furnace.” Vortex rings are Mount Etna's specialty. They are created when vents open up, allowing hot gasses, vapors, and smoke to emerge from the hotter volcanic material below. Differences in speed as the gaseous material is ejected creates a vortex, a high speed swirl. The gaseous ring then floats off, eventually fading.

In April 2024, Mount Etna has produced more rings than any volcano on record, according to The New York Times. Despite this unprecedented pace, it doesn’t necessarily mean that a big explosion is on the way. For now, the hyperactivity is a mesmerizing piece of nature. Even if you’re not in Sicily right now, you can watch the video above. The Straits Times has captured footage of the hypnotizing smoke rings floating through the sky.

The active volcano is currently a protected park. It's a UNESCO World Heritage site that has a unique ecosystem on its slopes, where plants and animals live. One can explore Mount Etna via hiking trails and scenic viewpoints, and perhaps will even catch sight of a vortex ring. You can also follow the explosions and flows through a webpage maintained by The Smithsonian.

Mount Etna, a volcano in Sicily, has been blowing out smoke rings at an unprecedented rate this month.

A Mount Etna smoke ring in August 2023. (Photo: PSomol via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED)

h/t: [Colossal]

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During the winter, Yellowstone National Park sees its sweeping greenery turn into a snowy landscape. Filmmaker Drew Simms traveled to the area, considered to be the first national park in the U.S., to document its oneiric beauty. As the home to the largest public herd of American bison in the United States, Simms focused his camera on these majestic animals, turning them into the main characters of this tale of endurance.

The result is a powerful short film titled -37F Winter in Yellowstone National Park. In his beautiful footage, Simms takes a poetic approach to capture how winter looks in the natural landscape. Tiny human figures contrast with the tall columns of the Old Faithful geyser as snowy trees dot the scene. Meanwhile, the steady bison make their way through the snow, flakes piling up on their rugged fur.

“I was lucky enough to spend just over a week around Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming last winter. Weather was brutal with temps reaching almost -40F!” Simms writes.”I spent time photographing and filming some of my all-time favorite wildlife experiences. Including frozen bison, multiple coyotes, mountain goats, big horn sheep, and many of the geysers around the park. Hands down one of my most memorable winter camping trips of my life.”

Simms conveys the allure of winter at Yellowstone with hypnotic visuals, and in doing so, captures the true heart of the park. And while it's universally appealing, those who have experienced it firsthand commended the filmmaker's work. “I’m a snowcoach driver/guide in the park. I take people in to see this stuff every single day. You did an incredible job capturing the beauty and quiet simplicity of this landscape in winter,” writes YouTube user @wattswildlifephoto. “Yellowstone is amazing year-round, but when 10 feet of snow meets boiling, steaming thermal energy from deep underground, the park becomes otherworldly.”

Drew Simms: Website | YouTube
h/t: [The Kid Should See This]

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Drones allow videographers to get some daring shots, especially in hostile natural environments. However, as close as they can get us to action, there are always risks. Just ask filmmaker Danny Mcgee. During a trip to Iceland, he decided to get close-up shots of the volcanos in the area. Down to his last SD card and drone battery, he sent his drone on one last round, only to nearly lose it to the lava.

In a video posted to his YouTube channel, Mcgee shows what could have been his drone's final minutes. As it approaches the crater, one can hear the gurgling lava below. The explosions grow bigger, and Mcgee lowers the drone to shoot them in all their glory. However, bright orange drops of lava suddenly engulf the drone. While the device is capturing great visuals, it is simultaneously hit by incandescent material as it spins in the air “Oh, no! I lost it,” Mcgee can be heard saying.

In what can only be described as a miracle, the drone manages to escape the crater. Since some of its propellers have been hit by lava, it struggles to make it back to Mcgee's side—but it does. “These are completely shattered and like, melted,” says Mcgee showing the charred parts. He smiles big with relief and excitement. “I thought for sure I was not getting the drone back. She's a warrior.”

The intrepid footage was then used in one of his short films, offering the viewer a firsthand view of what it looks like to almost fall in a pit of lava. Scroll down to watch the video below.

Filmmaker Danny Mcgee nearly lost his drone to an Icelandic volcano, but got some mesmerizing footage of the lava.

Danny McGee: Website | YouTube

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Photo: vad_1/Depositphotos

Even though snow can be inconvenient, there is something magical about seeing those chunky flakes fall from the sky. Especially the larger snow crystals that boast beautiful symmetry and unique designs. But have you ever thought about how big a snowflake can get? There is actually a Guinness World Record for exceptionally large snowflakes, but it's not as straightforward as it sounds.

“On the night of 27 January 1887, a fierce winter storm dropped snowflakes described as ‘larger than milk pans’ over the Clark Fork River valley, in the vicinity of a ranch owned by Matt Coleman, near Missoula in Montana, USA,” writes the Guinness World Records. “Reports suggest that they were up to 1 ft 3 in (38 cm) wide and 8 in (20 cm) thick.” That reads like a monstrous ball of ice, but it is important to separate snow crystals from snowflakes. The former comes from water freezing from a gas to a solid without first becoming liquid. This gives them those six-fold symmetric designs—their pattern being determined by environmental conditions. On the other hand, snowflakes can be any clump that comes down from the wintery sky.

“During very calm conditions, these puffballs can grow into pancake-shaped agglomerations as large as a dinner plate, although this is exceedingly rare,” writes Dr. Kenneth Libbrecht, Professor of Physics and an experienced snow researcher. With this distinction in mind, and over 20 years of experience studying snow, Libbrecht set out to find the largest possible snow crystal. “The largest individual snow crystal measured was 10 mm (0.39 in) from tip to tip, as documented by Professor Kenneth Libbrecht (USA) in Cochrane, Ontario, Canada, on 30 December 2003,” notes the Guinness World Records. By comparison, regular snow crystals are usually two to four millimeters in diameter.

“I have only seen large snow crystals like this twice; both times in Cochrane, Ontario. The temperature was near -15 C (5 F)—just right for making fernlike stellar dendrites—and the air was dead calm,” Libbrecht writes. “Both times, I saw these large snow flowers falling only briefly, for about ten minutes.” However, with a little luck, this record can be broken. Libbrecht estimates that about a million billion snowflakes fall each second, averaged over a typical year. “That's enough snow to make one snowman for every person on earth every ten minutes.” If you live in any of the places where he describes as getting the “greatest snow on Earth” be sure to keep your eyes peeled for the next giant snow crystal.

According to Guinness World Records, the biggest snowflakes on record were 1 ft 3 in (38 cm) wide and 8 in (20 cm) thick, yet the largest snow crystals ever photographed were 10 mm (0.39 in) from tip to tip.

Photo: style-photo/Depositphotos

h/t: [IFL Science]

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