Araucaria columnaris, known as Cook pine, is  a tree endemic to New Caledonia in the Melanesia region of the southwestern Pacific Ocean. Cook pines have been known to grow at peculiar angles and scientists have discovered why – it is because they always tilt towards the equator. The further the trees are from the equator the more they tilt. Many plants are able to lean towards a source of light when it is not directly above – a characteristic known as phototropism. On average Cook pines tilt by 8.55 degrees,  which is twice as much as the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

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Waw an Namus, Oasis of Mosquitoes, is a volcanic field, cone and caldera in southern Libya, deep in the Sahara Desert. The inside of the caldera houses an oasis of rich foliage and three small salt lakes of variable color which are the reason for the volcano’s name. A volcanic field of dark basaltic tephra flow extends 10–20 kilometres (6.2–12.4 mi) around the caldera. The dark field’s vast size allows it to be easily seen from space. Due to the fresh water at the volcano, Waw An-Namus was always an important watering point for the caravans.
info: wikipedia

By NASA’s Earth Observatory – The Operational Land Imager (OLI) on Landsat 8 (http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=86054), CC BY 2.0, Link

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By Mpmajewski – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link

The Eternal Flame Falls is a small waterfall located in the Shale Creek Preserve, a section of Chestnut Ridge Park in Western New York. A small grotto at the waterfall’s base emits natural gas, which can be lit to produce a small flame. This flame is visible nearly year round, although it can be extinguished and must occasionally be re-lit.
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